<knock knock>
The door opened slowly.
"Wh-who is it?"
"Just little old me!"
Fluttershy opened the door a little further to see a tiny Discord standing there, which quickly grew to full size. "What are you doing out so late?"
"It's Nightmare Night, my dear Fluttershy! If there was EVER a time for chaos..."
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What are you up to?"
"Twilight gave me permission to spook up her castle! It's waiting for all of you to take a nice little tour!" Discord gleefully rubbed his mismatched hands together.
"Discord," Fluttershy sighed. "you know I don't do Nightmare Night."
"Yes yes, I know," Discord said airily. "but as I recall, the last time a pony was left out of one our little get-togethers, it got a little awkward."
"Well, I appreciate the gesture, but I just wouldn't have any fun."
"Ah well. At least I'll have seven screamers there..."
Fluttershy cocked an eyebrow. "What are you going to do, exactly?"
"Oh, it's going to be SO much fun!" Discord launched into a list of the tricks he had set up in Twilight's castle. Fluttershy bit her lip.
"Maybe I should come along...make sure no pony gets hurt!"
"Hurt?" Discord looked shocked. "I'M hurt that you would imply I would EVER put my friends in harm's way! But I can see, deep inside, that you really want to take part in the festivities. So, how about we make your place our base of operations? We can watch the others experience my little haunts, and you can help make sure everything goes...smoothly."
Fluttershy bit her lip again. "Hmmm..okay."
"Excellent!" Discord vanished and reappeared in Fluttershy's cottage, along with a set of six television screens, each showing the front of Twilight's castle. Fluttershy closed her door and went to sit beside him. Her animal friends also gathered around. Discord conjured a microphone in his hand.
"Now the fun begins!"
Twilight and the others all cautiously approached the castle doors.
"You sure he didn't say anything about what to expect?" Applejack said nervously. She was clad in a black cloak and a pointy black hat.
"No," Twilight said, "but I figure it's only fair to give him a chance. He did okay with dressing up Spike and Big Mac's 'Ogres and Oubliettes' game."
"Yeah," agreed Spike, "I'm looking forward to this!"
"Me too," chimed in Rainbow Dash. She stroked the pennant on her Zapp costume. "I'm ready for anything Discord throws at us!"
"Careful what you wish for," said Starlight ominously, adjusting her Masked Matterhorn goggles.
"I just hope whatever he has planned doesn't damage my outfit!" Rarity said as she brushed corn leaves from her Renaissance dress.
"You're the one who keeps wearin' fancy outfits to where you'll be runnin' around!" Applejack replied.
"Even in sheer terror one can should look presentable." Rarity retorted.
"What are we waiting for," cried Pinkie Pie as she bounced up and down in her beach ball costume. "Let's get in there and get scared already!"
"Pinkie's right girls," Twilight said, "let's quit stalling."
As one they moved towards the doors, which swung open of their own accord. when they entered the foyer, the doors slammed shut behind them. Discord's voice echoed through the halls.
"Welcome, my little ponies! I hope you all enjoy this little contest I've cooked up! Somewhere deep inside this haunted castle I've hidden a pot of candy. First pony to find it is the winner! And, just like our very first game, no flying, and no magic!"
In a flash of light, the ponies with wings and horns saw them vanish.
"Just like old times," grumbled Rainbow Dash.
"Even the maze wasn't this spooky," Applejack said with a slight quiver.
"Scared?" Rainbow Dash smirked.
"No!" Applejack protested. "Just makin' an observation!"
For a moment they all took in their surroundings. The lamps, which normally glowed bright yellow, were now glowing a very faint blue. Spiderwebs covered the walls and ceiling, and the hearts on the banisters had changed into pony skulls.
"OK everypony," announced Twilight. "I say we split into groups. There's seven of us, so it can be one group of three and two groups of two, or one group of three and one group of four."
Rainbow Dash said "Well since it IS a competition, we might as well split all the way up so we don't slow each other down."
At that point a ghostly moan resonated through the castle.
"Um," said Rainbow, "I'll just go with Applejack, so she doesn't get scared."
"My hero," Applejack said with a glare.
"I'll go with Pinkie Pie," said Rarity.
"I'll take Spike," Twilight announced. "Starlight, who do you want to go with?"
"How about I stick with you and Spike?" asked Starlight.
"That's fine. Now who's heading where?"
"I call the kitchens!" cried Pinkie Pie.
"Map room," said Rainbow Dash.
"I guess we'll hit the library then," Twilight said. "Good luck everypony!"
Each group then set off.