Prelude

It has been a whole week since my battle with Discord. And in that time most of the citizens of Ponyville got used to most of Discords antics, at least he kept things at prank level and not terra-form level. Most of the time I let him be, seeing as I had no real need for his services, though I would always give him the task of cleaning the bathroom when Luna and Jackie got a case of morning sickness.

When it came to the girls and Discord, only my Valkyries and Fluttershy gave him the chance to have a normal life. Hell, Fluttershy invites him to tea every Tuesday. Celestia is still wary of him but I keep telling her that he is under my control. It should also be said that Discord is a bit frightened by Hercules.

It was also during that time that Twilight had started a riot. Apparently, since she didn't send her weekly friendship letter to Celestia, she feared she would wind up back in magic kindergarten. This resulted in her actually creating a problem by enchanting her old toy Smartypants and making everyone wanting it. It caused many small fights before Celestia came to stop the whole mess. As for the doll, I last saw it being dragged away by Hercules. Discord found himself in stitches after the whole thing was over.

Anyway, tonight was a special night, It was our first Halloween together as a family. We decided to call it Halloween since Nightmare Night made Luna feel bad. Anyway, it was about time to head out.

I was in the master bedroom looking over myself in the mirror, thinking of what to do about a costume. On the one hand, I could just turn into the wolf, but that's not really a costume. I thought about going as a Wendigo from the lore from my world, then I realized that I'm chaperoning a bunch of little kids since Granny passed the job onto me. She would have given it to Bright Mac but he insisted on some 'alone' time with Pear. After much thought, I came up with the perfect costume. With some illusion magic, I transformed myself into 'Conan the Barbarian'.

I looked myself in the mirror giving myself a once over. Satisfied with the results, I went downstairs to meet up with the others. Jackie and Lulu were putting the finishing touches on their costumes. Jackie was going out as a Scarecrow, while Lulu was going as a Vampire Queen. Damn, they both looked hot as Hell.


I came up behind them and pinched 'em both on the butt. " Gotta say, girls, you look very sexy." They both turned on me to give me a tongue lashing, till they saw my costume. It seems my bare chest and rippling muscles left them speechless. " What? Too much for Halloween?"

Luna was the first to come back to reality. " I thought you were going to be going as the Wolf? You know how much the children love that." It's true, most of the kids would ask to see the Wolf whenever I would go out into town. Sometimes it was cute other times it would pester the fuck out of me.

" We'll see, that's the thing. On Halloween, you get to be somebody else, and since the Wolf is apart of me, it would just defeat the purpose. Anyway, I'm loving the whole Vampire Queen thing you're doing." She gave me a half-smirk saying I was still in her good graces. I looked over at Jackie. " And let me tell ya, Jackie, never have I been more attracted to something meant to keep the birds away."

" Joe, you old honey dripper. You keep complimenting us on how we look, we'll start to feel spoiled." That's the idea. " Come on now, you two have some youngins to chaperone, and Ah got an apple bobbing game to manage."

" Alright. Dad, we're heading out, try not to scare the trick or treaters to bad while we're gone!"

" No promises!" I guess I can't ask for more than that.

Jackie went out the door, heading to Ponyville to tend her party game while Luna and I headed for the farmhouse to pick up the Crusaders. When I looked at the house, I couldn't help the smile that came over me at seeing the illusion I put over it. Reminded me of some of the mansions I've seen in Louisiana.

We got to the farmhouse to see the Crusader's squabbling over who's costume is better than the others. They decided to go as the classic movie monsters, and let me tell ya, Scootaloo looked adorable as a werewolf. " I'm telling ya, Bride of Frankenhoof is what will get us the most candy tonight!"

" Na uh, the Vampire Queen will be the one to get us the best candy from even the stingiest of houses!" Luna had a little smile as they both basically had the same costume.

" Your both wrong! My costume of the greatest hero in Equestria will have other trick or treaters giving us their candy!"

