//------------------------------// // Nightmare Night // Story: Learning to be a Family // by Kevinltk //------------------------------// “Are you sure you want to do this, Spike?” “Of course, Scootaloo. I’ve been planning this for a long time.” “Do I really have to do this?” “You did agree to do this when I asked a few days ago.” “That was before I knew what I was getting into!” “Come on, Scootaloo, it’s not like we have any other choice. We don’t have any time to change things!” “But this is going to be so lame!” “Hey, what’s going on in here?” Rainbow asked as she walked into the room. “Twilight and I can hear you two from downstairs, even while we’re setting up for the Nightmare Night Party.” “Spike wants me to be the bottom, but I don’t really want to. It’s going to be such a pain,” Scootaloo said with an annoyed huff. Rainbow froze. “Wait, what?” “Well, this was all my idea, but I’m sure it’s going to be fun, and I bet everypony will love it when they see us,” Spike argued. “Wait, what?!” Rainbow cried out even louder, causing Spike and Scootaloo to reel back and stare at her with wide eyes. “Er, Rainbow, is there something wrong? You do know that we’re talking about our Nightmare Night costume for tonight, right?” Scootaloo pointed out. Rainbow blinked several times, her mouth slowly moving up and down until she finally uttered, “Your what?” Spike and Scootaloo pointed to the side where a long, green dragon costume was lying on the floor. “We were arguing who gets to be the bottom half, since it’s a two pony costume,” Spike explained. “What were you thinking about?” “N-nothing,” Rainbow remarked, her face more red than her usual blue. “Oh, really?” Scootaloo asked with a raised eyebrow. “Just drop it, alright?” Rainbow took a breath. “So, a dragon costume, huh? Spike, I kind of noticed that you always seem to wear some sort of dragon costume for every Nightmare Night.” “Yeah, so?” Spike asked. “Why go as a dragon when you’re already a dragon?” “What? Dragons are cool.” “Uh, I guess so?” “Some of them aren’t,” Scootaloo added. “Oh, yeah, like that jerk, Garble,” Spike agreed. “I was thinking of a certain shorter, purple dragon.” “Really? What…” Spike shot Scootaloo a deadpan look and dryly replied, “Oh haha, very funny.” Scootaloo smirked and then turned back to Rainbow. “Anyway, Rainbow, since you’re here, maybe you can help us decide what to do. Spike wants me to be the dragon’s butt, and I don’t want to be a butt.” “It’s not the butt!” Spike argued. “I mean, you got the whole bottom half with the hind legs.” “So a butt with legs. I also would not be able to see anything but your back for the entire night.” “Hey, I made sure there are a couple of holes.” “You can barely see anything out of those!” “Okay, okay, break it up, you two,” Rainbow interrupted. “No offense, but sounds like this dragon costume is going to be a bit more trouble than it’s worth. How about the both of you just get your own costumes?” Spike shook his head. “I don’t have anything else. I was all set with this dragon costume.” “Same,” Scootaloo said with a sigh. “When I agreed to do a two pony costume with Spike, I thought I wouldn’t need one.” “Oh well…” Rainbow paused in thought for a moment. “Uh, too late to get Rarity’s help so… I guess you two have no choice then. Since you can’t decide who gets to be what, how about you just take turns? Just switch places when the night is half over.” “I guess it’s better than being the butt for the whole night,” Scootaloo mumbled. “So who’s going first?” “Uh…” was all Spike could muster. Rainbow rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. “Just flip a coin,” she called back. “I have to get back to helping Twilight set up. You two better get going soon if you want to go get candy and make it back in time for the party with Princess Luna.” “You see them yet?” Scootaloo asked from within the rear of the dragon costume. It was hot and stifling inside the costume. Since she had to stand up on her hind legs to fit inside, she had to stand awkwardly by leaning forward and letting her forehooves rest on Spike’s shoulders. The holes that were meant to let her see outside were little more than tiny dots, and she could only get glimpses of their sides. “No, I… Oh wait, there they are!” Spike informed. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, over here! Man, those are some weird costumes…” “What are they? I can’t see them.” “Well, they are—” “Hey, Spike!” Apple Bloom greeted loudly as she and Sweetie Belle ran up to him. “Where’s Scootaloo?” “I’m right here,” Scootaloo called out, still hidden behind Spike. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle tilted their bodies to look past Spike’s sides. “Uh, Scootaloo, are you going as a dragon’s behind for Nightmare Night?” Sweetie Belle asked. “It was Spike’s idea!” Scootaloo groaned. “I only have to do this for half the night before it’s my turn. I can’t wait until it’s time for us to switch.” “Well, if it’s any consolation, it is a pretty neat idea,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “See? Sweetie Belle think it’s cool,” said Spike. