Trick or Treat

>Little boy saves up his allowance.
>Does extra chores.
>Collects cans.
>Everything he can for months.
>Practically a whole year.
>Parents keep asking what he's saving for.
>He won't tell them.
>Okay, it's amusing. He's doing extra work and being extra good, so they let it slide.
>Don't say a word about all those costumes they find half-made in his closet.
>All painted cardboard and scraps of cloth.
>One week to Halloween, finally lets it slip.
>Pony Rental place wouldn't rent to a kid.
>Asks his parents to rent him a dozen foals for Halloween.
>Dumps his piggy bank out.
>Won't even cover half the cost.
>Mom asks why.
>"Because I have bags and costumes and everything and I'll get way more candy this way!"
>Mom rolls he eyes.
>Dad doesn't say anything to the kid. Just makes the call and pulls out his credit card.
>Ponies show up around noon.
>Dropped off by surly jackass driver.
>Dad signs the paperwork.
>Winces at the cost, but signs it.
>Driver reminds dad he'll be back at midnight for the ponies.
>Foals mill around.
>Some scared.
>Some trying to act brave by scaring the others.
>Telling stories about what they've heard goes on.
>Why people rent this many foals at once.
>Mom bops those ones on the nose with a rolled up magazine.
>Shushes them and drives them inside.
>Boy starts pulling out the costumes he's worked on for weeks.
>Some don't fit.
>Some are perfect.
>Fillies and colts giggle as they put on their outfits.
>They're literally made of trash.
>Empty cereal boxes painted bright silver turn ponies into robots.
>Worn out bedsheets combine with others to become ghosts.
>One is a pirate, wearing the boy's outfit from last year. Modified, of course.
>Ponies stop laughing as the boy stomps out of his room carrying a whip and pith helmet.
>They're just toys.
>Doesn't matter.
>Not all of the ponies have unblemished hides.
>He attaches it to one filly's belt.
>"You're Daring Do!" he shouts happily, settling the helmet on her head.
>Filly giggles softly.
>The rest follow.
>He disappears again.
>Mom and dad adjust some of the costumes while he dresses.
>Little boys have grand ideas, but no idea how big ponies actually are, or how to make things that fit.
>Doesn't take long.
>Most are simple fixes.
>There's some silver spray paint in the garage and cereal comes in a bag.
>They didn't really need those boxes anyway.
>Fixes are all done by the time the boy emerges.
>Simple costume.
>Black shirt. Black pants. Black pillowcase wrapped around his head.
>He's a ninja!
>Mom tells him to go back and -
>He's got a bag full of flashlights.
>A safe ninja!
>Dad asks where he's got them, but boy just shrugs.
>"Found 'em."
>Makes sure every pony has a flashlight and one for himself.
>A little fiddling later and every flashlight is attached to a costume.
>Tucked into a belt, tied to a leg with a sock, and in one case taped to an overly large shoulder pad.
>Dad laughs and says son should have gone with glow sticks.
>Boy tried, but they all went out a few months ago.
>Starting to get dark.
>Mom has been at the door handing out candy to all the 'little babies' for a while.
>Handing out some to the foals too.
>Sun goes down.
>It's dark.
>Time for the big kids to go trick-or-treating!
>Boy is only 7.
>Still insists he's a big boy.
>Doesn't need anyone to go with him!
>Parents laugh.
>Fine, but only to the end of the street and back.
>If he goes any further, he has to come get them.
>And he has to be back by 9.
>Halloween or not, it's a school night.
>He agrees. Reluctantly.
>It's easy to watch him from the front yard.
>Parents take the candy bowl outside. Sit on the porch.
>Watch this bobbing blob of thirteen lights wobble away down the sidewalk.
>Share a few candies themselves between trick-or-treaters.
>Have a fair share of ponies come by while they wait.
>There's one little girl dressed as a cowgirl riding one.
>Filly doesn't look much older than the ponies the son ran off with, but she's carrying the girl easily.
>Almost easily.
>She walks into the fence.
>"OWWWWWWWW!"
>"Hey! Go around it!"
>"You know I can't see without my glasses!"
>"The Lone Ranger's horse doesn't have glasses!"
>"Yeah, yeah."
>She's not hurt, though.
>Earth ponies are tough.
>But parents give her some candy too.
>Neighbor three houses down has one for a nanny.
>She's walking the kids for them.
>Implies walking them like pets, and that's almost the truth.
