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// All Hallows Eve 
// Story: A Mad Book of Ramblings 
// by Changeling-Writer 
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Once upon a time, In the magical land of Equestria there was a mare. She had lived a long and happy life. By no means was she rich yet she had lived a comfortable life. Having had a special somepony and foals to dote on. Getting to watch them grow and become parents themselves. Few could say they had ever seen the mare without a simple smile pulling at her lips. She had no reason not to smile as the golden years of her life were slowly coming to an end and she would join her husband in the Elysium fields. However few knew that the old mare had an idea. One that would change the night for centuries to come.

Hollow sat on her porch, her eyes half closed as the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange, violet, and reds. There the dirt brown mare sat. One grand foal sat beside her as they watched the sun moving to rest beyond the horizon. The filly that sat beside the old brown mare looked nothing like her. Her pink mane-like candy floss and yellow fur looked almost like candy wapping. Even if you didn't take into account of her little yellow horn that hardy poked out of the mess of mane the foal suffered under. Yet the sweet little foal sat beside the old mare, leaning against her barrel as the day came to an end.

“Grandma? Can I ask you a question?” 

“Of course little Lollipop, what has your interest?” Hollow asked softly as she turned her gaze away from the setting sun and to the filly beside her. A soft smile pulling at her lips. Looking into her dark pink youthful eyes. She smelled like a candy shop, just like her mother and father. Gumdrop was a fine stallion and a great father. Even if he had a bit of a habit to spoil his children.

“Do you miss Grandpa? Mommy says you do but when I asked her how mommy knew she just said that we all have people we miss.” Lollipop asked softly as she looked up at her grandmother, Into the old yet strong dark brown eyes of her grandma. While her body looked old and her face had wrinkles, Lollipop knew grandma could still do a lot of things. Like when she had gotten stuck in a tree, grandma had been the one to climb up to help her, even if she said something about an annoying hip.

“Little Lolli, Grandma will tell you something important. I want you to remember this.” Once she had gotten a nod from the tangle of pink mane she put her leg around the foal. Holding her gently as she spoke. “Everyone moves on, it’s like candy. You can have a jawbreaker but in time it dissolves and is a memory. Grandpa had lived a long and happy life, getting to see his wonderful grandfoals before he moved on.”

“Wait? Was grandpa candy?”

“No, while he was sweet he wasn’t sugar. All good things come to an end. Grandma will move on some day as well. To go see grandpa, and I know you and your mom will miss me. And I know that you might be sad, as will your mother. But you're a big filly, And your mom is a strong mare. Together you both will be alright.”

The foal hesitated for a moment, clearly not understanding the entire conversation. After all, who would expect a five year old to understand death. Alabaster had passed on when she was only two so she had no idea. All she knew of grandpa was stories and his things that she could see in the house. Yet youthful curiosity had won the fight as a little brain chewed through the information. “Grandma, If you go away, does that mean someday mom and dad will have to go away too?”

Hollow flinched, memories of the same question asked by her foal and colt when her mother had died. While Stone Toss had taken it in stride, Floral Flush had not. Crying for nearly an hour as she begged and pleaded for mommy to never leave her. Hollow hoped that Lolli took after her uncle. Or she was going to have an angry daughter. “I won’t lie to you Little Lollipop, your mom and dad will have to leave you one day. Not for a very long time, but they will. But I know your mother is stubborn. She will fight tooth and tale to stay and see her own grandfoals.”

Lolli looked worried and scared as Hollow had started explaining, however as she commented on her mothers behavior the filly’s fear melted into mild amusement. A small snort leaving her yellow muzzle as she looked away from her grandmother and back at the setting sun, Only the very tip still visible as twilight stretched across the horizon. The dark purples and first stars painting the sky as the filly learned an important lesson. One that would help her in the years to come, even if she didn’t understand what the lesson was now.

That night ended like all the others, a simple dinner with her family. Amusement and stories of the day passed around like bread the family sat at one large table. Three generations eating soup and breaking bread. With hints of topics not meant for the ears of the youth that sat beside them, who chipped in with their own important conversation topics and stories. Yet the meal came to an end and the night stretched on. Heads met pillows and soon all drifted off to the sweet embrace of the maiden of dreams. All but one old mare, one that was busy writing. Her pease with her end had changed, she had not grown afraid of the reaper. She was too old for such a silly fear, what she wanted was something to make her family happy, something that can be done in the years to come.

