A deep, rumbling mixture of insanity and laughter echoed in Bon Bon's ears. The truly foreboding sound was coming from the next room over, and made her ears twitch in dread of what was to come. Her tail flicked at her side while a deepening frown creased her face.

"Lyra!" Bon Bon shouted over her marefriend's fake, evil laughter. "Would you hurry it up? We're going to be late for the party and it will be all your fault!" Her hoof banged loudly on the bathroom door in an earnest attempt to get her mint green friend to get the move on.

Lyra harrumphed, still admiring and adjusting her costume in the mirror. "Just a minute, Bon Bon!" she answered back cheerfully. "Pinkie Pie's Nightmare Night parties always go on for ages! We're in no hurry, babe."

Bon Bon sighed and slunk up against the wall, forelegs crossed. She looked down at the way she was leaning against the wall; on her hind legs. After living with Lyra for so long she had picked up the habit. It was one more thing that made her fit in around the craziness of Ponyville.

The trick-or-treaters were mostly finished for the night, not that Lyra and Bon Bon had ever expected to get that many way out of the way as their house was. With the foals, fillies and colts all being reigned in by parents for the evening, that meant it was time for the true Nightmare Night festivities to start.

Neither Lyra or Bon Bon were about to stay in for the best parts of the Equestrian holiday. Though, they did have a bit of a walk into town ahead of them. The two had moved into the remote farmhouse recently to be together, but doing so put them quite out of the way from Ponyville.

The choice of a farmhouse was also an odd one, in hindsight. Neither Lyra or Bon Bon could grow so much as a patch of grass if they tried and Bon Bon, at least, really didn’t care for manual labor.

Still, the purchase had been a joyous occasion, made only slightly less so by the fact the home was actually the furthest one from Ponyville while still being considered a part of the town.

Bon Bon sighed a second time, thinking about how much time was being wasted by Lyra, then addressed her other half again. "What are you even doing in there, Lyra?" she asked through the shut bathroom door.

Her marefriend's voice shouted back. "Costume switch!" There was a decidedly large amount of thumping in the bathroom that further worried Bon Bon. "Just in case we stop at Vinyl's party at some point, you know? I wanted something I could really dance in! It would be way too hard to dance in the 'Seapony from the Black Lagoon' costume."

Bon Bon growled and fell back to all fours angrily. "Lyra, I said we are not going to another one of Vinyl's parties. We can go to Pinkie's party, but that's it." She stamped a hoof in finality on the matter. There was absolutely no chance in Tartarus that she was going to another rave, or whatever they were, if she could help it. At least, not so soon.

The bathroom door swung open, and a tussled white and mint green maned head hung outwards to leer at her mischievously. "Aaw, come on, Bon Bon. Let's have a little fun tonight!"

Bon Bon deadpanned at Lyra upon seeing what she had on. "We will have plenty of fun, Lyra." Her eyes ran over the skin tight, blue and red costume that her marefriend had apparently changed into. "What in Equestria are you wearing?"

Lyra blinked, then grinned and stepped fully out of the bathroom while looking down at herself. "Do you like it? Rarity did such a good job with the pattern! Hee!" She spun in a tight circle, as a dog might chase its tail, still looking over herself.

"What is it supposed to be? Some sort of... sports team?" Bon Bon raised an eyebrow at Lyra; simultaneously, she began pushing the other pony towards the front door. If they didn't leave now to start their lengthy walk into town, she knew they would miss the beginnings of the late night festivities.

Lyra groaned and extended a hoof out in front of herself while being pushed along through the house. "It's Spidermane, Bon Bon! Spidermane! I talk to you about that comic all the time. Haven't you been listening?"

"Ah huh," Bon Bon murmured in acknowledgement. She opened their front door and pushed Lyra out with her head, not letting the other mare slow down even for a second. At least she didn't try dressing up as one of those... things, again.

Lyra went on, switching without pause from mild irritation to a voice filled with wonder. "He's awesome, and always sticks it to villains in style. Honestly, that superhero has been around for ages now."

The two's hooves clunked loudly on their front porch's steps until they made it to the dirt path leading to the highway. The road ran in one direction out towards the next town over, and in the other, went to the much closer Ponyville. There were fields stretching all the way into Ponyville on their left; to the right and across the road were the beginnings of the White Tail Woods.

Lyra paused at the foot of their porch stairs. "Wow," she exclaimed, then grinned and bounced on her hooves. "Look at all this fog!" She laughed excitedly and ran down the path a ways. "This is great! The weather ponies never do this! Oh wow, it's so spooky! This’ll be the best Nightmare Night ever.” More teehees escaped the mare as she twirled around and beckoned her companion after her. “Come on, Bon Bon!"

Bon Bon smirked and cantered after the other mare. "Coming, Lyra. Slow down. I know I said we’d be late, but I didn’t mean it.”

