//------------------------------// // Loyalty, Laughter, Here and Thereafter // Story: Moonfall // by Mist Twister //------------------------------//         A lone alicorn wandered around - aimlessly it seemed - on the outskirts of Ponyville. Her heart was heavy with guilt. With every step she took, it felt as though her hooves bore the weight of not just her listless body, but the hatred and fear of an entire civilization as well. As she trudged on, dragging herself forward, Princess Luna had only her thoughts to keep her company.           I have wrought destruction upon the town, mortally wounded my most trusted ally, knocked one Element unconscious and caused another to faint! There is no doubt in my mind that most inhabitants of Ponyville consider me a public enemy of Equestria once again... I have been nothing but an utter disappointment to the one subject who truly believed in me - even going so far as to aid me in earning a second chance at being a beloved Princess. And all this, I have accomplished before night’s end, at that! Truly, I am a most efficient failure, Luna sardonically reminded herself, heaving a deep sigh.         She was at a complete loss of what to do now. Time and again, those who had offered her some hope at redemption had left her alone again at the most crucial moment.         Alone… Luna thought desperately, I know I cannot face this thing alone. But who would stand by me now, after all that I have done?         Luna lifted her head to gaze at the stars again, focusing her attention on her favorite one while she trotted on. It, too, had continued its path from earlier, casually waltzing across the dark expanse along with its brethren. The sight still offered her but little comfort, but Luna had resolved, for reasons she could not quite fathom herself, to idly follow its guiding light anyway, despite being unsure of where she would end up. It didn’t really matter. Luna appreciated the fact that it provided her with some goal, however ill-defined; this allowed her time to just walk, and clear her head, without having to consider her destination. Eventually, it turned out that the star had been leading Luna to the furthest edge of town, where a small, worn stone bridge crossed the creek and the path continued into the Everfree Forest. It was, she knew, a path that led directly back to her own Memorial.         “Why is it that you have led me here?” Luna eyed the star suspiciously; it seemed to give just the slightest twinkle in reply. Luna glared at it, her ears folded back and her lips pursed in annoyance. Focusing her eyes, she could just make out the shape of the statue in the distance, through the dense tree line.         The memorial… MY memorial. Well, not that I’m gone at present. I suppose it is pleasant, in a way, that they bothered to erect one for me at all, but I do rather wish it didn’t bear the visage of Nightmare Moon... that monster and myself are not one and the same! But then, I’m not sure it was ever truly a tribute to me, honestly. Not since shortly after its original conception… Luna winced, fighting back a painful pang in her chest. She hesitated for a moment and then continued on to the bridge. I suppose that if there’s any place where ponies who dread the mere sight of me wouldn’t want to linger tonight, it’s there. Perhaps I can be alone…         You don’t want to be alone, though…           “What should I do then?!” Luna’s head automatically shot up to the starry sky as she cried out. “I AM alone, and tonight there is nopony I can turn to. Nopony who could possibly help-”         “Princess Luna!” a shrill voice cried out from behind, interrupting her.         It’s as if she were waiting on a cue! Luna scrunched up her nose in frustration, and hung her head, hiding her face in the shadows cast by her flowing mane. Quick, say something! Explain what happened with Generosity and beg for her understanding. Tell her how much you truly want to change, and how deeply you desire her invaluable aid again. Let her know that you truly appreciated her efforts. And tell her that you have missed her… no, no, maybe not that, but say something that shows that you care, at least!         “Leave me be, Twilight Sparkle!”         …Oh, damn me.          “Princess…” Twilight panted out, trying to catch her breath, ”I’m sorry things haven’t worked out how we wanted, but you have to believe me when I tell you that Nightmare Night is one of the most popular celebrations in all of Equestria!” Twilight smiled at her, but Luna’s expression remained unchanged.         “Yes. I can tell by all the adoring shrieks of the children as they run away,” Luna spoke in a sarcastic tone, rolling her eyes.         I wish I could believe you Twilight, but alas! Nightmare Night’s popularity is without a doubt due only to the foals’ love of fanciful costumes and plentiful sweets…         “Princess…” Twilight whimpered, “I know tonight hasn’t been easy, and I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult your return to Equestria has been for you, but please… I really do want to help. I want to fix this...”         Luna’s emotions swirled about inside of her, a curious mixture of what felt like both frustration and sadness coursing through her. Of course she, too, wanted to fix things - but how could she ever hope to accomplish that? The entire night had been completely counterproductive - a total waste - in her eyes, no matter how badly she might wish to deny it. Everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong, it felt like. Rarity had shared her wisdom with the alicorn, true, and things had looked up a little then. But Luna had great difficulty still believing those well-meaning words, without the unicorn herself by her side. The alicorn had already gone far beyond her limits, and was close to reaching an emotional breaking point.          “And just why is that, Twilight Sparkle?!” Luna turned and approached the mare, lowering her head to Twilight’s level and staring into her eyes. “Why are you so sure that you even can? You have only known me for such a short time; I cannot even begin to describe the entirety of all that I have endured during my long years. You think things have only been bad since my return? This has only been another, minor chapter in my saga! Surely, even you, adorably naive as you are, cannot possibly believe this could all be made right within the span of a single night!”         Without realizing it, Luna had come extremely close to Twilight’s face. She could see the shock in Twilight’s wide eyes. The smaller mare shrunk away, falling onto her back. Twilight quickly propped herself up again with her forehooves, but lay back, muzzle gaping in awe at Luna. Surprised at this, Luna jerked back and mimicked Twilight’s reaction, her mouth gaping in similar fashion. Slowly, she became aware of the fact that her eyes had been tearing up, and that several beads were trailing down her cheeks. Luna felt her face heat up and her lips tremble as she fought back a whimper. She quickly turned away to hide her pain and began to trot toward the forest, refusing to face the mare she had left frozen on the cold ground.         “Luna!” Twilight’s voice cried out from behind her.         Luna flinched momentarily, but continued at a quickened pace.         “Luna, please stop!” Twilight shouted again.         This time, Luna continued without reacting, tears still streaming down her muzzle. Suddenly, a bright flash of violet and white appeared before her, causing her to rear back. The lavender mare appeared from within the flash, rushing at the Princess. Before she could react, Luna felt a pair of small hooves being wrapped tightly around her neck. She tried to pull away, but Twilight’s grasp on her remained firm. On top of that, Luna’s struggle to remove the mare from herself was clearly only a half-hearted affair.         “Wh-what is the meaning of this!” Luna stammered, still feigning attempts at trying to shake the mare off.         “I w-w-won’t just g-g- give up on you!” Twilight muttered into Luna’s chest.          Is she… is she crying?         Luna stood still long enough for the pony latching on to her to stop swaying. She craned her neck back to peer down at the mare gently sobbing against her chest, and noticed her coat already becoming slightly mussed from the tears.         “Twilight, why are you-“         “Because I know how it feels!” Twilight blurted out into Luna’s chestfur, her voice echoing in the still of night. “I know how it feels… to have nothing, to lose everything, to be so far away from home and have nopony to turn to…”         “What do you mean?” Luna asked, lowering her neck so Twilight could let go without a nasty drop.         Twilight fell to her haunches, sitting up in the cool grass. She was still sniffling slightly. “When I left to be Celestia’s apprentice, I was so excited and happy; I thought I’d be having the time of my life. But what I didn’t account for was how badly I would miss my family. Those days, before I could leave the castle on my own, I missed my brother and parents so much... I felt so lost and alone - I’d lose myself in my studies to help distract my mind, but in my heart, it still hurt.         “While I was in school, I couldn’t really make any friends - everypony shunned me for being Celestia’s special student. And when they found out about what happened during my entrance exam,  they all started treating me like some sort of unstable monster! They called me hurtful names and avoided me for almost all of grade school. At the same time, I got to see my family less and less, because my big brother went off to the Knight Academy, and my parents were always working on important research. Though I got to spend some of my time by Celestia’s side, I’d find myself alone again whenever she had real work to do - which was frustratingly often. I only had Spike to keep me company, but he was still a youngling, a baby, who couldn’t really understand what I was going through. I was so lonely Luna... If I hadn’t been sent to Ponyville, I’d still be lonely…” “Twilight… I… I didn’t know…” Luna now regretted her outburst.  She took a step toward the mare, but was unsure of what to do or say. She never had been really good at comforting anypony, even before her banishment. Luna quietly walked up and sat next to Twilight while she settled down a little.         “Life has been cruel to us, hasn’t it, Twilight Sparkle?” Luna spoke sternly, staring up into the night sky.         “No,” Twilight quickly replied, startling Luna. The alicorn turned to her, staring in confusion at the unicorn still wiping tears from her eyes. “It has been hard, but I’ve never forgotten the friends and family I am so blessed to have. When I truly needed somepony, they were always there for me. I want you to know that feeling, too. I want you to know you can face any challenge, because you will always have friends by your side. I want you to know that... that I, for one, will always be there for you…”         Twilight turned to Luna, finding that the Princess’s confusion had turned into a minute smile. She replied with her own, but Luna’s expression seemed more embarrassed than anything, and the alicorn quickly looked away, with a sheepish grin, when Twilight began to realize what she had just said, exactly. The mare began to turn a soft red, her face flushing.          “B-b-because of our promise I mean; I haven’t forgotten, after all,” Twilight stammered. She fidgeted a little, lowering her muzzle to hide her face while peering through her bangs to check Luna’s reaction.         Luna turned back to her, her own cheeks glowing a bit too. She leaned over and wrapped her hooves around the unicorn, feeling her perk up in surprise. “Thank you, Twilight. I would like that very much… The promise, I mean...” Twilight smiled and brought her hooves up to hold Luna’s own. So she WILL still stand by me, after all…         The two sat there holding hooves and hugging, with nothing but the sound of the chilling night breeze blowing through the trees to disturb the silence. The time they spent this way hardly seemed awkward at all - in fact, it felt soothing and relaxing to Luna, seeming to ease the tension that had been building up. Being able to hold somepony and simply enjoy their company was a luxury she hadn’t been able to indulge in for quite some time. And she was finally feeling a little more reassured, after seeing how resolved this pony was to stand by her. The hug brought Luna great warmth, despite the frigid night air around them and the diminutive size of the mare. The feeling of comfort it provided her was even better; it was a feeling Luna had long since forgotten. The pony she was embracing had been to the brink of madness and back, yet still stood firmly at her side, insisting on helping her. The words Twilight had uttered earlier, alone, had healed Luna, offering her some sanctuary from the all cruel obstacles she had faced.  As far as she could recall, only one other pony had ever seemed to care as much about her, in her entire lifetime.         “Come on Luna, let’s go.” Twilight sat up, breaking her hold and offering a helping hoof.         Luna took the proffered hoof, and Twilight helped her up. The touch sent a chill up her spine, yet her cheeks warmed up even more as she rose. She couldn’t help but stare at the mare’s sweet expression as they held hooves a little while longer. It made Luna’s smile even broader. “Where are we going, Twilight?”          “There’s somepony I think we need to talk to. If my suspicions are correct, we may be able to clear up most of what happened tonight...”         Twilight led Luna back toward Ponyville. They seldom spoke during their short walk, but occasionally shared some passing glances. This was okay with Luna though; merely having company to begin with was making her feel a lot better. The two of them ended up stopping just short of the line of buildings that surrounded the heart of the town. Twilight seemed to be surveying her surroundings, clearly searching for something in particular. She placed a hoof against her chin.         “Hmmm…” Twilight grumbled thoughtfully.         Luna was surprised by the fact that the streets were suspiciously free of panicking ponies. The fires had been put out and the accompanying screams of terror had dissipated as well. The little town had settled down again, with a roar of activity to be heard rising only from in its very center, just as it had been before. She wasn’t sure whether this was a good thing or not.         “Twilight, what is it we are looking for?” Luna whispered, “I’m worried the other ponies will find me.” She chewed her lip.         They circled the empty street until they came upon an alleyway between two buildings. By that point, they were still distant enough to be out of earshot from the main festivities, but the glowing orange lights were clearly visible at the far end. Luna followed Twilight through it a little bit longer, but then halted in the shadows of the alley.         “Twilight… I cannot reveal myself.” She stepped back, hiding herself completely in a cloak of darkness. “I… I am not ready.”         Twilight tilted her head in concern, unable to see the anxious expression on Luna’s face, but she quickly perked up. “That’s okay Luna. It might actually be easier this way!”         “Huh?”         “Just wait here. I’ll be back soon!” the lavender mare galloped off.         She’s gone and left me alone again. Ohhh, I hate being alone! What am I doing here, anyway? The Princess of the Night - hiding in a dark and dingy alleyway! So undignified... Still, I can’t help but wonder: what is everypony in the town square doing now? Surely they cannot have simply resumed their celebrations? No… no, I’m certain they are congregating and forming an angry mob, trying to determine what to do with me when they find me…          Twilight came galloping back just as fast, carrying an empty brown bag in her mouth. She spat it out onto the ground, and slowly approached Luna, who cautiously stepped from the darkness.           “There! Now all we have to do is wait!” she said with a smile.         “Twilight, I do not understand. Please explain to me-“         “Shhh! Look.” Twilight pointed her hoof toward the end of the alley.         Luna squinted to see an odd, indistinguishable figure approaching, constantly making motions toward the ground. She realized that Twilight had left a small trail of sweets behind, leading all the way into the alley. Clearly, the line of candy laid down on the ground was part of some sort of trap, but for what purpose?         “Okay…?” she said, still failing to really grasp the situation.         “Luna, I need you to hide.”         “Wh-why?” a tinge of panic was setting in.         “Please? It’s just for a moment, I promise. I’ll let you know when to come out. Trust me.” Twilight pressed her hoof to Luna’s chest. The touch sent a prickling sensation down Luna’s spine.         “Uh-huh, okay…” Luna muttered lamely, before stepping back into the shadows.         As the figure drew closer, it quickly became apparent which pony Twilight had lured here.         Laughter! Luna thought with a sneer. What is she doing here?         Twilight quickly grabbed Pinkie Pie and slammed her into the wall, forcing her hoof over the stunned mare’s muzzle.         OH! OH MY!         “No! No shrieking. No screaming or squealing either. Okay?” Twilight growled. “Mohkay,” the startled pink mare managed to mumble from beneath the hoof. She can be quite the brute, can’t she? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her act so forcefully! It’d almost be intimidating, if it weren’t for the fact that she’s considerably smaller than me. Still, there is an intensity to her, at the moment, that I have not seen since our initial encounter! Such ferocity! Such relentlessness! She would make a fine soldier…         Luna remained hidden, admiring Twilight’s assertiveness until the unicorn finally let her friend go. Pacing back, Twilight peered into the darkness, directly at Luna, whom assumed that this was her cue. Slowly, she approached the two ponies.         Take a deep breath; here we go... “Ah! Ba-bak-bakwammmm!” Pinkie Pie muffled her caw of surprise, covering her muzzle with her own hooves this time.         “Pinkie Pie, you remember Princess Luna, right?”         Tch, I do not wish to deal with her! Luna glared angrily before she spoke, her mind wandering. Now now Luna, be polite. True, she has done nothing but antagonize us this entire night, but turning an enemy into an ally is always a big advantage. You know this.           “Hast thou come to make peace?” Luna offered her hoof apprehensively.         