Nightmare Night always had an air of mystery around it, a celebration having arisen from the banishment of the fabled Nightmare Princess herself. Nopony knew what pranks and scares awaited them around each corner, making the night all the more thrilling. The foals especially took to the holiday. All year ‘round they looked forward to staying up late playing games and devouring more candy than their little stomachs could handle.
Although Spike enjoyed going door to door and trying his claw at the spider toss as much as the next pony, his favorite part of Nightmare Night was listening to the dark tales of long ago. Zecora–the master of storytelling herself–wove the tales of windigos, timberwolves, and cockatrices in and out like an elaborate tapestry, entrancing her young audience with sparking dust and moving imagery. Spike was so engrossed in the story that he failed to notice the shadow rising up behind him.
“RAWR!” a high-pitched voice shouted in his ear. Suddenly a warm claw grabbed his shoulder and he yelled. The foals around him, already on edge from the scary stories, disappeared with shrieks. He knocked off the claw and spun around, his eyes going wide as they trailed up the tall pink reptilian form before him.
“P-Pinkie?!” he gasped, tugging off the hood of his purple dragon costume. “You’re a dragon? But how?”
The pony-turned-dragon snorted and began laughing, unfurling her large wings and swinging her tail side-to-side. He didn’t fail to notice how her scales sparkled like gemstones in the moonlight or the way the light showed through the membrane of her wings. Even from this distance, he could feel the heat of her breath with every gasp and giggle.
There was no doubt about it, this was no costume. Somehow his pony friend had turned into a dragon. And he had a sneaking suspicion of who did it.
“Aww, Spike!” Pinkie Pie finally calmed down enough to speak. “Isn’t this great? Now you won’t be the only dragon for Nightmare Night!”
“But that isn’t a costume,” he sputtered. “You’re an actual dragon!”
She looked down at herself and brought a claw to her snout thoughtfully. “Hmm, you’re right. Oopsies! ByeI’llberightback!”
“Wait, Pinkie, that’s not what I meant!” he called after her, but she was already gone. He sighed, running a claw over his spikes. Sometimes he just couldn’t understand what went through that head of hers. As to why Twilight would help her turn into a dragon… an uneasy feeling in his gut told him that it was because of him.
Was it really that obvious that he was feeling down again about being the only dragon in Ponyville? Then again, he had chosen to go out tonight as a two-headed dragon despite how silly it was, at least until the second head fell off, so he guessed that he had asked for her intervention in a way. Still, he wished that she had just talked to him instead. But Twilight was so busy nowadays…
A loud snap came from the treeline and he jolted. Looking around, he realized that he was completely alone with the Nightmare Moon statue. With a shudder he hurried out of the clearing back towards the main thoroughfare.
No sooner had he stepped back among the booths then a commotion broke out further down the road. White, feathery wings rose above the heads of the crowd and Pinkie’s contagious laughter soon followed. The crowd parted and Spike’s jaw dropped. Not only was Pinkie a large pink dragon, but now she was dressed head to claw in a chicken costume and surrounded by the very group of foals that had fled earlier.
The chicken wings, the orange-painted hind legs, the candy she began pecking at on the ground…Despite himself, he broke out into laughter.
“That’s the spirit, Spike!” she called to him. “Now let’s show these ponies how to do Nightmare Night dragon-style!”
Coming down from the laughter, he wiped the tears from his eyes. Seeing the wide smiles and bags of half-filled loot made the warmth in his core surge. Without further hesitation, he ran towards the group and the air filled with their cheers.
He had a feeling that this Nightmare Night would be the best one ever.