It’s getting colder outside… I mean, that’s to be expected with the fall. October isn’t necessarily a time known for being warm or such. By now, most of the trees’ leaves are turning into different colors, making it seem like a particularly nice part of the year. This is my first fall with Sunset and honestly? I’m determined to make it count. It was only last December that I decided to be her friend and now we’re in a relationship. Time… really flies by, doesn’t it? I really want to make this fall one that we can both remember. Although, I’m not quite sure how to do that.
In this valley of blood and blades, it’s hard to hear myself think. Just trying to think of anything but the eyes in the darkness is almost too hard. Claws slice at me from the edges of the pathway and I can’t do anything about it. I’m stuck, living in this hell. That is… if hell was full of plastic, this would be perfect. The fake blood on the mascots and toy weapons looks so goofy when you actually try to take it seriously. Every pathway in this store is absolutely full of Halloween decorations, props, and costumes. Every few seconds, another stupid mascot screams at me with a robotic recording, trying to instill fright. The only thing it instills in me is a massive migraine.
Let’s just say that it wasn’t my best move to agree to go to a Spirit Halloween with Rainbow Dash. Not only did she invite me, but she invited Rarity, Applejack and Sunset to come with us. When I told Apple Bloom about our little escapade, she begged me to come along as well, so now, we’re all sort of wandering around aimlessly in a Halloween store. Everyone has their own objectives here and I’m sorta unsure what to do. It feels like everyone has different interpretations and wants from this holiday. Also, what the hell is a Spirit Halloween? In the years I’ve lived in this world, I’ve always noticed them during this time of the year, but where the hell do they go afterward? It’s like they just disappear… Weird…
“Oh yeah!” Rainbow Dash’s voice exclaims, running around the corner to confront me. “Look at this beauty!” she tells me with a proud smirk, presenting me with a large box. On the front of the box, the words “Spooky Prank Kit” appear in bold, showing many different items to pull some sort of practical joke on a poor soul.
“You think that’s a beauty?” I ask her with a questioning look, pushing the box away from me. Ever since I entered this store, my stomach has felt slightly nauseous due to the overwhelming smell of plastic in the air.
“Duh!” she tells me as if I’m dumb for not agreeing with her. “That’s what the Halloween season is all about! Hence why trick-or-treat is such a big part of the holiday!” A mischievous look comes across her face before she rubs her hands together, briefly putting the box under her arm. “Emphasis on the trick part~” Her tone sounds absolutely full of mischief, her eyes not even looking at me anymore. Why do I get the feeling that Rainbow Dash takes a little bit too much fun from tricking others? Okay. Lesson one about Halloween, Adagio. Stay out of Dash’s way.
“Rainbow. Are ya trying to convince Adagio to join your mischief?” Applejack asks, walking towards us with a few items in her arms. “I thought that was our thing. Are ya trying to replace me?” Applejack teases the rainbow-haired athlete, making Dash laugh out loud.
“Relax, AJ! Dagi doesn’t seem that interested anyway,” Rainbow Dash explains, laughing at the whole situation. “As much as I would love to have her join me, I think you’re safe on that front.” Looking down at the items in Applejack’s arms, Rainbow Dash raises her eyebrow and backs up to stand near me. “Also, what exactly do you have there?”
“Oh? These things?” Applejack raises a bloody hockey mask, looking at it with a curious tone in her eyes. “Well, Big Mac wanted some scary mask to wear for the corn maze we’re going to prepare. And this is for Apple Bloom. Although, I ain’t sure what she wants it for,” she tells us while showing us some white paint and red ribbons.
“Is she dressing as some psycho Raggedy Anne or something?” Rainbow Dash asks, briefly feeling the ribbons.
“I don’t know. She hasn’t told me anything except that she wants it to be a surprise. For all I know, she’s deciding to dress as the Tooth Fairy.” Looking down at the ribbons, Applejack shakes her head slowly, trying to think of what to say. “Well, then again, it would probably be a murder fairy, knowing her. Gosh, she’s a weird kid.”
“Weird doesn’t begin to describe it,” I respond, looking at the ribbons critically. Apple Bloom actually gave me a hint about what her costume would be. She told me to expect something classic, but I’m not exactly sure what that means. Considering I’ve never really paid attention to Halloween, I wouldn’t know what is a classic. Sunset said this holiday was called Nightmare Night in Equestria, being coined after some evil alicorn called Nightmare Moon. Apparently, all this happened after my time, but it’s still hard to imagine an evil alicorn. I thought they were all about peace and stuff.
“Speaking of Apple Bloom, where did she go?” Applejack asks me, breaking me from my thoughts. Looking around, I try to spot her from all the scary decorations and toys, but I can’t seem to find her iconic bow. We all technically went our separate ways here, so that leaves Sunset, Rarity and Apple Bloom unaccounted for.
“She’ll turn up eventually,” Rainbow Dash says with a wave of her hand disregarding the issue. “Anyway, you need to talk some sense into Dagi here. She doesn’t know the meaning of Halloween.” Talk sense into me? Normally, I might feel offended by that statement of hers, but considering it’s Dash who said that, it’s not necessarily unusual.
“Ya don’t know what Halloween means?” Applejack asks me with a confused expression before giggling to herself. “Well, boy howdy! I’ll tell ya what. Halloween is a time you celebrate with your friends and family, giving each other good tricks and treats along the way! It’s an important tradition in my family and it’s a great bonding experience~”
“What?!” Rainbow Dash gasps upon hearing Applejack’s statement, taking a big step back. “The meaning of Halloween is having a good laugh at pranking everyone! Not the mushy family stuff,” she tells both of us with a dismissing puff of her lips. Before any of us can answer, my eyes focus on the background behind Applejack, seeing someone walk up to us.
“Not necessarily, darling~ Halloween is an excuse to dress up and eat sweets. Especially when a lady may be on a diet~” Rarity tells us, fully dressed up in a revealing outfit that seems to be designed after a demon. Applejack turns her gaze to her girlfriend, her eyes almost instantly looking down at her chest before looking away, a big blush appearing on her cheeks.
“Um. Rares. What in tarnation are ya wearing?” Applejack asks quietly, keeping her eyes glued to the ceiling.
“Oh? Do you like it? I thought it was pretty tight, but I think it fits the season~” As much as I admire Rarity’s spirit to dress up for this holiday, I can’t help but think about how cold she’ll be on Halloween night. Maybe that’s her aim. Trying to get Applejack to loan her a coat to “cover herself up.” They… have a weird relationship. Although, I can’t really complain. I have a similar situation with Sunset. “Ooh! Adagio, darling~ What do you think of this outfit? Nice, no?” Rarity asks me, striking a small pose. Her costume had bat wings as accessories that were attached to her hands, making it look like the wings could move. Actually… this could be a fun chance to mess with Applejack~
“It looks great~ Very fashionable and sexy. I assume that’s what you were going for?” I respond to the fashionista, amused at Applejack’s shocked expression.
“Exactly~ I’m glad you can agree! I’m dressing as a succubus and since they’re sort of similar to sirens, I was hoping you would approve~ My dear AJ never seems to agree with my costume choices,” she tells me with a slight pout, causing Applejack to blush a bit harder with a guilty expression. To be honest… Her statement about me approving of her costume almost… hurts. Just because I’m a siren doesn’t mean that I’m some expert in the field of succubus costumes. It’s such a generalization of sirens as a whole and it kind of makes me feel like she’s treating it as a stereotype. Quietly, I bite my tongue, preventing myself from saying anything. She doesn’t know. She probably didn’t even think about how that statement would make me feel. Just… keep it in for now.
“W-well, I… think it’s fashionable as well,” Applejack barely lets out, making Rarity audibly gasp.
“Oh thank you, darling!” Within a moment, Rarity grabs Applejack in a hug, making her normally orange skin turn a bright red. “I knew you would come around eventually~ Does that mean I can give you a makeover?”
“U-um…” Looking around, Applejack sighs, clearly defeated. “M-maybe later. Right now, we should focus on-” Before she can finish her sentence, Rainbow Dash bursts out laughing beside me, making me giggle slightly.