" Greatest Hero?" They all looked at us as I made our presence known. " I've always thought of myself as a master of war, or maybe a warrior born. But a hero? That's high praise coming from you girls." I went over to Scootaloo and looked at her costume. " Not bad, though I don't know about the pony head in your maw."

" Hey, that's my head you're talking about Joe!" She made a cute angry face and proceeded to attack my leg. " Take that you vile creature, you will feel my wrath!" She continued to pound away at my legs till I lifted her by her tail and made her look at me upside down. " Get your filthy paws off me before I pull out your heart and eat it!" Okay, now that is adorable.

" Alright, alright I give." I put her down and she went over with the others. " So, who's ready to get some candy!" The three amigos started whooping and chanting 'Candy' and danced around me and Luna. " I'll take that as a yes." I held open the door for them as they scampered out. " We got the kids! We'll see ya in a few hours!"

We headed over to Ponyville with the Crusaders in tow. Before we reached our destination, I was attacked by a mound of fur and drool. " Hercules! What are you doing huh? What are you doing? Did you come here hoping to trick or treat too?" He gave me a series of barks and proceeded to lick my face. " Alright settle down boy. Here before we go, your gonna need a costume." I forced a little magic into my hands and transferred it onto Hercules. Soon he turned into a huge hulking three-headed monster dog. Hopefully, no one will think he's the real Cerberus.

With my dog transformed, the Crusaders climbed on top of his back and we rolled out. ( Eat me!). Once we arrived in town, everyone immediately saw us coming. We decided to head towards the library as our first stop. We reached the door and I went ahead and knocked. " Coming!" I heard Spike's voice on the other side. Wonder what his costume looks like?

Spike opened the door and the trio on Hercules' back started chanting " Nightmare Night! What A Fright! Give Us Something Sweet To Bite!" apparently that's what passes for saying trick or treat. When I took a look at Spike, he looked to be wearing a dragon costume, whereas he really was a dragon. All of a sudden Twilight came to the front door dressed in a cape and wizard hat with bells on 'em

" Hi girls. Hi Joe, nice costumes, what do you think of mine?" She made a pose to show off her costume. Time to mess with her head.

" I think your costume is great Twi, it's nice to see someone was good enough to dress up as a Jester." She gave a big smile until she fully registered what I just said.

" I'm Starswirl the Bearded, not a Jester! Why is it so difficult for people to see that?" Gee, maybe because he's not something to be worn on for Halloween?

" Whatever grandpa." Before she could counter my comment, Pinkie. " Oh, hi Pinkie."

" Enough chit-chat time is candy!" Pinkie had on a chicken costume with a bag of treats around her neck.

" Pinkie, aren't you a little old for trick or treating?" Twilight had a point, though who can really deny free candy.

"Too old for free candy? Huh, never!" Twilight rolled her eyes and gave her and the Crusaders a piece of candy each. What a ripoff. Once the candy was given, Twilight gave a pose to show Pinkie her costume.

" Do you like my costume?"

" Yeah, you look great as a weirdo clown." She then proceeded to eat all the candy in the bowl via pecking at it as a chicken would then proceeded to zip over to another house or dimension or whatever.

" A clown!?"

" Need to rethink the whole costume idea next year, alright?" She gave me the stink eye and left with Spike. " Touchy. Come on girls, lets head over to some other houses and head over to the games." The girls all gave a cheer of approval and we headed to the other houses. The next house we came upon was their teacher's house. I knocked on the door and Cheerilee opened it. " Hey Miss Cheerilee, Happy Halloween."

" Hello, you two, hello girls happy...what did you call it again?"

" Halloween. It's basically Nightmare Night, but without the theme about Lunas defeat a thousand years ago. We kinda have a plan to petition the government about the name being changed, but we don't really expect anything to be done until next year." She nodded in understanding and gave the Crusaders a better helping of candy than Twilight did.