Morning came with the cool winds of the starting fall, as nature began to prepare for winter that would be brought by the ponies. Leaves already shifting hues as the days slowly grew shorter, and the nights longer. Breakfast for the house already devoured and the residents off to start their days. The youth off to school as the rest got to work. Hollow may have been old but she was a stubborn mare. She cleaned the home. Working in the small garden, grabbing the last of the vegetables that had grown through summer and treating the pepo vegetables, especially her pumpkins. She hummed softly to herself as she moved through the crisp fall air. For while she was old growing squashes had always been one of her favorite activities. 

The day moved on, one pumpkin chosen as a sacrifice for treats that the foals would enjoy, Gutted and the seeds separated for there own baking she looked over the rind. While she would use the rind for dinner, pumpkin soup only really called for the guts and some flesh. Cutting a wedge out of the side she chopped the flesh from the skin. With a bit of sugar and cinnamon the skin could be turned into crisp sweet snacks. Glancing back at the pumpkin missing a triangle. Repeating the action only to laugh softly at the eyes that looked back at her. The two dark holes missing a mouth, only for a far too large smile with pointed fangs to be added to the husk.

“Good evening my bodiless friend, shall I try to find a headless pony in search of their own? One who haunts the night of the ceiling fall in search of heads to take for himself? Maybe as tall as an alicorn? Well a headless one at any rate.” Hollow laughed softly to herself as she looked at the dark smile. With a devilish glint in her eyes she grabbed a stub of a candle. Poking it into the flesh at the bottom of the head. One matchstick later two flickering eyes gazed back at her. Smiling from ear to ear.

“I must thank you, My smiling friend. After all, you have given me just the tools to do what I have been needing to do. What better way to help than to give them a day about life. Were the dead and monsters come to haunt the homes and streets? But my orange friend, How will we get the foals to start this new tradition? Oh, yes candy and stories. Of a headless equine, and of ghouls and blood sucking beasts. Let’s give them a night to shine under her blessed night. And maybe make a few nightmares for her lady to fix.”

Now, some may call Hollow mad, speaking to a face she had just carved into a pumpkin. And she likely was, but why would an old mare care if she looked mad? One can not grow old without losing a few screws along the way. Talking to a carved face? Likely not the oddest thing an old pony has done. With a laugh, the old mare blew out the candle. Before the pumpkin was hidden away. She didn’t need a curious filly or colt to find the surprise tool for later. Moving on to starting the soup as her mind wandered down trails. Tales from her own foalhood. Of lycanthropes and vampires, of the fey and foe. Stories played through her mind as her cutie mark seemed to glow under the cooking fire that filled the home with warmth. The Tomestone rapped in the thick vines and broad leaves of a gourd plant, yet the old and gray tombstone held a quill and a scroll carved into the weathered stone.

Time flew by as the mare's mind worked as fast as it had ever, Before long the dirt brown mare was already done with preparing dinner and sitting outside. A smirk pulling at her lips as a particular foal sat beside her, one that would be the perfect messenger to spread word to her friends. It was here when the first brick was laid. The foundation as a filly giggled and happily promised to spread the word to her friends and to other fillies and colts at school. For it would only be a week, so the little ones would have to hurry and make their own costumes.

The adults had made comments of small things going missing, like socks of fabrics, rags and oddly enough spoons. While spoons had been confusing the scraps of cloth. Some spoke of missing hay and twine, yet it was never so much as to make a pony worried. It seemed like all the foals were amassing the necessary scraps and pieces to make their own costumes. Hollow was no exception, Her late husband's old suit and hat being removed from its dusty box and cleaned up. It had long lost the sweet tobacco smell that Nicotiana had. The old pipe that had always been between his teeth or tapping against his chin as he thought. Yet the ghost of the smell haunted her nose as she hugged the suit to her chest.

It was the last night of October, the sun slowly coming down to rest, the town was quiet, and as some adults came out to look around they noticed it was too quiet. Even this late the should of fillies and colts up to no good would echo through the evening air. Even Hollow, whose home could be seen from most of town. Was missing from her perch she spent everyday. All had seen the old dirt brown mare sitting on her porch, be it alone or with company, watching the sun setting.

It didn’t take long for the ponies to realize that no one seemed to know where the foals had vanished off to. Some grew concerned for the well being of their child, only for that to change to fear as the sun vanished behind the horizon. Lanterns and ponies began to gather in the middle of town. The mayor worked to calm the crowd of worried parents. The older stallion spoke firm and strong, declaring that the children would be found before midnight. Never had truer words been spoken as the worried adults began to prepare. Splitting into groups.