Lyra continued to laugh, cantering in a wild zig-zag from one side of the road to the other. All the while she was dipping a free hoof in the fog that roiled and hung all around them both. “This stuff is so fun!” she exclaimed. A moment later, and her horn lit up, the glow drawing in a large clump of the cloudy substance into a ball. She giggle more, an idea forming. “Bon Bon, catch!”

The ball of fog soared through the air towards the other mare, until it dissipated only half towards its destination. Lyra let out a disappointed sound and wilted some, tail drooping.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes and caught up with Lyra. “Well, it was fog, dummy. What did you expect?”

“Dummy?” Lyra scrunched up her face, then stuck out her tongue in retaliation. “Am not!”

Bon Bon sighed, but smiled. “Alright, alright. You’re not. Just, calm down, Spider- er... Spider..." She held a hoof up to her chin, struggling to think of the word.

Lyra's smile pulled down at one side until she was frowning slightly. "You live under a rock, Bon Bon," she proclaimed. "It's just, Spidermane. Totally not that complicated." She chuckled again, then started down the main path into town.

Bon Bon promptly addressed the accusation that had been laid before her. "I'll have you know, Lyra, that I'm perfectly happy underneath my rock. It's very cozy, normal, and quiet in here." Her voice had just a hint of playfulness in it. She stuck her nose up in the air, too, for effect.

Lyra grinned. "Is that sooo~," she teased. Her head bent over at an angle and rested on Bon Bon's back, eyes drawn up to meet the other pony's. After she looked back at her, Lyra continued. "Is there room for two under that rock of yours?"

Bon Bon scrunched her face up a little, fighting a smile. "Lyra..." she said warningly.

"Cause, it doesn't sound like a lot of fun in there if there isn't." Lyra chuckled and cantered ahead somewhat, tail swishing up to bat at the other pony's face.

"Lyra-" Bon Bon said again, but with more intensity in her voice this time.

Lyra grinned wider and kept going, now trotting backwards in front of her marefriend. "I think that we should sell that rock, don't you? Then we can go and buy a bigger rock, and paint it up to make it nice! And then name it-" Lyra cut off, stumbling and taken completely by surprise. "Ah-!"

A little ways away and deposited in the shadows, Lyra landed in a small, single pony heap at the side of the road. She groaned and shifted on her side. "Ow... I'm okay."

Bon Bon sucked in a breath, then trotted over to the shallow ditch. "The road curves there, love," she said flatly, then offered the other pony a hoof up.

Lyra accepted it, wearing a weak smile. She managed a sheepish laugh once she had been hoisted back onto the path. "Oops, well... I would have seen that if this fog wasn't so thick. Honestly, what were those weather ponies thinking? This fog is terrible." She looked around herself with a glare at the foggy landscape and cornfields.

Bon Bon’s flat expression shifted a bit more towards a frown the moment Lyra brought up the weather again, but sans the praise this time. "Blaming the weather now, are you?” she asked after a thoughtful hum, then began pulling her marefriend along to get them both moving again.

“Well, it is the weather’s fault-” Lyra started to say, then stopped mid sentence.

In the direction of their house, Lyra spotted a tall, looming shadow up on the far ridge. She giggled. "Hehe, hey, Bon Bon. Get a load of our house; it is sooo spooky tonight."

Bon Bon gave her special somepony a smile, then did just that. Their house loomed up and out of the fog, stretching upwards into the sky on its hill. "Oh, wow. No wonder we only had five trick-or-treaters this year." Her eyes studied up and down the crooked looking building. It practically looked as though it were a scene in a painting, the bright full moon peering just over the top of its eaves.

Bon Bon gasped, spotting something else in the dead of night. "Lyra!" she exclaimed, ears laying themselves down flat atop her head.

Lyra turned around fro looking over her left shoulder, before meeting Bon Bon's accusing look. "Hm? What's wrong?"

Bon Bon nipped derisively at the other pony’s closest ear, then continued. "You left the light on again! That's such a waste of magic! They burn out you know, and aren't cheap!"

Lyra blinked for a moment, then spotted the lights aglow in every corner of their home’s windows. I could have sworn I turned out at least a few… She faced Bon Bon, laughing ashamedly. "Oopsie," she managed, then rubbed a hoof behind her head.

Bon Bon grimaced a little at their home again, just for a second, then sighed and decided to let the oversight be. She turned and addressed Lyra. “Come on, goof-ball. I guess it can't be helped now.”

Together, the two ponies kicked up a steady pace, with Lyra snickering and falling in at Bon Bon’s side.

Overhead, the moon glowed brightly, offering a welcomed source of light, but it did little to help overall. The evening wasn't awfully dark out to begin with. However, the carpet of grey fog that stretched in every direction did a very good job of obscuring everything.