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I’m getting out. I need a break, and I can’t see Apple Bloom’s and Sweetie Belle’s costumes from in here.” “Fine, just be careful. I didn’t have time to double check my work since I had to make a costume for two this year.” Scootaloo hastily loosened the elastic bands keeping the two halves of their costumes together and then backed up once she was loose, freeing her from her prison. Taking a breath of fresh air, she walked over to her friends, her half of the costume still hanging off her back. “Hey, girls…” Scootaloo mouth hung open as she got a good look at her fellow Crusaders. “Um, what are you girls wearing?” “What? Don’t you recognize a pear?” Apple Bloom asked. She was indeed inside a green pear costume. It was big enough to cover her entire body, but stopping right before her legs and her neck. “Well, yeah, of course I know what a pear is. I just have to know, why?” Scootaloo asked. “Well, Applejack and Ah decided to have a little contest to see who would have the scariest costume this year.” Apple Bloom grinned. “Ah won.” “Seriously, a pear?” Spike asked. “Hey, pears are the natural enemies of apples! Or at least that’s what Applejack tells me…” Spike and Scootaloo shared a glance, nodded to each other, and turned to Sweetie Belle. “So, what are you supposed to be, Sweetie Belle?” Spike asked. Sweetie Belle was wearing a thick, black jacket that was littered with tiny, shiny, metal spikes littered all over its front and the sleeves that reached down her forehooves. Her mane had been bunched up into a mohawk, similar to how Zecora wore hers, and thin streaks of black were painted around her eyes and mouth. “I’m not too sure, to be honest,” Sweetie Belle answered, taking a look at herself. “I was helping my mom clean the attic yesterday when I found this jacket she used to wear. She got really excited to see them, saying something about the good, old days. When I said that the jacket looked nice, she got this weird look, and before I knew it…” She waved a hoof over her entire body. “I looked like this. I figured I could just use this since I haven’t picked out a costume yet.” “Uh, I guess it’s alright. By the way, I didn’t know you got your ears pierced… or your nose…” Scootaloo pointed at Sweetie Belle’s ears where there were three metal ring piercings. There was one additional ring hanging on the end of her muzzle. “Oh, these?” Sweetie Belle’s horn glowed, and all the rings detached from her with ease and rose a few inches into the air. “They’re fake. Mom wanted to do real piercings, but Dad stopped her.” “Boy, I sure would like to see Rarity’s reaction when she sees you, Sweetie Belle,” Spike stated. “Oh, we already know,” Apple Bloom replied. “We visited her place on the way here. She took one look at Sweetie, screamed really loud, and slammed the door in her face.” “Maybe she was just too busy and was still getting ready for the party later?” Sweetie Belle guessed. “Right…” Scootaloo said while nodding slowly. When Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom took a moment to talk to each other, she leaned closer to Spike and whispered, “And here I thought we were a weird family.” Spike nodded in agreement. “Well, it’s Ponyville. We’re all weird here.” “So let’s get goin’!” Apple Bloom loudly proclaimed. “Ah’m hopin’ to get enough candy tonight that Ah would put even Pinkie Pie to shame!” “Pretty sure that you would pass out or something long before you reach that point,” Sweetie Belle informed. “Seriously, that pony is not natural.” “Don’t care! Doin’ it anyway!” “Alright, alright, just give me a moment to get back into costume.” With a sigh, Scootaloo moved behind Spike and reattached their costume together. Once everything was secure, the four of them began going around to collect as much candy as possible. There were a few bumps along the way as Spike and Scootaloo went from house to house. Being attached to each other and having to coordinate their movements, they had a hard time keeping up with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and there were a couple of moments where they almost fell to the ground. Scootaloo herself was subject to additional annoyances, and as the night progressed, she became more and more irritated over her situation “Nightmare Night, what a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!” the four of them sang out to their latest target. “Oh, those are some, er, interesting costumes there, children,” Cheerilee commented. There was a short pause and then she asked, “Where’s Scootaloo? I thought I heard her voice.” “I’m right here, Ms. Cheerilee. I’m the other half of Spike’s costume,” Scootaloo explained with a frustrated groan. She and the other two Crusaders were known to do everything together, and with her hidden behind Spike, just about every house had asked where she was upon first glance of the group. “Oh, sorry, Scootaloo,” Cheerilee replied. “It’s okay…” “I’ll just let Spike hold your candy for the time being.” Scootaloo sighed. That was another thing that she was missing out on. While she had no doubt that Spike would dole out her fair share of sweets at home, part of the fun of candy collecting was actually holding the bag of sweets as it grew over the course of the night. As they trotted away from Cheerilee’s home, Scootaloo tapped Spike on the shoulder. “Spike, come on, let’s switch.” “Huh? But isn’t time yet,” Spike replied to his bottom. “I don’t care! This sucks!” “But—” “But nothing! I’m done being the butt! I want to change now!” Scootaloo barked. She turned around around and got down on her four hooves, not caring that she was stretching her half of the costume into the ground. “Hey, you’re getting dirt on—Whoa!” Spike fell on his back when Scootaloo suddenly walked in the other direction. As Spike was struggling to get up while being dragged around by the costume and Scootaloo continued to march in the opposite direction, Sweetie Belle warned, “Er, guys, I would be careful, otherwise your costume is