//------------------------------// // Honestly Promising // Story: Moonfall // by Mist Twister //------------------------------//         The night went on as Twilight Sparkle continued to work hard to teach Luna the ways of friendship. Restoring honor to Luna's name would clearly not be easy, as the dark princess had encountered many obstacles already. However, thanks to her lavender companion and her fellow Element, Fluttershy, Luna was finally taking a step in the right direction. Kindness and Magic had shared with her their wisdom on pony etiquette and use of speechcraft. Luna was quite proud of the fact that she had learned so quickly. It had given her the lift she so dearly needed since that terrible night she had experienced at the Gala. She was so thrilled, in fact, that the alicorn was nearly skipping into town. The unwavering desire to help from her newly found friends had restored her hopes once more.         “My, you seem quite energetic tonight Princess,” Twilight cheerfully spoke.         “We seem to be unable to contain ourselves, Twilight Sparkle. We are eager to try our recently acquired skills upon the residents of Ponyville!” Luna cheered back.         “Well, that’s great Princess Luna. I knew we’d be able to cheer you up!”         “Yes! Oh, look, We near town once more!” Luna nearly burst into a run when she saw the lights through the tree-line.         The celebration was in full swing once more, despite the Princess’s previous disruption. It seemed the ponies of Ponyville were determined not to let a single mishap derail their entire Festival of the Night. The sounds of pumpkins smashing could be heard in the distance and the music of the band and cheering of the crowd grew louder and louder as they began their approach. The town was alive with festivity once more, and it was just as beautiful as when Luna had seen it earlier.         Luna was once again taking in the sights as they approached the town. It never ceased to amaze her how beautiful the small village looked under the moonlight, but when it glowed with life it was far better than she could have ever imagine. The soft orange lights from the lanterns bathed her in a welcoming splendor. The costumes and decorations, despite their dark and sinister natures, also brought her comfort. What was most important to her, however, were the ponies celebrating.         “We have never seen such a thing in our time. It pleases Us greatly!” Luna spoke to Twilight, gawking at the décor.         “Oh, that’s right, they didn’t begin celebrating Nightmare Night until after…” Twilight stopped mid-sentence, swallowing her words.         Luna looked over at her, seeing her fearful expression. The scrunch on the unicorn’s face had somewhat upset her. She knew Twilight meant no harm, but hearing about her banishment still brought up painful memories. Luna’s own expression faded to distress as she began to reflect on her past. Twilight could only anxiously look away, realizing the mistake she had made.         “Princess Luna, I…”         “No, Twilight, it is okay. We are just… pleased We can enjoy this night as it was meant to be now.” Yes, that’s it… I mean, they throw this celebration in honor of me right? We should be happy. Yes, happy. Now if only I can win over all the other pon… *SLAM*         Colliding with an unknown object, Luna flinched and shook as something  crashed before her.         “Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going.” The pony spoke, dusting her witch costume off as she rose to her feet. “Oh no, We are unharmed and…” Luna started. “EUUUWAAAAHUHUHU!” the pony cried out as it jumped to the side and cowered in fear before the towering princess. The music and cheering ground to a halt as the horrified onlookers of Ponyville gawked in disturbing silence at the scene unfolding before them. As Luna and Twilight continued their trot into town, more and more ponies screamed in terror and cowered before the princess in the same manner, not even so much as giving her a chance to speak, while the rest stood paralyzed with fear. Luna was doing her best to remain strong as Kindness had before her, but her will was faltering with each falling pony. “It is of no use Twilight Sparkle. They have never liked us, and they never shall…” Luna spoke as her emotions tore between disappointment and frustration. She felt a cringe in her chest as an uneasy feeling rippled through her veins. “My friend Applejack is one of the most likable ponies around. I’m sure she’ll have some ideas,” Twilight spoke, remaining so optimistic that it, too, annoyed the princess. Ahead, Luna viewed a brilliant orange pony with a long blonde mane. She was dressed similarly to Octavia, a scarecrow. However, this mare’s costume seemed much more… simple. It was clearly a torn and patched potato sack thrown over her with some bits of hay in her outfit and mane to add to the effect. Not much effort, yet yielding a similar effect. For some odd reason, it amused Luna slightly. So this must be Honesty… If We remember what sister has told Us correctly, she lives in Sweet Apple Acres tending her farm as well as her family. It must be hard for her to care for so many ponies at once and find time for herself as well. It’s such a shame for a filly to lose her parents at such a young age. Surely she must be strong and courageous from her tribulations. Perhaps she understands what Our hardships are like and does have some useful advice for Us. We must be kinder to this Element if we wish for everything to go smoothly. “GUUUWAAAAH!” the mare shouted as she spun around to come face to face with the Princess of the Night. Applejack, too, fell to her hooves, cowering. So much for being strong and courageous. Luna thought as she gave Twilight another unamused glare, urging her to speak to her cowering friend. “Uhhh…” Twilight spoke, clearing her throat. “Applejack! The Princess is looking for a little advice on how to fit in around here.” “Fit in? Really?” AJ shot back at her as though it were a foolish request she couldn’t believe herself. Her tone quickly changed when Twilight angrily growled at her. “Ah mean.. uhuh, that’s easy. All you gotta do is have tha right attitude…” This mare is so quick to change face! How could she possibly be Honesty? Luna thought as the Mare-Crow approached her with an unrelenting barrage of advice, spastically appearing around her from all angles. Loosen what? Be who? Play? What is this play? Have what?! Ugh, this mare is speaking so quickly and is using so many unfamiliar terms that We cannot understand half of the words she says! How is it she is appearing everywhere around Us too! We thought only Laughter was capable of such feats. Grrrr… calm yourself Luna. Start with the last thing she said, since it was all We caught. “Fun? What is this ‘fun’ thou speakest of?” Luna asked, doing her best to remain calm and keep up with the pacing of the speeding mare. The two mares did not speak, but instead, pointed their hooves in the direction of a table. Luna approached the stand to discover imitation arachnids and other decorations populating festive bowls resembling pumpkins. The table only further confused Luna. These decorations are quite nice, but We still do not have any further understanding of this ‘fun’.  “Pray tell, what purpose do these serve?” She asked openly, expecting either Element to reply with an explanation. Instead, she heard a soft, cowering voice speak. It was a small mare trembling next to the table. She was dressed as a bee and covered her eyes as she shivered and spoke. The speaker’s unannounced reply somewhat annoyed the Princess, causing her to give the pon-bee an angered look. We were not addressing you, you insolent bumblebee. Why, your very costume offends the tradition of our celebration! She thought angrily as the mare explained herself.   “Try… to land… the sp-sp-spiders on the web,” the mare spoke, directing her attention to a large net arranged to look like a spider web. Luna smiled a bit inside, reveling in how playfully entertaining the decoration was. It resembled a spider’s nest a great deal, and this pleased her. The large, obviously false, black widow at the top of the net was also a nice touch. With as much grace and poise as she could muster, Luna picked up a plush spider and gently lobbed it towards the net. It fell several hooves short, bouncing only slightly closer due to its momentum. Oh no, we have failed… Surely the Elements, nay, all of Ponyville will mock our shortcoming. We shall no longer be feared, but instead, become a laughing stock! Luna anxiously looked back to the two Elements for their reactions, but they hadn’t been ready to taunt nor tease her. It seemed much the opposite instead. “You can do it, Princess!” Applejack shouted as the two ponies approvingly supervised her. Luna turned and faced her trial once more, this time undaunted by her failure and determined to claim victory over the impudent foal toy. With the desire for revenge on her mind, she collected a spider once more. She drew herself inward, cradling the offending plush, and with a boastful grin, hurled the offender at the net. It landed smack-dab in the middle of the faux web, sticking soundly as the net bounced back and forth. Luna reared in surprise at her triumph, eyes widened and mouth agape. “Ha! Your Princess enjoys this… fun.” She became aware of her expression and quickly dulled herself to regain a regal composure. “In what other ways may we experience it?” She asked, arrogantly lifting her head above the rest while trying to contain her excitement. The two Elements before her just smiled at each other. “I’ve got the perfect idea Princess,” Twilight remarked with a growing smirk. “Oh?” Luna