Early morning sunlight streams through the nearby window as you stare at your living room's ceiling, trying to regulate your breathing and to keep you trembling under control.

Thank god you're awake. You even pinched yourself to make sure. The series of dreams you had last night was worse than what Luna would put you through back when she was still trying to stalk you.

There’s no denying that you've had a lot of scary dreams since you met Moonbutt. You've traversed bizarre landscapes, faced down horrible creatures, experienced the loss of a friend, been chased and stalked by various marshmallow horses... but like most nightmares, their impact always faded quickly from your mind as the responsibilities of the real world captured your attention the next morning. They were just dreams, after all…

At least that's what you've been telling yourself for a while now, ever since Fluttershy said that ‘dreams don't count’ when you brought it up. You agreed because it was convenient at the time.

But as you look upon the sleeping form of Rainbow Dash as she lies sprawled atop you on the couch, you can't deny the truth any longer:

Yeah, normal dreams don't count. But these dreams engineered by Luna, where two or more hearts and minds actually meet... they DO count. And that's what makes last night's dreams so vivid and terrifying that they now consume your waking thoughts.

When this little pony wakes up, the relationship between you will be fundamentally changed. But that's not all. After the dance and kiss with Rainbow, the two of you parted ways as the dream shifted. You began to have glimpses of your time with Applejack. Your first meeting, working together, playing together, drinking together... her advances, your continual rejection, the rape and her sincere apology, her determination...

But the most striking memory was holding the crying earth pony in your arms after she overcame the temptation of ultimate power, all because she loved you. Even now it's like you can still feel her soft coat in your hands.

And then came the visions of Luna herself. Soaring through the dreamscape skies together, the many talks you had of your world and her past. The... admittedly very enjoyable rutting. She's been a major thorn in your side for sure, but it's that very unpredictable playfulness and genuineness that cuts completely through your defenses and endears you to her.

You'll always remember this moment in time, this morning where the dust dances through the sun's rays and the silence is assaulted by a snoring pegasus, as the moment you finally admitted to yourself:

You love all three of them.

You say the only appropriate thing that comes to mind from this revelation: “Fuck.”

Yeah, admitting it doesn't solve any of your problems, but at least it's out there. You feel like a burden's been lifted, just a bit, but a look at the clock reminds you that your horsefucker romance drama bullshit doesn't stop time. You've gotta get up and go to work soon.

As carefully as you can, you start to slide yourself out from underneath Cyan Pone. You do everything in your power to avoid touching her ears, but as you move you feel something solid around her neck.

“What the...?”

Shifting her mane aside, you catch the glimmer of a ruby pendant, exactly like the one she wore as part of her dress in the dream. Wait, did she always have this? You don't remember her wearing it during the poker game...

Well, whatever. You need to get moving. You do your normal morning shit/shower/shave routine and turn on the news as you start on a simple breakfast for two. Hopefully the noise from the TV will wake Rainbow up so you don't have to.

”Good mornin', ponies of Ponyville! This is the 7am Edition of the Foal Free News, brought ta ya by the students of Ponyville Elementary. My name's Applebloom!”

“And I'm Scootaloo!”

You just can't get over the fact that a bunch of kids can produce a better newspaper / TV broadcast than an actual studio, but it's no contest. Ever since Cheerilee started the school's extracurricular newsroom, ratings for the normal news stations have tanked. Magical horse land, man...

”Today we have breaking news outta Ponyville! Reports are comin' in from all over that an, er, en-fess-tay-shun of snails is overrunnin' the town!”

“Wow, sounds like a real slimy situation, Applebloom!”

“It sure is, Scoots. We have some interviews from survivors of the carnage! Roll it, Featherweight!”

Daisy: ”They're slowly eating my potted plants! The horror! The horror!”

Mr Breezy: ”It's terrible. They move five, maybe ten times faster than normal snails. You have to trot briskly to outrun them!”

Berry Punch: ”It's the end of the ****in' world, man! Wait, where am I?”

End of the world? Okay, now they've got your attention.

”Wow, those're some mighty powerful interviews! Thanks, Featherweight! We now go ta our ace reporter, Sweetie Belle, live on the scene! What can ya tell us about what's goin' on, Sweetie?”

The camera cuts to a shot of Rarity's little sister holding a microphone and standing on Mane Street in front of the marketplace. Slowly, she raises a hoof and points to a line of snails making their way down the street leaving trails of slime behind them. Her face scrunches up in revulsion.

”Absolutely disgusting.”

Silence. After a few seconds, you hear Applebloom's voice over the feed.

”A-Anythin' else ta add there, Sweetie?”

“Absolutely disgusting.”

“Ooooookay, thanks fer the report! That was ace reporter Sweetie Belle, live on the scene...”

A snail infestation? You want to write it off as just another weird Ponyville occurrence, but with all the crazy shit going on lately regarding these Nightmares...

You hear a yawn from Rainbow as she pulls herself awake and scratches various places with her hoof. She turns to watch you for a few moments as you set the table with a few reheated slices of apple pie and some apple juice, before she suddenly jumps a bit, a barely-audible, uncharacteristic squeak escaping from her mouth.

“Uh... A-Anon,” she says as she touches the ruby pendant around her neck. “It's not like I don't like this, but don't you think we're moving a little fast here?”

“I don't know where that thing came from,” you reply, taking your seat at the table. “You were wearing it when I woke up. And since when do you complain about going fast?”

“Ha, ha.” She gives you an annoyed look as she flies over to join you. “Hey, isn't this...”

“Yep, pie made by Applejack. It's reheated, but...”

The pie slice instantly disappears from her plate. You start to chuckle as she swallows.

“What's so funny?”

“Nothing.”

You get started on your own slice as Rainbow downs her apple juice and then nervously fidgets in her chair. “Anon, I...” You hold up a hand to stop her before she can get going.

“Listen, I know we've got some things to talk about, but there's something going on in town and I think you guys need to check it out. It might have something to do with a Nightmare.”

She perks up. “A Nightmare?”

“Yeah, there's a bunch of snails running around town doing... uh, snail stuff. I saw it on the news. It's got ponies pretty freaked out.”

Rainbow nearly falls out of her chair with laughter. “Bwaaaahahaha! C'mon Anon, THAT's the excuse you came up with to avoid talking about last night? What kind of pony would have 'Snails'...” She does air quotes with her hooves for emphasis. “...as a Nightmare power? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!”

You just give her a deadpan stare as she laughs at you, and her laughter starts to die down as she comes to a sudden realization.

“Oh. Oh buck. I'd better go get my Element.”

