A Nightmare Night You'll Never Forget

by WolfsFury

I: Preparation

"Spike, can you pass me the- Thank you," a purple alicorn said as her assistant handed her a pair of scissors, a needle and some thread.

"This is stupid."

Twilight lifted her head and turned towards him, quirking an eyebrow. Spike stared back at her, slightly annoyed and she merely smiled in response.

"Oh come now Spike, it was your idea in the first place," Twilight countered, returning to her work as the little dragon continued to play with his costume, prodding it in different places.

"Yeah but you get the cooler costume," Spike grumbled, to which Twilight froze, turned and glared at him.

"Cooler?"

"Uhhh.. not that ponies aren't cool or anything! Eh-heh-heh," Spike replied, all to quickly, and pulled the rest of his costume on to hide his face. Choosing to ignore his comment, the mare turned back to her work and after cutting away an extra piece of fabric she stood back, pride showing through as a big smile on her face. Spike stopped his muttering and took a step forward to see what Twilight had been working on. Of course, he knew what it was, but he had doubted her ability to make it look decent.

"Behold! My costume for this year's Nightmare Night!" Twilight said with pride, eyes gleaming.

Spike grinned and jumped on the spot, "okay! Never mind what I said, this is going to be awesome!"

"How long until the event?"

"Uh-," the dragon quickly looked up at the clock, "-an hour. Should we get going to Fluttershy's now?"

Twilight happily paced over to her desk, removing her tiara and setting it on the desk. Her golden shoes she had removed long ago, to work on the final touches of her costume.

"In a moment, I should get this on first," Twilight replied, turning around and returning to where her suit lay across the wooden floor and stared at it momentarily, then blinked and looked at Spike hopefully, "uh.. help? Please?"

Smiling, but not first without a sigh, her assistant helped her put her suit on. First the head, then attaching the fake fabric wings over her own, the claws, the tail and finally a very simple body piece that had green spikes over the top. Spike had originally questioned her use of wings for the costume, but after helping to make Spike a set of fake wings for his own costume, neither complained.

When they were finished, it was easy to say they were quite pleased with one another's costumes.

"Haha you look like me!"

"And you look like me! Come on, we better get going to Fluttershy's before she puts the cottage under complete lockdown again like she did last year," Twilight said with a sarcastic tone as the door to the Golden Oaks Library opened and the two cross-players left, heading down in the direction of their friend's cottage.

---

It had taken weeks of convincing Fluttershy to come with Twilight and Spike this year, after last year's run in with Princess Luna had not gone quite as expected, the yellow pegasus was even more fearful about tonight than ever.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

There was no response.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy it's me, Twilight! Are you ready?"

"I'M NOT GOING!" came the quite-unexpectably loud voice of her friend from behind the door. With a sigh Twilight turned to Spike for help but he only shrugged.

"Fluttershy, we talked about this! Come on, it'll be fun!"

"No!"

"You promised."

"I..."

"You Pinkie Promised."

"B-but-"

"No 'buts'! It'll be fun, and you can't break a Pinkie Promise!"

There was silence for a while then then a loud thud against the door which made it rattle and the two visitors flinch. There was a light click and slowly the door creaked open revealing...

"...Fluttershy?" Twilight asked carefully, looking over the thing in front of her. It was definitely Fluttershy, but she had a white bed sheet over her and holes cut out for eyes and mouth.

"A ghost? Really?" Spike questioned, crossing his arms.

"DRAGON!" Fluttershy cried and slammed the door. It took a moment for the two of them to work out what just happened and when they did, they couldn't help but laugh. Twilight knocked on the door again.

"Fluttershy, it's me - Spike and I decided to go... as each other this year. It was his idea, I just agreed," she said, trying to sound comforting. The door opened again and the timid pegasus looked around. To help, Twilight pulled off the costume's head, a simple upper-jaw and face mask that had Spike's colours but would have made him look much older, and let it float in the air by magic. Even under the bedsheet it was clear Fluttershy had relaxed and Twilight was immediately greeted by a hug.

"Well," Twilight began with a smile, retracting her hoof-claws from around her friend, "let's get going!"

Hesitantly, Fluttershy took a step forward and began following Twilight and Spike back into town. All the while Spike was smiling, thinking of all the great costumes ponies would be wearing, all the activities and the most exciting thing of all...

"I can't wait to see everyponies costumes!"

"I can't wait to see the Princesses again," Twilight said with glee.

"I know," Fluttershy said, her mood suddenly brightening at the change of subject, "I wonder if they will be wearing costumes!"

"I don't see why not, I'm wearing a costume," Twilight said and left out the part about how Celestia had left her a note about the costumes she and her sister would be wearing. It had to be a surprise, and knowing that she herself had used magic to help with her own costume, it was without a doubt they'd cheat as well. And at least one pony would need to be aware of it, lest the whole town break out in panic like they did last year fearing Luna was Nightmare Moon.

