"Are you sure about this Twilight?" Rage called from the guest room.
"Come on! You'll look great!" Twilight replies as she adjusts a fake beard she was wearing. She was wearing an elegant robe and wizards cap. Dressed up as Star-Swirl the Bearded, much like last year she was happily waiting to see what Rage looked like.
The crimson Alicorn came out dressed in a tattered yet still fancy looking tuxedo. His mane was somewhat messy and his eyes magically altered to have a red glow. A pair of fake fangs protruded from his mouth. He looked none too pleased about it either. "Twi, I look ridiculous. Why do I have to dress up like this again?" he asks her. "We're just going to a party right?"
"Yes but it's a COSTUME party. Come on. Surely you've had those before." Twilight scoffed. "Besides, you look great!"
"I still FEEL ridiculous..." Rage sighed "You look like Merlin...I look like a goofball."
"Merlin?" Twilight asks, tilting her head in a questioning yet slightly offended way. "Excuse me, I am Star-Swirl the Bearded!" she proclaims. "One of the best Unicorns to ever exist in all of Equestria!"
"And who am I? Dracula?" Rage scoffs. "Besides, this tuxedo is WAY too tight."
"Oh stop complaining! Rarity said it matched your measurements she took perfectly!"
"The ones she took BEFORE I had a pair of wings ever fixated on my side?" Rage asks with an unhappy glare. The magical glow she had given his eyes made it look even more so. She looked at him once more with the same sort of defensive look.
"You can't blame her for trying Rage. Honestly, you should loosen up! It's Nightmare Night!" She cheers walking up to his side and putting a hoof around him and leading him to the front door of the library. "Besides, look at how young the night is!" she chuckles using her other free front hoof to make an arching motion as if showing off something bewildering.
Rage gave her a soft smile. He felt uplifted. Even if he couldn't explain it. Being around Twilight when she was like this he just couldn't seem to help but let his worries and concerns slip away. Be forgotten. "Alright fine." he says "But seriously...what am I?"
"You are the tyrannical Shadow Fang!" She says. "A pony turned blood sucking monster after a magical mishap with a fruit bat!"
"So I am a vampire." Rage said in an uninspired tone. She made it sound like there was a lot more to it. "Like Dracula..."
"Drac who?" Twilight asks.
"Dracula...a vampire, infamous in Mobian legend. Strongest of the pureblooded vampires." Rage says. "Legends say he had some strange air of nobility around him and his court held some of the most infamous mythos in existence."
"Wow. That...sounds a lot more interesting." Twilight says before she got an idea. "You should bring me some books on him!"
"I dunno." Rage scratched his chin. The two walked past some fillies who were going door to door with bags of candy. "I don't exactly have a lot of books on the subject. Besides, there are so many different takes on the legend."
"I am sure you could find one." Twilight cheers.
"I'll see what I can do..." Rage replied. The talk about books made him think about the book he had requested from Tikal. Sonic had delivered it to the Ponyville Library before returning back to Mobius at Tails' request but he hadn't had a chance to review it.
"So, you said you had this All Hallows Eve thing right?" Twilight asks him.
"Yeah, which seems to be more or less the same thing the more I see and hear about Nightmare Night. At least nowadays..." Rage comments as they paused outside of the road to Sweet Apple Acres. "The party's at Applejack's?" Rage asks.
"Yeah, she hosts one in the barn every year!" Twilight answers. "It's always a blast!"
"And you're positive ponies won't get the wrong idea if we show up together?" Rage asks lifting an eye.
"Come on Rage you worry too much. Equestrian society is different from Mobius." Twilight chuckles as she knocks. A minute or so passed until the door was answered. Big Mac, who was covered in fake scars and had two bolt-like protrusions on his neck stood at the door.
Next to him was Applejack who had a very messy coat and mane. She had more canine-like fangs protruding just from her mouth. "Howdy Twi! Might I say you are looking mighty fine!"
"Thanks AJ." Twilight chuckles as she walks past the two and they set their eyes on Rage.
"And look at you partner!" Applejack hoots "You look nice and spooky."
"Why of course he does darling." Rarity chuckled walking up. She was in a long wedding dress and her face had makeup that made her look like a zombie. "I made it myself!" She boasts looking at Rage. "Though I do hope it isn't too tight now…I didn't expect you to sprout a pair of wings."
"I'll be honest…it is a little tight now." Rage admits "But I'll live."
"We'll have to be sure and get you re-fitted sometime then." Rarity says "Come now, enjoy yourself! Pinkie put a lot of effort into this. She wouldn't stop going on about how she had to make sure your first nightmare night was perfect!"
Rage smiled, "You guys didn't have to do all of this at my expense." He says.
