The Meaning of Nightmare Night

[AlextheAngel]

(See OOC to join.)

 

Zed strolled around the castle, glancing about curiously at the different decorations that littered the castle walls and ceilings. Lately, Celestia and Luna along with their subjects have been scrambling about trying to get preparations done for some sort of party, which left the boy utterly confused about what was going on. As far as he knew, there should not be any special occasions going on.... then again, he did not know for sure, considering that he was too nervous to even ask. Sure, it had been about two months since Celestia officially adopted him, but he still needed time to... settle in. He stumbled a bit as he almost tripped over a hollowed out pumpkin with an ominous face carved into it. Was this supposed to be scary...?

[Noedig]

Gale Storm walked around the hallway, noticing some decorations that were appropriated for Luna's villainous side. They were celebrating this event since Luna had embraced it some years ago.

Celestia and Luna passed by him, seemingly busy and rushed. He chuckled a bit.

Now, he sees Zed, who was confused by all the commotion and decorations.

"Are you alright?" Gale asked him. "I had that look the night they started decorating this some years ago. They're preparing for a special occasion called Nightmare Night. The night your Aunt Luna became a terrible villain, known as Nightmare Moon..."

He paused for some effect. "... Well, she was a villain. Not anymore."

[AlextheAngel]

Zed whirrled around when he suddenly heard Gale's voice not to far away from him. He let out a small sigh of relief, as he had been feeling more edgy than usual lately. "Really...?" He asked, thinking for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. "So it's like one of those... um..." He stopped for a moment, deep in thought as he tried to remember the right word. "Ugh... what's the word again?" He asked, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. "It... starts with the letter h... I believe." His eyes suddenly snapped open in realization, and he snapped his fingers. "Holiday! So... it's like a holiday?" He asked.

[PrinceoftheNight]

"Something like that." Lullaby said as she walked out of the door near them.

She was wearing a cute costume of a pirate, with a pirate hat, an eye patch and a wooden sword in her back, as well as her old spider plushie in her head like if it was her parrot. It was just adorable.

"Mom uses this day to scary ponies and get candy." She said giggling a bit.

[Noedig]

"Years ago, she turned into Nightmare Moon to scare everypony to embrace the night... now she's scaring them for candy." Gale humored. "Your mother is a strange one."

[AlextheAngel]

"That's... pretty weird." Zed replied, blinking in a confused manner. "So... Luna turns into Nightmare Moon... one of the most feared beings in all of Equestria... for fun?" He shook his head. "I don't see where that would make any sense. Granted, I've never celebrated a holiday in my entire life, but still..." He gave a small shrug.

[PrinceoftheNight]

"She uses this time to get candies, as Gale said, scaring ponies. Oh, and she just looks like her, it is not her actually." Lullaby then said giggling a bit.

 

Not so far from there, Luna... Nightmare Moon was walking by, a bag full of candies with her. Darky was walking with her. He had a night guard armor on.

 

"We got the first bag of today, we are missing the second and third bag still" Nightmare Moon said smiling to Darky as they walked.

 

"Really..." Darky replied, still not beliving Luna loved doing this.

[Noedig]

"Right." Gale said. "You wouldn't like the real Nightmare Moon. You are fortunate to know her as she truly is now."

[AlextheAngel]

"I've... heard about her." Zed replied, remembering the history lessons that Celestia and Luna taught him a few days after he first arrived in Equestria. Suddenly, Luna and Darky both appeared, Luna holding a large bag of sweets. The young man raised an eyebrow. "I understand... I think... But it still doesn't make any sense to me." He gave a small shrug. "Eh, never mind. I'll just go about my day like it's nothing. I'll be in my room."

"Or you could join us." Celestia said from behind him, causing Zed to jump and let out a startled yelp.

[PrinceoftheNight]

Lullaby giggled at the reaction Zed had when Celestia came out from nowhere. She smiled to her. "Hello auntie~" she said smilig, seeing if she had a costume on or not.

"Oh. Hello there." Nightmare Moon said when she and Darky arrived with the others, still carring her bag of candies as she ate one.

[Noedig]

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna." He said, bowing a bit. "How are you both on this strange night?"

[AlextheAngel]

Celestia smiled at Lullaby. "Hello there, dearie.~" She replied with a chuckle. "Don't you look just adorable in that costume!" She turned to Gale. "I will admit, the night is indeed very strange. It's been quite exhausting setting up all these decorations, and making sure that things are going according to plan for the party." She smirked at Zed... giving the hint that she might have scared him on purpose. "And like I said, I think you should join us. You as well, Gale. I don't remember ever seeing you celebrate any traditional holidays."

"I... I don't know." Zed replied as soon as he had calmed down. "I'm not familiar with these things at all. Not to mention that I don't have anything to wear--"

"I'm sure we can put something together. Perhaps Rarity can help with that?" She tilted her head a little, seeing Zed was still unsure. "Come on, Zachery..."

"Please don't call me that." He replied with a groan.

[PrinceoftheNight]

Lullaby giggled a bit at Celestia. "Thank you!" She said smiling as she gave her a small hug, then went with her mother to also.hug her.

Nightmare Moon smiled and hugged her back.

"Well, usually orginize it, but I also enjoy it!" Nightmare Moon said smiling.

