//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: As Without, So Within // by DrakeyC //------------------------------// The sun had dipped over the horizon and night had begun to settle. Small groups of students trickled down the path to the front doors of Canterlot High, dressed in various brightly colored costumes. In the parking lot almost every spot was filled and more students were coming in from that entrance. Leaning against the wall by the door of the school, Twilight looked at the time display on her phone. “Where are they?” She looked up as she heard a car pull in and smiled at the familiar deep indigo convertible. The car pulled into an empty spot and its headlights turned off. “Hello, dear!” Rarity called as she got out. She slammed the door and looked Twilight over as she approached. “Oh, did you forget your costume?” Twilight looked down at her usual blue and purple blouse and skirt ensemble. “I’ve got a plan for that, actually.”  “I hope so,” Rainbow Dash called, pushing her door open. “I’m not gonna let two of our friends be squares tonight.” “I’m not a square,” Fluttershy whispered from the other side of the car. “I just didn’t want to dress up. I don’t want to scare anyone.” “Scary?” Rainbow snorted. “If you don’t wanna be scary, then just be awesome, like me.” She planted a sneaker on the concrete barrier at the end of Rarity’s parking spot and crossed her arms. “You do look wonderful, Rainbow,” Rarity said. Rainbow was clad in a suit of silver and grey armor, overlapping plates covering her limbs save for her hands and sneakers, and larger plates over her torso. A black shirt and tights showed through the gaps in the armor. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and hung over the armor’s collar around her neck. As Rainbow stepped onto the sidewalk past Twilight, she peered closer at the armor, its pieces clanging together in a notable non-metallic ring. “That isn’t real steel, is it?” “Nah, it’s painted plastic. It still cost me a hundred and eighty bucks online.” Rainbow reached a hand up to wipe her brow, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. “And it’s hot as hell, and a pain to sit down in. But it was worth it to look this good!”  She reached to her back and brought forward a sword and shield. She chuckled as the sword wobbled in her hand. “Er, these are just store-bought toys. Saved myself twenty dollars not ordering the set that came with the armor.” “Goodness, that’s quite a price tag,” Rarity feigned fanning herself. “I’m more grateful than ever that my costume was highly economical this year.” Twilight looked the fashionista over. Rarity was wearing a deep purple turtleneck sweater with a pair of pants a shade or two darker, and over it all a white lab coat with goggles hanging around her neck and a notepad and pens sticking out of her breast pocket. She noticed Twilight looking and twirled. “Do you like it? Who am I?” “A scientist, of course.” Rarity stopped and huffed. “Yes, but which scientist!?” “Um…” Twilight scrunched her nose and thought. “I have no idea.” “Paul Friedländer!” Rainbow Dash scratched her head. “Is that the guy who invented the microwave or something?” “He is the scientist who expanded our understanding of the production of indigo clothing dyes! My color, darlings!” Rarity gestured to her purple clothes. “I never realized I owed so much to him until Twilight told me about him!” “I did?” Twilight’s eyebrows lifted. “Because that’s kind of an obscure thing to know, even for me.”  Rarity huffed again and crossed her arms. “I think you put a lot of thought into it, Rarity,” Fluttershy said. Rarity’s expression brightened and she smiled over her shoulder. “Thank you, Fluttershy!” She gave a small pout and turned. “But I really wish you had decided against foregoing a costume of your own. Halloween is such a festive time!” “Just talking her into coming was a challenge,” Rainbow muttered. “I don’t like being frightened, you know that!” Fluttershy said sharply. “Nonsense!” Rarity swept closer and put an arm around her. “You know Celestia and Luna wouldn’t allow scary shenanigans in the school, it’s all in good fun! No one will try to frighten you tonight, and it's your chance to dress up as something unique, something you couldn’t dress as any other time of the year.” Twilight nodded. “You could be anything you want to be, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy bit her lip. “Well… when you put it like that, maybe I could have found something. But now there’s no time.” “Don’t be absurd!” Rarity wagged her finger and walked to the back of her car, pulling Fluttershy with her. “We’ll whip you up something in no time!” Twilight and Rainbow ran after them. Rarity unlocked her trunk and flung it open, revealing several small plastic cabinets with various fabric bundles, crafting materials, and costume accessories in their drawers. Twilight stared. “You keep costume supplies in the trunk of your car?” “Darling, have you met me?” Rarity pulled a drawer open without looking and fished out a measuring tape. “Now, did you have anything in mind?” As Fluttershy pondered her options, a car horn sounded. Twilight and Rainbow turned their heads to see Applejack driving a pick-up truck into a parking spot. As they came closer, Twilight stared in confusion at the blue tarp covering the back of the truck; something under it was wiggling. “What is that?” Applejack climbed out of her truck and sighed. “She put the costume on at her place because she said it looked way too much fun to not put it on yet. And then she refused to take it off because she was right.” “And then Applejack let me ride in the back of her truck!” The tarp fell back as a large poof of pink hair and a mass of green fabric popped up on the edge of the truck bed. Pinkie Pie giggled and waited for Applejack to pull down the truck’s tailgate before she hopped to the ground. Now standing upright and in full view, it was apparent she was wearing a bright green alligator costume, a tail dangling behind her with her head emerging from between a pair of foam jaws. “That’s not a good thing, Pinkie,” Sunset