//------------------------------//
// A Night For. . .What? 
// Story: I Couldn't Become Nightmare Moon, So I Got A New Job! 
// by Ultimus Pendragon 
//------------------------------//


Spirit Of Few.





Spike and Pinkie Pie came off the train, admiring the glow of the night sky as the breeze swept through the air.

''So, how long do you think this will take us; with the addition of Luna?'' Spike asked, cracked his knuckles, intent on getting this little errand out of the way so they could continue on about their business. ''Because something tells me that we should have taken Moon Dancer along with us, and this would be a whole lot easier than what I know it won't.''

Pinkie shrugged, fastening her saddlebags and walking ahead, clicking her tongue and sighing as she also thought about what would occur in this certain venture. It held no significant meaning to the pair, and Moon Dancer did have it as something that had to be done and should not be put off if it could be helped. 

And Luna's performance would be measured to a degree to see if she could handle any future ventures that pertained to this.

''Don't have the slightest idea, but I know that the quicker we do this would be the quicker we can gauge her skill,'' Pinkie said, whistling with her hooves as the pair waited for a few seconds to see a shape appear over the top of the train that landed alongside Spike. ''Are you ready?''

''As much as I can say that I can; but I do wonder why I had to be on top of the train when you two were inside,'' Luna said, shakily exhaling a bit as the cold air of sitting on the train for the hourish long ride began to get to her. While not unbearable, she felt there was being an extra step taken on her behalf that she had yet to see if it was positive or negative. ''And why are we here of all places?''

Spike gestured for Luna to follow the pair as they traversed around the town of Appleloosa to go and initiate a trade deal with one of its many residents to gain a line of product for Miniature Menagerie. Moon Dancer did want to make a point of a good business owner to make deals face to face, though she was unable to due to needing somepony to run the store in the absence of her two best workers.

Luna could also use the experience if she were to stay long-term in the company to pull said deals by herself.

Pinkie and Spike were merely there as an extra form of insurance.

''This is one of the few places that Moon Dancer knows a few of the ponies that were willing to do business with us, and the product that they offer could be a good boost for our sales since some of our customers-'' Spike tapped a claw in his other hand to annunciate his point. ''-special order some items, and it would be better for them to buy direct where we can offer it at a slightly reduced price.''

''Wouldn't that make us lose money however if we charge at a different rate than those here?'' Pinkie snorted as Luna asked the question that Moon Dancer had a feeling that she would after almost immediately arriving. 

''If you buy something from a place you typically have a good relationship with, it builds a connection enough to help the image of the business to help grow and keep consistent loyal customers; loyal customers generally equal to a more consistent flow of buyers,'' Spike said, consulting the yellow sticky note that held directions to the supplier who wanted to do business with Moon Dancer, though who only agreed to do the initial meeting at night. ''But meeting at night does seem the slightest bit curious.''

''Maybe they don't want to draw attention; maybe the product that they sell is questionable,'' Luna said, noting the dim candlelights of the few buildings spaced out, providing a warm backlight as the trio continued onto their destination. ''Moon Dancer did confirm this pony's. . .shall I say; trustworthiness in regards to business?''

''Totally!'' Pinkie exclaimed, raising a hoof to the air as she went over the first time she was sent to do something like with Spike and the kind of questions that Luna asked were more along the lines of what she also asked when push came to shove. ''Moon Dancer wants us to help her do her best to get business drumming up as much as we can, so she may be considering branching out.''

Luna pondered the small nugget of information as Spike led them to a church, the pale grey of the building contrasting the moonlight.

''And what is this place?'' Luna asked, noting the lack of lights around the church as well the harsh breeze that picked up the closer they came to it.

“Where Moon Dancer’s contact is. He insisted on meeting here so we can see first his product.” Spike said, knocking on the door a few time in a pattern before stepping back and waiting. A few rustles came, the sound of glass and furniture being moved before the door slowly opened, revealing a pony that both Spike and Pinkie knew from their earlier adventures.

“Wooo, apologies about y’all, had forgot about all that stuff in the way,” the Earth Pony coughed, waving the the dust out of his way as he spied the trio. “Heya there, Pinkie Pie, and Spike, of course.”

“Braeburn,” Spike nodded, pointing a claw to Luna as she waved faintly. “And of course you know of Luna, though this would be the first time you would meet each other.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess. I do apologize for how I look, if I had know you were coming, I would have put on my best duds,” Braeburn chuckled, lowering his hat in respect.

Luna waved him off, chuckling as she once again had to inform those who were not told of the news that she was a princess no longer, and not to be upheld the standard of one as she and Celestia did not hold any power over the courts. “It is quite alright; I am Princess of the night no longer, so you need not refer to me as such anymore.” 

