-The Witching Hour
Pinkie Pie was no where to be seen. Twilight felt relieved. She had probably gotten bored, and decided to find another way to scare the little fillies, and colts.
Twilight, and Luna had made it back to Ponyville. The ponies around her didn't seem to notice them. They were dancing, and playing, and having a good time. Twilight could hardly tell who was who. With the costumes covering most ponies from head to hoof, Twilight had a hard time figuring out who each pony was. She gave up, and turned her attention to Luna. She was standing majestically. With one glance at her you automatically knew she was above everypony else. She had that look of majesty, and effortless beauty.
"What would you like to do, princess? There is food spread out if you're getting hungry." Twilight pushed her hoof forward in the direction of a table. The princess slightly looked over, her eyes glared upon the festival.
"I'm not hungry, Twilight Sparkle." Luna's voice was low, and her eyes were narrowed.
"Um, okay! Would you like to play, or--"
"I'm not interested in these games."
Twilight felt a drop of sweat run down her neck.
'Oh no! How am I going to please the princess? She'll never want to visit again!!' Twilight's mind was racing. Her eye slightly twitched, and she tried to cover the fake smile she had upon her face.
"We could--"
"I would like to meet your friends again, Twilight Sparkle." Luna's blue eyes fell upon Twilight. She could feel Luna staring at her. Twilight's heart began to race.
"Of course, princess! Right....right this way." Twilight walked in front of the moon princess. She quickly looked around at everypony. She tried to find somepony that had a good head on their shoulders. Somepony that wasn't going to foolishly mistake the princess for somepony else.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight timidly led the princess in the direction of her cyan friend. Rainbow Dash was eating a piece of chocolate out of what seemed to be a fillies candy bag. The pegasus jerked her head up; eyes wide.
"I can explain!" She tried to hide the bag behind her arm. She gulped down what was left of the candy, and sheepishly smiled. Chocolate stained her teeth.
"Um...anyways. Princess Luna, do you remember my good friend Rainbow Dash?" Twilight turned to the alicorn. Luna was looking straightforwardly at the blue pegasus. Her head craned upwards. Rainbow looked up into the princesses eyes.
"I do indeed. How do you do?" Luna's blue eyes penetrated through Rainbow. The pegasus cheekily smiled.
"What's up, princess? I'm doing awesome!" Rainbow Dash jolted to her hooves. She poked out her chest, and struck a pose. Twilight assumed she was trying to show off her shadow bolt costume. It was so like her.
Princess Luna continued to stare at the pegasus. She was at a loss for words. Her eyes slowly made their way over to Twilight. The unicorn suspected the awkwardness that Luna was feeling.
'Rainbow was a bad first choice...' Twilight mentally punished herself for choosing her arrogant friend first.
"Well maybe we should introduce you to my other friends, princess. Excuse us, Rainbow Dash." Twilight hurriedly turned away. Her eyes darting back in forth. She could hear Princess Luna was walking after her.
"Yeah, whatever. Catch you later!" Twilight could hear Rainbow call out. She curiously turned around slightly to find Rainbow Dash was once again stuffing her cheeks with some little ponies candy. Twilight slightly rolled her eyes, and then turned back to the crowd of other ponies that surrounded her.
"Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Luna said. Twilight loved the sound of her voice. It had such a lovely sound to it. Twilight turned to acknowledge her princess.
"Yes my princess?" Twilight began to blush. She hadn't meant to add my in that. She quickly turned her head down, and pretended to scratch her face with her hoof as if she had a sudden itch.
Luna cleared her voice, and continued.
"Do you think maybe we could obtain some sweets?" Luna looked down upon the purple unicorn. Twilight's mane softly swayed to the side as a tiny wind breezed by. She looked up into the princesses eyes. Twilight's own purple eyes sparkled under the moonlight provided by Luna.
"Like candy?" Twilight asked. Her voice slightly squeaked.
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle." Luna sweetly smiled. Twilight could almost feel her heart pounding inside her chest as the princess smiled at her.
"Of course." Twilight returned the sweet glance. She could see her reflection in Luna's eyes. She then realized that she still had her StarlSwirl the Bearded costume on. A feeling of embarrassment fell upon her as she tugged at her fake beard.
Luna, and Twilight were having a good time. They were stocking up big time on candies of all sorts, and Luna seemed to finally be happy. This pleased Twilight completely. Her princess was finally having a great time with everypony, and the best part was that there was no Pinkie Pie's in sight! Twilight was relieved that her rambunctious friend finally gave up on the whole Nightmare Moon thing. Twilight knew that Pinkie Pie knew that Luna was not Nightmare Moon. Pinkie was only trying to scare the little fillies, and colts on Nightmare Night. She always had some sort of story every year to get them all riled up. It was just unfortunate that she had to get Luna all mixed up in her playful ways.
"Ohh, this one is delicious! What is it? I've never had this kind of sweet before." Luna held out a duplicate of the candy she was eating. It was orange, yellow, and white. Luna popped another piece of the candy in her mouth. She smiled as she savored the sweet, unfamiliar taste.
"That's a candy corn. I love them!" Twilight smiled, and continued chewing on a caramel cube.
"As do I!" Luna threw one hoof in the air, and grinned larger than Twilight had ever seen before.
Twilight admired her princesses happiness. She had finally been able to feel at ease for Luna. She knew everything would be perfect. Twilight moved a little closer to Luna. The princess was joyfully eating candy one after the other. She hadn't even noticed that Twilight was standing awfully close to her now.
Twilight swallowed the last of the caramel, and looked deeply into Luna's bright eyes. The princess was now staring into her bucket of candy. Searching for more sweets to try.