>One is too young to know better than to run into the street. She's on a leash.
>Another is riding on the pony's back.
>The littlest one.
>Really should have been out earlier, the child is half-asleep, but the teen was fusing with her costume for *hours*.
>"I was not!"
>The adults share an embarassed smile.
>Parents aren't looking forward to dealing with that age.
>Offer the nanny some candy too, but she refuses.
>Offer her a beer.
>She... hesitates before refusing.
>Share another smile.
>A knowing one.
>Maybe on the way back.
>It goes unsaid, but the understanding is there.
>She has little ones to care for.
>Minutes tick past.
>The street isn't long, but it's packed.
>Newish development.
>Houses barely have space to walk between them.
>Lots of families with young children.
>Almost every light is on.
>Not the Hendersons, of course, but they never participate in anything.
>First hour passes.
>Parents aren't worried.
>They can see the blob of lights bobbing along towards them on the other side of the street.
>Plenty of children moving in groups, but none as large as their son's.
>He crosses as he comes even with the house.
>"Need more bags!"
>Yep, they're full.
>Every single one.
>Ponies giggle and play as he runs inside to get more.
>"They can leave those here, right?" he asks, coming back out with shopping bags and anything else that will work.
>"Yeah, sure."
>Ponies open their mouths and drop their bags on the porch.
>Some a little reluctantly.
>"Don't worry, Dad and Mom will take care of them!"
>Yes, he says 'Dad' and 'Mom' with capitals.
>He's still at that age.
>"Of course."
>Dad nods in agreement.
>He's got plenty of candy left in the bowl to hand out - and snack on.
>Asks if anyone is giving him any trouble.
>Boy is confused until parent nods towards the foals.
>"Oh."
>He shrugs.
>"Some."
>He shrugs again.
>Rushes off with his ponies to hit up the rest of the street.
>Kids start to come by that the adults don't recognize as their neighbors.
>Ones from outside the neighborhood.
>A few older ones.
>A few that are a little *too* old.
>Some that aren't even wearing costumes.
>"About time to wrap it up?" one parent asks the other, already knowing the answer.
>"Not yet. He's almost back."
>It's not even 8:30.
>Boy hasn't made it to the other end of the street, but he's coming back.
>"I bet he wants to enjoy some of that candy before he has to go to bed."
>"Probably."
>He does.
>And to play with his new friends.
>Parents stay outside for a bit, fending off another wave of trick-or-treaters.
>Most are in costume.
>Most.
>Some are neighbors making the return trip, just swinging by to say hello or who saved this house for last.
>Laugh quietly at the little child slumbering away on her nanny's back, tiny fists clutching the pony's mane.
>She nods towards the parents.
>Can't quite hide her smile.
>They wave her over.
>The teen groans and - after a brief talk with the pony - walks home alone.
>Inside the house, laughter and merriment as ponies play with the boy.
>Outside, quite talking between adults, trying not to wake the child snoozing away while the other digs into the candy dish.
>"Ready for that beer now?"
>Some time during the night, the dad had slipped inside to get one for himself.
>It's Halloween.
>No one will care.
>She smiles again, but shakes her head.
>Gently, so as not to dislodge the child.
>"Thanks, but I should be getting back. Maybe next time."
>"I'll hold you to that."
>She's not a bad sort.
>Better neighbor than her owners.
>Only reason they get invited over to the cookouts is because of her. And, well, because they're neighbors.
>Street is nearly empty.
>Jack-o-lanterns being snuffed out.
>Porch lights being turned off.
>A few beams of light bounce along the sidewalks as children scurry home - or on to the next street in the hopes that there is any loot left to be looted.
>Thirteen bags of candy lean against the wall.
>Dad calls his son outside.
>Tells him to take those in while he starts cleaning up.
>Waves his hand towards the decorations.
>Mother laughs.
>"You just want to finish my beer."
>Father laughs.
>"I just want to finish my beer."
>Son shakes his head.
>"I told the ponies they could take that back with them."
>"But isn't that why you rented them for the night?"
>"I don't want any of it," he answers with a shrug.
>Father sighs and sets down his beer.
>"You know, with the money you'd saved up, you could have just bought yourself a bunch of candy. Or toys."
>"I know," the son responds, smiling as laughter swells up from inside the house. "This was more fun."
>He looks back over his shoulder.
>"I hope I can save up enough to do this next year too."