The clubhouse of Horror is back and this time the Crusaders brought a large audience with them.
It is Nightmare again and the Clubhouse of Horror is back. For this creepy anthology story the Crusaders have brought a large audience with them, so they can listen to their terrifying tales.
Nightmare Night has once again come to the little town of Ponyville. The ponies there are already out in the cool, dark night, enjoying the many various games and activities set up by their community. While those ponies were in the town, somewhere deep in the apple orchard of Sweet Apple Acres, the three Cutie Mark Crusaders were in their little clubhouse, intensively writing something down on their papers. Furiously scribbling words down, the fillies were once again writing their stories.
The first out of the three to finish was a little orange pegasus filly with purple hair and eye. Scootaloo was her name and she is wearing a shadowbolt outfit.
The second she was finished, her white unicorn friend with purple and pink hair swiftly turn around and held her finish story up in the air. She look at her finished work with her big green eyes. This little filly was Sweetie Belle and she was wearing a robot costume.
When they both saw that they were done, they both turn to look at their third friend, Applebloom. The little yellow earth filly with red hair and orange eyes was still scribbling some things down on her paper. She was currently dressed up as an old western style sheriff.
Seeing that this might take a while, Scootaloo turn to her unicorn friend. “Hey Sweetie Belle, check and see how our audience is doing.”
“Alright.” Sweetie responded and trot toward a window. Lifting the drape up slightly, she took a peak and saw the rows of ponies sitting in front of their clubhouse. Their audience was made up of foals, among them are some she recognizes.
There was Snips and Snails sitting next each other, the former was wearing a Bighoof costume, while the latter was wearing a Mothpony costume. Featherweight was sitting three seats to left of those two, in his Spiderstallion costume. Sitting behind those two was Dinky and Berry Pinch, Dinky was in her Sailor Scout costume and Berry was wearing a black robe with her hood on. Sitting on the far right was three colts, Rumble, Pipsqueak, and Button Mash. Rumble was in his royal guard armor and he was talking to Pip, who was in his pirate attire again. While those two talked, Button quietly play his little videogame device in his skeleton suit. Even those two jerks, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were here as well. Diamond was wearing Valkyrie ensemble and Silver was dress up as Wonder Mare.
The rest she seen before, but never really know them that much. She remember seeing them in the backgrounds, but had no interaction with them what so ever. One particular one got her attention, this blue earth filly looks a lot like her orange pegasus friend, minus the pair of wings. That filly was dress up as Robin Hoof.
Sweetie was still quite shocked at how much of a large audience they got outside. When she and her friends told everyone of what they did last Nightmare Night, many of their classmates wanted to hear some of their terrifying tales. However, instead of simply telling them at the school, they decided to tell their stories at their clubhouse, during the night. Now when those same foals ask if they can bring other ponies, Sweetie expected a few ponies to come, not a whole bunch of them. Some of those foals are even around here, rather came from other towns and cities.
“Well Sweetie Belle, how are they doing out there?” Scootaloo asked her.
“Look like they're getting really impatient out there.”
Worried, Scootaloo turn toward her earth pony friend.” Hey Applebloom, are you finished yet?”
“No, not yet.” The yellow filly answered back.
“Well you have to hurry up Applebloom! The crowd is getting restless out there!”
“Well not really, they're more bored then restless.” Sweetie pointed out.
“Same thing!”
“Do you even know what restless even means?”
“Course I do!.”
“Then explain it then.”
“Um...well.”
“Girls please, I'm having a hard time trying to finish my story here with you guys constantly talking.”Applebloom interrupted, sounding a bit angry.
“Why are you even taking so long? Me and Sweetie finish ours already.” Scootaloo showed her finished work to the glaring earth pony.
“Well Scootaloo, if you must know I like to take my time when doing things like this.” Applebloom explained. “I don't like to rush it, otherwise everything will be a complete mess.”
“But Applebloom, we kept the crowd outside waiting for too long. Any longer they'll start leaving!”
“Look, just go ahead without me.” Applebloom said as she turn back to her work. “I'll be done by the time you two are finish telling your stories.”
Nodding in understanding, both fillies left their busy friend to her work and trotted towards their orange door. Sweetie push the wooden door open and the two fillies step out. As soon as they were out, all the foals down below quieted it down and focus on the two crusaders. All eyes were on them now.
Scootaloo was the first to step forward. Putting a hoof to her mouth, she clear her throat and begin to speak. “Alright everypony, we apologize for the long wait, but we had some problems to take care of.” And by problem, she meant not having a story ready for this event. “We like to thank you all for being patient and bearing with us with our problem, but you guys waited long enough so lets begin our tale!”
