Spike, his harem, Stone, and Octavia reached the Everfree Forest, “Ah, Everfree,” Spike began, “The only place in Equestria that functions like a normal forest in my world.”

“When I was a kid I thought it was all unnatural, but spending so much time on earth I realize Everfree isn't so bad.” Twilight admitted.

“Torches, girls.” Lyra said, as she, Twilight, Sunset, Rarity, and Starlight projected light with their horns allowing them to see in the dark.

“Stay close, everyone,” Bonbon instructed, “It's easy to get lost in here.”

They wandered, while listening to the sounds of crickets chirping, owls hooting, and toads croaking. A chilly wind blew around them making Fluttershy shiver. Spike brought the girl closer to him and Twilight making her feel calmer.

The group followed the trail before happening upon the ruins of an old castle, “There it is. The Castle of the Two Sisters.” Twilight said.

“Wow, what a dump.” Rainbow said bluntly.

“It looks like it's seen better days.” Applejack said.

“If definitely needs remodeling.” Rarity added.

“Come on, let's go check out the interior.” Spike said, as they proceeded.

They opened the doors and stepped inside seeing the place looked just as demolished on the inside than it was outside. Stones were breaking, cobwebs littered the walls and ceiling.

“This whole place needs a makeover.” Rarity said in shock.

“I can't believe Celestia and Luna actually lived here thousands of years ago.” Sunset said.

“And why they allowed it to become this way.” Octavia added.

Twilight sighed, and answered, “Celestia told me, after her fight with Luna when she became Nightmare Moon and banished her, she didn't care about rebuilding it when the two damaged it in their fight. Nor did she care to remain living here because it only reminded her of what she did to Luna to spare herself from destroying her.”

“When you put it that way, it does make a lot of sense.” Spike understood.

“I just hope nothing else lives here.” Fluttershy said in worry.

“Who could possibly live here in this kind of condition?” Rainbow asked rhetorically.

“Yeah, not even a homeless pony would wanna live here.” Starlight put in.

“Come on, let's look around.” Stone said, as they started walking.

They walked along the halls noticing several old portraits of different ponies hanging up. As they walked past one, its eyes blinked, which Pinkie stopped and looked back at it. Seeing no reaction she followed along.

Suddenly they heard the sound of clopping, “What's that?” Octavia asked in fright.

“Someone's here.” Lyra gasped, as they heard the sound getting closer.

They looked and saw a rock tumbling down a flight of stairs, making them sigh in relief, “Well, that sure got my heart pumping.” Applejack joked.

“Almost made me think it was the Headless Horse.” Rainbow said.

“Please,” Twilight replied, “You know that's just a ghost story.”

“Hey, a pony who lost his head and gallops at night in search of it makes for a good legend.” Rainbow admitted.

“Yeah just like the tale of the Headless Horseman on earth.” Spike added.

“Makes me even wonder how anyone can see without their head at all.” Starlight said skeptically.

“Don't be a buzzkill.” Rainbow complained.

They approached a set of doors and opened them to reveal the old throne room, “Wow, the throne room.” Twilight gasped.

“Amazing.” Rarity marveled at the old tapestries.

Spike looked ahead at the two thrones, before flying over and sat himself on Celestia's former throne, “Hey, girls, look! Now I am a King with a throne.”

The girls laughed, as Twilight flew over, “Spike, get up.”

“Oh, you want Celestia's throne? Be my guest. I'll take Luna's.” Spike was about to switch seats, only for Twilight to stop him.

“We shouldn't be sitting in either of them.”

“Do you really think Celestia and Luna are going to care their ancient thrones are being used?” Rainbow asked rhetorically.

“I'd rather not chance it.” Twilight replied.

“We should check this place out some more.” Bonbon suggested.

“Yeah, maybe their dungeon still has skeletal remains.” Stone added.

“Oh, heavens.” Rarity gasped, as her face started turning green along with Fluttershy's.

Pinkie looked and suddenly gasped, “We're being watched!” everyone looked and saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the shadows.

The group jumped in fright, before seeing the two yellow eyes were actually fireflies who flew off. The group sighed in relief, as Spike started chuckling, “Look at us getting so scared. This is what this holiday is all about am I right?”

Pinkie laughed, “Yeah. A little scare to get your heart pounding.”

The group laughed at how scary and fun this was for them. As they continued laughing, suddenly another laugh that was louder than their own and more sinister could be heard. They all froze and started trembling before looking down a hall and screamed as the moon shined down from a hole in the roof to reveal the Headless Horseman wielding a sword and flaming pumpkin head.

“THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN!” Spike screamed in fright.

“And look what he's riding!” Rainbow motioned to the ghosts steed being a horse with no head.

“THE HEADLESS HORSE?!” Twilight asked in confusion.

The creature continued to laugh, as the ponies screamed. The ghostly horse and its rider started galloping forward down the hall right for them.

“It's coming this way!” Fluttershy screamed.

“Everypony for herself!” Rarity shouted, as they made a run for it.

