//------------------------------//
// Hoofington 
// Story: Luna's Night Out 
// by Pinkamena666 
//------------------------------//

7:30am
Luna could see Hoofington coming into view.
"My first stop." Luna said to herself.
She landed in the forest next to the town. After landing, she peered through the brush. In the town were many ponies. All of them going about their own business. Luna took a deep breath and stepped out into the open. Her heart was beating fast due to the fact that she was now more nervous than ever. None of the ponies saw her until she was right outside the town. A couple ponies who were walking by stopped and looked at her. Luna stopped moving and looked at them. At first, she thought they would welcome her. But then...
"IT'S NIGHTMARE MOON!" screamed one of the ponies. "RUN!!!"
All the ponies in the town stopped what they were doing and looked at Luna. When they saw her they all screamed and ran.
"Wait!" yelled Luna. "Come back!"
Every pony stayed in their homes. The streets were absent of life besides Luna. She let out a sigh and slowly headed for the center of town. In the center was a fountain. Luna stopped at it and peered into the water. Her reflection stared back at her.
"Why did this have to happen to me?" she asked herself.
She turned away from the fountain and headed back to the forest. She found a nice spot under a tree and laid down.

The ponies back in Hoofington opened their windows and looked around. When they saw the coast was clear they all came out. Three ponies got together. One was a purple pony with a pink mane and a cutie mark that resembled a pair of scissors and a piece of thread. This pony was named Violet. Another was yellow with a white mane and a cutie mark that resembled cauliflower. This pony was named Cauliflower. The other was a gray Pegasus with a black mane and a cutie mark that resembled three peppermints. This Pegasus' name was Pepper Mint.
"What was she doing here?" asked Cauliflower.
"Not sure." said Violet. "But I don't like it."
"Why is everypony jumping to conclusions?" asked Pepper Mint. "Didn't anypony see that she was sad?"
"Oh, Pepper." said Violet. "Always the optimist."
"I'm serious." said Pepper. "She didn't seem like the Nightmare Moon we all know and fear."
Pepper thought for a minute and then looked at Cauliflower.
"What?" she asked. Pepper said nothing. "Oh, no. You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do?"
With that Pepper was off to the forest.
"What was she thinking?" asked Violet.
"She's gonna go talk to Nightmare Moon."

Luna opened her eyes when she heard approaching footsteps. She stood up, looked out of the forest, and saw a gray unicorn running towards her. The unicorn stopped in front of Luna.
"Um... Nightmare Moon?" asked Pepper.
"Yes?" asked Luna.
"I just wanted to... um... ask..." Pepper started.
"You're nervous, aren't you?" asked Luna.
"Well..." said Pepper.
Luna let out a sigh and started walking away from Pepper.
"It's all the same with you ponies!" Luna started to cry. "Everypony's afraid of me!"
Pepper ran after Luna. "Hey! Wait!" Luna stopped and turned around. "I'm not scared of you."
"You're not?"
"Of course not." said Pepper. "I mean if you were really evil you wouldn't be acting like this."
"Thank you..." Luna started.
"Pepper."
"Thank you, Pepper. I just wish everypony in Hoofington was as welcoming as you."
"Maybe I can help." said Pepper. "Maybe if they see you with me they won't be afraid."
"I hope." said Luna. "I really want all of Equestria to know me as I really am."
"Then, let's head back to town." said Pepper. "I'm not sure if I can help you with Equestria but I can help you with Hoofington."
Luna followed Pepper Mint back to town. When the got there, it was empty again.
"They're all hiding again." said Luna.
Pepper glanced at Luna and saw her face.
"Cheer up, princess." said Pepper. "We'll figure out a way."
"I doubt it."
"Why so negative?" asked Pepper.
"You wouldn't understand." said Luna.
"Try me." Pepper said, stopping at the fountain in the center of town.
"It's all really hard to remember." Luna started. "It all began over a thousand years ago." This really intrigued Pepper. "I was loved and adored by all of Equestria. Until..." Luna paused.
"Until what?" asked Pepper.
"I'm not sure." said Luna. "Something happened to me and I started to feel some resentment towards my sister. Soon after I grew angry at Equestria for sleeping during my beautiful night. Then I was taken over by hatred and turned against my sister. I became Nightmare Moon. My sister defeated me and imprisoned me in the moon for one thousand years. When I was freed, Twilight Sparkle and her friends used the Elements Of Harmony to change me back. Ever since I turned, Equestria's been afraid of me. I managed to prove to Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and Ponyville that I'm good now."
"You lost me. You're upset because..."
"Because everypony's afraid of me for something that wasn't my fault." said Luna. "That moment ruined my life for a thousand years. Now I want to redeem myself. That's why I'm traveling to the other towns in Equestria."
"I see." said a voice.
Luna and Pepper turned around.
"Violet! Collie!" said Pepper.
"We heard you two talking." said Violet. "And we want to help."
Pepper smiled and then realized something.
"Oh! Luna. These are my friends. Violet and Cauliflower."
"But my friends call me Collie for short." said Cauliflower.
"Violet. Collie." said Luna. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Same here, princess." said Cauliflower.
"Please. Call me Luna."
Just then they heard a door open. They looked over at a nearby building to see a young filly starting to walk out. The filly was a brown pony. A pony appeared behind the filly.
"What are you doing?" the pony asked.
The filly kept moving forward slowly. Luna and her new friends watched as the filly got closer and closer. It looked both nervous and cautious as it stopped in front of Luna.
The filly looked up at her and asked, "Nightmare Moon?"
Luna knelt down so she could be closer to eye level with this filly.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Hi." said the filly. "My name is Cinnamon Swirl."
"Hello." said Luna sweetly. "But, please... call me Luna."
The filly gave her a hug. At this moment, all the other ponies started to return to the streets. They all wanted to see this for themselves. The filly let go of Luna and took a couple steps back. Luna got back up and looked around. The citizens of Hoofington were all gathered around her. There was an awkward silence before all the ponies bowed in respect to the new Princess Of The Night. Luna couldn't help but smile. She turned to Pepper, Violet, and Collie. They smiled back and bowed as well. Luna was now one step closer to redeeming herself.