questioned. “I have some crossword puzzles back at the library which are simply a blast!” she replied, throwing her hooves open in excitement. “…what?” both Luna and Apple Jack shot back together, lowering their heads and staring at twilight stupidly. Twilight pouted in disappointment and lowered herself in embarrassment. “Yer idea’s all well n good Twi’, but ah think we can find somethin’ more, err… suitable fer the Princess’ tastes here at the festival.” AJ replied with a big grin, attempting to restore her dear friend’s spirits. “Yeah… I suppose you’re right.” Twilight said, biting her lip. “It is okay Twilight Sparkle. We can visit your library another time.” Luna reassured the upset mare, her expression quickly changing back to the pleased smile she usually carried. Twilight’s spirits rose once more as they continued on their way towards Town Square. The streets were lined with vending booths of all shapes and sizes. The alley was bright with trinkets, lighting the displays as though the stars had come from the night sky itself to join in the festivities. Barely lit by lanterns and candles, the trinkets and bobbles were glinting and glowing all around, each new stand catching Luna’s inquisitive gaze. She had never seen so many curious objects on display so before. Luna couldn’t help but gawk at every passing stand. Each store was like a window into another world, drawing her attention to each dazzling individual piece. Their glows shimmered and bounced off their surfaces, trailing countless brilliant sheens on both the objects and the alicorn’s glimmering blue eyes. Twilight couldn’t help but notice Luna’s eyes light up with each passing tent. “Would you like something to commemorate this night Luna?” Twilight asked, smiling. “Hmm… we are not sure what many of these things are. Making a selection would be quite…” the princess stopped mid sentence, halting her pace as a particular stand caught her eye. The two Elements quickly turned when they realized they had lost the alicorn. Turning back they came upon Luna being drawn to a small shack covered adorned with countless crystals and gemstones. Each surface reflected a brilliant light, making even the faintest flicker of a firefly seem like an explosion of light. The three ponies stood there, gawking with their mouths agape in disbelief. Never before had any of them ever seen such a sight. It was breathtaking to say the least. “Hehe, ah bet if Rare was here, she’d dang near keel over.” AJ chuckled at the thought. The two mares followed Luna as she was drawn closer to the radiant aura. The light seemed to warm her, its passing sending shivers down her spine. Still, the dancing light was enough to draw anypony’s attention. Both Twilight and Luna had felt, deep down, something far more inspiring about the stones than Applejack could ever hope to realize. The precious jewels were obviously no ordinary gemstones. They had to be much, much more. The group continued to awe at the wares behind the counter, only to slowly become aware of the cloaked merchant grinning at their expressions. “Greetings my fellow celebrants of the night. My gems seem to have caught your attention, no?” the shadowy pony spoke, hardly visible under its thick, black cloak. “Indeed…” Luna replied, still overwhelmed by the sight. “What… are these?” Twilight questioned softly, her eyes also taken by the beauty of the stand. “You must have an eye for magic. This collection is of very rare substance known as crystalline leystone.” The figure smirked. “H-how… where did you get all of these?” Twilight asked again, dumbfounded by the sheer number of stones. “They come from a far away land which I myself am very… accustomed to. It was no small feat to make the trip, but perhaps you lot will make it worth my while.” It spoke in a suggestive tone. “Ah’m sorry, but am ah missin’ somethin’ here?” AJ uttered bluntly. “Ah mean, sure they’re nice an all, but they just look like regular ol’ gemstones to me.” “Crystalline leystones are extremely rare and powerful.” Twilight began. “They are almost never found around here, since they can only be mined in territory near the Crystal Empire. They’re said to be used to contain and channel magic far beyond any kind known to Equestria! I’ve read about these, but I’ve never seen one in person before. Only the true elite of mages can harness their power!” “So y’all mean ta tell me that these here stones have more power than sweet Celestia on the sunrise of the Summer Solstice?” Applejack questioned, challenging her friend’s claim. “That would technically be right... if the wielder could draw such power from them,” Twilight confirmed her suspicions. “Land Sakes...” Applejack gasped in awe. “My, someone must be quite well read to have knowledge of such things.” The figure complimented, causing Twilight to blush. “That is correct. These are from the Crystal Empire itself and they do, in fact, contain quite a bit of power for those who can correctly wield them.” “Then that would make you... a Crystal Pony, wouldn’t it?” Applejack said to the merchant, in a slightly suspicious and accusatory tone. “I may be... but that’s not of importance this moment is it?” the merchant spoke elusively, their tone becoming noticeably concerned. “Well ain’t you shadier than a green snake in tall grass under a big ol’ oak tree in the middle of the day...” Applejack shot angrily at the evasive figure. “AJ please! You don’t need to be so rude to this... err, pony?” Twilight stopped her friend, even though she was questioning the merchant’s origins herself. “It is quite alright. You see, it’s true: I am indeed a crystal pony.” It responded, much to the surprise of the group of window shoppers. “However, our reception has been... less than welcoming. So, if it’s all the same, I’d like to keep the cloak on.”   “Why I should say so! Y’all disappear off the face a’ Equestria without so much as a word an...” Applejack continued to argue. Meanwhile, Luna was too busy ogling the brilliant stones to hear them bicker. The crystal merchant quickly broke away from the fight. Noticing her enticed gaze, the figure pushed a box before her. She reared in surprise when the dealer motioned her to open the small box, but obliged nonetheless. Carefully, Luna lifted the latch off the ornate chest and brought the lid up. Within lay a pendant with a trilliant cut crystal nestled comfortably on its velvet cushion. Its obvious power resonated with the two magic wielders, causing them to stare in wonder. “I present to you the most precious stone in my possession. While the things you can see in my stand are mere shards and slivers, here you have a thick, solid crystal fashioned into this lovely pendant. Its size and quality can only guarantee greatness from any who can harness it’s potential. Only the best for the Princess of the Night.” It informed them. Twilight gasped as she leaned closer to the object, eyeing it intently. Her eyes widened at the sight, beautifully shining as they reflected the equally brilliant light of the pendant. Luna had never seen anypony so infatuated with such a thing. She could see the longing and desire for the item in the young unicorn’s eyes. Nothing had tempted Twilight like the glimmer of possibility in that which was considered ancient and powerful, a rare chance to learn about something new. ‘Tis your chance Luna! She bit her lip in apprehension. “We would like to procure this item.” Luna spoke as softly and politely as she could, maintaining a regal composure. “Name thy price and We shall gladly pay it.”  “Please, take it. Consider this one on the house.” it spoke. “It would do this night in particular a great injustice to charge the very reason we are all here celebrating, would it not?” The group was taken aback by the generous offer. However, Luna quickly shrugged it off, accepting the gift as nobly as possible. “Very well then, We thank thee, but this item is not for us.”  She spoke, the group staring at her in disbelief. “Then whom, may I ask, is it intended for?” The shrouded vendor asked for the sake of curiosity. “Twilight Sparkle…” Luna began, turning to face the stunned Element. “We bestow upon you this pendant of crystalline leystone as a token of our appreciation for the service thou hast provided unto Us on this night. May it also serve you as… a token of our friendship.” Luna spoke with a surprisingly apprehensive and weakened tone, levitating the precious necklace over the shocked unicorn and gently resting it around her neck. “Princess Luna… I… I can’t accept something like this…” Twilight stuttered in utter disbelief at the insurmountably precious gift she had just been given. “It’s okay Twilight. Please, We wish to thank thee for thine endeavors.” Luna smiled lovingly at her. The emotionally moved mare only returned the smile. “…Luna.” Twilight sniffed, suddenly becoming stern and locking eyes with the princess. “I accept this on one term.” Luna blinked in surprise as she spoke, “That term being…?” “That you never give up on the friendships you make from here on out, starting with all of us Elements.” Twilight recited confidently. “Very well, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied, smiling with conviction. “We shall never forget the bonds We have forged henceforth.” “Then I promise to never give up on our friendship as well.” Twilight spoke once more, smiling at the generous alicorn. The two stood in silence, gazing into each other’s eyes. Luna admired the honesty and sincerity in Twilight’s voice. It sent that feeling coursing through her body once again; A warm sensation that grew more and more familiar as the night wore on. She was beginning to like it, in fact. It no longer caused flashbacks of days long gone, but