The two ponies could not see further than a just few strides of the ground out in front of themselves.

Lyra groaned again while absently adjusting the front of her costume with one hoof. “Seriously though, the weather ponies really over did it with the fog.”

Bon Bon smirked over at Lyra. It wasn’t like the other pony to let something bother her. Typically it was she that did the bothering. “I think you should just watch where you're going, Mrs. Heartstrings-"

Somewhere in the distance, a loud howl pierced the night, cutting off Bon Bon.

She froze where she stood and began shaking. "Uh- uhm."

Lyra burst out laughing a moment later. "Aw, don't be scared, Bonners. I'll protect you." She threw a leg over the other pony and got her moving once more, still chuckling. "It's nothing to be afraid of, after all, just timberwolves!"

Bon Bon let herself be led onward, staring around at the brightly lit fields of various farm pony families. "Y-yeah, just timberwolves," she remarked back sarcastically, with a trace amount of fear still in her voice. "You know, anypony with sense about them would be scared about timberwolves, Lyra..."

Lyra looked over at her marefriend with a smile.

Bon Bon continued, leaning over to nudge the other pony’s neck. "I guess that makes me glad I don't have just anypony, with me."

Lyra giggled and accepted her friend's nuzzle.

Just ahead, the lights of Ponyville were starting to come into view. It was a good sized town; not small or particularly large, but big enough that the sounds of partying ponies could be heard now, though. Strangely enough, much of the fog ended as well the closer they got.

Once the pair did get close enough that the music and happiness leaking from the town could be easily heard, Lyra began dancing rapidly on her hooves. She squealed in sheer delight from the sound of some very spooky sounding music and chorus. "OooooOoh! Bon Bon Bon BonBonBon! We're missing a song, a song! We have to huuuu-urryyyy!"

Bon Bon sighed and watched in dismay as her far more excitable partner began speeding into Ponyville proper, leaving her in the dust. Of course, this meant she had no choice but to run after her. "Slow down you-! Lyra! Oh never mind..." She exhaled in defeat, then pushed herself into a gallop of her own to chase after the other mare.

The sounds of the music quickly picked up all around Bon Bon as she neared the lively town's center. There were musicians at every street corner playing a haunting melody. Whatever song was being played, which was likely as not put together by Pinkie Pie, it was certainly a doozy. There was nopony in the streets that still went about their own business, rather than joining in, or at least listening.

Bon Bon smiled a little, enjoying the song, but still managed to groan, searching for the runaway Lyra. After a little looking, she could just barely make out the bobbing of a certain tussled, mint-green mane further ahead.

Bon Bon slid into the town square’s crowd, just as the song seemed to be coming to its peak. "Lyra..." She muttered, spotting her marefriend at the very center of the action. There were ponies dancing and flourishing their hooves excitedly everywhere. Once again, Ponyville’s ability to perform impromptu song and dance was a wonder to behold.

Bon Bon sighed, realizing there was no way she could match Lyra’s speed or nimbleness without knocking over other ponies in the crowd. She gave up hope of catching her marefriend, and instead joined the song, still building in intensity. When in Roam… she thought with a smirk.

The song quickly built in intensity, the ponies all taking part increasing the complexity of their choreography; unless they were simply fooling around.

Everypony around the town’s center was laughing as the final notes and bits of chorus from the song drifted away on the wind. Princess Luna had materialized at the center of it all, landing her storm cloud shortly after. She was subsequently swarmed by the costumed ponies around her, all of them clamoring to speak with or congratulate her on the performance. Pegasi and bat winged ponies wheeled overhead, all cheering or laughing with equal excitement.

Bon Bon smiled from her lonesome spot by a few bales of hay, having hung back somewhat from the nightmare show's epicenter.

“Wasn’t that great!?” Lyra exclaimed to Bon Bon, bouncing up behind the other mare.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened to their utmost and she almost jumped from surprise. A shriek that had threatened to leave her throat stopped itself just barely. Despite her spot at the edge of the crowd, somehow Lyra had come up behind her. She was used to that sort of thing, though.

Bon Bon turned around calmly to face the unicorn, smiling. “Yes, Lyra, that was a great song. Now aren't you glad we weren’t late?” A content bit of laughter left her as she spoke.

Lyra grinned from fuzzy ear to fuzzy ear and nodded rapidly. “Yup! Oh my gosh. Bon Bon, there is so much we have to do tonight and so little time! We have to hurry!” With that, she zoomed forward and encapsulated Bon Bon in a powerful hug around her neck, holding her against her own barrel.

Meanwhile, Lyra's eyes scanned the crowd, games, and activities at her disposal. “Now what do we do first!? Games!? The Party!? Candy?" she listed off. "Ooo, deep fried something sounds good, actually.”

