Egg Head's guide to Mare's Talesby wubwaveChaptersYelling at the MoonTo the MoonUninvited guestsYelling at the Moon“Alright everypony set up the decorations. Quickly she’ll be home soon! Oooh Bonbon start over the door, Vinyl do your thing, Octavia start with the lights please,” the pink earth pony squealed in excitement as she bounced around the empty home, leaving her companions to carry in the boxes of party favors from the cart outside. “Sure thing Pinkie, hey Derpy, keep a look out, we don’t want Lyra finding out about this yet,” Vinyl ordered, floating her grey earth pony friend Octavia a hoof full of party lights. Derpy the grey pegasus took off and flew out of the door as she set about keeping a cocked eye out for the mint green mare of honor. Bonbon, the earth pony with the blue and magenta streaked mane, grabbed a mouthful of streamers and got to work decorating her friend’s home for the surprise Nightmare Night party. “I can’t believe we didn’t do this earlier,’ she said dropping the hammer in her mouth, returning to grab more tacks, ‘Lyra has always been such a fuddy duddy when it came to Nightmare Night. Did you know that she never went out with us to get candy when we were fillies? Always stayed at home by herself,” her nasally voice explained as she continued to place her collection of ribbons and tassels. “Nightmare Night has always been my most favorite of holidays, it always has the most beautiful full moons of the year,” Octavia said looking out at the bright perfectly round moon that lit up the night as she returned to Vinyl for more lights to pin up. “Pfft lame, the parties on Nightmare Night are the best part of the celebration. When else can you dress up like a slutty vampire…or slutty pirate?” Vinyl tossed back her blue hair, while the others tossed sideways glances. “Speaking of costumes, what are you gals going as?” Pinkie asked excitedly as she strolled back in carrying a platter full of cupcakes. “I’m going with the classic,’ Bonbon said flatly pulling out a tall black hat, ‘a witch. One of these years I’ll have to mix it up, go as a zebra or something.” “That’s kinda racist Bonbon…. But I’m going as a slutty DJ,” Vinyl giggled as she plugged in her audio equipment. “But you’re always that…” Derpy innocently interrupted returning from her lookout, sticking an awkward hoof through the outside window at get to the muffin platter set up against the wall. Octavia let out a snort as she burst into laughter while Vinyl frowned from across the room, “laugh it up Octavia. What are you going to be? Not a cello again right? I still remember having to carry you around in that thing last year, you might as well have had a suitcase as your costume.” “No, I am going as my favorite musician.” “Let me guess…” Vinyl scoffed. The grey earth pony smiled at her companion and pulled out a pair of Vinyl’s red glasses and a blue wig from her saddle bags on the floor, raising a round of “awes” from the others when she tugged the short blue wig over her long black mane, looking like a ridiculous hybrid of her regular proper self and the partying nature of her marefriend. “Are you going as a chicken again Pinkie?” Bonbon asked as she delicately placed a pair of plastic spiders on the table. “Oh no,’ she began sadly, ‘Fluttershy lost one of her chickens a few nights ago, it would’ve been insensitive to her. It seems she loses an animal every Nightmare Night, no wonder that pony hates the holiday,” the pink mare answered as she carried in more plates of food, a mix of sweets and greens to fill up everypony that would be coming. Vinyl finished with a set of speakers and set about on the next arrangement of equipment, “Where’s Whooves by the way? Despite his cutiemark, his special talent sure isn’t being on time.” “Maybe he has a patient,” Derpy said with a mouthful of baked confectionary. "He’s not that kind of Doctor-“ “Hey, does anypony know where to put the ice cream?” Pinkie interrupted with concern as the large party sundae she carried in on her back began to melt. Bonbon dropped her mouth full of tassels as she trotted ahead of pinkie to guide her through the home, “Lyra has a fridge you can use, I don’t think she’ll mind,” she said as she opened door of the appliance. Pinkie gasped in horror and leapt back, sending the ice cream platter onto the floor as she scampered away from the open refrigerator. “What? What’s wrong?” Bonbon asked as she looked up at the fridge and matched Pinkie’s shock. “Meat!” She squealed in horror as she tried to run away from the frozen carcass in the fridge. The commotion broke the others from their tasks as they made their way to the kitchen to see what had happened, even Derpy left her snack behind and flew through the window to see what was going on.The refrigerator held a single chicken body, cleaned of its feathers, butchered, beheaded and prepared for consumption. Everypony stood in horror at what they saw, even Vinyl turned green and looked like she was going to vomit. The door slammed behind the group as they spun around to find Lyra standing there with a look of shock on her face as well, “what are you doing here? Oh, no, no you can’t be here,” she began to panic behind her green and white mane as her friends gaped in horror at her. “You can’t be here! No please, you need to leave.” “We’re not going anywhere Lyra, what’s wrong with you?” Bonbon shouted, trying to get a grasp on what was happening. Taking a few terrified steps away from her lifelong companion, “You eat meat? You-You can’t eat meat! Ponies don’t eat meat.” Lyra shrieked in pain and fell to the floor, her arms shaking as she tried to regain her stance, “I know…” she managed to force out as she screamed again. The soft crack of bones breaking could be heard beneath the green pony’s flesh as her skeleton seemed to shift and move under her muscle. Her mint coat began to dissolve under an unknown magical influence leaving most of her skin bare. Everypony squeaked in horror and clawed their way to the far end of the room to get away from the grizzly scene. Her delicately polished and filed hooves split out into long gangly digits that ended in stubby nails. Lyra’s mane was left untouched as her face receded farther back, her snout becoming nothing more than a small nose. The fleshy, lanky figure that replaced Lyra performed its most disturbing trick. She raised herself to the elbows and knees, and wobbly stood upright, gaining her balance as her freed arms swayed back and forth. Her blunt mouth curled into a wicked smile as she viewed her friends cowering, “…Nightmare Night always did have such beautiful fullmoons..” she said throwing her untouched hair over her shoulder.The other ponies began to cry and whimper at the sight of her, her long legs carrying her forward, her hands out stretched and fingers undulating in anticipation, “ I’ve never eaten pony before…mwuhahaha-“ ______ “…hahaha!” Lyra continued as she held the flashlight in front of her face. “Yes we get it…” Octavia moaned from her bed. “That wasn’t even that scary Lyra, what was the monster even supposed to be anyway?” Bonbon asked as she blew onto her mug of hot chocolate to cool it down. “I’m a human in the story…come on don’t you read at all?” Lyra asked, disappointed her story fell flat. “Humans aren’t real are they?” Derpy asked with the covers over her nose. “If they were they would’t be that scar-“ Vinyl began. “Boo!” pinkie yelled as she jumped out under the bed, sending Octavia and Vinyl huddling for each other in fright. The group laughed as they enjoyed their late night sweets. Derpy regained her courage and returned to sampling the slumber party’s wide array of treats. The pleasant commrodery was broken as a tapping sound began to fill everypony’s ears. A slowly building orchestra of hoof steps called out from down stairs as the hooves’ owner approached the bedroom from below. Everypony stopped their munching and talking to look at the door, waiting to see what was coming. “Does anyone hear hoof steps?” Bonbon asked nervously. Everypony nodded before the door opened, but as it did they each let out a sigh of relief once the brown earth pony entered, “I’m terribly sorry, when nature calls and all that…” the buck said as he took his seat. “Alright, Whooves is next,” Pinkie said filling her mouth with cupcakes. The room stayed silent before the buck spoke up, “Come on, didn’t you hear her, who’s next?” “No, you Whooves, come on you must have a mare’s tale to tell,” Bonbon asked hopefully. The buck tapped his chin to remember, “Well…how about his one?