The earth mare before her seemed to take a moment to consider this, but her expression quickly changed to something surprisingly compassionate. She slowly began to approach Luna, both ponies’ smiles growing wider by the second. Neither of them noticed the dark cloud quietly drifting up from behind them.         Is she truly willing to take my hoof? Perhaps I have just judged her too harshly, and too quickly. I suppose I can understand her reactions, given how little she knows...         A bolt of lightning cracked behind Luna, casting an ominous shadow over her. The Princess was unaware of this however, and only saw Pinkie Pie light up, the pink pony’s eyes growing wide with terror. A ball of fear and anxiety began to unravel within her stomach.         “NIGHTMARE MOON!!! BAK-BAK-BAK-BAWK!” Pinkie Pie screamed, running like a chicken toward the safety of the center of the town.         “RAINBOW!” Twilight shouted as a cackling laugh sounded from above. “BAHAHAHA!” the rainbow mare howled with laughter, rolling back and forth on the small storm cloud she was riding.         “Wh-what’s going on?!” Luna exclaimed in surprise.         Twilight had already magically blinked off, tackling the fleeing chicken-pony to the ground before she could escape the alley. The two of them had ended up just far enough from Luna for her to no longer be able to understand what they were saying; the alicorn could only make out the fact that Twilight had begun yelling at the other mare. That left just her and the pegasus, who was still busy cracking up on her cloud.         “You!” Luna growled, “What have you DONE?!”         “Wha- Who? Me?” Rainbow Dash rolled over and stood up on the cloud.         “Yes, you!” Luna barked. ”And just what do you think you’re wearing?!”         “I’m flying around pranking everypony in the Ponyville, and that includes YOU, Princess,” Rainbow Dash said mockingly, “And this? Well, if I remember right, this was what you tried to tempt me with the first time we met. They were called the Shadowbolts, weren’t they?”         “AH! How dare you mock me!” Luna angrily demanded of the defiant mare. “I’ll have you know they are NO laughing matter!”         “Whoa-whoa, calm down there, Princess! It was just a prank! Besides…” She trailed off, flying the cloud down closer until they were face to face, much to Luna’s displeasure. “You mean to tell me...” She pressed even closer, whispering, “The Shadowbolts are real?” Luna flashed an annoyed grin that she quickly hid again, under an unamused expression. “Perhaps. What’s it to you?”         “Huh? Uh… nothing, I guess.” She shrugged. “But, I mean, if they are real, what’ve they been up to? How come nopony’s ever heard of them?”         “Have you ever considered, Loyalty, that it may be in everypony’s best interests that they are unaware of what the Shadowbolts are doing?” Luna teased, “That they may have been out on confidential missions, protecting Equestria this entire time?”         “Coooool,” Dash said, sounding awestruck.         “…and perhaps they have you SURROUNDED RIGHT NOW!” Luna roared, blowing Rainbow Dash off of her cloud. She ended up landing on her back with a hard thud.         “Hu- Wah- WHERE?!” Dash flailed on her back, her frightened eyes shooting in every direction in search of hidden assailants.         “BUWAHAHA!” Luna laughed at the panicked pegasus. Rainbow Dash stared, wide-eyed, before it hit her. “Haha, ya got me!” she said as she stood back up and dusted herself off. “They’re not real… right? Heh.” She wrung her hooves, still looking around anxiously.         “PERHAPS!” Luna loomed over her with a maniacal grin, making the poor mare shiver. “At any rate, you have spoiled our chance at friendship with the pink one!” Luna said with a pout.         “What? Oh, that? Nah, Pinkie’s probably just playing around anyway.” Dash waved it off.         “How can you say such a thing? This is a serious matter! My reintegration into modern society has thus far been mostly unsuccessful. The last thing I need is another antagonist!” Luna stomped her hoof, clearly angered.         “Hmm…” Dash thought aloud. “Well, I can see your problem, Princess, and I’ve got three words for ya.”         Luna huffed. “And just what would those be?”         “Deal with it.” Dash nodded, folding her hooves in triumph.         “Wha- HOW DARE YOU?!” Luna bellowed, a storm rising up behind her. She could feel a burning in the pit of her heart, hatred and anger yearning to burst forth.         “Look, I’m a weather pegasus, right?” Dash asked matter-of-factly.         “Yes, I would assume-“         “Does everypony like the rain?”         “No.”         “Do they all love freezing snow, or giant chunks of hail that break things?”         “Well… no, but-“         “Do they love sweltering heat waves?”         Luna stood in silence, her anger slowly ebbing away. “Y’see where I’m goin’ with this?” Dash walked over and leaned against the alley wall on her hind hooves. Luna simply stood, anticipating a proper explanation. Dash let out a small sigh as she continued. “We weather pegasi are always changing the weather. We’re also always getting ponies who don’t approve of the changes: ‘It’s too hot!’ or ‘It’s too cold!’ or ‘This rain is frizzing my mane!’” She imitated another voice, in a haughty fashion, whilst repeating these common complaints.         “It’s a real pain, and it’s not like we could ever please everypony! We get our orders from Cloudsdale and we’re expected to follow them, regardless of what everypony else wants!” Dash pounded a hoof with resolve. “I tend to get the most complaints though, because I’m the captain of the Ponyville Weather Squad. It’s like everypony thinks I do it all on purpose, just to tick them off! Well, we do our jobs, gratitude or no gratitude, and in the end they all still benefit from our hard work, whether they realize it or not. In the meantime, though, they’re gonna keep whining, and I just kinda have to deal with it.” Dash shrugged to herself.         “Performing one’s duties even when they go unappreciated…” Luna whispered quietly to herself, “… that is a truly commendable act.”         “Yeah, it’s what I do.” Dash grinned smugly.         “Pinkie Pie, you’re a genius!” Twilight could be heard shouting from the other end of the alley.                    “Oh, that sounds like my cue!” Dash shot up, jumping back onto her cloud. “Hey Princess, sorry ‘bout the whole coming-back-to-society thing not goin’ all that smoothly. I mean, I don’t know much about all that ‘soul-crushing’ stuff Twi mentioned, but-“         “SHE TOLD YOU!?” Luna screamed.         “Heheh, yeah, total blabber mouth.” Dash rolled her eyes. “Like that one time… well, that’s getting off-topic. Anyway, I know it’s rough, but just hang in there, kay? Oh, and I heard you might need a flight training buddy. I can show you the ropes!”         “T-thanks?” Luna replied, unsure of whether she found this offer at all reassuring. “Yeah, no prob. Sorry I’m not really good with all this touchy-feely stuff either, but I gotta go. Ponies to prank!” Dash shouted as she flew off on the cloud.           Even she can act in selfless manner. Her Loyalty truly lies with her kingdom AND her home. Can I really say the same for myself? This whole time, I have been demanding acknowledgement, but have I ever really earned it? One who spends her days merely being jealous of her sister does not deserve such renown...         “Princess Luna!” Twilight came striding back down the alley toward her. “I’ve finally figured out why you’re having so much trouble being liked!”         “Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm...”         I mean, seriously…         “C’mon! I’ll explain everything on the way.” Twilight began to lead her back to the trail.         “Wait! Where are we going?” Luna said doubtfully, stopping after just a few paces.              “Back to the statue in the woods.” Twilight grinned to herself. “If we can scare those kids one more-”         “Scare? How will that help?!” Luna interrupted, becoming ever more worried about the scheme Twilight was dragging her into. “Wasn’t the whole point of tonight to stop ponies from being afraid of me?”         “I know, I know, but Pinkie mentioned some things and-“         “Laughter? The one who has been offending me this entire night? How can you trust the things she says so easily?!” Luna stomped her hoof on the ground and refused to budge, demanding Twilight’s attention.         “Just trust me. I-“         “HOW CAN I?!” Luna roared. “You have done naught but resort to silence and secretive behavior, ever since we reunited earlier. You expect me to follow you blindly?”         Twilight quickly turned around to face Luna fully, her face twisted in anger. “Because WE’RE FRIENDS, AND YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TRUST YOUR FRIENDS!”         Luna shrunk back, falling onto her haunches and sitting there in wide-eyed horror. She could feel tears welling up as she clutched her hoof to her chest. It ached and burned there, with a searing pain that throbbed inside of her.  It was a sensation she had not been forced to endure in a long, long time; it felt as though her heart was ready to explode. Her world seemed to shatter around her, leaving only her, a frustrated Twilight, and sheer darkness to surround them. She cringed again as another pang of guilt and pain ran through her, the brief moment feeling like an eternity of suffering. Luna began to pant heavily as her mind raced through a million different scenarios that all jumped to the same conclusion:         Sh-she is angry with me…         “L-Luna? Are you okay?” Twilight said, taking a step toward her.         