Nightmare Moon and I was walking on the hallway on our way to the gala to meet with our guests and we were having a conversation while we were at it.

"You know Arton, there are going to be plenty of mares at the gala~" Nightmare Moon spoke with a flirting tone.

"Oh shut up, I have too many mares to worry about." I spoke in my defence.

"And beside, your plan for the gala is to terrify the world leaders, making them feel like they have no choice but to befriend with your Equestria." I kept talking, trying to change the subject.

"Indeed. But to be serious here, there are a few things we both need to worry about." Nightmare spoke.

"I'm listening." I said, paying her my attention.

"I have learned a few facts about other kingdoms that are very disturbing. For example, the deer kingdom is under the rule of a Caribou namned Dainn who believes in male superiority and every female in his kingdom are slaves only used as pets and toys for breeding purposes." Nightmare explains to me with a stern and rageful voice that could kill a god.

"I can imagine him to be an arrogant and vain monster, so be ready to be violent when needed to be. But if that wasn't enough, the griffon king and the feline king demand that I shall take one of their eldest son as my husband and join one their kingdoms, or else they would declare war on me. Then we have the zebra, the hippogriffs, the minotaurs and the ponies of saddle arabia complaining about not having the sun around for their crops. The dragons would no doubt try to exploit this crisis as see if they can take advantage of it." She explained her situation for me. Oh, that reminds me.

"Speaking of the sun, if the world is gonna have eternal night, were is it now?" I asked while we still walking.

"If Celestia can control the sun and the moon then so can I. The trick with my moon provided heat to the globe comes from the sun. The sun is actually behind the moon but in a very long distance away. That way the sun can't be seen and I adjusted the sun a little bit and send all it's solar light and effects directly to the moon which redirects it to our world." She explains to me with a smile as we made our way to the grand stairwell that led into the keep or to the dancing hall and the gardens.

Once we arrived, we stood atop the stairs watching the servants preparing everything for the gala and the guards stood next to the giant doors to the keep.

"Now first when the doors open, we shall greet the guests of Equestria before we meet our foreign rulers to begin negotiations. I do hope you can play along with this." She explains it to me with a face that looks pleading to me. I suppose there is no harm in being aristocratic myself since we will most of all greet noble fuckers.

"Alright, I am rather excited about how this will go. May I ask, how do you intent to present yourself infront of the foreign rulers?" I asked her.

"I'll just improvise." She said with a wink.

"Pfft, that explains Celestia's defeat." I said, giving her a complement. She smiled, taking it well.

After a few minutes the big doors opened up and a swarm of nicely dressed ponies came from them. Some of them turned to the garden while others went to the dancing hall. Although there are a few who are comming towards us.

"Shall I greet with a bow or a handshake?" I whispered to her.

"Handshake." She quickly whispered to me. And that's when two guests came to us.

Two mares to be exact. One of them wears a blue gown that didn’t expose too much of the chest, but instead exposed the area around the stomach. The other one wore a green dress with a long ‘V’ cut going down all the way to her belly button.

Oh great, we're gonna have some flirting here.

"Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala." Nightmare said as one curtsied before her.

"Welcome indeed." I said while offer my hand for a shake. Which was recieved of course.

When those two walked pass us so that we could greet the next pair, I felt something weird on my back. My head turned to see those two mares walking away looking at me and gave me a wink at the same time.

"When we are done here, feel free to chase any poor souls in need of stress relief stud~" Nightmare teased me.

"I'm a sell-sword, not a prostitute!" I glared at her, she just giggled at my expense.

And so on she kept curtsied and me shake hands with more and more guests comming up the stairs. The process was ongoing and bloody boring at best. We greeted at least thirty ponies to the gala, two thirds of them are mares and they all giving me flirting signs. After who knows how long, Nightmare and I left the fucking stair way.

"Now with the worst part of the night done, walk around the castle as you like and just have fun.” Nightmare said gesturing the dancing hall where ponies would dance along and eat snacks from the tables.

"Thank you, come to me if you need anything." I said as I finally removed my helmet and make my way towards the dancing hall to eat something.

It had chandeliers hanging up on the ceilings, there were nobles both young and old dressed in fancy, and there were other species with the same type of outfits too. When I appeared with my warhammer on my back and my helmet under my left arm, almost everyone was staring at me and start whispering things about me. Don't know, don't care. I ignore them to make my way over to the food table where there are all possible snacks to be had. I was glad it had red wine, marsipans, chocolate and fruits. I was enjoying myself until I felt arms of someone behind wrapped tight around my body, that startled me a little.

"How joyful it is to see you here, gorgeous." I heard a female voice from behind said. I turned around and it was no other that Aqua Night wearing a violet pronovias dress.

"Aqua, are you off duty?" I asked because this is a welcoming surprise.