Taking her papers out, she saw how messy they are and hastily organize them. Once she got the pages in their proper place, she stack them in a neat, orderly file and began reading out loud from the top of the first page. “My story begins in a old, run-down tavern located somewhere near the edge of Equestria. It is a place where one regular patron goes there to forget something from his past. However, try as he might, he'll soon learn that nobody can forget about the past. Especially if that past is coming after you. The title of my scary tale is........
Somewhere near the edge of Equestria, lies a little village called Trotsville. Now the reason why this place stands out is because it is a total contrast to the rest of the Equestria. Instead of beautifully crafted and colorful buildings, Trotsville's buildings are poorly made and only have a two kinds of colors, brown and grey. While the inner parts of Equestria have plentiful of vegetation growing about, Trotsville barely had any. Sure there were some grass and trees, but they're not exactly the most vibrant looking things ever. Most looks like they're dying.
Now the question is why would any pony want to live in a place like this? Why would any pony want to live in a dump like this, instead of living in the more better parts of Equestria? The answer to that question is this: freedom.
This land where Trotsville lies has been long forgotten by the rest of Equestria. Even their rulers have long forgot about this land. In fact many ponies here has never even seen their princesses.
Since this plot of land is not under the princess's authorities, it has become a breeding ground for criminals. Unlike the other parts of Equestria where crime was a rarity, crimes here was a common thing. Everyday there was act of crime happening. Everyday there was somepony being being assaulted or killed. Everyday there is something being stolen or destroyed. With no proper authorities, it was everypony for themselves.
Our story focuses on one particular inhabitant of this land, a brown earth stallion named Cutter.
This stallion was regular patron at the Salty's Bar. Every single day after work, Cutter would trot in, sit in the same seat and order a drink. The stallion wasn't very talkative, always silently sitting down on his stool and drank from his bottle. However, Cutter doesn't come to this bar just to relax, rather he come here to forget something.
As he took another sip, a vague memory appear in his head. Instead of digging into it, Cutter shook the memory out of his mind and resume his drinking. When he finally had enough, he drunkenly trots back to his home. He has done this so many times, he practically perfected it. He can now get back to his house with no problem at all.
Later that night, as Cutter lay on his bed, the stallion was having a dream. It start of pretty normal, just him seeing a road on a sunny day. Then the dream shifted and started becoming a nightmare. In his dream, he was moving along a dirt road with a family of three traveling on it. There was two adults and one child. The family was trotting peacefully on the road, when suddenly the father turn his head around and saw something. Whatever it was it terrified the father and he shouted at his wife and child to gallop for their lives. Cutter then caught sight of a black silhouette shape pony chasing after them. The mysterious pony got to the father first and when he did, he stab him with his sword.
The father fell down on the ground, blood leaking from his wound, creating a small bloody pool around him. The killer then pulled the blade out and finish the stallion by cutting his head off. After dealing with the father, he went after the other two.
The killer was fast, he was able to catch up them. When he reach the mother and child, she tried to shield her child from the killer. Unfortunately, the sword pierce right through her and hit the child. Luckily it was nothing fatal, but the foal now have a large cut down on his left side. The foal panic and crawl out of the mother's embrace and quickly turn around, just in time to see the killer slice the mare's head off. This cause the child to scream, getting the killer's attention. Now that he is closer to the foal, he can now tell that it was colt, a brown earth colt.
The little colt crawl away from the pony, scare for his life. However, the killer had no interest in the him, instead he rummage through their saddlebags and took out a few things. The stallion then gave one last glance at the terrified colt, before turning away and leaving.
When the stallion was gone, the colt slowly trot to where his mother was and drop to his knees. The colt lay his head on his mother's body and started crying. The scene then begin fading away, but the sound of the crying colt can still be heard clearly.
Cutter woke up from his dream, panting heavily. He got up from his sweat soak bedsheets and rush to the bathroom. He turn on the valve for the cold water, grab a hooful of them and splash the cold water on his face. Once he cools off, he turn off the valve and sat on his toilet, taking a breather.
It was that same nightmare again, he said to himself. The same nightmare that been plaguing his mind for last couple of months. No matter how hard he tries to forget it, the nightmare will never leave him. To make the situation even more frustrating, the dream was something long ago in his past, but for whatever reason he can't remember it.
Instead of trying to dig deeper into this, the stallion just shrugs if off and left the bathroom. The rest of his day went as any other day. Eat breakfast, go to work, and spend the rest of the evening at Salty's bar. After a long day at work, Cutter was trotting to bar, when he though he saw somepony following him. It happened when he walk by a mirror and saw a reflection of a dark cloak pony behind. He turn around and found nopony there.
He continue his trot Salty's Bar and enter the building. He then spends the next hour drowning himself with beer. While drinking he spotted the same cloak pony watching him from a window. With his rationality suppressed by his drunkenness, Cutter decided to deal with the stalker.
