As the sun began to creep ever closer to the horizon, Princess Celestia rose from her throne with a yawn, another day of overseeing life in Equestria in the past. A couple of minor pops from her joints as she stretched reminded her of how long she had been seated.
"Are there any other matters to be dealt with before I take my leave?" Celestia inquired as she turned to her assistant. The tan unicorn beside the throne shook her head.
"No your Majesty. I believe that is it for the day, both metaphorically and literally," she replied, turning her head to look out the window.
"Thank you. See you bright and early tomorrow," Celestia said as her assistant bowed. Making her way down the steps to the floor proper, the guards on either side saluted her as she passed them, as did the guards posted at the doors to the throne room's entrance.
But as she made her way down the hall, Princess Celestia relaxed, knowing the trials and tribulations of the day were left behind, allowing her to just be herself for a while. True, she enjoyed being able to help the nation and guide it along the path to prosperity, but there were times it all became overwhelming. Her stomach growled lightly, reminding her that lunch had been hours ago. Continuing with her normal routine, Celestia headed to the dining room for dinner, before she would ultimately end the day lowering the sun below the horizon.
Only an hour ago she had put in a request for a small vineyard salad for dinner, and expected it to be waiting for her at the table, as her meals always were.
But a newer staple of the dining room at dusk was a deep blue alicorn seated at the table near Celestia's meal, her mane a brilliant display of the midnight sky. Ever since Starlight Glimmer's visit to solve a feud between the royal pair, Luna rose early to have some time with her older sister before starting her rule over Equestria, as Celestia did in turn just before sunrise.
But she knew there was another reason Luna was here so early tonight.
"Good evening, Luna," Celestia greeted as she strode to the table. Luna, already finished with her breakfast judging by the empty dishes before her, greeted her in turn with a serene smile gracing her muzzle.
"Sister, good evening. I hope your day went well?" she asked. Celestia nodded as she took a seat beside Luna, eager to satiate her hunger.
"Yes, rather quiet today. It certainly was a nice change of pace," replied Celestia, taking a sip from her water glass before digging into the greens before her.
"Perhaps everypony is saving their energy for the night hours," Luna suggested as her smile grew ever brighter. Celestia gave her sister a moment to brew on that comment, finishing a mouthful of her salad before speaking up.
"Oh, I wasn't aware of any events planned for tonight. What's the occasion?" she teased while trying to keep a straight face.
"Surely this is a ruse to unsettle me," Luna replied, aghast by her sister's presumed ignorance as her barely contained excitement vanished.
"It wouldn't happen to be Nightmare Night, would it?" Celestia asked, yielding to Luna.
"Indeed it is, perhaps the most important night all year," Luna gushed as her infectious exuberance returned in full force. Celestia couldn't help but grin as well, feeling her heart sing at her sister's joy.
"Of course I couldn't forget that. After all, you've been reminding me with a countdown every evening."
Luna chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I have. Just consider yourself fortunate the countdown has only been known to you for the past few weeks, I have been silently keeping track for months now."
"Oh, I don't mind at all sister," Celestia replied. "It gives me the chance to see you as happy as I ever have." Her horn lit with a golden aura, seizing the chair Luna was seated in and sliding it over to herself and embracing her little sister with a wing draped behind.
"I too realize how much your company has been missed, thank you Tia," Luna chirped. She paused a moment before turning her head to meet Celestia's magenta eyes. "I do have a question - well, more of a suggestion, I suppose," she said somewhat awkwardly. Celestia's interest was instantly piqued by Luna abrupt change in tone.
"I'm all ears, Luna," she replied. "Is something troubling you?"
"Not at all. I merely ask if you would like to accompany me in tonight's festivities."
At once, Celestia froze. Her mind flashed back to all the events they attended, remembering the results; she always ended up as the center of attention, while Luna was left on the side, granted acknowledgment but hardly the reverence she deserved. Certainly, Celestia did not want a repeat, especially when it was Luna's night to shine.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I will have to pass. It may have been a slow day presiding over the kingdom, but I am still feeling fatigued. Sorry, Luna," she apologized.
"I understand, sister," Luna replied with a slight smile. "I hope I did not make you feel pressured, it was merely an invitation." Despite her passive attitude, Celestia could sense a slight hint of disappointment from Luna. Even so, Luna continued to make small talk as her older sister finished up her meal, before departing the dining room, on her way towards Ponyville before night set in.
Truth be told, Celestia had never witnessed Nightmare Night's festivities. She had heard of them by word of mouth from her subjects, but the nocturnal celebration was much too late for her to venture out, being the only ruler at that time. Even now, she much preferred climbing into bed for rest only an hour or two after sunset. It gave her enough time to catch up on her own interests for a bit before sleepiness overtook her mind.