“Oh my god! You two are absolutely smitten with each other! Get a room, geez,” Rainbow Dash says while holding her gut, causing Applejack to frown.
“As I was sayin’, Rainbow… We should focus on telling Adagio what the meaning of Halloween is. Clearly we all have different definitions. Maybe we-”
“Hello, y’all~” a chipper voice interrupts Applejack, making me look behind me. There, Apple Bloom stands with a big grin, holding a lot of products in her arms. “Whatcha talking about?” Applejack doesn’t look pleased at all that she was interrupted again, but she takes off her hat and puts it over Rarity’s chest before she tries to speak.
“Well, sugarcube. Adagio doesn’t-”
“Oh! Apple Bloom, darling~ I… kind of forgot you were here. Huh,” Rarity interrupts Applejack, holding the hat over herself with a small smile. Once again, Applejack’s frown only gets bigger.
“As I was tryna say-” Once again, Applejack stops herself mid sentence as one of the giant mascots behind her makes a lot of noise, making all of us look in that direction. Standing on the pad that activates the mascot, the love of my life looks down at the ground with a shocked expression before giving us a guilty smile.
“Sorry. I was trying to listen,” Sunset tells Applejack with her genuine warm smile. Since when was she standing there?
“Horse apples. Forget it. We can all explain our meaning of Halloween to her later.” With that, Applejack walks away from all of us, going towards the counter with the items in her hand. Sunset, understandably, looks confused and giggles slightly at Applejack’s annoyance.
“Did I miss something~?”
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“So, everyone was confused that you didn’t know the meaning of Halloween? I mean, it makes sense though. It’s a relatively new concept in your lifetime,” Sunset states, eating some cotton candy as we walk home from the store. In her other hand, she carries a bag of items she had bought with the help of Rarity, but she didn’t really let me see them. We didn’t take the motorcycle to the store since it isn’t that far away from the apartment and I didn’t personally feel like clutching to Sunset the whole ride while trying to not drop any of the things we bought. It’s not that I don’t like holding onto Sunset, but I didn’t want to drop our things all over the road. “Honestly, I forget that you’re a lot older than me most of the time. You just seem… similar to me.” Locking her eyes with mine, she gives me a smile, offering a piece of her cotton candy.
“Sunny. Do you think that I would let myself act outdated? Being a siren means you have to adapt.” Putting the piece of cotton candy in my mouth, I give Sunset a smirk before swallowing. “You do remember how smart and talented I am, right? Maybe I’m not the one who hit my head,” I tease my summer mist, causing her to giggle and push her shoulder against mine.
“You are really talented~ In lots of things. Being a sassy bitch is one of them~” she whispers in my ear, both of us laughing at her statement.
“That’s just who I am, Shimmer. You decided you wanted a relationship with me and this is what you get. A siren who doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. As you said before, you’re stuck with me~” As our giggles die down, I look up at the sky, taking a deep breath. As eventful as this day has been, it still hasn’t taught me the one thing I want to learn. That being how to do a Halloween right. Just like with everything else we’ve done, I want to do it right with Sunset. Yet that knowledge alludes me. For now. “Sunny,” I say quietly, still looking up at the twilight sky.
“Yes, Alligator?” What does it mean to love? I’ve come to find out that the answer to that is surprisingly complex, but the main symptom of love is trying to spend every moment as best as you can with someone else. That’s the main reason why I want to do this right. Why I want to find out what this holiday means to her.
“What do you think of Halloween?” Sunset hums slightly upon hearing my question, walking at a slightly slower pace.
“When I was a filly, Nightmare Night was a time of celebration. It was a time that everypony was happy and we all got candy. I didn’t participate in a lot of them since I studied way more than I probably should have, but to me? Halloween is a time of make believe. We get to believe we’re other characters for a while. We get to believe everything’s alright and we have no responsibilities we have to attend to. Does that make sense?” A guilty expression comes to Sunset’s face, seemingly unsure in her own definition. Ever since she was turned into a demon at Canterlot High, Sunset has tried to be caring and help others, sometimes to her own detriment. She’s always sacrificing her own happiness for others to the point that she told me she wants to be selfish. She wants to allow herself more time to be selfish. She deserves that. Maybe it would sound bad to others if she said she wanted to “make believe” she had no responsibilities, but to me? It sounds like something she needs. She always has a bunch of responsibility on her shoulders, so to alleviate a bit of that would be great for her.
“Yeah, that makes sense. It sounds… pretty nice actually~” I whisper, leaning my head against her shoulder as we walk. Her walking speed increases back to normal, seemingly reassured by my statement. Sunset giggles as we get closer to the apartment complex, her head temporarily resting on mine.
“I’m glad~”
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Pushing up her glasses, the nerdy girl reads a passage from her book as we sit in her living room. Finally putting the book down after twelve minutes, Twilight locks her eyes with me. “Sorry about that. I’m really trying to finish this book before the spring semester starts. What’s up?” When I knocked on Twilight’s door, she reluctantly let me in, but told me I would have to wait for her to finish a chapter. I didn’t think she was serious, but I should know better by now.
“Applejack wanted me to hear what everyone’s definitions of Halloween are since… I’m not sure what it means.” Again, my mind feels guilty admitting that fact, but Twilight seems to be interested in my statement.
“Oh? You don’t know what Halloween means? I kind of thought you would know a lot more than me since… Well, you have a lot of experience.” The fact that Twilight avoided using the word old is odd to me. I am thousands of years old, so it doesn’t affect me to hear that word.
“I have experience with music and manipulation. Not something like a dress up holiday,” I tell the nerdy girl with a raised eyebrow, causing Twilight to giggle nervously.
“Well, I can understand that. Sorry if my statement was a bit assuming on my part. Anyway, I suppose that means you want to know what I think of Halloween?” Nodding to her question, Twilight looks up while taking a deep breath, trying to think of the answer. For the time being, the two of us just sit in silence as she tries to form the words to describe her feelings on the holiday. Even though I don’t know what the holiday means, I didn’t think it would take her this long to think of something. She’s always reading books and testing scientific theories, but maybe it’s harder when she has to think of her objective feelings instead of the facts. “To be honest, I’ve always looked at Halloween as a time to focus on yourself. Other than it being an excellent time to observe human behavior, Halloween allows us to dress up and pretend. It’s a time where we can have fun in any fashion we want. It’s sorta therapeutic to focus on yourself and make sure you’re having fun, you know?” Looking away from Twilight, I grab my water bottle from the table and nod slowly, taking a drink. Honestly, her point of view also makes sense. It can be a time where we can focus on ourselves, huh? I’ve never really… thought about it like that. Back when I was a siren, I sort of focused on myself all the time, so that feeling wasn’t exclusively for this holiday.
“I see. That’s a unique perspective you have. Is it because you like spending time alone?” Was that rude? Did it sound weird? Maybe I shouldn’t have said that… “I mean, it just seems like it. I’m not trying to assume anything.” And I just made it sound worse… Great, Adagio.
“No, I understand~ I do prefer to do things alone a lot of the time, but every now and then, I like to go out with everyone. It’s kind of obvious with my closed off behavior,” Twilight tells me with a smile, seemingly not offended by what I said. “I mean, my house hardly ever has its curtains open or such. I guess I prefer quieter things most of the time. Well, quieter in a social sense.” Adjusting her glasses slightly, Twilight takes a sip of the tea she prepared for herself before I even came here. That tea has been here ever since I walked in. “I hope you’re not leaving immediately? I know I just answered your question, but you’re welcome to stay for a while~” Before I can think of a response, the door to the basement is pushed open, a purple and green dog walking through the entrance with a toy in his mouth. Upon seeing me, Spike puts his toy on the ground, walking towards the couch.
“Oh? Adagio’s here? Why didn’t you tell me, Twi?” Walking over to me, Spike offers me his paw. Chuckling slightly, I bump his paw with my fist, causing Spike to smile. “Are you here to play a game? I’m pretty wicked at Pac-Pony,” Spike tells me with a prideful tone, even though the controls for that game aren’t that sophisticated. Then again, the higher levels are pretty difficult.
“Sure, I can stay for a bit.”