"Awww... don't be like that." Lullaby then said when Zed didnt wanted to be called by his real name, hugging him.

[Noedig]

Gale Storm never did celebrate any traditional holidays like Hearts and Hooves day, Nightmare Night, or Hearth's Warming Eve. The only thing he ever did appreciate-- though never participated-- was Family Appreciation Day.

"I'll join you on this night for once," He said, "But, I won't wear a costume... how about my customized Lunar uniform, instead?"

[AlextheAngel]

"Nggh!" Zed groaned when Lullaby suddenly hugged him, and he awkwardly squirmed out of her grasp.

Celestia giggled a bit at that, before turning to Gale. "Well.... all right. That will be fine. To be honest, I was hoping you would want to dress up as something... But if you don't want to, then I won't force you to." She turned back to Zed. "The same goes for you." She said with a sigh. "Darling, if you truly do not want to attend, then you do not have to. However, it would make me happy if you did. You've never been able to enjoy the little things in your life, even things as simple as holidays, mostly because you've never been allowed to. I want you to finally have that chance to live... well, not a normal life, but as close as we can get it. What do you say?"

Zed bit his lip, crossing his arms. He honestly did not know if he wanted to join... but the fact that Celestia and Luna would go out of their way in order to give him a chance to live a good life... it was impossible for him to refuse. Plus, it's only a party. What could go wrong? Letting out a heavy sigh, the boy nodded. "All right, I will."

[PrinceoftheNight]

"Aww.." Lullaby said with a small sigh as Zed escaped from her hug.

Nightmare Moon walked to his side after he agreed to go, putting a hoof in his shoulder. "Come on, it is really a fun day to go around, scare fillies and colts and get candy." She said with a smile. Still, seeing Nightmare Moon smile was... awkward. A bit odd to say the least.

"Now, we should get you a costume." Darky said smiling to Zed. "Anything in particular you might want to be?" he asked smiling to Zed

[Noedig]

"Trust me, it's customized for a reason." Gale Storm said to Princess Celestia, then walked off to . "I personally made it... anyway. I'll be back."

He walked back to his bedroom to get his uniform on. He opened the wardrobe, and found his custom uniform. There are four clothes: A dark grey trench coat, pale sky-blue shirt, a light grey suit, above the fore-elbow's length and below the ankle's length, and a turquoise neck-warmer.

First, he put on the suit, then his neck-warmer, next his shirt, the finally his trench coat... he still has his eye-patch on, so it makes his uniform look all the better with it. The whole process took a few minutes, so he returned to the group in time before they went anywhere.

"Back." He says.

[AlextheAngel]

Zed thought for a moment, pondering Darky's question. "I... um..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not sure, to be honest..." He said, giving a small shrug. He watched as Gale disappeared to his room, before coming back a few minutes later. "Aren't you worried that you might get a bit hot under all those layers?" He asked. clearly trying to avoid Darky's question.

[PrinceoftheNight]

"Oh, you get used to it." Darky answered for Gale. "Now, lets get you a costume." He then said smiling.

Nightmare Moon smiled and pulled Zed also. "Lets go dear. We need to get you a nice costume." She said as she pulled him with her magic to the city to get a costume for him.

[Noedig]

"What he said." Gale said to Zed. "And also, I'll follow."

He decided to follow them to see what Zed will be wearing.

[PrinceoftheNight]

((I think it is Alex's turn in here.))

[AlextheAngel]

(Sorry! I didn't get any alerts. Noe, would you mind playing Rarity? You're better at it than I am.)

 

Zed stumbled a little when he felt himself being pulled along by Nightmare Moon's magic, and he struggled to keep his balance. "All right, I'm going." He said, giving a sigh. "Are you guys sure Rarity would be all right with this? She might be busy making costumes for the others, or something...." He said, his tone low and still very unsure. He shivered a little as the cool fall air blasted them once they made it outside the castle, and he wrapped his jacket tighter around him, already shivering. He was horribly sensitive to cold weather, and dreaded the day winter would come...

[PrinceoftheNight]

"Oh, Rarity is usally not that busy this day, and many times gladly accept making costumes." Nightmare Moon said smiling as she pulled Zed with her magic. Once out of the castle, she lead all of them to the train to go to Ponyville.

The train was not that full, but the ponies taking it, as well as the workers, were in costume.

Some were zombies, witches, mummies. It was rather adorable.

[Noedig]

((Sure, when we get there, I'll play her.))

 

"True, Rarity is one of the most generous ponies I've ever met." He said, following alongside them on the train to Ponyville. "She is the living spirit of generosity, after all."

[AlextheAngel]

Zed stumbled a bit more as Nightmare Moon continued to pull him along with her magic. As annoying as it was, it was also understandable why she is doing it, considering the fact that Zed had a very high chance of sneaking off if she didn't keep an eye on him. Zed gasped as he nearly tripped over the threshold while they were boarding the train, and he quickly sat down in his own seat, eyeing the ponies' costumes critically. "If you say so..." He said with a heavy sigh. "So... is there anything more to the meaning of Nightmare Night, or is it just costumes and candy?" He shrugged. "I mean, I never wear costumes, and I don't really care much for sweets..."