He step outside the bar and look around. He called out for the stranger, but go no response. His eyes then caught sigh of the cloak figure trotting pass a corner. Cutter follow after the pony, while yelling out drunken slurs about the stranger to stop galloping away, unaware by the fact that he is being lead somewhere.
The brown stallion trace the stranger to a dead end. When he was about to give up the search, something hard, struck him in the back of his head. From there everything went dark.
Cutter woke to the sound of rain hitting the ground and on his face. He mutters and opened his eyes to see the dark grey cloud above. Suddenly something tighten around his neck and was drag along the ground. The rope around his neck pulled him up and stallion soon found himself struggling to breath. He was being hanged and was losing air.
However, the rope lowered, allowing Cutter rear legs to touch the ground. Cutter spun around to see who was pulling the rope. To his shock it was the mysterious cloak pony. The stranger pulled onto his rope, causing him rise up, strangling him.
The stranger lowers the rope again, making Cutter fall down and gasping for air. He angrily glare at the cloak pony and demanded to know who he was and why he was doing this. The cloak pony respond by taking his cloak off, revealing a brown teenage earth pony.
Cutter though he recognizes him from somewhere, but when his eyes drifted to the scar on his left side, his eyes widen. It was the colt! The same colt from his dream, but all grown up now. Suddenly the stallion now knows where that dream came from. It happened long ago when he was a still young. He was once bandit that kills travelers for their belongings. His parents were just among the many victims he claimed on those roads.
Knowing who he was, the teenage colt pulled on the rope again, harder this time. Cutter rose up from the ground once again as the rope tighten around his neck more. His front hooves were attempting to pull the rope away, but his action proves futile as the rope was wrap firmly around his neck.
The teenage colt watches as the brown stallion violently struggle around. Every second draws him closer to his death. Soon his movement staggers and slowly halted. Just as he was about to depart from this world the last thing Cutter saw before he died was the face of the young teenage colt glaring at him.
The colt continue to stare at the older stallion's lifeless body for a bit before tying the the rope around the tree. He trots over to his dropped black cloak and put it on, shielding him from the rain. He gave one last glance at the hanging corpse before trotting away, disappearing in the distance.
Cutter's body was never let down, it still remain hung up there, serving as a symbol of the violence in this terrible land.
“And that concludes my story.” Scootaloo said as she put her papers away. She then look down to see the audience's reaction. It was a mix, some found the story terrifying, others seem unimpressed.
“Ahem, well then let's not waste any time.” She then turn towards Sweetie Belle. “Hey Sweetie, you're up.”
The white unicorn filly nodded and took her friend's spot. Stacking her papers in a neat order, Sweetie begin to read her story. “My tale is about three friends partying late in the night. While leaving, the three are caught in a terrible rainstorm. This force the three to seek shelter in a old, abandon farm. As they rested, they were unaware of the mysterious stalker living there, unaware of the killer watching them. The three will soon encounter........
It was a dark and stormy day in the western parts of Equestria. The skies were blocked out by the dark gray storm clouds that stretch far and wide. Besides the occasional thunder sounds, the dark clouds rained heavily down on the land below. In the middle of this downpour, three pony stallions were galloping through the increasingly soaked land. The three were making a beeline to the old abandoned barn house, seeking shelter from the rain.
“This way guys!” Shouted the lead orange pegasus. “The building is just over there!”
“Slow down, Passion! We can't move as fast as you in this rain!” A blue earth stallion shouted to his pegasus friend. The stallion then turns his head around to check on his white unicorn buddy galloping right behind him. “Hey Tinker! How are you holding up!”
The three continue to gallop towards the house, passing a broken down fence and some dead plants. Both Passion and Bliss made it to the building no problem. Tinker, however, was having difficulty seeing where he was going. This was due to his glasses getting all wet from the rain. Because of this, he was unable to see the the scarecrow he was galloping into.
He crashed, knocking both him and the straw filled scarecrow down. Tinker lost his glasses in the process, he then began frantically looking for his glasses, finding nothing but mud and stones. Finally his hooves touch his glasses and quickly put them on. The second he put them on, he yelp upon seeing the scarecrow. It was like any other scarecrow, just a bag filled with straws and wearing old raggedy cloths. What spook Tinker the most was its totally blank, white face. Reminds him of the Slenderman.
Tinker kept staring at the faceless scarecrow and was only brought out of his gaze because he heard somepony calling his name. That somepony was his pegasus friend, Passion Fire. The pegasus was calling out for his friend , all the while holding the door to the house open. The white stallion then got up and made a dash to the old abandon house. He pass his friend, who close the door behind him.