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I’ve lived in Rainbow Dash’s house before and I have to admit that it’s pretty nice. Her room, however, is pretty messy. She has dirty clothes all over, Daring Do books cluttering up most of her nightstand and her desk has too many trophies to count. Instead of putting the trophies somewhere throughout the house or on a shelf, she puts them all on her desk, leaving hardly any space for her laptop. Although, that may be due to her insecurities. Maybe she likes having them so close by, seeing her accomplishments in a physical form. Today is not a day we get to focus on those however. Instead, Dash wanted to make some Frankenstein-like inventions. She is Frankenstein and whatever assortment of trash or household supplies she has on her bed is her monster.
“What exactly are you going to do with this, Dashie?” I tease her with my taunting voice, looking down at her weird invention just as she tears a big piece of duct tape off the roll. Applying it to the machine of paper towel tubes and string, Dash has a serious expression on her face.
“This is going to be a silly-string mine. There’s going to be a button under this duct tape once I’m done. When I connect the button to the silly-string cans, it’ll go off, covering an area of approximately five feet in its goop.” A mine? Huh. Dash is a lot more inventive than I thought she was. Maybe she should be teaming up with Twilight for some of these inventions.
“But there aren’t any cans,” I tell Dash, curious to see how she’s going to add them to this concoction of evil.
“Ah ah ah~ You see these paper towel rolls? They’re going to be duct-taped inside of each end, aiming in different directions.” Pointing at the paper towel rolls, Rainbow Dash then uses her finger to simulate a can shooting out silly string. “I’ve also contemplated putting a different end on the nozzles of the cans to make it more of a spray instead of a single line. Adults hate it, but kids love them.” Putting her invention down, Rainbow Dash grabs what looks like a homemade bazooka made with metal and cardboard. “This is a toilet paper launcher! I made it three years ago with AJ, but since it’s kind of wasteful to TP someone’s house, I’ve been looking into more eco-friendly options.” Rainbow Dash being careful about the environment? That’s… something I never thought would happen. I didn’t think she cared about that sort of stuff. “Mainly, we’re looking into a paper alternative that is made with mostly water. And it can dissolve with enough heat, so it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle to remove.”
“I didn’t think you would care for the environment, Dash,” I tell her with a smirk, causing the athlete to nervously chuckle.
“W-well, I mean, there’s only one planet we can call our own, right? It’s not like I’m mushy or anything like that. I just think Halloween should be a funny time with the least amount of damage.” Putting down her toilet paper launcher, Rainbow Dash sighs quietly, looking at all her supplies. “Let’s just say my parents are protective. They were kind of on a strict schedule when it came to Halloween so that I could get the most candy. That’s not what I care about though. I just like making people laugh or making them annoyed so others can laugh, you know? Candy is nice, but Halloween is about pranks and tricks so that we can all try to share a laugh.” Rainbow Dash looks towards me with a smirk, shrugging to herself. “That’s what I tried to tell you in the store. A lot of people don’t share my opinion. Even AJ thinks it’s all about family.” Both of us laugh slightly at that comment, Rainbow Dash sitting down on her bed and grabbing a few more paper towel rolls.
“Let’s admit it. Applejack is a family-oriented person. Mostly everything is about her family and her friends,” I tell her with a chuckle, sitting down on her chair. Rainbow Dash nods, taking another piece of tape in her hand.
“That’s true. I’ve learned to not mess with Rarity over the years. She’s way too sensitive to some of my pranks, but I guess that’s because it usually messes with her clothes.” Holding up her invention, Rainbow Dash checks the elasticity of the tape before adding one more piece, reaching for one of the string cans. “Hence why I’ve warned Rarity of my pranks ahead of time. No mess, no foul, right?” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but feel curious about Rainbow’s last couple of sentences, leaning forward in my seat.
“Then what stops Rarity from warning everyone else?” I ask her genuinely. Honestly, it’s surprising to me that Rarity wouldn’t tell others about Rainbow Dash’s ideas, especially if she’s so opposed to them.
“I made Rarity promise to not tell others. I think she only agreed because we’re friends, but yeah. The only people I said she could tell are anyone else who might be sensitive about their costumes getting ruined or such.” Rainbow Dash looks at me with a small laugh, throwing a roll towards me. “Are you going to help or not? That’s the whole reason I called you over here to begin with, you slouching snail!” Sighing heavily in a pretend exhaustion, I roll the seat over to the bed, not knowing exactly what I’m going to do to help.
“How many of these mines are we going to make?”
“About fifty~” Fifty…? That… sounds like it’s going to take a long time…
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The fact that Fluttershy runs a pet healthcare clinic from the comfort of home is kind of amazing to me. I didn’t even notice it was a clinic when I visited her house the first time, but now that I’m here again, it’s impressive that she’s able to do this. Especially in such a rich neighborhood. How does she live here to begin with? Does she really make that much money? Or is she just skating by? The inside of her house is decorated with more natural colors of tan and brown and it smells faintly of dogs, but I honestly expected it to smell worse. I guess she knows how to clean most of the smell out of her furniture.
Thankfully, Fluttershy’s work is done for the day, leaving us alone in her backyard to enjoy a glass of lemonade. Well, mostly alone… Except for the demon in white that is conveniently named Angel. Once again, he’s done nothing except look for opportunities to annoy or pester me. I can almost swear this rabbit is laughing at me… Taking a sip of my lemonade, I look towards the yard, noticing the leaves on the ground. “If you don’t mind me asking, why haven’t you decorated for Halloween?” I ask Fluttershy, noticing that her whole property doesn’t seem to have any spooky features.
“Oh? Well, I don’t really want to spook the critters, so I try to keep any decorations I have as cute stuffed animals or stickers~ I also like to put on a Peanuts movie for Halloween since the animals seem to like it~” Once again, Angel is staring at me as if there’s some plan going on behind those beady eyes. Unfortunately, he’s not given a chance to enact it since Fluttershy is holding onto him. Serves you right, little bitch…
“Is that all you do for Halloween?” Taking another sip of my lemonade, I lock eyes with Fluttershy, seeing her kind smile. “I guess what I’m really asking is what do you think of Halloween in general? I’m a bit curious.” Fluttershy’s hand moves up to her mouth briefly, looking up at the sky. Even she doesn’t seem to know for a moment before her eyes widen, leaning forward.
“Halloween is a time where a lot of people and creatures feel scared due to stories or frightening costumes. I think it’s a scary time that can offer a lot of fun outside of your comfort zone, if you do it with the right people~” Petting her rabbit, Fluttershy smiles to herself, giggling quietly. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty nervous about getting out of my comfort zone, but it’s really fun to have a nice Halloween with my friends. Speaking of which, will you be celebrating with us?” If I haven’t noticed? That’s been obvious from the start. Even when I was a siren, I was intelligent enough to notice how each of you acted from the moment I laid eyes on you. Honestly, the only one who has broken my initial impression is Rainbow Dash, but that’s simply because she is a lot more caring than I first made her out to be. Loyal.
“Yeah. I’ll be celebrating with everyone. I just haven’t decided what costume I’m going to wear, that’s all.” Fluttershy’s eyes widen upon hearing my response, shocked.
“Oh? Do you need help deciding? I have a lot of cute onesies and such~” Shaking my head, I can’t help but imagine how horrible those things would look at me. I prefer leather jackets and spiked headbands, thanks. “Oh? Okay~ Since you asked me, what is your view of Halloween?” Biting my tongue, I can’t help but feel embarrassed. I forgot to tell her the whole reason I came here to begin with… I don’t know why I’m afraid of being embarrassed in front of Fluttershy of all people, but I am.
“I… don’t know yet.”
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“So, What did Pinkie Pie say?” Apple Bloom asks me, holding a piece of measuring tape from her shoulder to her wrist. I still have no idea what she’s doing… On the other side of the treehouse, Sweetie Belle is making Scootaloo’s hair stand up with some products, trying to find the right style for the orange girl.
“I bet you she focused on candy,” Scootaloo giggles, making Sweetie Belle bite her lip as she tries to concentrate on her friend’s hair.
