Luna paced back and forth at the side gate, her heels almost striking sparks from the concrete. She had already let in the friends Rarity and Rainbow Dash had given passes to, and was waiting the special guest—the one Luna had invited.

Behind her, the Canterlot University Thunderbowl was being cleaned up, and the stage prepared. The university had a slew of event staff who donated their time and they had told her that they would send her a message when things were ready.

It was at moments like this that Luna wished she hadn't quit drinking. Turning again, she took a step and felt arms wrap around her neck from behind. For a panicked moment Luna was scared that some new monster had caught up to her.

"Guess who?"

The voice dripped with sensuality, and Luna recognized it in a hot second. She gulped and opened her mouth to say the name of the woman she had invited, but was spun around and shoved backwards against the wire fence.

Luna's eyes widened as her attacker jumped toward her and sank their fingers into the chain link on either side of Luna's head. Warm, velvet lips pressed to Luna's a moment before the woman's body pressed close. A shiver of memory rushed through Luna before the woman's lips left hers. "C—"

"That's right."

Panting for breath, Luna's memories ran wild about the woman. The woman was wearing what amounted to a lingerie teddy under a trench-coat with long fishnet stockings and giant heels; Luna had just one thought. "You dressed up."

"Of course. When my Nightmare calls me after returning to the waking world for years… When she tells me she has a group to open for me… I fucking pay attention and I fucking move my ass. Now what do you have for me?"

Luna was almost painfully aware of the woman's crotch rubbing against her belly. It had been too long since she had let loose. "The Nightmare is going to ride free for one more night, but she won't do it alone. Three amazing young women, Shadowcolts, are going to be her legacy. Just give them tonight and one show for you."

"Young women? Like I was when the Nightmare came for me? Like I was when she threw me on her back and galloped onto stage? They better be fuckin' good."

"They are." Fire plowed through Luna as she felt one of the woman's hands slide down her belly. She groaned and shoved forward. "They're amazing. Will you do it?"

"Will the Nightmare really ride tonight?"

As the woman's palm traced down Luna's belly she let out a soft moan, pressing her hips forward. Two fingers curled into Luna's body and she spread her wings out to the side. Power rushed through her while her body remembered the touch of her temptress. "She will."

"Holy shit. You really are the Nightmare…"

Luna smiled like a predator and shoved her mouth forward. Black-dressed lips pressed to Luna's with as much force as she gave. Luna bucked against the hand, grunting and groaning against the light aquamarine skin of her tormentor.

Biting, being bitten, grabbing, and finally folding her wings around the woman, Luna groaned and trembled in place.

"I'd throw down right now and take all of you on tour if you promised to come on stage with me, Nightmare."

Struggling against the trembling in her legs, Luna shook her head. "Just—just them. Tonight is the last time the Nightmare is seen on stage."

The weight left Luna, and she heard laughter as her lover jumped off the fence and walked away. "Do we have a deal?" She slowly slumped down to her knees and watched the second greatest love of her life walk away.

"Fuck yeah. But tell them to be ready for a shock."

The crowd was going wild. The home team had won and the whole university was practically on fire with excitement. They'd been promised an amazing pair of bands (that no one had heard of, but that didn't matter), and they were ready to see them.

When the stage lights all flickered, and crackling sounds came from the stage, everyone went silent. Smoke began billowing out and flooding the entire stage. The flickering lights looked like lightning, and the effect was only enhanced when thunderous sounds reverberated out through the crowd.

A lone shape walked out through the smoke and light, their form flickering and shifting. Everyone could see they were just a hologram, but then that hologram spread its wings. "I am the Nightmare! Heed my words! You will never again hear my music, but you will adore my minions."

As the hologram gesticulated, drawing everyone's attention, a black and dark violet figure with a wild flash of blue hair walked up onto the stage. "My first, DJ-Pon3. She will bewitch your minds and steal your hearts."

Vinyl Scratch's heart was racing, but the choreographics for what she was about to do was all she could think about. A flicker of light on the floor at her feet, visible only because of her amazing goggles, triggered her spin. A huge holographic record seemed to fly toward her outstretched hand. She spun around and dropped it only a similarly holographic deck.

