Applejack's Halloween

High in the sky the sun beamed strong, on the orange-reds and yellows of a changing throng, of a million small pallets, of a million small leaves, as they danced in the gusts of a light fall breeze. An ocean of colors in shimmering rills, breaking like waves on the constant hills, leading all the way to cloudy frills, drifting past on the distant horizon. It was beautiful –perfect in a way– and it smelled wonderful - like autumn…

But in spite of everything, it was all so provincial!

Stan reclined on an upper bench of the outdoor stadium. Ever since he’d arrived at Sleepy Hollow he’d had his hands full trying to fit in, or ‘assimilate seamlessly’ as some might say. (He rolled his eyes.) But now that things had settled down a little that nagging feeling was back. That nagging feeling that the city was where he belonged. The city… New York… Home.

“Bright lights, big city… that’s where I want to go…” he lightly sang to himself.

He sighed.

“Somethin’ wrong?”

Stan sat up. Applejack stood a few rows down, looking a bit nervous.

“No, I just got a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?”

He was reluctant to say ‘homesick.’

“Just worried about that report due in history class.”

“Yeah, heh-heh. Mr. Gleason doesn’t put up with no nonsense, that’s fer sure.”

“What are you doing up here?”

“Oh-uh- I was just gonna, uh- did y’ hear we’re all throwin’ a party?”

“Hey!”

Applebloom raced up the steps.

“So are y’ comin’ to the party tomorrow?”

“Party? You mean the ‘Bash’ all those posters around school were talking about?”

“A-yep! Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell helped me make ‘em. We’re gonna clean out the barn n’ have a dance, n’ tell scary stories, n’ there’ll be food and contests! Y’ comin’?”

“Contests?”

“A dance contest,” Applejack answered, “n’ maybe a scary story competition.”

“No bobbing for apples?”

Applebloom gasped. “That’s good thinkin’! We’re apple farmers, right?”

“I was joking.”

Applebloom gave Stan a forceful look, half-pout-half-glare.

“You comin’ or not?” she asked.

Stan sighed again. “Sure, why not?”

“You don’t sound too excited about it.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “What’s’a matter?”

“Will Pinkie be there?”

“Aw, you and Pinkie Pie need t’ get over each other.”

“Yeah, yeah… I never really liked parties anyway.”

“Don’t like parties?” Applebloom echoed back. “Why not?”

Too many people.

“It’s a long story.”

“But this is a Halloweeeen party!” she continued. “And I’ll tell you what! Tell the door man you’re my boyfriend and you don’t have to pay any cover.”

“What?”

“Applebloom!” Applejack fumed.

Applebloom smiled.

“Oh I get it… it’s ‘that’ kind of party.”

Applejack shook her head and took a step forward, “What she meant to say is… that since you…. since yer such a good friend and all-“

“Aw- I don’t need any special treatment, I can pay. My uncle’s rich, remember?”

“Well that’s… mighty big of yuh!”

“No it’s not! Tell ‘em you’re my boyfriend and ah’ll pay the cover out of my own allowance.”

“Apple BLOOM!”

“I’m NOT going to tell anybody that I’m dating a 6 year old.”

“Ah’m THIRTEEN-AN-A-HALF!”

Stan smiled. “Yeah, well you don’t look a day over seven.”

Applebloom clenched her fists and pouted for real.

“You have your costumes picked out yet?” he asked.

“Yeah. Ah’m going as a vampire!”

Stan looked at Applejack.

“…Cowgirl.”

He raised an eyebrow, then bursts out laughing.

“Yeah, Shaddup.”

“Applejack, you can’t be a cowgirl; you’re a cowgirl every day.”

“No, I’m a farmer – there’s a difference!”

“Same difference! And besides, I’M going as a cowgirl, so now YOU have to be something different.”

Applebloom’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

“No~ not really,” Stan scolded.

Applejack smirked, Applebloom smiled.

“Aw, come on, cowgirl’s too obvious. At least smear some fake blood on your clothes and say you got mauled by a cow or something.

Applejack’s gaze glossed over, but Applebloom quickly changed the subject:

“What are you goin’ as?”

“…that’s a good question.”

Later, just as lunch was about to end, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood conversing in the hall. As Stan passed by he couldn’t help but reel back and ask:

“Hey, are you guys going to the party?”

“Obviously,” Rainbow Dash said.

Fluttershy nodded.

Rarity flicked some hair behind her, “Of course.”

“You’re going?” Stan asked Rarity, with a hint of incredulousness.

“And why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know, you just seem like the… ‘I wouldn’t be caught dead at a barn dance,’ type.

“I am totally egalitarian, thank you very much! And even if I weren’t, this is Applejack’s ‘barn dance’. …so I’ll make an exception.”

“Who’s gonna win the dance off?” Stan asked.

Rainbow Dash smirked; “Me, obviously.”

“Heh! This is going to be easier than I thought!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Stan, are you a dancer?” Rarity asked.

“I can… when I wanna. Do you dance?”

“Of course I dance. All sorts, in fact. Waltzes, Ballroom, Salsa.”

“Salsa?! Rarity, he’s talking about ‘real’ dancing, break dancing, not-”

“Don’t be ridiculous, darling, salsa and waltzes and ballroom are ‘real’ dances; ‘break’ dancing is the-”

Rarity stopped as Fluttershy mumbled something. All eyes turned to her. Her eyes went wide and she blushed, turning her gaze to the floor.

They blinked for a moment of awkward silence before Rainbow Dash shot Stan a mean glance.

“Well I guess we’re just going to have to settle this on the dance floor then.”

Stan smiled back. “Enjoy losing.”

“Oh you will.”

Random CHS Student #23 spoke up from just behind Rarity. “Hey everybody Stan thinks he’s a dancer!”

A small group of eavesdroppers snickered.

“I see - it’s the conspiracy again!”

Random CHS Student #05 (or #05) nodded his head. “Yeah, yeah.”

“You losers going to the party?”

“No,” #23 said. “Are you?”

“Yes! It figures you’re not; this party is cool people only!”

“How can you tell who’s cool and who’s not?” #85 asked.

“We’ll be taking roll call. Once at seven, once at eight.”

“Oh, so everyone that shows up is cool?” #23 asked.

“People that aren’t cool already know it, so they won’t bother trying. It’s like their motto or something. Anybody that shows up can’t be that un-cool.”

“Well I guess I’ll see you there.”

“Me too!” #5 added.

“Spread the word!” Stan called out.

A warning bell rang and the crowd broke up.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, where are you going? Algebra’s this way!

“I’m going to the bathroom, creep!”

“How was I supposed to know?”

Stan turned to leave, but Fluttershy was still standing there, timidly waving goodbye.

“Uh… see-yuh, Fluttershy.”

She smiled and played with her hair as she started down the hall. Stan gave her backside a look of consternation before finally leaving for class.