Bon Bon tried to speak. “Hmmrfgle hrmf…” Unfortunately, her face was planted squarely in Spidermane’s armpit. With a bit of work, she wrestled herself free. “Uggh- Lyra, calm down. We’ll have time for everything, I’m sure.” Before her partner could bounce to another subject, she continued. “How about the party. It looks particularly grand this year.” And maybe you’ll burn off some of this energy if you dance for a little while…

Pinkie Pie’s party location was easy to see this year. The Town Hall’s outside was absolutely covered in decorations, and the inside probably was, too. Pumpkins sat on every step, while fake gravestones and other props of a gruesome design hung on the walls.

Lyra gasped, standing up on her back legs, then just like that, had once again taken the lead. “The party! Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” She was already happily trotting away, and almost seemed determined to end up inside the building by herself.

"Lyra, would you wait?" With several years of being used to Lyra’s eccentricities under her belt, however, Bon Bon was able to catch up in time.

Lyra continued speaking. “Wow. Did you see the Princess, Bon Bon? Wasn’t she amazing? I can’t believe we were ever scared of her— And she’s here again this year! We have got to meet her!” She squealed. “Come on, I saw her go inside!” Her hoof flashed out and snatched up Bon Bon’s as if it were a piece of candy.

“Okay okay, I’m coming. Slow down.” Bon Bon wrestled her hoof back, but kept pace with the other mare as they moved through the sparse Ponyville crowd.

Lyra snickered and began trotting backwards. “That’s what she said.” Soon, they were standing beside the Town Hall entrance. A couple other ponies entering the building laughed, overhearing them.

Bon Bon did her best not to blush and grabbed Lyra’s hoof again. “Come on, you.” Quickly, thanks to Bon Bon’s shame, they ducked into the party scene.

Inside, the building was normally used as an administrative center. Now, a haunting celebration had taken over its entirety. The infamous Pinkie Pie seemed to have not spared an inch in decorating the place, although it was a little difficult to tell through the dim, swirling lights and hazy atmosphere. Adding somewhat to Bon Bon’s irritation was the fog rolling over her like a waterfall from the smoke machine, positioned right over the entrance.

To Lyra’s pleasure, more ponies than not were dressed as horrific things this year, rather than showing up in friendlier costumes. She was already studying as many as she could, looking to and fro over the crowd. “Look! Somepony dressed as Jason Horsies! And over there! Oh my gosh, bat ponies! Is that the right name for them? Oh, and there! I think that’s—”

Bon Bon drowned out Lyra’s excited exclamations, though the somewhat loud music and crowd of ponies did most of the work. Her candy wrapper costume crinkled against her fur while she slowly made her way further inside along with Lyra. They passed by a pair of zombie ponies, giggling while moaning the words ‘brains’.

“So Lyra, what should we do…?” Bon Bon had spoken loudly over the music to Lyra, and was almost shocked to find her mint colored counterpart gone, and already dancing out on the floor. Though, dancing was maybe too strong of a word for some of the ponies that wore overly complicated outfits. Lyra, at least, was certainly going buck wild in her tight, spandex-like super hero outfit.

Despite how Bon Bon felt, Lyra looked happy, so she smiled and looked for something to keep herself preoccupied with. She was sure that in just a few short minutes the other mare would drag her out on the dance floor, regardless.

“Hey, Bon Bon!” a familiar sounding mare called out.

Bon Bon’s ears perked up and she turned to reveal the voice as none other than Pinkie Pie herself.

The pink filly trapped in a mare’s body had popped up out of nowhere and was wearing a shark costume of all things. Two flippers hung down and flopped from the sides, bobbing along with her gleeful bouncing.

“Pinkie!" Bon Bon ginned and hugged the other pony. "Great party. You’ve outdone yourself… again.” A subdued chuckle made its way out of her. The other mare was a long time friend of hers. That was true for most of the town, but Bon Bon often worked together with Pinkie, too.

“Aw, thanks, Bon Bon!” Pinkie Pie nodded and smiled. “You have to try this. Also, goodie bag! Here you go! Happy Halloween, by the way!” She hoofed Bon Bon a cup of punch without warning, along with a slice of pumpkin pie and a little bag.

A strobe light passed over them, and one blink later Pinkie Pie was gone. Bon Bon looked around herself in surprise. How did she do that? And how in the name of Celestia’s flank did she know I wanted these...? And what the hay is a Hollow-ween?

After a big shrug, and a bit of suspension of disbelief, Bon Bon found an unoccupied series of tables made up to look like crates. She sipped on her drink and was about to start on her pie, when Lyra popped up.

“Hey Bonnie! Ooo, is that Pie? And Candy!?” Lyra asked. She craned her head forward towards the dessert, sounding a bit too excited. She tried to grab for some, just before Bon Bon pulled it away.

“Hey, this is mine-” She paused when Lyra’s hoof had found its way inside the little bag, only to smack it away swiftly. “Lyra! Pinkie gave me these, now if you would please just… You managed to grab some, didn’t you?”

