//------------------------------//
// Animal In Me 
// Story: Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight 
// by h4ns 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 73: Animal In Me

Bryce was dabbing on the last of his make up when a knock came at the barn door. "I'm almost done. I'll be out in a minute," he called back, his eyes fixed on the mirror. When the door creaked open Bryce looked to see who it was, and gave a smirk in return. "Well, your costume suits you."

Given his record, Bait could agree as he strode in with the black and white striped burglar's costume he would wear to the Nightmare Night festivities. "You can say that again, though I detest how well it fits me."

"As long as you don't use it for its intended use I'm okay with it."

"Believe me, I won't. I left that part of my life in the past for good." The tan colt looked around the inside of the barn. "My, you have made this quite the abode, if I do say so myself," he commented. 

Since the two weeks he had spent locked away Bryce had made the barn livable and well ordered, with a fair amount of space left over for the farm equipment.

Most of Bryce's 'room' was pushed against the back wall. In the left corner were his and Corn's beds, both made by placing a few blankets over bales of hay. Added to this was a foot locker used to store the human's clothes and other possessions. On the wall were a few images: the crayon drawings Dinky and Apple Bloom had made, the portrait of Needlepoint's paint-speckled rear, and a certificate awarded to Bryce for placing sixth in the Running of the Leaves. Though his name had been misspelled—the certificate was awarded to Bryce Smiles—he still held it as a high point since he had arrived in this world.

Bait raised an eyebrow at the last image, a look Bryce was quick to catch on to. "Bait, leave it be."

"I know, but I still say Thunderlane cheated you of your win."

"Yeah, yeah, and if he hadn't tripped me up when he did I would have won the silver. Get past it, it was a simple mistake."

"Yes," Bait said under his breath, "so you say..." He then turned his attention away from the back wall and over to the other corner of the barn.

In the other corner Bryce had drawn up a curtain to divide the room—to keep his work away from prying eyes. Bait couldn't help but notice the amount of wood shavings that littered the ground under the curtain.

"I take your work has been well?"

"It's nothing much," Bryce replied. "Most of this is from the jobs I picked up after the race. They've been small jobs, but together they've brought in about 1200 bits."

"1200 bits in six weeks? That's double what you would have made at your construction job."

"Yeah, but again it's nothing big. A few jobs here and there, but it's picking up. Just yesterday I got a commission for a bed frame for 1500."

"1500 bits? I would say that's more than 'picking up.'"

"Well, I only get 40 percent, but 600 bits is still a fair share."

"Regardless, you shouldn't sell yourself short. When I was still with my uncle we were lucky to bring back 500 a job. From what I've seen of your work it makes me a little envious."

Bryce shook his head. "I'll take your word for it, because all I see are a few well etched out lines. I don't see how anyone could pay so much for something so simple."

"To each his own, I suppose," Bait replied, as he pressed a hoof down on the human's bed. It was a little firm for his liking, but with the blankets draped over the top it would do. "I still feel I wrong you by forcing you to relocate."

"I don't. Compared to what I had before this is a welcome relief. At least now I don't need to coil myself up like a snake every night."

"Given your size I can understand, but what you said raises the question: don't you worry about rats or-" Bait swallowed before he continued. "Or snakes?"

"Not with Jack around, she takes care of them—snakes included." As if beckoning to Bryce's call the scarlet kingsnake slithered her way out from under Corn's hay-bed. She looked up to the tan colt and flicked her forked-tongue in greetings.

"Yes... well... I thank you for parting with your room, nonetheless. Between the couch and the bed at the hospital I haven't slept so well in a long while. But right now the girls are waiting. Are you about ready?"

"I'm just finishing up," Bryce said as he checked his makeup. After donning his hat he turned to Bait. "Well, what do you think?"

Bryce's costume for Nightmare Night was a clown outfit. The outfit parted down the center, with Bryce's right half a solid red and the left a sequence of narrow red and white vertical stripes. On his head was a red conical hat with an upturned brim. It held three poof balls across the front to match the three across his chest and stomach. Around his neck was a red and white ruff, made up almost like a doily. To finish his giddup Bryce had taken the time to put on clown makeup; the only deviation from the white on his face being the blue triangles around his eyes and the big, red smile across his mouth.

Bait said nothing in response. "You don't like it?"

"It's, uhm, not that, Bryce. Your costume is...unique, but I feel you could frighten a few foals. It's not traditional for a clown to have pointed edges," the colt stated, refering to the almost sinister tips of the makeup around Bryce's eyes and mouth.

"I know, but it's the best I can do."

"I'm sure, but it's...a little unsettling."

Bryce looked at himself in the mirror. "Well, you're not wrong." He picked up the pancake and dipped it in the white face makeup. "You go on out. I'm gonna try and smooth out the edges."