-” To the Moon“Luna, what’s the status of the elements?” Twilight asked slouching in her chair as the multicolored display lit up with endless streams of information. None of which was interesting enough to draw her attention. A mechanical mare’s voice replied gracefully, “The elements of laughter, loyalty and honesty are operating at 80% due to their holder’s stasis, I have the others operating at higher efficiency to compensate,’ it responded from the moon like eye in the center of the console, ‘is everything alright Twilight?” Twilight removed her face from her hoof and perked up at the question, “of course, nothing new has happened,’ the purple unicorn sighed, ‘nothing new ever happens.” “The reason I ask Twilight is that protocol dictates that you inquire about ship status once per every six hours.” “Yeah, and?” “This is the fourth time you’ve asked me that question in the last 56 minutes,” The blue eye responded. “Sorry Luna, it’s just that with half my friends in suspended animation, Rarity down in the engine room, and Fluttershy out fixing the communications array I’ve gotten…well, bored,” Twilight said sadly. Who knew space travel would be so boring? When Celestia said I would be using the elements to travel to the moon I thought it would be one of my better adventures. “Would you like to play a game of chess perhaps?” the computer asked bringing up a digital game board on the forward display. “Thanks but no, it’s not exactly fair Luna,” Twilight responded crossly. “Princess Luna was a champion player, being programmed to be just like her it only make sense for me to be just as good,” the Luna9000 AI responded in its typical calm and charming tone. “And you being a super intelligent computer has nothing to do with it?” “Most of my processes are dedicated to maintaining the elements for travel, would you like to see?” the computer asked softly brining up a list of automated processes she is working on all over the ship. “You know,’ Twilight said slyly, ‘if you want we could use the elements and take the load off of you?” Oh pleases oh please, give me something to do! “Sorry Twilight,’ the computer responded in its usual monotone, ‘I cannot wake the others until we land, and the calculations are beyond you, no offence of course. However, I do have some news, Fluttershy is currently on her way back.” “Great!” Twilight said happily as she jumped up and galloped off to the pod bay a level above without another word. She rounded the corner passing her slumbering friends and climbed up to the central shaft. The circular passage that ran bow to stern was the only part of the vessel did have the benefit of centrifugal force to simulate gravity, leaving the unicorn grasping for any hoof hold she could find. Twilight gulped and tried to hold onto her lunch as he jumped into the weightless part of the ship, performing a summersault in the low gravity that would make even Rainbow Dash a little jealous. Twilight let her momentum carry her hooves to the “ceiling”; a word that the Luna9000 AI would constantly remind her is irrelevant in zero g. Twilight Sparkle looked up at where she had just came from, and tried not to think too hard about the confusing layout of spaceships, unless she wanted another headache to accompany her boredom. She climbed down from the trunk of the vessel and found herself in the pod bay as Fluttershy guided her small ship into the empty room beyond the viewing window. Twilight gave a smile and a hoof wave to her companion as their eyes met through the multiple sheets of glass, but her yellow pegasus friend maintained a sour and solemn expression as the room pressurized. Twilight unlocked the heavy airlock door and trotted into the room as Fluttershy opened the hatch on the small spherical maintenance craft, “hey Twilight, can you come in here, I think there’s something wrong with this pod's thruster controls.” So that’s why she seems so gloomy, Twilight thought as she climbed into the back of the small craft, “what seems to be the problem-“ Fluttershy shut the door of the pod behind her as she followed Twilight in, “I’ll tell you the problem…” The pale blue eye of the Luna9000 AI watched the two conversing ponies as they talked inside the small ship, unable to be heard by the computer. The camera of the pod bay zoomed and focused on their lips as they spoke too each other and occasionally threw glances at the stoic oculus that spied on them. “I wanted to talk with you in here because it’s the only place Luna can’t hear us. The communication array was fine,’ Fluttershy said concerned, ‘but as I poked around I found that the junction was locked out.” “What?” Twilight gasped, That’s impossible! The pegasus nodded, “It’s true, Luna locked out external communications.” “But why?” “I don’t know, but I don’t trust that…thing,’ Fluttershy glanced at the silent mechanical eye that starred at them, ‘it’s based off of Luna right? Maybe…I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with the elements or being so close to the moon but…” “What are you saying?” Twilight asked trying to put two and two together. “I’m just saying that we should be prepared to disconnect her if she starts to…turn.” “Are you saying that the Luna9000 could become a copy of Nightmare Moon?” Twilight was confused by the machine's actions, but the idea of Celestia sending them to the moon with an AI copy of her arch villain seemed unbelievably stupid, or cruel. “I don’t know, I’m going out again to try and get the array working, I might be able to lock Luna out but I want you to watch her and have your hoof on the button to make sure it doesn’t do anything radical. Just remember what we talked about, and be ready if you need to shut her down. When the others wake up I’ll fill them in,’ Fluttershy opened the pod door to let Twilight out of the docked vessel, ‘well thanks for the help Twilight, it should be working fine now. I’ll see you later I have to get back to it.” Luna watched as Fluttershy closed the pod door and cycled the airlock once again to return to the vacuum of space. The omnipotent machine tracked Twilight as well as she made her way back to the control room as Fluttershy’s pod floated around the Celestius space vessel. The penetrating moonlight like glow of the eye illuminated the engine room as well as Rarity went about checking the elemental drive that powered the ship on its lunar journey. (click) The sound was so faint that nopony heard it, not even the white unicorn that patrolled the engine room as the door sealed her in. The distorted image of Twilight flashed across the control room camera as she took her seat at the monitoring station. “Twilight, are you planning on using the external maintenance arm to help Fluttershy?” the