“Yeah, better safe than sorry. I'm heading to work. We'll talk later, okay?”

“You bet!” She places a quick kiss on your cheek as she flies past you and out the door. “And don't try to weasel your way out of it, cause I WILL find you...”

“Yeah, I know.”

And with that she's gone. Thank you snail infestation! You've bought yourself at least a few hours to figure some things out. You grab your keys and head out the door toward the Acres, a skip in your step.

Yeah, you're a dumbass.

You completely forgot that you have to walk through the marketplace on your way to work, which it turns out is ground zero for this whole snail event. Sure enough, the Elements of Harmony have assembled here and are now confronting the apparent source of all this chaos: Snails. As much as you want nothing to do with all this Nightmare Pony bullshit, morbid curiosity compels you to get closer to see what's going on.

Snails stands in the middle of the market, eyes closed, surrounded by countless, er, snails. They completely encircle him, motionless, almost as if they were revering him as a god. Many other ponies are watching the scene unfold from the fringes of the marketplace.

Twilight Sparkle, her Element of Magic tiara shining in the sun, steps forward. “That's enough, Snails! Just surrender peacefully and nopony has to get hurt! We can help you!”

“Ah, Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony.” The gangly pony opens his eyes to look at her, his expression oddly calm. “I know why you have come. I am to be purged, am I not? That is fine. Perhaps it is even for the best...”

Wow. He seems oddly... eloquent for some reason. Everyone else is shocked too.

Twilight quickly recovers. “Yes, that's right, Snails. You've been possessed by Nightmare Magic. The Elements of Harmony can free you, but you have to promise to cooperate with us.”

Snails holds a hoof out and a single snail crawls onto it. Carefully, he raises the creature to his face and contemplates it for a few moments before speaking again, “I have no intention of fighting you, Twilight Sparkle. All I ask is that I be permitted to speak for a time, and afterwards I will gladly submit myself to the Elements.”

The six ponies all exchange cautious glances with one another.

“Ah... ah think it might be a trick, Twi!”

“AJ's right, we shouldn't trust him!”

“Oh come now, what's the worst that could happen?”

“Yeah, I agree with Rarity. Maybe he wants to tell us a joke!”

Twilight takes a deep breath. “Okay, Snails, we'll let you say what you want. But if this is a trick, we won't go easy on you.”

“You have my thanks,” he says, bowing to the Elements as a sign of respect before standing again to gaze upon the gathered ponies with a sigh.

“In truth, I am afraid. This... 'power' I've received... to channel and harness the collective consciousness of all snails across Equestria... is a curse. It has opened my eyes, and what I now see humbles me to my very core.”

He holds the snail out on his hoof for the crowd to see. “Consider this snail. It is a simple creature, knowing little of the grand world around it. It doesn't understand our civilization or culture, cause or effect, or even its own place in the world. Driven by basic instincts, it lives and dies in blissful ignorance, never knowing anything more. It is both a beautiful and tragic life.”

His hoof returns to the ground, allowing the snail to crawl away.

“I see now that we ponies are no different. We think ourselves above other creatures because of our works, our monuments, our understanding of science and magic. We think we know everything of our world; that we understand cause and effect despite the shortsightedness of our vision. We truly know nothing. Even with my expanded consciousness I can barely grasp the true nature of our universe. I am ignorant, and yet at the same time what knowledge I do possess, the tiny piece of the puzzle I am able to see... it terrifies me...”

Twilight's jaw is hanging open in shock. Most of the other ponies look either scared or confused as Snails lays down on the ground and lowers his head.

“Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony. I beg you, please release me from this state. I wish to return to the blissful ignorance I once had and cast this knowledge back into the ether. I implore you: purge me now.”

Twilight nods to the other Elements. “O-Okay, Snails. Just hold still and it'll be over soon.”

The Elements begin to glow in harmony as the purging spell is cast, and Snails remains still throughout the process, a serene look on his face. In the final moments before the rainbow wave appears, he raises his head looks directly at Twilight.

“A question before my eyes are closed again, Twilight Sparkle. You are a scholar of magic. What do you believe happens to a Nightmare as it is purged? Where does such powerful magic go as it leaves the body of the afflicted?”

Twilight's eyes are now glowing with pure magic, but despite the strain she answers, “A-According to Greymane's research in the third era, the Elements' purging reduces the magic into its most basic form where it's then reabsorbed into the astral plane...”

Snails chuckles. “Is that so? That is comforting to know.”

The rainbow erupts from between the Elements and consumes the young colt. The magic fades after a while, leaving a dazed looking pony in its wake.

“Snails...?” Twilight whispers as she hesitantly trots up to him.

“That's me! Whooaaaaa~! Look at all the snails! Ha ha!” The unicorn colt frolics amongst the snails gathered in the marketplace as they slowly begin their return to the wild. “Hey little snail! My name's Snails! What's your name...?”

The crowd begins to disperse when they realize everything's back to normal, and the six Element bearers themselves gather together to talk as you approach them.

“Well THAT was boring,” Dash complains, crossing her hooves as she hovers in the air.

Rarity huffs. “Rainbow Dash, are you saying you're actually disappointed that we didn't have to go through some sort of life threatening trauma this time? What is wrong with you, darling?”

“Ah've gotta go with Rares on this one,” Applejack says with a nod. “Ah've had just about enough'a all this Nightmare malarkey.”

Twilight giggles. “You can say that again! But the good news is that according to what the Princess told us, that was the last one! I'll need to report this to her right away! See you later, girls.” She begins to trot off toward the library.

Rarity yawns. “Yes, I suppose I should get back to my dresses. Ta for now.”

“I smell a 'Congratulations on Vanquishing All the Nightmares' party brewing~” Pinkie sings, bounding away toward Sugarcube Corner.

Only Rainbow, Applejack and Fluttershy remain by the time you get to where they're standing. Applejack notices you first and bounds over Rainbow and Fluttershy with catlike grace. Before you know it you're being hugged by two forehooves and entranced by a pair of emerald eyes.

“Howdy, sugarcube.” She smiles at you and you can't resist the urge to run a hand through her mane and scratch her neck just underneath the rim of her hat. It feels just like you remember from your dream...

“Uh, hey. Good job getting rid of that Nightmare. You guys did great.”

The earth pony giggles. “Well, yer awfully affectionate today. Is this my reward?”

You grin. “Maybe. You headed to the farm?”

“Sure am. Ah'll walk with ya if ya like.”

“Yeah, that'd be great.”