Bait did as the human suggested and left the way he came. Outside Amethyst waited along with Dinky, Corn and Apple Bloom for Bryce to finish with his costume; Applejack and Big Mac had gone ahead to do their part for the Nightmare Night activities. The magenta mare didn't notice Bait as he came up to her from behind. "Bryce is going to be a few more minutes," he stated.

Without turning to meet the colt, Amethyst said, "That's nice. I hope he doesn't take much longer. I can barely keep these two occupied, let alone Corn."

"Yes, well, I'm sure it shouldn't be much longer." He trailed off from there, looking over the costumes of the three ponies and dog before him.

Apple Bloom wore a red-orange puffy vest over a blue denim jacket. For her costume she had taken off her bow and allowed her mane to become frizzled and unkept. 

To complement Apple Bloom, Dinky wore a black shirt and white lab coat. Her mane looked as if a hurricane had blown through it, making her look like a mad scientist.

For Corn, Bryce had placed an orange wig around the dog's neck and throat. If Bait looked at the German Shepherd the right way he could see him as a lion, and he bet anything a few ponies would think the same. From the whines the dog gave Bait could tell he did not enjoy the itchy, almost degrading hairpiece.

Amethyst had taken a simpler approach and wrapped a white bed sheet around her form, held in place with a mauve ribbon that ran around her mid-barrel. Held in her violet mane was a plastic gold wreath studded with violet rhinestones that matched her eyes. 

In her current garb Bait would admit the magenta mare had never looked more perfect. He was a little taken back by how such a basic attire had amplified the mare's figure. He cleared his throat before saying, "As I said Bryce should be just another minute, but in the meantime I'd just like to, uhm, compliment you on your choice of dress. It's not much but its complements your figure well. It makes you look rather... Rather..."

Before the tan colt could say the next word—the word he used on the object of his affection many a time before—the toga-clad mare cut him off. "Bait, please don't." 

For a few seconds everything went silent. She had said it in a way as a scorned lover would speak to the one they once held in such high, guiltless regard. It was evident to everypony present the one word the tan colt often used to beguile Amethyst no longer held sway, not anymore.

She finally allowed herself to look back to Bait. With a look of sadness she sized up the colt. She locked eyes with him. "Nice costume. It suits you," she said, not bothering to hide her distaste for Bait's choice of clothing.

Bait looked down, regretting his choice of costume all the more. "Believe me if there were anything better I would go and change, but the only other costume the store had left in my size were a skunk and what I have on now. It was either this, a skunk or nothing, and I couldn't do the latter, could I? Not with tonight being Nightmare Night."

"Well, I guess you have a point," Amethyst said with a smile. 

When she smiled Bait's diminished hopes were raised.

"Everypony knows not to let their guard down around skunks and thieves," she finished as she shot the colt a glare.

And his hopes were as quick to be dashed. 

"Must you be so callous?" He asked. "I can understand you are upset, but I regret everything I did, to everypony I ever swindled or hurt."

"I'm sure you are, but I don't care."

"Amethyst, I really and truly mean what I say. I've-"

"I don't want to hear it, Bait-and-Switch. Whatever you have to say I just don't want to hear it."

"If it's a matter of trust I can promise you I have only good intentions."

"Sure, I bet you said the same to other mares."

"Okay, I have, but with you it was never a lie." Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Amethyst, I'm telling you the truth. Before we were properly introduced all I wanted to do was bide my time until my uncle and AJ said I could leave, but you're the first pony I've met who makes me want to live an honest life. Before you I would have gone and cleared out half of Ponyville, and then not think about it as I cleared out the other half. But with you it's as if something clicked. Now all I think about is how I can make you mine, without settling for my regular bag of tricks. With you I just want to be honest."

Amethyst relaxed herself. Her face softened as she looked down at her hooves. A few tears began to stream from her violet eyes. "Bait, I can tell you put a lot into that." She shot her eyes back up to meet Bait's, and within a split-second he could tell he had brought up a newfound rage in the magenta mare. "But I'm not going to fall for it."

"This isn't a trick," Bait pleaded, "I'm telling you the honest-to-Celestia truth."

The magenta mare said nothing in response.

"Amethyst, please, I'm not trying to trap you."

She held her silence.

Bait opened his mouth to say more, but anything he would have said next never made it out.

Amethyst ignited her horn  and forced his jaw to stay shut. "Bait, enough. I don't know what it is you don't get, but I'll say it one more time: I don't trust you." The glow around her horn faded, and the violet aura around Bait's mouth evaporated. The toga-clad mare drew in a breath and released it. "Bait, I don't want to make this any harder than it is. I love you, I do, but I just..."

"You just don't trust me?" Bait asked as he finished the mare's sentence.

"Yes... No... Bait, it's not that—not completely. I know I said I would give you a chance but I need... I need time to think about this."

"You've had a month, how much time could you need?"

Amethyst looked down, feeling remorse for the colt. "It's complicated, I know. You and I have been through a lot, and I love you Bait, but I need time to come to terms with this." 

