The orange and pink earth ponies walked up to the dart booth, greeting the other ponies. "Sorry, everypony!" Pinkie apologized lightly. "I guess we got separated somewhere in this super-huge crowd!"

   Rainbow Dash put her darts down, and, followed closely by Fluttershy, walked over and joined the small group of four; Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack. She smiled. "It looks like we only have about a half hour left; the princess is starting to raise the sun." It was true; the sky had become much lighter by then.

   "I think we should all start heading home," Twilight said. All the ponies around them were still in full party mode, but the six friends had definitely been emotionally drained by the night.

   "Wait!" Pinkie shouted. "Why can't we just do, like, two more booths? C'mon! Pleeease?!" she begged.

   All her friends looked at her, and at each other. "Uh... yeah, I mean, I guess it's okay." "I suppose." "Why not?" They turned, almost in sync, and began walking down the aisle. "Ooh, uh, how about a beanbag toss?" Twilight suggested.

   Pinkie shrugged. "Sure," she said, and bounced over to the booth. The huge moon still lingered in the sky, overlooking allthe friends as though it were an eye of great power and importance. Rainbow Dash went up first to compete with Pinkie; she volunteered because there was something still itching at the back of her mind.

   They threw a few rounds, missing occasionally, but Pinkie was actually really hitting the target. Dash paused and looked over to Pinkie. "Wow, Pinkie! You're not bad at this! I mean... jeez!" She threw another. "I just can't keep up!"

   Pinkie remained silent, still in deep concentration - or in deep thought.

   Dash and Pinkie threw a few more rounds before Dash finally asked what had been bugging her. "Pinkie, um... Fluttershy and I asked everypony else, but I just wanted to ask you." She inhaled a little. "What... what do you think?"

   "You're doing really good, Dash! Usually, ponies can't beat me at beanbags!"

   "No, not - urgh. I mean, about Fluttershy and me."

   Pinkie stopped throwing. She knew what she thought: she was uncomfortable. But she didn't know why. She thought for a while, the game temporarily on hold. Dash looked over to her. "Uh, Pinkie?" she asked. Pinkie continued to remain silent. She - she just couldn't think of why. "Pinkie?"

   Pinkie turned to Dash, suddenly having become very... not Pinkie. She stared at Dash for a few minutes, feeling a terrible sting behind her eyes. She'd figured out the reason. "I... never thought it would end up between you and Fluttershy," she said, softly. Dash looked confused, and concerned for her friend. "I always thought it would end up between you and me."

   That was profound... and terrible. Dash was suddenly filled with compassion, and felt her friend's hurt. She placed a hoof gently on Pinkie's shoulder as tears began to travel down the pink mare's cheek. "I'm... so sorry, Pinkie, I - don't know what to say." She sighed, and leaned over to her friend. "Does it really hurt you to see me and Fluttershy?"

   Pinkie looked back into Dash's eyes, and... smiled. Dash was surprised. Pinkie, tears still rolling down her cheeks, said, "No... it doesn't. It - makes me happier than ever." Dash's mouth fell open. "I'm just glad to see that you're happy."

   Dash became hugely upset, and her eyes watered. She pulled the soft pink mare up to her and hugged her.

   The four behind them were... confused. Absolutely thunderstruck, actually. Applejack tilted her head to the side. "What, uh... what just happened there?" she asked, staring with the others at the scene playing out in front of them. They saw Pinkie begin to cry, Rainbow Dash trying to comfort her, then they hugged, and went backto their game.

   Twilight shook her head. "No idea," she replied.

   "Well, isn't it nice?" Rarity said.

   Twilight squinted, and turned her head to Rarity. "Why is everything so 'nice' tonight?" she asked.

   Rarity shrugged. "Well, I mean, eeh, you, um... I mean, it's all just..."

   Twilight's eyes grew wider and she looked up. "Oh no," Twilight said, and looked up at the moon. "I totally neglected to tell you guys," she began, looking sheepishly at the group of ponies around her. "The, um... about the Lunar Effect." the other ponies looked at the purple unicorn as if they were saying, 'okay?' She cleared her throat and continued. "It, um, amplifies feelings and emotions, so everything you're feeling probably isn't normal."

   She sighed. "I've been keeping myself prepared and under control for the entire night, to keep myself from doing something I would regret, but I forgot to tell you guys to be on your guards."

   Fluttershy began rocking on her hooves. "So that means..."

   Twilight grinned nervously again. "Yeah, that kinda explains why you guys decided to tell us tonight, and, uh, it probably increased our reactional feelings." She glanced from left to right at the ponies in front of her. They looked pretty pissed. "Well, I told you guys now, so, you know, be on your guards for the last... fifteen minutes," she finished anxiously.

   Applejack stared at Twilight, bemused. "So ah didn't need to tell anypony mah feelin's tonight? It was the moon's fault?"

   Fluttershy spoke up. "I'm glad it did, though; it was nice to learn abou your guys' feelings tonight, fully, instead of trying to get it out of you later to a lesser result."

   Twilight smiled as Pinkie and Dash returned to the group. "Well-spoken, Fluttershy."

   "Well-spoken what?" Dash asked.

   The group smiled. "Nothing," Fluttershy replied.