Twilight and Ink Spot left the salon and made their leisurely way to the town square. That was where the Trick-or-Treaters always started their rounds on Nightmare Night, and so things had been planned accordingly; The children would would work their way around the town from street to street, trick or treating, and finally gathering at the Town Hall for the traditional telling of the Nightmare Night legend, and the trek out into the woods to leave their tribute to Nightmare Moon.

Twilight had told Spike and Nyx to meet her there. There was no hurry, though; Spike was a reliable little fellow, and Owlowiscious would look carefully after Nyx in Twilight's absence. She and Ink Spot ambled their way to town hall, chatting about this and that and simply enjoying each other's presence. When they arrived, the square was already starting to throng with costumed children and their chaperones.

Twilight spotted a few familiar faces. Or would that be familiar names with UNfamiliar faces? The Cakes were dressed as ....well... bakers, with white aprons and enormous poofy hats. They were pushing an enormous pie on a bakery cart; when she drew closer she saw that the pie had two "blackbirds" sitting in the middle of the opened crust-- the toddlers Pound and Pumpkin dressed in birdy-themed sleepers and looking adorable. "Oh, that is a clever one," Ink Spot agreed.

She spotted Berry Punch nudging her daughter Ruby Pinch along; once again the clever mum had made good use of her few bits. They were both bedecked in balloons. Berry Punch was covered in purple balloons and was obviously intended to be a cluster of grapes; her daughter was wearing a wicker basket with her hooves poking through the bottom and an aviator's helmet on her head, and had a cluster of helium filled balloons tied off above---Ah, a balloonist! Every few steps the excited filly would rise a couple of feet off the ground. Her mother kept a firm grip on the anchor line tied to the little filly's basket and patiently pulled her back down every time she threatened to go airborne.

Twilight shook her head; she wished she knew how the kindly mother and grape-grower had gotten her undeserved reputation as a lush. The mare refused to even touch liquor! "I like my grape juice fresh, not spoiled, thank you," she always said.

The mayor, for a change, had ditched the clown costume and was dressed as a vampire. She seemed to be having trouble keeping the teeth in, though. Her assistant had chosen to go as a mime, and was constantly catching the teeth and handing them back to her superior.

There were lots of clever and creative costumes this year. Her own was gathering quite a number of compliments. Of course, there did seem to be quite a few ponies who opted for the bargain bin approach; she spotted several ponies wearing the cheap plastic poncho and rubber-banded masks that seemed endemic to the season. How did the company who made those dreadful things stay in business...?

She looked around. "I don't see Spike or Nyx or the Cutie Mark Crusaders anywhere, do you?" Ink Spot craned his neck, looking the other way. "I'm afraid not," he said. He actually sounded a little worried. "Do you think we should head towards the library, try and meet them on the way...?"

Twilight smiled. "No, I'm sure they're fine. Spike is a good 'big brother,' and Owlowiscious is with them too. They just probably got hung up getting everything ready with the CMC."

"You're certain..?" Ink Spot said cautiously.

         Twilight nodded. "They did say something about wanting to make a big entrance."

Wooinga, wooiinga, wooinga....

Twilight and Ink Spot both pricked up their ears. "Did you hear...?" both of them said to each other.

Nyx and the other winged foals buzzed away, accelerating the CutieMarkMobile mark 2 down the road to the town square. The earthponies worked the pedals inside, and the unicorn ponies contributed their magic to the propulsion. By common consensus Scootaloo manned the wheel.

Snips, Snails and Spike merely held on for dear life. Hitchhiking with the CMC.... bad idea.

Applebloom was standing in the back, keeping a lookout fore and aft. The lights of the Ponyville Town Square were dead ahead. "Okay, we're close enough, Pip!" Applebloom said. "throw on the dry ice!"

Ensconced down in the decks below, Pip shouted "aye aye!" and tipped a watering can into a cooler filled with dry ice.  he and dinky began working the bellows that pumped the dry ice mist out. Fog began billowing from underneath the Wooinga-ing vehicle.

"Sorry, Snips, Snails, Spike, you gotta get off here," Applebloom said to the trio, who were currently hanging onto the back bumper. "You don't match our costume motif."

"Okay, just stop and let us off..." Spike said.

"Sorry, no can do, It takes too long to stop," Applebloom said. "you'll have to jump."

The boys gaped at her. "What??"

They weren't given time to think it over: filly hooves came out of nowhere and jabbed them in the ribs, making them all yelp and lose their balance. They fell with a scream off the back of the vehicle--

---and landed safely on their feet. They looked themselves over; they were seemingly unscathed. "Huh, how bout that," Snips said. there was a clatter and bang, and Snips and Snails' red wagon fell to the pavement behind them.

"Honestly, y'all," Applebloom called back to them, "We're only goin' about five miles an hour...!"