"We do this every year darling." Rarity chuckles "While the fillies and foals go searching for candy we all have a party."
"Rage!" Pinkie Pie bolts over and grabs him. "You made it!"
"Owe!" Rage exclaims as she squeezed him. "Pinkie…" he wheezes "can't…breathe…"
The pink pony releases him and chuckles "Oops! Sorry! I just got so excited! We worked so hard to make this all perfect and I knew you had to come. I mean you didn't have to come but I knew you'd come! Twilight told me-" Pinkie rambled on before she was cut off.
"Pinkie!" Twilight hollered. "That's enough."
"Sorry…I got carried away again…didn't I?" Pinkie apologized. Twilight just nodded. "Sorry." She says to Rage.
"Uh…" Rage paused trying to put together what just happened. "It's…okay…" he said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Come on! You have to try the cider!" Pinkie exclaims pulling Rage away.
"So uh…ya think he'll be fine?" Applejack asks.
"Of course. Rage is nothing if not resilient." Twilight chuckles watching Pinkie shove a mug of cider in the crimson alicorn's face.
The two watched as he was dragged around by the hyper pony from place to place. As they watched Rainbow Dash who was wrapped up like a mummy came over to join them. "I don't think I have ever seen a pony endure Pinkie Pie for that long." She says.
"Should we do something?" Applejack asks.
"He'll be fine." Twilight affirms looking at the two now in the area set aside for dancing. As Pinkie got into it Rage slowly backed away.
"Are ya sure about that?" Applejack asks as the red Alicorn approaches the four. He looked exhausted.
"You should have warned me about this!" He exclaims. "Is she always like this?"
"Nnnope." Big Mac says shaking his head.
"Only when it's someponies first…Pinkie Pie Party." Applejack says.
"It's too much." Rage sighs. "She burned me out already!"
"Seriously? You're tired?" Rainbow Dash scoffs "You can stand up to Sombra and Discord, use magic and fight some other weird monsters and an hour with Pinkie Pie is your limit?"
"Cut me some slack?" Rage sighs "I am still exhausted from that whole Discord incident!"
"I suppose this is a lot to take in all at once." Twilight agrees. "Perhaps it's best if I take you home. After all, I am sure Spike could use some help handing out candy."
"What about Pinkie?" Applejack asks. "If she finds out…"
"If I find out what?" Pinkie Pie asks hopping up.
"Uh…n-nothing." Rainbow Dash says.
"Aren't you having fun Rage?" Pinkie Pie asks, looking worried.
Rage looked at Pinkie Pie and his heart raced and a wave of nervousness washed over him. What should he say? Sure he was having fun but she ran him through everything so fast it burned him out. He steeled himself and sighed. "I am Pinkie." He says "But…" he continues and Pinkie's eyes water "…you ran me through everything so fast that I am worn out. Don't get me wrong, this party is amazing! Unlike any I have ever been to But after everything these last few days…it was too much."
Pinkie nodded and frowned. "I am sorry." She admits "I just got all caught up in wanting to make it the best possible Nightmare Night Party you could ask for that I never stopped to think about you."
"Pinkie, don't take this the wrong way. This IS the best Nightmare Night Party ever." Rage smiles. "I just…wasn't ready for so much...this uh…costume doesn't help much either."
Pinkie smiled, "I'll keep that in mind for next time." She says. "I am glad you had fun though!"
"I'll be sure to have more energy next time." Rage chuckles as he waved.
"See you later, Partner." Applejack says as Rage waved and walked outside with Twilight.
"You can stay here with your friends, Twi." Rage says.
"You sure?" She asks him. Rage nods his head in response.
"Come on Twi, I am not a filly." Rage chuckled. Twilight laughed with him a moment before she sighed.
"Alright. See you when I get home." She waved to him as he trotted off.
Rage made his way back to the library occasionally coming across foals and fillies out looking for candy. Finally he reached the Ponyville Library as Spike waved off a pair dresser like timber wolves.
"Oh! Rage, you're back!" Spike exclaimed. "Is the party over?" He asks.
"No…" Rage sighed, shaking his head. "I left early because I got too overwhelmed…"
"Pinkie?" Spike asks and Rage nods. "Did you have fun at least?"
"Sure did." Rage chuckles "Turns out I am not good at apple bobbing." He says as a knock was heard at the door.
"Can you get that? It's probably some Nightmare Nighters." Spike asks.
"Of course." Rage replies as he uses some magic to grab the bowl of candy. He walks over to the door opening it to see two fillies. One, a unicorn, had their mane dyed a dark purple and had a pair of cardboard wings. The other was an earth pony who had their face painted red and had a red cardboard horn and pair of yellow cardboard wings. "And who do we have here?" Rage asks.
