The surface, a pale, almost featureless white, nearly reminiscent of her sister’s coat. The sleek, craterless orb above looked back at its master, and friend.

This was the only moon Princess Luna knew, not the one that took up her absence not that long ago.

She had, of course, seen images of her moon as it was during her confinement. In olden times, many renown artists like Quiver Slick had tried desperately to capture the dread her moon evoked shortly after her untimely banishment.

Generations later, as Nightmare Moon was nearly forgotten, that dread had become curiosity and wonderment for many. The shift had clearly been visible in those numerous paintings, sketches, murals, and too many other now scattered pieces of art to name.

Her favorite, perhaps, was much more recent. It hadn't even been created by an artist, though she personally believed it deserved such a description. It was a simple photograph, taken right when technology had started to improve, and gave those black and white sheets of paper actual color.

It had not come from a special photo shoot, nor had it been taken by a professional. It was a simple picture, sent in by a reader of the newspaper she’d found the article in.

It was a picture of her sister, smiling, looking up at the moon.

Yet all she saw in her sister’s expression was sadness. It showed her exactly what a thousand years of solitude and agony can do to a mare like her; it showed how much her sister had truly been missed.

For a thousand years, Celestia had hoped for Luna’s return.

For a thousand years, Luna had been consumed by hatred.

Nightmare Moon had taken utter control of her entire being. All that anger, hate, and rage was not Luna’s, but her darker half. She could scarcely say she knew the nightmare she had become.

Not a single thought had been spared on family, because Luna’s thoughts were no longer her own, but Nightmare Moon’s.

It had been years since her return. She’d thanked her savior, and all her friends for assisting. She would someday see that hero of a mare grow under her sister’s tutelage. She’d also seen her ascend to join her in the ranks of royalty, and would also celebrate the returning summer with her.

Despite how welcomed she had been made to feel, one simply could not erase a millennium of hate in only a few years. Though, they had been expunged from Luna’s perspective of others, they still echoed sharply at times.

Luna knew that Celestia hadn’t been fooled. She’d been able to mask it the previous year, when Twilight had performed her role with them, but she’d caught her elder sister glancing at her.

Perhaps that’s why they had returned to Ponyville this year. It was the first major town willing to openly celebrate Luna’s return to Equestria, a place where she was welcomed, and treated not merely as a princess, but as a friend.

It had Celestia’s stylish writings smeared all over it.

With a deep breath, Luna summoned her magic, gently coaxing the moon down from the sky. She exhaled some air as the sphere dipped below and into the horizon, smiled as the sun rose to take its rightful place, ushering the day into being, and turned around.

With her job done, she trotted off the balcony of Twilight’s library, and made a beeline towards the guest room. She still had another day of sleep before her, another day before a new Summer Sun Celebration dawned.

Another day before she had to put on her mask.

With Luna’s moon finally down and her highness in bed, sound asleep, Twilight woke up with the warmth of the sun gracing her cheeks. She slanted up, her mane ruffled worse than Rainbow’s wings after a race, and yawned.

Her two front hooves stretched far up, reaching high for the ceiling, and then came right back down to the blanket. As they made contact, a nice, noticeable pomf noise followed the gentle impact. She smiled tiredly and looked out the window. Not a cloud in sight, perfect weather for…

Twilight gasped, remembering what day it was. “The Summer Sun Celebration!”

Spike rolled over and onto his back, catching Twilight’s attention. She leaned over her bed, muzzle down, flank up in excitement, and said, “Spike, Spike! Guess what.”

In response, the sleepy reptilian snorted quickly, just barely breathing open mouthed.

“That’s right,” Twilight said with glee. “Today, I get to help everypony prepare not as a mere unicorn living in a library that smells like maple syrup all the time, but as a princess living in a library that smells like maple syrup all the time!”

Spike peeled his left eye open momentarily to see if Twilight was still looking at him. She was, rather creepily, too. As she glided over him with her wings, she took out a book called “The Checklist” and walked up to Spike. With her magic, she teleported him into a standing position away from his basket. “Here,” she said, handing her assistant the book.