A snort of displeasure from behind you catches your attention and you glance back to find Rainbow Dash with steam coming out her ears. Uh oh... Anon, you Grade A fuckin' moron... even though what you just did came as naturally as breathing, you need to learn to think before you act!

Cyan Pone circles the two of you like a bird of prey. “Going to the FARM, huh?”

Applejack nods. “Eeyup. It's a work day, so that's where we're goin'.”

“Gonna do some WORK, huh?”

“Ya got cloud in yer ears, girl? That's what ah just said.” She gives the perturbed pegasus a confused look.

“Fine, be that way! I've gotta go to work too so BYE!” Dash zooms off, leaving a rainbow trail behind.

“What in tarnation's got her feathers so ruffled...?”

“No idea...” you answer with a somewhat guilty-sounding cough.

The little farmpony looks at you with tired eyes. “Anon, what Element am ah?”

Goddamn it...

“Ya don't have ta tell me if ya don't wanna, but ah'd appreciate a little honesty every now and then.”

“Sorry.”

She smiles. “S’alright, Sugarcube. C'mon, we'd better get movin' or Mac'll be grouchy with us fer bein' late.”

The two of you turn to start down the road together, but a timid voice calls out before you can take more than a few steps, “Um... do you mind if I come along too?” Turns out good ol' Banana Hush is right behind you.

“Well sure, Shy!” Applejack falls back a bit and bumps Fluttershy's flank so that she's standing beside the two of you. “Ah know yer cottage is on the way and all...”

She glances at you and blushes a bit. “T-Thanks, Applejack. Um, Anon, if you don't mind me asking, are mares seductively sucking on fruit popsicles your fetish?”

She pulls out a mostly melted popsicle from the pit of one her wings. It's dripping all over everything, much to her disappointment. “Oh. Um... I bought this on the way to your house this morning, but then the whole Nightmare thing happened...”

Applejack pulls her hat over her face and tries to stifle her laughter. She does an admirable job but you utterly fail to stop your own.

“Don't worry about it, Fluttershy. It's not my fetish anyway.”

She sighs. “Oh, okay. Um... I don't want to waste this, so I'm still going to eat it. Seductively. If that's okay with you.”

You shake your head. The more things change, the more they stay the same. It's kind of surprising but Fluttershy's daily fetish guess is actually calming you down. At the very least she's helping to take your mind off the conspicuous cloud with a rainbow tail hanging out of it that's following you down the road.

Yeah, you might have avoided getting caught up in any Nightmare shenanigans, but you can tell this is gonna be one of those days. You're almost certain that Luna will pop up and drag you into some kind of ridiculous situation any minute now…

An unbidden smile creeps across your face at the thought. C'mon Anon, you can't actually be looking forward to that, right? That'd be crazy...

Yet, though you'd never admit it, even to yourself... deep down, you kinda are.

Your work day progresses as normal. Fluttershy goes home and Rainbow has to abandon her stalking to actually do her job. And though you keep a keen eye out for her, Luna is nowhere to be found. All day you half expect her to be just around the next corner, to be waiting in the branches of the next tree, to have her obnoxiously loud voice suddenly drown out the birdsong...

You feel a pang of disappointment as the day ends and the sun starts to set. With a sigh, you finish up your chores, say goodbye to AJ, and start down the road toward home. In your pining for Luna you've neglected to put any serious thought into the real problem you're facing. Great...

Maybe a shower and a good meal before Rainbow inevitably shows up will help you shake off these strange feelings that have been tugging at the fringes of your thoughts...

With a graceful flap of her wings, Princess Celestia ascends Canterlot Castle's great tower. The click of her golden horseshoes on stone announces her arrival in her personal study, where the Princess of the Night sits curled up in front of the grand fireplace at the far end of the room, a book on the floor in front of her and her reading glasses reflecting the fire as it dances. She lifts her head and tilts it a bit to acknowledge Celestia's presence.

“Ah, Luna, there you are. I was wondering where you had gone off to when it came time to transition day to night, but you did a wonderful job with the moon as always.” The radiant alicorn lays down beside her sister and softly smiles. “Were you off in Ponyville playing with Anonymous again today?”

Luna shakes her head. “Thank you, Sister. No, I have not spoken with Anonymous recently. I apologize for my absence, but I'm afraid this book was so entrancing I lost track of time.”

Celestia giggles. “You're starting to sound like Twilight. Speaking of whom, I received a letter from her earlier this morning with wonderful news. It seems she and her friends were able to purge the final nightmare spell from the young colt in town you identified as a Nightmare candidate yesterday. It appears that this ordeal may finally be behind us.”

Luna smiles. “Truly? Did they have much trouble with him? From what I glimpsed of his dreams, I feared the immense knowledge that he would acquire from his Nightmare could be very problematic.”

“No, according to her report they spoke and he allowed himself to be purged willingly. It appears he was afraid of what he had become.”

Luna nods. “Then he was gifted with a bit of wisdom to match his newfound knowledge. I am glad things worked out so favorably.”

“As am I.”

Celestia watches the fire for a few moments in silence and Luna returns to her reading, but the elder sister's calm expression turns to worry as she internally debates whether to speak again.

“There... there is one thing that concerned me about her report. It seems that during the purging, the colt asked Twilight where the magical energy of the Nightmare spell would be banished to. I find it a bit odd that he would ask such a thing at such a time, but what really concerns me is that upon giving it some thought I came to realize that I couldn't answer the question myself. I was wondering if you might have any insight as the Nightmare spell's–” She shakes her head. “No, no, forgive me. I shouldn't have said anything...”

Luna abruptly closes her book. “You think me offended by such a statement, Sister? There is no need to worry; I came to terms with my past long ago.” She stands and returns her book to its proper place on the shelf. “Yes, as the... author of the Nightmare spell, I can easily explain its workings. As you know, the spell ignites a creature's inherent magical ember, turning what was once a spark into a fire. The spell's role in this case would be as kindling. It does not increase the creature's magic directly; it merely provides the fuel source to accelerate its own natural magical development far beyond what would normally be possible...”

Celestia's head moves to track her sister as she paces about the room and continues her explanation.

“To remove the effect, the Elements of Harmony, in their vast and benevolent power, are able to lift the kindling away from the creature, leaving only the original ember behind. It is akin to directly removing the burning wood from a fireplace. The Elements cannot risk extinguishing the blaze as it would jeopardize the creature's life, so removal of the fuel is the purging spell's solution to the problem.” The dark alicorn sits on her haunches facing Celestia, her starry mane and tail waving with the shadows cast by the fire.