“Hold still will you? You want this to be right, don’t you?” Even though it’s not Halloween, I admire the girls’ spirits, trying to prepare for the holiday.
“Scootaloo’s actually right. Pinkie was really excited about the whole candy aspect of Halloween. Then she retracted her statement and said it was about friendship.” Leaning back in my seat, I hear Scootaloo laugh, kicking her feet slightly.
“I knew it!” she exclaims with a hearty chuckle before the back of her head gets slapped by Sweetie Belle. “Hey! What was that for?” she instantly asks, wincing at the pain.
“I warned you.” Without saying another word, Sweetie Belle gets back to work on Scootaloo’s hair, but the whole time, Scootaloo looks at Sweetie Belle in the mirror with a nervous gaze. Looking back towards Apple Bloom, I see her looking at her teeth in the mirror. What the hell are you doing…?
“Now it’s your turn to fess up, dorks. What do you think of Halloween?” Even though Applejack didn’t tell me to specifically ask these three about their opinions on the holiday, I still feel like it would be worth it to invest the time to hear what they have to say. Looking back towards me, Apple Bloom has a curious expression on her face before looking towards her friends.
“Well, I mean, we kinda see it as a way to help others. Right, girls?” Apple Bloom asks them with a big smile, Sweetie Belle giving us a thumbs up while she keeps her concentration focused on Scootaloo’s hair.
“As the Cutie Mark Crusaders, our main goal is to help others find their purpose in life. So, we see Halloween as an opportunity to help people who want to enjoy the holiday, even if they’re scared,” Sweetie Belle tells me with a responsible look on her face, taking this pretty seriously. Combing through Scootaloo’s hair, the orange girl gasps quietly as if the brush hurt her head, pulling a few hairs out.
“Even though we do try to have fun ourselves, it’s mostly about helping others~ That’s why- HEY! Do you have to brush so hard?!” Scootaloo abruptly interrupts herself, giving Sweetie Belle a harsh glare. The white girl mouths an apology, making Scootaloo sit back in her seat hesitantly. “That’s why whenever the Cutie Mark Crusaders are near…”
“No evil shall persevere,” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom say at the same time, all three girls giggling. I can’t help but find their perspective interesting. It’s pretty selfless of all three of them to do this. Especially when they’re in high school. Most teenagers are pretty focused on what they want. It almost makes me think the three of them would make good mentors if they go to college. This Halloween is definitely going to be… interesting.
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Ever since I’ve come to this world, I’ve enjoyed having flashy clothing and nice accessories to make myself stand out from the crowd. To make myself known. The world would have to know who Adagio Dazzle is. For Halloween, that is a little harder to do since everyone is dressing up, enjoying the night to their fullest. Tomorrow is the night everyone will be getting their candy and enjoying the festivities. Everyone wants to go to Equestria World, but I don’t have a costume in mind just yet. That… is apparently what Sunset bought at Spirit Halloween. A bunch of costume choices for me to try on. I just wish she had asked for my permission.
Slipping my arm into the slick fabric, I can’t help but ask myself a dozen times why I’m doing this. It’s simple. Sunset wanted me to wear this. Is Apple Bloom right? Do I blindly listen to Sunset most of the time without a care in the world? As long as she said so, it’s fine? Then again, wearing a relatively simple outfit isn’t bad or anything like that. It’s just… embarrassing. This costume in particular only has two colors involved. Black and white… Far from my usual want for flashy colors and interesting aesthetics. Instead, it’s essentially a fabric bodysuit with a plastic mask, acting as a cheap costume. Alternatively, one could paint their face to match the suit, but I would rather keep my face clean for the time being. The only reason I’m trying this one on to begin with is because Sunset insisted. Her reactions are pretty cute. Just seeing her face light up with excitement from such a simple task… Who cares how embarrassing it is?
Taking a deep breath, I walk over to the mirror, looking at my reflection from behind the mask. And… I was wrong. This is pretty stupid. Who cares how embarrassing it is? I do. I care. I look stupid. It looks like I’m the ignorant moron that says, “let’s go big for Halloween!” only to buy this cheap ass costume and a few pieces of candy. It’s so simple and plain that you would think someone with five brain cells would pick it. Don’t even mention the fact that this costume wrinkles up way too easily. It’s trying to act like a tight piece of clothing, but it doesn’t hug my body in the right places at all. Let’s just say it isn’t doing my body any favors. At least go full skin tight or just wear a loose costume. The middle ground is somewhere out of a fashionista’s nightmares. Hopefully, Rarity will never have to see me wearing this.
“I’m not doing it,” I call out to Sunset from the bedroom, fully preparing to take it off. Now where was that zipper…?
“Why not?” Sunset asks me in a cheerful tone, trying to convince me to walk out of here just to show her the monstrosity of this suit. “I’m sure you look better than you think you do!”
“Sunny… You’ve seen me naked. Would you say I look great?” I ask her in a blatantly exhausted tone.
“Of course~” she responds with a giggle.
“Then you would agree this costume isn’t doing my body any favors here. It’s trying to sabotage my image as much as possible.” I am waging war against this costume whether she likes it or not. This type of thing doesn’t belong on me or near me. It should be thrown into the fires of hell itself while I dress in something that actually compliments me. Instead, I convinced myself it would be fun and exciting to try this on for her. How naive a siren can be it seems…
“Honey, you’re the worst critic of yourself. I’m sure it isn’t trying to ‘sabotage’ you,” Sunset calls down the hall with a laugh, making me frown slightly.
“Sunset. This costume… if you can even call it that, looks like it would belong to the type of ignoramus that would get drunk off of one drink and then go skinny dipping in the middle of the fucking fall.” I’m not even lying. I’ve seen people act that stupid before. Some would say it’s fun to take chances and do stupid things, but I would rather keep the little pride I have. Most of it was destroyed during the Battle of the Bands, but I can at least have the self respect to keep myself from looking like a person who needs specific instructions on how to eat a hamburger. That kind of stupid does exist in this world.
“If you don’t come out here, I’ll go in there and give you my honest opinion.”
“I’m conflicted about that because my body doesn’t want to move from this spot from how hideous this costume is, but I also don’t think you should give your honest opinion. This costume only has so much integrity to begin with.” If this outfit was alive, then this wouldn’t count as bullying. This would count as a fucking murder attempt. That can go both ways. My insults against it or its blatant insult against my body.
“That’s it. I’m coming in there,” Sunset calls to me before I hear her footsteps walk down the hallway. Fuck. Where was that zipper…? Before I have the chance to find it, Sunset appears in the doorway, looking at me with a surprised expression. For a moment, nothing is said between us. Her lips smile at me, threatening to burst open with laughter at any moment. Don’t you dare… “Oh my god,” Sunset laughs, taking a step back as she nearly busts a gut at my expense.
“This. Is not. Funny,” I grumble, trying my best to not look in the mirror again. She has valid reason to laugh, but the fact that she was the one begging for me to try it on only makes it more ironic.
“It looks… so ridiculous~” she barely tells me, wheezing in-between laughs as she falls to the ground.
“You wanted me to be a spooky scary skeleton? I look like a lactose deficient skeleton,” I tell her with a frown, only making her laugh harder.
“S-stop! Please! I can’t breathe!” Sunset chuckles out, holding her stomach as she rolls around on the floor. She was the one who picked this trash out. So, why is she surprised it looks like this? Crossing my arms, I try to wait patiently for Sunset to stop laughing, but every time she slows down, she looks at me again which makes her laugh even harder. Walking over to our bed, I grab a pillow and chuck it at Shimmer’s body, feeling like a little retribution has been served. “What was… that for?” she asks me with a lot of giggles, taking deep breaths to try and compose herself.
“Will you stop laughing and get up already? I can’t find the fucking zipper and I need you to help me out of this.” Upon hearing my response, Sunset falls back down to the ground wheezing at me.
“Y-you can’t even get out of it! You’re trapped in a skeleton suit like that!” Sunset exclaims to herself, once again holding her stomach. That’s it. She’s dead. Grabbing our other pillow, I look towards Sunset with a glare, pulling my mask off. When her eyes connect with mine, she promptly tries to get up, quickly trying to run. “A-Alligator! We can talk about this!” she laughs just as I run towards the doorway. The time for talking has long since passed. Now, it’s time for war.
