Grevin sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair his mind trying to figure out just how things had reached this point. He found himself deep in the apple orchard of Sweet Apple Acres, not terribly far from the edge of the Everfree Forest, the distant lights of Ponyville still visible in the night’s darkness. He quietly sat down on the damp soft earth letting his eyes close for a few moments as he took a calming breath as his mind ran over the events of the last few days trying to take it all in.

-Flashback-

The day had begun like any other typical day. He rose just before sunrise and made his way into the orchard so he could go through his daily training. Afterward he did some chores on the farm and then helped the Apple’s get prepared for the Nightmare Night celebration. He helped Big Macintosh hitch up the wagon for a hay-rack ride, and he even helped little Apple-Bloom with her costume, a dragon of all things. When he asked her why she choose that costume she smiled sweetly and said that since he was going as a knight, he needed a dragon to fight and proceeded to latch onto his leg with a cute growl that made him almost die from adorableness. He never saw Applejack though. He had assumed that she would be there to help get things ready but he later found out that she had left with her costume and several barrels of the famous Apple Family Cider shortly after he had gone into the forest to train. He had shrugged it off and gone about his day thinking nothing of it and prepared his own costume for the soon approaching festivities.

His costume was fairly simple, his standard chest armor, gauntlets, gloves, boots and thigh plates all polished and cleaned. He, against his better judgment left his cloak, daggers, except for one out of habit, and swords back in the barn loft thinking that it would be doubtful he would need all of them for that night. He was still worried about Discord but he knew that if something were to happen he would be able to make due with what he had until help could arrive.

When he had stepped out of the barn and into the light wearing his ‘costume’ the reaction from Apple-Bloom had stunned him. Her eyes grew wide as the pupils focused on him towering above her, the light shining from it making her rub her eyes for a few moments before returning to stare at him. His armor, now free from the darkness of his cloak glistened in the sunlight, shining almost as though it had some sort of magical aura about it. The ornate detail in the design of it forced the little filly’s eyes to dart back and forth taking it all in until she focused on the crest in the center of the chest plate. The shield that had angel wings flaring out from it etched in what could be described as gold and tiny fragments of gemstone embedded smoothly into the shield itself. “Holy smokes Grevin! I didn’t know your armor looked like that under your cloak. Were you a real knight back in Bastion?!”

He blinked a moment and smiled giving a small shake of his head. “Well, back in Bastion I was simply a member of a guild. I was never considered to be knight material, but here in Equestria the princesses thought I deserved that honor. My armor is something that I managed to find while exploring an old ruin of my people with my mentor. I was willing to leave this armor where it was found but my mentor said that I would be honoring the memory of my ancestors if I were to use it instead. To be honest it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s gotten me through some very tough situations in my travels.”

The lively filly grinned and trotted around him a few times taking in more of the details of the armor. “Well I think it makes you look very noble.”

“Eeeyup.” Their attention was drawn to Big Macintosh as he trotted up with the wagon behind him. He wore his grim pony costume from the year before a simple smile on his face as he came to a stop.

“I’m guessing it’s time to head into town isn’t it Big Mac?”

“Eeeyup.”

Grevin nodded and scooped up Apple-Bloom, who had grabbed her small cloth bag for collecting sweet treats, and helped her into the back of the wagon before he began to walk beside them. “Alright then, lets go.”

As they made their way into the town he couldn’t help but notice that there seemed to be an odd, but not evil feeling beginning to wash over the area almost like a sense of anticipation. The sun set with fewer colors than usual and there was a small chill in the air that was accentuated by small scattered dark clouds that seemed to make the appearing stars and moon in the sky seem brighter by the second rather than making them dim and hard to see.

As the light of the day began to fade the sound of laughter and joy began to make its way to his ears, the first part of the evening had begun. They made their way into the town and he took note of the various creative costumes that all the ponies had created for the event. Some were dressed as insects, one a ninja, another as a chef, there was even one with a spiky hair cut and a tie. He found himself smirking when he saw some young foals dressed up as parasprites run up to the door of a nearby home and yell when they knocked. “Nightmare Night! Quite a fright! Give me something sweet to bite!” It was cute he had to admit. The perfect activity for young ones to enjoy with their friends and family.