She looked back into Bait's eyes a third time that evening. It hurt her to him in such a state, and him to see her in the same way, but what he had told her pressed her to the limit. She could get over the robberies and the petty theft, but the attempted murder of Applejack and attempted manslaughter of Bryce was not something she could bury in the same hole and act as if he'd done nothing wrong. 

"I'm sorry, Bait. Please tell me you understand."

Bait couldn't say a word. Deep down he could feel this was more than Amethyst playing hard to get. It was more like his criminal past was finally catching up to him, and now he was the victim. He wanted to yell at her to stop and make up her mind right then and there, but he contained himself and swallowed the scream he felt brewing inside. He gave a nod in response, a shred of sympathy for everypony he had swindled building inside.

Amethyst gave a sigh. "I love you, Bait." She turned back to the girls, holding up a facade for their sake. "Okay, girls, Bryce is here so let's get to the fair."  

She and the girls walked on, with Bryce, Bait and Corn trailing a short distance behind. Bryce had walked in sometime in the middle of the conversation, and from the way Bait held his head low the outlook looked grim to the colt.

"Well, I told you it wasn't going to be easy," Bryce stated, just to say something. The tan colt kept silent as he trotted along. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for pushing you to confess."

There were a few strides before Bait replied, "It was right of me to do—I don't blame you. My only regret is that I allowed our relationship to build to such a peak before I said anything. I feel I may have lost any chance I had for us to be together."

"Well, she said she loves you. I wouldn't say you have no chance. I mean, you may be jealous of my wood carving but what you and Amethyst have is something I've wanted more than anything."

"Well take my advice: mares are complicated."

"Love, the mind and the opposite sex, the three biggest things no one will ever understand."

"Quite right, but you shouldn't expect the problems Amethyst and I are having dissuade you. I'm sure you and Miss Fluttershy would make a fine pair, granted you would allow yourselves the opportunity."

Bryce looked ahead to Amethyst, uncertain on whether to trust his friend or to refute him. "Just tell me this: Is it all it's cracked up to be? When you first got together was it what you expected?"

Bait shook his head. "No, it was nothing I could ever imagine." He gave a small smile to himself. "But as a famous author once said, 'You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.'"

"Well, I hardly ever dream, and when I do it's nothing nice. Realities already better than my dreams."

At least in reality I can pretend I'm a good person.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Dolph gave a grumble, what may well have been the hundredth one he gave that night. The silver mare who had taken a job in the orphanage was beginning to piss him off. At the start it was the way she was able to catch him and Bern before they could wail on Clack, then it was how she began to haunt his and his freind's dreams, and tonight was a new low: the horned witch had forced him and Bern to keep an eye on the bright yellow foal while everypony else at the Nightmare Night festival did as they pleased.

She had said it was to keep the foal from being kidnapped, as much of a burden it would have been on him, but Dolph wasn't a fool. Bern, sure, he fell for it, but the Tyrian purple colt could tell this was a way to punish them; for what he hadn't the slightest idea. It wasn't as if they had done anything to force the mare's hoof, yet. He and Bern had planned a few pranks for later on, but there was no way she could have known. For one he and Bern had kept their ideas written down. Clack couldn't read so that wasn't a possibility. Snd since he knew his gunmetal-grey friend would never betray him that idea was out.  

Regardless of the how, Dolph knew one thing: he and Bern were stuck with the annoying colt with the hoof-on-chalkboard voice for the night. If he believed for a second he could get both him and Bern away from Clack Tap and leave the colt by himself then he would. What stopped him, however, was the feeling—a feeling he could swear by the parents he had never known—the mare was watching. Even though they had left her at the orphanage more than an hour ago he could not shake the feeling. She was watching, but from where he had no clue.

What added to this strange feeling was how hospitable Bern was toward Clack as of late. He trusted Bern not to betray him, but his sudden turn to being a model colt made him wonder. Though their plans to prank a few dimwitted foals was indeed sidetracked the much larger colt didn't seem to mind. Bern had settled to watch after Clack without a fuss, even going so far as to help the foal carry his candy, as well as getting some of his own the honest way. It was hard for Dolph to tell if the stallion-sized colt was acting nice in fear of Mina, or if his change of heart was a sign of him turning soft. With the way Bern was dressed for the occasion in a newspaper hat and a torn piece of cloth for an eyepatch he wouldn't put the second possibility past him.

As the colts made their way into the heart of town the Nightmare Night festivities were in full swing. All around the town square there were ponies of every species decked out in outfits that ranged from the monstrous, to the common, to the rare but welcome few in the realm of the risqué. All of these were gathered in one place, each one prepared to have an enjoyable experience with the many fun yet simple games that were available, as well as feel the good-humored jolt of fear the retelling of the legend of Nightmare Moon would send down their spines.

The latter event of the evening was the worst anypony in Ponyville expected; they had no reason to expect they had something more to fear than an old mare's tale their parents had told them countless times before. 

