WARNING: This One Goes Places

“So do you think this shows off too much skin or not enough skin?” Pipp asked, holding up what seemed to be a single, thin strip of fabric.

Zipp, adorned in her rockstar costume, looked up from her phone and stared at her sister blankly. “…I’m sorry, what are you wearing to the party again?”

“I don’t know yet, I just know it’s gotta be a bit saucy. Y’know, for my upcoming ‘bad girl’ rebrand.” Pipp explained.

“You do know every other day of the year we don’t wear any clothes at all, right?”

Pipp rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Ugh, just forget it.” She huffed.

A light descended from above as Sunny exited her room and proudly walked down the ramp leading to the Crystal Brighthouse’s living room, where everypony else was conversing.

“Greetings, mortals.” Sunny addressed in her best sultry villainess voice. The others looked at her with mild confusion.

“Hey Sunny, that is some costume there… offfffff?” Hitch, dressed as a lifeguard, awkwardly drew out his question.

“I’m Daybreaker! Said to be Princess Celestia’s-

“Who?”

“-Twilight Sparkle’s teacher. Anyway, Daybreaker is said to be Princess Celestia’s corrupted alter ego, much like Nightmare Moon to Princess Luna-

“Who?”

“-Celestia’s sister. Anyway.. hey wait were you guys not paying attention during slideshow presentation night?”

Everypony darted their eyes in random directions, being completely innocuous and not at all obvious.

“In my defense I wasn’t invited to that. Or anything else..” Misty, donning her spider outfit, piped up.

“No worries, I made printed out copies I can give everypony later!” Sunny beamed.

”yaaaaaay..” The others.. cheered? Misty seemed genuine at least.

“Here I come!” The familiar bouncy voice of Izzy Moonbow echoed through the brighthouse. Being the craftiest pony of the group there was a certain unspoken expectation that she’d strut out in the most elaborate, creatively designed costume that only a unicorn of her mindset would think of. Maybe a phoenix reveling in the fire of the sun, or a moving mosaic displaying the evergreen wonders of Equestria, possibly even a duck. Who knows! There was no time for theorizing anymore anyhow, as Izzy exited her quarters and cascaded into the main foyer to greet everypony with her amazing-

“Izzy you can’t wear that.” Pipp said immediately, almost without having to think about it.

Izzy Moonbow stood before her closest friends, her coat and mane dyed a pale shade of pink and blue respectively, hoof crafted wings worn to her sides and a carefully placed cardboard crown obscuring her usually prominent horn.

Zipp looked upon the unicorn in abject horror. “Izzy. For the love of.. er, Celestia? That was her name, right? Yeah. For the love of Celestia. Please tell me your not dressed as-“

“Your mom! That’s right!”

The 5 ponies cringed internally. Even the most irrational of ponies knew that ‘your best friend’s mom’ is an utterly, indescribably, bad idea for a costume. So how could Izzy Moonbow, a pony with an unexpected amount of knowledge behind her, not see the many faults of this idea?

“I wanted to be a super importanty pony cause this a super importanty Nightmare Night!” Izzy thought she had explained perfectly.

“But couldn’t you have been an important unicorn pony? That wasn’t my mom?” Zipp groaned.

“But Zephy-“

“You don’t have the authority to call me that.”

“-this is the first Nightmare Night since we brought together all unity! And I wanted to represent the newfound appreciation we all have for each others cultures.” Izzy rationalized her thinking, flashing the most sincere smile anypony’s ever seen.

“By.. dressing as our mom?” Pipp questioned.

“Yeah!”

“Izzy, oh how do I say this? Umm.. you can’t.. dress as another pony from a different race, it’s just not something anypony does.” Sunny explained the concept as politely as she could.

“Why not? Aren’t you dressed as another pony?”

“Well, yeah, but I’m dressed as another alicorn pony, cause I’m half alicorn. Also Daybreaker might’ve not actually existed she’s more of a folk lore or legend with a hypothetical level of existe-“

“What Sunny is trying to say is that it is just weird to do that!” Pipp interjected.

“Not for nothing Sunny but didn’t you and Izzy pretend to be Pegasi to infiltrate Queen Haven’s castle and steal the Unity Crystal off her crown?” Hitch added. He was just trying to be fair, being a man of law he thought it only fair to bring in all the facts.

“You guys did what?” Misty couldn’t help but ask in bewilderment.

“…well when you say it like that-“

“Oh yeah! And remember those super wonderificul Unicorn disguises I made you all? We even had a song about it!” Izzy excitedly reminisced, interrupting Sunny.

Pipp and Zipp both internally cringed. They totally did do that, didn’t they? Their case was starting to get weaker by the second.

“Hey why didn’t I hear about any of this? Now that I think about it I don’t know anything about how you brought magic back!” Misty started to get offended by her lack of insight.

“There aren’t any photos of me in that Unicorn disguise right?” Pipp asked worriedly, her follower count flashing before her eyes.

“Look we had to do all that! It was all for a greater cause and you all know that!” Sunny defended.

