The sunlight faintly visible over the horizon, The Grand Pumpkin stood before the six women assembled before him. Each in varying states of undress, streaked with all manner fluids, both bodily and magical.

Each offered only empty stares in reply, with backs straight and arms at their sides, their faces devoid of emotion. The vines that held them up had begun to wither, the Nightmare Night magic already nearly faded, but still strong enough to fulfill its final task.

“Each of you, my newest disciples, have been blessed with the most important duty that a mortal can receive.” He said, his already meagre form beginning to shrink further as the sun drifted higher. “For you are each now host to the essence of The Grand Pumpkin!”

“Thank you, for your blessing!” they all replied, parts of it still clinging to their near naked forms.

“From this day, hence, you shall return to your mundane and unfulfilled lives, unaware of the great honour of which you are now a part! You shall destroy all evidence, forget all that has transpired, and conceal your involvement in this great work from the non-believers until they too can be converted to our noble cause!”

“All shall serve The Grand Pumpkin!”

“But in one year’s time, when Nightmare Night begins anew, you will feel The Grand Pumpkin’s call! The essence to which you now play host will take hold, and return you to this pumpkin patch, where you will fulfill your life’s true purpose!”

“We live to serve The Grand Pumpkin!”

Taking one last admiring look, the feel of renewed hope within him as anticipation took root where, for many years, only dread had remained, The Grand Pumpkin bid his new disciples farewell.

Pinkie Pie, at the head of the procession, bent low and took hold of the two bags of candy that Dash and Applejack had brought with them. Spike, drained from the night’s activity, was taken hold of by Twilight, cradled in her arms as they made for home, followed by the remaining women, marching away in perfect unison.

“Morning everyone!” Pinkie Pie squealed, drawing pained groans from each of her friends. Each sat around the cafe table, looking as if they hadn’t slept a wink the night before.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, taking a seat between Fluttershy, her head flat on the table, and Rarity, who nursed a steaming cup of tea, the bags under her eyes concealed by a liberal coating of concealer.

“We don’t know…” Dash groused.

“We think we might’ve caught somethin’ while we were out last night.”

“Except I didn’t go out last night.” Twilight interjected.

“And neither did I.” Fluttershy murmured into the table.

“Spike hasn’t even gotten out of bed, yet. Poor little guy just keeps moaning in his sleep.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that…” Pinkie Pie frowned. “But I’ve got something that I think will make everyone feel a lot better!” She stood again, removing her backpack, unzipping it, and turning it upside down, a waterfall of sweets pouring out and onto the table.

“Whoa! Where did all’a this come from?”

“The Grand Pumpkin!” Pinkie Pie said, an air of satisfaction to her voice as her friends sifted through the still expanding pile.

“He’s real?!” Rarity asked, incredulous.

“Sure is! Or, at least, I think he is, anyway… I might have took a little nap while I was waiting. But when I woke up this morning, I was back home, with all my stuff, and all of this!”

“Fascinating.” Twilight remarked, taking a toffee roll in hand and examining it like a specimen.

Applejack glared over across the table, Dash returning the favour. “Well, at least someone had’a good haul…”

“Hey! I’m not the one who lost it all! You were supposed to be carrying it! And besides-”

From beneath a tangle of light pink hair, Fluttershy’s eye, narrowed to a slit, had caught Dash’s. A finger to her lips, she growled. “Quieter. Please.”

“The point is…” Dash continued after a moment, her voice lower, pausing one second more, awaiting Shy’s thumb’s up before going further. “The point is, you were supposed to be looking after it, and you’re the one who’s gonna’ have to apologise to Scootaloo for losing it.”

“Is that so?”

“Why don’t you two just take mine?” Pinkie Pie interrupted, shaking the last few dregs loose from the depths of her bag. “This is way too much for me to finish anyway.” she fibbed.

“Aw, we couldn’t do that, sug. Dash’ll be fine buyin’ up the candy that she lost.”

“I insist! We’ll get some bags and split it up right here! After all, the best part of Nightmare Night candy is sharing it!”

Pinkie Pie slid her arm through the pile and parted it in half, pushing the heap to either side.

“Gee, thanks, Pinkie.” Dash said. “I wish there was something I could-” A faint green flicker interrupted her train of thought, rippling out across her magenta eyes too quickly for the others to notice then vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared. “Y’know what? Next year, why don’t I wait for The Grand Pumpkin with you?”

Pinkie squealed, drawing another round of groans from the others as she took Dash into her arms.

The same green flicker reappeared, this time in Twilight’s eyes, as her hands returned to the toffee role. “I think I might like to join you as well… Our experiment last night didn’t really pan out, but this… This is interesting.”

“I think I might like to come, too, darling.”

“Yeah, the girls are probably old enough t’be goin’ out on their own anyway.”

Fluttershy merely raised a hand, her head once again against the table.

“You guys are the best!” she beamed. “I have a feeling that next year’s Nightmare Night will be even better than this one’s!”

Author's Note

Alright, here's the rest of it.

I missed the deadline, got bogged down, took a break, and now I'm back. I tried by best to adhere to the spirit of the challenge I set for myself, which is to say, minimal revisions, quick turnaround, etc. (basically, if it's bad, it's bad on purpose :D)

ANYWAY, I dunno what I learned from trying this. Maybe next time will be better.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!