It wasn't long after they came into the town square Clack started jumping up-and-down, pointing his hoof at a nearby booth. "Oh, oh, look at that!" He ran over to the booth as fast as his cardboard robot costume would allow. When the group reached the booth the two older colts saw what had caught the small foal's eye. It was a fish tank filled with goldfish. Clack got the attention of the stallion running the booth. "Mister, can I have one of those fishies?"

"Whoa there, scamp, I can't just give you a fish. You gotta win it," the stall owner explained. "See, says right here on the sign." Next to the tank was a sign that read: HIT THREE ACES WIN A FISH. And under this was a second sigh which read: 2 BITS A GAME.

The group looked behind the stallion to the backwall. Taped to the wall were playing cards, all of them aces. They looked to the table in front of them. Spread across the top were darts.

"So, scamp, what's it gonna be?"

Clack looked to Bern. "What's the sign say, I can't read."

"It says ya gotta hit the aces," Bern explained. "But it costs two bits to play."

"Yeah, and between the three of us we have a net of zero, count'em, zero bits," Dolph taunted. "Looks like no fishy for the little fishy," he said, a smile spread across his face to commemorate the little inkling of joy the jab brought to him. Before the unclothed colt had a chance to ridicule Clack further he was interrupted by a pair of clinks on the booth's table. He looked back and spotted two shiny bits ready for the stallion to take. "What the...?"

From behind, the colt who had donated said bits spoke up. "And here Ah thought somepony like you would want something small ta belittle and watch die." 

Dolph looked back to see who the colt was that had ruined his good mood. He gritted his teeth when he found the culprit. "You again?!"

"Yeah, me again," Rocksalt heckled back as he repositioned the hat of his newsboy costume. "And the feelings mutual."

Clack ran over to Rocksalt and looped his cardboard clad hooves around his neck. "BB!" He cried out in joy.

The paperboy colt gave a half hearted hug in return. "Hey, Clack. These fellas givin' ya a rough time?"

"No, except for Dolph; he's always a butthole."  

"Yeah, and he smells like one too," Pecan added as she and her sister came up from behind Rocksalt. She and Almond had kept their costumes simple, each one dressed in a cone hat and neck-high bodysuit. The only difference in their attire was the color; Pecan had gone in red while Almond went with yellow.

Dolph sour expression deepened. His mood changed when he heard Bern sniff his back. He glared at his friend, who's face changed from a look of disgust to a toothy grin in a second. 

Dolph rolled his eyes as he looked back to the three school aged foals before him. "What do you turds want? The little kiddy games are over there," he pointed out with an outstretched foreleg. "Why don't you go over to there? The games they have are easy enough even the retarded mailmare can play'em."

"Yeah, Ah just might, but first Ah'm gonna play the game Ah paid for," Rocksalt said as he took his position at the dart stall. The stallion behind the counter laid five darts in front of the paperboy before he pulled himself out of the line of fire.

Rocksalt took the first of the darts and let it fly. It hit home in the exact center of an ace of clubs. The group, save for Dolph gave a shout in awe. "Beginners luck," Dolph chided. "You still have two more to hit. Come on, while we're young."

Rocksalt repressed the comment as he took the next dart. He took careful aim and tossed the dart. This dart missed the mark and embedded itself in the corner of a card. This happened with the next three darts, each one unable to find its mark. With the game done Dolph said, "See, told ya it was too hard."

"Oh yeah, well let's see you try it then, smart aleck," Rocksalt stated back as he deposited two more bits on the counter.

"Sure, why not. I've always wanted to have something I could watch gasp for breath."

Dolph took his place at the front of the stall. His run ended with four of the darts stuck in the ground and one in the backboard. "Stupid darts, they aren't weighted right," the purple colt hissed as he stepped away from the stall.

The three games after that had Pecan step in first, and ended with four darts sprayed in various parts of the backboard and the last going through a bizarre yet entertaining ricochet that ended in Pecan's cone hat a few inches above her head. Up next was Bern, but his aim was off and he put too much force in his throws, with many of the darts left to hang in the backboard until the owner could hammer them out from the other side later in the evening. The last pony to go was Almond, but after she stood with her foreleg reeled back for more than a minute it was left to Rocksalt to take her go. Regardless, the results of this game were the same as his first: one hit and four misses.

Rocksalt fiddled around in the pocket of his shirt and was disappointed to find it empty. "Mister, Ah don't have any money but can Ah please have one of those fish?"

The stallion behind the counter shook his head. "Sorry, but rules is rules. If you want a fish you have to pay and hit three aces. But since you paid for so many games I'll let you take this." The owner said as he held out a dart. "Give it some practice and you can try again next year."

Rocksalt took the dart, a little beaten by how much he'd lost. "Ah'm sorry, Clack."

"That's okay, BB," Clack said, a little upset. "All I wanted was a little fishy."

"Ah know, kid, but Ah tried." He brought the bright yellow foal in for a hug.