“Oh so my appearance is just something you can use to look like a hero?” Misty pointed a hoof at Sunny.

“Wha- Misty what’re you getting mad at me for?! You know me!”

“Do I Sunny? Do I?”

“Yes! Don’t you remember when we.. or how I told you about.. that.. that thing we did… oh shoot.” Sunny cursed under her breath, quickly realizing she hasn’t had a single full conversation with Misty since they met.

“So can I still wear my costume?”

“NO!” All 5 ponies turned to Izzy to answer her question.

“Fine! Jeezers..”

“Ok, Izzy will go get another costume, I will severely apologize for my blatant use of other races for my own gain, and Misty will get twenty bits in compensation frooooom.. Zipp! Does that sound good to everyone?” Sunny proposed profusely.

Zipp raised a hoof. “I-I’m not sure abou-“

“okaaaaaaaaaay..” A chorus of begrudging agreements overpowered Zipp’s objections and the deal was set in stone.

“I object!” A purple hoof shot into the air. The group stared in shock and awe if shock and awe were synonyms for dread and annoyance.

“Izzy I’m begging you.” Sunny pleaded.

“No Sunny! I need to stand my ground! If my costume is so cringeywingey-

“That was the least of our worries actually but ok.” Zipp clarified.

“-then I dare us all to dress as each other tonight!” Izzy laid out her deal.

Everypony stared wordlessly at each other for a few seconds, finding actually discussing the terms of the deal to be a waste of breath. The group eventually reached a silent agreement and turned to Izzy.

“Fine whatever just.. just get it over with.” Sunny sighed.

“Great!” Izzy pulled back a curtain she must’ve set up at some point and revealed intricately designed costumes of herself and her friends.

“Have you.. always had those?” Pipp asked with clear concern.

“….nooooo?” Izzy narrowed her eyes.

Pipp gave up on trying to understand tonight and decided to just ride it out. “Dibs on Sunny!”

_______________________________________________

“The fact it’s gotten this far makes us the stupid ones I think.” Zipp (who was dressed as Izzy) told Sunny (who was dressed as Misty).

“I’m starting to think I chose the wrong costume.” Sunny nervously said. Misty (dressed as Pipp) was staring daggers at her from across the room.

“Ok everypony! Are you all ready for a spookirific, ghoultastic, HELLBENDING NIGHTMARE NIGHT?!” Izzy (dressed as Hitch) excitedly asked.

“Umm.. no?” Hitch (dressed as Zipp) answered uncomfortably.

“Awesome! Let’s hit the streets, ponies!” Izzy bounded out the door.

“You can’t deny that her enthusiasm is kinda infectious.” Pipp (dressed as the previously dibbed Sunny) stated.

“I’ve been denying it since we met.” Hitch said to nopony in particular.

The group followed Izzy out to the streets of Maretime Bay with an awkward sheepishness in their steps. If this didn’t turn out to be the worst night of their lives it would at least rank in the top 5. Probably right under the time Misty found that cheese grater and.. and.. you just had to be there ok?

Trotting down the street the group could feel every uncomfortable side eye from ponies passing by. They could only imagine how they looked. Was it endearing or is a group of friends dressing as each other creepy? Oh man do they look like a weird cult? Sure hope not. That’d be embarrassing.

“Oh my hoofness you’ve finally formed a cult.”

“Hi Posey.” The group groaned in unison.

“Honestly it’s taken longer than I thought so, congrats on the restraint I suppose.”

“Hiya Poser, what’re you dressed as?” Izzy asked with a smile.

“I’m clearly Pone of Arc, the greatest mare influence of our ti- wait what did you just call me?”

“Look Posey, we’re not in a cult, this is just a little.. dare, that Izzy challenged us to.” Sunny tried to clarify.

“She dared you to wear each other’s skin?” Posey raised a brow.

“What? No, no, it’s just costumes, of each other, that she had premade, without telling us..”

“Mmhm, yeah, well you guys might not be in a cult but uh, she definitely is.” Posey whispered as she sauntered past Sunny.

“Oh yeah? Well uh, y-you’re in a lult! Which is like, a lame cult, or something, so chew on that!” Sunny fired back, Posey well out of ear shot about half way through.

“You really got ‘em with that one Suns.” Hitch put a hoof on his friend’s shoulder.

“I’m starting to feel like I’m in a lult.” Sunny’s ears drooped.

“Yeah, me too. Hey Izzy, have we been embarrassed enough? Can we go home?” Hitch asked the leading unicorn.

“Go home? We haven’t even gotten any candy yet ya goober.” Izzy laughed.

“Candy? D-did you really think we were going trick or treating? Izzy. I’m twenty-five.” Sunny was appalled. There was no chance in Equestria that Izzy actually expected them to go up door to door in those costumes asking for candy.

“I’m only nineteen do I get candy?” Misty asked.

“you’re only what?” At least three different ponies asked.

“Izzy we don’t have time for trick or treating! We invited a bunch of people over for a party tonight remember?” Hitch reminded.