" Well, I hope you all have a happy Nightmare-oops, sorry, have a happy Halloween." We all waved goodbye and headed out for more candy. The evening continued on like this for about an hour or so and the Crusaders could barely lift their sacks of candy, I gave them each a new bag each as I volunteered to take their first load of treats. Another thirty minutes and we decided to off-load their first haul at the farmhouse and go play some of the games.

" Which one should we play first Joe?" Luna and the Crusaders were looking all over the market square at the decorations and games set up by the town's ponies. My eyes fell on one game, in particular, the one being run by my country Valkyrie.

" How about we go bob for some apples." I started walking over there before anyone could respond. I approached from behind to surprise her. I was a mere inch away from her and was about to give her a hug until she rounded on me and surprised me with a kiss.

" Gotcha didn't I?" She turned back to her game while swishing her tail in my face. The others had come over by that time had had a chuckle at my expense. " Hey girls, hey luna." They shared a kiss and watched the kids try and bob for an apple.

" Those lessons I've been giving you are starting to catch up eh?"

" That they are." A while after I found out they were pregnant, I had Jackie and Lulu go through a small bit of training. Nothing too demanding, just enough for them to get a better sense of their surroundings to the point they're almost on par with mine. " So, how has the night been so far?"

Luna went ahead and explained our night so far. " It has been wonderful so far, the children had to get another bag with how many treats they were getting. Now we're looking to see what other fun things to do while our night is still young." Luna was swelling with pride that her night was being celebrated, even though it celebrates her defeat, she was still enjoying the night.

Once everyone had gotten an apple from the game, we headed out and played all the games at least once. Though we did stay at the spider toss for a bit longer since Luna found the game intriguing, and that I kept beating her at it and she really wanted to win at least once. After the 17-1 game, we headed for the main stage where they were playing music. " Come on girls, let's dance!" I snapped my fingers and a new band took the old band's place.

https://youtu.be/21JkjUllWoY

" Yes, let's" Luna started on the other side of me with Sweetie Belle on her back, while I let Applebloom and Scootaloo on each of my shoulders. Hercules went off to find some water. We each swayed to the music with the girls doing little twirls and singing with the band. A minute later Jackie came by to join us. The six of us kept having our fun until the song ended. After our song ended, Mayor Mare came up to the podium in a clown costume.

" Welcome everyone to our Nightmare Night festival!" We all clapped at her intro. " And now, if the children will follow Zecora, she'll tell you the tale of Nightmare Moon, mwahahaha!"

Spike, who had appeared next to me whispered. " It would be a lot scarier if she didn't have that wig on." Buddy, if you had seen the Joker, you would be pissing your pants. I looked at Luna to see her shedding a small sad tear. Before I could comfort her, green smoke started to fill the stage. And out from the green mist, our beloved Zecora.

" Follow me, and very soon you'll hear the tale of Nightmare Moon." She went off the stage and headed towards the outskirts of town with the children following her. So the Crusaders wouldn't be left out, Luna Jackie and I followed them. We went across the bridge and headed to a clearing with a statue of Nightmare Moon. Where the hell did that thing come from? ( End it at 1:19)

https://youtu.be/WYTjtIc1ZfM

After Zecora's story, Luna was openly crying in my arms with the Jackie and the Crusaders comforting her. " It's..it's just as I feared! The children see me as a monster and not as their Princess!" It pained me to see one of my packmates hurt, even if wasn't intentional.

I went over to the group by the statue and laid it on thick. " You all should be ashamed!" They all looked at me with fright. " Look over there and see the real Princess of the night, bawling her eyes out, because of the holiday meaning! Now I suggest you go and apologize, especially you Pinkie and Zecora." They both looked towards Luna with guilty looks and went over to say sorry. As they went over to say sorry it gave me time to think.

The culture of this world has been celebrating this holiday for at least a few hundred. They've been telling generations of ponies the story that Luna somehow got off the moon and would hunt for ponies to eat like some sort of Wendigo. Unless things change, the kids will see Luna as a monster. Guess it's time to bring out the big guns.

