It started out as a normal day in Ponyville as the CMC arrived at the train station.
"Are ya sure ya can't stay fer Nightmare Night, Amethyst?" Applebloom asked.
"Yeah… this would be the first one you'd spend with us," Quirky added, "well..this also technically my, Dawn, and Timid's first nightmare Night in Ponyville, but still…"
"I really would like to… but… Mom's given me an invite back home… and I really want to spend a holiday about her… with my Mom," Amethyst responded as she wheeled a small suitcase onto the train bound for Canterlot.
"...Okay… just be careful on the way there, Amethyst," Dawn stated.
"I will, I promise," Amethyst smiled, "See you all later."
"J-jaa ne, Amethyst-chan," Timid waved a bit, her stutter almost not there.
Amethyst gave a wave as Twilight signaled the private train to Canterlot was good to go. Thus, the train began on it's way to Canterlot, the CMC waving to Amethyst as she waved to them from out the window.
"I hope she'll be okay," Quirky sighed, "She's gonna be missing a lot of fun stuff…"
"I'm sure she'll be back by tomorrow," Scootaloo reassured.
---
After a little while, the train had stopped, and much to the surprise of Amethyst, Princess Luna was there at the train station, waiting for her.
"M-mom!" Amethyst gasped in a mix of surprise and happiness as she ran out of the train before hugging the Princess.
"So this is that pegasus filly that calls you her mom?" A guard asked Princess Luna.
"Indeed it is,"the princess/goddess of the moon nodded in response.
"I missed you so much…" Amethyst said, tears dripping down.
"I missed you too, dear Amethyst," Luna smiled, "I hope things have been well for you during your studies with Twilight?"
"They have, she's been taking it nice and slow due to my dyslexia," Amethyst responded.
"I see..I am glad to hear that," Luna smiled a bit, "Anything else you want to talk about?"
"Well… can we talk more back at the castle? Maybe after I settle down a bit?" Amethyst asked as she moved back a bit, separating the hug.
"Sounds like a plan," Luna smiled, as Amethyst walked alongside the princess of the night, seeing that Canterlot was decorated for Nightmare Night.
---
It wasn't long before the duo arrived back at the castle and were walking within the halls before stopping before a set of doors, Luna using her magic to open them and reveal her bedroom, Amethyst smiling and going over to the part of the room she used to have when she was little.
"So… why is it that you changed from a… cyan like color to what you are now? You never told me that," Amethyst admitted.
"Moving on from the past of Nightmare Moon," Luna answered with a small sigh.
"Oh… I see. S-Sorry," Amethyst apologized.
"You did not know, it was only natural you'd be curious to ask," Luna admitted, "You are still young after all."
Amethyst gave a small nod in response as she took out a piece of paper, showing a drawing that she had made, which was of them, with a label 'My Mommy and Me,'.
"I worked really hard… do you like it?" Amethyst asked.
"...I love it," Luna smiled, hugging Amethyst, "You are simply a very nice filly..."
"...Th...thanks mom," Amethyst smiled as she returned the hug.
---
The night sky shone as the ponies of Ponyville celebrated Nightmare Night, a night dedicated to the princess of the night itself.
"So, Amethyst left for Canterlot?" Dash asked Twilight, hiding behind a wall to hide her costume.
"Yea," Twilight nodded, as she walked out wearing a costume similar to one she saw in one of Timid's books when Dawn borrowed one at the time.
The costume was primarily red, and it was themed after a pirate of sorts with the red coat, gold accents, and a symbol of a key and two cutlasses in the style of the Jolly Roger skull & crossbones, but it was heavy in the black accenting.
"Don't know why, but this seems so… familiar, and feels so… right. So… what are you going dressed as?" Twilight asked.
"My favorite princess," Dash smiled as she stepped out, her coat dyed a shade of lavender identical to Twilight's her mane also styled and colored like Twi's, the only added thing was a fake unicorn horn coming out of her mane, "Tada!"