Undoubtably upon their arrival ponies would freak anyway... but this was Nightmare Night! Full of screams and scares, nopony was safe! No one knew what to expect!

For the rest of the walk into town, they continued chatting about what they would do and who they had to go see. It was a surprise to hear that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be visiting Ponyville in particular - as of recently, the town had a resident Princess but visits from Canterlot were still hugely important and honoured events. This Nightmare Night would be one to remember.

---

"Pinkie, ah you sure this is ahright?"

The pink pony was happily brushing a rather large paint brush over the farm ponie's fur, dipping it into a bucket of black liquid and then brushing it over orange fur again, each time sending a shiver across the mare's back.

"Ahsohutely-lutely!"

Applejack shivered again as cold wet dye came in contact with her fur again.

"This 'ere dye better come out," she said, rather concerned. Pinkie Pie stopped brushing the dye and turned to face the farm pony.

"I hope so too," she said, with a whispered voice, eyes wide in wonder. Applejack froze, looking at her with the same shocked expression.

"Yah mean, Ya don't know if it will come out?! Ah thought ya said it would!"

Pinkie rolled her eyes and returned to her seat behind Applejack, lifting the brush again and sending a fresh shiver down the farm pony's spine.

"Hoo orry hoo huch, Ahhleack," she said, trying to speak through a mouthful of wooden paintbrush handle.

"Ahright! Ahright! I'm done, now let me-" Applejack began but was cut short when the pink pony lifted the tub up and poured it on herself, coating her own pink coat with thick black dye and then brushing it over any spots it missed. She stared bemused at the pink- no, black pony, and then moved on over to a table, pulling off two blue-coloured pieces of thick fabric that looked vaguely like capes. The dye dried incredibly quickly and the two tied on thier blue 'capes' without fear of getting them ruined. Next, came the sheets of green plastic.

"Um... Applejack, we're not... you know," she lifted a hoof up and imittated trying to drill a hole through it. Applejack stared horrified at her, then quickly shook her head.

"No, Ah think this'll do just fine," she said, moving behind Pinkie Pie and attaching the sheets of cut-out plastic to her back, then allowed Pinkie Pie to do the same for her. Lastly came the fake fangs. The stuff used to hold them against their teeth tasted horrible, but the upper jaw of teeth held and their costumes were finally finished.

"AAH! Changeling!"

Both ponies jumped at the shout from behind them and quickly turned to find Applebloom, a skull mask lifted on top of her forehead, and wearing black clothes with bone-shaped markings around it, staring up at them with a big grin. Applejack and Pinkie Pie visibly relaxed and walked up to meet Applebloom.

"A skelepony this year, eh?"

"Yeah! The other crusaders ah going as skeleponies too, tonight is going to be so much fun!"

Pinkie Pie was bouncing on the spot by this point, her smile wider than the two farm ponies thought physically possible, "I know! I know! This is so exciting! I just can't wait! But I suppose I have to wait because if I don't wait then we'll get there too early and there will be no one there and if there's no one there then there'll be nothing to do and if there's nothing to do then we'll get bored and-"

"We hear ya Pinkie, come on now, we better get goin' if we don't wanna be late," Applejack replied with a chuckle and lead the way out.

---

There was a rope, a rainbow streak and then a loud crash, followed by a barely audible 'ow' within the Carousel Boutique.

"Rainbow! Honestly, please, please be more careful in here!"

From the 'rubble' of a couple mannequins, a dress or two and a pile of fabric that, once upon a five seconds earlier, had been in a box neatly folded, Rainbow Dash emerged, wearing a safari hat and khaki coloured shirt.

"S-sorry Rarity," she said, rubbing her cheek with a hoof. She looked up to see the unicorn walking towards her and a sigh of relief escaped her lungs.

Finally she's done...

"Ready to go Rainbow?" Rarity asked, using her magic to right the mannequins and quickly refold the fabric away, allowing Rainbow to pick herself up and acquire the rope she had attempted to attach to the cieling. It was obvious Rarity was a little annoyed with her, but after half an hour of Rainbow waiting... as patient as Rainbow Dash could possibly be, one mishap could be overlooked.

"Well it's about time!" Rainbow Dash said impatiently, trotting over to the door and opening it and was about to leave when she hesitated, looking back at her friend.

"Don't you think you overdid it, just a little this year?"

"What in the heavens do you mean dear?"

Rainbow lifted a hoof in her direction and Rarity looked down at her costume, confused by what Rainbow was talking about. Then it clicked.

"Oh, Rainbow," she said, smiling sweetly, "this isn't overdoing it."

"Ah-huh. I'd hate to see what you call overdoing it then," Rainbow said with a sly look, "a vampire is supposed to look scary, not sparkley and beautif-" quickly she put her hooves over her mouth, but the word had already spilled out. Wide eyed she stared at Rarity, who was returning the look. That look quickly turned to something rather sneaky.