Now alone at the table with an empty bowl sat before her, Celestia turned to her thoughts. She regretted turning down Luna's offer as she mulled it over again in her mind. Yes, it would lead to a day of lethargy through her rule tomorrow, that was a given. Perhaps she would draw more attention to herself than desired, that was about a guarantee as well. But if Luna had asked Celestia to join her in the celebrations, surely she had already considered that possibility and made her peace with it.
No, it was clear Luna was less concerned about herself, and much more enamored with the idea of spending an evening with her big sister. The realization caused Celestia to rise up from her seat, seizing her empty dishes within her magic and heading to the kitchen, where a few staff were still lingering. Celestia's mere presence caused a few of the ponies to do a double take.
"Was everything to your liking?" one of the ponies asked an air of concern within his voice.
"Yes, thank you," Celestia replied, realizing she was not normally expected to clear the dining room table herself. But she had something else in mind here, so it only made sense to bring the items with her. "I was actually hoping to make another request before the day ends."
"Of course, what would you like?" another chimed in.
"A cup of coffee please."
=====
After a quick visit to her room to remove the regalia she had worn all day, Celestia was off, destined for Ponyville. She felt rather naked without her royal attire, not used to being in public without it. But she was determined to be as little of a distraction as possible, short of changing her form.
The sun was just barely hanging on to the horizon as Celestia took to the skies, enjoying its last golden rays of light before it would be extinguished till tomorrow.
Celestia took in the sights of the onset of early fall as she soared over the earth. Canterlot's architectural landscape stayed constant through almost all seasons, so the beautiful color shift of the leaves on the trees was a welcome and rare sight. Even so, she kept the rhythmic beat of her wings steady, desiring to reach the outskirts of Ponyville and land before lowering the sun. While her large wingspan made long flights quite easy and effortless, Celestia was admittedly not very quick.
But much to her own surprise, Celestia made it to the outer reaches of Ponyville with a few minutes to spare. She landed gracefully upon a dirt path that stretched northward, into the town of Ponyville proper. Though she now realized, she did not truly know where this celebration was held. But she did not feel too concerned; Ponyville was not a very large place. Celestia would find her way soon enough.
Before the search would begin, Princess Celestia was bound by her duty as Ruler of the Sun. With a gentle push from her reserves of magic, the sun dipped fully below the horizon. At last, night had begun. The town ahead took on new life; the artificial light of candles and oil lamps lighting the streets and private residences, their subtle glow accumulating into an inviting warmth that beckoned to all who viewed Ponyville from a distance.
Celestia could see numerous shadows dancing amidst the streets ahead, and as she walked closer to town, she sighted the forms creating them. Fillies and colts of all ages walked the dusty streets, heading toward the center of Ponyville. All wore some sort of costume, from creatures of horror to normal animals, and every occupation imaginable. As she reached the throngs of ponies crowding the road, some bowed, while other merely studied her in surprised stares. Celestia did little to acknowledge the attention she received, aside from a warm smile and a few signals to keep quiet with her hoof up to her muzzle. Most seemed to understand her intentions, though still were quite shocked at seeing their princess.
Eventually, the mass of ponies led her to the mayor's office, where a simple stage had been set. Celestia laid back a bit as others crowded up towards the front, desiring to watch from a distance. She took stock of the surrounding area, which had been set up with food carts, games, and festive decorations all around. It was a lot to take in, being the first Nightmare Night Celestia had ever attended. She still didn't know quite what to make of it all. But she was sure her sister would be able to explain once they met up. Celestia began to feel her excitement build, imagining how thrilled Luna would be to see she had come.
Celestia did not have long to wait. With a flash of light, Luna made her appearance known to all on stage, to the applause of all gathered. Luna paused a moment to take stock of the throng that had swarmed the center of Ponyville, as Celestia tried her best to scrunch down a bit to blend in.
"Greetings, my ponies," Luna boomed, using her royal voice to ensure all could hear her. Again, applause rang out, but Luna closed her eyes and held up a hoof, halting the celebration. Despite this being her night to shine, Luna remained calm and emotionless as she again scanned the crowd silently for a moment.
"I am pleased to see so many of you gathered here tonight. But what is tonight?" Luna continued after a brief pause, ignoring the few raised hooves amongst the crowd. "Tonight is a night we gather together in tribute. In tribute to the creatures of the night. A tribute to the things that lurk amidst the shadows, waiting to prey upon the unsuspecting."