instead, invoked hopes for a brighter future with her newfound companions. It was the heart and courage Luna needed. It was something to lift her up and give her a new perspective on her return to Equestria. It only warmed Luna now, but she knew she longed for more. Luna could only settle for the comfort of the warmth for the time being, as the cold reality of what was lost could not completely be forgotten. “Eheheh, Ah don’t mean to interrupt the tender moment b’tween y’all er nothin’,” AJ interjected coarsely, “but we’d best git movin’ if we wanna catch the rest of the festival!” The two quickly snapped out of their stare, Luna laughing awkwardly and turning to hide the fact that she had been blushing. Behind her waving mane she could spot Twilight reacting similarly. Her heart raced, if only for a moment, begging the alicorn to question the true relationship between them. Luna faced her again, this time with a beaming grin on her face. Twilight shot her a smirk back as they continued their journey into the heart of the town. Applejack rolled her eyes and turned to the merchant. “Ah guess you ain’t all bad, bein’ all generous an the like. Ah shouldn’t have been so quick bark at ya. Jus’ some bad memories with that ‘n all..” she apologized as best as she could. “It is understandable, as the crystal ponies did not make a graceful exit either. At any rate, farewell Princess Luna. Please, enjoy the night with your company,” the obscured figure remarked from within its stall. It wasn’t long before they came upon a mass of carnival style games, each one unique in design, but matching in theme, and the ponies lit up with wonder as they cantered through the lined streets. To Luna’s dismay, though, many of the residents still screamed and fled from her. Open signs were flipped closed upon her arrival and the area cleared out quickly. She let out a deep sigh as they continued to trek past the recently vacated tents. “Hey y’all, check it out! No lines, eheheh…” Applejack laughed weakly in an attempt to raise Luna’s spirits. “I suppose that is one way to look at this positively,” Twilight said. “Yea? Ah mean, yea! Why don’t y’all give a few games a go?” Applejack suggested. “We suppose it is not entirely out of the question…” Luna spoke hesitantly. “Don’t you worry yerself Princess, we’ll have more fun than Rainbow Dash at a Wonderbolts show!” Applejack assured her. The booths had long been deserted by their owners, so the trio were free to try any attraction they pleased. Applejack led the group up to an area that held a pair of horizontally suspended rope ladders. They swung and swayed in the gentle night wind, as if cradling and rocking to sleep an invisible foal; the ladders creaked as they wound and twisted in the cool breeze. Beneath them, there was ample padding to cushion anypony should they fall off. The curious set-up managed to fascinate Luna. “What exactly are these, Honesty?” Luna asked. “Well, ya see, us earth ponies can’t exactly fly er do any of that fancy magic stuff, so we gotta rely on good ol’ fashioned hoof strength to climb these here ladders ta reach higher places,” Applejack explained. “Oooh… We are not familiar with such objects, since our possession of wings would seem to render them rather pointless,” Luna replied. But when she checked her weakly flapping wings, she realized she might as well give these curious contraptions a chance. “But is it not counter-productive to lay them out sideways as such?” “Well, yea, but these here are only fer fun races. Yanno: see who’s the fastest and has the best balance,” Applejack continued to explain. So fun can be derived from physical competition as well? How odd… Luna thought, only to have her concentration broken a moment later. “C’mon Twi!” Applejack invited loudly as she climbed onto a ladder, giving Luna no time to further contemplate this strange new means of attaining ‘fun.’ Twilight joined her, clambering cautiously onto the adjacent ladder. The pair of ponies assumed their positions at the first rungs, each attempting to steady the ladder before they would begin their climbing race. As they readied themselves, the two locked eyes and both began to grin with excitement. “Ready…” Applejack began. “Set…” Twilight continued. “GO!!!” they both shouted in unison. Applejack took off, her hooves hooking easily onto each rung, her ladder barely swaying at all. She moved so quickly and gracefully across the ladder, it was as though she were a pegasus strutting leisurely across a cloud. It was a quite a sight, seeing such a strong, sturdy mare moving so daintily, although it was really more impressive than comical. As she crossed the final rung, she climbed onto a platform and turned back to check on her opponent’s progress. Twilight had fared far worse, barely making it to the first step before wildly flailing and flipping her rope ladder over. She had been left hanging upside down, tangled in the mess. Applejack, victorious, laughed heartily at her predicament. Twilight struggled to undo herself, only to fall back-first onto the mats below, with a loud thud. She rolled over and glared up at the pony mocking her, silently replying with a frustrated look. There was a sudden cough. The two turned to look at a shy-looking and lonely Luna, coughing at the dust she had stirred up whilst idly drawing a circle in the dirt with her hoof. “AJ…” Twi urged her friend in a whisper, while wearing a small frown. “Gosh, ah’m awful sorry we excluded ya Princess Luna. Why don’t you n Twi give it a go?” Applejack said placatingly, quickly hopping from her perch. “It is okay Honesty. Hehe. We would not fit on such a small ladder anyways,” Luna joked, trying to hide her disappointment at being briefly forgotten. A short, awkward silence passed, before Twilight raised a suggestion. “Why don’t we, erm, move on then?” Twilight faked a unconvincing smile. “There’s still plenty more games we can try!” “Yer right Twi! Let’s go an’ try another game!” Applejack agreed. The group moved on to the nearest tent. Inside, the abandoned attraction consisted of a trio of barrels set several feet from the counter, each with a small pyramid of stacked bottles on top them. On the counter-top, a small bucket of softballs had been left as well. “I believe the objective here is to level those precariously placed, triangular constructs of beverage-containers by hurling these spherical projectiles at them,” Twilight said astutely, smiling to congratulate herself for her keen insight. Luna turned to Applejack, smiling politely but shooting her a confused, almost pleading look. Luckily, Applejack picked up on this immediately. “*Sigh* She means ya throw this here ball at that stack of bottles an try to knock em down,” Applejack repeated dully. “Ah,” Luna replied curtly. Applejack picked up a ball and began to adjust herself on her hind hooves. She shut one eye, sticking out her tongue while she calibrated her aim. Once she was confident in herself, Applejack began to wind up, swinging her foreleg in a circular motion until she let the ball go. It flew directly into the pyramid, sending the bottles flying in all directions. None had been left standing. Applejack proudly stood, hooves on her hips, in a victorious stance. Twilight and Luna both stood in awe and stomped their hooves to applaud Applejack’s feat. Next up, Twilight assumed the same position as Applejack, although she was making infinitely more calculations in her mind. It was a sure-fire bet that she would be just as successful. My… she looks so determined. So confident. So… strong. She can be quite the sight to behold. The lavender unicorn began to wind up, continuing to mimic Applejack’s motions. As she continued to gain momentum, her muscles tensed in anticipation. Twilight patiently anticipated the right moment and… off it went. The ball soared through the air, flying directly towards the target. It flew for what seemed like quite a while, before dropping sharply toward the ground, landing just short of the barrel. All three ponies stood dumbstruck by what they had just witnessed. Oh my… “Yeesh Twi, you throw worse than Applebloom!” Applejack joked. Twilight turned around to see her two friends staring stupidly at her. Her face was flushed with embarrassment and disappointment. Twilight’s lip trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She impulsively galloped to Luna and hid her face in Luna’s flowing mane. Applejack was rather shocked by her reaction. Oh... ohh... she… “Aaaahh! I’m so sorry Princess Luna! I didn’t mean to…” Twilight stammered, realizing how she had reacted. Luna only looked down at her, however, and smiled. “N-now c’mon you two…” Applejack started, looking rather uncomfortable and stuttering slightly, ”…we can check out some of the other games y’all might be good at.” Applejack took off without waiting for an answer, leading them in search of their next game. They quickly came to a halt when Applejack stopped suddenly, a beaming smile on her face.   “Hooo Weee! This one here’s one of ma favorites!” Applejack suddenly exclaimed, trotting towards a small fenced area. The area contained a large bell strapped to a towering plank. Height markers littered the vertical timber with a large block at the top. Presumably, it designed to stop the bell adorned with a crude painting of a large spider from flying clean off. “What might this contraption be?” Luna curiously examined the attraction. “It’s a buckin’ bell!” Applejack shouted with glee. “Ya buck this here bell as hard as you can, an a little doohickey goes shootin’ up outta it sos you can measure how hard ya can buck. Why, me an ma brother, Big Mac, used to compete in this when we were foals all the time. That was, until he grew way bigger than me and ah couldn’t beat him anymore. That don’t mean I can’t buck with the best of ‘em mind ya!” “How curious...” Luna continued to examine it. “Why dontcha give it a shot Princess Luna, seein’ as this here unicorn ain’t one fer this sorta thing.” Applejack playfully joked at Twilight, who replied with an annoyed glare. “Just because I’m a unicorn who grew up in a castle with servants doesn’t mean I’m not fit enough to hold my own!” she shot. “Whoa there sugarcube, ah I was just jokin’. Sorry fer makin’ ya sore though.” Applejack apologized honestly. “At any rate, Luna can’t be doing this kind of thing.” Twilight continued. “Well, why not?” Applejack challenged. Twilight turned to Luna as the princess’ eyes averted in shame. She frowned a little, seeing Luna avoid the question. With a deep sigh, she took the situation into her own hands. “Luna has been through a lot AJ.” She started, Luna glancing back up at her in surprise. “After the Beam of Harmony struck her, she lost much of her power. Even now she isn’t fully recovered. She cannot gallop or fly well anymore because of the atrophy caused to her body. Physicians and trainers have been of no help to her because of her… past. Fluttershy agreed to help her through massages, but for now there’s not much we can do…” the mare trailed off, biting her lip hard when she realized how helpless she felt. Luna looked back at Applejack, who narrowly glared at the floor as she kicked up dust. The marecrow appeared to be equally upset and concerned about the situation. Applejack looked up to meet the feeble princess’s eyes, a certain determination on her face. She still carried an upset frown, but her eyes seemed to say so much more. “Well shoot, ain’t that a shame. Ah’m sorry, Princess Luna. Ah didn’t know, honest.” Applejack said, appearing to be disappointed in herself. “It is okay, Honesty. We did not expect you to know. We wish for you to keep this a secret, however. Should it be revealed that the Lunar Princess was in such a state… who knows what could happen…” Luna responded in a fearful tone. “Well of course ah ain’t gunna tell a soul, unless ya want me to Princess...” Applejack spoke with a smile, “but how else are ya workin’ yer way through this? Ah mean, massages can be helpful. They relax muscles, break down the tension... but you gotta rebuild and strengthen them a lil’ too.” “We are not sure what is meant by all this.” Luna tilted her head in confusion. “Ah work on a farm Princess. It’s tough, back-breakin’ work, yanno? But it’s also made me one of the best athletes in Equestria. Ah work day-in an day-out, all the while trainin’ fer rodeo shows,” Applejack said in a much more serious tone. Luna only nodded to show she was listening. “Why, if you don’t mind stoppin’ in once in a while in your spare time, and ah’m free, ah’d love to help you by becomin’ yer personal trainer!” Applejack cheerfully exclaimed. “Personal trainer?” Luna tilted in further confusion, feeling her balance slip before correcting herself. “She means she’ll help you through your recovery by giving you physical tasks to perform. Work around the farm no doubt.” Twilight eyed Applejack suspiciously. “Ehehehe, well yea, but I ain’t tryin’ to get free labor ‘er nothin’!” AJ blushed. “But We are sure thou faceth an overbearing load of work regularly. Wouldst thou have the time between training, the orchard, and thine own family?” Luna questioned. “Nah, if anythin’ you’d be helpin’ us out.” AJ happily replied. “Ah mean, if yer highness doesn’t mind getting a lil’ dirty, then ah’m sure the work around the farm would help ya get back on yer feet!” “Well… We suppose we do not mind so long as We are not a bother.” Luna questioned her own decision. “Yee haw! I’m sure it’ll be a hoot, just you watch Princess!” AJ cheered “…and you’re sure this will help us recover?” Luna questioned the overexcited mare. “Of course, yer Highness. We’ll  start you off on little stuff with Apple Bloom and then have ya work yer way up. The best way to train is by gradually increasin’ yer workload over time after all. Trust me, you’ll enjoy yourself too. Why, me n Apple Bloom er always makin’ games outta everything! I wouldn’t mind gettin’ to know ya better myself either, seein’ as how we never get to spend time together.” Luna’s smile rose, as did her spirits. Dealing with countless ponies hating and fearing her had become exhausting. It was refreshing to see somepony so excited to spend time with her. Somepony who was eager to have fun with her and at the same time cared for her. Applejack’s enthusiasm shone through most in her personality, but deep down, the honest wish to help others made the mare the Element she was. Luna appreciated both qualities equally. It made her feel appreciated too. “Let me be honest with ya Princess,” Applejack began, slowly moving closer to Luna. “Ah didn’t think ah could trust ya at the start of this lil’ adventure. Ah was just humorin’ ya for Twi’s sake. But after seein’ the way you carry yourself and how ya treat Twi, well, ah can’t help but feel sorry for ya.” “Thou thought Us a threat but now thou pitieth Us?” Luna questioned, thoroughly surprised by her words. “Well yea. I mean, it can’t be easy to clear yer name after somethin’ like Nightmare Moon. And to find out about yer injury like this? I can’t even begin to imagine how ya feel.” Applejack hung her head. “Mmm…” Luna grumbled, realizing again how bad her situation was. “When ah was little ah had the ponypox fer a spell. I just had to lay in bed all day. Everypony avoided me and ah couldn’t do a thing for ma-self. Havin’ to rely on Granny Smith to care for me, an’ Big Mac to do all the work on the farm. I ain’t never felt more helpless. Ah imagine yer in the same boat,” Applejack said, reminiscing about her childhood.   “What about thy paren-?” Luna began to ask, not realizing what a sensitive subject she was broaching. “Ah! Why don’t we head on to the next game!” Twilight rushed to change the subject. It was too late though, as Applejack had already sunk into further sadness. “It’s okay Twi, ah’ve learned to move on,” Applejack reminded her, bringing her head up to meet Luna’s eyes. “They died when ah was young, Luna. Ah hardly got any memory of em, only ma pa’s hat.” She took off the hat and held it to her chest, taking a moment of silence in respect. “Oh my… We are terribly sorry, Applejack. We had momentarily forgotten. We did not mean to stir up such painful memories for you,” Luna attempted to apologize. “It’s okay.” Applejack smiled weakly. “Like ah said, ah’ve moved on. Now I just want to do em proud, yanno? They wouldn’t take too kindly to their kin stiffin’ a Princess in her time of need.” Applejacks words hardly matched her troubled expression. It was clear she was still hurting inside, although she was doing her best to face the loss. Applejack just stood there, continuing to fidget with her hat. Twilight began to move forward toward her, but was quickly cut off by Luna. “Dearest Applejack, it is most difficult to deal with such losses. We, too, have little memory of Our parents - and of many others besides. For thousands of years of life tends to only further blur the faces of our loved ones. It is an issue my sister and I must constantly face,” Luna spoke solemnly. “Goddess, Ah hadn’t considered…” Applejack gasped, finding herself horrified by the thought. “It is indeed a difficult journey, but we must press on. We stand tall, proud, and we do them all the honor of carrying what they taught us on to future generations. As We teach our subjects love and tolerance, you too must teach your kin and those to follow of the Apple Family legacy. We will both face many obstacles which we must overcome, but should we falter, we must remember what we have learned and pick ourselves up. If we do not, we only do our ancestors a disservice. You are clearly better than that,” Luna lectured Applejack as her eyes starting shimmering and filling with new resolve.   “Y-you’re right Princess. Thank you,” Applejack said, before hugging the alicorn. She has faced many hurdles, just as We have. Honesty understands the pain of loss and the strength required to carry on. We have spoken with Sister at times about such subjects, but she has grown much more distant to these concepts. So much so that it seems to no longer even phase her... It is relieving to share such sentiments with Honesty. We have earned her trust and her help. We are truly lucky to count such an amazing mare on Our side. Twilight’s heart swelled with joy as she watched the scene between the two unfold. Few things brought her more happiness than seeing two of her friends becoming closer. She didn’t speak, but only stood there, clasping her forehooves and smiling happily. “Princess Luna?” somepony asked from afar. “Princess Luna, where have you been?” Applejack broke from the hug as the trio turned to see who had called out to Luna. They met eyes with a unicorn sporting a breastplate with the seal of the Dawn Guard. She had a beautiful white coat with a golden mane and brilliantly orange eyes, though she seemed more upset at the moment than anything. “I’m sorry, but just who are you exactly?” Twilight asked, as though the words had been put in her mouth. “I am a Royal Dawn Guard,” the armored unicorn began, kneeling before the Princess. “My name is Aurora Shine. We have been searching for the Princess, although we did not expect to find her trotting about with two mares who clearly have no respect for the Royal Family! What gives you the right to act so casually around Princess Luna!” Twilight shied away, frightened by the Dawn Guard’s accusations. “Now wait here just a second, Miss Aurora!” Applejack stepped forward, nearly butting heads with the unicorn in an attempt to protect her friend. “Just because yer some fancy pants guard don’t mean y’all can just push us common folk around!” “Well! You may think so, but in all seriousness, the Princess has been missing for ages now!” Aurora shot back. “You were missing?” Twilight and Applejack asked in unison. “Well no, not exactly, I-” Luna tried to object, only to be cut off. “Aurora? Luna!” another voice shouted, drawing the group’s attention. Eventide appeared,  quickly trotting up behind Aurora.  “What are you doing here, Princess?” “We were here looking for you, Eventide. We imagined We would encounter you in this place, but our original reception was less than welcoming. Perhaps it was the entrance we made with Noctus and Vesperus…” Luna mused, raising a hoof to her chin. “Well it’s great to see you here and-“ Eventide started. “Eventide, mind your manners! Bow before the Princess!” Aurora scolded, interrupting him mid-sentence. “Such formalities are not necessary; at least not at the moment,” Luna said forgivingly. “As for you, however, Aurora: We will not tolerate such rudeness towards personal guests of the Royal Family!” “I… they… I am sorry for my insolence Princess. I did not know. Please, forgive me,” Aurora quickly apologized, bowing once more before her sovereign. “Rise! But do not make the same mistake twice,” Luna commanded. Aurora Shine stood and turned to Eventide, who was standing beside her. “Even, have you known where Princess Luna was this entire time?” she questioned him. “Well, not exactly, but for the most part... yes.” He lowered himself a little during this shameful admission. “Haven’t you been keeping to the castle this whole time, before today?” Twilight asked Luna. “Well, yes, but we have not been making our Royal Appearances since the Gala…” Luna trailed off. It pained her to remember that horrible night. “Nopony has seen her or heard from her in months!” Aurora said. “We had no clue she was still there, because the Dusk Guards…” She stopped and looked reproachfully at Eventide again. “Eventide has been a faithful Dusk Guard for ages. This is not his doing, it is my own!” Luna said firmly, stepping forth to defend him. “We asked for privacy, demanded to be left alone, and Eventide has respected those wishes - yet he continued to visit Us and bring Us food on a daily basis, before his duties began. In truth, We have grown fond of him and consider him a… friend.” All eyes turned to Luna. Everypony stood in shocked silence; none of them had ever heard her openly admit to considering somepony her friend. Only Eventide wore a huge smile and began to tear up. He immediately ran up to hug the princess, which startled her at first. After the initial shock, however, she returned his hug. This feeling... it is so nice. So warm and welcoming. It has truly been too long, but he would want this for me. He would want me to move on. He would want me to make new friends. “Thank you, Luna,” Eventide said, pulling away from the princess. He continued to smile at her. “Aurora... is she the reason why you were here tonight, Even?” Luna asked suggestively. Eventide grew bright red. “Wh- How did you…” His eyes widened. ”Noctus and Vesperus!” he exclaimed while stomping his hoof. “You know, Aurora, he was quite excited when I let him have this night off to see you.” Luna smiled at the Dusk Guard. “Awww, that’s sweet.” Aurora Shine walked up to Eventide and began nuzzling him. “This is our first date, after he spent months just sending me letters!” “Eheheh…” Eventide chuckled, growing even more embarrassed. “Well ain’t you two sweeter than a sugar cupcake dipped in honey,” Applejack complimented them. “I apologize for earlier. I acted rather rudely, without considering the possibility of you two being her friends,” Aurora Shine guiltily admitted. “Ah shoot, think nothin’ of it. After all, y’all were just concerned for Princess Luna anyways,” Applejack said, accepting the apology. “I am especially sorry for what I said to you, Miss…?” Aurora Shine urged herself towards Twilight, who had slunk away and still hid behind Luna. “She is Twilight Sparkle - my Sister’s personal apprentice,” Luna replied for the intimidated unicorn. Aurora Shine’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh Goddess, please do not let Celestia know I was so rude to you.  She would never forgive me. Oh, the things she does to ponies as punishment…” Aurora Shine cringed, covering her hindquarters. “It’s okay… I was a bit rude myself,” Twilight spoke as she stepped out from behind the alicorn. “Let’s try a fresh start: it’s nice to meet you, Miss Aurora Shine,” she spoke shyly. Ohhh, she is simply the cutest thing when she is acting so shy! I can hardly bear it! “And ah’m Applejack. Nice to meet ya Aurora Shine!” Applejack greeted her. “Please, call me Aurora.” She smiled at the two. “And who’s yer cute date, if ya don’t mind me askin’?” Applejack said teasingly. “Ah! I’m Eventide,” he introduced himself. “Pleased to meet you both.” “Sorry ta ask, Eventide, but what exactly are ya?” Applejack said, examining his wings and the tips of his ears.” “Eheheh, well, you see, I’m a bat pony. We live under Equestria, in caves, and never come out during the day. Most of us having been serving under Luna for generations,” Eventide explained. “Generations? Luna just came back a few years ago, though…” Twilight trailed off into thought as usual.  “Wouldn’t that make ya over a thousand years old?” Applejack asked bluntly. “Eheheh, well…” Eventide began. *GURRGLE GURRGLE* Luna’s stomach rumbled loudly, interrupting Eventide. She felt her face flush slightly. “I suppose I am a bit hungry,” she admitted. “Well then, let’s go get you something to eat, Princess,” Twilight suggested to the famished alicorn. “Yea, it was nice meetin’ y’all. Hope you two have a good night and enjoy yer date!” Applejack spoke in a cheery tone. “You two as well,” Aurora agreed. “Have a good evening! Oh, and do take care of Princess Luna. We all worry about her...”   Everypony waved to each other and parted ways. It was a pleasant surprise to Luna just how well they all got along after such a recent conflict. Aurora Shine had come off rather harshly, but quickly seemed to befriend both Elements. And Eventide... well, he was just being his typical self. If they can make friends so quickly after such a bad start, perhaps there is still hope for me, too.  The trio could still hear Eventide and Aurora playfully bickering as they trotted away. “You big goof, running up and hugging the Princess like that!” she joked, punching his shoulder. “You’re lucky she goes easy on you!” “Ouch! Hahaha, hey!” Eventide laughed. The three ponies all smiled at each other and giggled at the sound of the couple playing around, off in the distance. It was clear to them that somepony would be having a good night...               “Ah’m sure they’ll get along fine. Now let’s git us some eats!” Applejack said loudly. Twilight and Luna both looked to one another and nodded in agreement. With that, they were off. As the group continued their trot towards the food stands, Luna’s attention was diverted to a line of siege catapults. She observed the other townsfolk as they loaded the catapult with a pumpkin from a pile nearby and flung them at targets off in the distance. The targets were smeared with the juice of the projectiles, but more pumpkins seemed to be smashed on the ground nearby than the targets themselves. A pony landed a direct hit on a target, and the pumpkin exploded into pieces in an awe-inspiring visual display, causing the audience to give off a loud cheer. “Tell us Twilight Sparkle. Why is it that your people cheer for such violence? Do they not know of the conflicts in which such instruments have been employed?” Luna questioned. “It’s not that Princess Luna. It has been eons since Equestria has seen a war or even a minor conflict. We have forgotten what those kinds of things were like. Nowadays, this kind of thing is more for entertainment than anything.” Twilight replied. “We see… perhaps We shall attempt this feat then! If it is ‘fun’ as thou claimeth then We are sure to enjoy ourselves!” Luna spoke with an enthusiastic tone. “Sounds great Princess! How’s about we git in line then?” AJ spoke. “Yes, We shall.” As the Princess of the Night approached the line, the gathering of ponies turned to see who was coming. Shocked, many jumped up and fled the line, while others cowered away with a shy smile on their faces. They slowly crept away, allowing Luna to head to the front. A bit displeased, she continued her approach. Without her realizing, however, a small crowd was forming behind her. Well, We suppose that is one way to get ahead. However, We must remain optimistic. This time, only a FEW ponies fled from our presence! That is progress! Luna attempted to convince herself as she continued her approach. “How do We arm this contraption, Twilight Sparkle? Though We have seen it used many a time, we have no experience in using it Ourselves.” Luna asked the mare next to her. “Well Princess, first you…” she trailed off, speaking some frightening and unintelligible language Luna failed to understand. Only bits seemed to actually even be English. “…and then you account for wind velocity, pulley strength, adjust your calculations, confirm your trajectory, and you’re good to go!” the lavender mare smiled contently at the Princess. “She means you aim at that here target over yonder, stick the pumpkin in this here bowl, pull it down, and let ‘er go.” AJ spoke dully, rolling her eyes at Twilight’s overly complex explanation. “Oh…” Luna replied blankly, looking back at the mare pouting about how blunt and simple her friend’s instructions were. We suppose those explanations would suffice. Luna leaned over the contraption with her forehooves, depressing the holder until it locked in its downward position. It made a clicking noise, confirming the alicorn’s suspicion that it had reached its designed location. Carefully, she checked the pile of pumpkins before selecting the candidate that she felt was just right. Without much other thought, see placed it in the holder. “Fire away Princess!” She heard Twilight encouragingly shout from behind her. Luna leaned on the bowl harder, causing it to fall further down, but the surprise resistance from the launching mechanism caused her to launch off the catapult unexpectedly. Regardless, the Princess stood in awe as she watched her pumpkin soar through the air before smashing into a mess directly on the bulls eye of her target.   “Haha! The fun has been doubled!” She cheered, raising her own hoof in joy. “Wahoo!” “Hooray!” “Yay!” “Wahaaa!” “Yipeee!” the crowd of ponies cheered behind her. Luna felt herself swell with pride and joy. For once, the residents of Ponyville were cheering for her rather than screaming and running. She felt a huge smile come upon her face as she savored the moment, enjoying every last cheer of glee. The alicorn felt her heart soften as her eyes began to water. This moment in time had meant the world to her. For once, things were going her way. Nothing could bring the proud mare down now. This must be how sister feels. We have triumphed and conquered yet another challenge and earned the respect and admiration of Our subjects! She thought to herself as she turned to her speaking companion. “Why don’t ya try bobbin’ fer apples? We got the best apples here in Equestria Princess.” The orange marecrow gleefully boasted. “I ask that thou calleth us… me… Luna, fair Apple Jack.” She replied, carefully judging and considering each word she spoke, lest she make any more mistakes. “Hear me villagers…” Luna began to proclaim. “… all of you, call me Luna.” She flung her hoof open in a welcoming gesture. The crowd before her roared and cheered in joy as they confirmed and agreed with each other that the Princess of the Night had changed and was not the same monster they had thought she was. This is it. I have made it! Everyone in Ponyville is beginning to accept me! Oh glorious splendor, thy name is Luna! Never again shall I be feared. Nay, they shall revel and bask in the glory of my beautiful nights. It certainly has been a long night coming, but I am finally getting places! She continued to cheer for herself in her mind, heart racing with adrenaline from the rousing move she had just made to win the hearts of the others. “Show me to these… bobbing apples…” Luna began to speak, only to cut herself off in a gasp of horror. The one they call ‘Pip’ is nearly going to fall into that large tub of water and apples! No time to think Luna, you have their attention. Now, win their hearts by becoming… a hero! She thought as she took off as fast as her hooves would carry her. Nearly becoming an unstoppable stampede on the way, she quickly had to force all of her efforts into stopping before she too would collide with the tub and tumble over into it. As Luna stood near the edge of the tub, she craned her neck over, eyes frantically searching for signs of the small colt. Her eyes quickly spotted the pirate flailing as his body sank beneath the water’s splashing surface. Without thinking, Luna dunked her face beneath the water, snapping on the hind piece of cloth attached to the colt’s pirate costume and pulling him above the surface once again. Her nostrils flared for air as she turned her attention to an alarmingly loud chicken call. Is that Laughter? She thought to herself, still clenching the colt in her teeth. “GAAAAAHHHHH! NIGHTMARE MOON IS GOBBLING PIPSQUEAK!!! EVERYPONY RUNNNNNNNN!!!” Pinkie Pie shouted in utter horror at the scene, the group of foals that she had been leading on a massive Trick-or-Treating spree throughout the night panicking and taking off behind her. “AHHHHH! MY BACKSIDE HAS BEEN GOBBLED!” Pip shouted and screamed, flailing his little hooves as Luna set him down gently. Just as his hooves hit the ground, he took off hollering after his foal friends, leaving Luna horrified and confused behind him. “Tis a lie! Thou backside is whole and ungobbled thy ungrateful whelp!” Luna shouted in anger as he fled, stomping her forehoof in protest. Lighting struck violently behind her in unison, as though she had commanded the clouds in the sky themselves, and a huge menacing expression had made its way upon her face. A pulse of hatred and anger ran through her, darkness flaring. Wh-what is this…? The angered visage of the Princess caused the crowd of ponies to slowly cower away in fear once more. The villagers either stared, wide-eyed in horror or shut their eyes as they shivered and slunk away. Regardless of the reaction, it was clear that each and everypony feared for their lives. Luna quickly realized the mistake she had made. “Fair villagers, please do not back away. Let us join together in… fun!” She appealed to the already alarmed townsfolk. Everypony was too horrified to listen, or care for that matter. She had turned from a possibly kind princess into Nightmare Moon in their eyes. Think Luna, think! We must recover from our outburst, lest Our situation turn dire. She thought to herself, spotting a plush spider on the ground. This is fun, is it not? Surely it will appeal to them and they will realize we mean no harm! Luna picked up the spider with her teeth, and gently lobbed it at the terrified crowd before her, which only caused them to dodge the toy and stare back at the alicorn in horror. Guh! What is wrong with these ponies! Do they not recognize that we simply wish for friendship?! They do not want Our friendship! “Not enough fun for you?” she scowled, a corrupt darkness and loathing rising inside her. “What say you to… this!!!”   With that, she fired her glowing horn at the toy spider lying before the villagers, animating the monster. The villagers screamed and fled as she continued to animate the entire bowl of spiders, the wretched creatures skittering about the ground with a menacing glare. They swarmed a bumble ponbee in their path, causing the poor soul to faint. As they pushed on, they collected in the middle of the falsely made web-net. “Huzzah! How many points do I receive?” Luna questioned with delirious look on her face. Behold, We have mastered your silly games! Are we not fun?! NO! They hate Us - just as they have ALWAYS hated us. A vampony continued to scream as a spider had made its way into her hair, causing the rest of the crowd to flee and panic. The screaming and trampling crowd seemed to run in every imaginable direction as the ponies did anything they could to escape the vicinity of the dark princess. Carts were toppled, food and treats were crushed, decorations collapsed all around, and several frightened and confused ponies collided roughly with each other, leaving them in a disheveled and dazed state. The world around Luna was falling to pieces. No… no, it can’t be! It can’t be returning! It’s okay Luna, just... remain...calm.... “Do not run away.” Luna appealed to the deaf ears once more. “As your Princess, we command you!” her fear and grimace only growing larger by the moment. She winced and cringed as destruction reigned in her surroundings. Her heart sank as her stomach turned and her thoughts began to fade from hope to anger... despair... a darkness she thought she had locked away long ago... No… No, it can’t be true! Just now we… they are Our friends! We were all enjoying ourselves!                 T’was all a lie! There is no friendship here, only fear and hatred. They will never come to like nor respect Us! We will always be a monster to them!                 SILENCE! You are no longer a part of me!                 You know it to be true! They hate Us just as they did a thousand years ago! None shall ever love the night as they do the day, nor respect Us as a true princess! You know this to be true, deep down in your heart, but still you try to tuck me away, try to subdue me, believing in silly little foals’ tales about happiness, equality, and friendship. Deep down, you crave the power and the darkness! You desire to inspire fear, and to command others. You wish to rule Equestria with an iron hoof! This is why I still exist!!! They hate Us! The never wished to welcome Us back! This whole event IS a mockery of Us! For their insolence, We must make them pay! Since they will not take us in willingly, they shall submit by force! No… no, you’re lying! I won’t listen. They all genuinely wish to love Us. Magic has spent her whole night trying to help us, with no ulterior motive! She is living proof that somepony cares! We are no longer you! We are now... me! Luna’s mind screamed futilely, and in agony. Her sense had left her. She was no longer in control of her body, becoming a vessel for the darkness once more. It matters not what you say, Luna. You’ve already lost! He is gone, and she, too, will abandon you after learning the truth. They will only grow to hate you even more! “BE SILENT!!!” the dark alicorn howled in her echoing and booming Canterlot Voice, causing streaks of lighting and thunder to shoot all around. Every pony in a 5 mile radius fell to their hooves, cowering in fear. “Princess, remember. Watch the screaming!” Twilight tried to remind her. What turned around to face her would have easily torn anypony’s resolve apart from the inside out. Luna’s mane was violently whipping about, while her eyes were glowing an ethereal white, revealing the raw and devastating magic flowing through her. “NO, TWILIGHT SPARKLE. WE MUST