“No…”

“And, you’ll need these…”

Twilight started bringing forth parchment after parchment, a quill, some scrolls and an emerald. Up until he saw the final item, Spike was simply saying, “No… No…” in a rather rebellious, though dull tone, half tired, half resistant to the work like any other morning.

Twilight waved the shiny jewel in his face, and then snatched it back before Spike could grab it with his tongue. With the slithery thing returning to his lips, he grumbled, “So close.”

“Good, you’re awake.” Twilight lead him down the stairs while instructing, “You’ll get this by the end of the day, but only if you’re able to keep up with the list and help out.”

Of course, Spike had no trouble with that. It was handling Pinkie Pie that would become a bother. As they left the house, Twilight was shocked to find her whole house decorated from top to bottom with streamers, balloons and one, big bow right above her window. The rest of the scenery was relatively the same.

Pinkie could be seen of the far side of town with a jumbo-sized party cannon blasting the city like no tomorrow. Upon seeing Twilight’s angered face, she simply waved at the alicorn before firing at somepony with her welcome wagon’s baking artillery.

Twilight quickly trotted up to the pink pony, asking as calmly as she could, “What’s all this?”

Pinkie, in all her natural funk of foolery, said, “A party!”

Twilight shook her head. “Pinkie… this is…”

“Amazing?”

“Too much!” She giggled while still taking in her surroundings. Balloons on the beam bars, ribbons on every roof, and surprise streamers ready to shock the very lives out of anypony that might trigger them, purposefully or accidentally; it didn’t matter to Pinkie Pie. Whatever felt the funnest is what she went with.

“I know, right?” Pinkie asked. “I think I’ve outdone myself this year!”

Twilight face hoofed, fighting back a grin. “Look,” she said. “It’s great you’re doing your part so well, but there’s a limit. This crosses it in more ways than I can count.”

Spike looked up at her, and said, “Decor… triple checked.”

“Spike, I want you to take all these decorations down.”

“What?!” Spike bounded back and looked around at the catastrophe composed of mixing colors that currently plagued the once quaint town.

“But,” Twilight said importantly, “save a few, and rearrange things to look presentable for the princesses, not a bunch of five year old fillies.” She looked at Pinkie while saying that.

“Tee hee!”

Twilight rolled her eyes while asking politely, “As for you, Pinkie Pie, think you can handle helping Spike out?”

Pinkie nodded frantically with her eyes closed. “No problem, Twilight!”

Though her assistance would be welcomed if she was anypony else, this was Pinkie. Spike, at that point in time, thought it best if he did this alone, but didn’t speak up. Not that he had a chance, that is. The second Pinkie got her orders, she tugged on him suddenly, and they were off to fix the errors she’d justly made.

Giggling, Twilight levitated the checklist Spike had dropped up to her muzzle. Next on the list was none other than Rarity, who had been tasked with making the guards presentable. The unicorn had grumbled at first, as the military’s hygiene and cleanliness rules were strictly enforced, but she’d suddenly vanished a few days ago, singing about an idea that had struck her.

Twilight made her way to the Carousel Boutique where she knew her friend could most likely be found. She knocked once and pushed the door open, not waiting for Rarity to call out - she was, after all, one of the few ponies that could enter the fashionista’s home at any time, day or night.

Her hooves stopped as she stepped into the main floor, her eyes wide in shock and no small part of horror. Rarity had asked for two guards to model for for her ideas, and two stallions had eagerly stepped up to help the mare.

Twilight imagined that right about now, one of them was regretting this decision.

The poor stallion’s armor was nigh unrecognizable. The metal was barely visible under the white frills and navy blue ribbons that covered his body, and what metal was still visible was dyed a vibrant, but regal purple. One that matched Twilight’s coat, if she wasn’t mistaken.

To the guard’s credit, his expression remained neutral. Though, his eyes spoke of a stallion that had given up, and was waiting for the sweet, merciful release of death. Or unconsciousness. Preferably reassignment, anything other than this.

Both he and his fellow guard saluted quickly as Twilight entered, breaking Rarity’s attention away from her ministrations.