"That's sweet and all," the stall owner said, "but do you think you can move it along, I have a customer waiting."

Whoever the customer was didn't allow the group time to move as he stepped towards the stall. "Actually, I want to pay to let him have another go," Bryce said as he dropped a pair of bits on the counter.

Rocksalt looked up, a little shaken up by Bryce's current attire. "Bryce, what are you doing?"

"Like I said, I'm paying to let you have another go at it."

The dull brown colt looked to the stall, where the owner exchanged Bryce's bits for five darts. "No, Ah'd end up wastin'em. You go ahead and do it."

"Kid, compared to you I'm a stormtrooper. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." He picked up a dart and held it out to the colt.

Rocksalt looked at the missile. "Ah still don't think... You should let Pecan do it."

"No way! I almost hit myself in the head, I'm not doing that again. At least not until next year."

"What about you?" He said to Bern. "You were able to get all the darts to the back." 

"Nah, I can't aim for beans."

Rocksalt turned to Almond, who returned his look with a quick shake of her head from side-to-side.

"Rocko, you gotta be the one to do it. Out of all of us you're the only one who's hit an ace," Pecan said.

"That was just beginner's luck."

"It's still two more than we've done," Pecan said as she forced the dull brown colt to face the stall. "Just do whatever you did before and win Clack and fish."

"Pecan, Ah still don't think-"

"Come on, can you really say no to this face?" She asked as she squeezed Clack's puppy dog eyes into Rocksalt's field of vision. 

Rocksalt let out a groan when he saw Clack's current state. "That's not fair, Pecan. But Ah'll give it another shot, if it'll make you get him outta my face."

Pecan did as asked and she and Clack took a position behind the paperboy. Each one of the foals, save for Dolph stood on the tips of their hooves as Rocksalt picked up the first of the darts.

Biting down on his tongue as he furrowed his brow Rocksalt shook his hoof forward-and-back a few times. When he felt ready he let fly the dart, and when it found its mark in an ace of diamonds the foals gave a shout of joy.

Rocksalt turned back and said, "Guys, calm down. That was the first one."

After the group went silent Rocksalt took up another dart. He did the same as before and this time managed a shot through a heart, this time gaining no applause. As he readied his third dart he thought whatever luck had come upon him all at once had left, but as he let fly the dart in his hoof he was surprised when it struck home in the top node of a club.

When the shot registered the group again cried out in joy. It took a lot of work for the stallion behind the counter to calm them down. "Alright, scamp, you made three, but since you paid for five darts I'll make a deal with you: I'll throw in another fish for every ace you can hit. If you make it with both I'll throw in two extra, no additional charge. If you can only land one I'll throw in one."

Clack's bright blue eyes lit up. "Does that mean I can have more fishies?" The stall owner gave a nod. The prospect of having a fish to go along with the one he was destined to obtain made the foal giddy. It was enough to make him shake like he had eaten every piece of candy in his bag. "BB, BB, BB!!!"

Rocksalt placed a hoof down on Clack's head, putting the foal on snooze. "Ah hear ya, Clack, but first Ah need to actually hit'em." Clack understood as he took his position between the twins and Bern.

Rocksalt drew his hoof back, bit down on his tongue and planted the dart deadcenter of another heart downrange.

"Alright, scamp, that's one fish more. Hit another and you'll have yourself three fish."

By now Rocksalt felt confident in himself. He didn't know if it was luck or pure talent but he had landed four darts in a row. "Only three? At the rate Ah'm goin' Ah'll be able to clear you out, mister," Rocksalt scoffed as he readied his last dart. Without bothering to take his time and aim, Rocksalt sent the dart downrange, and at first it looked as if he'd hit a spade. "Yeah, that's what Ah'm talkin' 'bout!"

The stall owner took a closer look at the backboard and shook his head. "Sorry, but you missed it by a hair," he said as he pulled the dart and the ace of spades down from the board.

"What? Ah hit it."

"Nope, you missed it by about this much," the owner said as he presented the card to Rocksalt. What the stallion said proved true: the dart appeared to have hit the spade, but upon closer inspection it had pierced the card between the spade's stem and its body.

"Mister, that has ta count. It was close enough."

"Sorry but close only counts in horseshoes. Now do you wanna debate this or do you want two fish?"

Rocksalt would have pushed the argument further, but when he looked to Clack he couldn't bear losing the foal's prize over a petty technicality. He drew in a deep breath and let it go. "Okay. Clack, come up and take your pick."

"Thanks, BB. Can I have the dart, too?"

Rocksalt stifled a laugh. "Kid... No..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

After he left Rocksalt to spend time with his friends, Bryce took the opportunity to find a somewhat secluded spot to settle himself. He had always hated crowds, and in his mind he always would, but despite his displeasure he enjoyed the costumes of all the ponies he had seen thus far, as well as the small amount of candy he held in his candy bucket. 

