Sunset Shimmer glances over at me, her beautiful crimson eyes studying every part of my costume. "Aha!" she exclaims after a short while. "Here." She reaches out and removes my glasses, causing my surroundings to go blurry. Then she replaces them with my backup pair of round ones, restoring my vision to normal.
"There," she says as I look myself over in the mirror. "You make a great... uh, who was it now?"
"I'm Dr. Frankenstein," I remind her. "Creator of the monster from the novel."
She shrugs.
"You read the book, didn't you?"
"I think so." She turns around and glances over her costume in the mirror. She is dressed in a black button-up suit and pants, fangs in her mouth, bat clips in her hair. Her beauty is stunning, though one thing is missing. I see it hanging up nearby, a flowing black cape with a red interior. I take it off the hanger and sneak up behind my girlfriend, fastening it to her costume. I fold the collar out neatly, ensuring that both sides are exactly the same length. Just as I finish, she puts her hands on mine.
"Thanks, love," she says happily. Then, in her best Dracula accent, she adds, "I am very pleased vith your kind gesture."
I smile, embracing her in a tight hug. "You make a good Count Dracula, Sunny."
"Good call going with classic horror this year, Twi. I'm sure it'll be a hit."
"Mhmm!" The doorbell rings. "I'll bet that's the girls."
We walk through the decorated apartment to the door, opening it to reveal our other four friends. "Hi there," Sunset greets them.
"Hi Sunset," they chorus as Sunset invites them in. They gaze with awe upon the decorations; the spiderwebs on the ceiling, the spooky ghost projections on the walls. She really went above and beyond in decorating her apartment this year; it was well known that she really liked this particular holiday.
"Wow!" Applejack exclaimed. "Y'all really done some decorating this year."
"It looks amazing!" Rainbow Dash adds.
Rarity and Fluttershy are holding hands, also admiring our decorative works. Sunset glances over at Fluttershy, who is clad in a red trench coat with boots, matching hat, and round crimson sunglasses, complete with fake vampire teeth. "Hey," she says, confused. "You're me!"
"Um, no," the timid girl responds. "I don't think I am."
"I know who you're dressed up as," Sunset adds with a smile and her best Dracula accent. "Spell the name of your costume backwards."
"Sunset?" I ask, "Who is she supposed to be?"
Fluttershy is now visibly pondering her character's name spelled backwards. "Oh," she says after a short while. "draculA."
Sunset laughs. "You know I'm just messing with you, 'Shy. You look great."
I look around the room at our friends, all of whom have chosen amazing costumes this year. Rarity is a mobster, Fluttershy is probably some iteration of Dracula, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are Ghostbusters complete with proton packs, and Applejack is a werewolf. Everyone has taken great care in their costumes, which are rather detailed indeed.
As I chat idly with Rainbow Dash about the science of a proton pack, a ghostly hand lands on my shoulder, making me jump slightly. I turn around to see Rarity standing directly behind me, her eyes concealed beneath the brim a jet-black fedora. "Twilight," she says in her all-too-familiar accent. "Your costume looks simply stunning!"
"Thank you," I reply. "I made sure it was one-hundred-percent accurate to its film counterpart." I study hers for a moment, noticing the hand-stitched coat and slightly visible shoulder holster, a silver gun resting in it. "You look like you've come to make me an offer I couldn't possibly refuse. Say, where did you get a firearm?"
She gives me a confused look before laughing and reaching into her coat with her right hand, drawing out a silver pistol. Instantly I recognise it as a stunt replica; there is a visible seam down its centre. An image burned into my memory from a book I read about the mechanics of guns flashes into my mind, her stunt prop matching it exactly.
"It's a fake, like the ones I bought for Fluttershy's costume," she explains. "I purchased it special for the true mafia look. It truly completes the outfit, doesn't it?"
I nod. "It's a Luger P08. I read about it in a book."
"Is there anything you don't know, darling?" she asks jokingly as she re-holsters her 'gun.'
Soon, the traditional film marathon begins. Sunset and I sit in the corner of the sofa, her arm around me, holding me tightly to her side. Once everyone is settled, we begin, the black-and-white movie flashing on to the TV screen. Not surprisingly, Fluttershy is already scared, holding Rarity's hand and trying to hide behind her large red hat.
The movie progresses through the tale of a man who visits a castle on a business venture, is attacked by the monster, and is dragged as the monster's slave to England, where he meets several people who join him in his quest to ultimately defeat the monster. As I watch, I mentally take note of several large deviations from the plot of the book; it's a pet peeve of mine that film producers oftentimes do this.
We watch several movies over the course of several hours; it's one thirty in the morning when our friends head home. Once they are gone, I sit down tiredly on the sofa in my pyjamas, feeling like I could fall asleep right there. Sunset comes over and sits behind me, wrapping her arms around me.
"Vell, vell, vell," she says, imitating Count Dracula. "Have you partied a little too hard, my love?"
I yawn, leaning back into her arms. "Mhmm... It was well worth it though."
"Glad you had fun." She yawns. "It is a bit late. Maybe we should call it a night. Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless you're up for one more movie," she says as she nuzzles me affectionately.
"Sure," I reply. "But if it's scary could you stay close to me?"
She picks up the remote, smiling as she lays back beside me. "Of course, sweetie."
Sometime during the movie, I glance down at Twilight. She is asleep, nestled against my waist. Slowly I rise from the couch and switch off the DVD player and television, having decided that now would be a good time to call it a night. Gently I lift Twilight into my arms, so as not to disturb her. Her arms wrap around my neck drowsily, followed by a sigh of happiness.
I carry her over to the bed, pulling back the covers and laying her down on her side. Then, I slide in next to her, removing her glasses and placing them on the bedside table. I turn the light out, and as I pull the covers up over us, she holds on to me tightly, whispering:
"I love you, Sunset..."
I hold her tight, affectionately stroking her long, straight hair. "I love you too, Twilight. Happy Halloween."