While Bon Bon was talking, she had shut her eyes, which was the worst mistake when dealing with the mare known as Lyra Heartstrings. A crunching noise to her right let her know that some of the candy had been taken prisoner and devoured.

“You closed your eyes, silly." Lyra chuckled. "Easier than taking candy from a baby!” She attempted to toss another piece of candy into her mouth, but was taken by surprise when the piece was snatched out of the air. “Hey!”

Bon Bon was already chewing away, ignoring her friend's protests. “Serves you right. This 'baby' is hanging onto her candy, Spider-thief.”

Lyra pouted, feeling torn away from what was rightfully hers. So she widened her eyes in a sad, puppy-dog-like way, and stared at the bag.

Bon Bon rolled her own eyes back at the act of foalish behavior. “That won’t work, Lyra. I would have happily shared if you had asked, but now you have to get your own candy.”

Lyra’s eyes suddenly widened still to their brink. Crocodile tears spilled out, though her muzzle remained shut.

Bon Bon wasn’t impressed; it was a pitiful show compared to what she’d seen Lyra do before, but relented after a fashion and held up a single lemon-head in her hoof. “Well, maybe I'll give you a second chance...” she offered, coyly.

Lyra followed the movement of the piece of candy from left to right.

“You want the treat, girl?” Bon Bon continued, a wolfish grin on her expression.

Lyra nodded jerkily, grinning.

Bon Bon threw the candy off into the party, at least that’s what Lyra saw. "Go get it!" she called out, laughing a little.

Bon Bon hadn’t actually thrown the candy, and she hadn’t expected Lyra to really go after it, either. She watched, a little suspicious of whether or not Lyra was being serious, as she charged across the room.

“L-Lyra! Oh, pony feathers.” Bon Bon tapped her hoof on the floor. “She’ll be back- Hey, where’s that piece of candy?”

Bon Bon inspected her hoof carefully, and all around herself, but the lemon-head was gone. Her eyes widened further a second later. “Where’s my pie!?”

Lyra snickered, still running away, her magical glow safely encapsulating the single piece of candy she had been teased with, as well as further spoils of war. Nopony denies me pie… Not anymore, anyway. She continued galloping a bit, then began to turn around so she could return to Bon Bon. She planned to approach, while eating the pie, and with a smug look.

Rounding a pillar, though, Lyra bumped into something tall, dark, and soft.

Lyra oofed and fell back on her butt.

A voice shouted loudly in protest of the intrusion. “What is the meaning of-! Oops.” It switched quickly from a loud, stallion-esq tone, to that of a much quieter mare’s.

Lyra shook her head and blinked a few times, her candy and prank forgotten.”Oh I am so sorry, uhm, Miss, I-” The words froze in her mouth, and she stared up in wonder at the pony standing before her. “Princess Luna!”

The princess smiled upon hearing her name. She gave the littler pony a hoof up while raising one of her eyebrows curiously. “Ah, greetings stranger. You are correct, that is my name…”

Lyra stared, half ready to giggle uncontrollably or begin blathering out questions about what it was like to be a princess. Wings would be so cool to just have, she thought happily.

Luna, however, continued on first. “And... are you dressed as Spidermane?” The Princess’s voice raised an octave for just a moment as she spoke. Quickly, she then composed herself. A subtle cough later and her poise returned as if it had never left.

Lyra blinked at the question, then chuckled nervously. “Uhm, yes, actually.” She quickly looked around herself and double checked her pie was still alright, which it was. Phew. “Princess, you know about Spidermane?” she asked incredulously.

There were ponies all around Luna that whispered or looked, before then moving on. Ponyvilleans knew the princess just wanted to have fun, too, after all.

Luna responded to Lyra with a couple, happy nods. “I do! I have found that… I rather enjoy the interesting dialogue in comic books. I suppose you do as well… Miss?”

“Oh! My name is Lyra, Princess Luna.” She bowed slightly, then let her eyes widen once again. “Wait, are you dressed up as Batmare?!” Shock gripped her mind, realizing that the Princess of the Night would know of such creations, and more than that, like them.

Luna nodded, gesturing at the black armor she must have donned only recently. “Do you like it? I believe it is an exact replica of one of the more modern designs. Hah, modern. Well, except for the cowl. I find not leaving it out to be more comfortable.”

“Heh, it looks great, either way.” Lyra grinned lopsidedly up to the Princess, still unable to believe she was having such a conversation. Wait, she didn’t have a costume ten minutes ago. Where did she- She found herself frowning alongside the thought, and dispelled it, along with the frown. “Eh-heh, so, are… you having a nice night, Princess?”

Luna turned her head to look out over the dance floor and nodded. “Please, my little pony, just 'Luna' is fine. And yes, this is a fine party. I would complement Pinkie on the wonderful job she has done, but she does not seem to stand still for very long.”