said from the other side of the vehicle. “Riding in the back of a pickup truck is illegal. If any cops had seen us they would have pulled us over.” “Ah only agreed because we was runnin’ late and it was easier to throw the tarp over her than to argue.” Applejack glared at Pinkie. “Near gave me a heart attack when we passed that patrol car.” “No biggie, if he had peeked at me I’d have scared him off!” Pinkie swiped her clawed gloves at Twilight and Rainbow. “Rawr, rawr!” “I don’t think alligators roar,” Rainbow said. “Not like that they don’t, but let’s not get into it,” Sunset replied, joining them. Twilight glanced at Sunset. The third girl from the car was dressed in an old-fashioned gown with white ruffles on her skirt and sleeves, elbow-length gloves, and her hair was woven into a bun. She eyed the small golden tiara on Sunset’s head. “Princess?” “Yeah.” Sunset shrugged. “Seems a bit on the nose maybe, but I wanted to dress up. Blame Applejack, it was her idea.” “Hey, when somethin’ feels right, go with it.” Applejack stuck out a hip and tipped her hat. She had on a brown leather vest over a tattered red checkered shirt, black jeans, fingerless leather gloves, and boots with spurs. “You barely even dressed up,” Rainbow snickered. “What's your costume supposed to be, hillbilly?” Applejack reached to her waist where a pair of gun holsters were clipped over her belt, and drew a pair of silver revolvers with large orange plugs on the barrels. “Watch the tone there, partner. Ah’ve killed for less before.” “En garde, redneck!” Rainbow grinned and brandished her sword. “Y’all know what they say about bringin’ a sword to a gunfight, dontcha?” Applejack pulled the hammer back on one of the revolvers and pointed it at Rainbow. “It might be a capgun, but it still hurts.” “Girls, come on,” Twilight said gently, rolling her eyes. Applejack looked over at Twilight. “Hey, where’s your costume, Twi?” Twilight turned her head down. “Oh, right, we’re all here, guess I should put it on.” She reached to her neck and took hold of her geode. With a flash of purple light and a crackle of magic, pony ears sprouted on her head and her hair elongated into a ponytail, and her clothes glowed and shifted into a wider purple skirt with a pink star on the side with a blue shirt and a star on the chest. “I thought I’d go as a superhero.” “Sweet.” Rainbow grinned and pumped her fist, and held the other out to give Twilight a high-five. She stepped forward to give it, but then pulled back as Pinkie scuttled between them on all fours. She stopped and sniffed the air. “No more talking! There’s candy in there!” She rushed towards the doors into the school. The group laughed and followed her. As they passed Rarity’s car, Twilight paused and looked her way. “Did you find Fluttershy a costume?” Rarity slammed her car trunk and sighed. “So to speak.” “I’m sorry, Rarity.” Fluttershy’s muffled voice came from a figure draped in a large white sheet with three holes cut into it. “I just couldn’t think of anything, and none of your ideas seemed right for me…” “It’s fine, darling!” Rarity patted the ‘ghost’ on its shoulder. “Baby steps. Next year we’ll make you look wonderful, I assure you! For now, let us celebrate and enjoy ourselves!” The two joined Twilight and the others, and the seven friends passed the doors into the school. Orange, black, and yellow banners hung from the walls of Canterlot High with various paper and plastic depictions of monsters, black cats, and jack-o-lanterns interspersed down the corridors. Over the PA system played creepy music with various spooky sounds like cackling witches and creaking floorboards. Students in costume passed by the seven as they took in the sight. “I don’t envy Principal Celestia with the clean-up,” Sunset mused. A hand grabbed her shoulder and she screamed and jumped away. “Oh, you seven are welcome to help.” Behind them as they turned, Celestia smiled and gave a small bow of her head. Twilight giggled at her and Luna behind her - the two had both donned Victorian-style dresses, dull yellow and red for Celestia and green and blue for Luna, with clawed fingers and fake warts on their faces. “Er, are you two noble ladies or somethin’?” Applejack asked. Luna sniffed. “We’re witches, of course.” “Ya don’t look much like witches.” Celestia winked. “Well, that’s the idea, isn’t it?” The seven laughed politely. “Luna and I were just on our way to the auditorium. That’s where you girls can find the dance floor if you’re interested. The upper levels are blocked off so please stay on the ground floor. There’s some light snacks in the cafeteria, and other students have brought items as well. There’s also various classrooms for games and socializing, and signing up for the costume parade.” “Games? What kinds of games?” Rainbow asked eagerly. “There’s some tabletop and card games, and video games. The rooms are labelled.” “Sweet! Come on, Fluttershy!” Rainbow went to grab her wrist and waited until the folds lifted to reveal a yellow hand, and she took hold and ran down the hall. “I need candy.” Pinkie dropped to all fours and went another direction, sniffing loudly. “Ah’m gonna head with her.” Applejack tipped her hat and followed Pinkie. As the group split up, Twilight smiled and nodded. It’ll be nice to be able to come to school and the only monsters we have to worry about are fake. A wave of the hand made the book flip open, its pages glowing bright pink. The pages began to furl as the hand flexed and the reader spoke. “As without, so within, let the festivities begin. Hear my voice and heed my verse, as I invoke the power of this curse!” Swirls of pink magic began to flow from the book, gathering into an orb of light above it. “The witching hour of All Hallow’s Eve, play host to this spell I weave. As ghouls and ghosts give call to arise, let all within lose themselves in their guise!” The orb of light intensified and shot up into the sky. A wave of pink magic burst from it, radiating out and falling down to create a dome of energy over the grounds of Canterlot High. The figure giggled and snapped the book shut. “Let the fun begin!”