The two then trot into the living room where Bliss was currently trying to start a fire in the fireplace. After a few failed attempts, to light a match, he finally succeeded and used it on a piece of paper. The paper fire was then placed inside the fireplace with a bunch of sticks huddle together. This then leads to the fire growing bigger, illuminating the dark room with its orange glow.
With the fire up the three stallion sat in front of it, using the heat from the flame to warm themselves up. The three sat silently next each other, with none of the three speaking a single word.
After a couple minutes of total silence, Passion was the first to break this speak. “Well not exactly the perfect way to end your return party, eh Tinker?”
“Yeah, sorry the weather totally ruin your party.” Bliss said, adding into the apology.
“It's alright guys.” Tinker assured his two friends. “The party you set up was great, it was so good to meet up with some old friends.”
“Yeah it was great of ya to a take a vacation from your studies to visit us.”
“Come now, Passion, you and Bliss are my best friends. How can I not come back here and not look you guys up.”
“Well it nice of ya to come back to our little town, just wish this damn weather didn't spoil our day.” Bliss said with disdain in his voice.
“It's just bad weather, Bliss, it will pass.” Said Passion as he dry his wet wings.
The trio resume their silence in front of the fireplace. But, then something dawn upon Tinker. “Hey guys, who house is this?”
“What?”
“I said who's house is this?” Tinker repeated his question.
“Jeez I don't know.” Passion answered. “Place been here for a long time."
Feeling tired, Tinker spotted a couch and stood up. As he trots to the dust covered furniture, his hoof step on something, making a cracking glass sound. Looking down, the white stallion saw a picture frame under his hoof. He pick the wooden frame up while also shaking the pieces of broken glass off it. He flip the frame over and his eyes widen at the picture. “Holy crap guys, I know who's house this is!” Tinker announce, getting the attention of his two buddies.
“Look!” Tinker show them the picture, which displays two ponies. An elderly stallion and a teenager. “Its Sour Grape and his son, Sweet Grape!” The stallion lower the picture frame and look around. “We're in the Grape's House!” Unknown to him, both Passion and Bliss look at each other uneasily. They silently ask each other whether or not they should tell him or not. “Hey Tinker.” The pegasus spoke up.
“Yeah, what is it Passion?”
Passion look at Bliss, who nods his head. “There's something we should tell you.”
Sensing the seriousness in his voice, Tinker pay full attention to his friend.
“Something happened when you moved away.” Passion pause for bit, trying to find the right words to use. “Sweet Grape was murdered.”
Tinker gasp upon hearing this. “My goddess.” He said, shock of this news. “Can't imagine how Sour Grape must have felt.”
“Well it's probably not what you think.”
“What do you mean, Bliss?” Tinker questioned.
“Sour Grape murdered his son.” Passion answered, shocking his him even more.
“Whoa wait a second, you're telling me Sour Grape killed his own son?”
“Yep.” Bliss replied.
“Jeez, I know Sour Grape wasn't exactly a nice pony, but to actually kill his own kid? That's hard to believe.”
“What's there to believe? Sour was always a terrible pony. Remember that time he beat me up?”
“I remember, but Bliss, didn't you stole some of his grapes?” Passion pointed out.
“Only the amount he didn't pay me for!” Bliss angrily respond. “Sour didn't pay me the full amount for working on his farm that one summer.” Bliss then start rubbing his hooves. “Can still feel the bruises on me to this day.”
“Well you know Bliss, just because he didn't pay you the full amount, doesn't mean you can steal from him.” Tinker chided him.
“Whatever, that bastard gets what he deserves.”
“So anyways Tink, do you want to know the whole story to this?” Passion ask Tinker, who nodded his head. “Well, remember how Sweet Grape always sneaks out at night so that he can go to the town and enjoy the nightlife? Wel,l apparently Sour didn't like this and warn his son numerous times to stop going out at night. Of course Sweet does it anyways, simply out of spite of his old man. But then one night, he never returned to his bedroom. He was later found the next day, dead in his father's vineyard.”
“After Sour discovered his body, he went and call the police about it.”
“Wait, why did he call the police? If he was the murderer, then why call the police?” Tinker interrupt the story to ask his question.
“Simple Tink, Sour did it to ward off suspicion off him. After all who would suspect the grieving father, to be the killer.” Passion answered.
“So anyways when the authorities arrived, they recover the body and found many deep claw marks all over his body. Everypony assumed it was wild animal, but smarter ponies pointed out that wild animals don't just kill for no reason. If this was an animal it would've eaten the body, not claw it up.”
“OK, so how did they found out it was Sour Grape?”
“Simple, they found his murder weapon. Out in his vineyard was his scarecrow. On this scarecrow was a pair of sharp claws on it. Sour Grape foolishly hid them up there and hoped they would never be found. However, the police did find them and later arrested him for murdering his own son. As they dragged him away he kept on saying it was the scarecrow that did it, not him,"
"The scarecrow?"