Braeburn seemed to add something up in his mind before nodding to himself. “Had a feeling, what with all the rumors, and hearing it from the source just hammered that idea even further. Might I ask why you’re here with these two?”

“Employment from Moon Dancer. As a payback of helping to cure her from her nightmares, she agreed to give me a job at her supply store, and now she has on a ride-along job to learn the ropes, as it were,” Luna explained, the gears in his head turning and meshing as she regaled him with tales of what led to this point.

“Well, I’m sure the rest of that story is very much exhilarating, but I wouldn’t want you three to be out here any longer than needed. You lot did come here for business,” Braeburn gestured for the three of them to come inside. “Now, Moon Dancer did tell you what the product is and how to. . .shall I say; handle it?”

“We know that, but Luna doesn’t yet,” Pinkie said, walking alongside Braeburn as he hummed to himself. Not telling Luna should have been something that should have occurred before the start of coming here. It wouldn’t be an issue, per se, only make the explanation. . .unique. “Moon Dancer figured it could be a good way for her to expect the unexpected with the job.”

Luna paused her next step to contemplate about what was going on underneath the surface. Were they involved in illegal activities?

“Yea, you would be right in that assumption; I don’t think it’ll be that much of an issue.” Braeburn said, opening a door towards the back of the church, revealing something to Luna that would have made her backpedal if it was not for her years of experience of seeing things that went against the grain.

“What, pray tell; is this?” Luna tilted her head, not fully understanding what exactly was in front of her. “This is what we are selling?”

“Exactly; the terms Moon Dancer set for dividends were 50/45, with 5% in a long term investment over the next 3 to 4 years,” Braeburn nodded to himself, sweeping a hoof out to the spread in front of them. “There’s just the matter of transportation to Canterlot, and you all should be good,'' Braeburn stepped back, allowing the group to peer in and see what exactly they had in store for them. ''You should have no problem getting it where you need to with a little extra help.'' Braeburn said as he waited outside for them to finish their collection.

Luna shook her head, not wanting to believe what was in front of them as Spike and Pinkie merely got to work, unfurling a few sacks to pack the items in question. ''Spike, Pinkie; I pose a question.''

''Yea?'' the pair responded.

''Has Moon Dancer lost her mind, or was it that she never possessed one to begin with? I protest. . .where exactly did she find this? And why Braeburn of all ponies?'' Pinkie snorted as she finished loading her 3rd bag, balancing the other two on her back as she walked them over to the door.

''Silly Luna, these are probably the best things that ponies ask for, but it's hard to come by! I know it helps me sometimes when I have a bad day!''

''Same here,'' Spike agreed, loading his 4th bag. ''It does have other benefits, too.''

''But this? How will leaves help bring in more business?''

''Because they're a mix of a different kind of leaves that give off aromas when you boil them. Moon Dancer can use those to help make more exotic bath bombs that most of the customers ask for, but coming to Appleloosa to get it hikes the price up, and having Braeburn do all the work makes it all the more difficult with him not having the proper infrastructure.'' Spike said, loading yet another bag at the door.

Luna tilted her head. ''Yet Moon Dancer does?'' Pinkie nodded in response as Luna began to inhale the scent of some of the leaves as she looked walked ahead in the patch of leaves to see a small mountain of blue leaves tucked away in one corner in what looked like a cheesecloth sack. ''These leaves are familiar to me. . .'' a wave of irritation flashed through Luna's nose as she got closer to it, making her nose scrunch. ''Ah-choo!''

''Luna, are you ok?!'' Spike asked, running over to her as she was downed by the flowers, sneezing and rubbing her nose. When Spike came over to check on her, the sight before him made him want to almost laugh. 

''W-What is the problem, Spike?'' Luna asked, her voice sounding a bit more amplified than usual as she turned over to face the drake.

''Oh, great.'' Spike facepalmed, calling Pinkie over to assess the damage of what happened. ''Luna got into the Poison Joke.''

''What happened to her?'' Pinkie asked, tilting her head as she walked up. ''Oh, I see. . .that's not a good thing.''

''How bad could it be? It is merely Poison Joke; nothing more. Am I discolored in any way?'' Spike and Pinkie looked to each other, then shrugged as Spike motioned for Luna to get up. ''And why does my body feels a bit heavier than it normally did?''

''Because you now have two heads,'' Braeburn said as he walked back in, picking up on what was occurring as it took longer than it normally needed to. Shaking his head as Luna slowly began to understand the severity of what he said as she began to freak out. ''And here I thought it would be an easy exchange.''