Well this photo sums up my reaction for the 4/01 prank.

memecrunch.com/meme/9FZ9A/you-magnificent-bastard/image.jpg?w=620&c=1

at first i was like
i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Aj9qvcFS--/kaxzyxs3uh8z326ezees.jpg

then as I read more...
49.media.tumblr.com/2ea890abdbc4252b3f4c19fdada12552/tumblr_ni9ichMoig1rawb5do1_500.gif

you get 2 thumbs up and big toe for good measure!

I was a bit confuzzled at first, since April Idiocy Day is tomorrow

Ha! I saw the 4.6 and the low word number count and I still fell for this!

7080908

I agree with this guy, you magnificent bastard.

7103463 Did you also see the misspell?

“What is…? How can…? Bwuh?!”

I can sympathize. Weirding out Nightmare Moon into submission is certainly a novel approach. Complete mental bluescreen.

a face like someone had just farted inside her skull.

You know, I kind of wanted to believe that this was actually the princesses' plan to get close enough to use the potion. It would've been just crazy and unexpected enough to actually take her by surprise this way.

Note 1: Believe it or not, this story was originally a comedy when I first started it, and went in a whole other direction than what it is now. Basically, it was about an alternate timeline where Nightmare Moon succeeded in the pilot premiere, and went through all the seasons attempting to deal with villains and friendship problems in her own way with the reluctant help of the Element bearers.

Also, in the earlier drafts, when I decided to make this story into what it is now, Nightmare Moon was supposed to be a lot more sympathetic - almost motherly - towards Luna. I took that out, as you've probably noticed, and now Nightmare Moon regards Luna with apathy and a slight hint of ire.

In all honesty, that would have been an interesting read in its own right. Nightmare Moon proper is cartoonish, ridiculous evil. Without some kind of redeeming or sympathetic features, it's impossible to really write a story about a character like this that's actually worth reading. You've brought in a sufficient amount of character elements to that effect, but sometimes, it still doesn't quite feel like the story knows who it wants Nightmare to be. Or maybe Nightmare just doesn't quite know who she wants to be, I suppose. It would make a difference.

completely oblivious to the face their beloved Empress was making a face like someone had just farted inside her skull.

It says 'face' twice

7110798 Fixed.

*Slow Claps.*

Dear God, I thought this was actually serious.

Why did I think that?!?

Oh thank God.

“Nightmare Moon...”

“What now?” Nightmare Moon turned around as someone tugged on her tail and… well, a part of her pretty much just died inside when she did. “Oh for…”

“Your essence is inside of me, senpai~” Twilight blushed deeply as she fidgeted on the spot, looking very demure and moe even with the crystals bloodily sprouting from her flesh and bones. “Please do more l-lewd things to me~”