"Sour kept on rambling about how the scarecrow was cursed and how it did all the killing." Passion then pause to sigh. "Obviously the guy was off his rocker."
"Yeah, I mean come on, a scarecrow" Bliss commented.
“Wow, so that's the story huh?”
“Yep.”
“Goddess, you think you know a pony.” Tinker said to himself. “Still can't believe Sour killed his own kid.”
“Believe it man, Sour Grape was always a terrible pony and what he did long ago just shows it.” Bliss coldly stated.
Passion looked outside the window and saw that it was still raining heavily outside. “Well boys, looks like we're going to be here for the night. Might as well just sleep now so we can leave this place by morning.”
Everypony agreed to this and chose their beds. Bliss and Passion both shared the large couch, while Tinker took the recliner. Despite being incredibly old, the two furniture were still comfortable to sleep on. As they close their eyes, their minds slowly drifted off to slumberland.
Time passes and Tinker was the first to wake up. Looking out the window, he saw that it was still dark outside. He wanted to go back to sleep, but is unable to. Deciding to just trot it off, he quietly got up from his chair and carefully trot out the room, not wanting to interrupt his buddies slumber. As soon he was out of the living room, Tinker explore the rest of the house. When he found nothing on the first floor, he went upstairs.
Each steps on the stairs made a creaking noise, forcing Tinker to go up them slowly. When he reach the top, he came a across a long hallway with windows on the left and three doorways on the right. Tinker went to the first one and look inside, there was nothing. The room was completely empty. He then notice the engraving on the door that say Sweet.
“Must be Sweet Grape's room.” He said to himself. Tinker then move onto the next room and found an old rusted bathtub, toilet, and sink. Their once white coat has transform to an orange brown from the passage of time. The stallion move onto the last room and unlike the first one, this door doesn’t have a name on it. However, Tinker already knows whose room this is.
He take a look inside and like Sweet's room, Sour's room was also empty. All furniture has been removed, leaving nothing but rotting and broken floors and walls. For reasons unknown, Tinker trots in and when he reach the middle, his front right hoof broke through the floor. Immediately, he pull his hoof back up, getting a little splinter along the way. As he nurse his wounds, his eyes caught something down in the hole. It was a crimson color book. Tinker reach down and pull the book out. He flip to the first page and saw some messy writing.
He then began to read them out quietly to himself. “I never really was type to make a journal, much less write in them, but with the recent things happening in the last couple of days. I fear for the safety of my son and myself."
“Wait did Sour Grape wrote this?” Tinker question no one particular and continue reading. “There's something out there, I don't know what it is, but it's out there. I first discovered it when I was just working on my crops when I found several dead critters in my fields. Now normally I would just lay some traps around, but something else was killing them. Then I notice the total absence of any critters around my farm. Not even a bug or bird in sight."
"I remembering hearing something about how some critters have the ability to sense danger and will everything to avoid it, wonder if that is what's happening here? For now I'm staying vigilant, locking all doors and windows and order my boy to stop going out at night."
"Despite my order, my son still keep going out at night. I warn him of the thing out there, but he just call me crazy! We yelled and fought and it always end with him slamming the door to his room. I know I'm hard on the boy, but I'm doing this for his safety."
"My fear has came true, this morning I found my son, dead in my vineyard. I call the police and they'll soon be here to investigate the scene, I hope they'll find who ever did this to my boy."
“Dammit Sweet, why didn't you listen."
The next entry was something different. Instead of a nice and clean writing, this entry was written rather violently and hastily. “It was the scarecrow! It's the one that killed my son! Used my own claws!”
Tinker raise an eyebrow. "The scarecrow again? Jeez Sour, you're really losing it."
“Tink, you up here?” Said a voice that sounded like Passion, echoing through the hallway. Tinker then stood and drop the book back into the hole. The stallion then step out of the room and saw his orange pegasus friend looking into Sweet Grape's room.
“Yeah I'm up here, Passion.” Tinker reply to his friend's question.
“Oh you're here, thank goddess. When Bliss and I woke and saw that you weren't on the recliner, we though something happened to you.”
“Sorry to worry you guys, where's Bliss by the way?”
“He's outside.”
"Why is he outside?"
“Well when you opened the door, he assume you went out to get some fresh air.”
“Um Passion, I didn't opened the door.”
“Well who else would it be, cause I specifically remember closing that door.”
Before Tinker could respond the two were interrupted by a loud scream coming outside. “Was that a scream?” Passion asked. “That was Bliss!” The white stallion then gallop past his friend and down the stairs. He rush to the open door and step outside into the rain. Looking around, Tinker saw no sight of his earth pony friend. He then caught sight of some hoofprints on the muddy ground. He trace the trail that lead him around the house and saw his friend laying on the ground.