Twilight saw this, blinking a bit before she gave a slight giggled.
"...What's so funny?" Rainbow Dash asked, raising her eyebrow a little.
"Nothing. Just… kinda funny to see you look like me," Twilight giggled a bit.
"Y-Yea, well… the best inspiration came from the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria," Dash admitted.
Twilight blushed a bit at that as she walked over to Rainbow Dash and nuzzled against her a bit, making Dash blush in response.
"Thanks for the compliment…" Twilight whispered to her marefriend before walking back a bit, "So… are the girls ready?"
"Not sure yet…" Rainbow dash answered as she looked up the stairs, "Scootaloo, Dawn! Are you two ready yet?!"
"Almost!" Scootaloo replied from upstairs, and it wasn't much longer before the young filly rushed down, dressed as Rainbow Dash, her coat dyed cyan along with a painted Cutie Mark, and her mane and tail were like Dash's normal rainbow mane.
"I guess cosplay runs in their family," Dawn Star joked as she walked down, wearing..nothing?
"..uh..Dawn? Where's your costume?" Scootaloo blinked.
"Costume?" Dawn blinked, "...I..wasn't aware I needed one."
"What th...it's Nightmare Night! You have to wear a costume!"
"...Oh," Dawn Star realized as Scootaloo dragged her back upstairs.
---
"I've got my costume ready Mom… you wanna see it?" Amethyst asked from inside the room.
"Of course, dear," Luna noded in response as the doors opened, revealing Amethyst dressed as her, having painted her coat to match Luna's, Cutie Mark and all. She had a fake horn, and even her mane and tail matched Luna's in color, but it didn't have the same flowing effect.
"How do I look?"
"..You look lovely, dear," Luna smiled a bit.
"Thank you. I put a lot of time and effort into making this costume," Amethyst giggled.
Luna gave a small nod, still smiling a bit before she and Amethyst heard the door open, making them turn to see a familiar sun Princess/Goddess walking in.
"Hello Luna. And… wow, isn't this something else. Managed to clone yourself for your special night?" Celestia teased, giggling a bit.
"..."
"I was joking a little, Luna," Celestia giggled a bit, something rare for Luna to see from her sister these days, "It really is good to see you again Amethyst,"
"Likewise," Amethyst smiled, "I'm really happy to be back here...even if it's only for a little while."
"Indeed. Oh, if I may ask Amethyst, how is Twilight doing?" Celestia asked out of curiousty.
"She's doing just fine. She hooked up with Rainbow Dash recently, and I don't think I've ever seen her so happy," Amethyst informed.
Hearing the news of Twilight falling in love, especially with another mare, took Celestia back for a moment, blinking a bit in surprise.
"Wait...you mean Twilight...and her friend Rainbow Dash...are together?" Luna asked, a bit surprised to hear this as well.
"Yes. Why… is that a bad thing?" Amethyst asked in confusion.
"Uh… no, but… tis… simply unexpected is all," Luna responded.
"Uh...yes… it certainly is," Celestia agreed.
"Well… they're happy, and shouldn't that be what matters most?"
"...O-of course, dear," Luna nodded, as Amethyst smiled.
"So… candy time?" she asked, taking out a bucket she brought with her.
"Indeed it is, Amethyst," Luna confirmed, "Let us go out and collect as much candy as you can."
"Yay!" Amethyst cheered a bit before thinking, 'I wonder how everypony else is doing?'
---
Back over in Ponyville, Twilight and Dash were guiding the CMC all around to get candy, with Quirky actually wheeling a wagon so they could carry their haul.
"And I thought Pinkie was obsessed with getting candy," Dash admitted.
"Ooh~! I made a haul!" Quirky beamed, the energetic filly wearing a cute bunny costume.
"Ah think your costume's neat," Applebloom smiled, dressed as a wad of cotton candy.