Twilight and Ink Spot-- for that matter, everyone in the square--- stared as the strange contraption rolled into sight. It was about as tall as a pony, three times as long and twice as wide, and covered entirely in cardboard spray-painted silver. There was a raised conning tower of sorts near the back. It was lit from within as well as without; There were portals and windows cut in various places covered in colored cellophane where the light shone through, and the outside was studded with blinking lights, apparently abducted from some unsuspecting Hearthwarming Eve tree. Tubes, dials, gauges and meters studded the outside as well. Both sides had bright red arrows , one labeled "the past" and pointing back, one labeled "the future" and pointing forward. The arrows labeled "past" were blinking---- quite clever how the red lights illuminating them blinked sequentially, Twilight thought idly. The finishing touches were two backlit clock faces fore and aft whose hands, Twilight noted, were spinning backwards, and a spinning bubblegum machine light atop the roof. Fog billowed out from under the skirting around the base, and strange bongs, twangs, and other indescribable noises, like a sci fi foley artist had gone on a bender, emanated from the two Victrola horns jutting like smokestacks from the roof.

The time machine-- for so it was labeled down one side in bright red paint--- circled the square once before pulling into the center of the square. It spun in a circle twice, then wooing-a'd to a halt. The Ponyvilleans followed their equine instincts and gave it a nice wide personal space, staring in nervous apprehension from a good ten feet away.

One door-sized panel on the side fell down, spilling more fog and light into the square. The windows were peeled open, and nine colt and filly heads made their appearance. "Greetings from the FUTURE!" one of them yelled.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS TIME TRAVELERS, YAY!"

There was a round of laughter and even some applause as the notorious bunch spilled out of their "time machine." Even the mayor joined in. "Bravo, quite goo--- pfoo, oh darn there they go ag--- ah, thank you--- good show, Crusaders! Remember everyone, tonight's a special Nightmare Night... our own Princess Luna is going to be hosting the grand opening of her new palace." There was polite applause. "To commemorate the event she is holding a grand masquerade ball in the palace, and all citizens of Ponyville are invited!" The applause was more enthusiastic. "The rest of the Castle will be done up as a haunted house, with a party for the foals down in the dining hall..." definitely enthusiastic cheers went up from the foals. "So all you foals will want to be back here in two hours for the telling of the Legend of Nightmare Night, and then up to the castle for Princess Luna's Nightmare Night celebration!" Everyone applauded, then the youngsters began scrambling to hit the trick-or-treat path.

The CMC milled about in front of Twilight and her date; it was a confusing impression of neon and visors and shiny cloth for a few moments before she could begin to sort them out visually. "Creative bunch, aren't they?" Ink Spot chuckled to her.

Twilight had to agree. She'd never seen so many variations on "time traveler," and she'd read just about every Time Traveler story in the library. Pip was wearing a goldfish bowl helmet, enormous moon boots, and what looked like a mantelpiece clock strapped to his back. his little friend Dinky on the other hand was wearing more Victorian outfit, a jacket and ruffled neckerchief and a top hat-- a top hat with a huge pocket watch stuck in the band. She had a map hanging out of her jacket pocket labeled "History of the Universe".   Rumble was resplendent in a body suit made entirely of silver lame', wraparound goggles and what looked like a digital clock stuck to his chest. Applebloom appeared to be some sort of half-robot pony, with one foreleg and one back leg encased in flexible silver tubing and her usual red bow replaced with an enormous silver key (and of course the prerequisite watch strapped around her "good" front leg...) Sweetie Belle was wearing an outfit made up of "Saturn rings" that dangled around her head , ankles, and wrapped her midriff, and a pair of glitter-ball deely-bobbers. She wore a pendant watch around her neck. Truffle was dressed in gold lame and wearing a pyramid shaped hat made of tinfoil, and Twist was wearing a 'devo' hat and a belt made of blinking red lights. And Scootaloo... was wearing a black body stocking artfully ripped here and there, an eyepatch, a white bandana around her head and her purple mane sculpted into a spiky punk pattern....

Twilight laughed out loud. At Ink Spot's puzzled look she said "A private joke; I'll tell you later." She looked around again, where was Nyx--

"Oh, mommy, you're so beautiful!"

Twilight turned around. There Nyx was, a vision in pale blue and midnight, her turquoise eyes alight with wonder.  Twilight smiled, her wings fluttering. "And aren't you looking beautiful yourself, sweetheart," she said as her daughter came in for a hug. "Such a pretty costume..."

Nyx ducked her head and pawed the ground bashfully. "Rarity helped me with the trickier bits," she confessed.

"Well it's still your work, and you look absolutely beautiful in it," Twilight insisted.

"Indeed. Like mother like daughter, I say," Ink Spot said with a smile. Nyx blushed like a rose.

