Today was a perfect day for everypony in Equestria. The birds were chirping, the critters were scurrying and the skies were clear. Everypony was celebrating the latest feat of their six greatest heroes. Princess Twilight and her friends were currently having a breakfast with the Princesses of day and night, talking about how much the six of them had accomplished in to little time. "It's so wonderful to know that Ponyville is no longer in danger of the rumored shadow ponies," Celestia said to her six loyal subjects.
"Indeed, we are most pleased with all thou have done for us," Luna said.
"Luna, what have I said about using the old Canterlot tongue," Celestia inquired.
"Forgive me dear sister. Some old habbits don't like to go down without a fight," Luna admitted.
"It's quite alright little sister. You'll get the hang of it," Celestia assured her.
"So, how are you coping with the old Castle we used to live in?" Celestia asked curiously.
"Oh, it's great. We've been finding new surprises every time we go back. We're trying to convince some of the construction ponies that there is nothing to be afraid of so that we can start repairing some of the parts that have fallen and reinforce what is still in tact," Twilight said.
"Yeah, kinda hard though when ya got timber wolves and crocadilys roamin around," Applejack added.
"I understand, perhaps that wasn't the best location, but it certainly didn't have that forest there when we were originally there," Celestia said.
"I thought you put the forest there to keep ponies from venturing back to the castle if they were to seek a way to free Nightmare Moon for evil purposes premature of the prophecy," Twilight said.
"In all honesty, that would have been a good idea young Twilight, but the forest was not of my sister's doing," Luna said.
"Well, I put the blame on Discord then. Remember the plunder seeds?" Rainbow Dash suggested.
"Another excellent theory, but that is wrong as well. The forest was made by some sort dark magic, but I am having trouble of figuring out who's magic it was," Celestia said.
"It's certainly wasn't Sombra, nor was it the Changeling Queen Chrysalis. I am lost for answers to this day of who could have performed such magic," Luna stated.
"Honestly, even if I were evil, I would have chosen to place something with a bit more decor in the way they set up the forest," Rarity said with stubbornness in her voice.
"Haha, always Rarity wantin something done with a lil fashion," Applejack joked.
"Can ya blame her?" Rainbow Dash joined in.
"Not really," Appljack answered.
The whole group laughed and continued to talk about what to plan for the future.
Meanwhile near the western border of Equestria. Some loyal Equestrians were observing a disturbance that had occurred near the borders. They were a good distance away, but some movement had caught their attention. "What do you see through the telescope Swift Wing," The pegasus pony with a silver coat and blue and white striped mane asked.
"I see other ponies Blue Twister, but they're not of our kingdom, or of the Crystal Empire's, and are certainly not any type changelings little brother," stated Swift Wing, a pegasus pony with darker shade of silver on his coat and a red and white striped mane.
"Well, what are they? Civilians, scouts, nobles?" A unicorn pony with a orange coat and brown mane asked.
"No they're... soldiers Sharp Hoof. Fully armored in black and weaponized. The wear a flame as their symbol on the armor. I see at least sixty strong at the front and way more falling in behind them. I think we may staring down the barrel of a full scale invasion," Swift Wing warned with a sense of terror in his voice.
"We better head to the castle if we want to warn them," said their friend Huckleberry who was a earth pony with a blue coat and blond mane.
"Only one of us should head back that way, the rest of us have to warn the surrounding towns before anything bad happens to them. Storm Flash, your the fastest pegasus here, you need to fly as fast as you can and warn the Princesses of the possible coming danger," Swift Wing suggested.
"But what if they come in peace?" Strom Flash asked.
"I'm sure they wouldn't bring an entire army of soldiers just to make peace talks," Swift Wing said.
"Good point. Okay I'll go, but I'll have to stay close to the ground for a good ten miles. They may get suspicious at this distance," Storm Flash said.
"Good idea, Celestia and Luna speed to you friend," Swift wing said as they gave each other a friendship hug.