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“Are you sure this one is… fitting for me?” I ask Sunset from inside our bedroom, waiting to hear her response from the living room. The costume I have on right now is a dress consisting of mostly green fabric meant to mimic leaves or natural materials, cutting off right above my knees. I also have a plastic knife and a bow and arrow, accessories meant to make me look like some tough elf woman. The pointy ears? Not my thing. If they were on Sunset, maybe, but on me? I think I look ridiculous.
“You’ll look great!” Sunset reassures me, an eager tone in her voice. She’s probably excited to see how I look. She put a lot of effort into picking out costumes that could fit my size and be something that would make me stand out. Except for that skeleton outfit. Even she admitted that was a mistake on her part. This costume almost makes me stand out to Rarity’s degree… Even though I don’t really mind flaunting myself and showing my confident behavior, I don’t really want to reveal too much to strangers. Sunset is the only one who should see everything I have to offer~
Placing the leafy crown on my head, I take a deep breath, smirking into the mirror. As itchy as this outfit is, maybe it will be worth it to see Sunset’s reaction. Almost like my revenge for her laughing at me earlier. Walking towards the door, I slowly peek down the hallway, seeing Sunset sitting on the couch. Her eyes connect with mine, smiling at me and beckoning me over. If she’s excited to see me, then let’s give her a show… Walking through that doorway, I slowly make my way down the hallway, almost walking on my toes. Elves are supposed to have a light weight appearance if I remember correctly. Entering the living room, the light hits me and I give Sunset a small smirk, waiting for her to say something. A blush instantly comes across her face as she sees just how much this costume reveals, making me look even more… provocative…
“Y-you look great~” Sunset slowly tells me, her eyes lingering on the exposed parts of my thigh, moving up to my shoulders. Her gaze moves up to my head, probably looking at the ear pieces. Within a moment, her cheeks get even brighter, making me chuckle quietly. “Do you want to try on another costume? I have a few more, after all,” she barely tells me, composing herself and moving her gaze towards the bag next to her.
“Oh? I thought you said I looked great in this~” Taking a step closer, I bring my hand to my chin before running my hands slowly down my body. Of course, I’m pretending to straighten out any wrinkles in the dress, but that is just a front. Her eyes, needless to say, move back to me, watching my hands move down my body. “Don’t you want to look a little more?” The look on her face spells confusion and shock, but the blush on her cheeks and the quiver of her lips tells me even she knows she wants to.
“I-I don’t know what you mean,” Sunset tells me with a nervous chuckle, trying desperately to compose herself and keep her eyes away from my body. Feel free to pry, Sunny. You wanted me in this outfit to begin with~
“Really?” Slowly, I take a few steps towards her, my eyes locked with hers. “You really don’t know what I mean?” Standing right in front of her, I slowly move my legs, swaying my hips back and forth. Once again, her eyes can’t resist the temptation to look. “You said I look great. Now, I wonder why that is…” Sliding my leg onto the couch next to hers, Sunset stares at my thigh for a moment before looking up at me. She looks so helpless, yet… curious. Her nervous gaze locks with my eyes, clearly crumbling under my touch. Slowly, I lean in, climbing on top of her. A surprised gasp comes from her, my eyes still looking down at her. “Why do you want me to try on other costumes, Shimmer? Is it because I don’t look great enough?” Running my finger across her cheek, I move it along her jaw, forcing her to look at me by moving her chin upward. “Or… is it because I look too good?” Once again, Sunset’s lips quiver slightly, her eyes still locked with my own. Her body feels so hot… I wouldn’t be surprised if she started to sweat.
“T-too good?” she whispers, barely finding the strength to speak. Every now and then, her eyes move down to my body again, taking in the view with a guilty expression. She knows what I mean.
“If I look great to you, then maybe… Just maybe… you should let yourself look for a while longer~” Sitting down on her lap, I gingerly bring my hands to her cheeks, smiling at her. Every part of me loves seeing her crumble like this, being putty in my hands. “Is that why you want me to change? To compose those nerves of yours?” I ask her in a soothing tone, causing her breaths to be shorter and faster. “I wonder what you’re thinking about, Shimmer~ Your eyes keep staring at me. You should know I’m not going anywhere~ Feel free to look~” Her breath halts for a moment as one of my hands moves down her neck, resting on her shoulder. Bringing my face closer, I press my cheek against hers, chuckling quietly. “Seeing me like this… You… want me, don’t you?” I whisper into her ear, feeling her shoulders tense up. She knows I’m hers, but this is… too irresistible to pass up. “All you have to do… is say yes.” For a few moments, only the sound of Sunset’s irregular breaths fills my ears, the heat of her body responding to me in the most truthful manner imaginable. Hesitantly, my Sunny moves her hands to my thighs, feeling me so gently as if she is asking for permission to touch me. My inaction is my response and she hears it loud and clear, placing her hands on my thighs firmly.
“Y-yes,” Sunset whispers, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. Within a second, I push the bag of costumes down on the floor, pressing my lips against hers. Putting my hands on her shoulders, I push her against the back of the couch, her hands feeling my body with almost complete confidence. It doesn’t take long for me to pull her towards the couch cushions, keeping my place on top. You wanted me to wear this, Sunny. You wanted me~ Her hands move to the belt of my dress, undoing it as quietly as she can. I put this costume on for her. It’s only right if she is the one to take it off~
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Halloween night is full of surprises and frights. Everyone has been preparing for this, from kids to adults. The chilling wind of the fall only adds to the atmosphere, dozens of celebrations scattered across the big city. Tonight, Sunset and her friends wanted to go to Equestria World to celebrate the spooky holiday. The exact place I confronted my feelings for Sunset, learning just where the line between friends and love is. That line… is a lot more blurry than I once thought it was. Sunset and I haven’t been to this amusement park together since then, so it will be pretty fun to see just what we all get to do together. As long as I don’t have to do the alligator maze again, I will be fine.
The entrance of the park is decorated from head to toe with Halloween decorations such as pumpkins and webs. Around every corner, there seems to be some employee in a spooky outfit, trying to scare the guests of the park. Of course, every participant of the park is usually wearing a costume. The same applies to Sunset and I. I decided to wear some sparkly clothes with a leather jacket, wearing star glasses and a fake guitar around my neck. Dressing as a rockstar from a couple generations ago isn’t necessarily too far away from my normal look, but at least I’m going the whole nine yards by styling my hair with hair spray, and using far too many sparkles. Rarity will be proud of this getup. I just know it.
Sunset, on the other hand, decided to dress as a superhero. I think she was called… Supergirl? I can’t remember it that well, to be honest. All I know is that the red boots and skirt definitely look good on her. Really good… Thankfully, she went for a pretty long cape and skirt, avoiding the look so many artists make female superheroes look like these days. Her toned figure is also complimented perfectly by the tight blue top, making her look especially… strong. I guess the reason she still has this figure is due to the constant walking she has to do. Even driving the motorcycle requires quite a grip and upper body strength, so I suppose it makes sense. Still. I’m not complaining at all. It doesn’t really matter what she’s wearing. She’s still such a sight to see. Whether that be in the “eye candy” aspect or seeing her cute smile. Why does she have to be so perfect? It’s really no wonder she swayed a siren, is it?
Walking through the park, I hear the sounds of people laughing, games being played, and of course, rides. Everyone said we would meet at the center of the amusement park to discuss a plan of action. Honestly, it’s surprising Twilight agreed to come here since she enjoys spending her time by herself more often. It’s a nice surprise nonetheless. I’m actually kind of glad I’m used to calling her Twilight now. I don’t constantly ask myself what her name should be due to the Twilight from Equestria. Now, it’s just Twilight. No need for elaboration. I’m curious to see what she decided to wear for this little celebration of ours. I’m not even sure what anyone else is wearing other than Rarity. She’s probably still dressed as a succubus.