Deep, harsh sounds came from the speakers, and when Vinyl's hand reached to that record of light a loud, ripping sound echoed through the crowd just as the light-equipment exploded. Vinyl crossed her arms over her chest and gave the crowd her best sneer.

"My second, the Hind. She doesn't tug at your heartstrings, she hunts you down and sacrifices you to me." Luna lifted her other hand to indicate Octavia at her side. She laughed when the crowd jerked in surprise.

Octavia Melody was a good, prim girl. But tonight she had a crowed over a thousand times bigger than her cello recitals had even gained. Besides, tonight she was Hind. Lifting up the violin with electric pickups, the thing glowing brightly from within, Octavia spotted her target in the crowd and played a perfect, single note.

A bright flash of light shot from the end of the violin, spinning off into the crowd only to splash against Octavia's intended. A huge roar of excitement went up from the crowd at the special effects being used. They had been ready for some music, but what they got was a show.

"On cold nights, when you are alone and the storm rages in your head, then you will hear Thunder." Luna's form shimmered and then disappeared as the stage lights focused on the drum-kit at the back of the stage. Half the drums were the real thing, but half were hiding Lemon Zest's electronic drums.

But though some might claim she had some fake drums, the heavy bass drums on kick pedals were the real thing. Lemon's legs powered up and down to drive a rolling, chest-trembling sound through the audience. Her hands were like lightning, and as she thudded out a beat their first song started.

Celestia walked up beside Luna. They were in the wings, and Luna was working to fade in and out the right instruments. The song was heavy and sharp, cutting through the audience and any attempt to speak with harsh industrial tones and distortion that blended into the electric guitar that Octavia had plucked up off the stage after putting the violin away.

The first song melted quickly into the second, and the third. It wasn't until the fourth that Celestia managed to get a few words to her sister. "You lied to me." The words carried no heat of accusation, Celestia was expecting Luna to reply quickly.

"I said I wouldn't set foot on stage. And I didn't." Luna felt more alive than she ever had as the Nightmare. She was ponied up and didn't expect to let go of her wings for the whole night. "It's their show, sister."

"You're right, and I'm proud of you." Celestia put an arm around Luna's shoulder, hugging her little sister. "Very proud. But we need to talk about this."

Luna just laughed, her voice drowned out by Vinyl's voice shouting the intro to the next song.

Octavia was panting by the time they wound down from the last song of their set. Everything seemed too bright, too loud, too perfect. She stepped up to a mic stand when her voice was needed, but otherwise she provided the guitar work for the band. Vinyl, on the other side of the stage, picked up a guitar when needed, but Octavia was lead.

Her fingers were practically worn down to nubs, or so Octavia thought. She didn't even remember Luna's warning about something strange happening until it started. A woman in the crowd distracted the security volunteers and then vaulted the fence and jumped onto stage.

Vinyl spotted the interloper on her stage, and stared to stalk forward to deal with them when the woman tossed back her trench-coat. Freezing in her tracks, Vinyl Scratch recognized who had just grabbed the microphone.

"Fuck yeah! How awesome are these girls?!"

The crowd was silent for five seconds, dead silent. A lone voice broke the silence: "I love you Countess!" And then everyone started screaming.

"Get your asses over here, girls." Countess Coloratura waved to Vinyl, Octavia, and Lemon. She had to beckon them, giving them a wink before they would move. "Come on. This is your crowd tonight."

The three Shadowcolts made their way over to the pop superstar, completely unsure how or why she was here. The moment they got close to her, Coloratura grabbed them and pulled them into a hug.

"How amazing were they?! But you know you want more of them, right?!" Coloratura could not only play music but also crowds, and she had this one eating out of her hand. "Well, you're going to have to get tickets for my show next week, because they're opening!"

Behind her goggles Vinyl's eyes went wide as saucers. She turned and looked at her bandmates only to see them equally shocked.

"But you're here tonight, and while I know there's the main event to come, I'm damn sure there's time for a Spectacle!" Coloratura almost had to lean back at the screams of the crowd. She looked left and right, into the faces of the Shadowcolts. "You know that one? Could use that fancy violin, mix-girl can work her thing, and give me some drums to rattle this stage."

For three heartbeats the Shadowcolts had no clue what to do and then it all fell together. They rushed back to their places and took up the instruments.