“Tut! I said not to move! Why are you- Oh, Twilight!” Rarity beamed her way as she followed her victim’s gaze. “What do you think, darling?”

“I…” Twilight hesitated. She knew exactly what she thought, but she wasn’t sure how to formulate it correctly. Or, at least, in the fashion that would cause the least amount damage not to Rarity, but to herself. “I’m not sure what I’m looking at?”

Rarity rolled her eyes, smiling at Twilight’s naïveté. “This is why you leave fashion to me. You see, I’ve always thought these uniforms looked too, well…”

“Yes?”

“Male!”

Twilight blinked. “Male?”

“That’s what I said.” Rarity stomped a hoof. “Too chauvinistic. Too macho.”

“And… that’s a ‘problem’?”

“It is! After all, who are these guards guarding? Hm?”

“Uh…” Twilight hesitated. “Me? And the other princesses?”

“Exactly! Princesses! Females, Twilight!” Rarity cried out, waving her hoof at the guard. “I thought I’d reflect that with a slight tweak in the design.”

“Slight?” Twilight repeated, raising a doubtful eyebrow.

Rarity nodded. “The colors match your coats. The frills are obviously Princess Celestia. The ribbons are for Princess Luna, and I’ve dyed the armor to match your own lovely shade of purple.”

“I see..”

“So, go on! what do you think?” Rarity offered her signature, toothy grin.

Twilight winced before replying. “I don’t think my opinion is the one that matters here,” she said cautiously, before fixing her attention on the afflicted stallion. “Soldier?”

“Yes Ma’am!” The stallion saluted, standing to attention.

“What is your name?”

“Sergeant Glinting Spear, your highness!”

“What do you think of these designs, Glinting Spear?”

“I plead the fifth, ma’am!”

“Thank you.” Twilight nodded in satisfaction, redirecting her doubtful eyes back to Rarity.

The unicorn sighed, her rump hitting the ground. “Yes, I know, it’s terrible. I just don’t know what came over me.”

Twilight smiled as she fought back a few chuckles, and placed a hoof on Rarity’s back. “I know how you feel. I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried to experiment with something, only to find that I’d made it worse.” She glanced at the other guard, who had not moved since her entrance. “What about him?”

“Him?” Rarity repeated, looking up. “Oh. Sweetie Belle dropped some Luster Dust on him yesterday, and he loves it.”

The guard in question cleared his throat. “Permission to speak freely, your highness?”

“Granted. You are?”

“Lieutenant Hammer Smash, your highness. This stuff is delicious.”

Twilight giggled, nudging the fashionista. “Think you could make some edible armor?”

Rarity stared at the Lieutenant, rubbing her chin with a hoof. “I may be able to ‘cook’ something up.” She snickered at her own pun.

Twilight groaned. “That was awful.”

“You are very welcome!” Rarity grinned. “Leave it to me, Twilight.”

As Twilight turned around, she looked over at the two stallions once more. “Your land’s ponies thank you for your services and especially your sacrifices. Rarity, they’re all yours.”

With that, Twilight left the two at their mistress’s mercy, or what little she truly had. Next up was the weather, and then the food. Those were the easiest apart from the music which would be Fluttershy’s duty to take care of. “Things shouldn’t be too bad with Fluttershy, so I’ll just check on Applejack and Rainbow Dash for the time being.”

While leaving the outskirts of town, she noticed most of the decorations previously infesting the place had almost been completely dealt with. Pinkie and Spike waved her goodbye as Twilight made her way to Sweet Apple Acres only a few minutes down the road.

She’d imagined that she’d find them deep in the orchard, hard at work. At least, she imagined Applejack would be, and Rainbow would be fast asleep in one of the farmer’s trees.

She hadn’t, however, counted on finding the both of them lying lazily against an apple tree just off the side of the road at the edge of the Acres. Especially not with a mug in hoof.

Twilight pressed a hoof to her forehead, sighing loudly. She shook herself and trotted up to the pair, who waved a hoof at her arrival.