"You don't think my costume is scary, ne?" Timid asked, as she was dressed as a bat-pony.
"Yipe!" Dash yelped running behind Twilight.
"Uh… well… it looks… well… it reminded us of what happened with Fluttershy sometime ago," Twi answered.
"Eh? Wh...what happened to Onee-chan?"
"...Well...Let's just say she turned into what you're dressed as now," Twilight replied, making Timid blink in more confusion, "...A batpony. Except she turned into some kind of Vampire Fruitpony or something we called… Flutterbat."
"...e-eh?!" Timid gasped after hearing that, "Well… my first choice was a kitty… but Onee-chan's wearing that."
"She is? Last time I saw her, she was petrified to come out here on Nightmare Night," Twilight pointed out.
"Well, Onii-san is with her,"
"That explains that," Dash noted, coming out, "Ever since Fluttershy and your brother have been going out, she hasn't' been as… well, shy as before."
"Well, I'm glad to have such a nice Onee-chan now…" Timid giggled.
---
Back over in Canterlot, Amethyst was having some trouble carrying her bucket of candy around since it had filled up over the night,. She tried to stay up, only to trip as the heavy bucket kept dragging her back to the ground.
"Need some help?" Princess Luna asked, walking over to Amethyst.
"Yes, please," Amethyst nodded as her bucket was soon engulfed in a veil of magic energy before it lifted into the air a bit, "Thanks, mom."
Ponies began to notice Princess Luna walking with her 'daughter' and were amazed by the young filly's costume. Though some began to whisper, a bit afraid that a second Nightmare Moon might soon come.
Luna overheard that and frowned a bit. Even though mostly everypony had forgiven her, there were a select few that still feared her other self… her darker self.
"Mom… I'm glad to be back here with you. But… I've really grown to like Ponyville… my friends are really nice, and… I'll admit, Princess Twilight isn't the only one I've hung out and learned a bit from. I've also learned from the pony who used the Element of Generosity… I'm drawing a blank on her name…"
"You mean Rarity, dear?" Luna checked, with Amethyst nodding.
"Yea, that's who. She's really nice, and I've become great friends with her sister," Amethyst replied.
"Yea… that's nice," Luna smiled, "Rarity is a great pony… but… something once happened to her… not unlike myself becoming Nightmare Moon,"
"I didn't know that," Amethyst admitted.
"Not many ponies do," Luna admitted.
---
-Back in Ponyville-
"So… Rarity was once corrupted like Princess Luna was?!" Dawn Star gawked.
"It's a long story… but it did happen," Twilight responded.
"Okay… I guess," Dawn shrugged, as Quirky screamed.
"Somepony stole my wagon!" Quirky shouted, before crying hysterically, "All that candy, gone to waste~!"
"Where was the last place you saw it?" Dawn Star asked.
"Uh… right before we passed by Diamond Tiara's hou- oh," Quirky started, before quickly realizing what happened.
"Wait… you don't mean that…stupid… prissy bully stole our candy?!" Dawn Star started, getting angry.
"I'm not that selfish," Diamond Tiara stated, she and Silver Spoon pushing the wagon forward to them, "Your wagon got stuck on some sort of rock, and you left it behind. So, I thought I should come and return it."
"..."
"What? I'm trying to be nice here for once!" Diamond Tiara frowned.
"It's true," Silver Spoon confirmed.
"Well… thank you," Dawn Star smiled, as she got the wagon back on Quirky.
"....You have a good night now," Diamond Tiara told them as they left, the spoiled filly mentally thinking, 'Stupid blankflanks.'.
"...Hard to believe she's so nice for doing that," Quirky admitted before shrugging, "But hey, I'm not one to complain. I got my candy moolah back!"
"...Y...yeah…" Scootaloo chuckled a bit before looking at Sweetie Belle, who was dressed as a piece of candy.
"So… back to getting candy?" Dawn Star asked.