I went over to the group as Luna started to calm down. " Listen, I"m sorry that I went off about the whole ordeal, but you have to know that this part of the holiday isn't very kind towards Luna's image." Everyone nodded and looked towards Luna with sympathy. " But I also understand that a holiday like this needs something to fear and give an offering to." They mulled that thought around in the old noggins. " So, let's head back to town and I'll tell the whole town a story, that will most likely give us a new holiday icon."

We all ventured back to the town square and I got up on the podium. I explained the whole situation to the town about how the holiday is besmirching Luna's good name and how if we want to continue this holiday, a few changes need to be made. " Alright, everybody ready for a story?" The whole crowd became interested to hear my story, Twilight even brought out some papers to jot down everything that I am about to say. With everyone's rapt attention, I began my story.

" First, I would like to say that it is a huge coincidence that both this holiday and the one I'm about to tell you about, share the same date." I went and conjured a Jack o lantern and lit it with an eerie red glow. " The story I'm about to tell you is a story about the origins of Halloween, where children go house to house asking for treats or a trick will be played upon their house, and how we came to carve a face into a pumpkin. I tell you all the tale, of Stingy Jack, the demon that not even hell wanted to keep." This immediately got everyone to look fearful, good.

" Hundreds of years ago, in the country of Ireland, lived a blacksmith that everyone called 'Stingy Jack' or 'Drunk Jack'. Jack had a habit of causing mayhem in his hometown, he would often play tricks on the townspeople by throwing eggs and rotten vegetables from around corners and hide before anyone knew he did it." There were a few chuckles from the crowd, notably from Rainbow Dash who was wearing a ShadowBolts outfit.

" Anyway, these shenanigans would continue for some time until his death, that's when it got bad. Since Jack led a mischievous and sinful life, he was visited by the devil on the day he died. The devil came to personally take him to Hell, where he would be punished for all eternity. Jack, being the clever trickster he was, decided to see if he could prolong his stay on the mortal plane."

" Jack asked the devil to buy him one last drink before they departed for hell. The devil agreed and they both drank themselves drunk at the bar that Jack would often partake too. When they both had enough, Jack told the devil that he had no money and asked the devil for some coin to pay for the drinks. The devil, having no coin on him, instead turned himself into a coin and presented himself to Jack. With the devil in his hand, he placed him in his pocket where he had a holly cross, trapping the devil in his pocket."

" With the devil trapped, Jack told the devil that he would let him go free, if he promised that he would be free of hell for all eternity. The devil quickly agreed to the terms and Jack let him go free. With the devil no longer on his back, Jack tried his luck in going to heaven. Unfortunately, when he got to the gates, they would not open for him since he was still a sinner. With nowhere to rest, he wondered the earth committing acts of vandalism and at the worst of times, kill the innocent on the night he was denied an afterlife." The audience had looks of fear and some started to shake. I was about to continue until a hoof was raised. I saw that it was Pip so I let him continue.

" Mister Huffstutler, what does he have to do with the trick or treating part, or the costumes?"

" I was about to get to that Pip." He put his hoof down and I continued with the tale. " The reason for the costumes is so that Jack couldn't find you and do who knows what when he does find you. As for the treats, when Jack was still alive and not a terror to the masses, people would leave something sweet on the front porch so Jack wouldn't play a trick on their house. After his death, people would leave something sweet so Jack wouldn't come into their house and eat them instead. When it seemed Jack was nowhere near that particular town, the children would instead take the sweets."

" After a while, people realized that a good way to keep Jack away from their houses was to carve a face into a pumpkin and turn it into a lantern. It was meant to resemble Stingy Jack's face and scare him off. From then on those lanterns have been dubbed Jack o lanterns." I patted the lantern next to me and it gave a wink to the audience. A few screams let out but in the end, that was the ultimate goal. " So, which holiday are we gonna celebrate from now on?"