“Howdy, Twi!” Applejack grinned up to the alicorn. “What brings you ‘round these parts?”

“Oh, you know, the usual.”

“The usual?” Rainbow repeated, glumly staring at her empty mug.

“Yeah, the ‘make sure everyone’s working hard on their task for the Summer Sun Celebration’ usual.”

“Ne’er mind that, Sugar.” Applejack chuckled, and pat the ground with her free hoof. “Just kick back with us. Got some fine cider here! Err, somewhere, that is.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped open while Applejack kept looking. “Kick back? The celebration’s tomorrow morning! What the hay have you two been doing all afternoon?”

“Hey!” Rainbow barked. “We’ve been busting our chops!”

“Really?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “Looks like you’re not doing anything at all right now!”

Applejack chuckled, silencing the pegasus before she blew up by hoofing over her own, full mug of cider. “That’s ‘cause there ain’t nothin’ to do, Twi. We’re done!”

“Oh, so you’re done!” Twilight scoffed. “I’m sure that-” She blinked as her brain caught up with her ears. “Wait, you’re done?”

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud belch. “Yeah, you see any clouds in the sky?” Rainbow asked, pointing a hoof upwards. “No? You’re welcome.”

“The cart’s filled with the 'orderves', waitin’ at Sugarcube Corner, Twi!” Applejack broke in. “We’re all set and rarin’ to go.”

“I…” Twilight sat down, sheepishly grinning at the pair, ears folded up against her head. “Sorry, girls. I’ve just been running into a few mishaps so far, and I kinda thought you were making it worse.”

“Mishaps?” Rainbow asked.

“Pinkie tried to turn Ponyville into a Party Warzone, and Rarity tried to turn the guards into clowns.” As Twilight explained, she brought a hoof up stop Rainbow from opening her mouth. “I’ll tell you more later. Seeing as how you two are doing just fine here, I’ve got to check on Fluttershy now.”

Rainbow snorted. “Seriously, egghead? It’s not like Fluttershy has much to mess up. Just chill with us!”

“Sorry.” Twilight shook her head, giggling. “I just want to make sure. Maybe later?”

Applejack lifted a hoof to her chest, mock gasping. “What, y’actually have time on yer busy schedule?”

“Oh, ha ha.” Twilight stuck her tongue out at the laughing pair. “We’ll see.”

Rainbow grinned, downing the last of her drink. “Actually, don’t. More cider for me! Ow!” She cried out, rubbing the back of her head where Applejack had hit her. “What, it’s true!”

“Still rude, featherbrain!”

Twilight shook her head in amusement, opting to escape before her friends started another wrestling match. She trotted off towards Fluttershy’s cottage, confident that the pegasus would be the least of her troubles.

Despite the earlier minor setbacks, the day was shaping up rather nicely.

“And then-” Twilight shook her head in bemusement. “Then Harry the bear tried to join in on the singing, and the entire cottage was just howls and shrieks and grunts.”

“Did he now?” Celestia chortled, her teacup lifting in a cloud of her golden magic.

“Yep!” Twilight coughed, attempting and failing to hold back a giggle. “And we just had to run out because we were laughing so hard!”

“I didn’t want to hurt their feelings…” Fluttershy said, the edges of her mouth still curved upwards.

Pinkie had long since started giggling. “Let’s get him the lead spot! Can we? Can we, can we?” She bounced up to Celestia, grinning for all she was worth.

The alicorn turned her head to look at Fluttershy, deferring to the pegasus’ judgement. “What do you think?”

“Um.” Fluttershy blushed. “He has a lovely tenor voice. B-but I think h-he needs more practice.”

Celestia nodded. “Next year, then.”

“Awww!” Pinkie pouted, then sped off to help the Cakes behind Sugarcube Corner’s counter.

“Don’t ya worry, Princess! Dash’s singin’ sounds bear-able.” Applejack quipped, her front hooves quoting the air. “She’ll take the job!”

“Hey!” Dash squeaked. “At least I sing more than just hoedowns!”

“You got a problem with hoedowns?” Applejack asked intimidatingly, but smiling all the same.