"Likewise," Storm Flash said before he flew off to warn the Princesses.
"I'll see if I can set up a few distractions along the way once we're a good distance. Give Storm Flash time to get to the Princesses and us time to warn the nearby towns," said Crimson Sword, a red furred unicorn pony with a silver mane.
"I like your style Crimson. Now we better get going before they see us and try and take us prisoner," Swift said.
The friends all nodded and soon were off towards the nearest town to start giving out the warning.
As they were far from site, soon, a pony within the large group of soldiers came over the hill. He had a distinct long horn and a large pair of wings. His fur was Pitch black and his mane, if you didn't focus enough, looked as if it was on fire. His eyes were completely a dark shade of red, and he stood as tall as Celestia herself. He was in full battle armor of his own and looked out into the distance toward Canterlot Castle, not even taking notice to the tiny dot that had sprouted through the trees and made itself stationary and smaller. He smiled as he looked at the land and soon spoke aloud to himself in deep dark voice, "Let the invasion begin."
As Twilight, her friends and the Princesses strolled through the castle grounds around mid-day, they talked about the next Nightmare Night festival coming up. "I think this year I'll be dressing up as a vampire pony this year, use that for some of pranks this time, ooh, or how about the mysterious Pony of Shadows. That will really give the town a good scare. Or maybe..." Rainbow Dash was cut off by Twilight.
"You still have plenty of time to think about it and get a costume," Twilight informed her.
"Sorry, got carried away," Rainbow Dash said.
"Don't ya always?" Applejack joked.
"Hey, I do not!" Rainbow Dash snapped.
"Do."
"Don't!"
"Do."
"Don't!"
"Do."
"Don't!"
"Don't."
"Do! Dah!" Rainbow Dash facehoofed herself.
"Gotcha," Applejack teased.
"That... That doesn't prove anything," Rainbow Dash said in anger.
"Rainbow Dash calm down, she was only joking. So I'm thinking of giving out a selection of cookies that are shaped like Princess Luna and also shaped like Nightmare Moon. See how many ponies choose the darker side just for the fun of it if they want, as long as that is okay with you Princess Luna?" Twilight requested, not wanting to upset the Princess of Night incase her suggestion was offesive.
"We, pardon, I think it's a splendid idea Twilight, I heard a few children and adults comment on how amazing they thought my darker form had been. They were also kind enough to admit that they would rather have me around instead of her, and they thought I wasn't listening, and I don't blame them for wanting me to be here. I might pop in and out appearing as Nightmare Moon, just to pull a few pranks of my own," Luna said.
"You actually want to prank the young ones this time round Princess?" Twilight asked.
"Well Rainbow Dash was able to, oh what's the phrase?... Ah yes, 'get me hooked'," Luna admitted.
Everypony looked at Rainbow Dash and Twilight gave her a crooked smirk and a raised brow. "What? I thought she would have fun if she pulled a few pranks. Plus, it could get her more candy offerings too," Rainbow Dash said.
"Well played Rainbow," Celestia said.
"Huh?" Twilight, Rainbow and their friends said in unison.
"What? You think my little sister and I don't like have fun? Don't you remember all the surprises that the old castle has to offer?" Celestia asked.
"I gotta give Princess Celestia that one gals," Applejack stated.
"Which makes me wonder why there aren't any surprises like that in this Castle," Twilight pondered as she looked at the castle.
"Oh, that was due to a certain nephew of mine that thought the fun and games were too peasant like, and due to many complaints of the other nobles, I had to agree to remove them before Luna had returned or even you entered my school Twilight," Celestia admitted.
"The nobles these days have no sense of humor and no sense of fun to top it off. One of the reasons we sort of drop in from time to time," Luna said.
Everypony laughed at her comment. "Maybe we should reinstall them so the nobles actually find out what their missing out on," Rainbow Dash said.
"Oh, I hope it doesn't scare them too much," Fluttershy said.
