Two days went by and everypony in town was getting ready for Nightmare Night. At the school, it was recess.
“Eric, over here!” Apple Bloom shouted.
Eric went over to his friends, his eyes were fixed on Sweetie Belle, and he suddenly began to understand how she felt about him. He blushed up a storm at the sight of her white, silky coat, her pretty pink and lavender mane and tail, and her green eyes shining like emeralds.
“S-Sweetie Belle, remember when you said that you had a crush on me?” Eric asked.
“Yes,” she replied wondering what he was getting at.
“I.....f-feel the same way about you, you’re really pretty,” Eric said.
He and Sweetie Belle shared a loving embrace. Eric then kissed her cheek, she did the same with him, they stayed like this for five minutes.
After school was out for the day, Eric and the three fillies were at the Carousel Boutique. They were talking about their plans for Nightmare Night.
“What’re you gonna dress up as, Eric?” Apple Bloom asked.
“I’m going as Harry Potter,” Eric replied.
“Who’s that?” Scootaloo asked.
“He’s only the most famous and greatest wizard in my birth world, he fought a monster called a basilisk, hooded creatures called dementors, and defeated an evil wizard known as Lord Voldemort,” Eric explained.
Soon, Rarity came downstairs, as if she was having designer’s block.
“Eric, darling, about the famous wizard you mentioned, Harry Potter, what is his typical attire?” she asked.
“When he went to school at a place called Hogwarts, he wore a black robe with a white shirt under it, and also a red and yellow necktie and scarf, and wears round glasses, as far as I was told,” Eric replied.
“Thank you, Eric, I’ll have your costume ready for tonight,” Rarity said.
“Thanks, Rarity,” Eric replied.
“Welcome,” Rarity added.
Deep in the Crystal Mountains, there was a hidden palace, its wall was twelve hooves high, eight hooves wide, and impervious to magic, protected by a series of magical fans and an army of one million ice ponies. Inside, there lived an alicorn prince, his name was Glacio. His coat was turquoise, his mane and tail were pale blue, his eyes were red, and his cutie mark was a big iceberg with snowflakes. Glacio had a heart and mind as black as night and cold as ice, same with everyone else in his service.
“Frostbite, why haven’t Hot Shot, Skywarp, and Thundercracker reported back yet?” Glacio asked.
“I’m not sure, my lord, maybe they got held up running into some difficulties,” the subordinate pony replied.
Frostbite’s coat was azure, his mane and tail were indigo, his eyes were maroon, and his cutie mark was that of icicles. He was Glacio’s second-in-command.
“Get my crystal orb and summon them immediately!” Glacio said.
“As you wish, my lord,” Frostbite replied.
Hours passed and the three teenage colts entered the palace.
“My lord, we came as soon as requested,” Hot Shot said.
“Do you have anything to report?” Glacio asked.
“The cities of Equestria are thinly defended each by several hundred law officers, Canterlot Castle is protected by one thousand guards, and the Equestrian navy has one hundred thousand sailors and there is something else, too,” Hot Shot replied.
“Very good intel, Frostbite tells me you were sidetracked,” Glacio said.
“That’s just it, we encountered an odd creature that walks on two legs, has clothing, and what look to be claws on it’s front limbs,” Skywarp replied.
“It also carries a magic stick as means of defense, and it blasted us every time we get near it,” Thundercracker added.
“Find out more about this two-legged creature, then break into Canterlot Library and find any information about a certain magic locket,” Glacio said.
“As you wish, master,” Hot Shot replied.
Back in Ponyville, Nightmare Night was in full swing. Eric had put his Harry Potter costume on, the townsponies were also dressed up for the night. Just then, Holly came dressed as a swamp monster, Eric was a bit spooked when he first saw his friend’s costume.
“I didn’t know you were interested in Nightmare Night, Holly,” Eric said.
“When I first heard about it, it sounded like fun, so I thought maybe I would be a part of it this year,” Holly replied.
Soon, Eric’s newest friends came all dressed up. Nightshade was dressed as a waiter, Zuni dressed as a ninja, Marina was a cheerleader, and Slapstick was a clown. They were soon joined by Cheerilee, who was dressed up as a swan.
Just then, three hooded figures came into town, they were making spooky noises, this made Eric and his friends nervous.
“Revelio,” Eric said.
The cloaks came off, revealing three familiar teenage colts.
“You three again, who are you?” Eric asked.
“I am Hot Shot, and this is Skywarp and Thundercracker, and we were ordered to deal with you since we first saw you, rump-head,” the leader said.
“My name is Eric Sparkle, and I’m not scared of you anymore, I thought my magic would make you think twice about messing with me,” the boy replied.
