Blood Moon

Another beautiful morning had arrived in Ponyville and things were going along rather normally. The foals were in school, the local vendors had set up their shops in the market and Twilight and her friends were in Sugarcube Corner. Like always they were eating their morning cupcakes when Twilight read the headline on "The Ponyville Express."

She said, "Get this girls, there's going to be a blood moon tonight!"

Applejack asked, "What the hay is a blood moon?"

Twilight excitedly replied, "It is a form of a lunar eclipse that happens when the moon is closer to the earth than normal. The moon is so deep in the earth's shadow that it looks like it is covered in blood."

Pinkie jumped on Twilight, "Oooh, oooh, we should have a blood moon party!"

Everypony began celebrating, except one. Fluttershy's eyes shrank as she nervosly asked, "The moon will be covered in blood?"

Twilight replied, "No, it won't be covered in blood. It will just look like it is."

Rainbow grabbed the paper as she saw something interesting. She said, "Oh and get this ladies, there is an old legend that whenever there is a blood moon, that vamponies come out and suck the blood of unsuspecting victims!"

Fluttershy shrieked and hid under the table while Rainbow began to laugh hysterically. Her friends glared at her and Rarity snapped, "Rainbow Dash, that is not funny. Look at how scared Fluttershy is."

Twilight added, "And besides, everypony knows that there are no such things as vamponies. They're nothing more than an old mares' tale meant to scare."

Rarity helped Fluttershy up and said, "It's ok darling, there's nothing to worry about."

Fluttershy replied, "I know but still, I don't want to take any chances."

Fluttershy flew out the door and headed home. Rainbow continued to laugh over Fluttershy's distress which did not sit well with her friends. Applejack snapped, "Rainbow, Ah know you find things like this funny but some ponies don't."

Rainbow began to rub her hooves together and got a mischievous look on her face as she muttered, "This is going to be too funny!"

Applejack got in her face and growled, "Don't you dare. Fluttershy is already scared enough."

Twilight added, "And besides Rainbow, don't you remember what happened when we all did that prank with the joke cookies? You didn't like that much now did you?"

Rarity grunted, "Yeah Rainbow, it wasn't fun being the victim now was it?"

Rainbow sighed, "Oh alright. She again began to snicker, I'll just have to find somepony made of tougher skin."

Before anypony else could say anything Rainbow flew out the door snickering to herself. The four remaining friends decided that they needed to try and prevent Rainbow from doing whatever prank she was planning.

Applejack sighed, "You know, Ah think we need to come up with some sort of plan to keep Rainbow with us tonight so she can't go scaring Fluttershy."

Pinkie suggested, "Well I think we should throw a blood moon party! If we have cake, ice cream and punch she'll be certain to come!"

Twilight added, "Yeah and then we can all watch it tonight from my balcony."

Rarity asked, "What if she won't come?"

Twilight got a determined look on her face and replied, "Oh we'll make her come, even if we have to hog tie her and drag her to my castle, she's watching this with us."

In her house Rainbow was going through her closet looking for an old costume of her's, one that she thought would be perfect for the prank she had planned for that night. It took her a while but she finally found what she was looking for, an old vampony costume she had ever since her first Nightmare Night as an adult. She began rubbing her hooves together and snickered, "Oh this is going to be sweet! Fluttershy is going to shriek so loud everypony will hear it!"

As the day progressed Rainbow decided that she would relax some before she had to clear the skies entirely so everypony would get a good look at the moon. Around 1600 Twilight flew up to Rainbow's house and pounded on the door, catching her on the way out. Twilight glared at her and said, "Rainbow, you are coming with me. We are having a watch party for the blood moon and the four of us are going to make sure you don't try anything."

Rainbow looked around the sky and replied, "Listen Twi, I would come with you right now but look at this sky, it is a complete mess. I need to clear away every single cloud so every pony will have a perfect view of the blood moon tonight."

As Rainbow took off Twilight took off along with her. She said, "I know you have to clear the sky but I'm coming with you. After we are finished with this, you are coming with me to the castle."

Rainbow threw her hooves up in the air and grunted, "Listen Twi, you should know that I wouldn't do anything to Fluttershy. I know she's scared and besides, like you guys said in the past, pranking Fluttershy is lazy."

Twilight shrugged her shoulders, "Oh alright but we'd still like you to join us for this."

Rainbow sighed, "I'll think about it."

Twilight replied, "There will be cake, punch and ice cream."

Despite her still not really wanting to go Rainbow decided she would placate her, "Oh alright Twilight, I'll come."

Twilight nodded and headed back towards her castle while Rainbow continued to clear the skies. She had a sadistic grin on her face as she realized that pulling this off would not be as hard as she first thought it would be. Once she finished clearing the skies she headed home and waited in anticipation as the sun lowered closer and closer to the horizon.