"I am Princess Twilight Sparkle!" The first one cheers.
"And I am the fearsome Burning Rage! Protector of Equestria and Bane of Sombra!" The other, a young foal, proclaims. "Give me candy or face my wrath!" The foal pointed the fake horn at Rage and it lit up with a small light.
Seeing the two Rage couldn't help but be amused. "Impressive." He says handing some candy to the two.
"Thanks mister." The unicorn cheers.
"Awe you aren't even a little scared?" The earth pony pouts.
Rage smiled and his horn glowed removing the spell from his eyes and he got his face equal to the young pony. "Afraid? Of myself?" He asks with a wink.
The two looked at the other then to Rage. "You're really him!" The young earth pony cheers. They squealed before darting back laughing.
Rage watched them for a moment before he closed the door. "I am not sure how to feel about that…" he says as Spike chuckles.
"You and Twilight are popular this year." Spike says. "I've seen a lot of fillies dressed like Twi and a ton of foals dressed as you."
"Strange." Rage replied thinking about why of all things they'd be him or Twilight. "We're not all that exciting." He comments
"I dunno. To them you're living super heroes." Spike says with a shrug. "You should have heard the titles they give you."
"Titles?" Rage asks curiously.
"Burning Rage, Guardian of Equestria! Burning Rage Protector of Equestria! Burning Rage Slayer of Sombra!" Spike says in a bolstered masculine tone. It took a second before the two laughed about the way Spike had reenacted the way the various fillies would introduce themselves.
"I'll admit, they're creative." Rage says.
"Oh yeah. Get this! Some even parade around as if you two are a couple!" Spike chuckled.
Rage looked at Spike taking a second to soak that one in. He chuckled hearing that. "Now that's crazy!" He says laughing as the ridiculousness of the concept hits him. "Us? A couple?" he laughs.
Spike chuckles "I know, some fillies have wild imaginations." He says.
Rage ceased his laughter and looked to Spike with a nod. "The children of Mobius aren't much different. Many hold dreams and aspirations that you look back on and laugh at." He comments. "I have lost count how many times a young Mobian has told me that they wish to be like Sonic when they grow up."
"Sonic famous or something?" Spike asks.
"Very." Rage sighed. "Sonic is widely seen as Mobius' Great Hero." He answers. "So he gets a lot of attention."
"What about you?" Spike asks curiosuly. "You ever been told that somepony wants to be like you when they grow up?"
"No." Rage denies. "I don't have the notoriety that Sonic does. I am known as the guy who keeps the Chaos Emeralds and helps Sonic out from time to time…I prefer staying out of the limelight… I am not expected to save anyone."
"What do you mean by that?" Spike asks curiously,
"I have the reputation of only being around when Mobius is in grave danger." Rage says "So the public doesn't expect to see me get involved unless things are really bad. It's better this way."
"So...that's why you didn't really want any praise for helping Twilight with Sombra?" Spike asks.
"Correct." Rage sighed "If it hasn't been clear I...haven't been the most...social pony..."
"So uh…different topic but how does Nightmare Night compare to uh…what did you call it? Hello-weeny?" Spike asks.
"Halloween." Rage states correcting Spike. "Nightmare Night sure shares a lot of similarities. Though you don't see magic incorporated into costumes for Halloween. As a matter of fact most costumes are of mythos and pop culture or fictional icons. Not heroes and real Mobians…aside from maybe Sonic…"
"Sounds like fun." Spike comments. "Did you see a lot of those uh… trick or treat people?"
"Not really. Most people aren't going to fly up to a floating island for some candy." Rage chuckles before he yawns. "Anyway I am gonna hit the hay." He yawns.
"Alright. See you later Rage." Spike waved as Rage retired to his room. Spike looked at the door to the room before he heard the knob to the main entrance door turn.
Twilight walked in nearly tripping over herself. "Twi!" Spike exclaims "How was the party?"
"Oh…Rage missed…one heck of a party!" She chuckled, taking the beard of her costume off. "Where is he by the way?"
"You just missed him. He went to bed a few minutes ago." Spike says.
"I don't blame him." Twilight replied "Pinkie probably drained any energy he had left with how quickly she ran him around."
"So I heard." Spike states "You missed some great costumes."
"Oh? What kind?" Twilight asked curiously.
"There were a ton of ponies dressed up like you!" Spike exclaims.
"That's flattering." Twilight chuckles. She then looks out of the window which had the pale light of the nearly full moon shining down. "I wish Nightmare Night could have been tomorrow. Under the full moon."
"Maybe next year." Spike yawns. "I'm beat…I think I am going to follow Rage's lead and head to bed…"
"Yeah…Right behind you." Twilight says with a yawn of her own.