People could say he was an introvert, and they would be correct. He didn't take well to being around others, rather they be human or pony, but in the past few months he felt as if he had gotten past many of his inhibitions of the latter group. In a way these ponies were like people back in his world. When he would pass them by in town they seemed to him an entity he could never fully grasp; he could not understand them nor the way they acted, and they him.

To Bryce the chief difference lay in they weren't people but were ponies, and since they were ponies and not people their behavior was different from the human behavior he had grown accustomed to dealing with on a daily basis.

In his world he had grown accustomed to when a passerby would stare at him as he passed, and as they passed he could tell they saw him as a threat—what kind of threat he could not say. Then there were the ones who would say nice things, but their words were hollow; they never meant what they said and their smiles never told what emotions they held inside their minds.

In Ponyville the townsfolk would still stare, but when they stared it wasn't like watching a candle near a powder keg, but the feeling of finding somebody you hadn't seen in a long time; their smiles genuine and the inner emotions clear. And it wasn't just in passersby it was in everypony he happened to come across. When he would go into town and interact with the ponies he could tell when they told him 'thank you' or 'have a nice day' they meant it, and not like the almost forced gratitude most would offer in his world.

He unwrapped a small morsel of taffy and placed it in his mouth, allowing the hard, gummy substance to melt on his tongue. As the flavor hit him he gave an inward smile. It was grape, a flavor he enjoyed most in anything, and this was no exception.

As he was in the process of unwrapping a second piece of taffy he heard a familiar, "Hey you!"

He looked to the side to find the sole Equestrian he knew to enter with such a greeting. "Hey you," he said in turn to Mina, who was dressed in a costume in honor of the namesake of Nightmare Night. Bryce gave a smirk. "Your costume, it's impressive."

"Thanks. You look pretty sharp yourself."

"It's nothing much. I know it's probably something done to death but... It's a costume."

"Yeah, but it's looks nice. Except for the makeup—it's a little creepy."

"Well, I tried. It's my first time and it's likely the last time."

"It's looks good, regardless. So what are you doing here by yourself? Don't you want to go and enjoy Nightmare Night?"

Bryce nodded. "I will, but later. Right now I want to be alone. That's not to say I don't like you being here, Mina, all I want is some time away from everyone."

"Eh, I'm not one to judge. I can tell you after working at the orphanage for the past two months I need a break. It's nothing against them; I like my work. My problem is more with two of the foals: Dolph and Bern. The past couple of months Dolph's been the troublemaker, but I've managed to get his crony Bern somewhat my under control."

Bryce returned a nod. "Yeah, I met them a few minutes ago. If Dolph's the one I think he is he's needs to have someone put him in his place. He's like the one person you see at a party you know is there to make trouble, or so I assume. I haven't been to many parties, get-togethers or the like."

"Yep. that's him alright. Trust me by the end of the night he's gonna regret not wearing a costume."

Bryce gave a smirk. "What do you have in mind?"

"Let's just say there's a reason everypony dresses up for Nightmare Night," the silver mare said as she rubbed her fore hooves together and grinned a row of pointed false teeth.

Bryce returned a blank stare. "Okay, if you say so."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching as a few costumed ponies trotted past. Every so often a few would look Bryce's way, and though a bit startled by his attire would still give a compliment, and he would compliment their's.

And with each one Bryce couldn't help but smile.

After a while Mina took notice of the human's reaction. "What are you thinking about?"

With the smile still on his face, he said, "They're all...just so nice. Every one of them."

"i know what you mean. Ponies in small towns like Ponyville are a bit nicer than around, say, Canterlot. Up there they're a bunch of primped up turds. But why are you smiling?"

"It's because they're all so nice. I know that's what I said before but it's the best way I can put it. It's the kind of life I've wanted. Well, four-fifths of it, at least."

"Really? What the the last fifth?"

"Well, it's two parts. The first is I have a girl who puts up with me no matter what dumbassed, sideways thing I do, but will correct me in the right way, and not in a way to belittle or look down on me."

"Who doesn't want that—most stallions want a mare who's like you described. What's the other part?"

Bryce repostitioned himself as he bit his lower lip. "It's a little crazy. Do you promise not to laugh?"

"Come on, how crazy can it be?" When Mina saw how serious Bryce had been she stated, "Sure, I promise."

"Well, I always wanted to live in a place where every once in a while someone would start up a song out of nowhere. Not just any song but a catchy one; one where everyone else in town would somehow already know all the words and join in. And then by the end of the song everyone goes back to their daily lives, but that song, that same song is stuck in your head, and you hum it to yourself the rest of the day."

After he spilled this out Bryce peeked over to Mina, who he could tell was fighting to suppress a laugh.

He sighed in defeat. "Go ahead and laugh."

"Am I showing?" Mina asked as she held a hoof to her mouth. "I'm sorry. It's not that I think it's funny, Bryce. It's just so...specific."

"I know, but it's something I've wanted to see since as far back as I can remember."