... Then she blinked and looked Ink Spot over. Then she looked at her mother. Then back to Ink Spot. And sat on the ground, squealing with laughter.They both figured out what she was laughing at and rolled their eyes.

Nyx managed to get back to her feet, but she was still having a giggling fit. "You're gonna need an awful big jar to take her home in...!" she said, grinning evilly.

"Ack!" Twilight said, giving her a half-playful swat on the rump. "Enough of that out of you!" Ink Spot just chuckled through his fake mustache. "I think we're going to be hearing jokes about that all night," Twilight said.

"Possibly longer," Ink Spot agreed.

"I thought you were going to go ahead to the castle to meet the Princess," Nyx said.

Twilight nuzzled her. "The Princesses can wait," she said. "the party doesn't even start for two more hours. Besides, I didn't want to miss your first night trick or treating."

Nyx smiled, happy. "Wanna see our time machine?"

"I do believe I would," Twilight said. Nyx gleefully hopped up and led her over to the redoubtable vehicle.

"Whoo."

        Ink Spot started, and turned around. "Oh, hello Owlowiscious," the book merchant said. The owl was perched on a stump behind him. The library owl had quietly (as always) abandoned his perch in the CMC time machine and flown over while nopony was paying attention. He regarded Ink Spot with calculating eyes.

        "Whooo," he said definitively.

"I should tell her? About what?" Ink Spot said.

"Whoo."

"Oh. That." Ink Spot harrumphed nervously. "Well, perhaps.... but...."

"Whoo. Whoo."

"Yes, I know that honesty is the best policy, but-- no. You're right."

"Whoo?"

"Well yes, I will tell her. Just---" he looked over at the lovely mare; She had her head inside the door of the CMC's "time machine" and was exclaiming appreciatively as Nyx pointed out the different features. "---Just not tonight. It would spoil the evening... Tomorrow. Tomorrow it is."

"Whoo." Owlowiscious regarded him skeptically.

        "Seriously!" Ink Spot exclaimed. "I give you my word. I'll tell her tomorrow."

"Whoo."

The doorbell rang. Persimmon Juice groaned and went to answer the door. She hated this holiday. To be fair, she hated all holidays, but this one seemed to get on her nerves the most. She didn't like children, she didn't like candy, and she didn't like giving away things to beggars.

       She opened the door. Three foals were standing there, eagerly holding out their trick-or-treat bags. "Trick or tree---"

Persimmon Juice let them have it. "What do I have to tell you rotten little beggars? I don't give out candy to foals, especially to measly little begging grubbers like YOU! NOW GET OFF MY PORCH!" She slammed the door with a bang.

The three foals stood gaping at the door. Dinky started to puddle up. "Awww, it's all right, Dinky," Pip said, patting her on the shoulder. He gave a scowl at the door. "Mean old bat..."

"C'mon, this is the end of the street," Rumble said. "Let's get back to the wagon." The three trotted back to the Time Machine.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders hadn't just planned for this night. They had formulated a battlefield strategy that would have left Napoleon sweating. Rather than trot on hoof everywhere, they rode the Time Machine to each street, dismounted, split into groups of twos and threes, depending on the number of houses, and then scattered, each group to a house. They then worked their way around the street, conveyor-belt style, hauled their loot back to the Time Machine, dropped their small bags into their BIG bags inside the wagon, marked that street off the map, and then pedaled to the next street corner. They were strip-mining Ponyville for free candy with stunning efficiency.

When it came to Trick or Treat scrooges, though, they truly came into their own.

Scootaloo was sitting in the "crow's nest" of the time machine, chewing on a stick of licorice and trying to look tough. "Anything to report?" she asked as the three came up.

"Yeah, last house on the left. No treats, and yelled right in Dinky's face."

"A right mean old crab," Pip agreed.

Scootaloo grinned. "All right, time to break out the good stuff." She ducked down in the conning tower and came back out with an enormous aerosol can in one hoof, and a pack of toilet paper rolls in the other. "Whaddya say---shaving cream, or toilet paper?"

"Just WHAT do you think you're going to do with that?" someone exclaimed. The foals jumped and spun around; it was Twilight Sparkle, the town librarian. Somehow she had sneaked up on them without any of them hearing her. She'd come up behind the Crusadermobile just as Scootaloo had hauled out the TP. She glared at them with adult officiousness.

Pip, heedless of the protocols of Nightmare Night, blurted out everything. "Oh we were gonna TeePee that lady's house down there," he said, pointing with his ray gun. All the other foals groaned and facehooved.

Twilight frowned in puzzlement. "Tee Pee...? And just what is that?"

Scootaloo gave her a longsuffering look. "You're kidding, right?"

"No, I am not, young filly..."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "It's where you toss rolls of toilet paper all over someone's house and make a big papery tangle," she said. "It's, like, the oldest Nightmare Night prank ever?"