"Yes, our queen gave me and my daughters a night off. I'm glad that you are not working as well." She said with a bit of joy in her voice as she took a glass of wine to drink.

"Were are your girls now?" I asked because I don't see them here.

"They are at the royal garden. They are actually looking for you~" She winked at me while she still slurping her wine.

"Maybe I should go looking for them and- oh nevermind." I was interrupted by seing them already here infront of me.

Shadow Rose and Shadow Star also appeared with very good looking dresses. Rose has a nice red chiffon evening dress while Star had a dark blue mermaid sweetheart sweep train burgundy lace prom dress. Both of them came fast and start leaning on me in a seductive manner.

"Hi there Arton~ Hope we didn't interrupted your free time here." Shadow Rose said as she hug my right arm right between her breasts.

"What do you think about the gala Arton?" Shadow Star, on my left, asked me while she caress my chin.

"The gala has barely started and this is my first time in it, so I have no opinion about it so far." I answered honestly.

"Then let us go around and present you to other ponies here, I know a few ponies here who will be delighted to meet you." Said Aqua Night, and so we all start walking around the hall.

We began to walk around and meet with the nobles and talk to them. Well, at least to the ones who were not disgusted or terrified by my presence. A group of nobles gathered their courage and put their nasty attitude aside and began to approach me. They all looked either nervous or envious since I made a name for myself for suppressing banditry and hunt down those who oppose Nightmare Moon's rule. When nobles came closer to me, they greeted me and started conversations with me and I was able to socialize with them with Aqua and her daughter's help. After what seems to be fifteen minutes, I felt some kind of heating point in my body, specifically in my right shoulder. I looked at it and I saw a heating light touching it like a laser light, it has a small beam behind which lets me see where it is comming from. My eyes followed it and I saw that it was Nightmare Moon who use her magic from her horn to conjure a burning light beam to get my attention. As soon as I looked at her she turned off her magic and motioned with her hand to come, I guess now it's the time to meet with the world leaders; I must excuse myself.

"I apologize, I need to check some important things. It's a pleasure meeting you all." I said and manage to walk past them and I approached Nightmare.

"Excellent, now all the world leaders are waiting for us. Time to make an impression." She said as she smiled with delight as we walked right into the meeting, I put my helmet back on my head.

As we got in there were 8 creatures in the meeting room. I first saw an elder griffon with a black-purple royal robe, decorated with gems. He wore the same crown King Glyn wore in his life, he also have a scar over his beak and from cheek to cheek. Right next to him was a big and muscular dragon with a crystalized scepter. Next was a male deer (a caribou I think) wearing heavy leather armor with thick leather straps around him and he had a mean look as soon as I walked in, I bet that's King Dainn. I also saw a huge minotaur with thick heavy steel armor, while wearing a crown made of bones which looks threating, and armed with a large two-handed sword on his back; a warrior king no doubt. Next to him there is a humanoid lion with golden fur and blue mane (and blue beard) and he wears an impressive red armor with golden trim, and a cocky smug (I hate that). Then I see a male zebra with a golden crown of olive leaves, he also wears an expensive attire, such as a dark green velvet doublet embroidered with golden suns. He drapes a cloth-of-gold half cape over the doublet with an emerald brooch. Then next to him I see a female creature who I think is a queen of another species. She had a beak for a mouth and her eyes were a beautiful magenta color, which matched the color of her hair, though it was also violet colored at the tip. She wore a crystal blue dress that made her look like she had high authority. Her body was mostly made of light pink feathers. The last one, an earth pony from Saddle Arabia no doubt, wore a simple golden ring-crown around his head and he wears an array of different colorful clothes brimmed with jewels (crazy if you ask me).

But that's not all, each of these rulers are accompanied by what I think are bodyguards, sons or daughters; or those who accompanied the rulers are just emissaries. Nightmare Moon came and sat down on a silver chair.

"Thank you all for coming to this great meeting to sort out our differences. I'm Nightmare Moon, Queen of Equestria and ruler of the eternal night. If you all have any request for me, feel free to make them known. I wish nothing more than peace and partnership with all of you." Nightmare Moon present herself to the world leaders.

The female pony with the beak speaks first.

"Queen Nightmare, I Queen Novo of Seaquestria, humbly would request if you would allow the sun to be set out in the sky again. Without it all our crops would grow cold and die and we won't be able to grow any food." This Queen Novo asked and other rulers nobbed in agreement.

Nightmare just smirk and simply said that she will not allow the sun to rise up again, but she did mentioned to them all about her lunar crops that can grow food during night time and that the moon would bring heat from it's lunar lights. She offer her newly made lunar farming plants to the other kingdoms inexchange for all their trade such as lumber, coal, iron ore, and things to make gold with. They were all astonished by her invention, and most of them seem to be content to let the night last forever in return to be able to grow food in the night and recieve solar heat from the moon. However, not all of them were happy. The caribou, griffin and lion kings stood up with angry faces.