Rushing over to aid his friend, Tinker move the body and gasp at what he saw. Claw marks, all over Bliss's neck and chest. Blood was still gushing from the wounds, but were being washed away by the rain. Tinker back up from his friend's dead body, horrified he gallop back to the house, intending to get his friend and get out of here.
When he reach the front door, he stopped in his tracks. Standing in the doorway was figure wearing soaked raggedy clothing and straw hat. Then it hits as he recognizes who it was, the scarecrow. The creature raise its claws up, showing the dripping bloodstain and orange feathers. At moment time froze as the two stare at each other. They continue to stare when the scarecrow took a step. Out of fear, Tinker fired a magical bolt at the killer scarecrow. The bolt hit its mark, but the scarecrow was not faze by it. The scarecrow react to the attack by dashing towards the terrified stallion.
Tinker panic and began firing aimlessly at the approaching thing. When the scarecrow was within range, he leap at the stallion and dug his claws into him. He then begins clawing away at the stallion chest and neck, ripping huge chunks of his flesh out. His blood gushes out like a geyser, spilling all over the scarecrow. Finally when he was done, he got up and looked at his prey. Nothing but pieces of flesh left. The scarecrow trots away from the his dead prey, heading to the dead vineyard. He found his wooden post, place it back up and attache himself to it.
The dark grey clouds continue to rain upon the abandon farm, washing away the blood from his victims. The scarecrow resume staying on his post, ever ready to strike against any thing that comes to this farm.
“And that conclude my story of the Silent Killer.” Sweetie Belle conclude her tale. She then put her papers away and look at her audience for a response. Unlike Scootaloo, a lot more foals in the audience were impressed with Sweetie's tale.
Scootaloo step in, “Well with Sweetie's story done we can now go onto Applebloom's story.” She then motion for Sweetie to go get Applebloom. The unicorn filly left and enter their clubhouse. Just as she open the door, Applebloom just happens to be on the other side.
“Oh are you finished?” Sweetie question.
“Eeyup!” Applebloom answer and pass through her friend. She then took the stand and tidy her papers in order.
“Alright fillies and colts! We're on our last tale for tonight, so sit back and enjoy the tale!” Scootaloo announced and step away.
Applebloom then start to read her story out loud. “My tale begin in a desert where a town is about to be hit by a large dust storm. Unknown to the inhabitants of the town, something sinister reside in the incoming storm and by the time they discover what it is, it will be too late. The title of my tale is called...
Flying up high in the cloudless skies, a lone brown pegasus stallion with white hair, was currently holding a binocular up to his eyes. Through them he can a see a large brownish smoke off in the distance.
“Hey, Desert Eagle!” Shouted a green earth stallion from the ground, beneath his winged friend. “Do you see the dust storm or not?” He questioned.
“Yes, Slate!” Desert answered his partner's question. “There's a large dust storm far off north from here!”
“Where's it going? Is it heading in our direction?”
Desert took another look with his binocular and saw that the cloud of dust slowly moving in their general direction. “Yes.” He answered.
“How long?”
“Two or three hours, give or take!”
“Alright then lets head back and inform everypony!”The green pony then quickly turn around and gallop away. Desert Eagle soon followed afterwards as he stuffs his binocular away in his bag. The two travel across the sandy landscape, both heading towards the town in the distance.
Upon reaching the town they were met by the Mayor and several other ponies. After being inform of the coming dust storm, the Mayor order everyone to spread the news and prepare for the approaching storm.
For the next hour everypony cease all activity and business, to prepare for the coming dust storm. Everywhere ponies gather up their supplies and boarded up their homes. In one of these homes, Desert Eagle was inside with his father, Desert Fox.
Desert Eagle found his father staring out the window with a worried look on his face. “Hey dad, are you alright?” He asked his father.
“Nothing for you to worry about son, just worried is all.” The father said reassuringly. “This storm is just reminding me of something my father told when I was your age, did I ever tell of that story?”
“I think you did, but I don't remember much. Can you refresh my memory?”
“Well son this happened a long time ago, your grandfather and his brother were outside during a large dust storm. The reason why they were outside is because a chariot full of foals crashed near their home. Both your grandfather and his brother went outside to rescue those kids, however as your grandfather carry the last foal to their house, he noticed his brother was not with him. Fearing that something happened to him, he order the foals to stay inside and went out to find his brother. As he searched and searched, he found no traces of him. He call out for him, but only got silence in response.”
“Yeah and then his brother disappeared and was never found again.” Desert Eagle said, remembering the story now.