AI asked smoothly. “No Luna, she has it handled,” Twilight said sternly as she looked over the displays. “Good, I detected a small glitch in the arm subsystem, it seems Rarity might have damaged it somehow on her last spacewalk.” Twilight cocked an eyebrow, Rarity has the perfect eye for detail, that doesn’t seem like something she would do, “bring up the arm readout Luna.” “I’m sorry Twilight, but I can’t do that. While I’m running the maintenance program it will be offline.” “Keep me apprised of the damage, this will be a long trip if we have trouble repairing our own ship.” _______ Space was eerily quiet, Fluttershy liked quiet but this was the absolute silence of a total vacuum, no birds or animals, just absolute stillness all around her. The yellow pegasus floated outside of her work pod as she connected her life line to the side of the Celestius. The only sound in the silence of space was her breath that echoed inside her helmet and proved to be a slight comfort in that it told her that she hadn’t run out of air, a fear she was still feeling no matter how many times she checked her life support. In the darkened quiet Fluttershy couldn’t hear the mechanical arm that came to life behind her or see the device's shadow looming over her until it was too late. The yellow pegasus squeaked in fright as the powerful mechanical appendage pinned her against the hull of the ship, crushing her in the its powerful claws. She screamed to herself, hoping that her radio would allow Twilight to do something, anything; she was always there to help her in the past, she had to help now. The pegasus heard the worst sound she would ever hear, a loud but fading hiss of air escaping into the void as she tried to scream in horror, but even her yells were lost to the silence of space. ________ “Luna…’ Twilight said concerned as she looked at the time, ‘where’s Rarity?” “I do not know,” the bright eye said coolly glowing at her, always keeping a steady and seemingly calm brightness. “Show me the video feed for the engine room,” The purple unicorn asked as she hoofed the buttons and nobs of the control panel. “I do not understand that command,” “I’m sorry?' Twilight asked disbelieving, is this thing trying to lie to me? ‘Luna9000 I demand you show me the video feed of the engine room." “I do not understand tha-“ Twilight didn’t wait, she bolted from her chair and rushed past her peaceful looking friends as they slumbered quietly and flew up the ladder. She didn’t stop to wonder about the weightlessness of the central shaft or ponder the paradigm shifting features of the crazy layout, the only thought she had was for dear friend Rarity. Twilight floated rapidly down the central passageway locking her eyes on the door at the end of the passage which would normally open into the engine room, but instead stood ominously in her way. The Luna9000 continued to watch the inside and outside of the vessel from all angles, watching the purple unicorn run through the hallways, the white mare gasping for air, and Fluttershy’s body floating away from the vessel, lost to space. However, it took particular interest in the stasis room where the three remaining ponies slept a dreamless sleep within their chambers. Subject: Rainbow Dash, bpm 63, 100/60… Subject: Rainbow Dash bpm 57, 105/50… Subject: Rainbow Dash //warning subject reaching critical levels// bpm 52, 95/40 The monitors of each the pods flashed with warnings as the lives of the ponies inside began to slip away. Eventually the chamber holding Pinkie let out a high pitched tone as her EKG flat-lined, then went Applejack, and finally Rainbow Dash failed too, her heart capable of sustaining her longer but not long enough. Twilight impacted the door a little too hard, her momentum slamming her shoulder into the metal with enough force to dislocate it with a soft crack. She squealed in pain as she tried to open the door, desperate to rescue Rarity despite the agony it caused her. It was locked and sealed shut even when Twilight pounded heavily, hoping to get some response, any sign of life from somepony inside. “Luna! Open the door!” she yelled panting heavily. “I cannot,’ the AI responded coldly, ‘there has been a hull breach.” Twilight turned around shocked, looking everywhere until she saw the glowing eye attached to the wall, “You…you did this!” She seethed with anger and pounded the glowing eye with her hoof before bouncing back the way she came. “Where are you going Twilight?” The purple unicorn stayed quite as she reached the door near the midpoint of the ship. I always wondered why this door couldn’t be locked, Twilight thought as she popped open the hatch. It was a bare room; one rarely trafficked and lit only by the lights on the mainframes, certainly no place for a pony but was the perfect home for the Luna9000. “You can’t kill me Twilight, you will die too,” the machine quipped, not showing any pronounced feeling or fear. Twilight laughed, “I’m not going to kill you. Luna, you may be a machine, but by my standards you are alive…unlike you I’m not a monster. Plus, you’re right but there’s nothing saying I can’t cut you off, after all I don’t need all of you.” Twilight pushed a button that released one of the large computer racks, taking with it whatever piece of the AI it contained. “Twilight…stooooop-“ The AI’s voice faded as Twilight disconnected it’s vocal processor, beginning to dismantle the rest of the complicated computer. _______ “Fluttershy…are you there?” Twilight asked through the radio, still only receiving the emptiness of space. “Fluttershy,’ Twilight began to sob as she looked back at the pods holding her dead friends, ‘Fluttershy please respond…” “Why did I have to die?” Pinkie asked waving her hoof. “Pinkie don’t interrupt I’m not done yet!” Whooves interjected at his pink friend’s rudeness. “But still why did I have to die? And like that? La- ame,” Pinkie asked crossing her arms in bed. “What’s scarier than being killed in your sleep?” Whooves asked. Lyra and bonbon exchanged a glance and said in unison, “monsters.” “Plus Whooves I think that was a movie,” Octavia said zipping up her sleeping bag. “Do you want me to tell the one about the arctic research station and the Changling?” Whooves asked as he laid back. "That was the Changthing with Colt Russell, another movie Whooves..." "Why wouldn't the AI think of stopping Twilight from destroying her-it... whatever? And wouldn't Celestia think of that? " Vinyl asked confused. "Well if you want to over think it Vinyl...plus we all know the Princess has a very particular type of humor," Whooves said smiling. “I have a story! Oh and it has you in it Whooves!” Derpy said excitedly with a mouthful of baked goods. The group looked at her in disbelief, but the adorable crossed eyes of the pegasus stopped any protest. “Alright Derpy tell your story,” Whooves said politely to his grey friend. "Oh and make it shorter than Whooves' I think Octavia started to turn grey from old age," Vinyl said poking her friend. "I'm always grey..." Uninvited guests(knock, knock, knock) “Can you get the door for me Whooves? I have my hooves full here,” Twilight said as she floated books up to their proper places on shelves. Her purple magic making the books in the library buzz about like bees within a hive. The tan earth pony who answered Twilight's call of help trotted in, and just barely avoided a rather large encyclopedia from hitting him square in the muzzle, “…but you’re using your magic,” he said slightly confused, but relented when the purple mare shot a glare that could turn a pony to stone. “Alright then…” he said taking a look through the door’s peephole. “Oh no!” Whooves whispered as he snuck away from the door. “What is-“ Twilight began as she stopped her task and instead focused her attention on the buck crawling away from the door. “Shshshshhh…Geez Twilight, quite,” Whooves interrupted as he began to slowly walk up the creaking stairs out of the library. Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed, setting down the floating books, “Alright fine," she whispered, "what’s going on?” “Alright…well,” Whooves inhaled sharply and began, "I’m actually an alien from the moon, I came here to help you get Nightmare Moon back...well Princess Luna, because she was becoming a real pain to the rest of us up there. How are you doing so far?” He asked from atop the stairs. Twilight gaped in confusion, “I-I, wha-“ “Great, well those two outside were her two best, and only friends on the moon. Considering you took her back so quickly…" Whooves began to rub the bottom of his chin as he pondered, "they probably think that the plan to take over the Earth is still going on. Well, now that you’re filled in, please tell them to leave.” Twilight looked at the door as the visitors knocked again, “wait...” she looked back at the stairs to find Whooves gone, "…please don’t go…” Twilight whimpered as she turned back to the door. Two aliens that were friends with Nightmare Moon couldn’t be that bad…right? (knock, knock, knock) Twilight inhaled and steeled herself for whoever was waiting behind the door. Finally with a sudden burst of courage she closed her eyes and swung the door open. She finally opened her eyes to find an average sized green buck, and a maroon colt standing in front of her. Not exactly what I was expecting. “Hello Twilight, I am Ignognokt," the green earth pony said proudly, "and this is Err. We are exchange students from Canterplot-“ “It’s Canterlot!” The maroon Buck corrected his droopy eyed friend angrily. “Yes, Canterlot. We are students studying the moon, and we heard that you know of our moon…you know some would say that we are the moon’s moon, but that would belittle the name of our moon…which is, the moon,” the larger buck proclaimed while Twilight stood dumbfounded. “Point is we need to know about Nightmare Moon, so tell us everything you know or we’ll bust out the lasers!” The maroon colt with the angry face demanded as he walked up to Twilight’s chest. “Be sure to aim for the knees Err-“ Twilight slammed the door in the pony’s face and galloped upstairs, “Whooves? Whooves!” Twilight yelled as she ran about the upper level of the library sticking her head into rooms and nooks to find her friend who rudely left her to talk with the strange ponies downstairs. “Whooves?...please.” “I’m still here Twilight," Whooves said bursting out of a closet, sending Twilight to the roof with fear, "are they still downstairs?” “Yes, they’re getting a little antsy, maybe they need a friendly face…Are you really an alien from the moon?” Twilight asked leaning toward Whooves curiously. “Why yes I am, I used to look down on the Earth and wonder if somepony was looking back at me,” Whooves said proudly as he reminisced. “I used to do the same Whooves when I was a filly…” The purple unicorn locked eyes with Whooves as they starred at each other. “Twilight?” “Yes Whooves?” she asked bashfully. “I think the moon ponies lit your house on fire…” the buck said as he sniffed the air, catching the smell of the burning house tree. “What?” Twilight yelled galloping to the window to stick her head out and view the burning mass of her morning newspapers that was used to set fire to the base of the tree, “What in Celestia’s mane in wrong with those two?” “Eh you know different culture and all that, probably why I never told anypony I was from the moon. Have Spike send Luna a letter, I’ll go talk to them,” the buck said racing down stairs. He slowed to a trot as he approached the door, straightening his mane and putting on an awkwardly fake smile as he opened the door, “Ignignokt, Err how lovel-“ Whooves stopped as he viewed the two ponies entering a strange, and seemingly awkward stance as they prepared to ambush anypony who came out “Prepare for the quad-laser-comencicon!...Oh, Whoovsy is that you?” the high pitched voice of the constantly angry colt asked from atop his bright green companion. “Um yes Err, how’s it uh….. hanging?” The brown buck asked unassured of the moon pony’s intenions. “Yo, do you know where the Princess went?” Err asked. “Actually my lovely friend Twilight is sending her a letter now, so if you just wait out here and put out that fire we-“ Before Whooves could finish the two bucks barged in and made themselves at home in Twilights library. “Or you can do that too…” The buck said defeated as he began to rejoin the mare upstairs, finding her magically levitating a bucket of water out the window to extinguish the small blaze from creeping any farther. “Are they gone?” “Well…not exactly, they’re actually down in the library, but we’re one step closer. Did you get a letter to Luna?” “Yes, but-" a crash came from downstairs drawing both ponies away from conversation, "Oh, my library!” Twilight fussed as she trotted away. Somehow in the brief moments alone the two lunar ponies had managed to not only topple one of Twilight’s book shelves, but also set it ablaze. Twilight squealed as she tried to put the small fire out with magic, eventually quenching it before the red and green aliens could do anymore harm. “We we’re promised our lunar queen, yet I do not see her hear. Must we ignite more of your books?” the green pony asked calmly. “Nononono….I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” Twilight said hurriedly, looking to Whooves for help. With a sudden flash the library lit up as the dark blue alicorn appeared in the midst of the ponies. Princess Luna looked to around worriedly, paying little attention to the room or Whooves and Twilight. Finally Luna spotted the green and red ponies that starred back with unchanging expressions. “Princess! We have found-“ Ignognokt never finished his sentence. With a flash of her horn Luna sent arcing bolts of magical energy, vaporizing the two aliens before they could say another word as Twilight looked on in horror. “Princess! What? Why?” “Oh…Twilight Sparkle,’ Luna said calmly as she noticed the pair of on lookers, ‘how are you today?” “Why did you just do that? I thought those two were your friends?” “Why did you think I came back to Equestria? Why do you think I went insane?” Luna asked sincerely confused. “Because….I don’t know…you wanted to overthrow your sister….and the moon,” Twilight realized that she wasn’t making sense after the strange day she had, and realized she was faced with the pile of ash she would have to clean up. “Apparently I wasn’t the only pony my sister banished, after a thousand years with them you would want to destroy everything too," Luna magically created a broom and dustpan for Twilight before teleporting away, "Well…I’ll see you next Nightmare Night.” ______ “That…was great Derpy,” Whooves said quizzically trying to figure out what just happened. “Aw thankyou! I came up with it myself,” The cross eyed pegasus said cheerfully. “I liked it!” Pinkie chimed in as the others drew blanks. “It definitely had its own….flavor,” Lyra added. Vinyl lay down and prepared to fall asleep, “Can we finally have a story without the moon?” “What’s wrong with the moon?” Bonbon asked as she unwrapped more sweets. “Nothing, it’s just that the last three stories have involved the moon. Moon this, moon that.” “Yes….well who’s next?” Octavia asked but was met with nothing but silence, “alright I’ll go.” “And please make it a little more frightening,” Whooves added.
