//------------------------------// // Twilight's Pantry // Story: Twilight's Pantry // by Icarus_Con_Queso //------------------------------// “Ten bits say it’s a lecture of some kind.” Rainbow Dash said as she adjusted the grayscale wig that covered her namesake mane. Satisfied that her multihued mane was properly hidden she completed her Daring Doo costume she turned to face Applejack and Rarity. They were struggling to get Spike into the brown one piece that went with the timberwolf mask lying on the ground next to him, but the zipper had gotten stuck most of the way up, and, though the dragon would have never admitted it, he was a bit on the pudgy side. As a result, very little progress was being made. “Any takers?” “I’ll take ya up on that. Twilight’s been working on whatever this thing is since before Winter Wrap-up, and that mare don’t do things in half-measures.” Apple Jack drawled as she pressed on the baby dragon’s shoulders and Rarity tried to tug the costume up the whelp’s body to little effect. “Darling, we need you to exhale and-“ Rarity began but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash darting in to practically stomp on the purple dragon’s belly and forcing every last bit of breath from the poor dragon’s lungs. Immediately the dragon slipped into the costume. “Works every time.” Rainbow smirked and buffed a hoof on her chest, at least until she noticed the scowls on her friends’ faces as Spike struggled to recapture the wind that had been knocked out of him. “What? My dad used to use that trick with me whenever I got stuck in something.” The other two ponies just shook their heads and turned their attention back to Spike who seemed to have mostly recovered from the incident. “Are you all right, sugar cube?” “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Spike wheezed before climbing to his feet, “Where’s Pinkie? Shouldn’t she be here by now?” “Yeah, I thought we were all going to meet up here at the Boutique so we could help each other out with our costumes before the party.” Rainbow said. Spike silently started counting down on his claws. When the last claw fell, the door to the boutique flew open and a green blur shot into the room. “Did somebody say ‘Party’!?” Pinkie asked as she bounced up and down in the center of the boutique. The mouth of her full body Gummi suit flopped open and shut in time to her bouncing. Rarity threw a red silk cloak over her shoulders and grabbed a picnic basket in her magic before grabbing Pinkie by the shoulders so she could get a good look at the hoof-stitched costume. “Pinkie, this costume has no buttons or zippers. How did you get in it?” “The same way you get into any alligator, duh!” Pinkie replied with a laugh. Rarity’s jaw worked silently as she stared at the hole in the gator’s mouth that was hardly big enough for Pinkie’s face to stick out of let alone to allow the entirety of her body to pass through. Finally the white unicorn decided it was best to not think to hard about it. This was Pinkie Pie after all. Rarity turned to Applejack who had slipped into a black outfit not unlike the one Twilight had worn when she broke into the Canterlot Library with Pinkie a couple years back. The earth pony was busy slipping her head into a very large apple carved like a jack o’ lantern. “Is that a real apple?” “Would it matter if it was?” Rarity nibbled on her lower lip as she debated the pros and cons of having a mane full of apple juice, but more importantly whether or not Apple Jack would care about any of that. Finally she sighed and decided to stop questioning the sensibility of her friends costumes. Heading out the three ponies and baby dragon made their way between decorated stalls and around crowds of costumed ponies as they made their way across town to Twilight’s castle. As the castle came into sight, Apple Jack asked, “Hey, Spike, ya wouldn’t happen to know what Twilight has planned for us, would ya?” “I wish, but she seems just as eager to keep me out of the loop as you guys. I did catch her laughing maniacally to herself the other day.” Spike said with a shrug. Apple Jack gave Spike a look that only lead to an even bigger shrug from the him as he added, “She does that sometimes. I’ve learned just to stay out of her way whenever she gets into those moods.” As the group walked up the front steps of the Castle, the doors slowly opened with an eerie screech. A screech made much less eerie by the smiling alicorn standing in the brightly lit hall just beyond the doors. “Twilight, why aren’t you wearing your costume?” Rainbow asked with a frown as she gestured to Twilight’s lack of adornment. “Forget that! Where are all the decorations!?” Pinkie exclaimed as she shot past Twilight and gestured to the hall’s lack of adornment. “I got a little behind schedule, if you’d believe it.” Twilight admitted with a sheepish smile, “But the throne room is mostly decorated for our party. I just need to grab some stuff from the downstairs pantry. We should be able to get it all in one trip if everybody pitches in. Then we can get down to the festivities.” “We’d be glad to lend a hoof, Twi.” Apple Jack answered for everyone. Twilight smiled broadly and gestured for them to follow her as she led them down a narrow side passage that lead to a long stairway. Spike scratched his chin as he followed close behind Rarity. His eyes narrowed and he cleared his throat. “I don’t remember there being a pantry down this way, Twi. Are you sure we are going down the right stairs?” Twilight chuckled and gave the drake a dismissive wave as she replied, “It’s a recent addition. Which reminds me of something interesting I learned while reading Willow Wisp’s History of Horror: The Story of Nightmare Night! Did you know that Nightmare Night actually predates Nightmare Moon?” Rainbow smirked and hovered over Apple Jack to jab her in the withers repeatedly with a hoof as she whispered, “Here we go.” Twilight either didn’t hear or chose to ignore Rainbow as she rolled into full lecture mode. “The practices associated with this holiday actually originated during the Discord Era when the draconequus sent monsters into villages and towns all across Equestria demanding tribute in the form of either sweets or yearlings with the phrase, ‘Trick or treat, give us something sweet to eat!’” “That’s simply awful!” Rarity commented which got a small nod of agreement from Twilight. Further back down the line Apple Jack’s patience had worn thin with Rainbow’s continued prodding and she reached back to swat at Rainbow. “Do I look like I have any bits on me!?” She hissed as Rainbow dodged out of her reach. “What was that Apple Jack?” Twilight asked, stopping suddenly and forcing the Rarity to pull up short or run into her flank. “I was just a bit confused as to how something that horrible becomes something fun.” Apple Jack answered quickly as she gave Rainbow a dirty look. The pegasus merely laughed behind her hoof. “Well, it started with parents dressing their children up as monsters to confuse the real monsters, and being sure to have sweets prepared just in case.” Twilight said, apparently satisfied with AJ’s cover and started walking again. Spike began to fidget nervously as the crystal walls turned to stone and the glowing crystal lanterns were replaced by smokeless torches. After glancing back at the others to make sure they were paying attention, Twilight resumed her lecture. “Post Discord the practice continued. Just to be sure. Gradually neighbors and even towns began to compete to see who had the best candy or best costumes, and it gradually became the Nightmare Night we know today, with Nightmare Moon replacing generic monsters after her banishment to the moon.” “This is a really bad idea, Twi.” Spike said quietly from next to Rarity before Twilight led them into a large and dark room. “Uh, Twilight, this doesn’t look like a pantry. In fact, I can’t really see anything at all.” Pinkie said as she squinted into the darkness. Suddenly Rarity let out a shriek and leaped backwards onto Apple Jack’s shoulders. “Something slimy just touched my leg!” Twilight began to giggle manically as torches burst into life all around the room. The walls and ceiling were covered in something wet, green, and very organic looking. On the far wall a series of four half completed cocoons stood waiting for occupants while a fifth held a purple alicorn. Twilight’s giggles grew into demented cackles as the other ponies turned to face the unhinged alicorn. Bright pink flames enveloped her and burned away the alicorn they knew and loved, leaving in her place a purple maned changeling queen. Abruptly her laughter ceased and she gave them a wolfish grin as she sing-songed, “Trick or treat, give me something sweet to eat!”