“Well yes that's the story, but there was one part I didn't tell you about.”
“And what's that dad?”
“Your grandfather saw who took his brother away.” Desert Fox turn his head around and saw the surprise look on his son's face.
“Who did he saw dad? Who's the pony that took away your uncle?” Eagle questioned.
“That's the thing my boy it wasn't a pony, nor was it a griffon, zebra or any creatures we know. No instead it was something entirely different, something strange and unique, Something that your grandfather couldn't understand.” Fox paused for a moment and though back to the spot where the story was. “So anyways your grandfather was outside in the dust storm looking for his brother. As he continue to trot out in the storm, a wave of sand assaulted him. He soon found himself being lifted up by the sand. He terrified at what was going on, but that nothing compared to when he looked up. Up high in the dust storm was the face of the monster, staring down at him.”
“It's glowing yellow eyes gaze upon him and let out a loud growl. It then drag your grandfather upwards near his sandy jaws. Just before he was about to be eaten, his brother came flying in and knock him away from the beast's grasp. As he fell he saw his brother being grab by the beast and was consumed by it. And that pretty much the story. “Desert Fox concluded and look at his son. He had a skeptical look on his face.
“Well jeez dad, that sounds pretty insane.” Eagle said to his father.
“Well son I don't really blame you, hell even I tough it was insane when he told me that. However, I always remind myself of one thing. Something did happened to my uncle and whether or not this beast is real, something did happened to my uncle that day.”
Just as he finished that sentence, the sound of sirens blare outside. “That's the alarm, better hurry up and finished with those barricades.” The two stallions then went and add the final barricade to their house.
Meanwhile in the outskirts of the town, the large brown dust storm quickly approaches the little pony town, engulfing every building within it. Inside, the cloud of dust blocked out the sun, making it completely dark for the town's inhabitants.
In their living room, both Desert Eagle and Desert Fox sat comfortably together on the big green couch. There was a small table sitting in front of them, on this table was a bunch of food, water and candles.
Bored, the father decided to bug his son. “So Eagle, heard you been going out with this Melody Sound, filly?”
“We're just friends, dad.”
“Yeah well your mother and I were just friends, but here you are now.”
Desert Eagle place a hoof to his face. “Are really you really doing this, dad?”
“Well what else is there to do?” The older stallion then point his hoof at the boarded up window behind him. “The storm out there can last for hours.” He stated. “Got to do something to pass the time.”
Eagle sighs heavily and slouch a bit. He was about to ignore his dad and sit and do nothing, but something caught his attention. His ears caught the faint sound of something.
“Dad, did you hear that?”
“Heard what? All I hear is the sand hitting our walls and windows.”
Desert Eagle got up and trot to the nearest window. “No I hear something, come here and listen closely.” Desert Fox did what he said and stood and trot to the window where his son is. When he reach the boarded up window he listened in closely for something. His ears soon caught the sound of something outside.
“What is that?” He asked his son. Instead of answering, he remain silent so he can try and make out what that sound is. Luckily for him the sound was getting clearer, but also getting louder.
“HELP! SOMEPONY HELP!” The voice yelled, sounding very familiar to them.
“Is that your friend?”
“Slate?” Eagle questioned and then open the window slightly. “SLATE!” He yelled out to his friend, getting his attention. The green stallion then gallop to their window. As he got closer, both the father and son can see the various cuts and bruises on the stallion.
“You got to let me in!” Slate exclaim to the two of them. “It's after me!”
“What's after you? Where's your parents?” Eagle question his panicking friend.
“They're gone! The storm took them!”
“The storm? The hell are you talking about?”
“I don't know man, it just happened so fast.” He expalined. “Me and my folks were just playing a board game when we suddenly felt our house creaking a lot. Then all of a sudden the roof get's torn off and I saw the face of a beast!”
“Face?” Fox asked.
“Yeah like a face shaped from the sands!”
Upon hearing this, Desert Fox backed up. “Can't believe it.” He said to himself as he let the information sink in. “My father was right.”
“Please you gotta let me in!” Slate pleaded his friend.
“Alright just go to our front door and we-” Eagle was interrupted by something outside. They all turn and saw a nearby house being surrounded by sand. The sands took the form of several long tentacles that broke through all the windows, this was then follow after by loud screaming from the ponies inside.
Both stallion's stood in shock as they witness the sandy tendrils carry the ponies out of their home. Suddenly more sand came in and merged together, forming a face. The monstrous jaws was the first to form, then came its eyes. Its bright yellow eyes pierce through the thick mist of dust in the air. They watch as the beast devours it preys, by ripping the flesh from their bones. Piece by tiny pieces the flesh was getting torn off and leave nothing but bones behind.
