Author’s Revelations: Something occurred to me recently. Seeing as Twilight Sparkle hatched Spike when she was a young filly, doesn’t that mean Spike is just a few years younger than her? Alas, ages are never confirmed in the show, but if my estimations are correct, and Twilight is indeed in her late twenties… that means Spike may be up to twenty years old. Just something interesting (if not disturbing) to think about…

We were entering Sweet Apple Acres, as Twilight said she needed to “check on something”. Samurai Applejack informed me that they were heading over to check up on Big Mac, who was going to be taking care of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike while we were at the party. We trotted up to the big red stallion who was currently holding down the fillies and baby dragon (one under each hoof) to try and keep them from running about. When he saw the group, he stood up. When he saw me, he went slack, and the quartet wriggled from his grip and ran over to us. They swamped my friends, and I watched from a distance as I took in their costumes. Big Mac was in a bulky but clearly fake suit of armour, likely filling that “Knight in Shining Armor” role I was wondering about. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were wearing Pink, Blue, and Green costumes, respectively. Spike was wearing an odd tuxedo-ish costume, a long black wig that hung down past his eyes, and lugging a large guitar case behind him. Then the little ones spotted me.

“Wow! You’re costume is sooo cool!” squealed Scootaloo. “What are you? How’d you get your mane like that?”

“You’re super scary! You look like a monster!” said Sweetie Belle.

“I’m not sure what you are, but its bucking cool!” said Spike. Twilight made a “Tsk-tsk” at the young dragon’s profanity, but he either didn’t notice, or was simply ignoring her. However, I noticed that Big Mac was swooning over Succubus Whitewash, and Twilight was soon trying to pry him off of her. Applejack then bucked him upside the head to get him back to normal again. I chuckled at the sight, but nopony seemed to notice this. The Princess and Knight then retreated to the barn where they talked. I managed to eaves drop on them, but only just. I heard Twilight say: “Don’t look at her,” “I will be fine,” and “Are you sure about it.” I heard Big Mac say: “Eeyup,” “Eeyup,” and “Have fun, sweetum.” It’s official. They were sweet on each other.

“Despite the sheer awesomeness of my costume, I would love to know what your costumes are.” My voice surprised the quartet, but they quickly gathered themselves and began. The three fillies stepped up first, and began, starting with Applebloom taking a heroic pose:

“Appleblossom!”

“Sweetie Bubbles!”

“Bitterscoot!” The two others struck similar poses before they said in harmony:

“We are the Cutiepuff Fillies! Devoted to fighting disharmony, and the FORCES. OF. EVIL!” The last sentence blew me backwards with concussive force, but I landed gracefully on my hooves and re-gained my balance. The three blushed in embarrassment, but I gave them a round of stomping nonetheless. Then spike walked up, head tilted down so that the wig covered his eyes.

“By day I am but a humble traveling El Mariachi, but by night-” Like a well-oiled machine, he threw down his guitar case, slammed his hands onto it, and it flew open, and two dartguns flew into his outstretched hands, before he fired both at me.

“-BY NIGHT, I AM EL DESPERADO!!!” Both darts struck me in the forehead of my helm, and he kept his stance for a moment, before relaxing. I blinked a few times, my fiery mane crackling in the night’s cool breeze, before I broke out laughing. Not in a mocking way, but in a delighted way. I pulled the darts off of my helm and handed them back to him, and said:

“The lot of you got very creative, and I love your youthful enthusiasm. Especially you, Spike. Pray tell, how did you figure out such an ingenious spring-mechanism?” I asked the dragon as he replaced the dartguns into his guitar case.

“Wasn’t too hard,” he said, shrugging. “You taught me a lot about torques and switches when we made that armor together, so I just got a book about making clocks and made this. The dart guns too, ‘cause most are made for hooves and all.” I nodded in understandment and praise. Then, I asked:

“Say, while the ‘big ponies’ chat, how about we play?” I got cheers from the little ones as a response, and I began to chase them about making “Rwaars!” and other foalish fun things.

While the mares and Big Mac talked, we fooled around, which mainly involved me getting “gunned down” by Spike, or tackled by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. ‘I love little ones. I can’t wait to have my own one day.’ By the time Twilight said it was time to go, Spike had announced that he had “Slain the mighty demon” while standing on my back triumphantly while I feigned death. The fillies were pretending to swoon over him when I jumped up and caught the flailing dragon in my mouth. I gently placed him back down, and re-grouped with my friends, while Big Mac rounded up the fillies and dragon. We waved goodbye to the quintet for the night as we made our way back into town. Big Mac said they would be departing soon, so I was not worried that the young ones would miss out on the sugary bliss that is Nightmare Night.

“So now we’re heading to the party?” complained an annoyed Whitewash. She was annoyed as she did not like to be kept from a party, and also because Twilight had put a paper bag over her head for until we got there. By now, everypony had realized how devious her magics were, and seeing as even Twilight couldn’t reverse it, and Whitewash wouldn’t, drastic measures were made.

“Yeah, we’re headed there now, so quit yer moanin’. I’m still pretty annoyed that ya swooned ma brother like that.”

“It was an accident! How was I supposed to know he was so weak-willed?” the succubus cried in dismay from under her bag. This set off Applejack, who made the motion to buck the emerald-eyed unicorn, but stopped herself. I trotted over to the orange earth-pony and left Whitewash to herself at the back of the group.