"What? But that's terrible! It would make a terrible mess!"

Ink Spot cleared his throat. "Um, that is the idea, dear," he muttered in amusement. "I'm guessing you didn't do much trick or treating in Canterlot?"

        "Of course I did," Twilight said. "I went out every Nightmare Night with my parents and a properly chaperoned group of well-behaved foals."

"Ah. So that would be a 'No.' " Ink Spot murmured in amusement. Twilight huffed at him, but said nothing.

"Hey, it's Nightmare Night," Scootaloo said. "It's Trick or Treat. She chose 'Trick.' Besides, she yelled at Dinky!"

"Now that is not how you handle a problem with somepony," Twilight Sparkle scolded. "Which house was it?" The foals pointed. "Come with me, Nyx; I want you to see this and remember it." Twilight marched off to the house, Nyx following dutifully behind.

Twilight motioned for Nyx to stand at the bottom of the porch steps, and went up alone to the front door. She rang the bell. The door opened; A sour-faced yellow pony with a mustard green mane glared out. Twilight cleared her throat and began to speak. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I was--"

Without a word of warning, the sour-faced mare flung a bucketful of water straight into the unicorn's face, drenching her. Twilight stood there, dripping water and gasping in shock. The mare gave a "hmph" of satisfaction and slammed the door in Twilight's sputtering face.

Nyx stood gaping in bug-eyed shock as Twilight marched, dripping, back down the porch steps. Without a word she walked back to Scootaloo and the CMC wagon. Scootaloo didn't say a word; she merely rolled her licorice stick from one corner of her mouth to the other, eyebrow raised.

"Well," Twilight said, flipping her wet mane back, "Little pro-tip, kids: toilet paper sticks really good if you wet it down afterwards. Just a suggestion...." Without another word she marched over to where Ink Spot stood.

The stallion was shaking with the strain of not laughing. Owlowiscious was not so withholding. He hooted with laughter, clinging helplessly to Ink Spot's back.

Nyx almost let a squeal of laughter escape but stifled it. "I'm guessing you want me to not see or remember this?" she said, her voice wobbling with glee.

Twilight grumbled as her boyfriend began using his magic to help dry her. A giggling Nyx followed suit, using her magic to help fix her mother's dampened hair. "Not the lesson I wanted to impart," Twilight said.

As they stood there, Spike, Snips and Snails came up behind them. They were wiping their faces with paper towels. "Hey guys, what's up?" Spike asked.

"Um... not much....What happened to you three?" Twilight evaded.

"Eh, one of Rainbow Dash's preset pranks," Spike said.

"Watch out for house number eleven on the next street over," Snails said. "She rigged the jack o lanterns to barf shaving cream."

"Ewwww," Twi and Nyx said simultaneously.

"So what's going on here?" Spike asked. "Trick, or treat?"

"Either way it's going to prove educational," Ink Spot chortled. "Look." Twilight turned around to see the CMC passing out Super Soakers, while Scootaloo and Applebloom mounted what looked like a leafblower on the roof of the Time Machine. A toilet paper hanger was strapped over the snout and loaded with a double-large bog roll. "Okay, you ponies, you know the plan, let's roll!" Scootaloo shouted. The colts and fillies poured into the time machine and began pedaling.

The CMC halloween float rolled down the street, rapidly approaching the offending pony's house. Scootaloo revved up the leaf blower. Instantly a stream of airborne TP began unspooling off the roll and cascading down over the house. In moments the house was covered with waves of white.

        "Now that's clever," Ink Spot said in sincere admiration. "It used to take my mates and me the better part of an hour to get a house that thoroughly bogrolled..."

As soon as they were parallel to the paper shrouded house, the windows on the time machine peeled open and the Super Soakers opened fire. Sprays of water doused the tissue paper, soaking it into a gluey mush. High-pressure jets of water thumped and pattered against the doors and windows; if Persimmon Juice didn't know what was going on, she'd soon come to the door and find out. For good measure, Scootaloo fired off a couple of shaving-cream water balloons from a mounted slingshot, coating the mess with foam. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER EQUALIZERS, YAY!" They then rumbled off around the corner, heading for the next block at high speed.

Twilight shook her head hopelessly as Nyx laughed helplessly. "They can't build a stage set, sew a dress or fix a table to save their lives," she said, "but ask them to make something for Nightmare Night and they turn into Starswirl the Bearded......"

A door opened. There was an outraged shriek. "Um, okay, what now?" Ink Spot said.

Twilight grinned. "Um, my preliminary studies indicate this is the part where we run for it!" giggling like a schoolgirl on a lark, she took off running, Ink Spot and Nyx right behind. Spike, Snips and Snails could tell which way the wind was blowing. "Hey, wait for us!" They took off after the fleeing ponies as fast as they could haul their loot-filled wagon.