“You and what army?” Hot Shot asked.
“We’re his army,” Nightshade said.
“Expelliarmus!” Eric shouted.
Hot Shot was sent flying backwards into a wall.
“Don’t just stand there, get him!” Hot Shot said as he got up.
As the three colts came toward Eric, his friends came to his aid. Nightshade blasted Skywarp and sent him flying into a wall. Zuni wrestled with Thundercracker and blasted him into that same wall.
Just then, Pip, Rumble, and Featherweight tried to step in, but the three were quickly blasted by Hot Shot into an alley, he had tied Rumble and Featherweight up in conjured-up rope, then socked him in the face and stomped on his foreleg, breaking it. He began to cry over his injuries. Just as Hot Shot was about to knock him out, he was blasted by Nightshade, who was now glowing in a blue aura, he then carried Pip back to the others, and also freed Featherweight and Rumble.
Cheerilee gasped in horror as they saw Pip’s face with a black eye and a bloody nose. He tried to get up, but he was limping and fell down. Marina came to assist him, she was glowing in a white aura.
“Pip, are you ok?” Cheerilee asked in a sad tone.
“No, I’m not. My leg is broken,” Pip said.
“I’ll take you to back to your parents,” Cheerilee replied.
She then went to her Pip’s place, while Eric and his friends went to collect some more candy. An hour passed and they went to the maze at Sweet Apple Acres. Eric and his friends were nervous upon entry into the maze.
As they walked along, Eric and his friends stepped on something crunchy.
“Lumos,” Eric said.
They screamed at the sight of what looked to be bones. Zuni picked one up, tasted it and then spat it out.
“These are just sticks, made to look like bones,” Zuni said as they moved along, “I promise you that nothing is as it seems, just stay calm and keep going.”
Just then, Zuni was glowing in an orange aura. The others looked on in amazement. Eric lit up his wand once more, revealing fake eyeballs hanging down, Slapstick couldn’t help but laugh at the dangling eye balls.
“What’s so funny?” Eric asked.
“Those dangling eyeballs, it’s just like Zuni said, they’re fake, they just ‘look’ funny, get it, look, cause you see with eyes,” Slapstick said.
“We get it,” Zuni replied.
“You sure know how to make one laugh, Slapstick,” Eric added.
As they were all laughing, Slapstick was glowing in a pink aura.
“Look at me, I’m glowing,” Slapstick said.
“There’s some kind of magic going on here, we need to find my mommy, and tell her about this,” Eric added.
They kept going until they bumped into Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
“Eric, Holly, you’re here,” Scootaloo said.
“Pretty costume, Sweetie Belle,” said Eric.
“Thank you, Eric,” Sweetie Belle replied.
“These are my new friends, Nightshade, Zuni, Marina, and Slapstick,” Eric said, “Everyone, this is Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo.”
“Good to meet y’all,” Apple Bloom replied.
They soon got out of the maze and looked to see Twilight, Storm (who was dressed as Starswirl the Bearded), and their friends.
“Mommy!” Eric shouted as he went up to her.
“Eric, I never thought I’d find you here, sweetie,” Twilight replied.
“Mommy, I have something important to tell you,” Eric said.
“What is it, Eric?” Twilight asked.
“Me and my friends were glowing, I did when I defended myself from the mean colts; Hot Shot, Skywarp, and Thundercracker, Holly was glowing after she guided me out of Whitetail Woods. Nightshade glowed when he saved Pip, Rumble, and Featherweight from being hurt by Hot Shot, Marina glowed when she helped him walk after Hot Shot broke his leg, finally Zuni was glowing when she told us that everything in he maze was fake, and finally, Slapstick glowed when he laughed about the fake eyeballs, it must be a sign,” Eric explained.
“It is, you and your friends represent the Elements of Harmony, Holly possesses kindness, Slapstick possesses laughter, Nightshade possesses loyalty, Zuni possesses honesty, Marina possesses generosity, and you possess the element of magic,” Twilight explained.
As they went back to the castle, she told him and his friends about the Elements of Harmony.
A few minutes later, Twilight led Eric into his new room, then Spike came in with all his stuff. Twilight then tucked him in and gave him his stuffed orca, Lacey.
“Thanks, mommy,” Eric said.
“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Twilight replied, “If you need me, my bedroom isn’t too far away.”
“Good night, sweetheart. I love you,” Twilight said before giving him a good night kiss. She then turned on his new night light, which was shaped like a sunflower.
“Good night, mommy. I love you too,” Eric replied drowsily as he fell asleep.
Twilight left for her room and left the door open in case something was wrong.