"Honestly, I think it would teach that snobby Prince Blueblood, oh, pardoon your majesty," Rarity said begging Princess Celestia not to be offended.
"No, it's quite alright, even though he is my nephew, I actually agree he is a snob prince," Celestia admitted.
"Well, to continue, I think the surprises would teach him a thing or two. To disrespect my friends and I at the Gala the way he did was completely unsatisfactory for a prince to behave," Rarity said.
"I couldn't agree more," Celestia admitted.
Everypony laughed once more. "You know maybe we should install those surprises back into the castle, at least for the Nightmare Night celebration. And you know something, I have an idea, we could hold party here at the castle for all the common pony folk, like those from Ponyville," Luna suggested.
"I like where this is going," Celestia and Rainbow Dash said in unison before looking at each other, then, breaking out in laughter along with everypony else following suit.
"Well, we best start gettin things ready if we wanna finish it up by the celebration," Applejack stated.
"Indeed, and we'll need a theme name for this," Luna said.
"Hmm, how about, 'Haunted Castle'? No, too simple," Rainbow said.
" 'Castle Chaos'? No, that would be more up Discord's alley," Luna admitted.
"Good thing he had to take care of something today, or he would have voted for that," Twilight said.
"Ooh, how about the 'Castle of Chaotic Candy'?" Pinkie Pie randomly suggested.
Everypony shook their heads and Pinkie just shrugged as if to say worth a shot. "Oh, I've got it, 'Nightmare Night Fun Castle'," Rainbow said.
"I like it," Celestia said.
"Nightmare Night Fun Castle it is," Luna said.
Everypony soon was heading towards the garden to start the picnic the Princesses had offered. As they were about to set up, they heard a faint zooming, like Rainbow Dash would make if she was about to zoom by. They look up and see a pegasus pony flying in fast. "Who is that pegasus?" Applejack asked.
"Whoever it is... DUUUCK!" Rarity yelled as she crouched down with everypony other then Pinkie.
"Rarity, he doesn't look anything like a duck," Pinkie said before she was pulled down.
He soon zoomed past them hit the ground hard and rolling. "Oof, ah, oof, dah, yike, oof, wah, doof," the stallion said before his flank skidded a few feet after somersaulting his landing.
He came to rest on his back and his eyes were all over the place and he was panting heavily as the group of mares came to inspect him. "Are you okay sir?" Twilight asked.
He soon corrected his eyes and sat up still breathing heavily. "Storm Flash? Where did you come from?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I have.... a message.... for the Princesses," Storm Flsah said between breaths.
"Hold on. Catch your breath, and then tell us what happened young stallion," Celestia said.
"I'll fetch him some water," Applejack offered and was quick to get the water.
After drinking the water and finally able to breath normally, Storm Flash finally took a chance to speak. "Forgive me for the sudden entrance, but I have a message that requires your immediate attention your majesties," He said as he bowed to them.
"We're all ears my little pony," Celestia said.
"My friends and I were doing our daily scouting near the western border of Equestria, and something caught our eye," Stormflash said.
"Well, what was it?" Rainbow Dash asked impatiently.
"I was about to tell you, to continue, my friend, Swift Wing looked through the telescope he had and from what he told me, there is an army of ponies, neither of Equestria or the Crystal Empire. The only thing we could boil it down to was, whoever is leading them is planning to invade our Kingdom. Who it is, I do not know, but these ponies were in full armor, and were fully wepeonized. Of what I could tell and of what Swift Wing said, They were wearing black armor, like pitch black. Also he said they had flames as a symbol on the armor," as he said this the two princesses gasped and he continued, "I have a feeling you know what I am talking about your majesties."
"Sister, you don't think?..." Luna paused.
"No, not him, it can't be," Celestia said, dreading the worst as she thought about him.
"Princess Celestia? Princess Luna?" Twilight cut in as she got curious and wanted an answer.
The two sisters looked at each other, then at the six mares and the stallion, knowing it was time to tell them.