“The question then becomes, what happens to the fuel after it is removed? In our example, the logs pulled from the fire are still burning. The 'fuel' of the Nightmare spell is still awash with the unfathomable magical power of its host creature. It is interesting, but the Elements are not concerned with this. They merely wish to save the host creature; once the fuel is removed, their role has ended.”

Celestia lets out a sigh of relief. “So, it is as I thought. As Greymane stated in his thesis all those ages ago, the unbound magic will be diffused back into the astral plane just as it is with any other broken spell.”

A spark of glee glimmers in the dark alicorn’s eyes. “Not quite. You forget, dear Sister, I am a genius of spellcrafting. Some might say even greater in talent than yourself. We spent so much time studying the Elements when they were first discovered that I anticipated this effect when designing the Nightmare spell. It was only logical that the Elements would be used against it someday; after all, you'd do everything in your power to avoid ending the life of an afflicted creature, wouldn't you?”

Celestia's heart skips a beat and her muscles tense. “Luna...?”

“There is a final incantation woven into the spell. A simple instruction to return the fuel, now alight and blazing with magical power, to its source once freed. It all returns to the Grimoire, Sister.”

Celestia's pulse quickens as a deep fear washes over her. A part of her tells her she's just being paranoid while another part screams at her to escape. The fire behind her crackles and flares and the shadows of the furniture and other objects in the room dance erratically with her own on the far wall.

The Sun Princess' eyes widen in realization. “No...”

Luna smiles brightly. She takes a bow, then her eyes roll back in her head and she collapses on the floor. Her starry mane and tail fade back to their original azure color and her coat lightens, her breathing pained and ragged. Celestia is on her hooves immediately, scanning the dark corners of the room for any signs of life as malevolent laughter seems to echo from every direction at once.

“Did you like my puppet show, Sister? I'm quite proud of it myself. It seems I had you completely fooled!”

“You are NOT my sister, you abomination!”

The shadows of the room coalesce into a single mass in the shape of an alicorn similar in size to Celestia. Two large black wings unfold along with a mane and tail that seem to be a window into the very depths of space. Two sinister, catlike eyes open to consider Celestia coldly.

“You wound me, dear Sister. This is how you treat me after all this time apart? Surely you couldn't mean it... did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, perhaps?”

“SILENCE!” Celestia's horn ignites with power, banishing the darkness, and the shadowy alicorn cringes at the sight. “I don't know how it is you've returned, but you WILL tell me what you've done to Luna this instant!”

Nightmare Moon chuckles as she paces about the room. “Don't know how I've returned...? It appears age has slowed your mind. I just told you, you fool; when the Elements purged Luna, I was cast into the Grimoire. Despite what your precious student might believe, being bound within the confines of a book is not pleasant. I had no power to escape so I had to bide my time in slumber. But then the most amazing thing happened... the very wretch who banished me found the book and started pouring her pathetic magic into it. It wasn't nearly enough to free me, but it was enough to plant the seeds of my resurrection...”

“It can't be...”

“Yes, that's right!” Nightmare Moon cackles. “Every Nightmare your foolish protégé purged transferred untold power directly to me! This last one provided more than enough for me to step outside the pages for once and pay you a visit.”

Celestia's face darkens with grim determination. “Enough of this. Your power is nothing like it once was; I'll see you sent back to the darkness and then tend to Luna!” Her horn blazes even brighter as she prepares a spell.

The dark alicorn’s smile fades. “Yes, you're quite right about that. Even after draining little Luna, I'm still fairly weak. However...”

Countless arcane runes ignite upon the walls, floor and ceiling of the study. Their magic reaches out and binds Celestia, cutting off her own magic and forcing her to the ground.

“...The moment you stepped into this room you fell into my trap. Relying on others to protect your kingdom has made you complacent and weak, Celestia, and a weak monarch is unfit to rule. Equestria would do well to be rid of you.”

Nightmare Moon gracefully steps toward the bound alicorn, who seems to be trying desperately mask her fear. She bends down and uses her mane to tilt Celestia's head so that their eyes meet.

“How unfortunate that immortal alicorns are so annoyingly difficult to kill. It's not worth the effort, so I think you'll be enjoying eternity within the sun you love so much instead. Consider it poetic justice.” She smiles again, revealing a set of menacing fangs. “But your little student and her friends won't be so lucky. I've had a good while to stew in the humiliation I suffered at their hooves, and I'll be sure to return that suffering tenfold.”

She stands, flutters her wings, and takes a deep, cleansing breath. “Yes, tonight seems like a wonderful night to take a moonlit stroll through Ponyville, wouldn't you agree? I might even visit some old acquaintances...”

Maniacal laughter echoes throughout the castle as Celestia, First Princess of Equestria, is cast from the world and into the sun's thermonuclear fire.

“Anon, get back here you no good bucking CHEATER! I'm not done with you yet!!”

So, it turns out Rainbow was waiting on your roof when you got back to your place. It also turns out she takes loyalty very seriously, so when you were affectionate and somewhat flirty with Applejack today after you reciprocated Rainbow's feelings in your dream together, she got a little mad at you.

Just a little.

Since all diplomatic solutions have failed, you've opted to take a relaxing nighttime jog through the streets of Ponyville. It's good to stay in shape, yessiree! You risk a glance back and oh god that was a bad idea. Two magenta eyes are staring right into your very soul. She's not even breaking a sweat; why in the world did you think you could outrun her?!

The perturbed cyan pegasus is just toying with you... waiting for you to tire yourself out. You need a plan NOW or you're fucked...

You glance up at the full moon hanging in the sky. There’s only one thing that can save you now…

“Luna...” *huff* “... if you can see this... then you know I'm about to die. Now... would be a good time... to—URK!”

You slam into something soft and squeaky at full speed and go tumbling to the ground. When the dust clears you open your eyes to find your arms full of...

“Um... hi, Anon.”

“Fluttershy?”

“F-Fancy meeting you here. I couldn't help overhearing. Is... is infidelity your fetish? I could be your mistress... if you want, that is. I'm good at keeping quiet. Nopony has to know about our torrid lust-driven buck sessions when your marefriend says she's got a headache and you tell her it's okay because you have to work late anyway but you're secretly at the cottage pounding my—”

You place a hand over her mouth. She starts licking your palm in response... sensually. Oh god, why...

Rainbow Pone angrily hovers nearby. “Oh, so now you're throwing yourself at FLUTTERSHY too?! Are you bucking the whole town or something?! Is there a waiting list?! If there is one you'd better bump me to the top right now!”

You chuckle. She's so unintentionally cute when she's mad, you almost want to grab her and unleash a noogie apocalypse on that messy mane. You'd totally do it right now if she wasn't ready to beat you into paste...