“And what if I do, huh?”

Applejack responded by smacking the table with a hoof. “You and me, hoof-wrestle, right now!”

“You’re on!”

“I swear, those two are beasts in disguise.” Rarity sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Speaking of beasts.” Celestia broke in as she glanced out of the window, over the grunting of the hoof-wrestling pair . “I believe it is getting close to dusk. I should go wake Luna.”

“We got ya-hrgh! Got ya covered.” Applejack grunted. “Right-hng! D-Dash?”

“Huh?” The pegasus blinked, momentarily distracted. Applejack pounced on the chance, slamming Rainbow’s hoof onto the table. “Ow! Hey, you cheated!”

Applejack smirked. “You’re just sore ya lost! Now c’mon, let’s go!”

“Go?” Rainbow blinked. “We’re going somewhere?”

“Pay attention, Sugar. We gotta go wake Princess Luna.”

“We do?” Rainbow asked stupidly.

“Race you there!”

“Hey!” Rainbow shouted as Applejack thundered out of the bakery. “Fine!”

In the wake of their sudden takeoff followed four sets of eyes staring at the slowly closing door. A gentle cough drew everypony’s attention to Rarity. “I beg your pardon, Princess Celestia, but…”

“Yes, my little pony?”

“Am I mistaken, or did those two charge off before you gave them permission?”

Celestia laughed gently, shaking her head. “They did, but they should be fine.”

“Sh-should be?” Fluttershy whispered.

“Though, Luna does have a bit of a temper in the morning.” Celestia paused. “Or evening, as the case may be.”

“Oh dear…”

Meanwhile, back at Twilight’s tree house, everything was quiet. A few birds stirred in the branches, and a gentle breeze blew across the leaves moving one or two along.

It was peaceful… until the front door flew open with a crash as the blue and orange blur tumbled in together laughing.

“Ha!” Rainbow crowed as she disentangled herself from the pile they’d landed in. “I win!”

“Y’need to get yer eyes checked, Rainbow.” Applejack said, grabbing her hat from the floor to place it back on her head where it belonged. “I won that race fair and square!”

“Ha! In your dreams!” Rainbow said, brushing dust from the tufts of her chest.

“Speakin’ of dreams, we should go wake the Princess.”

Rainbow blinked. “Wait, what? Why?”

Applejack rolled her eyes, and gave a light swat to Rainbow’s cheek with her tail as she made her way up the stairs to the guest room. “Princess Luna? Summer Sun Celebration? That ring any bells? Or are you too lost in the clouds to even pay attention?”

She gave the numbskull of a pony this annoyed look, and Rainbow on the other hoof just took the lead while understanding slowly crept over her expression. “Oh, that’s what we’re doing here? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Rainbow questioned smugly, almost sarcastically as she watched her friend run up along side her.

Applejack rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to swat Rainbow’s head. The only thing keeping her from doing so was the potential thickness of Rainbow’s skull. Once they faced the guest room’s door, she lifted a hoof and gave the door a few good knocks. “Hello? Princess Luna?”

Silence stretched on, so she glanced at Rainbow. “Think that did it?”

With a shrug, Rainbow leaned forward to tap the door herself, even harder than the farmer had. While she did, she snickered, “Princess! You awake in there? There’s royal sweets and treats and alicorn goodies just down the stairs!”

Applejack leaned away, rubbing at an ear with a hoof. “If she wasn’t up before, she’s sure t’be now, assumin’ she’s got her sister’s sweet tooth fer cake. Plus, your howlin’ would wake up the dead!”

Rainbow glanced away from the door to remark, “Funny, Rarity said the same about my snoring after that camping trip.”

“I wasn’t gonna mention it, but she’s kinda right.”

The pair waited in silence for another minute. When no noise was heard, Rainbow glanced at Applejack. “What… what if she is?”

“Is what?”

“Dead?”

Applejack blinked. “What in Equestria are you on ‘bout, Dash?”

“You said I’d wake up the dead!” She retorted, and pointed at the door. “But I’m not hearing anything!”