Luna shuffled back and sniffled, hiding her face.         “Luna, I…” Twilight bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”         “’Tis fine! I have proven myself unworthy of your friendship, Twilight Sparkle...”           “Luna, that’s not what I meant…” Twilight said softly.          “THEN WHAT IS IT YOU DID MEAN?” Luna barked, before sobbing even more.         Twilight sighed heavily, sitting down next to Luna. A moment of silence passed.          “I know tonight has been difficult,” Twilight began, “but I am trying, honest. I guess… the stress just got to me. I’m sorry, okay?”         Luna turned to find a pair of big, violet eyes, and a small pouting muzzle, pleading at her.         Ugh, that face. It is far too adorable for anypony to resist!         “V-very well, T-Twilight. If you insist... then I shall forgive you,” Luna choked out, fighting back to rest of her tears.         “I do insist,” Twilight said with a smile, twiddling the pendant around her neck before Luna’s eyes. “We are friends, after all - aren’t we?”         “I-indeed,” Luna sniffed, wiping away the last traces of her sadness. “Please, forgive me for snapping at you, as well.”         “It’s okay, we both did and said things we now regret, I think,” Twilight said, smiling in that gentle way that always seemed to warm Luna’s heart, “but I’ll have to ask you to trust me once again.”         “O-okay.” Luna smiled in reply. “What should I do?”         Twilight stood up and started moving again. “Just follow me. We need to get there first.”         The two ponies started their brief trek out of town and back into the Everfree. The way back to the clearing wasn’t as long as Luna originally thought; but then, the return trip always did seem shorter, if you asked her. Her banishment had been more or less the same... As they came up to the statue erected in her honor, thoughts of the past began to surface in Luna’s mind, and an unsettling feeling took hold of her. She shook her head, forcing the unwelcome memories of the event out of her head. Twilight giggled in response.         “What is it you find so amusing?” Luna questioned.         “Oh, nothing,” Twilight teased, “I just didn’t know an immortal alicorn such as yourself could be so bothered by the breeze of her very own night...”         “’Tis not the breeze that has us bothered...” Luna looked off into the night sky.         “Oh…” Twilight looked away shyly as they moved into the clearing. “Well, I’m going to move your statue for a bit, okay?” She looked over at Luna.         “Well, I suppose it’s not a problem, so long as you’re careful. But why?” Luna watched as the unicorn grounded herself.         The massive stone carving quickly became enveloped in a shining pink and purple aura, the magic flowing and pulsing around it as the solitary unicorn attempted to detach it from its pedestal. The statue rumbled and shook, and branches and leaves fell from it. Slowly, it began to rise.           Goddess, she can lift that thing all by herself?         “I’m… (grumble) going to… (grunt) move it, so you can-“         Then again, perhaps she cannot. Luna smiled weakly as she quickly ran up to Twilight’s side.         Luna quickly cast her own layer of magic and covered the statue with it, the two auras intertwining to create a single, magnificent, violet-blue one. The two mares gazed, transfixed, at the mixing auras for a moment, both finding its radiance utterly breathtaking.  The statue was effortlessly lifted up at this point, and the two of them quickly relocated it to behind a dense line of trees together, laying it down gently. Luna smiled at Twilight, who presented her with a pair of-         “Vampony teeth?” Luna took them in her hoof, staring at them, and then at Twilight, in confusion.         “Yes, I want you to wear them and stand over there, where the statue was.”         “You want me to pretend to be Nightmare Moon?” Luna eyed her suspiciously.         “Err… yes?” Twilight forced a smile onto her muzzle. “Oh, and if there’s anything else you can do to be more, erm...” she trailed off, trying to think of the right word.         “Nightmare Moonish?” Luna suggested coldly, raising an eyebrow.         “Yes, that’d be perfect.” Twilight smiled, oblivious to Luna’s rising ire as usual.         “THIS IS NOT A GAME, TWILIGHT!” Luna roared into the night. “I DO NOT WISH TO BE SEEN AS THAT MONSTER EVER AGAIN!”           It quickly became obvious, even to Twilight, that the notion of even just pretending to be that evil being deeply disturbed Luna, especially after what had transpired earlier that evening.         Has she forgotten what I’ve been through; what I’ve done to the town? Or that I, in fact, AM Nightmare Moon? I want to leave that monstrosity behind me! Luna growled to herself.          “Luna, I’m sorry, but if you can just do it this one time - for me - then I’m certain we can win the favor of all of Ponyville!” Twilight tried to assure her.         Luna stood grinding her teeth.         Of course I don’t want to do this! I can’t just play the part of that monster so easily! This is simply too much to bear!           But what if she’s right?         Luna turned away, considering her options. What madness is this? What is she planning? How could something like this possibly improve our standing with the ponies of Ponyville?! Ugh! Yet, all our previous attempts have failed, and she has requested that I trust her… as a friend.  Still...         A moment passed, with Twilight quizzically staring at Luna whilst she debated with herself.         “…fine,” Luna begrudgingly agreed, in a very quiet whisper.         “I’m sorry?” Twilight came a bit closer.         “I said fine. I will trust in you and your plan, Twilight.”         “That’s fantastic, Luna! Just wait here and I’ll be back with the other ponies!” Twilight beamed at her before taking off toward the distant glow of the town.         “Wait, Twilight!” Luna shouted after her, “What am I supposed to do?”         “Just be menacing, Luna!” Twilight shouted back, still galloping away. “Wait for my cue and then reveal yourself!”         As Twilight took off, Luna’s enclosed herself in a deep-blue magical aura. Her body began to shimmer as the energies enveloping her turned a blinding white, quickly losing form and expanding. By the time Luna finished changing shape, her body had doubled in size, and she was bearing the armor of the beast. She smiled widely as she carefully aligned the vampony teeth with her own and then chomped down, fixing them in place. Luna cautiously climbed onto the worn, stone platform and assumed what she thought would be a fearsome pose. Her body glowed with magic one last time, changing her appearance to resemble stone to complete her ruse.           I never thought I’d be using your spell to do this, Luna thought to herself, feeling a measure of remorse. Remember though: evil and menacing. Stay calm and focus… Oh, they are approaching even as we speak!         A small group of ponies and foals indeed slowly approached her shrine, bearing bags overflowing with candy. Each and every foal came and emptied their bag, one at a time, adding to the pile of goodies at the base of the statue. Luna glanced over at Twilight, who looked extremely confused and concerned. She could see Twilight glancing around, as if she were looking for something.         Does she truly not realize that I am right here? And how could such small foals have amassed such a large quantity of candy, I wonder? But wait - stay focused Luna, they’re nearly finished with their offering! Oh, look, ‘tis the youngling I saved earlier…         “Goodbye, Nightmare Night... Forever...” Pipsqueak sighed.         Why does he sound so displeased…? Luna pondered to herself, just as a strong gust of wind picked up and started stirring some of the smaller debris that could be found in the clearing around.  ‘Tis my cue! Time to play my part!         “CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE! YOU WERE WISE TO BRING THIS CANDY TO ME. I AM PLEASED WITH YOUR OFFERING. SO PLEASED THAT I JUST MAY EAT IT, INSTEAD OF EATING YOU!!!” Luna’s voice boomed through the clearing.           The group reacted in predictable fashion: running around, screaming for their lives, and fleeing from Luna.         “I am not certain that did what you meant for it to do, Twilight Sparkle…”         “Just wait...” Twilight grinned devilishly.         W-was this but a cruel trick all along? Luna’s composure faded, tears forming in her eyes. Thou hast made of foal of us for thine own amusement? I… We trusted thee… As a friend… How… how couldst thou…?           “Um… Princess Luna?” a small voice called out, and Luna felt a slight tug at her mane. “I know there’s not gonna be any more Nightmare Night, but do you suppose maybe you could come back next year and scare us again anyway?” Pipsqueak looked anxiously at her. Us? What does he mean by- Luna quickly discovered the small group of foals hiding just behind the tiny pony in his pirate costume, while she was scanning the clearing for them. “Child.” Luna brought her hoof up, suppressing a gasp, “Art thou saying that thou… likest me to scare you?” “It’s really fun!” Pipsqueak quickly answered, with the sincere smile of a foal. “Scary, but fun!” “It… ‘tis?” considered this, confused by the foal’s words. Fun? How could this possibly be fun? I feel miserable, and those poor foals look absolutely terrified. I would be frightened to death, too, if I had just learned that horrors like Nightmare Moon really existed, at their age... “Yeah!” he shouted, ”Nightmare Night is my favorite night of the year.” Favorite night of the year? More so than Sister’s Summer Solstice?! Luna chewed her lip, trying to keep her growing excitement in check.         “Well then.. we shall have to bring NIGHTMARE NIGHT... BACK!!!” Luna boomed, blowing back the small foal.         “Whoa! You’re my favorite Princess ever!” Pipsqueak cheered, quickly climbing to his feet to hug the Princess’s hoof before running off to his friends. “She said ‘yes’, guys!”         F-Favorite p-p-Princess?! Luna simply melted.          A chorus of whoops and cheers could be heard from the foals gathered, and even some of the adults. Luna, however, stood silently, basking in the glow of Pipsqueak’s words. It caused such immense warmth to spill forth from within her that she failed to notice the herd of ponies surrounding her, until they started cheering and thanking her for her deed. Twilight approached from the side. “See? They really do like you, Princess,” she said, congratulating the alicorn.         “Can it be true?” Luna wondered aloud. “OH, MOST WONDERFUL OF- I mean… Oh, most wonderful of nights!” She smiled politely. “Huhuh!” Applejack approached, chuckling at Luna’s outburst. “Gotta admit, Princess, that was a pretty fancy trick ya pulled back there!” “It was very impressive,” Twilight remarked. “For a moment there, I thought you might have just put the statue back and ran off again.” “Shucks Twi, give the girl some credit,” Applejack said, looking at Twilight from beneath the brim of her hat. “Heh, sorry,” Twilight said sheepishly. “But Luna,” Applejack said, turning back toward the alicorn, ”wouldya mind tellin’ us how ya managed all that?” “Yeah, I’d very much like to know, too!” Twilight agreed. “I actually thought you’d used an amniomorphic spell, at first.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hoof. “Animawhatta?” Applejack blurted out. “Amniomorphic. Think of it as projecting an invisible layer of light just beyond your skin, so that you may appear as something completely different, while remaining intact and unchanged on the inside,” Twilight tried to explain, as simply as possible. “So… it’s a disguise spell?” Applejack asked, unsure about the validity of her observation. “Precisely Applejack! However, this is a really advanced one; you could literally become anypony or anything, and nopony would ever be able to tell the difference. I’ve been unable to even attempt it, myself, however, since the actual spell has been lost to time. It’d be impossible to cast anything that could even come close, without it...”   “Oh, but it isn’t completely lost, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna pointed out, as though it wasn’t anything unusual. ”That was exactly the spell I just used!” “What?! B-b-but how?!” Twilight gasped. Suddenly, however, the remaining scattered ponies emerged from their various hiding places and gathered around Luna, cheering and laughing about her convincing act. This cut Twilight off from her, and quickly distracted the Princess from even thinking about replying to the unicorn’s question. Luna walked back toward town, urged on by the masses, and Twilight followed suit, after coming back to her senses. She looked over at Applejack, hoping for some help in cornering Luna and getting an answer, but Applejack just smiled back and shrugged it off. The foals danced around Luna, chasing each other and pretending to be Nightmare Moon, occasionally stopping to curiously ask her random questions. On the outside, Luna was merely pleasant to everypony, but deep down, she simply felt like exploding with joy.         Remember, Luna: decorum is everything; you mustn’t lose your composure again. I don’t exactly like the thought of them playing that Nightmare Moon game, but they’re only foals... Be polite, courteous, and kind to everypony, just as sister told you long ago.  Oh, but this is ever so thrilling! I mean, look at me! Talking and laughing with ponyfolk, and walking amongst them, as though it were nothing! Well, it may very well be nothing to them, but to me? Oh, to me, this is simply the best!         Luna continued to enjoy all the company while they moved closer to the center of town. Although her heart was still aflutter with jubilation, Luna felt her nerve slipping the moment they reached the final line of homes that stood between them and the radiant center of all the festivities. She parked herself in the street suddenly, as the rest of the group strolled by. Twilight was the only one who ran right into her. “Gah!” Twilight grunted as she fell to the ground. She looked up at Luna, rubbing her head. “Guess that was a bad time to be looking the other way, ehehe.”         Luna sat silently, staring at the warm orange glow that all the festive lights were emitting ahead.         “Luna, what’s wrong?” Twilight asked as she dusted herself off.         “Mmm- I am not sure I can do this, Twilight Sparkle…” Luna chewed her lip.         Twilight giggled, resting a hoof on Luna’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m here, and so are all these other ponies. Didn’t you see how much they like you now?”         “Well yes but-“         “It’s okay,” Twilight assured her once more, smiling gently.         Luna replied with a meek smile of her own. “Okay,” she said as she rose.         The two of them joined the rest of Ponyville in their festivities once more, basking in the bright, orange glow of the many candles and lanterns. Luna couldn’t help but feel overcome with sheer awe; her muzzle hung open slightly while she gazed at the visual feast before her. She failed to notice, however, that the activity in the town square was quickly grinding to a halt, and that many ponies were still cowering before her. A small yelp quickly brought this fact to her attention; she sighed to see so many trembling with fear, still. Just as Luna was about to shut her eyes and hang her head, her small lavender companion stepped out before her, gaining everypony’s attention. “Everypony listen up!” Twilight began, “Please, do not be afraid any longer!”         Few ponies seemed to listen to her, though, and even fewer actually dared to stop hiding from Luna. However, here and there a curious pony could be seen bringing their head up to see what all the commotion was about.         “Princess Luna has been back for quite a while now, and we have done little to make her feel welcome. Well, tonight is Nightmare Night, and its entire purpose is to remind her just how much we love her, and to reach out to her no matter where she is!”                        “But she wrecked the town!” a voice cried out.         “You silly fillies!” Pinkie Pie came bouncing out. “That was the best part of the night!”         A collective ‘what’ rolled through the crowd, and countless colorful eyes were blankly staring at the pink mare in utter disbelief.         “Yeah! I mean, you didn’t think a sweet ol’ Princess like Luna would go around wrecking stuff just to be a meanie, didya?” Pinkie beamed, hanging her hoof over a shocked Luna.         Huzza… hoowa... wha…?         “Of course she didn’t - didya Woona?” Pinkie said in a goo-goo baby voice, taking Luna’s muzzle in her hoof.         “Umm… no?” Luna replied dumbly, staring back into the earth pony’s eyes.          “Of course you didn’t!” Pinkie flung her hooves in the air. “Why, this is the best night ever BECAUSE you made that Nightmare Moon appearance!”         What… is she doing…?         “Yes, that’s right!” Twilight chimed in, “Luna did her very best to make a convincing Nightmare Moon; she just did too good of a job...” She smiled weakly.         What is this?!          The crowd murmured quietly amongst itself, some ponies nodding as though they were actually considering it. Slowly they came forward, gathering before Twilight and the smaller group, together forming a large herd that certainly made up the bulk of the entire town’s population.         “Okay everypony, ”Twilight said, looking very pleased, ”things may have gotten a little out of hoof, but I will personally oversee the repairs to Ponyville, together with with the Princesses-“         “BUT WASN’T SHE AWESOME?!” Pinkie interrupted, jumping in front of Twilight. “I mean, she was all ‘ROOOAR’ and then she flew down ‘WOOSH’ and then she was being all scary and wrecky like ‘GRAAAH’ and stuff was flyin’ everywhere and- OH MAN, IT WAS A BLAST!” Pinkie went through several - seemingly physically impossible - motions before falling down flat on her back, gasping for air.         “Yeah… Yeah, I guess it was pretty cool,” a lone voice grumbled.         “What?! You can’t honestly believe them!” somepony shot back.         “But it’s Princess Celestia’s ward speaking,” another pony tried to argue, ”and the other one is also a bearer of one of the Elements of Harmony!”         “Well I didn’t hear Princess Celestia saying anything about this beforehoof!” a different pony shouted.         