Celestia felt a bit unease by Luna's monologue. No, she did not fear these things that her sister mentioned, but she did not expect to hear such... sinister ideas to come from her. Around her, Celestia noticed a few ponies whispering amongst themselves, fidgeting with nervousness.
"Tonight, we offer our respect to those creatures, we celebrate the night and all that it provides us. Tonight, we celebrate me!"
With a final shout, Luna leaped into the air, her wings outstretched as she climbed higher. Behind her, the moon followed suit, rising up above the horizon, full and bright. Framed by its light to a point she became a mere silhouette, Luna cackled with delight, as Celestia's breath caught in her throat. Ponies around her gasped, while others screamed.
Instantly, Celestia's mind clicked with the sound of Luna's sinister laughter. It felt like only yesterday she had heard it, as her little sister rebelled against her, desiring to not only control the night but to be rid of the sun's light for eternity.
But why now? Was Luna so upset with the rejection of her invitation she decided to follow this path again? Was there something Celestia had missed, a warning sign? No, this could not happen again. At once, Celestia flared her wings out and took to the sky, just as Luna's transformation into her alter ego had begun.
Even from the back of the crowd, Celestia could see her sister's form morph, growing taller and lankier like herself. The feathers on her wings fell out in clumps, rapidly being replaced with larger, black plumage as her horn slowly spiraled out of her head and lengthened. It took mere seconds for Celestia to reach Luna, and it took less time for Luna to finish her transformation.
But to Celestia, watching her sister morph into a monster felt like an eternity.
Celestia stopped in horror a few feet short of the stage, hovering in the air as her sister descended back to the stage, her transformation complete. She could only watch as the arrival of Nightmare Moon made the gathered ponies shriek in terror, as she herself let out another sinister laugh. She opened her eyes, the slitted pupils dancing across the throngs before her.
"Ah, my ponies. It has been too long since our last meeting," Nightmare Moon chuckled.
The taunt finally broke Celestia from the trance in which she had fallen. "Sister, stop!" she shouted. Nightmare Moon's eyes widened with surprise, her head swiveling left and right to find the origin. Celestia descended onto the stage, her changed sibling taking a few steps back, partially due to surprise and also to make more space.
"Celestia? You actually came here?" she asked, not believing her eyes. At once her expression changed from shock to pure delight. But Celestia, caught up in the deja vu she was experiencing, paid no notice.
"Don't do this Luna, it's not worth it," she cried, cautiously taking a step forward. "I don't know what I did to upset you, but we can work it out. Do not take your frustrations out on them." She pointed a hoof to the ponies in the surrounding area. It was at that point she noticed the crowd at this point was not scared, but visibly perplexed by this sudden twist.
"Sister, this is part of the show," Luna whispered, just barely audible to Celestia's ears.
"W-what?" Celestia managed to stammer. Her sister's form rapidly regressed to her normal state and stepped closer to her older sibling.
"I did not really turn into Nightmare Moon, Tia," Luna replied, visibly concerned for Celestia. "It is just part of the show for Nightmare Night's opening festivities. I'm perfectly fine."
Celestia could not believe her ears, nor her eyes. She turned to the ponies surrounding the stage. Many were quietly talking amongst themselves, while most everypony awkwardly avoided eye contact with the princess. Celestia felt her face grow red hot, realizing the grave mistake she had made.
"I'm sorry, Luna. I should go," she muttered unhappily. Without waiting for a response, Celestia quickly took to the sky, using her massive wings to propel her away from her shame.
"Celestia, come back!" Luna called out after her. But Celestia did not dare turn around, wishing to return home as quickly as possible. She hoped she had not completely ruined the night for everypony.
But especially for Luna.
Within moments, Celestia had already left Ponyville behind, her journey now taking her over the dim, peaceful countryside with only the moon to light her way. She felt so stupid; how could she not trust her own sister? Yes, it was true she had a past event that lent itself as evidence. But that was a long, long time ago, and she and Luna had been closer than they perhaps ever had been. Yet here was Celestia, jumping to conclusions. She felt absolutely ashamed of herself.
"Sister, halt thy flight at once!" Luna's voice boomed from behind. The sheer volume of her voice was great enough to momentarily stun Celestia, the shockwaves causing her to fall a few feet in altitude. She turned around to see her younger sister rapidly catching up to her, her face quite cross.
Luna always did have a set of pipes on her, louder than Celestia could ever manage. She never understood it, but could recall it coming in handy on more than one occasion. But now, she dreaded hearing it, as when Luna lost her temper, she often made liberal use of her royal voice.