“Got nothing to say, huh cheater?” Rainbow growls. “Fine, b-be that way...” Her composure quickly starts to fade as she sniffles and wipes her eyes with a foreleg. “W-What did I do wrong, Anon? I know I'm new at relationships, but I don't get it...”

Oh no. Pone waterworks. Your one weakness!

“Rainbow, look, this has all gotten really crazy. I don't really know what's going on either, but maybe if we go back to my place and talk it out we— CAN YOU PLEASE STOP LICKING MY HAND?!”

“But it's so salty...” Fluttershy whines. “I... I can't...”

Rainbow raises an eyebrow. “Wait, he tastes salty? Really?” She starts to approach you with a curious look in her eyes, and you notice she’s licking her lips.

Oh no. Oh fuck no. You're sweating all over from all the running. To a pony you're like a giant fucking crack rock just sitting in the street right now. If Rainbow jumps you the odds of getting away are slim, and two lusty intoxicated mares licking away at a monkey in the middle of the street is bound to attract some kind of negative attention. You can already imagine the morning headline of tomorrow's Foal Free Press...

You need to get home. Now. You wrack your brain for options. You know you can't outrun Dash, so...

Wait a minute. You're holding Fluttershy in your arms. Fluttershy is a pegasus. And you learned before that prolonged contact with a pegasus equals speed boost for Anon. It's still probably not enough to outrun her, but if you take her by surprise you might make it home before the shock wears off...

Yeah, might as well give it shot. You heft the little butterball and cradle her in your arms close to your chest. Then something strange happens.

She looks at you. It's not that slightly dopey lusty look that she usually has, or the fake sensual look she puts on when she's trying to guess a fetish. It's genuine surprise, followed by an odd calmness. She lets out the breath she was holding and her whole body relaxes in your arms. She pulls her little hooves in and folds her tail across her body like she's curling up to go to sleep. Several tears glimmer in the moonlight and fall as she closes her eyes and settles in.

You're so shocked and confused by what's happening that you forget what you were supposed to be doing.

Oh, right. Running away. You move your legs and blast off toward your house. It works just like before and you feel 40 or 50 pounds lighter.

“H-Hey! We're not done talking, Anon! Wait!” Rainbow zooms after you almost immediately, but if you can get home in the next 5-10 seconds you're home free. Any more than that and she's—

You smack into something and stumble backwards while somehow remaining on two feet. Fluttershy cries in surprise at the impact and clutches onto you in fear. Just as you regain your balance Rainbow slams into your back, driving you forward and into the strange object again. At least it's somewhat soft... must be a pony. And a tall one at that... oh shit!

“LUNA! You did hear me! Oh man am I happy to see you, this day's been absolutely nuts so far. I've been up to my eyeballs in...”

You fall silent when the dark alicorn regards you with a strange look of detachment. Come to think of it, she looks... bigger. And more menacing. And evil.

“...What sort of bizarre creature is this? Some type of evolved hairless ape? How utterly repulsive. Equestria has truly declined under Celestia's reign if detestable things like this are running around in the city streets.” She leans around you and regards the two pegasi now latched to your body with much more curiosity. “Oh ho ho, but what's this? I see two familiar looking faces...”

Fluttershy yelps and latches onto you with a death grip, the tremors running through her body nearly jolting you around like a loose jackhammer. Rainbow hops off your back and frowns.

“Not cool, Princess. Nightmare Night's still months away. You could really scare somepony or cause trouble with the guards if you walk around looking like that.”

Luna smiles. You're... fairly certain she has vampire fangs now. “Nightmare Night, you say? Tell me more, little pony.”

Dash rolls her eyes. “Oh no, we're not going through this again. You already know what it is so you can drop the act...”

Luna's horn glows and an aura surrounds Dash, and before anyone can figure out what's happening she's been roughly slammed to the ground and held there by the force of the magic, a yelp of pain escaping her mouth at the impact.

“When your Queen asks you a question, you ANSWER her, whelp!” Luna's eyes reflect pure malice. It's not something you think she's capable of faking... something is really, really wrong here. You step back and clutch Fluttershy a little tighter.

But just as quickly as the outburst comes, it vanishes and the magic holding Dash fades. “No... now is not the time for this. I can learn all I want about the modern era later. Besides, playing with my food now when it's weak and helpless is so unsatisfying...”

She looks directly at Dash, who's now trembling with fear herself. “Luna is dead and Celestia banished, little pony.” The dark alicorn's wicked grin returns. “Your only hope of ever seeing the wretched sun again is to assemble the Elements of Harmony and face me.”

Without even looking in your direction she casts a spell that creates a magical prison around you and Fluttershy. “You have one hour. If you haven't returned with the Elements by then, I will kill the bearer of Kindness and this... whatever it is... that she currently clings to, and all hope will be lost. You will not be told again.”

Dash looks at you and Fluttershy, the fear unmistakable in her eyes. “I-I don't know what's gotten into her, but don't worry. Twilight will know what to do. Just... just hang on for me, okay?”

You nod and she flies off toward the library.

Calmly, you start scratching Fluttershy's back to comfort her while you stare at the strange alicorn. Luna is dead...? No, you refuse to believe that! You refuse... and yet you're trembling yourself now...

“Luna...”

A few unbidden tears fall as your body shakes. Fluttershy calmly reaches out a hoof and places it on your chest. She looks at you with such kind eyes that it nearly takes your breath away. It's almost like she's caring for a sick or injured animal that doesn't understand why it's hurting.

“Shhhh... it's okay, Anon. I know it's scary, but you don't need to be afraid. Rainbow Dash will come back with our friends and we'll save Luna together. You'll see.”

It's crazy. Here you are holding her and trying to be strong for this little pegasus, who's normally scared of anything and everything, and she's the one comforting you. Can this day get any more bizarre?

“That's... that's Nightmare Moon, isn't it?” you ask.

Flutteshy nods. “That's right. I don't know why she's back, but I do know that Luna is somewhere inside of her, and the Elements can free her. I was there when it happened before. That's why you don't need to be afraid, Anon. Have faith in us.”

“...I do, Fluttershy,” you whisper as you start to chuckle for some reason. “You know... you six are absolutely nuts sometimes. If I'd never seen you work as a team before, I'd be really damn nervous knowing the fate of the world rests on your shoulders...”

Your hand finds its way to the spot just behind her left ear that she loves so much. You scratch and she coos.

“…But I have, and you guys are amazing together. If you say it's going to be okay, I believe you.”