Twilight's body was now touching Luna's. She could feel the warmth of Luna's soft fur, and the comfort that she magically felt being so close to her. Twilight stretched up high, and stood on her tip-hooves. She slowly moved her head closer to Luna's. The alicorn's eyes glanced to the side of her. She curiously watched as the little unicorn moved closer to her. Luna was uncertain of what Twilight was doing, but she stayed still, and continued to observe.
Twilight's StarSwirl hat gently moved forward, and it covered Luna, and Twilight's faces from everypony else. Twillight moved in a few more inches, and she finally made contact. Her lips formed around Luna's, and she slowly closed her eyes. Luna wasn't sure of how to react. Her spine tingled, and her heart fluttered. She knew what they were doing was wrong, but for some reason Luna didn't stop Twilight. Moreover, she closed her eyes, and invited Twilight in some more.
The two ponies slowly retreated from each other. They gazed into the others eyes. Luna looked at Twilight in disbelief. Her mouth was agape, and Twilight finally came to her senses.
'What...have...I...done!!?!?' Twilight backed away. Her ears folded back, and her eyes turned into small beads. She opened her mouth slightly as if she were trying to speak, but no words left her sweet tasting lips. Her eyebrows turned down in sorrow, and she gave Luna a look of regret. It was as if she were asking for forgiveness silently.
Twilight was prepared for the worst. Banishment. Torture. Banishment, and torture! She winced at the thoughts. She began to turn her eyes away, but something caught their attention. Upon the princesses face was a smile. Luna was smiling at her. What did that mean?!
"Twili--" Luna began, but was suddenly cut off by screams. Twilight quickly looked up.
'Oh no...'
"Run kids, run!! She's coming for seconds!!" Pinkie Pie's shrill voice echoed. Little shouts were being heard from all directions.
Luna's eyes darted around. She saw the little fillies, and colts running away from her yet again. Her heart began to feel heavy. She stood, and turned to them.
"Please calm yourselves! I'm only here to join in your Nightmare Night festivities. Please cease to be afraid!" Luna called out. Her eyes pierced through the little ponies. They trembled in fear.
One little colt popped his head up out of the huddle. One of his little brown eyes was covered with an eyepatch. His short brunette mane was half way covered by a red bandanna. He stared into the princesses eyes.
"Please don't eat us..." He quietly let out.
Luna lifted her head up. Her blue chest was pushed out, and her long legs were standing firmly in front of the little ones. She looked as if she were going to scream at them. Frustration was visible within her. However, the princess did not scream. She did not yell. She didn't even scold them, but a single tear fell down her face. Her cheek was slightly stained. Twilight reached out for Luna to wipe away her tear, but Luna fled before she could even reach her. Twilight wanted to call out to her, but she had a feeling that Luna wanted to be left alone. At least to collect herself. Twilight would give her a few minutes before going after her. A little alone time was all Luna needed.
Luna's heavy hoof steps trudged on the damp grass in the Everfree Forest. Her head hung low as the voices, and screams of the ponies rung through her mind. How could they be so blind?
The princess slightly stumbled over an uprooted branch from a nearby tree. She brushed herself off, and continued in her trek forward. Her head ached, and her hoofs were swelled. Luna's eyes were straining to see in the dark forest. The lack of moonlight through the trees was making it hard to see where she was heading. A few more steps forward, and the trees began to clear away. An open space was visible now, and Luna noticed she had stumbled upon the same place where that statue was earlier. That horrid statue of somepony she use to be.
But as Luna walked nearer to the clearing, she realized something particularly odd. Quite frightening even. Luna was taken aback to see that the statue of Nightmare Moon was gone! She glanced around. It was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she was at the wrong place? No. She knew this was exactly where it was before, but what happened?
Luna's ears slightly flicked as she heard the Ponyville clock tower. It ringed several times. Luna proposed that it was about midnight now. She decided whether it was a good idea to head back to Twilight now, or not. It was obviously getting late, and the missing statue was starting to creep the princess out. Maybe it was best she head back now.
Luna turned back to the direction of Ponyville. Her eyes widened as she turned to see that the trees around her had encircled her in. They weren't like that a moment ago! What was happening?
"Hello? Who goes there?!" Luna called out into the darkness. She heard no reply.
"Twilight?!" Luna's voice was beginning to become shaky. She didn't know what was going on, and things were starting to become excessively strange for her.
Luna could see that the darkness around her was starting to flee from a glowing blue light. Twinkling sparkles began to move all around Luna. The alicorn kicked away at the blinding light that was surrounding her. She tried to escape it, but to no avail. The mysterious light was pouring itself into Luna's eyes. No matter how painful it was to stare into it she couldn't look away. Something was forcing her to continue to look at it.
Luna bit her lip as she struggled to move, but the force that was upon her was stronger then her.
"Come back to me. Where you belong." A wicked voice called out. Luna's eyes darted around the forest. Nopony was there. Just her, and the blinding light that was consuming her. The princess tried to yell, but she couldn't. Her throat was stopped up, and she could barley breath.
Something was entering into her. Magic! A dark magic was eating her away, and she couldn't move, or doing anything about it.
"You belong with me!!" The voice boomed. A black mist circled around the blue alicorn. She tried to jerk away from it, but it was no use. She couldn't move a muscle. There was nothing she could do to stop the invisible mare that was attacking her.
Luna felt something begin to form around her body. A black crystal-like prison was covering her entire body. She whimpered as her whole entire body was completely covered. Her mind went black, and she could no longer think, or see. It was as if she had disappeared.
A new pony stood in Luna's place. Her body was much larger. Her fur was darker. Her mane was longer. Her eyes were colder, and her heart was nothing more than a black hole.
"I HAVE RETURNED!!!"