As they made it to the center of town Grevin noticed that there were several tables of games, and snacks set out for everyone to enjoy. He heard Apple-Bloom jump off the wagon as Big Mac continued on his way so he turned and watched as she ran up to several school age foals that clearly were her classmates. He had to admit that their costumes were so good he couldn’t even tell which one was Sweetie Bell or Scootaloo. He slowly made his way over and noticed that not only was there several school age foals there, but Pinkie Pie as well. It appeared that she had volunteered to lead this group door to door this year, which didn’t surprise him all that much, it was most likely because she would receive candy as well, but what did surprise him was her choice of costume.

Her mane was as hung straight as could be from her head and tail, almost as though there were never any curls in it at any point in time. Her normally bright eyes still had a small glint of mischief to them but also appeared to be quite serious if not grim. In her mouth was a rubber knife and she carried a cereal box that had several cuts in its front. “Hiya Grevy!”

He blinked a moment before looking her in the eyes noting that she had moved almost uncomfortably close once again. “Hello Pinkie…I have to ask, what are you dressed up as this year?”

She giggled and glanced at the cereal box she carried. “You can’t tell? I’m a cereal killer!” She snorted and burst out laughing as did the rest of the group. Grevin couldn’t help but groan and roll his eyes at the terrible pun she had just made.

He smirked as she gave her famous smile and glanced around for a moment. “Hey Pinkie, do you know where the others are? I haven’t seen them at all yet.”

She raised a hoof to her chin and thought a moment her eyes glancing to the left then to the right. “Well, I know that Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy are still putting the finishing touches on their costumes, but I saw Spike earlier going door to door with another group, and Rarity is helping out with some of the games.”

“Oh, I see. Well I’m kind of new to this whole thing; do you have any recommendations for what I should do first?”

She grinned and nodded motioning to the group she was with. “Yeah you should go with us! It’ll be a blast. We’re going door to door gathering candy and then we’ll go and give part of our bounty to Nightmare Moon to keep her from Gobbling us up! After that we’ll play some games and eat some awesome food.” She leaned in as her voice took on a darker tone, her eyes flashing menacingly, pulling her into character with how she was dressed. “So…will you join us Grevy, or will I have to make an example out of this box of Tasty-O’s?”

He paused for a moment, her tone setting him off balance “Um…” She was a little too good with that voice for his liking.

She giggled and sat back her grin forming back on her face once again. “Well? Are you going to join us or what silly?”

He smiled a bit and nodded. “Alright, I think I’ll join you. It sounds like a lot of fun.”

She jumped up and bounced around the group a few times a bright smile on her face, the foals watching her with bright smiles and wide eyes. “Great! Let’s get started everypony! We have lots of candy to get and we’re burning moonlight! Let’s go!” With that she began to bounce away leading a small trail of foals and a tall man through the streets of Ponyville.

For a short while Grevin made his way through the town simply enjoying the laughter of the children and Pinkie Pie as they went door to door seeking their sugary sustenance. He had to admit that it was pleasant to be able to walk in the open and not be looked at with disdain or hatred by the citizens, though he still felt oddly out of place without his cloak. There were even a few ponies who waved and said hello to him, their friendly voice making him feel quite welcome in the community. As he quietly followed behind the hyperactive pony known as Pinkie Pie he couldn't help but wonder, what would it of been like to grow up here, in Ponyville, surrounded by such warmth and kindness instead of the city streets he was forced to become so familiar with?

His thoughts were pushed away by the sudden ringing of a bell, causing the group to pause and turn to look at the large stage in the center of the town. There stood Mayor Mare dressed in something that appeared to be a fisherman's outfit, decked out with a flannel shirt, rubber boots, a vest covered with fishing lure, and a floppy cap atop her head. “Attention Everypony, if you would bring yourselves closer, Ms. Zecora will begin tonight's tale of Nightmare Mooooon -muahahahaha!”

