"And the second year, I turned her hair into spiderwebs!" Luna chuckled, sipping her mocha.
Daybreak smiled, masking her abject horror. "My, Princess Luna, I'm sure Princess Celestia was surprised."
"Surprised?! She screamed so loudly they heard it in the Crystal Empire!"
The cream-colored unicorn barista nodded, wiping down her espresso machine, her shimmery white aura moving the cloth meticulously over the stainless steel surface. She took the tools of her trade seriously, and as Chief Caffeinator Of Canterlot Castle, Daybreak Dazzler knew she was indebted to Luna for her position.
"At first, I was hurt when the concept of Nightmare Night was explained to me," Luna continued, leaning her rump against the countertop. Daybreak set her cloth down and Luna sipped her mocha again. "But when I attended the festivities in Ponyville the year of my return to Equestria, I saw the holiday for what it was—an opportunity to become somepony else for just one evening, and to play the most devious of tricks and scares!" At this, the moon princess grinned playfully. Daybreak could not help but smile. "Also, candy."
"Yes, one cannot forget the candy," Daybreak laughed. "Speaking of, I was wondering if I may take the rest of the evening off? I was hoping to hand out treats to the little ones."
"Oh, of course, darling!" Luna smiled. "My needs are satisfied, and my guards are all off for the festivities. Please, go enjoy yourself! You work too hard. As a fellow denizen of the night, your Princess commands it!"
Daybreak bowed so deeply her horn brushed the kitchen floor. Luna chuckled.
"Go, go, be gone with you, now. We are friends; there is no need for these formalities."
"Thank you, Luna," Daybreak smiled, her emerald eyes sparkling. "I'll see you tomorrow night!"
"Indeed."
Luna sipped her mocha again slowly as the coffee pony skipped perkily out of the kitchen. Celestia should have finished lowering the sun by now, and the twilight hours of Nightmare Night had lingered long enough. It was time to raise the moon. She had a lovely full orb planned for the evening, complete with spooky clouds and howling wolves. In truth, the hurt behind the holiday's origin had lasted only a few days; Luna's fun-loving nature and affinity for pranks were too strong to not embrace Nightmare Night at its core. Nightmare Moon was her past. Princess Luna, Patron Princess of Nightmare Night was her identity now.
And she adored it.
Mocha in tow, Luna stepped daintily to the balcony. The sunset lingered just below the horizon, purple and dark blue and hazey. Tossing her ethereal mane, the moon princess illuminated her horn, and brought the moon to the sky.
It rose slowly, a brilliant pearly orb of luminescent gloriousness, full and gravid. While it no longer bore the craters resembling her visage, the moon still retained its sense of mystery and foreboding. It gave Luna chills every time she lifted it to the stars.
In the Everfree forest, the Timberwolves began to howl. Nightmare Night had begun.
Well... Not quite. Luna smiled wickedly to herself. Fluttering her wings, she giggled. Oh, what fun this trick would be! Last year, she had made everything Celestia tasted turn to banana. This year—
"—uuuuuuuunaaaaaaaaa..."
Luna spun on her hooves.
"Sister?" she called. The fur along her spine stood up. The voice sounded like Celestia's, but it was soft, distant.
"Luuuuuuuuunaaaaaaaa..." it came again.
"Celestia! I am on the balcony!" she replied.
No response. Luna arched a royal eyebrow, taking a step into the palace. She saw a pastel tail slip around the corner down the hallway. The sound of hooves clattering on marble down the hall echoed in her ears. Luna twitched them as she suddenly heard the same sound going in the opposite direction.
"What in my Sister's name...?" she swore, narrowing her eyes. Luna started down the nearest hallway, catching a glimpse of white wings in the dark. Behind her, she heard hooves again, and spun around. "Celestia?"
"Luuuunaaaaaaa...."
Luna's heart beat a bit faster, and her mouth felt dry. She became suddenly aware of how deathly quiet the palace was, and how empty. But she was not scared, no, certainly not. Nightmare Night was her holiday. She unfolded her wings and shook them, folding them again to calm herself.
Skittering from all directions filled her ears.
Chi chi chi chi...
Luna felt chills run from the tip of her muzzle to the end of her tail.
"T-tia...?"
Ha ha ha ha...
Luna shifted her weight uncertainly from one forehoof to the other. "Tia, this isn't funny..."
"Over here," Celestia's voice echoed from down the hall.
"No, this way!" her sister's voice came from directly above Luna.
"No, they're lying! I'm over here!" a third Celestia called from behind the moon princess.
Luna looked up, then spun around, spilling her mocha. Uncertainty gave way to confusion, which was giving way to something very close to fear.
"We're in the gaaaaaaaaardeeeeeeeeeen...." the three voices called in unison. "Come play with us, Luuuuuunaaaaaaa..."
"Oh buck this," Luna muttered shakily, and bolted from the hallway. Her hooves hammered on the marble as she ran for the exit to the palace lawns. She reared up and slammed against the double doors. They banged open loudly, and she bolted into the night. "Alright, sister, that's enough! This isn't funny anymore!"
Silence greeted her. Luna narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the many rose bushes.
"Tia?" she demanded, less confidently.
Something giggled. Luna dropped to a crouch. Suddenly, her full moon seemed menacing. The howling of the Timberwolves was not so glorious. A group of bats flapped by overhead, making Luna jump. The anxious princess crept slowly into the garden, peeking behind bushes.
"Tia?" she whispered. Her heart thundered in her ears.
Celestia popped up from behind not one, not two, but four bushes, and screamed "BOO!" at the top of her lungs. Her voice magically amplified, the sound shook the very air.
Luna shrieked a shriek so loud the roses dropped their petals, and even the Timberwolves in the Everfree Forest ceased their howling to wonder what manner of creature could make such a sound.
The four Celestias began to laugh, one in particular the hardest.
"Oh.... oh my! Your... your face!" she gasped. Luna glared, having fallen back and landing on her rump. Celestia pointed her hoof and wiped tears from her eyes. The other three Celestias smiled at each other. Luna scowled at them.
"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.
"Oh, dear sister mine, I thought it high time I got the better of you on Nightmare Night, so I enlisted some help," Celestia giggled.
"We were only too happy to oblige," one Celestia replied. Her visage shimmered and warped, and Chrysalis smiled, bowing slightly. The other two Sun Sisters dropped their disguises as well, and the Changelings nestled up to their Queen with self-satisfied smiles.
Luna did not look pleased.
"Indeed, Princess Luna, your face was something to behold," Chrysalis added.
"Art thou mad, sister?" Celestia teased, winking. Luna shook her head, sighing.
"I do suppose I had it coming," she admitted. "After that spiderweb hair bit."
"And the banana nonsense," Celestia replied. Luna nodded. "Perhaps we can reach an agreement about these Nightmare Night pranks then?"
Luna held up her hoof and placed her other over her heart.
"Nevermore."