"NEVER! We will always need the sun! So you will bring it back!" This King Dainn have the fucking guts to demand her.

"Even if the moon bring light and warmth as you suggest it dosen't have the needs that the sun provide. Without the sunm there can be no balance." The griffin agreed with him.

"Unless you want a war, you better bring day back!" The lion demand the same way a spoiled brat would.

However, Nightmare Moon stood her ground and stay strong.

"War? That would be most unwise of you all. If you three choose war, you will loose." She said, as calm and confident as ever.

"You mare must be very stupid to think you can defeat three kingdoms at once with your own, small and weak one." Dainn said with arrogance.

"And how do you expect to beat us?" The lion king asked.

"With the slayer of Queen Faust, of course" She said as she use her hand to present me.

And that shocked everyone in the room as they all stare at me, gods above I hate this sort of attention.

"Y- you're- Arton Ravenheart!?" The griffin king asked while shaking, he seems nervous.

"Glad I'm remembered. It is also nice to see the crown of King Glyn being worn." I said because I'm quite amused by this nervous bird.

"Why do you serve this mare sir Arton!? What make this female more worthy of your service!?" King Dainn asked as if I'm doing something unnatural.

"Money, what else? And a bit of adventures too." I simply said, then I continued.

"But more importantly, if the goddess Faust could not beat me, what chances do you three have?" I said, using their own arrogance against them. It does seem to work on the griffin king.

"In that case, I take back my words and accept your previous offer Queen Nightmare, if you agree to it." The griffin king said.

"Wonderful, King Gallar. I'm looking forward for both our races to come into friendly terms." Nightmare Moon said to the griffin king, Gallar, in a polite manner. But she continued, and with a hostile attitude.

"As for you, Dainn and Tomba, unless you will also reconsider my offer and choose peace with my kingdom. You two are only digging your own graves!" Nightmare Moon spoke out with an iron will and strong stand like a real queen. I really like her. But Dainn didn't take it well.

"Know your place mare. You are beneath me and have no right to demand anything from me. Regardless who serves you, a war against me is a war you can't win!" Dainn said so furious as he make his way towards Nightmare with his bodyguard. He only stops when I got in his way.

"Why don't you go back to your seat, animal!" I said very sternly because I hate him already.

I can already see him glaring hateful at me, but his bodyguard held his hand on his sword like he's gonna cut someone down.

"Let's not do something stupid." I said looking at Dainn right in his eyes, I dare him to do something stupid.

After what I think was ten seconds, Dainn snaps his fingers and his bodyguard pulled his sword, he was comming towards me. But before anyone else could react, I snapped my left hand out and shoot an ice spike at the bodyguard. Right at his face and killed him instantly. Dainn looked surprised that his bodyguard died and the moment he looked at me, I delivered a bone-crushing right hook punch in the jaw (due to my Enhanced Hammermanship, I was strong enough to bend a horseshoe with ease). He fell down to the ground and many world leaders was really surprised at that.

"That was something stupid." I mocked Dainn as he still whining over his broken jaw.

"Indeed, and I think this is were you leave and never come back!" Nightmare Moon spoke smugly and used her magic to teleport Dainn away.

"Anything else?" Nightmare asked, still wearing that smug face of hers.

The rest of the meeting went rather well in the end. Not only does the lion king, Tomba, step down from threatening but he seems to drop the suggestion of her marrying his elder son. Every other leaders seems content to provide Nightmare Moon all the trade she need for her lunar agriculture. If I'm not mistaken, I saw a bright smile from Queen Novo of the Seaquestria, and a very happy smile from her companion who I think is her daughter. The gala will still be going after our meeting but it will no doubt be short.

After we finished the meeting, Nightmare and I decided to have a talk outside the door while the other leaders decide to walk around the castle to enjoy the rest of the gala.

"Well that went good. Now 'my' Equestria has restored all the trading partnership with other kingdoms." Nightmare Moon said with a content smile. I start to speak with my helmet removed.

"After what happened to Dainn, I doubt he's gonna let this slide." I reminded her and her smile turns to a sad frown.

"Yeah, King Dainn rules a very powerful kingdom. Although he's an animal, make an enemy of him is not a good thing." She said in a worried tone.

"So tonight is not the best nor the worst night ever. It's the best/worst night ever, or is it the other way around?" I joked.

And after a minute or two, both Nightmare and I began to laught out very loud.

Author's Note

Well folks, Arton Ravenheart has started a war between the Caribou and Nightmare's Equestria. Voice your opinions and guess how this will end.

Arton punching Dainn is inspired by this (From 4:02 to 4:11).