“Beg your pardon Applejack, but I have been meaning to ask, what is your costume anyway?” The orange mare rolled her eyes before saying:

“Aw, shucks, this get-up? The Cutie Mark Crusaders made it fer me. I reckon they got their hooves on one of Twilight’s foreign culture books, and thought “Samurai Applejack” had a ring to it. So here I am, and I can’t help but admit I like it.” I nodded in acknowledgement, before leaving Applejack and moving towards Fluttershy, who was to the right of the group.

I moved to her side, and gazed upon her momentarily. Even with a glance, I was bathed in her beauty, which was magnified even further with the aid of the combination of her makeup and the moonlight. In the light, her features were defined in an alluring way, and her stunning aqua eyes looked like shimmering pools of water, lit up by the delicate light. I looked at her for a few more moments longingly, but she then turned to me, finally noticing that I was next to her.

“Fluttershy, have I ever told you how lovely you are? Your beauty is unmatched in this world, and I feel privileged to be in your presence.” I said, in a dreamy, dazed state; just loud enough for her to hear, and her only. Just then I realized the meaning to the words that had passed my lips, and before I could follow-up, she said:

“…Thank you, Red Storm. That is the nicest thing anypony has ever said to me… And just to let you know, I think you are rather handsome.” She said this as a blush swept across her face, both from my admittance and hers. This much was obvious to me. I had just unintentionally taken the first step to forming a romantic relationship with the pony I loved, and I had gotten a positive response too! Happy days! She looked away, still blushing, before rushing to join her friends. My jaw hung slightly slack, and I thought: ‘And handsome! She called me handsome! Things seem to be looking up!... but for how long?...’ Then a hoof landed on my shoulder. I didn’t have to look to see who it was, because I only know one pony who has the guts to touch me in such a manner.

“You should totally ask her out. She seems interested, and I think you two would look cute together,” Whitewash said, which for some reason put an enormous strain on my sanity. I started to hear voices... again.

‘maim… tear… kill… feast…’

‘start with the pretty one… the pegasus mare…’

‘kill them all… War… kill them all…’

I fought the urge to go along with those plans, which actually seemed appealing for a moment. The voices went on prattling as I tried my best to maintain a conversation with Whitewash.

“I didn’t ask you for your opinion, Captain,” I spat. This caused her to recoil, removing her hoof from my shoulder. “I don’t suppose you remember that little conversation we had on the matter, all those nights ago? It doesn’t matter if we would look cute together. What does matter is that should we fall in love, the hour my father comes to town, she will be the first to die, just to make a point. And don’t try to tell me that ‘It’s not going to happen’ or ‘He will never find us here’; he will. I refuse to form a relationship with anypony here beyond a friendship-” I looked longingly at the mare of my dreams just twenty paces ahead of me. “-so that they survive long enough to stay my friends.” I look back to Whitewash, who was still wearing her paper bag. Even though I could not see her face, I could tell from her emerald eyes that she was moved from my words. I think I even saw a tear well up, but I may have been wrong. This made me fire up again.

“I’m not asking for your damned pity, I’m just asking you to stop trying to be ‘Miss Matchmaker’ and leave my lovelife alone.” Her eyes regained their natural fiery glow again, and she snorted:

“Very well, my liege. I will leave thy Highness to his own business. If you change your mind tonight, odds are you can find me plowing some drunk mare at my suite. Goodbye, Prince.” And with that, she galloped ahead of the group, tearing off her paper bag in the process. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her usage of the word “plow”, despite the rather harsh verbal lashing I had just given her. ‘Oh, how I envy her ability to just shrug off such things and go right back to normal afterwards… if one could call her normal’

I and the remaining mares traveled onwards into town, and there we saw a large assortment of costumes, ranging from witches to astroponies, ghouls to pirates, vampires to bees. I found it quite interesting, yet odd. Most were actually foals with chaperones. As we went on our way, dozens of ponies stopped to look at us, and stare at me. Though none came forward, I could tell that my costume was truly something to behold to them. We soon arrived at the Cat’s Eye Café, without any problem. I looked at the café, tilting my head sideways. Something about it gave me a sense of familiarity and dread at the same time. However, this could have just been from my wandering mind. We stepped up to the door, and I motioned for everypony to halt.

“Hold up. I have an idea how to ‘make an entrance’.” I unfurled my leathery wings once more, and this time, I swooped them back, and with all the strength I could muster, I flapped both with force enough that the double doors flew open, bringing a gust of wind with them. I heard a number of gasps at the sudden entrance, and I used this to float in.

“Good evening everypony. Please, do not be frightened. We are simply here for the party!” I roared in my demonic voice. I saw a mare faint in the back of the room, but everypony just stood and stared. Then they cheered, pumping their hooves into the air, like the mob of overly excited and quite possibly drunk ponies they were. I took in the intoxicating amount of energy in the room, and an enormous grin spread across my face. I turned back to my friends:

“This is marvelous! Let us rejoice!” They all began to feel the infectiousness of the vibe in the room, but just as they began to jump to the music, everypony stopped dead. I followed their gaze behind me. I turned slowly, wondering what could have caused such a shock, and as I did, the gay feeling in the room quickly died too. Ponies stopped dancing, and just stared at a mare who I then spotted. She was wearing a long white lab coat that was spattered with red. She also wore a black suit that covered her whole body below the neck under the coat, and had a pair of tinted goggles paired with a surgeons mask. She was a unicorn and had a coat as black as night. Her short and angled mane was dark purple striped with a lighter violet. Then she lifted the goggles from her head, and the shock hit me too. Her eyes were as red as blood. The mask slipped from her muzzle, and hung about her neck as she spoke:

“Hello brother. It’s me, your sister. Long time no see, I might add.”