Celestia hovered in the air, and as Luna got near her, the young sibling motioned for her to land. With no alternative but to take her medicine, Celestia gradually descended, her hooves lightly touching the ground amidst a private grove of trees, away from the dusty path. Luna was right behind her, settling down just a few feet away.
"Luna, I'm sorry. I feel so stupid for even believing you would do such a thing ever again," Celestia blurted out. But her sister would have none of it, closing the gap between the two of them and using one of her wingtips to silence her.
"Tia, you have no need to be sorry," she said softly. Rather than the anger she expected to see, Princess Celestia was surprised to see her sister possessing a rather forlorn, apologetic expression upon her face.
"But I accused you of rebellion, I showed a lack of trust in you, in front of everypony," Celestia argued. But Princess Luna merely shook her head.
"Perhaps you were a bit rash, I will give you that. But I do not blame you. I imagine it is hard to see the form with which I attempted to bring eternal night. If I had known you were going to come, I would have explained everything to you beforehand."
"I... it was a last minute decision, honestly," Celestia admitted. "I decided it would be better to miss out on a bit of sleep to spend some time with you on your big night. I just really - I don't actually know what Nightmare Night entails. But why would you want to take that form? I don't understand."
Luna's initial reply to her sister was a light chuckle. "Ah, I thought the same thing during my first Nightmare Night. Ponies kept referring to me as Nightmare Moon and running from me in fear. As it turns out, the younger generation enjoys being scared."
"Really?"
"Indeed. It took me a while to understand it all, but they revel in the chance to face a legendary adversary that once made them fear the dark. While I was offended during that first night, I came to see for them, Nightmare Moon is merely a costume, much like the ones everypony else wears on this night."
"So, this is a night where everypony tries scaring each other?" Celestia asked, still trying to grasp the concept.
Luna raised an eyebrow at her sister, exuding her own skepticism. "That is perhaps a harsher way of explaining it," she cautiously replied. "The way I see it is a night to face your fears. It is a night of camaraderie amongst friends, a night of mischievous fun," Luna added, her voice becoming increasingly excited.
"That makes a little more sense, but what about you?" Celestia questioned.
"What about me?"
"How do you feel walking around as Nightmare Moon?"
"A sense of accomplishment, I suppose," Luna mused. Quickly, her eyes widened as reality hit her. "What I mean is, I feel as if I have conquered my own fears. No longer do I live with doubt that I could once again revert to that fiend out of anger. I have defeated my jealousy, and the ability to take such a form on an appropriate night is like hoisting around a trophy for all to see."
"For that, I am grateful," Princess Celestia gushed, wasting no time in pulling her younger sister toward her in a tight bear hug. Surprised at first, Princess Luna relaxed and returned the warm embrace.
"Thank you sister," she replied as Celestia finally let her free. "I should return to the festivities, would you like to accompany me once again?"
Celestia hesitated for a moment. "I don't know Luna. I have already made the night rather awkward. Is it really a good idea to return?"
Luna waved a hoof, brushing aside her sister's reservations. "Nonsense, Tia. We all make mistakes, princesses included," she replied. Her eyes suddenly danced up and down her elder sister's form. "But I must say, your appearance will not do. We should come up with a different look for you."
Celestia could not help but scoff at her sister's suggestion. "Luna, I don't think we have enough time in the night to design a costume for me."
"Ah, but there is no need for a costume. Just a little magic and imagination," she replied, with a mischievous grin. "Or, should I say, magic and dreams.
The older sister stood there perplexed by the cryptic response of her sister. But with a bit of thought, she understood, her eyes snapping wide with shock. "Luna, you don't mean-"
"I do, and I think it will work exceptionally well. I'll explain on the way back."
=====
Celestia watched from afar, hidden from view as a sudden flash of magic appeared on stage, a blue glow illuminating the immediate area. Once again, Nightmare Moon appeared in Equestria.
"Your queen has returned, and requires your attention," she boomed loudly, as ponies cautiously began to gather around the stage in the center of Ponyville. "As you witnessed earlier, Princess Celestia was none too pleased with our festivities, but not to worry. She has been dealt with."
Even from this distance, Celestia could hear the gasps and murmurs among the audience, clearly unsure whether this was a ruse or something more sinister. But as she remained attentive on her sister, Celestia could just make out the small nod from Luna that signaled her the time was right. She focused her energy and mustered up the royal voice she had neglected for some time.
"Oh, but that is where you are mistaken, my dear sister," she retorted, hearing her own voice echo across the countryside. All at once the citizens of Ponyville began to scan the area frantically for the source of the challenge. Celestia would not make them wait long, as her horn began to emit its signature golden light of magic, her mind picturing the stage she desired to reach.