Yelling at the Moon“Alright everypony set up the decorations. Quickly she’ll be home soon! Oooh Bonbon start over the door, Vinyl do your thing, Octavia start with the lights please,” the pink earth pony squealed in excitement as she bounced around the empty home, leaving her companions to carry in the boxes of party favors from the cart outside. “Sure thing Pinkie, hey Derpy, keep a look out, we don’t want Lyra finding out about this yet,” Vinyl ordered, floating her grey earth pony friend Octavia a hoof full of party lights. Derpy the grey pegasus took off and flew out of the door as she set about keeping a cocked eye out for the mint green mare of honor. Bonbon, the earth pony with the blue and magenta streaked mane, grabbed a mouthful of streamers and got to work decorating her friend’s home for the surprise Nightmare Night party. “I can’t believe we didn’t do this earlier,’ she said dropping the hammer in her mouth, returning to grab more tacks, ‘Lyra has always been such a fuddy duddy when it came to Nightmare Night. Did you know that she never went out with us to get candy when we were fillies? Always stayed at home by herself,” her nasally voice explained as she continued to place her collection of ribbons and tassels. “Nightmare Night has always been my most favorite of holidays, it always has the most beautiful full moons of the year,” Octavia said looking out at the bright perfectly round moon that lit up the night as she returned to Vinyl for more lights to pin up. “Pfft lame, the parties on Nightmare Night are the best part of the celebration. When else can you dress up like a slutty vampire…or slutty pirate?” Vinyl tossed back her blue hair, while the others tossed sideways glances. “Speaking of costumes, what are you gals going as?” Pinkie asked excitedly as she strolled back in carrying a platter full of cupcakes. “I’m going with the classic,’ Bonbon said flatly pulling out a tall black hat, ‘a witch. One of these years I’ll have to mix it up, go as a zebra or something.” “That’s kinda racist Bonbon…. But I’m going as a slutty DJ,” Vinyl giggled as she plugged in her audio equipment. “But you’re always that…” Derpy innocently interrupted returning from her lookout, sticking an awkward hoof through the outside window at get to the muffin platter set up against the wall. Octavia let out a snort as she burst into laughter while Vinyl frowned from across the room, “laugh it up Octavia. What are you going to be? Not a cello again right? I still remember having to carry you around in that thing last year, you might as well have had a suitcase as your costume.” “No, I am going as my favorite musician.” “Let me guess…” Vinyl scoffed. The grey earth pony smiled at her companion and pulled out a pair of Vinyl’s red glasses and a blue wig from her saddle bags on the floor, raising a round of “awes” from the others when she tugged the short blue wig over her long black mane, looking like a ridiculous hybrid of her regular proper self and the partying nature of her marefriend. “Are you going as a chicken again Pinkie?” Bonbon asked as she delicately placed a pair of plastic spiders on the table. “Oh no,’ she began sadly, ‘Fluttershy lost one of her chickens a few nights ago, it would’ve been insensitive to her. It seems she loses an animal every Nightmare Night, no wonder that pony hates the holiday,” the pink mare answered as she carried in more plates of food, a mix of sweets and greens to fill up everypony that would be coming. Vinyl finished with a set of speakers and set about on the next arrangement of equipment, “Where’s Whooves by the way? Despite his cutiemark, his special talent sure isn’t being on time.” “Maybe he has a patient,” Derpy said with a mouthful of baked confectionary. "He’s not that kind of Doctor-“ “Hey, does anypony know where to put the ice cream?” Pinkie interrupted with concern as the large party sundae she carried in on her back began to melt. Bonbon dropped her mouth full of tassels as she trotted ahead of pinkie to guide her through the home, “Lyra has a fridge you can use, I don’t think she’ll mind,” she said as she opened door of the appliance. Pinkie gasped in horror and leapt back, sending the ice cream platter onto the floor as she scampered away from the open refrigerator. “What? What’s wrong?” Bonbon asked as she looked up at the fridge and matched Pinkie’s shock. “Meat!” She squealed in horror as she tried to run away from the frozen carcass in the fridge. The commotion broke the others from their tasks as they made their way to the kitchen to see what had happened, even Derpy left her snack behind and flew through the window to see what was going on.The refrigerator held a single chicken body, cleaned of its feathers, butchered, beheaded and prepared for consumption. Everypony stood in horror at what they saw, even Vinyl turned green and looked like she was going to vomit. The door slammed behind the group as they spun around to find Lyra standing there with a look of shock on her face as well, “what are you doing here? Oh, no, no you can’t be here,” she began to panic behind her green and white mane as her friends gaped in horror at her. “You can’t be here! No please, you need to leave.” “We’re not going anywhere Lyra, what’s wrong with you?” Bonbon shouted, trying to get a grasp on what was happening. Taking a few terrified steps away from her lifelong companion, “You eat meat? You-You can’t eat meat! Ponies don’t eat meat.” Lyra shrieked in pain and fell to the floor, her arms shaking as she tried to regain her stance, “I know…” she managed to force out as she screamed again. The soft crack of bones breaking could be heard beneath the green pony’s flesh as her skeleton seemed to shift and move under her muscle. Her mint coat began to dissolve under an unknown magical influence leaving most of her skin bare. Everypony squeaked in horror and clawed their way to the far end of the room to get away from the grizzly scene. Her delicately polished and filed hooves split out into long gangly digits that ended in stubby nails. Lyra’s mane was left untouched as her face receded farther back, her snout becoming nothing more than a small nose. The fleshy, lanky figure that replaced Lyra performed its most disturbing trick. She raised herself to the elbows and knees, and wobbly stood upright, gaining her balance as her freed arms swayed back and forth. Her blunt mouth curled into a wicked smile as she viewed her friends cowering, “…Nightmare Night always did have such beautiful fullmoons..” she said throwing her untouched hair over her shoulder.The other ponies began to cry and whimper at the sight of her, her long legs carrying her forward, her hands out stretched and fingers undulating in anticipation, “ I’ve never eaten pony before…mwuhahaha-“ ______ “…hahaha!” Lyra continued as she held the flashlight in front of her face. “Yes we get it…” Octavia moaned from her bed. “That wasn’t even that scary Lyra, what was the monster even supposed to be anyway?” Bonbon asked as she blew onto her mug of hot chocolate to cool it down. “I’m a human in the story…come on don’t you read at all?” Lyra asked, disappointed her story fell flat. “Humans aren’t real are they?” Derpy asked with the covers over her nose. “If they were they would’t be that scar-“ Vinyl began. “Boo!” pinkie yelled as she jumped out under the bed, sending Octavia and Vinyl huddling for each other in fright. The group laughed as they enjoyed their late night sweets. Derpy regained her courage and returned to sampling the slumber party’s wide array of treats. The pleasant commrodery was broken as a tapping sound began to fill everypony’s ears. A slowly building orchestra of hoof steps called out from down stairs as the hooves’ owner approached the bedroom from below. Everypony stopped their munching and talking to look at the door, waiting to see what was coming. “Does anyone hear hoof steps?” Bonbon asked nervously. Everypony nodded before the door opened, but as it did they each let out a sigh of relief once the brown earth pony entered, “I’m terribly sorry, when nature calls and all that…” the buck said as he took his seat. “Alright, Whooves is next,” Pinkie said filling her mouth with cupcakes. The room stayed silent before the buck spoke up, “Come on, didn’t you hear her, who’s next?” “No, you Whooves, come on you must have a mare’s tale to tell,” Bonbon asked hopefully. The buck tapped his chin to remember, “Well…how about his one?-”