Walking closer to a big opening with snack stands, I take a deep breath, recognizing the center of the park. Within a few moments, Sunset and I will be meeting our friends, getting to see exactly what costumes they chose to wear tonight. The only thing I’m prepared for tonight is Rainbow Dash’s contraptions of evil incarnate. Amusing evil, but evil nonetheless. Sunset’s eyes look around the opening, seemingly searching our surroundings for the ones we’re supposed to meet. Letting go of her hand momentarily, I pull down my star-shaped glasses to get a better look at the people around us. The sound of a loud thud makes me look back over at Sunset, seeing her body on the ground, someone dressed in another superhero outfit on top of her.
“Ha! It seems the amazing Spider-Girl beats the ‘all mighty’ Supergirl!” a familiar raspy voice lets out with a fist up in the air before helping my girlfriend up. Needless to say, I can’t help but feel confused about the whole situation. What should I do exactly…?
“A little warning would have been nice, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset says with a small chuckle, dusting off her costume. Within a moment, the hero takes off her red mask, revealing her colorful hair and confident smirk. It’s surprising Rainbow Dash of all people didn’t decide to wear a Daring Do outfit.
“But that would have ruined the fun of it! Besides, you’re fine.” Rainbow Dash gently punches Sunset’s shoulder, both of them giggling quietly. “How are you doing, Dagi? Nice fit by the way~” Rainbow Dash gives me a couple finger guns before dancing in her skin tight red and blue suit, the dark crimson reflecting some of the amusement park’s lights.
“Thanks. I’m just surprised you’re not wearing a Daring Do costume. Did you get bored of it or something?” I ask her in a teasing voice, crossing my arms with a raised eyebrow. Rainbow Dash stops dancing almost instantly, her mouth agape at my question.
“Hell no! Daring Do is bucking awesome! Why would I ever be-” Within a moment, she forces herself to shut up, taking a deep breath and clasping her hands together. “Daring Do is fucking awesome. Not bucking. Anyway, I have dressed as her for the last three Halloweens and I felt like doing something new for this year~ Oh! I just remembered! Could you recite this in your most taunting voice? Ya know. Like when you wanted us dead.” Quickly walking over to me, Rainbow Dash struggles to pull out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. From what it looks like, this outfit doesn’t really give her much pocket space. I don’t even think there should be a pocket. Crouching down, Rainbow Dash slowly puts her hand down on the ground, raising her other arm behind her.
Recite, huh? Unfolding the piece of paper, I try to make out the writing on the page, raising my eyebrow. “So… You want a taunting tone? Should it be a menacing and smooth type or a gravely, hard tone?”
“Oh, definitely the first option!” Rainbow Dash states with a smile, still in her superhero pose. Okay then… I’m not sure why she wants me specifically to do this, but fine. Taking a few breaths, I look at the page, smirking slightly.
“I chose my path, you chose the way of the hero. And they found you amusing for a while… The people of this city.” This quote sounds… familiar. Was this in a movie Dash and I watched together…? “But the one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail, fall, die trying.” It’s coming back to me… I have watched a movie with this quote. What was it? Looking down at Rainbow Dash, I smirk, making sure to keep my voice smooth yet unnerving. “In spite of everything you’ve done for them, eventually they will hate you. Why bother?”
“That was perfect!” Rainbow Dash exclaims, jumping up with excitement and hugging me with a big smile on her face.
“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure the Goblin didn’t have a smooth voice like mine. I’m not sure why you wanted me to recite it in that voice,” I say with a slight roll of my eyes, hugging her back. Dash and I have watched quite a few action movies at this point. It’s hard to remember them all. I didn’t even recognize what superhero she was dressed as. “Do you know where everyone else is? We’re trying to find them.”
“Oh? They should have been right behind me… I’ll be right back!” Before I can think of anything to say, a red and blue blur speeds away from us, making Sunset chuckle quietly. Blinking my eyes, the image of a familiar cowgirl suddenly appears beside us, a surprised look on her face as well just as the blur runs away again.
“What the- Wait. Huh? Rainbow! I told ya not to do that to me!” Applejack yells into the air. Pieces of hay stick out from underneath a peculiar hat, her attire making her look like a scarecrow. “I already have to deal with that from Pinkie way too much… Anywho, how are y’all?” Applejack asks us with a smile, quickly giving Sunset a hug. I would respond to Applejack, but something gives me the feeling that I would only be interrupted in a second.
As if on cue, the blur comes back, dropping a yellow girl in front of us and zooming off. With a small gasp, Fluttershy looks around her surroundings, seemingly surprised that she’s here. “U-um… Hi, everyone,” she whispers, straightening her painted-brown cardboard costume. On top of her head is a headpiece with a bunch of leaves and branches, making her look like a tree.
“Did you really dress as a tree for Halloween?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, eyeing the costume that probably took a lot of work to make. But still. Why a tree?
“I don’t see anything wrong with a tree?” Fluttershy quietly responds to me, making sure her leaves were still on the headpiece. “They’re natural and beautiful in a way~”
“We ain’t saying something’s wrong with being a tree. It’s just… unique. That’s all,” Applejack cuts in, both complimenting Fluttershy’s choice and telling her how odd it is. “Wait till y’all see Pinkie’s get up,” Applejack whispers to Sunset and I, giggling to herself. Is Rainbow Dash really about to carry everyone here…? That seems a little… excessive. Regardless, it only takes a moment for Rarity and Twilight to appear beside us, Rainbow Dash high fiving the bubbly pink woman I’ve come to know as an unstoppable party machine.
“Thanks for the help, Pinkie! I was getting pretty tired,” Rainbow Dash tells Pinkie Pie, now with her Spider-Girl mask back on.
“Help? Huh? Did you just… carry me?” Twilight asks with a confused and shocked expression, looking at the ground underneath her feet. Surprisingly, the nerd is wearing what looks like some wizard outfit, yellow stars occupying random spots on the blue robe. The big blue hat ends in a point with a bell on it, jingling every time she turns her head.
“Of course, darling. Trust me, you’ll get used to it if you come out with us more often,” Rarity tells the nerdy scientist, patting her shoulder carefully. Of course, Rarity is wearing the succubus outfit from before, making Applejack blush again.
“Ooh! I love your costume, Adagio!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, completely ignoring Rarity and Twilight to gawk at my sparkly attire. The party machine herself is actually dressed in a big green alligator suit, contrary to what I thought she would be dressing as. Honestly, I figured she had a cake dress or something. Maybe she would go as a sweets fairy. But no. She’s an alligator.
“Your costume isn’t so bad either, Pinkie~” Sunset responds for me, feeling the green fabric on Pinkie’s shoulder. “And here I thought I knew the only alligator here~” I… Did she really just say that? And why are my cheeks flushing from that one comment? Damn it, Adagio… It’s just Sunset being cute again, you should be able to handle it.
“Oh! You know another alligator? What are they like?” Pinkie instantly asks Sunset, making me nervous and embarrassed. Even though I don’t mind the love of my life calling me that name, I’d prefer it if everyone else doesn't know. Especially Pinkie Pie…
“I’ll tell you about it later~ But I have to say that I’m honestly impressed by everyone’s costume choices,” Sunset tells the group with a big smile. Turning to Twilight, I want to ask her what her costume is supposed to be, but before I get the chance to do that, Rarity swoops over to me, grabbing my arm and analyzing the outfit’s finer details.
“Adagio! This looks absolutely stunning on you! I’ll admit that the quality isn’t that great, but the image it gives you is super! If you would have asked me, I could have given you better supplies to work with!” I honestly can’t tell whether her statement is an insult or a compliment, but at this point, I’ve learned to not ask. I’ll admit it. Most of my costume did come from home supplies, putting weird things together and cheap supplies from Spirit Halloween, but it all works out in the end. The coat I have on is a leather coat from a rock band costume. I didn’t want to put sparkles on the actual coat Sunset gave me…
“Thanks, Rarity. It wasn’t that hard though. Trust me. I wanted something cheap and flashy, so this is the outcome.” Turning around to give Rarity a small showcase of the whole outfit, I finally look towards Twilight again, pointing towards her robes. “Though, Twilight. If you don’t mind me asking, what character are you dressed as?” It seemingly takes a moment for my question to register with Twilight, her eyes focused on her own costume. When she finally hears my question, her eyes slowly look up at mine, an irritated and bewildered expression on her face as if she was questioning my sanity for even asking such a question.