Lyra chuckled and looked to, her mane tossing over to the other side of her horn. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that girl stay put for long, Princess.” She made the response with a happy look.

“That does seem to be the case,” Luna chuckled in return. After a moment, she turned to look down at Lyra again, who in return stared back as if by command. “My subject, I thank you for speaking with me tonight in such a normal way.” Catching Lyra by complete surprise, the Princess enveloped her in a hug. “But I must profess I was on my way backstage to get ready for a surprise performance of terror. It should be quite impressive."

Lyra pursed her lips in excitement at hearing the claim. "Ooo, really? I love getting scared! It's the best part of Nightmare Night." She laughed and clapped her hooves appreciatively on the ground. The thought of a performance, or another performance as was the case, from Luna was exciting.

Luna returned a smile back to the other, smaller pony. "That is good. I wouldn't want you to run away, after all." She entertained a deep chuckle, joined in by Lyra's lighter, tinkling laughter.

Luna continued, her voice becoming more excited again. "And after that, I plan on enjoying some more games! Oh, perhaps you would you like to join me, Miss Lyra?”

Lyra blinked, words jumbling up in her mouth. “Ah- er. Oh, actually, heh, Princess, my wife is probably looking for me. See, I have her pie and-”

Luna snickered suddenly, in a princess-y way, and interrupted with, “That’s what she said,” then nodded quickly. “Say no more! I do hope that I can again see you and your excellent choice in costume tonight, though. In fact, I will endeavor to speak with thee of comics again soon, Miss Lyra. Take care!"

Lyra opened her mouth to laugh again and thank the princess, but instead felt a hoof tug on the side of her costume. She turned to look at who it was.

“Lyra?” Bon Bon asked, having tracked down her runaway marefriend. “Were you talking to somepony?”

“Oh I was just… Luna? Where’d she go?” Lyra looked all around, across the crowd, and even overhead after thinking about wings, but failed to find the princess again. There was only lots of fog and other costumed ponies.

“Princess Luna?” Bon Bon asked, joining Lyra in the search. “ Are you sure? I didn’t see her.”

Lyra turned back to Bon Bon. “She was just here a second ago! She even had on a Batmare costume on!”

Bon Bon deadpanned at the other pony. “Nice one, Lyra. As if I’d believe that.”

Lyra pouted and stamped a hoof on the floor. “It’s true! She even knew what my costume was!”

Bon Bon yawned in an exaggerated way. “Uh huh. That’s cute and all, but I was thinking maybe we should go mingle with some other ponies now? Try and be normal for a little while, okay?” She made the suggestion pointedly, despite facing a now fuming Lyra.

“I was doing that! And she was standing right here, I swear!” Lyra insisted.

Bon Bon smirked, then rolled her eyes and quickly nuzzled her unicorn.

“Okay, Lyra, I believe you. Now come on, before you ruin your costume.” Bon Bon pointed to Lyra’s hoof, which had just been stomped on the ground. “Oh, and before I forget.” In one fell swoop, she swiped the pie, still hovering beside Lyra, out of the air. The tasty dessert disappeared in one big bite, which the candy-maker chewed and swallowed in seconds.

Lyra’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Hey! That was mine-”

“Only because you stole it!” Bon Bon interjected back, laughing, then circled behind and pushed Lyra along some with her own head. “Come on, I was just talking to Carrot Top.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed, pointed back at Bon Bon. “You owe me candy for the emotional trauma I just suffered there.” Her tail swished at the other mare’s head. “I’ll sue, even. Just watch me!”

Bon Bon laughed as her only reply.

Lyra snorted, still playing at being upset. “You heard me! I’ll ruin your costume unless you give me some candy! I mean, I was gonna unwrap you one way or the other, but now I’ll just be more forceful...”

Bon Bon interrupted and grabbed Lyra’s head with her hooves, then carefully turned it to face a table off in the distance. “See that table, Lyra? They’re giving out the candy over there.” She started laughing when Lyra groaned, blushing, and probably feeling more childish than normal.

"Now, why don't we-" Bon Bon gasped when Lyra, instead of waiting, ducked away to run straight for the table. The unicorn skirted around several ponies and their groups, just to get something that Bon Bon routinely made back at home.

“Watch out everypony, here comes Spidermane…” Bon Bon muttered.

Lyra and Bon Bon were weaving through the seemingly endless amounts of ponies, when they were forced to pause. Two mares were standing just in front of them. Posing, in fact, might be the better term. They were both in party gowns of some kind. While not exactly in theme with each other, they were very elegant looking; perhaps too elegant for a simple costume party.

Lyra and Bon Bon looked at one another, a little confused by the two ponies facing them.

