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Candy Dandy was running around the outside of her shop, connecting lights and making sure the scarecrows she had erected were just slightly askew. Small string lights tinted bright orange were strung from the awning of her shop to be wrapped around the street lamp out front, and back to her awning. The walkway was lined with pumpkin shaped lanterns. The front door was propped open, and green, orange and black streamers waved in the breeze.

Satisfied with the outdoor decorations, she trotted inside to check on the indoor ornamentation. Bats hung from the ceiling, pumpkins sporting smiling faces were piled in the corner. Tables were covered with white tablecloths, and weighed down with various candies, baked goods and inexpensive novelty toys. Drinks were lined up on top of the main food case that had green tinsel with little ghosts strung up on it. From behind the counter, a smoke machine was making a lovely layer of fog along the floor that slowly crept toward the open door. The pink phony grinned; she'd had far too much fun getting everything ready. And she'd dragged Poor May Day into helping her for the better part of the day. But, it gave them more time to hang out. He'd left no too long before to get his costume, leaving Candy to finish the last few touches while she wondered what he was going to pick this year for a costume.

"Totally worth it." she said in a very self satisfied way. But when she glanced at the clock, she realized just how little time she had to get herself ready! Phonies would be arriving soon!



She ran through the kitchen to her connected home, and quickly donned her costume. This year she'd decided to be a pinata. She separated and sprayed her curls into some semblance of paper, and pulled up her bodysuit covered in multicolored rows of paper. She painted a few lines on her face to resemble the famous party prop, and then checked herself in the mirror closely. So far so good! She was sure her costume would get at least one laugh tonight.


Candy went back into the shop and listened for hoofsteps along the path as her guests arrived.


((Hey friends, it's an open roleplay! Feel free to come and go as you please!))

Last year Out of Orbit was just a filly in a large spooky mansion. A large spooky mansion was not the Phony's cup of tea. This year Out of Orbit decided to play it safe and go to the local candy shop for Halloween.

Sure there were still some spooky-style decorations out and about, but as far as the mare was concerned, she could just tell it was a lot safer.

The year before the little filly had been a ballerina, though some had called her a princess at the time. This year she had genuinely graduated to a princess with the costume she wore. She was Beauty or Belle, or whatever you wanted to call her, but she was the other half of "Beauty and the Beast." And what Beauty was complete without a Beast to call her own.

Leo, however, had not volunteered for the job. Yet here was Out of Orbit's cat, perched on her back with a headband adorned with horns.

The mare, knowing somehow that her furry companion was easily sulking on her back, tried to remind him "Leo, we are here to have a good time! I promise you can have many treats!" And there were plenty of treats to be had, since this party was being held by the owner of the candy shop.

Ever so curious, the mare decided to start investigating the tables for treats. Partially for Leo, but more for herself.

Candy Dandy watched the phonies start to file in, and she felt the familiar flutter of excitement in her stomach. Hopefully they would all have fun! She saw a blue haired phony in a Belle costume and she waved, saying "Welcome! Make yourself at home!." The same welcome was extended to a yellow phony in a sailor suit, as well as various foals that were running around.

"There's Pin the Face on the Pumpkin over there!" she added, pointing toward the wall next to the door. "And Bobbing for Apples outside!" She stopped talking as a large stallion entered.

"May!" she said, coming from behind the counter and trotting up to him. "Lookit your costume! It's awesome!" She admired the vest and bowtie, as it was closes to her eye level.

Prime Meridian didn't exactly know, well, a few things. Firstly, he didn't know why exactly he'd chosen to come to this particular Halloween party, other than the fact that he'd received an invitation. Secondly, he wasn't quite sure why he'd elected to come alone. And thirdly--and perhaps most importantly--he wasn't sure why he decided to come in the costume his last group of children decided to make him out of gratitude for his lessons on the night sky and space exploration: that of a paper mache rocket, slightly wonky at the nose and a little difficult to actually maneuver in.

It had taken a feat of superhuman intelligence to figure out how to put it on, and admirable dexterity to put hypothesis to method, but Prime figured it out in the end. And although he looked at himself in the mirror and found the effort had not matched the results--he looked, in his modest estimation, like an overgrown toddler had somehow both made the costume and insisted on wearing it--he couldn't find the energy or vanity within himself not to just keep on wearing it. It was Halloween, after all, he thought to himself.

And so, Paper Mache Saturn V entered the party, slightly able to see a golden hem of a dress on one side and soft mint hooves on the other.

"Oh, excuse me," he told the blue mare in the golden dress as he skirted by her, but then bumped accidentally into the mint-colored mare instead. "Pardon--"




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May Day's eyes practically bugged out of his head as he saw Candy Dandy emerge in her costume, her curled hair separated into streamer-like strands, the bodysuit with paper flutterings all around it. He flushed and caught himself staring and tried to avert his eyes, but continuously made his way back to her, blinking rapidly.