going to—” There was a brief but loud tearing sound as the dragon costume ripped right down the middle, causing Scootaloo and Spike to fall forward from the sudden loss of their other half. “rip…” Spike groaned as he slowly got up, but when he saw the damage his eyes shot wide open. “Oh no! No no no!” He ran his claws over the giant tear, seeing that all the bands that would bind the two halves together were torn to pieces. “It’s ruined…” Scootaloo’s irritation quickly vanished and was replaced with guilt. While it had been uncomfortable inside the costume, she did not want to do anything to hurt her brother’s feelings. “Oh man, I’m so sorry, Spike. I know you spent so long making this costume, and I feel so horrible.” “Was it really so bad being in the same costume that you had to do this?” Spike asked, holding up the torn fabric with a dejected frown. “No, of course not! I just…” Scootaloo sighed. “I just really needed to get out. It was so uncomfortable in there, and I felt like I was missing out on all the fun. Still, that’s no excuse for wasting all your hard work, and I’m so, so, so sorry that I caused this.” Spike glanced down at his half of the costume for a moment before looking back up at Scootaloo. Shaking his head, he said, “No, it’s alright, Scootaloo. It’s kinda my fault as well. I thought it would be cool to spend our first Nightmare Night as brother and sister together, but between that and working on the costume, I got so wrapped up in things that I didn’t notice you were having a rotten time.” “Well, I probably would’ve been easier to listen to if I whined less and actually talked to you more.” Scootaloo sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. “Guess we both messed up a bit, huh?” “A bit more than a bit,” Spike amended with a quiet chuckle. Standing back up, he stretched his claws to the side. “We cool?” Scootaloo smiled and moved in to let Spike hug her while she wrapped her own hooves around Spike. “Yeah, we cool.” “Aww!” chimed Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, prompting Scootaloo and Spike to end their hug with a slight blush on both of their faces. “So, I guess that’s over with. How about we keep on getting candy?” Spike suggested. “We still have a bit of time before the party.” “But what about your costume?” Apple Bloom asked. “Oh, right…” “Perhaps I may be of assistance,” a regal voice offered. The four of them turned around them to find Princess Luna, wearing the same dark-gray cloak she wore on her first Nightmare Night visit in Ponyville, trotting toward them. “Princess Luna!” the Crusaders plus Spike cheered, flocking to the alicorn. “Greetings, my little ponies,” Luna greeted with a smile before focusing her attention on Spike and Scootaloo. “Forgive me, but I was passing by and overheard what happened. I would be more than happy to mend your costume if you wish.” “That would be awesome, Princess Luna!” Scootaloo and Spike replied at the same time. “Then if you could please stand a bit closer to each other for a moment.” Once Spike and Scootaloo did as instructed, Luna’s horn started to glow a light blue, lifting the two torn halves of the costume in her magic as the fabric started reattaching itself. There was a brief flash of light, and when it cleared, Scootaloo found herself inside the costume again with not a single sign of damage. “Hey, it worked!” Scootaloo happily cried out as she carefully loosened the now-fixed bands to let herself out. Unsurprisingly, she saw that Luna had also removed all traces of dirt from the costume’s exterior. “Thank you, Princess Luna!” “Yeah, thanks a lot, Princess Luna!” Spike added with a big smile. Luna chuckled. “Twas no big deal, and I am glad to be of assistance. Twilight has written me and Celestia many letters about you two, and I am glad to see the bond you share. While you may have faced some trouble tonight, let this be a lesson. Do not let good intentions cloud your mind and make you forget to ask what others actually want. It is important to listen, and equally as important, know when to give somepony their space. Trust me, I know this very well.” “What do you mean by that, Princess Luna?” Sweetie Belle asked. With a wry grin, Luna answered, “When I returned from the moon, Celestia could not help but dote on me. She would be constantly by my side, making sure I get everything I need. While I do enjoy spending my time with my sister, she started to become a nuisance when she insisted that we do everything together, and I mean everything. Fortunately, I was able to settle her down, and all it took was one good talk and a couple thousand bits in damages!” “Wait, what was that last part?” Apple Bloom promptly asked. “That all she needed was a good talk. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be going, and I hope to see you later at Twilight’s castle for the party! Farewell!” Luna hastily answered. The Crusaders and Spike watched with four raised eyebrows as Luna trotted off in a hurried yet still dignified manner. Once she was out of sight, Spike looked to Scootaloo with a smile. “So, want to switch now?” “You sure?” Scootaloo asked. “I don’t mind being the butt now.” “Nah, it’s time for my dragon butt to hold up this dragon butt. Besides, you had my back, now it’s my turn.” Scootaloo snickered. “Dude, that’s kind of bad.” Spike playfully nudged Scootaloo, only to receive one in turn. Their giggles filled the air as they continued to enjoy the fact that they were brother and sister. Well, at least until Apple Bloom told them to hurry up so that she could get her candy fix.