USE THE TRADITIONAL ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE FOR WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO SAY.” Luna roared in a frighteningly malicious tone at the paralyzed mare before her. “SINCE YOU CHOOSE TO FEAR YOUR PRINCESS RATHER THAN LOVE HER…” Luna began as she rose into the air and dark clouds swarmed around her, “…AND DISHONOR HER WITH THIS INSULTING CELEBRATION WE DECREE THAT NIGHTMARE NIGHT SHALL BE CANCELED, FOREVERRRRRRRR!” Luna continued to howl as lighting struck and wind twisted around her. The crowd below her could only look on in horror. Even Twilight began to cower before the transformed alicorn. It was as though she had become a being of darkness, consumed by hatred and anger. Almost as if she was… …Nightmare Moon. Twilight thought in horror, doing her best to dismiss any possibility of that happening. Stop this immediately! We wish them no harm! They are my friends! I know it to be true! Look how Twilight Sparkle stands before you! She believes in us... in ME! You have upset our dearest Twilight Sparkle and I will not stand for it! This is my body, and you are no longer a part of me! Silence! Try and take it back, then, if you are so confident in yourself! You will soon realize that you are no longer in control, you pathetic sack of drek! She believes in Us. We will not give up easily so long as Magic is on our side. RETRUN TO ME MY BODY NOW! “HHNNNNNNAUUUUUGHHHHHH!!!” Luna howled, violently trashing about in the air. Her body fell, crushing a stand below and destroying many of its goods. The flailing alicorn continued on a path of destruction as she screamed and cried in agony. Her body was no longer the frail frame it once was. It had, almost instantly, become toned with tense muscles, giving her the strength to lay waste to anything. Carts and tables were destroyed by her violent thrashing outbursts and several street lamps were taken down and smashed as well. Decorations were torn and fell off buildings she crashed into them. The violent screaming and writhing went on as the princess fired reckless bolts of magic, destroying all before it and setting what was left ablaze. The residents of Ponyville looked on in panic and dread, not knowing what to do nor what would become of their small village. Luna was on a rampage. “What’s going on? What’s happening to her?!” Twilight shouted over the clamouring destruction. “Ah don’t know, but if we don’t stop her soon, ah reckon she just might destroy tha whole town!” Applejack grimaced back. “C’mon sugarcube, there’s no time to gather up the other gals, so looks like it’s up to us!” The two took off at full speed after the berserk alicorn, dodging the debris and destruction in her wake. In the short time since chaos and confusion had erupted, Luna had managed to cover a surprisingly sizable amount of distance, and was nearely out of eyesight for the two Elements. The trail of destruction she had left behind had made her considerably easier to track, however. Destroyed structures and torn decorations littered the streets, as well as smashed food and trade-wares. The two mares hadn’t seen things this bad since the return of Discord. Twilight couldn’t help but stare at the  rubble in horror as they passed, turning to shoot AJ a scared and surprisingly vulnerable look. “Wh-what are we going to do AJ? Just look at all this…” she whimpered, her heart crushed by the event. “Now is not the time Twi. If you really wanna help Luna, then ya gotta pull yerself together.” Applejack spoke, trying to calm herself aswell. “…y-yeah. You’re right” the sniffling mare replied, fighting back her tears. “So, what’s the plan?” “We’re comin’ up on her soon! Do yer best to slow her down with yer magic and ah’ll tie her down with ma lasso!” “Right!” Twilight affirmed. They finally came into sights of the rampaging princess, chasing her down the streets. Around them, more trembling ponies screamed and cried out in horror and fright. Luna had lost control and nopony could truly understand why. It was as though only Twilight and Applejack knw she had to be stopped and if it didn’t end soon, then it would surely end badly. Luna continued to thrash about and spray random bolts of magic, causing mayhem and destruction. Multiple parts of Ponyville were in shambles, and many pegasi ponies, including the Wonderbolts, had shown up just to help fight the fires caused by the careless magical attacks. “Ugh, wouldja look’it this? Ah can stand to see the town like this! We can’t just let her wreck our homes. We gotta stop her Twi, and soon!” Applejack “I know AJ... I just...” Twilight sighed. As they came closer to the crazed princess, they nearly ran into a stampede ponies fleeing in the opposite direction. The area in which they were about to face Luna had become completely devoid of other ponies as Luna devastated the land. “Git ready Twi!” AJ shouted as she charged toward Luna, taking point. “Okay... here we go!” Twilight shouted back at the charging mare. She snapped herself out of her gloom and began focusing her power into her horn. Luna suddenly stopped her rampage and turned to face the two Elements causing a commotion behind her. They both skidded to a dead stop when they realized what they were truly looking at, eyes wide and mouths agape. The dark alicorn faced the two as a demonic and twisted smile came upon her face. The haunting visage before them could not easily be forgotten. “H-h-her eyes…” Twilight stuttered in horror. “Wh-what is this?!” AJ shouted as she too reeled back. The terror standing before them charged maliciously at the two, whipping Applejack away with a flick of her horn. AJ was sent flying into a crushed cart, smashing through the plank and causing it to further crumble. A muffled cry of pain could be heard from the wreckage. “Applejack!” Twilight screamed. She could only stand helplessly terrified by the scene unfolding before her. The strongest and toughest pony she knew had just been tossed aside like a rag doll, as though it were nothing. Where did that leave her?  The beast stomped closer and closer to the disheartened mare until it had finally come upon her. Twilight felt her stomach sink as her courage and resolve drained from her body. She stared vulnerably at the monster before her.  The dark alicorn towered over her, craning forward to lock eyes with her prey. Her eyes had narrowed into the vertical slits of a hungering predator; They appeared as two infinitely dark abysses to the trembling lavender mare. Twilight felt her body go limp. She felt all light drain from her own body as the demon gazed into her very being. “HEEEEYAAAA!” a loud shout came from the side of the two. Suddenly, the psychotic monster’s neck crooked at a distorted and grotesque angle accompanied by a loud snapping noise. Twilight leaned to see a battered and bruised Applejack standing off to the side, strongly holding her bucking position with a triumphant grin on her face. The tenacious mare had risen from the rubble without their knowing and landed a serious buck on the encroaching fiend’s head. “Applejack, you’re okay!” Twilight excitedly blurted out. “Ya can’t get rid of me that easy sugarcube.” Applejack smirked. Her expression quickly changed when she realized how seriously injured the princess looked. “Sweet Celestia, maybe ah went too far though...” “...Luna? Are you... are you okay?” Twilight asked, unsure of whether she truly wanted a response or not. “BWAHAHAHAHAHA!” The twisted princess’s swiftly broke out into a maniacal laugh. Much to the ponies’ horror, Luna’s neck began to twist back into place,  each crack and crunch warranting a sickened cringe from the pair. The revolting sight left the two stunned as the fiend reared up and fiercely stomped its hooves, sending out a shockwave of energy. The rippling energy sent Applejack and Twilight Sparkle flying, the two grunting in pain as they slammed onto their backs. They looked at each other and as soon as they made eye contact, Applejack lit up. Surrounded by a magical aura, she slowly began to be dragged, on her back, toward the beast. Applejack turned back to look pleadingly at her friend as she was dragged away. “Twi... help me...” she spoke in a frighteningly desperate tone. Twilight could only lie there and watch, still stunned from the impact. Applejack continued to skirt across the ground until she was upon the demon herself. Defenseless, she lay numb with fear as the alicorn began to rear up to deliver a powerful stomp once more. It smiled fiendishly as it prepared to deliver the final blow. Applejack merely flinched and cowered, giving up any hope. “Mmmm... I assumed you’d put up much more of a fight after the last stunt,” it spoke disapprovingly, scowling down at its prey.  “Honesty, you are such a disappointment.” Just as Applejack looked up to face the princess again she was whipped into the air. She felt her body fold in and crush into a hard surface as her body seethed with heat and agony just before she lost conscious. In truth, she had been smashed into the wall of a home nearby, destroying a small section and causing rubble to come off it and bury her as she fell out. Beneath the debris lay her mangled and unconscious body. Twilight was too scared to even react. She had rolled to her side, but still lay there, back burning from the ache of her impact. The dark alicorn turned away from the fallen Element and faced her. It smiled, licking its lips sickeningly as if it were actually about to devour the poor mare. It began its approach, savoring the fear in Twilight’s eyes.  