Author's Note

Dagnabbit, despite still having no time to write, I wanted to get a Nightmare Night chapter written. It's tradition!

So, I stole an hour from other things yesterday and cranked this out. It's rough, unedited, and should really be fleshed out more, but sadly, it is the best I can do at present.

Hopefully I can get back to better and longer chapters soon, but who knows.

Anyway, enjoy! 🎃

Bonus! Nightmare Night Chapter!

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“Good evening, O Great Mistress of the Night.” Bean said with a playful smirk. “Are you here to bring about an eternal night, or are you just looking for some backsides to gobble?”

“Thou art lucky thou hast a foal in thine care,” Luna replied, smirking but also opting to maintain her appearance as Nightmare Moon. Apollo didn’t seem to be frightened of her ‘evil’ alter ego, and Luna hoped that, by seeing his father interacting with her in this form, he would continue to be unfazed. To scare the offspring of the one who had redeemed her would be wholly and completely unacceptable in her eyes. “Else I, in my wrath, would feast upon thine plump posterior posthaste.”

“Sorry, Celly called dibs.”

“As well she should. I will leave the gobbling to her.”

“How was Ponyville?” Bean moved Apollo from one foreleg to the other, but his son’s gaze remained fixated on Nightmare Moon.

“It was an excellent Nightmare Night once more,” Luna replied. “The little fillies and colts are growing fast and becoming wise to my tactics. I had to improvise to properly frighten them. Especially Pipsqueak, the little rapscallion.” A delighted expression crossed her features. “I am mildly surprised that you and Pollie are still awake. Is anything amiss?”

“I don’t think so.” Bean glanced down at his son, who was wiggling like he wanted to be held by the new alicorn that had shown up. Bean held Apollo out to Nightmare Moon, and she took him gently in her magic. “He’s just been a bit fussy, despite the midnight feeding and diaper change. I offered to walk around with him for a bit so Celly could rest. He’s starting to settle down now.”

“Do you not fear the night?” Nightmare Moon playfully said, holding Apollo close enough that his forehooves could touch her face. “Yes, it is still me, your Aunt Luna. Can you see through my disguise, little one?”

Apollo squealed happily, like he had just made the connection. He then pushed her lips apart and inspected her fangs.

“I think your scariness might be fading a bit there, Nightmare Moon.”

“That would hardly be a tragedy. To be honest, I would prefer if everypony forgot about my Nightmare side, but such will never be the case.” She nuzzled Apollo playfully. “I would much rather have your love than your fear. Ah! How did you get that?” she chuckled, snatching away a piece of candy that he had somehow gotten a hold of. “You little sneak!”

“Speaking of which, what do you do with all the candy that ponies sacrifice to you? I have a hard time believing you keep it all and eat it.”

“Indeed. I did try to keep everything that was given to me on my first Nightmare Night after my exile, but the amount far exceeded my ability to consume. Even with Celestia’s help and with passing it out to any staffer to happen to cross my path, it took me several months to get rid of the supply.

“So, from then on, I have devised a rather ingenious solution, if I do say so myself. All ponies leave a trace amount of lay magic on any item they interact with, like a hoofprint of sorts. When I am like this,” she motioned to her current Nightmare Moon appearance, “I also have a passive spell in use. Whenever it detects a piece of candy that has been sacrificed to sate my appetite, the spell surreptitiously teleports it back to the pony who last touched it, discreetly depositing it with the rest of their candy while the pony remains none the wiser.”

“But not all of it,” Bean noted.

“Of course not. It was a sacrifice, and I am entitled to enjoy that which was willingly given to me.” She bobbed her eyebrows. “I only keep a few little bits, mostly the caramel balls and anything that was imported from Germaneigh. They always have had the most exquisite chocolates,” she said with a delighted smack of her lips.

“Can’t argue against that,” Bean said over Apollo’s deep yawn. He gently took him back, and smiled as his son nuzzled into his shoulder to sleep. “So, what are your plans for the rest of the night?”

“I think I shall go visit one other location before dawn,” Luna said, spitting out her fangs and reverting to her normal appearance.

Bean shrank back a little. “Your old home?”

“Yes,” Luna said wistfully.

“I won’t hold you up, then. I’m sure you want to go see him. Good night, Lulu.”

“Good night, Bean, and to you, young Apollo. May you rest peacefully.”

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Princess Luna, Mistress of All Eventide, alighted softly just outside the small iron fence, paused to look over the ruins of The Castle of the Two Sisters, and pushed open the small gate before her. With deep reverence and respect, she strode past the silent tombstones, which seemed to glow in the light of her midnight moon, and paused for a brief moment before the markers for Chancellor Puddinghead, Commander Hurricane, and Princess Platinum.

Another moment was spared, and her head dipped, at the large stone obelisk that marked the final resting place of her own parents. There were still times when she missed her mother’s soft and loving demeanor, and her father’s rugged but somehow tender voice.

Luna would come on occasion to spend time with them, but for tonight, she had another in mind, one who had captured her heart in a way no pony else had. With a soft “I beg your pardon,” Luna moved away, and toward the back corner of the cemetery.

“Well, here I find you again,” she said lovingly, stopping at the headstone for her dearly beloved Star Struck. “I hope you will forgive my tardiness. The foals in Ponyville were most creative this Nightmare Night.”

She smiled as a comforting touch began to wrap around her, like a warm hug on a cold winter’s night. She sighed in appreciation, her eyes slightly misty as she gazed upon the cameo image of her dear husband. She welcomed the touch, grateful that she still could feel his presence and his undying love for her.

“So, let me tell you everything. It started at moonrise…”

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