All at once the crowd cheered out " Halloween!" the crowd was extremely happy about the events that were unfolding before them. First Ponyville, next, all of Equestria. In the middle of the crowd, I could see Luna and Jackie with our friends, smiling at my excellent storytelling and getting everyone on board for a new but similar holiday.

" Well alright, as a way of starting off this Halloween right, I've got a little treat for everyone." with a wave of my hand, the buildings and atmosphere changed to one only Tim Burton would think of. " Ladies and Gentleman, this is Halloween." I conjured a small number of monsters and ghosts, and they started to sing.

https://youtu.be/kGiYxCUAhks

At the end of the little song, the conjured monsters went about scaring the townspeople, though making sure not to hurt them. While they were doing that, I went over to my Valkyries and the Crusaders to join in the fun. " So Luna, you think you can handle someone else being in the spotlight for this holiday?"

" I think I can manage." She came up and nuzzled my chest. " Thank you, there are not many who would do this for me."

I leaned over and gave her a kiss and brought her and Jackie in my arms. " There is nothing that I would not do for either of you. I would lay down my life for you if it was possible." They both gained wide smiles and kissed my cheeks. The Crusaders all giggled at the display, looks like it's time to mess with them. " Don't worry you three, there will be a time when someone will be sweeping you off your hooves and giving you big fat wet ones." I then proceeded to give chase while making smooching noises.

Our game went on for a time until Hercules came back and took my place in chasing the young ones. With a moment to catch my breath, I started to become aware of a looming presence above me. When I looked up, all I could see was a small black cloud that seemed a bit low. When I turned around to continue the holiday fun, til a bolt of lightning struck the ground behind me. " What in Thor's name!" I looked back to the cloud and saw a laughing Rainbow Dash. " Hey!" Dash stopped her laughter and peeked down at me. I unfurled my wings and drew the fake Atlantean sword. " A feast for my sword."

" Uh-oh." She was off and headed to where she thought she would be safe, while I gave a mock chase.

It was the end of the night and Ponyvilles first official Halloween. Luna Jackie and I were heading back to the farmhouse with the Crusaders on Hercules' back. Since there was no school tomorrow, the kids would be having a sleepover at the farmhouse. After dropping them off we headed for our own home. When we entered the front door I was greeted by both dad and Discord playing a game of blackjack. " Hey, you two. How was your night?"

" Not bad, a few kids came by for some to candy, I gave them candy while I wolfed out and got a few of them scared. After a few hours Discord came by and we played a few rounds of cards."

" For the most part, I was with Fluttershy. It seems the poor dear is constantly afraid around this time of year, and she asked me to keep her company. What about you, how was your night?"

The girls went up to our bedroom and I went over to the table to join the game. " Well, we took the kids trick or treating, played some games, danced to some music, changed the holiday from Nightmare Night to Halloween through one story, you know the usual." I grabbed an unopen beer and started drinking while Discord had a stunned expression and dad looked amused.

" How were you able to do that with one story?"

" You told the story of uncle Jack didn't ya?"

" Your damn right I did." It's true, Stingy Jack was an uncle for our great grandfather Stephen who lived in Ireland during that time. He was our maternal uncle so he didn't share the gift of the wolf.

" Well, as long as there's candy, I don't think anyone will really care about who you have to fear this night."

" True, now shut up and hit me." Wham. " Not like that, give me another card Jackass!" We all had a laugh as we continued our game. Overall the holiday was a good one. It started out great, had a rocky middle, then it had an excellent end. And better still, our wedding was in less than a week from now. Gods above grant me the courage to stand still at that alter.

Author's Notes:

Okay, so an early Nightmare Night chapter to be sure. And as I've said at the end, the wedding will be the next chapter. Please comment on where the wedding should take place.
Clip.

https://youtu.be/j0X7nSLMV5c