"I'm sure it would be something to see if it ever happened. But going back to what you said before about how nice everypony is to you, were others where you're from not like ponies here?"

"No, they were a lot of times the opposite. Back home people would look at you but they never smiled, and I mean a real smile. They would always tolerate your presence, but that's not really the right word. From my experience people tolerate you, so long as you look, act or believe as they do and if you don't you're nothing more than trash to them. But here I don't feel like I'm tolerated, and I mean in the literal definition of the word. I feel accepted... I know I'm not one of them, I hardly act like them, and I doubt I think like them, but I feel accepted."

"Is that really how you feel?"

"It is."

Mina gave a soft smile. "Bryce, I understand your feelings on this, I really do. I arrived here not too long ago; I wanted a simpler life from what I was doing before, and I thought the fresh air could help with my health. I didn't have much money and I didn't have any friends. I thought I could stay here and enjoy the town until one day I croaked and the pain would be over. Before you I wouldn't let anypony get in too close because I didn't want them to become sad when I turned up dead. And before I met you I was sure I had a few weeks, a few months if I was lucky."

"Bryce, you've helped me a lot, and not just with my health. You've been the first friend I've had since I can remember. You didn't have to help me, hay, I was ready to die when we first met. But you helped me and accepted me, and I can never repay you for what you've done."

Bryce smiled an internal smile. "It was nothing. All I did was help out a stranger. It's not like I could leave you to die, could I? Not when I could help. I'd do that for anybody who needed it. Especially for a friend."

"You're being modest, but with you I expect nothing else." She wrapped a foreleg around Bryce's waist. "By now I know to accept it."

Bryce placed a hand against the side of her head and held her close. "You're welcome, Mina."

They released and Mina walked in front of him. "Well I guess I'll see you around. Hope you have a great Nightmare Night."

"Thanks, Mina. I'll see you whenever."

A few minutes after the silver mare had gone off to scare a certain Tyrian-purple colt Bryce felt he'd recuperated enough to head back into the fray. Once he was back in the thick of it all he was quick to spot a familiar black and bright yellow amphibian.

Bryce came up from behind the giant salamander, and said with a smirk, "Well, Spitfire, you certainly have grown."

'Whoop' was Spitfire's response from atop the much larger salamander's back.

"What's that, Spits?" The giant salamander asked.

'Whoop'

"He is?" Thunderlane turned around to face Bryce, his full bodysuit making it a tough job. Once around the stallion said, "Hey, Bryce. How's it going?"

"It's going well so far. How are things with you?"

"Better than last Nightmare Night," he said as he shook a bucket of candy. "I got a better haul than last year. The only thing bad is how much this suit chafes." He tugged at a part of his bodysuit.

"I told you it was a bad idea," Rumble said as he lifted up his skull mask.

"Yeah, a bad idea, but still awesome," the elder brother said as he adjusted his suit.

"Well fur and rubber don't mix. And what about your wings?"

"It's not like I have to worry about my wings. Sure they're cramped right now but I'd worry if I could use'em."

"Lane...!" Rumble exclaimed, unable to accept his brother had yet to discover his regained flight. He forced himself to instead say, "You're gonna get cramps."

"Heh. I'll live,"

While the two pegasi continued to bicker as brothers often do, Bryce looked to behind the pair. Not far off were an identical pair of mares. Bryce remembered the first mare, he had seen Cloudchaser before, and taking into account how similar the two were he guessed the other—the mare with the pink bow—was her sister, Flitter. He raised his hand and offered a wave, which Flitter was happy to return.

Bryce moved past Thunderlane and Rumble and stood before the sisters. He didn't know why but when he saw them up close he felt as if something was off. He shrugged it off as he said, "Hey, Cloudchaser. Hey, Flitter."

The two mares released a fit of laughter. "Hey there, Bryce," Flitter said before she and her sister started to laugh some more.

"Long time no see. How have you been?" He asked Cloudchaser.

"I can't say, this is the first time we've met."

Bryce looked to the mare in surprise. "What do you mean, I saw you and your boyfriend a few weeks back. Remember?"

Cloudchaser placed a hoof under her chin. "No, I think I was home that night."

"No you weren't, you were with Thunderlane. You asked him if I was the one he told you could move things with my mind, and I remember because you whispered it loud enough that I could hear."

"No, I think you have me confused. Flitter is Thunderlane's fillyfriend," Cloudchaser said motioning to her sister with the straight white mane, which was frosted blue and had a pink bow.

"That can't be, he was calling his- You 'Chase', which must be short for Cloudchaser."

"Yep, that's what Flit calls me," Cloudchaser said as she again motioned to her sister. "'Flit' is short for Flitter, that's probably what you heard."

"No, he said Flit- I mean Chase... You said you had to get back because Flitter hated when you were out late, and I told you it was midnight."

"Are you sure it didn't happen the other way around?" Flitter asked.

"No, I... Yes, I told you it was almost midnight and you said Cloudchaser hates it when you're out past midnight."