In a flash, her surroundings melted away, shifting into the makeshift amphitheater in front of the audience, right next to her devious little sister. The crowd reacted immediately, with some bowing, while others took a step back, startled by her appearance.
"This may be your night, but I think there's enough room for me to have a little fun," Celestia chided with a grin. She focused her magic upon herself, morphing her visage into the image pictured within her memory. She could feel the changes manifest, her mane growing wild as the energy pulsed through it as her fur began to stand on end.
Through her concentration, Celestia could hear the shouts and screams of her ponies as they tried to grasp upon what was unfolding in front of them. Sensing the metamorphosis was complete, she opened her eyes, looking over herself.
Sure enough, the spell had worked, her normal pastel mane replaced with the fiery, volatile nature of the heavenly body she controlled. A slight orange tint now possessed her fur coat, while her cutie mark was surrounded by a splash of bold orange. Just within her line of sight as she looked down at her chest was the peytral that had manifested itself, the chest piece similar to Nightmare Moon's, but with a decor and color matching the rest of her changed form.
In addition, she felt the light weight of the helmet she wore, but could only imagine its appearance, as well as the predatory eyes she sported, complete with irises that resembled the flame of a glowing candle.
Even with the excitement, Celestia felt nervous, especially as she glanced over the gathered crowd to see their horrified expressions. While Luna insisted it was a good idea, Celestia nevertheless felt uneasy taking the form of the alter ego that made its presence known in Starlight Glimmer's nightmare.
"Keep going, Tia," she heard her sister whisper. "Or should I say, Daybreaker." Celestia turned her head to see Nightmare Moon wink, wearing a mischievous grin.
"Now then," Celestia continued, turning back to her audience. "You have two of us to prepare offerings for tonight. Nightmare Moon, and yours truly. Daybreaker."
With the utterance of the name, Celestia let loose a pulse of magic through her mane, sending the flames into a furious burst outwards from herself. Another round of gasps and cries of horror erupted from the crowd.
"Go, seize the night, and spread you ghoulish mischief," she shouted. Much to Celestia's surprise, the crowd abruptly shifted moods, as cheers and applause rang out. It slowly died down as the ponies scattered off in different directions, eager to begin the night's celebrations and activities. Even so, murmurs of excitement about the show they had just witnessed could be heard throughout the area.
But one final idea crossed Celestia's mind as she turned her gaze skyward to the bright full moon. With another charge of her horn, Celestia cast a final spell, launched toward the heavenly body. The pale light that shone upon the land gradually shifted to an eerie orange glow, faint shadows darkening upon its face until once again, the Mare in the Moon of old made its presence.
Ponies ooh'd and ahh'd as their attention was drawn upward to find the source of the light change. Next to her, Celestia heard hooves shuffling next to her, as the gentle presence of an outstretched wing graced her back.
"That looks wonderful, sister," Luna said, as Celestia turned to face her.
"You don't think it's too much?" she asked. With a chuckle, Luna shook her head.
"Nay, I believe it suits the night well. I always knew you had an artistic flair within," she gushed. "Your execution of my plan was wonderful as well. Perhaps not as good as my showmanship, but very good nonetheless."
Luna's words caused Celestia to emit her own chuckle. "You always were the more dramatic one," she replied. But with lighthearted jokes out of the way, Celestia felt her heart sing with the excitement of the night, and the pleased look upon her sister's face, even if that face was of her old nemesis.
"Thank you for inviting me, tonight, Lulu," she said, giving Luna a warm nuzzle. Her affection was likewise returned.
"Thank you for joining me, Tia. Even if the start was a bit uneasy, tonight has turned out to be memorable for all the right reasons. Yet, it has only begun."
"Well, I'm sure I'll be feeling the ill effects of sleep deprivation tomorrow, but it is worth it. What comes next?" Celestia asked.
"How about apple-bobbing? Or perhaps a stroll through the haunted corn maze?" Luna suggested, lowering her voice for emphasis.
"Apple-bobbing? I'm not sure what that is, but I could go for a light snack about now," Celestia replied, garnering yet another bout of light laughter from her little sister.
"A wise choice, but be forewarned, it is not so easy to retrieve the snack. Follow me!"
With a playful giggle and shout, Luna dashed off, leaving her sister behind for a moment. Celestia was reminded of her younger years by Luna's laughter, a joyful sound she had been deprived of for so long. Emitting her own bout of giggles, Celestia pursued her sister and the wisps of Luna's hazy blue mane that lingered in the air. As she dashed off, her own mane left tiny flickers of flame behind, twirling and mingling in the air with the blue haze that remained, before both faded into the night sky.