As it came upon Twilight once more, it raised its head, horn pulsing and sparking with energy. The demon prepared to strike the obstacle lying before it down. Twilight was paralyzed with fear, unable to react. The dark alicorn smiled triumphantly down at her in reply to her silence. Twilight covered her eyes as she prepared for the worst. “THOU HAST THWARTED US ONCE BEFORE! NOW, ELEMENT, PERISH FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!!!” the monster cried out before unleashing a slicing beam from her horn. “GUAAAAAHHHHH” an ear piercing cry of pain echoed through the night as a bright light enveloped the scene. Twilight quickly came to her senses as she slammed into the ground on her side. She rose up, attempting checking her body for any damage, only to feel her hind hoof burn in pain. It became clear that her ankle had been sprained badly, as it were also bruised and bloody.  Had she really been unharmed by the dark beam as a whole though? No, she hadn’t been harmed, but somepony else had. Twilight turned to see Eventide barely managing to stand before Luna. He was panting heavily, and his hooves keep buckling, nearly giving way. More importantly though, he was wounded, badly. A large gash had been sliced into his chest, as blood was spilling onto the soil beneath him. His breastplate lay on the ground, severed in two, as it had offered no protection from the unholy magic that had smote him. “Eventide!” Twilight cried out. “S-STAY BACK!” he shouted back, barely catching his breath. “But you’re wounded!” she desperately shouted, attempting to convince him to flee. “I SAID S-STAY BACK DAMNIT! YOU CAN’T STOP HER NOW! SHE’S BEEN TAKEN BY THE DARKNESS!” he tried to shout, only to cough up blood from his wound. “Then she really is…Nightmare Moon…” Twilight uttered under her breath. “BWAHAHAH, FINALLY REALIZING IT, EH?” Nightmare Moon cackled, the terrible laugh echoing throughout the night. “Why?!” Twilight shouted in anger, desperately limping to Eventide’s side. “Why are you doing this?! What happened to Luna?” “YOU POOR, INNONCENT LITTLE FOAL, YOU REALLY HAVE NO CLUE. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I WOULD RETURN, AND NOW YOU SHALL ALL SUFFER!” Nightmare Moon openly mocked the lone Element. As Twilight limped over to Eventide, her body burned and throbbed in anguish. Although it was just a sprained ankle, the soft unicorn was not used to such injuries. She did her best to shoulder Eventide though, allowing him to lean on her. She cringed a little at the smell of the blood, seeing shards of steel embedded in his body. It was obvious that her strength wouldn’t be enough, as his weight got heavier as his body went limp. Eventide quickly collapsed off of Twilight, falling to the ground as Aurora Shine came into view galloping towards the pair. “Even!” Aurora Shine cried in horror as his body fell over. “I-I’m sorry. He… he was protecting me…” Twilight mournfully whimpered. Aurora Shine only stared back blankly at Twilight before looking down the fallen warrior. She trotted over and cradled him in her hooves. Aurora Shine placed her hoof gently upon the bloodied and matted fur of his chest. She pulled her hoof away to find blood had gotten on it as well. Aurora Shine didn’t say anything; she just sat there silently, as if everything she knew and loved had been taken from her. Seeing the two in their grave moment, Twilight stepped forward to stand before Nightmare Moon once more. “Look! See what your madness has caused Nightmare Moon!” Twilight shouted angrily, surprising both Nightmare Moon and Aurora. “All this destruction… all this chaos… this pain, this suffering, this agony. IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!” “HAHAHAH, BUT OF COURSE MY LITTLE FOAL. DO YOU THINK SOMEONE AS WEAK AS LUNA WOULD BE CAPABLE OF SUCH A FEAT? WE MAY SHARE THIS VESSEL, BUT I AM CLEARLY THE SUPERIOR!”         …share this vessel… Twilight thought to herself. …then that means… “LUNA! I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE!” she cried out.         Nightmare Moon cringed. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE…”         She called out to me…         Silence!         “LUNA, COME BACK TO US. COME BACK TO ME! I WANT TO HELP YOU!” Twilight continued to plead with the monster.         Nightmare Moon cringed harder and began to approach the defiant mare, wearily dragging her body as if it was severely weighed down. “STOP THIS INSTAN…”         She is calling me! I have to go back to her!         You can’t! This body is mine now!         “PLEASE, RETURN TO US LUNA! I WON’T GIVE UP ON YOU!” Twilight continued to shout, revealing her pendant as she levitated it up to the struggling alicorn. “REMEMBER THIS? YOU GAVE THIS TO ME AS A TOKEN OF OUR FRIENDSHIP!  I PROMISED I’D NEVER GIVE UP ON US AND NOW I’M KEEPING THAT PROMISE! PLEASE, JUST… come back!”         YOU NO LONGER CONTROL ME!          “GRAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!” the beast howled, the echo sending chills down everypony’s spine.         As soon as Twilight had uttered those words, Nightmare Moon fell to the ground, thrashing and screaming before her. Twilight stared for a moment, dumbstruck by what she had done. It looked like the tormented alicorn was afflicted with some sort of madness, only to be fighting it within herself. If she truly was, then nopony was sure who was winning. She continued to stare in confusion until Aurora Shine shouted at her, bringing her back to her senses.         “Twilight! We have to subdue her!” Aurora snapped.         The two began charging their horns, weaving streams of magic all around the fallen alicorn. They struggled to lash her down as her shaking and writhing became more violent. The two unicorns cringed in pain as they fought harder and harder, sweat dripping down their bodies. No matter what, Nightmare Moon could not be allowed to walk freely. Even if she had just been weakened in this one instant, if they could stop her from destroying the town until Celestia would arrive, they had done their jobs. The magic lashes beamed and sparked in resistance to the defying subject’s violent motions, restraining the mare into the earth beneath them. It would be several minutes before Luna finally stopped, lying in the crater she had smashed into the ground during her struggles. Once the two unicorns were certain it was safe, they released the telekinetic lashes that bound the princess. The two collapsed onto their haunches, panting and sweating heavily. They took a moment to gather themselves and then Twilight cautiously approached the exhausted captive. “…Luna?” she began, “…is that you, Luna?” The exhausted princess continued to lie there panting heavily until, wearily, she opened her eyes. “…T-twilight?” “Oh Luna, you’ve come back to me!” Twilight cried out with joy, tackling and pinning Luna to the floor. She hugged her tightly until Luna coughed, having the air squeezed from her. “Twilight… I was… She…It…” Luna stuttered, failing to finish her own sentences. She could only hang her head in shame. “I know Luna. I know now. It’s okay.” She comforted her distressed companion, stroking her mane. “I’m sorry, Twilight… I… EVENTIDE!” Luna shot up, her eyes desperately searching for royal companion. “He is still breathing…” Aurora Shine spoke solemnly, holding the severely injured colt. “…I couldn’t just up… and leave you… *cough*” Eventide choked weakly as he came to. “You too *cough* princess…” “Even!” Aurora Shine screamed with glee, hugging the colt closely. “Ouch!” he whined, “I’m still hurt remember?” Aurora Shine released her clutch on him and stared into his eyes as she cradled the wounded hero. She smiled softly at the grinning colt, tears of happiness filling her eyes and running down her muzzle. Aurora lunged forward, kissing him, much to his delighted surprise. Eventide simply went limp, embracing his newfound love and savoring the moment. As she pulled away, her horn began to flow with power and his wound slowly began to mended. Eventide groaned and fidgeted in discomfort, only to let out a sigh of relief as the gash magically sealed itself. It left a very serious scar, but Aurora’s abilities had at least been able to stop the bleeding. “This is just a temporary fix, so you have to take it easy. Don’t go doing stupid things like that again anytime soon, okay?” she joked weakly. “Heheh, okay.” He smiled back until shifting rubble nearby quickly alerted their attention. A battered and bruised Applejack emerged. “Ah’m... okay…” she sputtered, staggering out of the pile of wood and stone debris. “Did we… did we win?” The mare was still dazed and confused, but intact nonetheless. She brushed herself off and calmly approached the party, seeing that Luna had returned to a composed state. Luna could only feebly gaze at the group with tears in her eyes. Lifting her head to survey the devastation she had inflicted on the town, she could hear the screams and cries in the distance, see the destruction and defilement of the night’s festivities, and smell the choking smoke from fire the pegasi shouting in the distance were rallying to put out. What… what have I done? So much laid to waste, at my own hooves. Even those close to me have been harmed this night. What’s more, that… thing… overcame me. It took control, again! All this time, and it still returns as though nothing happened? I have ruined this night, tainted my name, and have betrayed all before me. This is worse, far worse than I could have ever imagined… This has been an utter catastrophe... Twilight stared as Luna was overcome with powerful emotions, becoming a visible embodiment of desolation. “…Luna?” Twilight questioned, approaching the suffering alicorn to comfort her once more. Before she could get a reply, however, Luna took off flying shakily into the night, a trail of tears shimmering under the starry sky behind her.