Luna winced. Does my word truly mean so little to them?         A dull roar rose among the crowd as various heated arguments broke out. Luna could see it all slowly building up into complete chaos. Somepony had to act fast, or the situation would quickly spiral out of control.         I can’t believe I’m about to do this... Luna sighed to herself.         “Please, my subjects, calm yourselves!” Luna commanded, startling the entire town into sudden silence. As she stepped forward into the crowd, ponies nervously shuffled back, creating room for her, until she found herself surrounded. She shifted nervously, but continued on anyway. “This is the first time since my return that We- that I have been able to experience the celebration you have dubbed ‘Nightmare Night’. It has brought me great joy to see you all revel in the night with such gaiety! I admit, I have been overzealous in my attempts to bring authenticity to the event, but rest assured: order will be restored. I offer everypony my sincere apology, and my word that we shall oversee the necessary reconstruction and full compensation for all damages suffered.”         The herd started muttering again, but this time, many more were breaking into nods and smiles; it was apparent that Luna had won their favor.         “And with that out of the way, I solemnly decree that the celebration of Nightmare Night may now resume!” Luna let her powerful voice boom one last time, easily drowning out the din.           Everypony cheered and applauded with rapid stomps of their forehooves, some even jumping up and down as they squealed with glee. Their ruse had proved successful - numerous ponies circled around Luna, taking their chance to welcome her back personally. Luna quickly became overwhelmed with greeters and well-wishers as they crowded around her. Twilight Sparkle, who sat at the edge of the crowd smiling at the frantic alicorn, suddenly popped up in place, as if struck by an invisible object. She abruptly galloped off, away from Luna and the swiftly resuming festivities. Her actions immediately caught Luna’s eye.         “Twilight! Where are you going?” Luna called out from the swarm of ponies celebrating around her.         “I’ll be right back, Luna!” Twilight replied, as she raced for her library home. “I need to write a letter! Meet me back at the statue in an hour!”         “It takes you that long to write a letter to sister?” Luna shouted after her, finding herself gradually being blocked off by another wave of friendly ponies.         “Proofreading makes perfect!” Twilight shouted back, almost singing the words; her melodic reply quickly trailed off in the distance.         Luna rolled her eyes as the mare faded from sight. “Best not to dwell on her departure, Luna,” she told herself, ”you have friends to make!” She spent a moment smiling to herself, but a sudden, powerful tug at her foreleg drew her attention.         “Oooh, and you will! You’re gonna have the most awesomest, most spectacular night ever tonight, and I’m sure we’ll be the bestest of best new friends!” Pinkie beamed widely as she led Luna away by the hoof. She leaned back and whispered to the startled alicorn: “And hey, great job with the cover-up speech!”         “Whu- you knew?” Luna gasped.         “Well DUH, silly,” Pinkie said with a laugh, “who d’ya think helped set all of that up? Twi’s a super-smart smarty pants, but I could tell you needed more than just smarts to get outta that situation. You needed help from Auntie Pinkie Pie!”         Auntie? I am older than her by at least a thousand years! Wait, no, focus.         Luna trotted along with Pinkie, still a bit baffled. “I do not understand. Why did you help me? You’ve been turning foals against me the entire night.”         “What? Nah, I was just havin’ fun!” Pinkie chuckled.         “Fun? FUN?!” Luna scowled. “I may have only become truly acquainted with this ‘fun’ on this very night,  Laughter, but your activities hardly seem to qualify as such! In fact, your behavior toward me, up until this point, have made this evening anything but fun!”         Pinkie Pie immediately stopped and spun around, plopping onto her haunches, and Luna was surprised to discover a softly sobbing, doe-eyed mare before her. Pinkie Pie’s once-luscious cotton candy mane had deflated into dangling strips of thick taffy, and her lips seemed to quiver as she fought back a sudden burst of emotion.         “Gosh, I’m sorry Luna - I didn’t mean to upset you, honest! I was just trying to improve your attitude by bringing the party to you. I wanted to teach you how to laugh at yourself, too, but I guess I went a little overboard too and ended up not helping at all, huh?” Pinkie poked at the dirt.           Well, that’s certainly an unexpected reaction, Luna thought with a frown. I suppose I may have misunderstood her intentions - which puts her into a situation I am all too familiar with. Perhaps it would be best if I learn to make light of my mistakes... Dwelling on them certainly hasn’t worked out for me in the slightest...         “I can tell you don’t wanna be friends though, so I’ll just go…” Pinkie whimpered as she picked herself up and began to trot away.         Because we’re friends, and you’re supposed to trust friends!  Twilight’s words seemed to echo in Luna’s mind.         “Pinkie Pie, wait,” Luna called out softly, after a moment, extending a hoof toward the mare. “You are not solely to blame you for this misunderstanding... If you still wish to make peace with me, then I shall gladly accept it. I now believe that you truly had good intentions, but I do wish to note that, in the future, it might be wise to let others know of them before you act at your own discretion. I can forgive you, however, because I trust that you genuinely meant no harm.”           “REALLY?!” Pinkie Pie spun back around, her eyes lighting up in an instant and her mane returning to its former, luscious glory.         “Of course.” Luna smiled as she took Pinkie’s hoof. “I wish to learn to be less critical of others, and to avoid misunderstandings from now on. Forgiveness, I believe, would be a step in the right direction, on that  path.”         Pinkie Pie lowered herself to the ground and rumbled ominously, causing Luna to quickly take a few steps away from her. The mare then shot off into the sky, propelled by some tremendous, invisible force.         “Woo-HOOO!” Pinkie shouted as she reached the peak of her ascent. “BEST. NIGHTMARE NIGHT. EVER!”         Just as surprisingly, the mare then lazily drifted back toward the ground, as though she weighed no more than a down feather. Without really thinking about it Luna caught her, cradling her in her hooves.         “How… did you do any of that?” Luna stared in confusion.         “Ooh! You wanna know? ‘Cuz I can sing a song about it if you like!” Pinkie grinned.         “NO- I mean… that’s okay. Maybe some other time?” Luna smiled, hoping to convince her otherwise.         “Fine,” Pinkie said with a pout, folding her hooves after she hopping out of Luna’s forelegs, “but don’t think this means you’re getting out of writing another song for me! I mean it!” She seemed to be gesturing into empty space, not really addressing Luna at all.           “Pinkie Pie, who are you- never mind. Come! As a means of making amends, I commandeth thee to show me around while Twilight is away.”                 The two new friends went about the festival, with Pinkie bouncing nearly everywhere and Luna following in stride. It quickly became quite difficult for Luna to keep up with the energetic earth mare; she couldn’t begin to fathom where it was all coming from. Nevertheless, she followed as best she could. They played Spider Toss with a few other ponies, while the crowd that had gathered cheered her on. Luna received even more offerings of candy from the foals, and Pinkie Pie even convinced her to pull a prank on one particular filly, terrifying the poor ponygirl while she was bobbing for apples. To Luna’s delight, everypony seemed to be enjoying her presence. It was something she literally hadn’t experienced in ages, and though she wished to relish every single moment of it, the time of her meeting with Twilight soon drew near.         After bidding farewell to her friends, Luna was all set to begin her lonesome trek back into the Everfree forest - hopefully for the last time tonight. She felt reluctant as she headed toward the outskirts of town, away from the warmth and friendship she had longed for for centuries. Still, the soothing glow of it still resided within her, the mere thought of all those friendly, laughing ponies conjuring a quaint smile onto her muzzle. The cold breeze of the late night brushed by, but Luna was unfazed; nothing could get to her after the joy she had just experienced. She still felt as giddy as a little filly!         Oh, if only he could see me now... He’d be so pleased! I just wish- Wait, is that Rainbow Dash?         As she approached, Luna spotted a dark cloud floating over the clearing where her statue stood. Sitting atop of it was, indeed, Rainbow Dash, clad in her shoddy, makeshift Shadow Bolt outfit and with a look of malicious intent gleaming in her eyes.         Surely, she must have followed Twilight Sparkle here, and now intends to frighten her! I must act quickly! Oh, but what can I do?! Luna trotted anxiously in place.         