Izzy stared blankly, her pupils slowly drifting apart before a metaphorical ding went off in her head. “Oooooooh right! Thanks for the reminder ya son of a Hitch.”

“Wow her nickname game has been way off tonight.” Pipp whispered to her sister.

“Oh my hoofness I totally forgot! What time is it?!” Sunny panicked.

“Judging by the latitude of the moon in connection to the angle of the light, about 9:27 PM” Misty said. She was greeted with light eye contact from the others.

“Shoot! The party was supposed to start an hour and a half ago! There’s probably a hoard of ponies stuck at our door as we speak!” Sunny began to kinda sorta freak out.

“Oh don’t worry Sunners, I put a note on the door saying there’s a key under the mat.” Pipp flashed a smile, clearly proud of herself.

“Oh. Thank you Pipp. That’s wonderful.” Sunny’s eye twitched.

“No probs bestie!” Pipp winked.

_______________________________________________

“Hello?!? HEY!! Is anyone in there?!” Sunny knocked on the door repeatedly.

The gang had arrived back to the Brighthouse, ready to profusely apologize for being late to their own party, cause like, who does that?! Anyway, they returned home and had found the front door locked. What a twist!

“Maybe no one came yet?” Hitch proposed.

“Well someone must’ve came cause the key under the mat is gone! LET US IN!!!” Sunny pummeled the door, small cracks forming at the hinges.

“Sunny! The security deposit!” Zipp warned. Rent has been hell since, y’know, the Sprout shaped tank thingy rammed into the house.

“Screw the security deposit there’s someone in our house! Who knows what they’re doing in there?!” Sunny panicked.

_______________________________________________

“Do you have any fives?” Jazz Hooves peered over her cards.

“Goobadeedoboo.” Sparky babbled.

“What did you just call me?”

_______________________________________________

“Zipp! Can you fly up and see if you can get in through one of the windows?” Hitch asked.

“Whatever you say sheri-“

“Sure thing Hitcharino!” Izzy interrupted Zipp with a salute.

“No no Izzy, he asked me t-“ it was too late. Izzy was already half way up a tree and preparing to launch herself through the closest window.

“I’m gonna do a flip!” Izzy announced from the highest branch to the ponies below.

“Why?!” They all responded simultaneously.

“I heard it decreases the chances of breaking your neck when you jump through a window!”

“Please don’t jump through the window you just have to check if they’re ope-“ a thunderous crash interrupted Sunny’s warning as sprinkles of glass rained from above.

“It worked!”

“Well it’d just be mean to not follow her at this point.” Pipp said as she fluttered to the shattered window. The rest of the group surprised themselves by agreeing with Pipp and following her up the Brighthouse, with varying degrees of tree climbing.

“Ok ponies, we don’t know who or what is in our home, so stay on high alert.” Sunny prepped.

“And if we must draw blood, then so be it..” Izzy stated off into nothingness, a sense of regret in her eyes.

The group huddled together and carefully traveled through the Brighthouse as a unit, ready to strike if needed.

“It sure is quiet in here for a home invasion..” Misty thought aloud. “and I would know.”

“Maybe it’s a ghost.” Zipp laughed to herself. She was promptly struck with a frying pan to the muzzle.

“GET OUT OF MY FRIEND’S HOUSE BEFORE I- oh hey guys!” Jazz Hooves waved happily. “You got here just in time! I just heard somepony break in through a window upstairs so I…… ooooooooh.” realization set into the pony. “Sorry Zipp..”

“Down worry, I can take it.” Zipp flashed a smile as she got up, followed by at least two teeth falling out. She brushed them back with a hoof.

“Oh thank hoofness it’s just you Jazz, we thought some psycho got in here.” Pipp sighed in relief. “And good call on the frying pan, this is why you’re my fave employee.”

“Does that mean I’m finally getting a raise!?” Jazz’s eyes lit up.

“Ehhhh..” Pipp slowly backed away from the conversation.

“Thanks for looking out for us Jazz, did anypony else come to the party?” Hitch asked.

“Well there’s Sparky and uhh…. yeah that’s everyone I think.”

The group stared blankly. Half of them in utter shock the other half in silent relief.

“Honestly, good. I don’t have the energy to entertain ponies I barely know all night. I’m putting on the first thing I see on tv and passing out on the couch. Happy Nightmare Night.” Sunny marched off to the living room.

“Jeez, what happened to her?” Jazz asked.

“Me!” Izzy answered excitedly.

An awkward silence hung in the air. Everypony not daring to make eye contact with one another.

“..so.. good night? I guess?” Zipp piped up.

“Yeah, good night everypony. See you uh.. later.” Hitch clumsily walked away.

One by one the ponies made their way to their beds until just Jazz and Izzy were left.

“Oh before I leave, what’s up with the costumes?” Jazz asked.

“Oh nothing, I was just learning to not be racist.”

“Oh ok… wait wha-“

“HAPPY NIGHTMARE NIGHT EVERYPONY!!”

Author's Note:

https://youtu.be/xt0GluRr-y4?si=11V-KSj3qTC75C7p