Vinyl knew Coloratura's songs and only after a moment of adjustment, began to play Spectacle—Countess Coloratura's latest song, and the current number-one pop song in the world.

Lemon came in at the right moment, which left Octavia in a half panicked. She didn't know the song at all, but the moment her hand started on the bow she felt the music take hold.

"Time for the spectacle, time for the show!"

Fluttershy, dressed in the outfit magic had created for her just two weeks ago at Camp Everfree, was terrified. The crowd was the biggest she had ever performed to, but her fear didn't come from that. She could handle crowds, now, thanks to exposure therapy—simply being with her friends often made her the center of attention—but things were different this time.

"C-C-Countess C-C-Coloratura w-w-w-was in our opening band?" Fluttershy would have yelled except she didn't like to raise her voice unless she was singing.

Nodding her head, deep in thought, Rarity made her decision. "Apparently, darling. But we have something they don't have." Striking a pose in her most fabulous and magical outfit, Rarity held up one finger and twirled a blue, magic diamond on it.

"Yeah. Not like anyone can hold a torch to our magic when we are kickin' it out." Rainbow Dash, her ego soaring, struck a pose every bit as awesome (in her mind) as Rarity's.

Sticking her hand out, Sunset Shimmer looked around at her friends. Fluttershy looked to be on the edge of being onboard, as did Twilight; Applejack looked as eager as could be; and Pinkie Pie was busy tapping beats on anything that didn't move away from her quickly enough. "We can do this together. We have the magic of friendship and nothing will get us down!"

Twilight Sparkle's eyes widened, and she quickly reached her hand in, only to be beaten by Pinkie Pie. She looked at Pinkie's silly grin and smiled to match it. "You've all shown me that nothing can stop friendship."

Lifting her free hand, Pinkie Pie booped Sunset on the nose. "We're going to totally rock them! But don't forget the after show party!"

The remaining girls quickly put their hands in as well, and as one started to buzz with magic. There wasn't quite enough to pony up yet, but they all knew that was inevitable once they started playing.

Luna rushed up to the assembled girls, her own wings still out and half-folded at her back. "You're on! Get out there before everyone rips the stage apart!" Using her arms and wings, Luna started to herd the Rainbooms toward the stage.

"Okay. Y'all remember the order?" Applejack reached for her instrument on the rack beside the curtains, reaching behind herself and plugging the bass into her wireless belt transmitter. She looked around after plugging in, and realized Pinkie Pie was already heading up onto the dark stage.

As soon as Pinkie Pie got on her stool behind her drum-kit, a spotlight lanced down to her. The magic swirling around them a moment ago seemed to focus on her. Faster than an Olympic cyclist, Pinkie Pie's feet hammered the bass kick pedals—she practically stood up on them she was pumping her legs so fast.

Tossing one drumstick up into a spin, she began thumping out a solo to begin the show. When the second stick came down in her free hand, Pinkie's efforts doubled. Her ears shifted to the top of her head, and Pinkie Pie's hair grew to manic, uncontrollable lengths.

Applejack stepped onto the marked cross on stage just as another spotlight lit her up. She didn't move her hands quite as fast as Rainbow Dash's wild guitar work, but every stroke of her finger and every pluck of a huge, bass string was deliberate and careful.

Deep, gut-vibrating notes rang out from the stage speakers, but what Applejack felt was the smaller speaker at her feet giving her feedback on what she was playing. Her bass joined Pinkie Pie's drums, building the solid foundation that the others would need to shine. Like Pinkie Pie, once she got into her groove her ears migrated upward and her hair lengthened out.

There was one more part of the backing rhythm that had yet to show up, but Sunset corrected that the moment the spotlight hit her. She started building a wild riff off Pinkie Pie and Applejack, but then her rhythm guitar fell into meter with the two.

On the horizon, the sun was kissing the heavens goodnight and making it blush with the last light of the day. Sunset Shimmer had eyes only for her namesake as, unlike Equestria's sun, the unstoppable cosmic event took place. Her ears glowed and shifted, pushing to the top of her head. While her hair grew out a little, neither Sunset nor anyone else at the concert was ready for the flames that leapt outwards from her shoulders and the base of her spine.