At that moment, another pegasus came strutting by. She had soft gray coat, and a beautiful golden mane and tail. Her costume completely baffled Luna, however.         I have no idea what she is supposed to be… Luna gazed at the curious costume, which was composed of a variety of paper bags. I assume it must be something far too modern for me to understand... For example, the way she’s walking that thundercloud on a leash; what would be the significance of- Wait, what?         The Luna’s confusion grew with every passing second - but now was not the time to figure out the bizarre habits of modern-day ponies, she realized. She had a fiendish prank to foil!         “Excuse me Miss!” Luna called out.         “Hmm?” The mare turned, meeting Luna’s eyes.         Luna fought to hide her discomfort. “E-Excuse me Miss...?”         “Missus,” the mare replied quickly.         “Oh, sorry, Mrs…?” Luna leaned forward, expecting her to fill in the blank, but the pegasus’s only response was to stare back in silence.         “May I please borrow your thunder cloud?” Luna asked.         “What do you want with Crackle?” the mare replied in a worried tone.         “Crackle…?” Luna straightened up for a moment, staring up at the leashed nimbus cloud. “OH! You mean you- your pet?”         “Yeah, Crackle here’s my bud! What do you want with him?” She eyed Luna suspiciously, tugging the cloud a tad closer to herself.         “Ah, well, you see, my friend is in danger and I need his help in order to save her?” Luna explained.         “Hmm... I dunno,” the mare mused, continuing to glare at her. “You won’t hurt him, will you?”             “Hurt a cloud?” Luna replied blankly. “Uh, I mean… No! No, of course not!”         “Well, okay, I guess you can walk him… but only if I can come along!”         “Uh… okay?” Luna took a step forward and, when the pegasus dropped the leash, hopped onto the cloud, gently flying off in Rainbow Dash’s direction. She looked back to see the gray mare clumsily flying after her, crashing into several branches and tree tops along the way, clearly lacking any sense of direction. Luna was too focused on her goal to slow and assist her though. Instead, she headed straight for Rainbow Dash, stopping only when she was sneakily hovering above the unsuspecting blue pegasus. Luna reared up and stomped down, sending a bolt of lightning to strike Rainbow Dash, making the mare flee for her life. Twilight Sparkle, startled by the loud crack, looked up into the sky only to discover Luna hovering down toward her, laughing. Both she and Spike joined in on the laughter, but they were quickly interrupted by the gray mare from whom  Luna had borrowed ‘Crackle’.         “HEY!” she shouted, “YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T HURT CRACKLE!”         The three of them stopped laughing, and looked at each other nervously as the pegasus flew closer. She immediately pushed Luna off the cloud; the Princess landed with a loud thud. The pegasus hugged the cloud as though she had just been reunited with a foalhood friend. Luna quickly rose and dusted herself off, gazing up in shock but refraining from comment, as she felt she might have actually deserved that.         “You okay buddy?” The strange pegasus petted and stroked the cloud. It didn’t really respond, of course - only undulate, as clouds are wont to do.         “Ma’am, I can assure you that your friend, erm, Crackle, is completely unharmed,” Twilight assured her.         “A-are you sure, Star Swirl?” the pegasus replied.         “Y-yes…” Twilight blinked in astonishment.         “Well, if Star Swirl the Bearded says he’s okay, then he must be okay!” She turned to the small group. “Sorry I pushed you; I was just worried about him.” She smiled apologetically.         “Think nothing of it,” Luna said. ”Thank you for allowing him to assist me.”         “Oh, no problem, Princess Luna. Well, I hope you have a fun evening with Star Swirl and Barney!” The mare smiled once more as she turned and headed back to town, trotting alongside her companion.  “C’mon Crackle, let’s go back home to your daddy.”         The company stood in silence, watching the odd pegasus trot away.         “Well… that was... unique,” Twilight was first to remark.         “It certainly was,” Luna agreed.         “What’s a ‘Barney’?” Spike asked curiously.         The two mares simultaneously responded with a shrug.         “Well, anyway,” Spike said, stifling a yawn, “it’s getting way late, and I should be getting to bed. Sorry you had such a rough night, Princess Luna, but it sure is nice to have you back...”         “That’s right! It’s waaay past your bedtime, mister!” Twilight scolded him.         Luna giggled, listening to them bickering like sibling foals for a moment, before finally interrupting. “Thank you, Spike. Since you are Twilight’s personal assistant, I will make sure the remainder of this night is peaceful, especially for you, so that you may rest undisturbed.”         “AWESOME!” Spike said happily, before dashing off towards the massive oak that housed the Library he called home.          The two mares shared a laugh as the baby dragon disappeared into the night.         “Why is it you’ve brought me here, again, Twilight Sparkle?” Luna asked, more curious than irritated this time.         “I visit here often-“ Twilight began, and Luna felt her cheeks heat up immediately in response. “-because it’s such a convenient landmark along the way to another clearing nearby, where I love to go stargazing.”         “Oh…” Luna sighed with slight disappointment.         “It’s only a little trot away - follow me!” Twilight took off deeper into the forest.         The brush grew thicker, and their path became ever darker and more difficult to navigate. Luna would occasionally stumble over a root or wander into a bush, but she continued to follow the sound of the bells on Twilight’s hat, jingling in the darkness. If it hadn’t been for her friend’s noisy costume, the alicorn would have likely gotten lost. As Twilight had said, however, it wasn’t long before they came upon a clearing, where a bright beam of light shone through an opening in the otherwise dense canopy, penetrating the darkness. It was a sight for sore eyes to the weary alicorn, but it was an even greater relief to to finally catch sight of her unicorn companion again.         “Twilight, I thought I’d lost you!” Luna frowned at the starry-eyed unicorn, whose own gaze remained firmly fixed heavenward.         “Ahhh,” was the only utterance to escape the distracted mare’s mouth.         Luna looked up, too, her eyes soon greeted by the endless, dark blue expanse of the sky. It was mostly clear - which Luna assumed was due to the hard work of the Ponyville weather team - with nary a cloud to be seen. The full moon was as brilliant as ever, clearly visible from the clearing, which it bathed in the softest of yellowish rays which dimly shone off the grass. An impossibly large amount of stars twinkled in the sky, undimmed by the glowing lights of the nearby village. It certainly was quite a sight. Luna returned her attention to the spellbound unicorn, noting the stars’ glistening reflection in her beautiful, violet eyes.         “How beautiful…” Luna muttered absentmindedly.         “Isn’t it?” Twilight replied, startling the alicorn and making her face turn a bright red. “You made all of this happen, though, didn’t you?”         “Made wha- oh right, the night! Yes, yes, I do most of that...” Luna sighed with relief on the inside.         “It’s so magnificent, Luna! I never get tired of how amazing it is...”         “Th-thank you Twilight. I take great pride in what I do,” Luna replied, as she continued to surreptitiously admire the star-gazing unicorn.           “And you should! I especially love the constellations - I can name them all you know!” Twilight smiled at her.         “Oh, those are just some old doodles I did back when I was a foal,” Luna said with a shrug. “Never cared much for the names, myself, but he insist-“         “YOU DREW THOSE?!” Twilight interrupted. “Luna, that’s amazing! You mean you can actually move stars?”         “Well, yes, Twilight. While the Moon is technically not at star, both my sister and I have control over our respective celestial bodies, due to ancient form of magic called ‘Astromancy’,” Luna explained, quickly finding herself launching into a lengthy lecture.         Twilight simply sat and listened, every little bit of new information making her eyes glimmer with the delight of newly-gleaned knowledge. It was clear to Luna that the mare’s mind was racing to comprehend everything she cared to expound upon, and was overflowing with boundless curiosity. Twilight’s face was a study in fascination, as she leaned forward with an expression of pure awe.         My word - she listens so intently, leaning on every word I speak, simply enthralled with the knowledge I am imparting to her. I’d wouldn’t be surprised if she would suddenly produces a hidden notebook and began making frantic notes! It is rather pleasant to speak to somepony about such intellectual matters, but she must have a million questions for me at this point. Perhaps I should stop now, before it becomes too much for her - or for me - to bear...         “At any rate, it is I who should be thanking you, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said, breaking off her lecture.         “What do you mean?” Twilight said, blinking, her concentration shattered by the sudden change of topic.         “You have shown such immense kindness toward me... Because of your faith in me, and your perseverance, I have managed to make many friends tonight, and learn much about friendship in general. More than I could have by myself in a thousand years - if you’ll excuse the expression. It feels as though the ponies of Equestria are truly willing to accept me this time... and for once, I feel like I am ready to face them. I am certain that it has been your invaluable guidance that has showed me how to be a Princess worth respecting, and allowed me to earn the night the recognition it so richly deserves. Most importantly, however, Twilight, you gave me hope. You are truly an amazing mare...”         Luna watched in amusement as the lavender unicorn turned a bright shade of pink. She felt her own face heat up as well, realizing that her final words may unintentionally have been a bit forward. The two mares sat together in awkward silence as the night’s cool breeze blew past them, causing Twilight to shiver.         “Chilly, isn’t it?” Luna asked, averting her eyes.         “Yeah, a little...” Twilight smiled, even as her comparatively small frame continued to shake uncontrollably.           Luna looked away, but scooted a little closer. Twilight did the same. They continued to inch closer, hiding the sounds of their nervous shuffling under the cover of each howling gust of wind. Neither dared to look at the other, but it wasn’t long before they bumped into each other, both of them nickering in surprise.         “Eheheh, oops?” they both stammered simultaneously, laughing sheepishly before scooting apart again, which left Twilight still shivering.         I can’t just let her suffer like that…         Luna extended her wing toward Twilight, the tip urging the mare to come closer. Twilight looked up to see her looking away unassumingly, but she recognized an obvious hint when she got one. Twilight scooted closer and snuggled up to Luna; the wing gently draped over her as though it were a blanket. While she sat like this, shielded from the harsh cold by the protective wing, Twilight smiled appreciatively up at Luna, and when the alicorn looked down to check on the mare, she smiled back shyly in return. The warmth generated by the closeness of two mares created a small pocket of comfort in the unforgiving night. It granted Luna not just a moment of ease, but the unfamiliar pleasure of another pony’s close company...         Luna let out a heavy sigh, disrupting the quiet intimacy of the moment.         “W-what’s wrong?” Twilight said, inching back a little. “I have greatly enjoyed my time with you tonight, Twilight,” Luna said, looking down with clear distress visible in her expression, “but I fear what I shall have to face when I return to Canterlot - and to my sister...”         “What do you mean? I thought we were going to clear up everything that happened tonight with her?” Twilight tilted her head.         “Well, yes, but I am referring to something that occurred not too long ago at the Gala, instead.” Luna pressed her hoof to her head. “I made such an awful scene there. The whole thing erupted into utter chaos because I shouted at a pony! Sister even told me to run away…”         “But I didn’t even see you once the entire night!” Twilight remarked.         “I entered through the back when everpony was quiet, but I accidentally yelled ‘YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE ME’! Why, I even startled myself... I was certain I could control my tone, but honestly it didn’t even sound like me at all, even though it must have been...“ “Wh- BAHAHAHA!” Twilight rolled over laughing.         “What is the meaning of this?” Luna watched her in bewilderment, somewhat disturbed by Twilight’s unexpected reaction.         “I-I’m sorry Luna,” Twilight hiccuped, wiping away the tears that were rolling across her cheeks, “but I’m pretty sure it was my friends’ fighting that silenced everypony, and then Fluttershy came in from the Royal Gardens, bellowing that exact phrase at the top of her lungs. Celestia told me to ‘run’, true, but we all met up later and laughed about the whole thing over doughnuts. I’m afraid you must have been mistaken about what happened at the Gala this whole time...”         “Inconceivable!” Luna shot back.         “I know it sounds crazy, but trust me: I know precisely how things that whole catastrophe unfolded,” Twilight told her, still giggling a little. Luna stared at the ground, mortified.         “Sorry, but at least it was nowhere near as bad as you thought it was, right?” Twilight got back up onto her hooves, and Luna a reassuring hug.         “I suppose you’re right…” Luna muttered, still shocked by the revelation. She wrapped her hooves and wings around the unicorn once more, holding her a little less awkwardly, this time.         “Right!” Twilight hugged her tight. “For now, let’s just enjoy your beautiful starry night...”         The two ponies sat closely together, enjoying each other’s warmth and staring up at the night’s sky. Somehow, the sight seemed infinitely more beautiful to her than Luna ever remembered it being... They stayed in the clearing together until the orange glow of dawn began to arrive. Shortly afterward they departed for town, where they found a familiar pony waiting for the Princess to arrive.         “Eventide, you’re okay!” Luna exclaimed, picking him up and squeezing him tightly in a massive hug.         “H-hi Princess!” Eventide choked out. ”Um, ow? S-Still wounded, remember?” He gasped when Luna finally released him.         “Oh! I’m so sorry!” Luna grimaced at the sight of the scar; it was an unpleasant reminder of her terrible relapse. “I’m just so relieved to see you... And where is Aurora?” she said, checking around for her.         “Oh, well, y-you know... It’s sunrise and all, so she had to leave for duty.”         “Hey, don’t forget about us!” another familiar voice called out.         Luna leaned sideways to look around Eventide. “Vesperus! Noctus! Have you been searching for me this entire time?”         “W-well, err, no. We s-sorta knew where you were,” Eventide replied, scratching the back of his mane. “We just thought you might like some… well… p-p-privacy?”         Both Twilight and Luna blushed and coughed into their hooves, looking in opposite directions.         “WOOOOO!” Vesperus whooped, waving his hoof in the air.         “KNOCK IT OFF, NUMBSKULL!” Noctus kicked Vesperus’s remaining foreleg.         “Hey! You knock it off!” Vesperus began kicking back.           The two instantly began quarrel again, slamming into Luna’s royal chariot before bouncing off and seemingly fusing into a small dust cloud of violence and flying hooves. Luna looked at Eventide with a silly smile, making him laugh.         “H-heh?” Eventide shrugged.         “Indeed!” Luna laughed.         The two bickering bat-ponies’ fighting instantly stopped, and they lay there, entangled together and staring, astonished to hear Luna laugh. They looked at each other with identical looks of surprise.         “Did she just...?” Vesperus mumbled.         “I think she did...” Noctus confirmed.         “I s-s-suppose… we should be going back to Canterlot now, Princess?” Eventide suggested meekly.         “Yes, we should,” Luna agreed with a slight nod. “Are you certain you are well enough to make the trip back, though? Perhaps you should with me ride in the cart...”         “If it wouldn’t be t-too much of a bother to you, Princess,”  Eventide stammered, meek as ever, ”then I would certainly a-a-appreciate it...”         “You most certainly aren’t a bother!” Luna replied with a smile. “Aww man, you mean we gotta haul his sorry flank, too?” Vesperus groaned. Everypony turned to glare him down. “You will do as the Princess commands!” Noctus said angrily. “AWW man,” Vesperus whined. “I honestly can’t understand how you ever made it through guard school, Vesperus,” Noctus said disapprovingly, shaking his head. Luna chuckled at their antics some more, before turning her attention to Twilight. “I suppose this is... farewell?”          “Oh… okay,” Twilight quietly spoke, a slight note of disappointment creeping into her voice, which, however subtle, was still clearly discernible.         “It is only for a little while, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said with a smile, bringing Twilight’s face up with the tip of her hoof.  ”I suspect I shall be seeing you again very soon...” She stared into Twilight’s eyes, while the unicorn smiled back hopefully.         “NOW KISS!” Vesperus shouted from the sidelines, ruining the moment and causing everypony to glare at him reproachfully.         “YOU DUMB BASTARD!” Noctus growled, before pulling his colleague into another scuffle.         Luna, Twilight, and Eventide all looked at each other briefly, before breaking into hysterical laughter. The Princess would return to Canterlot a rekindled soul. Twilight would return to the Golden Oaks Library with the knowledge of a job well done. One of the bat-ponies would go to rest before his next rendezvous with his newfound love, and the other two would continue fighting like a married couple. It was a notably bright sunrise in Equestria that day, and the moon continued to fall.