“Calm your hearts, unless you're ready to meet your death.”

There, standing behind the mayor of their town stood what looked like a pony, dressed in a thread bare greatcoat. Their body lost to the long shadows the black fabric cast over their form. Only their head was seen, face lost under the large stovepipe hat that sat atop the figure's head. Only the oddly glinting tip of a white nose was to be seen.

“The foals shan't be long, after they finished with their ghoulish song. Now run along before the night grows too long and you see just what has gone wrong.”

Full grown stallions in the prime times of their lives flinched back as the pony lifted their head, showing the gleaming white skull with empty eyes that looked back. Two pits that seemed to look into the very souls. Silence fell over the town once more, all staring at the cloaked figure before them only for its growing laughter to fill the air, followed soon by the youthful laughter of foals. Still non moved as the figure laughed as it turned away. Greatcoat fluttering softly in the wind as they walked to the house in the middle of town. The home of Hollow, Only for small foals to seemingly pop out of holes and from behind homes. Dressed as monsters and heroes. Knights walked and laughed with tiny dragons and vampires. Trotting up to the home in the middle of town as eyes began to start glowing from the windows. Flickering eyes with smiles far too large to be real. The adults stood and watched as the small herd came to a stop at the steps, watching as the cloaked figure stopped and turned at the top of the steps. Hat tilted down as the ivory smile glinted in the flickering faces around them.

“Hear me equestrians, for this is my night. The night that your nightmares have returned. As the wind whistles through the trees and the night grows long we will come out. Can you feel it? I can, how you fear what is to come. However there is one thing you ponies can do. One thing that will appease me. Mark your calendars, for this night shall be known as the night you must appease my kin with treats. Now run along little equines, bring sweets and treats before I grow impatient.”

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“Wait, You're telling me an old mare decided that she wanted something for her grandkids to do after she was gone so she came up with this, a day of scaring ponies and handing out candy? That seems a little backwards. It seems far more likely that she would want to make a nice holiday about bunnies and cake.” A little lavender alicorn asked as she poked her head out of the blanket nest she had made into her den. A chocolate stain on her nose as she looked up at the ocean blue unicorn she called mother.

“Yes, But you forgot my dear. She wanted a holiday where the dead came to life, where monsters and ghouls walked the streets and people were scared, but fear can be overcome. The town was scared of her in her costume, but they got over their fear as they saw how their children laughed and played. How screams of fright turned into giggling and laughter as fear was washed away and foals played.” Eventide spoke softly as she nuzzled the top of her daughter's head. The normally neat mane a mess from delving into the blankets. Her horn glowing softly as a tissue ran over the chocolate on her little nose. 

“Oh… Like Shiny when he would go with the guards into the woods? He told me a lot of scary stories about his trips but he never seemed to be afraid when he came back from his trips. Always laughing and smiling with the other guards.” 

Eventide nodded softly as she shut the book. There were a few more pages to the story, After all Hollow was not a simple mare. She made is so no one would forget the night, Especially the foals. Yet as the sun came up the old mare was gone. Only the old great coat and stovepipe hat remained sitting on the smiling jack-o-lantern. The candle sputtered its last as the dawn took away the monsters and left only the treats and memories. The entire town had searched for the old dirt brown mare however the only thing they found was her name, Carved beside her husbands in the graveyard. Yet some believed that she still wonders the would, no longer needing a mask to scare the foals on all hallows eve.

“Um… Mom… Can you sleep with me tonight… I'm a little scared.”

“Of course my little star, Let mommy finish her work but I’ll be back to make sure no monster comes and nibbles on your hooves.”

Those words made the filly squeak, her head vanishing into the blankets that had become her armor. An impregnable shield from any monsters that wanted to munch on a little alicorn. Eventide giggled softly, Patting the top of the blankets with a hoof as she got up, the book sliding into place on the nightstand. The Queen moved away from her daughter, heading to the door. “I’ll leave the lights on my little star, Monsters don’t like light.”

The muffled thanks was the last words that Eventide heard as she left the room. The door shut gently behind her. The queen let out a soft laugh as she started down the hall and back to her office, for no matter the time or the day the job of a ruler didn't end. One must always be ready for something to come along and create a problem. She just wished that she had more time to spend with her little star.

“I know you never knew your father, but you two are so alike. Both gems of curiosity, I just wish you could have had him there beside you my little star.”