Nightmare Moon sits in silence nearby with her eyes closed and a cocky grin on her face. She pays no attention to the two of you or any of the curious ponies that have come out of their homes to investigate what's going on.

Twenty minutes pass before you see the shadows of five mares advancing down the street, their Elements of Harmony necklaces and tiara sparkling in the moonlight. Nightmare Moon opens her eyes and smiles with delight when she senses their approach.

“Yes! Wonderful... I've waited two years for this moment...”

Your prison vanishes with a shimmer of her horn and you and Fluttershy waste no time in booking it over to the other Elements. Applejack hoofs over Fluttershy's Kindness necklace, completing the set, and you back away to watch with the other bystanders. Let's not kid yourself, Anon: when it comes to facing down magical evil goddesses you're shit-tier. You'd do more harm than good out there anyway.

The six mares stand before Nightmare Moon as she cackles with glee. “At last! Twilight Sparkle, we finally meet again. I don't believe we were properly introduced last t—”

“Save it. I don't care why you're here, or even how you're here right now. If you've so much as harmed one hair of Celestia's mane I will disassemble you on the molecular level piece by agonizing piece.”

Holy. Fucking. Shit. Twilight looks and sounds so absolutely pissed you rub your eyes to make sure it's actually her. Come to think of it, the others are looking really angry too. Even Pinkie seems like she's ready to rip and tear.

Nightmare Moon giggles. “Such bravado! How deliciously amusing... you're much different than last time. Very well, if you intend to be serious I won't hold back...”

The dark alicorn spreads her wings and jumps backwards about fifty feet or so. “Come, my wraiths... give these foals a little warm-up, will you?”

Dark pools of shadow appear on the ground in the area Nightmare Moon was previously standing. The pools rise and morph into the forms of bat-winged ponies consisting entirely of liquid-like darkness and blazing azure eyes. They let loose carnal otherworldly cries as they claw at the ground with razor sharp hooves and gnash their fangs in anticipation.

Twilight narrows her eyes. “Okay girls, formation delta-seven-bravo!”

To your complete surprise they all shout back in tandem: “Right!”

The six ponies split up and proceed to open a jumbo can of whoop-ass on the shadowy creatures.

Twilight melts them into goo with magical lasers. Applejack bucks them so hard they blast through the air and leave impact craters in the walls of nearby homes. Rainbow Dash flies so fast the air she displaces shreds them to ribbons. Rarity's needle-like magical waves dissect them with grim precision. Pinkie's all over the battlefield like a ninja, smashing faces with a frying pan when she's not shelling the area with party-based artillery. And Fluttershy stares at them so hard they either flee into the hooves of one of the others or literally try to kill themselves.

You're completely awestruck. When these ponies get serious they're a force to be reckoned with. No wonder Celestia never needs to get her hooves dirty!

But you can also tell that if something doesn't give soon they're going to tire out. Nightmare Moon hasn't even stepped into the battle yet and the shadowy creatures seem to keep coming no matter how many they kill. At this rate they'll never have an opportunity to stand still long enough to cast the purging spell...

Nightmare Moon seems to recognize that as well as she lets out another round of evil laughter. “Yes, very good! Continue to dance with the shadows for me! I find it most... amusing...?”

It happened so subtly and so fast you didn't even realize it, but the six ponies now completely encircle Nightmare Moon, their Elements shining. The entire time they were actually fighting to get in position, and Twilight was slowly charging the spell! The ribbon of rainbow magic connects between all six ponies, creating an inescapable barrier around Nightmare Moon as Twilight's eyes shine with magic.

The evil alicorn turns her ears back and chuckles. “It appears I've underestimated you yet again. Well done...”

The radiating wave of rainbow magic melts the remainder of the shadow wraiths as it converges on the center of the circle. You hear an agonized scream before the blinding light forces your eyes shut and an explosion rips through the street, spreading cobblestones, tree limbs and other random debris everywhere.

You shake your head and rub your eyes as you recover. The six ponies, looking a little worse for wear, are strewn all over the place just outside the wafting ring of smoke that lingers where Nightmare Moon used to be. All eyes focus on that smoke in anticipation, and Twilight cautiously trots a little closer to get a better look.

“Luna? Luna, are you there?”

Two large wings beat and blow the smoke away to reveal the form of Nightmare Moon... completely unharmed! She spreads her wings and casually checks them to make sure no feathers are out of place.

Twilight falls on her haunches at the sight, her mouth agape. “H-How...?! I don't understand... how...”

The maniacal laughter starts as a low rumble in dark alicorn's throat, then crescendos to an almost deafening cackle as she completely loses her composure.

“Luna? Luna?! You ask for little Luna! I am sorry, little unicorn, but Luna is no longer here. You see, that's thing about purging spells... if you're not currently inhabiting another's body, well... there's nothing to purge! Even a foal in magic kindergarten could understand that! I am not a Nightmare bound to Luna's pathetic body any longer. I am Nightmare Moon, the one true sovereign of Equestria's throne and the Queen of the Night! The reign of the Two Sisters has ended! The tyranny of the sun has ended! Bow before me you pathetic worms or face my judgment!”

One by one, all the surrounding ponies aside from the Elements fall to their knees. This... this is bad...

Twilight steels her resolve. “Never. If we can't purge you, we'll trap you in stone just like Discord...” The other five ponies stand beside her as she once again charges the Elements' spell, and the alicorn makes no move to stop them. The shimmering light of the spell connects with its target and the smoke clears to reveal a stone statue of Nightmare Moon resting where she once stood.

A collective sigh of relief rolls through the gathered crowd. And then a small, almost unnoticeable crack forms on the stone's surface. Black mist pours from the crack at an alarming rate and then reforms into the body of Nightmare Moon. Again, she looks completely unaffected by the magic as the stone shell that once covered her crumbles away, revealing itself to be hollow.

“Did you really think you could defeat me when Celestia couldn't? Are you realizing now that your hope and confidence was merely stupidity? I've barely even used a fraction of my power against you and already your greatest magic is rendered useless...”

She approaches the trembling little unicorn and lifts her chin with her starry mane to lock eyes with her. “But you will find that I am a forgiving Queen, Twilight Sparkle. This was all merely a demonstration for those gathered here that ponykind has no hope of ever opposing me. Rebellions tend to crumble before they can even begin in the face of overwhelming power. You've played your role in this exactly as I wanted. If you swear your loyalty to me now, I will forget all the past transgressions of you and your friends. We can start with a clean slate together... what do you say, hmmm?”

Twilight turns back and looks at the faces of her friends. One by one their eyes meet and a silent conversation takes place. Finally, she steps away from Nightmare Moon and turns to face her once more.