"Did you just say I'm-"

"No!" Rainbow protested quickly and then the sudden pained expression that crossed Rarity's face made her think twice and she looked away, eyes darting to everything but the white mare, "I mean, yes - wait no! Yes- I mean, uh... AARGH! Can we just get going?"

Rarity let slip a giggle as Rainbow felt her face heat up and she quickly slipped outside, the "vampire" Rarity close behind her.

"Shall we, Miss Do?" Rarity asked in a sweet voice, to which Rainbow Dash looked at her blankly for a moment until the gears in her mind clicked and she looked down at her khaki vest.

"Haha, forgot about that for a moment," Rainbow said with a chuckle and looked back up at Rarity, "sure."

---

"Luna, this is a terrible idea," the sun princess said, using her magic to pull a molded mask over her face. Indeed Twilight was correct when she said they'd 'cheat' with their costumes.

"Lighten up 'Tia, just think of it as a holiday."

"It is a holiday."

"Exactly!," Luna said as she pulled her eye lid down and inserted a sheet of thin plastic over her eye.

"They will freak out!" Celestia replied, looking over herself, and while a small grin of pride at how well her magical costume was holidng up broke through, she didn't forget about the story Luna had told upon returning to Canterlot last year - or the stories that went around from other ponies either.

Luna seemed far more relaxed than she was and considering what - or rather who she had chosen to go as, Celestia couldn't even begin to wonder how this could possibly be a good idea.

"Be still sister, We are sure your subjects-"

"Our subjects"

"-will be going as just as dark and horrible monsters as we," the moon princess said, having finished inserting the contacts and was now on to conjuring pieces of steel around her neck.

Celestia looked incredulous at her sister, so calm about the character she was portraying.

"Have you forgotten what these two actually did?"

"Has thou forgotten what day it is?" Luna shot back, putting her hooves into magically-summoned armoured boots and then looking back up at Celestia, "calm thyself, have a little trust in Us."

Celestia glared at her sister and then thought better of it, turning away and completing the illusion over her horn and muzzle. She was about to adjust her wings when who should show up? There was a loud crackling noise followed by a shout.

"Waait!"

"Discord!? What are you doing in here!!?"

The draconequus had appeared out of no where and in his paw was a medium-sized red gem. He lifted it up and offered it to Celestia with a soft smile. Celestia looked down at it suspiciously, then back up at Discord, then to Luna and back.

"What's this?"

Discord recoiled and fained shock, holding his claw to his forehead, "oh Celestia! Not everything I do is evil, it's but a mere gift, why must you think so terribly about me?"

Celestia took the gem in her magic, it was connected to a chain that appeared to be made of silver. Lifting it up to eye level she looked at it, flipped it, inspected it and then turned a judgemental eye to the chaos god.

"It's just a gem. Don't panic. By the way, you two look... smashing," Discord grinned, one claw held at his side and the other pointing loosly at the two disguised princesses.

"What do you want, Discord?" Luna asked, her voice firm. The draconequus sighed and leaned back, both arms perched up like he was resting on a low wall.

"Once upon a time there was a draconequus. There was also a princess. See now, that draconequus wanted to go to this marvelous event-," he began in a rather negative tone, using his lion-paw in gestures, and took special notice of the hard glare Celestia was giving him, "-but the princess thought she could tell him what he could and couldn't do. So-"

"So the draconequus found his sense and realised listening to the princess on occasion isn't such a bad idea!"

"Hey I was gonna say that!" Discord grumbled, narrowing his eyes at both Luna and Celestia's suddenly shocked faces.

"...You were?" both asked in unison. Discord let out another sighed and flicked his tail in annoyance.

"Yes, I was. So... I hope you have a good night without me... You're welcome, by the way," he muttered and turned to leave. Celestia was about to respond when he vanished in a flash of white. Instead, she turned to a very confused Luna.

"What just happened?" Luna asked, still staring at the spot Discord had vanished from. Celestia shook her head and stared back at the gem. Couldn't hurt to put it on, right? A gift from Discord - in truth it hadn't been the first, he'd often use them as bribery and very rarely did it ever work, but this was indeed a gift. Slipping it over her neck, the gem rested on her chest and she smiled at it, the deep red almost glowing.

The two sisters continued putting their costumes together, their previous conversation having started up again and when the were finally finished, it was time to go.

"Are you ready 'Tia?"

"Yes... but Luna?"

"Yes?"

"If they freak, it's on you," Celestia said flatly.

"I'm okay with that," Luna replied, remembering how last year the fillies had asked her to come back, if only to scare them again.

This year, it'd be a night to remember.

---

In the centre of the Canterlot Garden maze, Discord sat upon a pedestal, grinning. The game was set, the pieces were moving.

This was definitely going to be a night to remember.

Author's Note:

a/n: Comment, Thumbs up or Fave if you like and want more :D

Comments

[Smurf]

oh this is gonna be fun >:D

[pinklover12]

"A vampire is supposed to look scary, not sparkley"

This would be good advice for Twilight.
(the series, not the pony)

By the way, great job on the chapter!