Realizing the situation, Eagle call out to his friend. “Slate! Quickly get to the front door!” Slate broke out of his trance and gallop around the house and face the front door. The door opened, revealing his friend on the other side. Slate rush in and heard the door closing behind him.
The two trotted to the living room. “My goddess, Eagle did you saw that!” Slate exclaimed. “Freaking monster tore those poor ponies flesh off!”
“Yes, I know Slate, I was there!” Eagle said frustratingly as that terrible scene replays before in his head.
Slate looked around and notice somepony was missing. “Hey Eagle, where's your dad?”
Eagle quickly realized the absence of his father. Just as he was about to question where he was, his father call out for his son and friend.
“Eagle, Slate, come over here!” The father shouted out from them.
Both stallion went down the hallway and found Desert Fox, standing by a opened door. “Down here, we'll safe in the basement.” The three then trot down the old wooden steps and entered the pitch black room. Fox lit a match and light up a lantern.
The lantern flooded the room with a bright light, casting the darkness away and revealing several old and dusty objects. “Smart thinking, dad. That thing won't reach us down here.”
“I hope you're right.” Slate commented.
The sound of glass breaking caught their attention.
“What was that?”
“Sounds like one our windows upstairs breaking.” Fox guessed.
“What no, that sounded way to clear.” Eagle corrected. “That sound came from down here.”
All of a sudden a tower of boxes fell down, showing a small cracked window with sand pouring in.
“What the hell?”
“Damn, the thing trying to flood us with sand!” Eagle the headed for the stairs. “Quickly we have to get up!”
“But, then we'll be vulnerable for the monster, up there!” Slate argued.
“Would you rather stay down here and be buried alive.” Desert Fox pointed as he follow after his son. Soon Slate reluctantly follow afterward.
The three made it upstairs and when they did, they can hear the cracks and tears as the beast was slowly ripping the roof off.
“Quick we have to escape while it thinks we're still in here!” Eagle yelled.
“Escape to where exactly?” Slate questioned.
“Let's head to the South Court Condominium.” Fox suggested. “I know a friend of mine who lives there, he'll shelter us.”
“Well then let's go!” As the three rush out through the front door, they all stopped in their tracks.
“Holy crap!” Slate said upon seeing all the destroyed buildings lay before the three.
“Are we the only one still standing?” Fox inquiry.
Before anyone could do anything, they were all suddenly assaulted by a swarm of sand. Pushed to the ground, they then felt themselves being lift up into the air. The sandy tendrils wrapped firmly around the three struggling ponies. They were being carried up in the air, where the sand flew around most furiously. When they were flip upward, they came face to face with the beast. Being this close, they soon see just how large this beast was, his face almost covers the entire dark sky.
As they drew closer to its face, Slate was first to go. Both Desert Fox and Eagle watch in terror as his flesh was getting torn off. Piece by piece his flesh was getting ripped off and being consume my the beast. Slate scream in horror as his arms and legs were tearing off. Once they were done with those, they went onto his body where after they take the flesh away, they began taking his organs too. At the same time Slate's head was also falling to pieces. His scream quickly died out, as his vocal cords was ripped to shreds.
After they were done, Slate was nothing but a skeleton. They drop his remains back down on the ground and went onto the father next. They start of on his legs and arms, tearing bits of his flesh off. Just like Slate, Desert Fox screamed in pain as the beast was feeding on him.
Desert Eagle put more efforts in his struggle, wanting to break out and free his father. Unfortunately, his action only succeeded to quicken his own death. Eagle soon felt his own flesh being torn off and soon realize that the beast is now consuming him.
The pain was worser then he imagine. The feeling of having your flesh being peeled off was horrible. Eagle joined in with his father as they both screamed in pain as their flesh gets ripped off.
A couple of seconds later their screams died out and all that left was their skeletal remains.
The beast drops the bones and quickly disperse. The once large dust storm that covered the entire town is gone. No longer was the sky blocked, allowing the sun's rays to shine upon the ruin town. A town full of bones from the beast's victims,
“And that concludes my story.” Applebloom said as she put her papers down. “So what do y'all think?” She turn and ask the crowd.
Every foal in the audience gave the little apple filly a loud applause. They kept on clopping their hooves until everypony starting getting up and leaving. The large crowd of foals were the first to leave the farm, the crusaders were right behind them.
“Howdy girls!” Greeted a familiar southern accent.
“Applejack!” Applebloom greeted her older sister, who was wearing a old western bandit getup. “Saw the large group of foals leaving the farm, you girls must've told some hell of a good tales to get them all come out to your clubhouse.”
“You bet, Applejack!” The little filly exclaimed.
“Well alright now come girls, the night is still young.” Applejack then lead the three fillies away from the farm and into town. They trot onward with a smile on their face after a successful telling to their spooky tales.