Magic rushed through Sunset Shimmer. More than just friendship, this was the magic of fate and destiny at work. In her mind the memories of what she had done in this world flashed before her, and then froze at that moment in the crater. Princess Twilight Sparkle had offered a broken pony friendship, and that broken pony had discarded her former self and grabbed it with both hands.

Spreading her burning wings wide, Sunset felt completely freed of her former deeds for the first time since Princess Twilight had stopped her. She cried as she played, but they were tears of joy.

The Rainbooms were not what the crowd had been expecting. They had been riled up with light shows and superstars, but this was magic. At first, they had lost some of their volume, but when fiery wings spread from the rhythm guitarist's back they screamed with excitement.

There were a few members of the crowd not cheering. In one corner of the open area, right at the back, several faculty members stood around chatting. Their conversation ceased, however, when it became obvious that what was happening on stage wasn't just stage effects.

"This just became more interesting," One woman with a dark complexion and cerulean hair commented. "Is that real magic? I didn't think the budget would stretch far enough to hire a band that uses actual magic."

"Chris, it can't be anything else. First they bring out a pop star for the end of the first band, and now magic? What's Hurricane thinking?" The second staff member of the university groaned and flicked her purple hair aside from her eyes with a light-toned violet hand. "You know he organized this himself?"

"He didn't? Star, are you sure he picked them?" Chris narrowed her eyes as a blue-winged guitarist joined the group on stage. "He wouldn't take a personal hand in this unless—"

"Unless these girls were significant. You know he wants to start a magic research department. These girls have magic. Plus I overheard they are graduating seniors from a local school. I can't see as they would be anything but a disruption, particularly in our courses. Could you just picture some magical, fairy girl, rock-star studying psychology?" Star had chosen Chris' professional field for a reason. "Let alone engineering?"

Chris shook her head. "We won't know until next week. If Hurricane is planning to make a move, he will then. Have you seen the roster for the fair weeks?"

"Not for individuals, but there was an extra local high school added. We were already getting a lot of alumni from there, but I can bet all this," Star said, gesturing at the stage as well as the band of magical pony girls playing on it. "… has something to do with Canterlot High School. I can't believe this is all happenstance, and I also can't believe staff attendance was mandatory."

The band on stage trailed off their intro instrumental, and just as the two women were about to continue their conversation the crowd exploded with cheering. Leveling bored expressions at each other, the two nonetheless stood their ground.

Only one other figure kept from screaming for more. Former Principal of Crystal Prep Academy, Abacus Cinch, stared at the stage with cold, angry eyes toward the stage. The target of her fury was not actually playing an instrument, but was working on a keyboard and mix desk. "Twilight Sparkle," she said. "You made a fool out of me."

The fury that burned within Cinch was held at bay by her clever, manipulative mind. She could have brought a gun to the concert, or even something uglier, but though Twilight Sparkle was a thorn another woman was her target.

Celestia and Luna weren't the only high school senior faculty present. Abacus Cinch's eyes locked onto the new principal of Crystal Prep Academy, Cadance.

Author's Notes:

Discord: Do you think the Ask X thing the author is doing is good or just silly

"What? I'm in this one?" Discord's pool-toy (that the draconequus had been relaxing on) vanished and he along with it. Appearing on the side of the pool, Discord had a wide smile. "I didn't even think I had to be in this one. Look how much chaos is already spreading!"

"Although another-me has just made contact with one young gentleman here, a boy after my own heart." Beside Discord, a smaller draconequus appeared, only instead of a body they had half a love-heart.

---

So I do this "Ask X" thing. X can be any pony within the story. You can ask them anything and they will definitely, hopefully reply. Keep the questions appropriate to the age-rating of the stories, and they will answer the best question in the author notes of the next chapter. The more votes a comment has the more likely I will get it to the right pony to answer. Try to keep it to one question per post! They will pick one question per chapter.

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Join me on Discord. Please use your FimFic name as an alias. Warning, said chat may contain NSFW material and should be considered adult in nature.

Awesome ponies who are already helping to keep me in keyboards and rum:
A.P.O.N.I.
Boulder
Canary in the Coal Mine
CrimsonPhoenix
Daremo
Dio-Drogynous
Javarod
Lazyreader19
Nils
Shaushka
Sirion123
Tanis

And special thanks to the following, for careful eyes and friendly words:
Cross Lament
Vutava