Strangely, they both looked a little familiar, if not quite recognizable. One was a grayish-purple with a light grey mane, while the other was a light grey with a darker grey mane. Both of them were staring emotionlessly at both Lyra and Bon Bon, barring them from continuing past.

“What have we here?” The one on the right spoke; she had the purplish coat. Her short, straight mane bobbed slightly as she spoke.

Both Lyra and Bon Bon glanced at one another in uncertainty. “Uhm-” Bon Bon started to say, but was interrupted.

“A mare dressed as her fantasy,” the other one said; her long, straight mane nearly hung to the floor.

“Indeed. Silly little filly fantasy.” The first agreed in return. She tilted her head to the side just an inch.

“The other is dressed as her client’s desire. Don’t you think?” The grey coated mare succinctly went on.

The other one turned to her near twin, a slight narrowing of her eyes evident. “No. She is clearly meant to be a fish of some kind.” Her flat mane tossed as she turned back to stare at Bon Bon. “See how she is wrapped in shiny wax papers? Obviously scales.”

“A fish with that many colors?” the second scoffed back. “Not any fish I have ever seen.”

“Uh…” Lyra tried to get out.

“Are you certain that their costumes are not reversed and she is not the fish?” The purple coated mare pointed to Lyra. “Very few are red in color, that's for certain, but it would almost seem so.”

The slightly more monotone of the two mares hummed, but didn’t quite pause. “I see your point. Perhaps we shall come to a compromise.” Both ponies looked at each other and spoke in unison. “They are both in fish costumes.”

Bon Bon coughed, interrupting, and the two looked over. “Um, are you two hungry for fish?” She was getting a weird vibe.

“No,” they spoke again in unison. “Why do you ask?”

A fifth voice entered the confrontation. “Oh, Lyra! How are you- Oh, darling, you really shouldn’t let that costume drag so much.”

Bon Bon and Lyra both recognized the proper sounding voice that could only be a pony named Rarity. Lyra glanced over and then back to the twins, who seemed to be getting ready to leave.

“See you again soon, Mrs. and Mrs. Fish.” Inkie said.

“Soon meaning many things…” Blinkie finished for her sister.

Lyra and Bon Bon blinked a few times, feeling more unnerved than either thought they should, even for such a great costumed act like this one.

“Well, that sure was interesting.” Lyra laughed nervously, stepping away slowly alongside Bon Bon. She quickly waved and greeted the other, far more normal seeming mare that had just made contact. “Hi Rarity! Sweet costume… So this is what you were hiding behind that curtain, huh?”

“Do you like it?” Rarity posed and laughed. Her costume was an impressive silk gown, and of the sort to cling to her form. At the top unfurled a wide, red and black collar like a vampire’s. Were it not for the colors, though, it would look more like a peacock’s tail feathers.

“Sure do!” Lyra nodded, smiling, then looked at Bon Bon; her expression flattened some.

Bon Bon was looking over Rarity with a measured expression. “Hm, it’s nice," she said simply.

Rarity went on, not noticing or perhaps pretending to not notice Bon Bon’s lackluster compliment. “Oh, why thank you, both. I worked on it all last night. A bit last minute, but I get so many requests and so much work this time of the year.” She laughed, a bright and chiming laugh that seemed to fill the room. “So, how have you both been finding the party?”

“Great,” Bon Bon answered, smiling. Much of the flatness had left her voice. “My wife, Lyra, and I are really enjoying ourselves, aren’t we?”

Lyra laughed weakly as the other mare threw a leg over her withers. “Yup, time of our lives.”

Rarity made a delighted face and put on a huge smile. “You two are just adorable, really. I’m glad to hear that Pinkie’s party isn’t too much for you. Honestly though, I’m surprised that she decided to throw one at all this year.” She hmphed and continued. “Usually that mare’s too busy hoarding candy to remember her own special talent. It’s amazing! A full grown mare and still goes out trick or-”

A cheerful, sing songy voice interrupted the fashionista. “My eeears are burning!”

Pinkie Pie bounced up to the small circle of ponies, giggling furiously. The circle double in size, as both Twilight Sparkle and a hovering Rainbow Dash also accompanied her. Dashie, for her part, was busy devouring what looked like a giant bag of cinnamon flavored candies. She was also dressed up as some sort of adventurer by the looks of her hat.

Lyra waved happily to the new arrivals, as did Bon Bon, but a bit more shyly and with a timid smile.

“Oh, Pinkie. Actually we were just talking about you, darling…” Rarity laughed nervously and began eying the far wall. “Is that Fancy Pants I see over there? I must be off, girls. Tah! Nice seeing you both again!”

Pinkie grinned and stood up to wave goodbye.

Twilight, who had on a darkly colored witch’s costume, furrowed her brow and watched her other friend trot away hastily. “What was that about?”

Bon Bon spoke up first, being a bit hasty. “Oh, I think she was saying trick or treating is for little foals,” she laughed.