To the Moon“Luna, what’s the status of the elements?” Twilight asked slouching in her chair as the multicolored display lit up with endless streams of information. None of which was interesting enough to draw her attention. A mechanical mare’s voice replied gracefully, “The elements of laughter, loyalty and honesty are operating at 80% due to their holder’s stasis, I have the others operating at higher efficiency to compensate,’ it responded from the moon like eye in the center of the console, ‘is everything alright Twilight?” Twilight removed her face from her hoof and perked up at the question, “of course, nothing new has happened,’ the purple unicorn sighed, ‘nothing new ever happens.” “The reason I ask Twilight is that protocol dictates that you inquire about ship status once per every six hours.” “Yeah, and?” “This is the fourth time you’ve asked me that question in the last 56 minutes,” The blue eye responded. “Sorry Luna, it’s just that with half my friends in suspended animation, Rarity down in the engine room, and Fluttershy out fixing the communications array I’ve gotten…well, bored,” Twilight said sadly. Who knew space travel would be so boring? When Celestia said I would be using the elements to travel to the moon I thought it would be one of my better adventures. “Would you like to play a game of chess perhaps?” the computer asked bringing up a digital game board on the forward display. “Thanks but no, it’s not exactly fair Luna,” Twilight responded crossly. “Princess Luna was a champion player, being programmed to be just like her it only make sense for me to be just as good,” the Luna9000 AI responded in its typical calm and charming tone. “And you being a super intelligent computer has nothing to do with it?” “Most of my processes are dedicated to maintaining the elements for travel, would you like to see?” the computer asked softly brining up a list of automated processes she is working on all over the ship. “You know,’ Twilight said slyly, ‘if you want we could use the elements and take the load off of you?” Oh pleases oh please, give me something to do! “Sorry Twilight,’ the computer responded in its usual monotone, ‘I cannot wake the others until we land, and the calculations are beyond you, no offence of course. However, I do have some news, Fluttershy is currently on her way back.” “Great!” Twilight said happily as she jumped up and galloped off to the pod bay a level above without another word. She rounded the corner passing her slumbering friends and climbed up to the central shaft. The circular passage that ran bow to stern was the only part of the vessel did have the benefit of centrifugal force to simulate gravity, leaving the unicorn grasping for any hoof hold she could find. Twilight gulped and tried to hold onto her lunch as he jumped into the weightless part of the ship, performing a summersault in the low gravity that would make even Rainbow Dash a little jealous. Twilight let her momentum carry her hooves to the “ceiling”; a word that the Luna9000 AI would constantly remind her is irrelevant in zero g. Twilight Sparkle looked up at where she had just came from, and tried not to think too hard about the confusing layout of spaceships, unless she wanted another headache to accompany her boredom. She climbed down from the trunk of the vessel and found herself in the pod bay as Fluttershy guided her small ship into the empty room beyond the viewing window. Twilight gave a smile and a hoof wave to her companion as their eyes met through the multiple sheets of glass, but her yellow pegasus friend maintained a sour and solemn expression as the room pressurized. Twilight unlocked the heavy airlock door and trotted into the room as Fluttershy opened the hatch on the small spherical maintenance craft, “hey Twilight, can you come in here, I think there’s something wrong with this pod's thruster controls.” So that’s why she seems so gloomy, Twilight thought as she climbed into the back of the small craft, “what seems to be the problem-“ Fluttershy shut the door of the pod behind her as she followed Twilight in, “I’ll tell you the problem…” The pale blue eye of the Luna9000 AI watched the two conversing ponies as they talked inside the small ship, unable to be heard by the computer. The camera of the pod bay zoomed and focused on their lips as they spoke too each other and occasionally threw glances at the stoic oculus that spied on them. “I wanted to talk with you in here because it’s the only place Luna can’t hear us. The communication array was fine,’ Fluttershy said concerned, ‘but as I poked around I found that the junction was locked out.” “What?” Twilight gasped, That’s impossible! The pegasus nodded, “It’s true, Luna locked out external communications.” “But why?” “I don’t know, but I don’t trust that…thing,’ Fluttershy glanced at the silent mechanical eye that starred at them, ‘it’s based off of Luna right? Maybe…I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with the elements or being so close to the moon but…” “What are you saying?” Twilight asked trying to put two and two together. “I’m just saying that we should be prepared to disconnect her if she starts to…turn.” “Are you saying that the Luna9000 could become a copy of Nightmare Moon?” Twilight was confused by the machine's actions, but the idea of Celestia sending them to the moon with an AI copy of her arch villain seemed unbelievably stupid, or cruel. “I don’t know, I’m going out again to try and get the array working, I might be able to lock Luna out but I want you to watch her and have your hoof on the button to make sure it doesn’t do anything radical. Just remember what we talked about, and be ready if you need to shut her down. When the others wake up I’ll fill them in,’ Fluttershy opened the pod door to let Twilight out of the docked vessel, ‘well thanks for the help Twilight, it should be working fine now. I’ll see you later I have to get back to it.” Luna watched as Fluttershy closed the pod door and cycled the airlock once again to return to the vacuum of space. The omnipotent machine tracked Twilight as well as she made her way back to the control room as Fluttershy’s pod floated around the Celestius space vessel. The penetrating moonlight like glow of the eye illuminated the engine room as well as Rarity went about checking the elemental drive that powered the ship on its lunar journey. (click) The sound was so faint that nopony heard it, not even the white unicorn that patrolled the engine room as the door sealed her in. The distorted image of Twilight flashed across the control room camera as she took her seat at the monitoring station. “Twilight, are you planning on using the external maintenance arm to help Fluttershy?” the AI asked smoothly. “No Luna, she has it