“A… character?” Twilight slowly asks me, letting go of her robes to give me her full attention. Applejack is seemingly giggling from the side at this whole situation while Fluttershy cautiously stares at us. “Did you just… think that Star Swirl is a character? Only the most widely known philosopher of the known world?” Twilight almost angrily points down at her costume, her eyes still bewildered by my lack of knowledge. “THE Star Swirl who created numerous mathematical laws and theorized the orbit of the Earth?” Taking a deep breath, Twilight tries to compose herself before slapping the palm of her hand against her forehead. “Do you really not know him? How does nobody know who Star Swirl is?! We all took elementary math, right? I made this costume, stitch by stitch. Yet no one recognizes him and thinks I’m some freaking wizard!” Twilight lets out an exasperated sigh, walking over and hitting her head against one of the walls of a stand, making Fluttershy walk over to try and talk to her.
“Uh oh. The canon finally popped~” Pinkie Pie lets out with a humorous tone, causing Rainbow Dash and Applejack to start laughing at her joke.
“Don’t worry, Adagio dear. She’ll get over it~ She’s like this pretty much every Halloween. She dresses as some important historical figure and wonders why none of the kids know them. She was just a lot more interested in academic work back when she was their age,” Rarity tells me with a pat of my shoulder. Sunset takes a deep breath and giggles slightly, looking at us with a small nod.
“I should probably go talk to her~ She’ll need a little pep talk before we can really take the night in full.” As the Supergirl of my dreams makes her way over to Twilight, Rainbow Dash, now dressed as the amazing Spider-Girl, grabs my arm.
“Before I forget! You need to come to the alligator maze with me! I want to see who can last the longest in there!” Rainbow Dash tells me with a muffled voice from under her mask, instantly making my heart fill with dread. The alligator maze… again? No no no. I thought I was done with that when I did it for Sunset all those months ago.
“Why exactly?” I ask her with a nervous tone, trying to pull away from Dash, but her grip refuses to let me go.
“You did great outrunning me in the School Days maze! Me of all people! I want to see what you can do again~ Come on! It’ll be fun!” Rainbow Dash exclaims in an excited tone, only causing me to dread it even more. The last time I was in the alligator maze, I barely won… Now I’m expected to compete again? In this new costume? I mean, at least it isn’t made out of great materials and all. And they give you a change of shirts for the maze, right…?
Looking over to Sunset, I see her stoic figure standing beside Twilight, giving her the warm smile I crave almost every moment we’re together. Taking a deep breath, I look at Applejack with a serious expression. “Applejack. Make sure Sunny watches the maze when it starts. I feel like I’m going to need the support.”
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Walking towards one of the many benches scattered across the park, I sit down to catch my breath, watching the happy people enjoy the amusement park for all it’s worth. I’ve only been here for an hour and those girls have already dragged me across multiple attractions. I would still be with them right now, but they all wanted to go into some house of mirrors or such. All I know is that it featured another maze and I didn’t want to go through with that. So, I opted to stay out of it. Another maze just sounds like torture right now, but if they want to go through it, then I hope they have fun.
For now, all I want to do is rest. I still have a long night ahead of me and I’m not sure what they will want to do. If we ever go on the Ferris wheel, I don’t want to sit with anyone but Sunset. That just wouldn’t seem right. That’s… the place I realized how I felt about Sunset. This whole place opened my eyes to how friends act with one another and how my feelings for Sunset were a little… more. It would only be right if I ride that with the one I love instead of one of our friends. I already played multiple games with the girls, so they should understand. Rainbow Dash ended up beating me at the alligator maze by a little bit, but at least Sunset was there to cheer me on. I also tried my luck at throwing baseballs at bottles with Applejack, but she beat me at that. Still, it’s been a lot of fun so far. Multiple of Dash’s inventions have been set off and the park security keeps trying to find out who placed those mines and other concoctions of evil. Rainbow Dash is just too evasive.
“Psst,” a quiet sound emanates from behind me, making my ear twitch slightly. Who could be behind me…? I thought everyone went into the mirror maze together… At least, I think they did? Taking a breath, I quietly turn around to look behind the bench, seeing a large black figure. Looking up, I finally make eye contact with the huge imposing person, their black cloak masking most of their features. Who in the hell…? What does this person want with me? Better yet, why are they standing so close. Within a moment, the cloak flies open revealing a very tall person in a suit, a loud hiss coming out of their mouth. “I want to drink your blood!” she exclaims, her voice is full of a heavy Southern accent. Ah… I see now. The white face threw me off at first, but the red hair makes sense now.
“Hello, Apple Bloom,” I say calmly, standing up and looking at her costume in detail. This is something classic, huh? A vampire costume. I see Apple Bloom went all out with the red ribbons, making sure they accent the suit and cloak. Even when I’m standing, she’s a few inches taller than me. She really felt the need to use stilts, huh?
“Huh? You’re not scared? Aw, come on! I snuck up behind ya and everything. I’m not even a little scary?” Apple Bloom asks me with a pout, taking her plastic fangs out of her mouth. Upon further inspection, it’s evident just how disproportionate Apple Bloom’s arms are compared to her comically large legs.
“Maybe to Muppets,” I tell her in a teasing tone, poking her with my finger. As a result, Apple Bloom is thrown off balance for a moment, trying to steady herself once more. “Nice costume. You must have put a lot of effort into it, huh? I didn’t think you’d go as a vampire.”
“I ain’t just any vampire! I’m Dracula! The queen of the vampires in a sense~ Did ya know her first feature film was almost banned for being too violent?” Considering the films of older monsters were made decades ago, it’s hard for me to believe that a movie made back then would feature more violence than today’s standards. The movie was probably in danger of a ban due to stricter limits back then. “And yeah, it did take a lotta work. Especially gettin pants that are this long,” Apple Bloom tells me while pointing down at her legs. If a person pays close attention, they could probably see the small tent at the knees, showing where her actual feet are located.
“What about this cloak? Did you make it yourself, short stuff?” I ask her while feeling the cloak, making Apple Bloom pout once more.
“I ain’t short, Adagio… I’m still growin’ and ya know it.” After telling me this, Apple Bloom grabs the cloak and twirls it back and forth, making it look like it’s flying in the wind. “I had a little bit of help with this! I asked Rarity to help me sew the red ribbons on the cloak. As far as she knew, I told her I was makin’ a curtain, so she didn’t know about this~” To be honest, the only thing that could probably reach the ankles of her stilts all the way to her neck is a curtain.
“Speaking of which, why did you want to make stilts a part of your costume? Why not ditch them?” It can’t be easy to walk around on stilts the whole night. Besides, wouldn’t she want to run around like she usually does? I guess I just fail to see the point.
“Because Dracula is tall and scary! And if I ditched them, then I would be dragging two and a half feet of cloak on the ground.”
“I think you should be asking yourself why you decided to make the cloak so damn long. You got yourself into this mess, so you can’t exactly complain about it being too long.” Apple Bloom punches my shoulder with an annoyed look on her face before sighing deeply to herself. Honestly, it’s still weird to be looking up at Apple Bloom for a change rather than down.
“I was tryna be scary, but yeah. And I like my costume the way it is, so deal with it.” Before I can say anything else, Apple Bloom grabs a white bag attached to her hip with a belt and reaches inside. Slowly, the young cowgirl hands me a cherry lollipop, smiling at me. “I got you this~ I thought you would like cherry candy, given your love for cherries and all.”
Taking the candy from her hand, I look at the wrapper and feel a smile come across my face, happy that she thought about me. “Thank you, Apple Bloom~ I really appreciate it~” The last time someone other than Sunset gave me candy was probably a few years ago. Sonata was the one who gave me the candy. I can’t even remember what it was at this point, but I do remember I hardly gave her a thanks for the kind gesture… Sonata and Aria really didn’t deserve my bullshit. In a way, I’m glad they left since they didn’t have to deal with that for another year, but I also… miss them. “Anyway, are your friends here? I haven’t seen them around.”