Applejack’s hoof met her face. “Oh for- Maybe she’s just a deep sleeper? Did that ever occur to you? Princess of the night! Protector of the stars! ‘Course she sleeps long, Dash.”

But Rainbow wasn’t satisfied. “Let’s check.”

“Check? What-” Applejack’s words faltered as the pegasus grunted, and shoved the door with a shoulder. Amazingly, it creaked open, having not even been locked in the first place. All it needed was one good push.

Slowly, the door creaked, revealing a room darkened by closed blinds. A few dense patterns made by looming smoke wafted in the rays that seeped through the window making it seem more and more like moving art the closer Applejack and Rainbow Dash got. Behind the bed and sitting next to the window sat incense, vanilla flavored, the ashes falling to the tray freely. Next to that laid a peaceful looking alicorn princess. The room was still the same, though, save for the bed and the scent that currently flooded any free space.

“Princess Luna?” Rainbow whispered, ears flat on her head as she creeped in.

“Oh, now you’re whisperin’?” Applejack asked, unconsciously whispering herself, but Rainbow didn’t reply. Instead, she merely pointed at the large shape on the guest room's bed. Applejack couldn’t help but gulp. “Is-is she alive?”

“Only one way to find out,” Rainbow replied, crawling closer to the bed. Each step sounded like thunder in her ears, or maybe that was the beating of her heart. Either way, Rainbow couldn’t hear anything until she was within touching distance of the alicorn.

It was only there that she heard what she’d been looking for - the deep intake of breath, the slow exhalation. She could even see the mound rise and fall under the covers.

Rainbow sighed in relief, only to jump as she heard Applejack speak into her ear. The farmer had clearly snuck in with her, hot on her tail.

“Thank Celestia she’s okay!” Applejack wiped her brow in relief, staring at Luna’s still slumbering form. “How’s she still sleepin’?

Shrugging, Rainbow inched closer. At that distance, she could see that the Princess was facing away from them, sleeping with her muzzle towards the guest room’s window. The long flowing and lightly colored mane peeked out from under the covers, glittering with magic. Acting on impulse, she lifted a hoof and poked the bed.

No response.

Applejack’s eyes met Rainbow’s as they shared a glance. The earth pony took the cue, shoving the mattress lightly. The mound moved, and the bed creaked, but it was merely settling back into position. The Princess’ breathing hadn’t changed.

Rainbow frowned, lifting herself into the air with a few flaps of her wings. She glided closer to the Princess and pressed a hoof to Luna’s back, hoping that some form of physical contact would get some response.

Again, she was disappointed.

Applejack took it a step further, jumping onto the bed and poking Luna’s flank with a hoof. Rainbow raised an eyebrow at the bold move, but it remained a fruitless venture. She glanced at Applejack once more, a wide grin splitting her muzzle.

“I bet you a bushel of apples that I can wake her up.”

Applejack knew that tone. She smirked up at the pegasus. “An’ if you lose?”

“I’ll buy a bushel!”

“Two!”

“One and a half!”

Applejack spat on her hoof and grinned, lifting it up to bump with Rainbow’s. “Deal.”

“Wait here!” Rainbow chuckled as she sped off into the corridor.

Wondering what she’d just gotten the princess into, Applejack turned back to face the alicorn. Her eyebrows raised as she noticed that Luna had indeed moved, probably while she’d been haggling with Dash.

The princess had flipped around, and was now facing her, still asleep. Applejack frowned as she inched forward to take a closer look.

Luna’s expression was… troubled. Her eyes were scrunched tight, her eyebrows pressed together. She seemed to be shivering, gritting her teeth tightly.

“Bottoms up!”

Applejack whirled around as Rainbow returned, carrying a bucket in her hooves. The farmer’s eyes widened in horror as she understood Rainbow’s plan. “Dash, wait-”

But it was too late. With one swift motion, the pegasus flipped the bucket over, dumping the water over to the Princess. The next thing they knew, a bright flash of light hit their eyes hard, and they fell to the floor with a thud.

Everything around them spun rapidly, only growing worse when they tried to close their eyes.

And then, everything went dark.