handled,” Twilight said sternly as she looked over the displays. “Good, I detected a small glitch in the arm subsystem, it seems Rarity might have damaged it somehow on her last spacewalk.” Twilight cocked an eyebrow, Rarity has the perfect eye for detail, that doesn’t seem like something she would do, “bring up the arm readout Luna.” “I’m sorry Twilight, but I can’t do that. While I’m running the maintenance program it will be offline.” “Keep me apprised of the damage, this will be a long trip if we have trouble repairing our own ship.” _______ Space was eerily quiet, Fluttershy liked quiet but this was the absolute silence of a total vacuum, no birds or animals, just absolute stillness all around her. The yellow pegasus floated outside of her work pod as she connected her life line to the side of the Celestius. The only sound in the silence of space was her breath that echoed inside her helmet and proved to be a slight comfort in that it told her that she hadn’t run out of air, a fear she was still feeling no matter how many times she checked her life support. In the darkened quiet Fluttershy couldn’t hear the mechanical arm that came to life behind her or see the device's shadow looming over her until it was too late. The yellow pegasus squeaked in fright as the powerful mechanical appendage pinned her against the hull of the ship, crushing her in the its powerful claws. She screamed to herself, hoping that her radio would allow Twilight to do something, anything; she was always there to help her in the past, she had to help now. The pegasus heard the worst sound she would ever hear, a loud but fading hiss of air escaping into the void as she tried to scream in horror, but even her yells were lost to the silence of space. ________ “Luna…’ Twilight said concerned as she looked at the time, ‘where’s Rarity?” “I do not know,” the bright eye said coolly glowing at her, always keeping a steady and seemingly calm brightness. “Show me the video feed for the engine room,” The purple unicorn asked as she hoofed the buttons and nobs of the control panel. “I do not understand that command,” “I’m sorry?' Twilight asked disbelieving, is this thing trying to lie to me? ‘Luna9000 I demand you show me the video feed of the engine room." “I do not understand tha-“ Twilight didn’t wait, she bolted from her chair and rushed past her peaceful looking friends as they slumbered quietly and flew up the ladder. She didn’t stop to wonder about the weightlessness of the central shaft or ponder the paradigm shifting features of the crazy layout, the only thought she had was for dear friend Rarity. Twilight floated rapidly down the central passageway locking her eyes on the door at the end of the passage which would normally open into the engine room, but instead stood ominously in her way. The Luna9000 continued to watch the inside and outside of the vessel from all angles, watching the purple unicorn run through the hallways, the white mare gasping for air, and Fluttershy’s body floating away from the vessel, lost to space. However, it took particular interest in the stasis room where the three remaining ponies slept a dreamless sleep within their chambers. Subject: Rainbow Dash, bpm 63, 100/60… Subject: Rainbow Dash bpm 57, 105/50… Subject: Rainbow Dash //warning subject reaching critical levels// bpm 52, 95/40 The monitors of each the pods flashed with warnings as the lives of the ponies inside began to slip away. Eventually the chamber holding Pinkie let out a high pitched tone as her EKG flat-lined, then went Applejack, and finally Rainbow Dash failed too, her heart capable of sustaining her longer but not long enough. Twilight impacted the door a little too hard, her momentum slamming her shoulder into the metal with enough force to dislocate it with a soft crack. She squealed in pain as she tried to open the door, desperate to rescue Rarity despite the agony it caused her. It was locked and sealed shut even when Twilight pounded heavily, hoping to get some response, any sign of life from somepony inside. “Luna! Open the door!” she yelled panting heavily. “I cannot,’ the AI responded coldly, ‘there has been a hull breach.” Twilight turned around shocked, looking everywhere until she saw the glowing eye attached to the wall, “You…you did this!” She seethed with anger and pounded the glowing eye with her hoof before bouncing back the way she came. “Where are you going Twilight?” The purple unicorn stayed quite as she reached the door near the midpoint of the ship. I always wondered why this door couldn’t be locked, Twilight thought as she popped open the hatch. It was a bare room; one rarely trafficked and lit only by the lights on the mainframes, certainly no place for a pony but was the perfect home for the Luna9000. “You can’t kill me Twilight, you will die too,” the machine quipped, not showing any pronounced feeling or fear. Twilight laughed, “I’m not going to kill you. Luna, you may be a machine, but by my standards you are alive…unlike you I’m not a monster. Plus, you’re right but there’s nothing saying I can’t cut you off, after all I don’t need all of you.” Twilight pushed a button that released one of the large computer racks, taking with it whatever piece of the AI it contained. “Twilight…stooooop-“ The AI’s voice faded as Twilight disconnected it’s vocal processor, beginning to dismantle the rest of the complicated computer. _______ “Fluttershy…are you there?” Twilight asked through the radio, still only receiving the emptiness of space. “Fluttershy,’ Twilight began to sob as she looked back at the pods holding her dead friends, ‘Fluttershy please respond…” “Why did I have to die?” Pinkie asked waving her hoof. “Pinkie don’t interrupt I’m not done yet!” Whooves interjected at his pink friend’s rudeness. “But still why did I have to die? And like that? La- ame,” Pinkie asked crossing her arms in bed. “What’s scarier than being killed in your sleep?” Whooves asked. Lyra and bonbon exchanged a glance and said in unison, “monsters.” “Plus Whooves I think that was a movie,” Octavia said zipping up her sleeping bag. “Do you want me to tell the one about the arctic research station and the Changling?” Whooves asked as he laid back. "That was the Changthing with Colt Russell, another movie Whooves..." "Why wouldn't the AI think of stopping Twilight from destroying her-it... whatever? And wouldn't Celestia think of that? " Vinyl asked confused. "Well if you want to over think it Vinyl...plus we all know the Princess has a very particular type of humor," Whooves said smiling. “I have a story! Oh and it has you in it Whooves!” Derpy said excitedly with a mouthful of baked goods. The group looked at her in disbelief, but the adorable crossed eyes of the pegasus stopped any protest. “Alright Derpy tell your story,” Whooves said politely to his grey friend. "Oh and make it shorter than Whooves' I think Octavia started to turn grey from old age," Vinyl said poking her friend. "I'm always grey..."