Pinkie tsked, shaking her head sadly. “Such a shame…” she murmured, then perked up, ears and all. “Oh, hey Lyra, Bon Bon. Have you two seen my sisters anywhere?”

Lyra and Bon Bon look at one another, then shrugged in tandem. “I don’t think so,” Lyra said. “What do they look like?”

Overhead, Rainbow shuddered and interrupted. “If Inky and Blinky are lost let them stay that way. They’re being super creepy tonight…” A few more pieces of candy were shoveled into her mouth.

Pinkie laughed in response, rolling her eyes. “Oh, Dashie, they were just having fun! They’ve gotten good at it, too…”

Beside her, Twilight rolled her own eyes, if for different reasons, and addressed the two mares standing before her. “Anyway, you two are the couple that Applejack helped move into the old farm on the edge of town, right? How’s the new house working out?” She passed a big smile between the semi-strangers. “You’re all moved in and comfortable now, I hope. I’m glad you got your new place before winter started.”

Bon Bon let out a relieved sort of laugh. "Oh, Ms. Element of Magic, you're really too kind. We got in fine! Really, just fine." She laughed again, rubbing one foreleg with the other.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at Bon Bon, but kept eating. “Seriously? Element of Awesome, right here!” She popped a few more candies up into the air for herself as she spoke. The only pony to pay her any mind was Pinkie, who bounced up to her level and swiped away said airborne candy. Immediately, a short sparring match began over Rainbow's bag of sweets.

Ignoring the chaos overhead, Twilight smirked and continued. "It's no big deal, Ms. Bon Bon? Oh, and you don't need to call me... that, heh." She traded between looking at both the Spidermane and a giant piece of wrapped candy. “I mean, it's really not that big of a deal.”

Lyra leaned her head out in front of Bon Bon with a cynical look, got an embarrassed one in return, then turned a bright smile towards Twilight. “Bon Bon’s just nervous, as always, Ms. Sparkle. But yeah, that house is great! Thanks for asking. We couldn’t be happier with it. It was cheap, maybe a bit far from town, but really cozy. The walk here was creepy, actually. All that fog...”

Rainbow floated by, still avoiding Pinkie. "What fog?" she asked, facing away to protect her portable horde.

Twilight gave her two friends a stern frown, but managed to nod to Lyra. “That's great. I'm really glad to hear it. I’m sure you two will be very happy there-”

A song kicked on overhead through the speakers, and lights were killed all around the Town Hall, leaving it in darkness. Seconds later, spot lights, blood red in color, shot on and lit up the stage at the front of the dance floor.

Ponies all around gasped and ooed, while up on stage, a looming figure stood up behind a wide console of instruments. The lights slowly shifted from red, to blue.

A dark cowl was thrown back by the figure, revealing a mane to match the color of the lighting surrounding it. “Helloooo, Ponyville!” the figure announced loudly.

Bon Bon and Lyra were surrounded by cheering, which Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Lyra herself joined in on. Bon Bon, however, face-hoofed. How does this always happen.

“Soooooo, who’s ready, for, the bass?” the words were slow and punctuated for effect. The unicorn up on stage, infamously known as Dj Pon3, levitated a vinyl record up and laid it down on the table before her. More excited voices kicked up from the teeming crowd of ponies.

A haunting choir from the side of the Dj began an eerie sounding back melody, while a deep rumble grew from the corners of the room. On stage, sparkly blue fog leaked out of the ceiling, and none other than a cackling, fearsome Nightmare Moon appeared overhead.

“Who wishes to be eaten, first? Hm?” Nightmare Moon asked with a snide twist to her words. Of course, despite the screams of delighted fear, she didn’t need to use the sound systems that the Dj and music required. “Or perhaps, I’ll just devour you all in one bite!”

The crowd shrieked louder with both screams of joy and fear.

Bon Bon and Lyra watched it all unfold, along with everypony else. Quickly, the bass dropped, of course. The cackling Nightmare swooped again over the crowd, before vanishing through the floor in an impressive show of magic and smoke.

Ponies all leaped out onto the dance floor as the music picked up, along with Twilight and her friends.

Lyra grinned from ear to ear, and looked over to the pony she had arrived with. “Uh, so how about some dancing, Bonnie?” she yelled, loudly, as the music’s volume had more than doubled.

Bon Bon sighed, rolled her eyes, then stepped down the stairs towards the dance floor. Her tail swished absently behind herself. “Just come on, you!” she yelled back. The two of them descended down together, fully ready to have the time of their lives for Nightmare Night.

Author's Notes:

Check back in on Halloween Night For Parts Two and Three...

This story is a little bit of an experiment and a simple change of pace for me. My other stories are obviously a big sink that take a lot of time and thought, and this one was just a fun break. Please enjoy.