"Wow," the big stallion managed, smiling with an anxious, self-conscious delight. "I--I mean, you look beautiful. Really, just... you're so..." He fished for a more poetic word, but only one word kept swimming in his mind as he thought of her thoughtfulness, her looks, her sense of humor: "So cute"

Candy noticed the bowl of candies the pale green phony brought first; it was her nature to hone in one the food. She made a mental note to stuff her face with those later. But her focus went back to the star studded mare as she greeted them.

"Hi!" she said, waving and smiling widely. "Thank you! It's my shop: I'm Candy Dandy! I'm so glad that you came!" May's comment brought her attention back to him, and she blushed deeply, then laughed.

"Well thanks." she said, stifling her giggles. "I figured I'd walk a mile in your hooves this year. Though it looks like you chose to do the same!" Her giggles refused to stop. What were the chances that they both decided to cater to the other for their costumes!?

Shockstar had greedily snatched up the invitation to the Halloween party simply to see if there were any candy loving monsters around he could catch. He also wanted to snatch some candy of his own. But who could blame a foal like him?

Feeling very proud of his costume idea, the yellow foal waddled awkwardly into the candy shop with his cat Encore not too far behind. The fussy feline had, seemingly, settled down and, for now, had stopped trying to rip off the bow tie from around her neck. "C'mon Encore, you look great. This idea is brilliant! Don't let me down...please...." he pleaded with his cat before a certain blue pony caught his attention.

Beaming brightly, Shockstar skittled his way on over towards Out of Orbit and ducked beneath the table she was at. However his approach wasn't exactly stealthy as his rather round costume bumped against the underside of the table. "Crap....oops..." he blurted, popping his head out from under the table curtain and waggled a hoof at OoO. "Boo!" he laughed, popping out from under the table - with much difficulty- before pausing to straighten his orbwear.

Encore purred loudly at the sight of OoO and began to rub gently against the mare's gold gloves, casting a side eye up at Leo.

When Prime heard that timid voice filtering through the paper mache of his rocket nose, he immediately recognized it, pushing the hood of the costume further up so that he could more easily see his surroundings. Only a sliver of twinkling eyes were visible from the outside around his ridiculous costume, and he had to hold the paper rocket nose in place with his hoof to keep his ability to see at all clearly.

This stupid costume.

"Orbit--?" he called, but just as he managed to fully recognize his sister--wow, where did she get that amazing princess costume--she turned away and greeted another phony that Prime didn't know. He opened his mouth but then shut it again, lingering on the sight of the shy girl seemingly at her ease with her friend.

His attention was drawn another direction before long, and he turned to see two of the absolutely most stunning mares he'd ever seen in his life. One was dressed as a princess of a very different sort than what his sister had chosen, and the other was festooned with glittering stars and a bright expression that made him feel, suddenly and decisively, that he had made the worst decision of his life to wear the dumbest thing he'd ever owned tonight.

"Oh--thank you--it was a gift," Prime managed in response to the beige beauty that had addressed him, smiling a sheepish (and unseen) smile. He turned slightly toward the mint stunner, adding: "I'm so sorry my, ah, fins got you there. This is harder to pilot than I thought. I was trying to bump into the moon, but I guess I landed on a star instead, yeah?"

Did he... did he just make the dumbest joke in the world...

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May Day beamed at Candy as she spoke and as she laughed, he couldn't help but laugh, himself. His heart was suddenly free of any anxiety and self-consciousness, as though it had simply evaporated into the air. Looking at her, he couldn't think of one single thing wrong with--with anything, really.

Well.

Not so true.

They were still at a party. And Candy did still have to work. And answer questions. And not spend the entire evening with him. There was even a brightly-colored alicorn vying for Candy's attention now, asking for... non-sugary snacks........ in an edible arrangement store? On Halloween?

Ah, well.

May decided to wait for Candy to address her patron before he did, although the large stallion did take a half-step to the side to allow her greater access (and view) to the yellow, uhm, sailor scout.

The faux pinata pony was a bit taken aback by the arrival of the yellow alicorn, though once she'd taken a good look at her, she broke into a wide grin.

"Hey! I remember you!" she said, tapping the phony on the head. "Though you were much smaller then! How have you been? Oh and where is your kitty? Home safe I assume." She tittered for a bit, then gasped. "Oh but you're right! I totally forgot that some don't like sweet. One second, I'll be right back!" She said it to both of them, but as she walked away, she cast May a glance backward with a smile.

She tossed open her cupboards, frowning slightly, before tapping herself on the head and muttering "Of course!" She galloped to the other side of the kitchen, grabbing some homemade small pretzels and placing them on a plate and putting them off to the side. Next, she pulled from the fridge a few ingredients; cheese, bread and cucumbers and arranged them on a second plate for do-it-yourself mini sandwiches.

She balanced one tray on her head, and one on her back as she kicked the saloon style doors open, reaching the counter and placing the trays atop it.

"How bout this? Better?" she said cheerfully.