The group ran down a hall for their lives, as the ghostly horseman on his headless steed pursued them with his laugh echoing throughout the castle. Fluttershy made the mistake of looking back and screamed, as the ghost was getting closer.

“It's right on top of us!” she screamed.

“I'll stop it!” Rarity used her power over earth to create a stone wall blocking off its path, “That'll keep him at bay.”

Her confidence didn't last long, as they saw the horseman go right through the wall, “So much for that!” Applejack told the fashion girl who looked sheepish.

“Well, we gotta slow it down!” Twilight ordered, as she turned and fired multiple magic shots at the horseman who dodged the attacks.

“Wow, without a head both the rider and the steed sure know how to dodge.” Starlight commended.

“This'll slow them down!” Pinkie shook some sprinkles in her hand and infused them with her magic and threw them back to the Headless Horseman that exploded. To their relief it looked like the horseman was knocked away.

“We got to get out of here!” Bonbon ordered, as they headed for the nearest exit.

“We're almost there!” Octavia called, only for the Headless Horseman to pop out and block their path.

The group skidded to a halt putting them right in front of the ghostly rider who laughed before trying to use his sword to behead them.

“Back off, bub!” Spike shot a blast of fire at the horseman distorting it, before they fled.

“This does not make any sense.” Twilight told her friends.

“Nothing in this world makes sense!” Applejack replied in fright.

Spike tried to think before he noticed a bridge leading to another section of the castle, and remembered the way to defeat the ghost, 'Once you cross that bridge, my friend. The ghost is through, his power ends.'

The dragon spoke up, “Everyone, we need to cross that bridge. It's the only way.”

“Are you out of your mind, Spike?” Starlight asked in disbelief.

“It's not like we have a choice!” Twilight replied.

“You better be right about this, Spike.” Rainbow said, as they made for the bridge with their pursuer still after them.

Once they made it across the bridge, the Headless Horseman stopped unable to cross it. When Spike and his group made it to the other side, they felt relieved, until they heard the horseman still laughing. They looked back and screamed, as the Headless Horseman threw his flaming pumpkin head right their way.

The group braced themselves only to realize they weren't burning from any flames of the jack-o-lantern. They opened their eyes and saw the flaming pumpkin had exploded revealing a giant pile of candy for all of them, "Candy?" Sunset asked in confusion.

They saw the Headless Horseman and his headless steed floated above the bridge and landed before them. In a poof of smoke it revealed to have been Discord riding atop Luna.

“Happy Nightmare Night!” the two announced.

“Luna? Discord?” Spike asked in shock.

“What's going on here?” Rarity asked in confusion.

“I am so confused.” Twilight added.

“Sorry, my friends, but Luna and I decided to give you all a real scare this year.” Discord began.

“Oh, yes. We were both intrigued by the tales of the Headless Horse and the Headless Horseman you would talk about every Halloween and Nightmare Night, and decided to merge the two.” Luna explained.

Pinkie couldn't help but laugh, “Well, you two sure fooled all of us.”

“We didn't take into account you'd come here this year, though.” Luna admitted.

“But this made it all the more exciting.” Discord said.

“And for surviving, all the candy is yours.” Luna bestowed upon them.

“Best Nightmare Night, ever!” Pinkie cheered, as she started grabbing as much candy as she could.

“Don't take it all, Pinkie!” Rainbow chided, as she and the others started collecting for themselves.

“Hey, since we're all here and there was no ghost, let's have some fun here.” Applejack suggested.

“Good call, A.J.” Spike replied, as they decided to spend more time at the castle.

As the girls, Stone, and Discord were sitting around a campfire telling scary stories, Spike and Twilight watched Luna walk away and look out into the distance of the forest.

“Luna?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, forgive me. I'm just reminiscing.”

“About your days here?” Spike asked.

“Yes, Spike. This was my first home with Celestia. But then I became Nightmare Moon, and we both destroyed so much of it. I know this place has a lot of bad memories because of that, and yet it's still my home.”

“And it always will be,” Spike confirmed, “I mean just because you relocate doesn't mean the place you used to live should be forgotten.”

“He's right,” Twilight agreed, “I may live mostly on earth now, but Equestria will always be my first home.”

Luna looked at Spike and Twilight who both gave her a comforting smile. Luna smiled back feeling much better and embraced the two.

Later on, the group was walking out of the Everfree Forest, “Boy this was some Nightmare Night.” Starlight admitted.

“One we'll sure never forget.” Rainbow added.

Twilight noticed Pinkie was still stuffing her face full of candy, “Pinkie, don't eat it all, you'll get a stomach ache in the morning.”

“And it'll be worth it!” Pinkie declared, as the others laughed.

As Spike walked, he suddenly heard the Headless Horseman's laugh come from the forest again. He looked back and saw nothing there. Dismissing the thought of hearing it he turned back around and went after the others. While in the darkness of the forest a flaming jack-o-lantern's face glowed through the shadows before the flames went out.

Author's Note

Happy Halloween, everyone!