"But you said before I hate it when Cloudchaser's out past midnight."

"No I didn't I said you... Okay, let me start over. Cloudchaser-"

"Chase, Flit, go easy on him," Thunderlane rebuked the mares from behind Bryce. "Don't play tricks on'm he doesn't like it."

"What trick?"

"Okay, Lane, we'll back off," Flitter replied.

"Yeah, we we're just having a little Nightmare Night fun," Cloudchaser added.

"Well go easy on him; he's not quick on the draw."

"What's going on, I don't get it," Bryce questioned, shaken up by the sudden turn in the situation..

"Bryce, I'm Flitter," the real Flitter explained, quelling the human's mania. "We went as each other for Nightmare Night, since somepony didn't take us to pick out proper costumes," Flitter said, her ire directed at the salamander-stallion.

Thunderlane held up his hooves in defense. "Hey, I tried, but I... I couldn't find you. I went to your house. Yeah, I came to pick you both up but you weren't at home. I knocked but nopony would answer."

"Oh, that makes sense," the real Cloudchaser replied.

"Chase, we were home all day."

"We were?"

"Yes!"

"Oh... Then why didn't we get costumes?"

"Because your coltfriend-"

"-went to the store to wait for you," Thunderlane interrupted. "I went to the costume store and I waited and waited but you both never showed. I thought you said I should meet you there, so I waited."

"See, Flit, we were supposed to meet him. Didn't I tell you that before?"

"No, you didn't."

"Oh... Then why didn't we get costumes?"

Flitter, Rumble and Bryce planted the ends of their front most limbs into their respective faces.

"We didn't have the time," was the best Flitter could think to tell her dupe of a sister.

"Oh... Well next year we should all plan to meet at our house and go together. That's sounds like a good plan."

Flitter rolled her eyes. "Sure, that's exactly what we'll do, next year..." She starred daggers at the mohawked stallion.

"Right, I'll be sure to make a note of that." He forced a smile.

"Right... Anyway, Chase, I think we should head home."

"But Flitter, we haven't had the chance to play any of the carnival games."

"Okay, we'll play a few games, but then we should head home."

"Thanks, sis," Cloudchaser said, pulling her sister in for a hug.

"Anytime. Rumble, do you want to come with us?"

"Sure. Lane, is it alright if I-"

Thunderlane waved his brother off. "Go on ahead, I need drink. This suit does not breathe."

Rumble and the two sisters made their way to the games, leaving Thunderlane alone with Bryce.

"So I guess it's just you and me, huh?"

"Yes, it is," Bryce said.

"What's the matter?"

Bryce told Thunderlane what had been on his mind. "You're a dick to her."

"What? To Chase or to Flitter."

"Both of them, but especially to your girlfriend. You should be more honest with her."

"Hey, I can't help if she believes me or not, she's the one who falls for it."

"You're right, she gullible, but that doesn't mean you should lie to her to get your way."

"Says you."

"That's the only reason you two are dating, isn't it? You like her because she's dim enough to believe anything anyone says, and what's worse is you're the one who does it the most."

"Hey, it's not like that. I like her more than just for that, she has a rocking bod I would like to hold against me."

"And that's it? The stupidity and the sex?"

"No, there's more than just that. I mean, they're contributing factors, but I like her because with her I... I feel better about myself when I'm with her."

"I bet you do, Brian."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Thunderlane questioned, angered despite not knowing the reference.

"If the only reason you like her to be around is to make you look smarter then you're the dumbass."

"Says the guy who couldn't tell them apart."

"Yes, and the same guy who thinks what they did was childish and immature, but well put together. Sure, I didn't like being deceived, but tomorrow I'll be laughing at it, because it. Was. Hilarious."

Thunderlane let out a snort. "Whatever, you still fell for it," he said as they came upon a thick group of ponies. "Do you want punch, because this thing's about to give me a heat stroke."

Bryce took in a deep breath to calm his nerves. "Sure, I'd like a cup."

"Great, something we can agree on. It's not booze but I'm sweating like a hog in this thing." He turned his back on Bryce.

"Lane, wait," Bryce called, drawing the attention of the sweltering pegasus. "I'll only say this once: be honest with her. If care about her at all then be honest with her, otherwise you might one day get to deep in your own game and wake up minus your favorite organ."

Thunderlane looked at the human out of the corner of his eye. "You mean my...?"

"Yes... That!"

Thunderlane let out a hiss. He wanted to shoot back a witty rebuttal at Bryce, but the sweet, cold punch bowl was calling to him, and if he didn't answer its call soon he was sure he'd faint, if not die first.  

When Thunderlane saw the punch he thought of the perfect way to receive his revenge on Bryce. 

Thunderlane would give Bryce his punch, but not before he added a little something extra to deliver a metaphorical punch to Bryce's gonads. He would have his revenge, and it would be sweeter and more satisfying than the punch he was about to enjoy.