"Yea/Hai," the others nodded.
---
"You want some?" Amethyst asked her mom later, having put all of the candy on a table to snack on.
"Isn't that sweet? Thank you, Amethyst," Luna smiled a bit as she took a few pieces, "Did you have a good time tonight?"
"I sure did," Amethyst smiled.
"Glad," Luna smiled.
"You know… I really miss you. But… can I ask you something?"
"Certainly,"
"No matter what my Cutie Mark is… no matter what I do with my life… you'll always be my mommy, right?" Amethyst asked.
"Of course I will, Amethyst," Luna smiled as she hugged her daughter, "And no matter what, you'll be my daughter…"
"I love you, mommy," Amethyst said, teary-eyed, as she hugged her mom.
"I love you, too," Luna replied, hugging Amethyst back.
---
"Get some rest, I have something to do…" Luna told Amethyst, tucking her into a bed.
"Okay… goodnight," Amethyst smiled, falling asleep.
"Goodnight," Luna smiled, giving Amethyst a kiss goodnight, before walking out, seeing her sister was there.
"...Yhat question Amethyst asked you, a certain somepony asked me that very same question," Celestia sighed.
"...Your former apprentice, Sunset Shimmer...correct?" Luna asked.
"Indeed," Celestia sighed, "I wish… I could see her once again… to mend what was broken between us…"
"Do not worry sister dearest, I am certain that thou willst see her once again," Luna assured, making Celetia smile.
"I hope so…"
---
"Will I see you again one day soon Mom?" Amethyst asked, very close to crying as she was put on the train back to Ponyville.
"Rest assured, child, we will see each other once more," Luna promised.
"..ok.."
"And I'm sure your friends miss you, dear. So return to them."
Amethyst nodded, as Princess Luna then handed her something, a picture of them going around getting candy the night before. "Whenever thou misses me… just look here, and remember the night of fun."
The young filly smiled before hugging Princess Luna.
"See you soon," Amethyst waved, as the train began to head for Ponyville.
"See you soon… my daughter," Luna whispered as she watched the train leave.
---
-Later that day-
"So, how was it at Canterlot?" Applebloom asked, as Amethyst had soon returned home.
"It was great, but not as great as Ponyville, because here, I get to be with my very best friends," Amethyst smiled.
"We really missed ya, so what do ya wanna do now?" Applebloom asked, as Amethyst looked over to the Carousel Boutique.
"Actually… I wanna… go and spend a little time there," Amethyst informed, "If… that's okay."
"...It's no problem," Dawn Star nodded.
"Let's go," Sweetie smiled as they headed over to Rarity's home/store.
"Hi Rarity," Amethyst smiled.
"Oh, Amethyst. So good to see you again, darling. How was your trip to Canterlot?" Rarity smiled upon seeing the young filly.
"It was pleasant. I had a wonderful time with my mom," Amethyst replied with a small smile.
"That's good to hear."
"I was wondering…if I could spend some time here…" Amethyst admitted, looking around at the designs.
"...Of course darling. You're free to come here whenever you wish," Rarity replied.
"Thanks," Amethyst smiled, as the CMC all simply looked around.
"So… what did you dress as for Nightmare Night?" Scootaloo asked as Amethyst showed the picture of the costume she had made.
"I… made it myself," Amethyst admitted, showing the picture to the rest of the CMC and Rarity.
"...Gracious… you've made this by yourself?" Rarity asked as she looked at the picture.
"I… I did…"
"...impressive…" Rarity noted, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you'd looked like a miniature version of your mother, Amethyst."
"Th-thanks," Amethyst smiled with a light blush of embarrassment, "It was honestly my first time making an outfit… I'm surprised I did so well myself, and… it was fun to do it."
"I see…" Rarity noted as she continued to look at the picture, "I'm surprised you've managed to make something like this on your first try, darling."
"Thanks…" Amethyst blushed.