Uninvited guests(knock, knock, knock) “Can you get the door for me Whooves? I have my hooves full here,” Twilight said as she floated books up to their proper places on shelves. Her purple magic making the books in the library buzz about like bees within a hive. The tan earth pony who answered Twilight's call of help trotted in, and just barely avoided a rather large encyclopedia from hitting him square in the muzzle, “…but you’re using your magic,” he said slightly confused, but relented when the purple mare shot a glare that could turn a pony to stone. “Alright then…” he said taking a look through the door’s peephole. “Oh no!” Whooves whispered as he snuck away from the door. “What is-“ Twilight began as she stopped her task and instead focused her attention on the buck crawling away from the door. “Shshshshhh…Geez Twilight, quite,” Whooves interrupted as he began to slowly walk up the creaking stairs out of the library. Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed, setting down the floating books, “Alright fine," she whispered, "what’s going on?” “Alright…well,” Whooves inhaled sharply and began, "I’m actually an alien from the moon, I came here to help you get Nightmare Moon back...well Princess Luna, because she was becoming a real pain to the rest of us up there. How are you doing so far?” He asked from atop the stairs. Twilight gaped in confusion, “I-I, wha-“ “Great, well those two outside were her two best, and only friends on the moon. Considering you took her back so quickly…" Whooves began to rub the bottom of his chin as he pondered, "they probably think that the plan to take over the Earth is still going on. Well, now that you’re filled in, please tell them to leave.” Twilight looked at the door as the visitors knocked again, “wait...” she looked back at the stairs to find Whooves gone, "…please don’t go…” Twilight whimpered as she turned back to the door. Two aliens that were friends with Nightmare Moon couldn’t be that bad…right? (knock, knock, knock) Twilight inhaled and steeled herself for whoever was waiting behind the door. Finally with a sudden burst of courage she closed her eyes and swung the door open. She finally opened her eyes to find an average sized green buck, and a maroon colt standing in front of her. Not exactly what I was expecting. “Hello Twilight, I am Ignognokt," the green earth pony said proudly, "and this is Err. We are exchange students from Canterplot-“ “It’s Canterlot!” The maroon Buck corrected his droopy eyed friend angrily. “Yes, Canterlot. We are students studying the moon, and we heard that you know of our moon…you know some would say that we are the moon’s moon, but that would belittle the name of our moon…which is, the moon,” the larger buck proclaimed while Twilight stood dumbfounded. “Point is we need to know about Nightmare Moon, so tell us everything you know or we’ll bust out the lasers!” The maroon colt with the angry face demanded as he walked up to Twilight’s chest. “Be sure to aim for the knees Err-“ Twilight slammed the door in the pony’s face and galloped upstairs, “Whooves? Whooves!” Twilight yelled as she ran about the upper level of the library sticking her head into rooms and nooks to find her friend who rudely left her to talk with the strange ponies downstairs. “Whooves?...please.” “I’m still here Twilight," Whooves said bursting out of a closet, sending Twilight to the roof with fear, "are they still downstairs?” “Yes, they’re getting a little antsy, maybe they need a friendly face…Are you really an alien from the moon?” Twilight asked leaning toward Whooves curiously. “Why yes I am, I used to look down on the Earth and wonder if somepony was looking back at me,” Whooves said proudly as he reminisced. “I used to do the same Whooves when I was a filly…” The purple unicorn locked eyes with Whooves as they starred at each other. “Twilight?” “Yes Whooves?” she asked bashfully. “I think the moon ponies lit your house on fire…” the buck said as he sniffed the air, catching the smell of the burning house tree. “What?” Twilight yelled galloping to the window to stick her head out and view the burning mass of her morning newspapers that was used to set fire to the base of the tree, “What in Celestia’s mane in wrong with those two?” “Eh you know different culture and all that, probably why I never told anypony I was from the moon. Have Spike send Luna a letter, I’ll go talk to them,” the buck said racing down stairs. He slowed to a trot as he approached the door, straightening his mane and putting on an awkwardly fake smile as he opened the door, “Ignignokt, Err how lovel-“ Whooves stopped as he viewed the two ponies entering a strange, and seemingly awkward stance as they prepared to ambush anypony who came out “Prepare for the quad-laser-comencicon!...Oh, Whoovsy is that you?” the high pitched voice of the constantly angry colt asked from atop his bright green companion. “Um yes Err, how’s it uh….. hanging?” The brown buck asked unassured of the moon pony’s intenions. “Yo, do you know where the Princess went?” Err asked. “Actually my lovely friend Twilight is sending her a letter now, so if you just wait out here and put out that fire we-“ Before Whooves could finish the two bucks barged in and made themselves at home in Twilights library. “Or you can do that too…” The buck said defeated as he began to rejoin the mare upstairs, finding her magically levitating a bucket of water out the window to extinguish the small blaze from creeping any farther. “Are they gone?” “Well…not exactly, they’re actually down in the library, but we’re one step closer. Did you get a letter to Luna?” “Yes, but-" a crash came from downstairs drawing both ponies away from conversation, "Oh, my library!” Twilight fussed as she trotted away. Somehow in the brief moments alone the two lunar ponies had managed to not only topple one of Twilight’s book shelves, but also set it ablaze. Twilight squealed as she tried to put the small fire out with magic, eventually quenching it before the red and green aliens could do anymore harm. “We we’re promised our lunar queen, yet I do not see her hear. Must we ignite more of your books?” the green pony asked calmly. “Nononono….I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” Twilight said hurriedly, looking to Whooves for help. With a sudden flash the library lit up as the dark blue alicorn appeared in the midst of the ponies. Princess Luna looked to around worriedly, paying little attention to the room or Whooves and Twilight. Finally Luna spotted the green and red ponies that starred back with unchanging expressions. “Princess! We have found-“ Ignognokt never finished his sentence. With a flash of her horn Luna sent arcing bolts of magical energy, vaporizing the two aliens before they could say another word as Twilight looked on in horror. “Princess! What? Why?” “Oh…Twilight Sparkle,’ Luna said calmly as she noticed the pair of on lookers, ‘how are you today?” “Why did you just do that? I thought those two were your friends?” “Why did you think I came back to Equestria? Why do you think I went insane?” Luna asked sincerely confused. “Because….I don’t know…you wanted to overthrow your sister….and the moon,” Twilight realized that she wasn’t making sense after the strange day she had, and realized she was faced with the pile of ash she would have to clean up. “Apparently I wasn’t the only pony my sister banished, after a thousand years with them you would want to destroy everything too," Luna magically created a broom and dustpan for Twilight before teleporting away, "Well…I’ll see you next Nightmare Night.” ______ “That…was great Derpy,” Whooves said quizzically trying to figure out what just happened. “Aw thankyou! I came up with it myself,” The cross eyed pegasus said cheerfully. “I liked it!” Pinkie chimed in as the others drew blanks. “It definitely had its own….flavor,” Lyra added. Vinyl lay down and prepared to fall asleep, “Can we finally have a story without the moon?” “What’s wrong with the moon?” Bonbon asked as she unwrapped more sweets. “Nothing, it’s just that the last three stories have involved the moon. Moon this, moon that.” “Yes….well who’s next?” Octavia asked but was met with nothing but silence, “alright I’ll go.” “And please make it a little more frightening,” Whooves added.