“Oh, yeah! They’re here! Scoots is kinda in the process of throwing up from eating too many sweets, but we’ve been enjoying the rides and all! I saw ya at the alligator maze~” Apple Bloom has a smug look on her face, smirking at me before poking my shoulder. “Doing that maze for you know who again~?”
“Well, no. Dash dared me to compete against her and all. But I guess I did enjoy the fact that Sunset was watching me.” Apple Bloom laughs at my statement, making me raise my eyebrow slowly.
“I knew it! Seriously. You do everything for her~ It’s so cute~” Apple Bloom tells me with a big smile and a teasing tone. Never in my life did I think I would be bullied by a high school girl and I would let her get away with it… The only reason Apple Bloom can tease me like this is simply because she’s my friend.
“What did your friends end up dressing as?” I ask the young cowgirl in an attempt to change the conversation, putting the lollipop in my pocket.
“Scoots wanted to be a mad scientist for this Halloween and Sweetie Belle decided to be a robot~ Although, I do admit it’s weird she decided to dress like herself, just with robot makeup. She keeps calling herself Sweetie Bot.” Both of us laugh quietly at Apple Bloom’s statement, finding this whole situation funny.
“Are we sure she isn’t a robot?” I joke around, nudging Apple Bloom.
“Well, I’ve seen her x-rays, so I’m pretty sure at least!” Apple Bloom is so weird. Her friends are so weird. But I hope they never change. Stay weird, you rascals.
=======================================================
The night’s cold air forces Sunset and I into our apartment as fast as we can get inside. We spent several hours at Equestria World, eating junk food and riding all the rides we can. Sunset even took part in a costume contest, which made me happy to see. It’s not like we could have afforded all these expenses tonight, but Fluttershy paid for pretty much everything. That is something I didn’t see coming… I knew Fluttershy was generous and kind, but to an extent to pay for practically everyone’s food and tickets? I’m surprised she had enough money. Honestly, I just hope Rainbow Dash didn’t make her go bankrupt. By the time Sunset and I decided to leave the amusement park, Dash was still eating as much candy as she could, drinking soda from one of the largest cups they offered at the park.
Sunset and I even caught Rarity and Applejack kissing beside one of the stands before we had to go. I’m surprised they felt the need to hide, considering they’ve been in a relationship longer than Sunset and I and she feels comfortable enough to kiss my cheek in front of them. Still, it’s not my business. If they feel more comfortable getting away from others to show their affection, that’s more than alright. I did feel a little guilty for leaving earlier than everyone else, but Sunset and I both feel tired. I’ve never celebrated Halloween before, so it was more intense than I thought it would be.
“Well, Adagio~ Did you enjoy your first Halloween?” Sunset asks me after locking the door behind us, not bothering to turn on the lights. Her arms wrap around my neck, holding me close with a warm smile on her face. The whole night, she was my superhero, making sure I had a great holiday just as much as I was trying to do things right for our first Halloween together.
“It was alright~” I whisper in a teasing tone, causing Sunset to giggle at my response. Her hand cups my cheek slowly, laying her lips upon mine.
“Just alright? I thought you had a lot of fun~” Sunset says as she presses her forehead against mine.
“Oh, I did have a lot of fun. I’m just glad to be home with you again~” Sunset rocks us back and forth slowly, both of us just listening to the silence inside our apartment. Despite the cold air outside, it feels warm in her arms. After the incredibly energetic night that was tonight, it feels really nice to just stand here, holding onto this embrace for the time being. Closing the distance between us, I finally take my chance to return the kiss she gave me so willingly. The warmth of her lips reminds me just how lucky I am to have her. She spent the whole night making sure I was having fun and enjoying myself when she really didn’t have to do that. It was my first Halloween and it went better than I could have ever expected.
All of that is due to her. Even though I was trying to make things go right for her sake, I can’t say how thankful I am for being able to spend this night with her. Holidays meant nothing to me when I was a siren… That sentiment has since changed. I always look forward to spending those special days with her. This world can be so… dark. But with her around, everything feels so much better. I love her… I love this life we have together.
Pressing my lips against hers again, her embrace feels less warm than before. Is she getting cold? Or am I just taking a lot of her heat? It’s probably just the room itself. We ignored the lights and it was a cold night. Hopefully, I can make up for that in bed~ Trying to reach for her cheek, my hand doesn’t seem to move from her waist. Am I… tired…? I didn’t think I was tired enough to find it hard to move my hand. Sunset kisses me again, but I can barely feel it… Why am I feeling like this…? Why are my lips numb? It’s not just my lips, it’s my skin… It’s so hard to kiss her back… Am I really this tired? All of my energy seems to be leaving my body. Sunset’s hand cups my cheek, but I don’t feel anything… Why can’t I feel it? Did I eat something wrong? Am I about to pass out? What is happening to me? “I suppose we should be getting to bed, huh?” Sunset whispers, breaking our embrace and walking into the hall. “I’ll see you in there, Alligator~” Her whisper is so sweet, but I don’t want her to leave me. Why do I feel like this? Please don’t go… I don’t want to fall or… something…
By the time Sunset goes inside our room, my head moves on its own, looking down at my hands. My fingers clench into fists without my control… Why am I acting like this? Adagio, pull yourself together. You’re just tired, right? No matter how much I try to open my hands, they won’t do it. I try so hard to move my feet, but I just stand still. Until my body decides to move on its own again, walking towards the bathroom. Why am I subconsciously moving…? I’m awake? I should be falling over if I’m this numb…
My body won’t listen to me… I can’t control a single thing. I’m just moving subconsciously for some reason and I have nothing to do to stop it… Why is this happening? This isn’t natural, right? Walking inside the bathroom, my hand closes the door and turns on the light. What is happening to me? I… I don’t know what to do… My eyes look up towards the mirror, staring at the reflection with a solemn face. My eyes almost look… angry…? My hand moves on its own again, gently scratching my nails down the wall. My mouth moves into a smirk despite my attempts to control myself… This… can’t be happening. That smirk… Those eyes… I’ve only seen them before when I was hallucinating. This can’t be another hallucination, right? It feels… way too real…
“Poor Adagio,” my own mouth lets out, watching the mirror with an intense hatred. An evil chuckle escapes my own lips, leaning over the bathroom counter to look at the mirror closer. “I warned you I would get more powerful. All you had to do was listen to me.” Scratching my nails into the counter, my hand opens the door, reaching for the light before looking into the mirror one last time. “Now… It’s too late~”
The End
…
Till Next Time…
Author’s notes:
Hello, everyone! Spyder27 here again~ How are you all doing? I’m so glad you decided to read this fic! If things go according to plan, I will be uploading this on October 15th, the anniversary of this fic’s creation. Exactly one year ago, I started writing A Dazzling World, so I hope everyone has enjoyed this Halloween special! By now, I’m sure multiple of you have caught on to the irony of the name. A Spooky Scary Siren has multiple meanings. For one, it’s a pun off the classic song, but another meaning for the name is that last scene we just witnessed~ Umbra Adagio is back, but to what capacity? Who knows~? We’ll have to wait and see in the next story~ Speaking of which, it’s about time I reveal the name of the next story, isn’t it? Well, there’s one more short story before we get to A Dazzling Trio and it will be called That Warm Smile~ It will basically act as a montage of cutesy scenes between Adagio and Sunset for a couple years in-story while setting up the major arcs to come in A Dazzling Trio~ I hope everyone is looking forward to it~
Since it is the anniversary of my story, I want to offer something special to my audience since it really has meant a lot to me that everyone has stuck with this story for so long. Today, I will be treating myself since I’m pretty proud of how far this story has come, so I will be answering whatever questions my audience has for me~ Whether it be in the comments or DMs. If you’ve had a burning question about my story and you’ve wanted to ask for a while, here’s your chance! Ask me any question you may have when it comes to the lore of the Sundagioverse and I will answer as best as I can! If you would prefer to ask me a question in DMs, you can message my FIMFiction profile or you can message my Discord account, Spyder27#2921. I’m not a critical person, so any question is welcome and I love feedback~ As always, you all mean the world to me and I hope you know that you’re special and deserve love~ Anyway, have a great day and stay special, everyone!