"Can you make our Nightmare Night costumes next year?" Scootaloo asked.
"You did such an amazing job, I bet you could make us look like anything we wanted!" Quirky added.
"You guys…" Amethyst blushed a bit more.
"I-I bet I would look so cute in something you made," Timid smiled.
"I'd like to see what kind of costume you can make for me, Amethyst," Dawn Star added.
"Ah bet everypony would love whatever costumes you could make," Applebloom added.
"Yeah. In fact, you're just as amazing as Rarity is," Sweetie Belle added.
Hearing this made Rarity think for a moment, realizing that Amethyst had a lot of untapped potential in her.
"Amethyst, darling, why don't you let me teach you as an apprentice? I can show you the true art of fashion designing," Rarity offered the young filly.
Amethyst felt like her heart was about to soar at this chance, she really knew she had fun making her own costume, but to learn from one of the best designers.
"I'd love to learn from one of the best designers in all of Equestria. So… I'll accept your offer Rarity," Amethyst giggled with joy.
"Excellent! Oh you won't regret this, darling!" Rarity smiled, with Amethyst giggling in joy, simply very excited about this, when suddenly, a bright flash came from nowhere, making all of the Crusaders gasp in shock and amazement, as well as Rarity.
"No… way…" Applebloom gasped.
"Amethyst… take a look at this mirror for me please," Rarity told Amethyst, putting a mirror up by Amethyst.
"I'm confused…"
"Turn around…" Scootaloo told her.
Amethyst turned around, but turned away from the mirror.
"She meant… turn around and look at the mirror," Dawn Star stated.
"Oh…" Amethyst blinked a bit as she did so before, gasping, seeing that there was something on her flank: it was her Cutie Mark, which was an amethyst jewel with a thread going through a small ribbon that went around it, "M-my… my Cutie Mark…"
"Congratulations Amethyst… you're the first Cutie Mark Crusader who's gotten their Cutie Mark," Scootaloo told Amethyst.
"..."
"Whats' wrong? Aren't you happy? You finally got your Cutie Mark!" Sweetie Belle smiled reminded.
"Am… I not a Cutie Mark Crusader anymore?" Amethyst asked nervously, "Because… I may not have told you this before… but… did you know… you're all my very best friends?"
"We know…"
"But… can we... really be friends anymore? I mean… I have my Cutie Mark… but… I'm no longer a Cutie Mark Crusader…"
"We never said getting a Cutie Mark would no longer make you a Crusader, you're always a Cutie Mark Crusader," Applebloom assured, "Ah used to worry that… if Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle got there's… Ah would be alone. So… Ah made a rule saying that you leave the Crusaders only if ya'll wanna."
"..."
"You never leave your friends behind. If being friends with Twilight and the others has taught me anything, even if you change, you're still friends til the end," Rarity assured her new apprentice.
"She's right, Amethyst," Sweetie Belle spoke up, "Even if you have your Cutie Mark and we don't, you'll always be our best friend, no matter what."
"Thank you," Amethyst told them, tears forming in her eyes, "And Rarity… thank you so much for giving me a chance to be your apprentice, if not for this… I don't think I would be here…"
"It's no problem dear," Rarity smiled.
---
Back in Canterlot, Princess Luna was smiling, simply because she received a message from her daughter. She opened it up and read it to herself.
"'Dear Mom. Today is a very special day for me… I finally got my Cutie Mark! Miss Rarity saw the picture you gave me, and she liked my costume! So much, she made me her apprentice! I hope you're proud of me, because I'm going to be a designer. Enclosed with this message is a picture of my Cutie Mark. Hope you like it... Love you forever. Your little filly always… Amethyst'" Luna read as she pulled out the photo, showing Amethyst proudly showing off her Cutie Mark. The Princess of the Night smiled at her daughter, and felt a tear drip down from her eye.
"She's growing up… but… she will always be my little filly," Luna said to herself, proud of Amethyst.