“We will never yield to your tyranny. Never.” The six again adopt a fighting stance...

“...I see. The resolve of the ponies of this era is strong. It appears I'll need to make an example of this village...”

Nightmare Moon’s horn shines and immediately all the ponies, including the Elements, cry out in pain and collapse. You can see a glowing light on each pony's chest as if something was burning them from the inside... but it doesn't stop there. Even the various nocturnal animals brave enough to remain nearby are affected by the spell and they wail in agony, too pained to move.

The evil alicorn grins wickedly. “My research into the magical nature of creatures was very thorough. In addition to feeding your embers in order to create Nightmares, I can also smother them as well. It's painful, is it not? Such a simple spell to perform once you know the trick... and no living creature on this planet is immune...”

So she says, but for some reason you don't feel anything. You're completely unaffected. And you realize that means you're the only hope the world has left.

Well, fuck.

The good news is, considering how she's treated you so far, you're pretty sure Nightmare Moon regards you as something less than pond scum. You're so little a threat to her she doesn't even notice that you're still standing.

You're gonna have one opportunity for a surprise attack. You blow this chance and you, along with everyone else here, are going to die.

Anonymous, you are a man forged in battle by constant rape attempts from little ponies. You've faced the magic of unicorns, the speed of pegasi, and the strength of earth ponies and prevailed... most of the time... by doing whatever was necessary.

You know what you have to do now. You can see the glow from Nightmare Moon's horn as she channels the spell. Slowly, you bend down and pick up a sturdy tree limb that was torn free by a prior explosion. You move into her blind spot and wait for the opportune moment.

3...
2...
1...

There it is. You rush forward and slam that branch into Nightmare Moon's horn like you're trying to hit a home run at the World Series. The branch actually splits in half at the impact and the alicorn lets out a howl of pain as she staggers from the blow. You can see a large crack beginning to travel up the length of the horn… bingo.

Her spell broken, the ponies all stagger to their hooves, panting for breath but thankfully unharmed. You did it!

Turning back toward the action, you see a very angry looking alicorn foaming at the mouth and attempting to stare a hole right through you. You... you really hope she doesn't have eye lasers at her disposal.

“HOW?! HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?! NO CREATURE IN THIS WORLD IS BORN WITHOUT AN EMBER OF MAGIC!!”

“In case you haven't noticed, I'm not from around here,” you laugh.

Oh yeah, she’s mad. But... maybe that snappy comeback wasn't such a good idea. In lieu of magic she grabs ahold of you by the collar with her starry mane and lifts you off your feet. After staring you in the eyes with pure hatred for several moments she tosses you like a ragdoll into a nearby tree, and a sickening crack and an internal lurching sensation informs you that several things are broken. Ouch...

The six Elements all begin to approach Nightmare Moon, but even with her magic temporarily out of commission you're not certain of their odds. Derpy was right... alicorns are unbelievably OP. It doesn't even seem fair...

“I am impressed... your disgusting pet ape certainly took me by surprise, but it wasn't enough. This injury shall heal in a matter of minutes. You've only succeeded in delaying your annihilation.”

She attempts another round of laughter but the pain from her injury cuts it short. Well, at least you accomplished SOMETHING positive...

“Do you know what I find so amusing about all of this...?” the evil alicorn growls as she bites back the pain. “Luna knew! She knew what would happen the entire time and said nothing! Not to her beloved sister, not to the Elements tasked with defending the world... NOTHING! I can't understand it... I just can't understand it! Was she in denial the whole time, or did she just want the world to fall into my hooves?! I suppose—”

“And why should we bother our loved ones with such troubles when you are our responsibility from the start?”

Your vision's kinda hazy right now from the pain... but you could swear...

You force your eyes into focus. It's unmistakable...

“L-Luna...”

Yeah, she looks a little different. A little smaller, a little cuter... but that's her alright. Your Luna.

“Greetings, fair Anonymous and brave Elements! We sincerely apologize for the delay and for all the misfortune Nightmare Moon has wrought. We shall deal with this problem posthaste.”

“One by one, they keep coming out of the woodwork!” Nightmare Moon shouts, partly in anger and partly in amusement. “I'm surprised you're awake, little Luna, let alone walking around. Considering I siphoned most of your magic I don't know what you intend to accomplish here, but I welcome all challengers. Why, even that repulsive monkey tried his luck!”

You can see Luna’s body tense with anger for just a moment before her composure returns. “That 'monkey' is precious to us, and you shall pay dearly for what you've done.”

“Ha! And what do you intend to do?! You were always nothing, Luna! You were nothing without me, you could do nothing without me... you were no better than my shadow!”

Luna's horn begins to shine. “That was in the past, and you forget your place, monster. We are not thine shadow... thou art ours.”

The brightness of Luna's magic begins to consume her entire body. Everyone shies away from the sight, but Nightmare Moon looks unimpressed.

“No spell can bind me. No magic can seal me. No force can stop me! It's useless, Luna! Useless, useless, useless, use—”

Her tirade ends abruptly as she sees something in the distance that visibly strikes fear into her heart.

“No... it can't be... you would even...”

The rest of you see it as well. It's the middle of the night, but the sun is rising.

With a fearful scream, Nightmare Moon retreats into the shadows as fast as she can. “Curse you! Curse you! I will not be undone here! I WILL NOT BE UNDONE!” Her horn, now mostly healed, charges a huge spell for about 10 seconds before she vanishes in a flash of teleportation magic. Damn, she really wanted to get away... that's a hell of a teleport.

You slump against the tree and attempt to focus on anything other than the pain. This day's just been fuckin' great, huh Anon? Who doesn't like to unwind after a stressful day by getting their ass kicked by an evil goddess?

Yeah, you're ready to go to bed now. You drift off as all the voices around you become muddled together into a single sound...

“Ah... ah think he's wakin' up!”

“Oh, oh dear, oh my...”

“C'mon Anon...”

You open your eyes and regret it immediately. The damn sun is right overhead. You bring a hand up to prevent yourself from being blinded and three little ponies come into focus.

Applejack sports a simple smile as she removes her hat and places it on your head to keep the sun out of your eyes. Rainbow attempts to look calm and collected but her body language shows that she's secretly overcome with relief. Fluttershy clutches your side with her hooves and lays her head on your chest.

“How d'ya feel, sugarcube?”

“...Like I got hit by a truck,” you groan. “What happened?”

“Y-You were hurt by Nightmare Moon, but Twilight healed you with her magic. While you were sleeping I gave you a full checkup and you seem to be okay now,” Fluttershy explains, snuggling up to you in relief.

You turn to Rainbow. “You kept her away from my junk, right?”

The cyan pegasus blushes and looks away. “She... she said it was necessary for the checkup! I don't know anything about medical stuff with humans; how was I supposed to know?!”

Applejack chuckles. “Don't ya worry none, ah made sure nothin' untoward happened durin' that part. We're just glad yer okay.”

“Ah... has fair Anonymous awakened?” a weak voice calls from nearby. “We must speak with him...”

“Looks like yer bein' summoned,” Applejack says as she spins around and flops her tail on top of your stomach. “Grab on and ah'll help ya up.” You do so and the earth pony effortlessly pulls you to your feet. Aside from a little soreness you seem no worse for wear.

Luna, on the other hand...

If you feel like you were hit by a truck, she looks like she was run over by a bulldozer and dumped into a volcano. She lays on her side, mane and tail frayed and burnt with patchy spots all over her coat. You immediately rush over to her.

“Luna, what happened to you?!”

She giggles. “Fear not; ‘tis not fatal. Manipulating the sun is not exactly in our nature and it tends to burn those who are unfamiliar with it. We shall recover, though with the majority of our magic stolen away it shall take quite some time...”

Stolen? Yeah, that's right, Nightmare Moon did say something like that, didn't she? Speaking of which...

“Where's Nightmare Moon?”

“That is what we wanted to discuss,” Luna whispers. “Please, gather the others.”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy all stand around you as you kneel down beside Luna and gently brush her mane with the back of your hand. Rarity, Pinkie and Twilight rest on their haunches further away, looks of concern on their faces.

“Nightmare Moon has escaped us... escaped to the only place remaining that is safe for her: our ancient palace on the moon's surface. From there she will bide her time and increase her power until she is able to return. What was experienced here was a mere fraction of her potential... given time she will become completely unstoppable.”

Twilight looks away. “W-What do we do, Princess? The Elements don't work...”

“No, they do not. Nightmare Moon is not as she once was. She has already been purged from our body once, but she was saved from oblivion by the Grimoire. This makes her no longer susceptible to the Elements' purging or petrification spells. However, all is not lost... for as a being without a true body, she's merely traded one weakness for another.”

“The sun...” you murmur, your eyes trailing on instinct to the celestial orb for a brief moment.

Luna nods. “Yes... you saw how she feared the light. As long as the sun shines upon Equestria she can never return. This is why she fled to the dark side of the moon. By completely wresting it from our control and freezing its place in the heavens she's ensured that the light of the sun will never reach her there.”

Rarity gasps. “You mean to say you can't move the moon anymore, Princess?”

“Yes... it is why we are so drained. Our connection with the moon is our wellspring of magic, much like Sister's connection with the sun. Though it has been severed, it will reform again once Nightmare Moon's influence fades...” Luna shifts her hooves a bit and looks at all of you with a grave expression.

“Listen carefully. Time is short. As it is now, Equestria is under the influence of an Eternal Day until Sister is freed. Without the cycle of day and night this world will wither and die, but we cannot risk touching the sun again, and even if we could it would allow for Nightmare Moon's return. With every moment we waste her power grows. She MUST be defeated quickly.”

Twilight taps her hooves in thought. “I... I don't see how we can unless somepony travels to the moon to confront her.”

Luna glances at you and smiles.

“Anonymous...” Oh no...

“Loyalty...” Rainbow Dash gulps.

“Honesty...” Applejack perks up.

“Kindness...” Fluttershy squeaks and hides behind her mane.

“The four of you shall go and face her.”

“Ha. Ha ha ha,” you laugh, slapping your knee in mirth. “Even when things are this bad you're still able to tell a good joke!”

“We are not joking.”

“That's what I was afraid of. Follow-up question: WHY?!”

Luna sighs. “You experienced it yourself. Anonymous, you are the only creature in the entire world, need we remind you, that is immune to her ember manipulation magic. Without you any attack on her is doomed to failure.”

Unfortunately, she makes a good point.

You gulp. “Okay. Okay, fine. But even given all that, do you really expect the four of us to be able to beat her?! She's like an immortal goddess or something, right? What chance do we have?”

“No, Anonymous, we do not expect you to defeat her, we merely expect you to distract her. While she deals with you her concentration over the moon will falter. In that moment, Twilight Sparkle and a contingent of powerful unicorns from Sister's school of magic will focus on rotating the moon along its axis until the palace faces the sun.”

“Twilight's jaw hits the floor. “M-M-M-Me?! Rotate the moon?! But... but... but I've never studied anything like that before! I'm completely unprepared!! Will I be graded on it? Oh no, oh no... I... I think it'd be better if you did it, Princess.”

“We barely have the strength to stay conscious, much less manipulate celestial objects. Fear not, the spells involved are well documented. With your talent you will learn them easily.”

You rub your eyes, trying to fight off that oh-so-familiar oncoming headache again. “So... the plan is for the four of us to go up there and run around and somehow not die long enough for Purplesmart and her crew to spin the moon and roast the Queen with sunlight. Great. I think I'm gonna have a nervous breakdown.”

Twilight pops up next to you, her mane starting to become disturbingly disheveled. “M-Me too, Anon!”

Yeah, this is re-goddamn-diculous. How can she possibly expect you to—

Before you can go off on a full internalized rant, you feel a comforting presence leaning against your left side.

“Ah'll be right by yer side, sugarcube. No matter what happens, ah'll protect ya.”

Rainbow leans on your right side. “The same goes for me. That old nag'll have to go through us if she wants to mess with you, Anon!”

Fluttershy nuzzles your crotch. “I'll... I'll do my best...”

You can't help but laugh. These three marshmallow horses... when they say it like that, you almost believe you guys can actually do this!

Your eyes drift and capture Luna's own and you hear her voice echoing in your thoughts.

Forgive us. We sincerely hoped that this would never come to pass. We would not ask this of you were it not necessary, or if we believed you would not succeed.

I know, Luna.

She smiles and turns away. Please... trust in them with all your heart. Even when we fail you, they will not. Promise us, Anonymous.

I'll trust them. I promise.

You step away from the crowd and your three little ponies instinctively follow you.

“Where're we goin', Anon?” Applejack asks.

“I've gotta get some stuff for the trip. If you guys need to grab anything from home now's probably the time.”

The three exchange a few glances and all head their separate ways, leaving you alone on the road to home.

If you're going to the moon, you're probably gonna need to bring a jacket.

And your flask full of SAA Reserve.

Yeah, definitely gonna need that too...