Grevin blinked as many ponies, including his group began to make their way to the stage which had begun to spew green smoke out from it's curtains. He was curious to hear this historic tale about Equestria's past, especially since he now knew that it involved a past incarnation of Princess Luna, though he had to admit, the mayor needed to try and have a scarier costume if she was going to laugh like that.

He placed himself toward the back of the now bustling crowd of colts, fillies and foals and waited as the black curtains to the stage slowly opened spewing forth even more of the green mist that seemed to now covered all the surrounding earth. Slowly from the shadows a lone figure walked out into the moonlight, a pony with long white hair draped over her head, spiders adorning it. Her coat was striped in a unique pattern of black and white unlike anything he had seen before. She had golden earrings and even several gold bracelets around her neck and one of her legs. She wore a tattered old looking witches gown that was black as the clouds in the sky, her blue eyes showing mischief and a hint of mysticism in them. Slowly she made her way to the edge of the stage a small smile coming to her lips.

“Find your seats and very soon you'll hear the tale of Nightmare Moon. Listen close my little dears and I'll tell you what to fear on this Nightmare Night so dark and scary, for it is Nightmare Moon who you should be wary.” She reached into a small satchel that was tied to her belt and pulled out a small bit of fine powder. She threw it over her shoulder and behind her it seemed to explode into a massive cloud that soon began to shift and change shape into a fearsome looking Alicorn wearing armor, it's eyes staring out at the now shivering crowd with narrowed, hungry eyes.

“Every year we put on a disguise to keep us safe from her ever searching eyes. For every Nightmare Night, she visits all the towns, looking for little ponies,” She smirked wickedly as she locked her eyes with Grevin's across the audience, a sinister tone entering her voice. “and knights to gobble down.”

Grevin crossed his arms his stance shifting from one leg to the next, a simple smirk coming to his lips as she continued. “Hungrily she soars the sky, and if she see's no ponies, she passes by keeping you safe until next time.”

Grevin chuckled now as he watched the small foals begin to back up now until the reached him, and much to his surprise some of them even moved themselves so they could hide behind his legs. He leaned down to one, Sweetie Belle he believed, and patted her on the head a bit. “It's alright, you're safe.”

A soft but dark chuckle drew his attention back up the stage where Zecora stood watching him with a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Ah, I see we have with us a special Knight...tell me good sir, does Nightmare Moon not give you a fright?”

Grevin smirked and shook his head as he slowly rose to his feet and did his best to appear to be a confident knight full of bluster and arrogance...sadly similar to several he had been forced to humiliate back in Bastion. “Scared? Me? Of a fable, a myth? Of course not. I think it may be a tale used to give reason to have a big evening party. Besides, if we dress up in these costumes to protect ourselves, why collect all this candy?” He smiled a bit causing Zecora to grin, he had just willingly provided her with more ammo to continue her story.

Zecora turned and motioned to the magical construct behind her that seemed to move and slowly gaze out over the small village. “A very good question my confident friend. You see, Nightmare Moon, you mustn’t offend. Offer her a treat or two, and she may not come eat you.”

Grevin grinned and nodded as he kept his arms crossed across his chest continuing his little bit with the mystical pony. He never noticed the small shadow beginning to appear beside him, nor the foals moving away from behind him. “Well, alright, I suppose that makes sense. But what if I'm not scared of her on this night?” This caused several of the young foals to gasp and face him, fear in their eyes.

Zecora simply smirked as she raised her hoof and pointed at him. “Well then my dear knight. Turn around and be ready to test your might.”

He paused now caught off guard by what she said. He was expecting more playful banter instead of something so cryptic. “What? Turn around? I don't follow.”

She simply chuckled and nodded motioning with her hoof for him to do a complete turnaround. He heard a few of the foals take a slow breath as he began to turn his head, and slowly over his shoulder he saw what appeared to be a pony wearing a large black cloak standing directly behind him, their face hidden, their body unmoving as a cold breeze slowly caused the cloth to flow around its feet.

Grevin took a small step backward as he completed his turn, a small hint of concern beginning to poke at him from the back of his mind. He didn't know who this pony was, nor how they managed to get behind him so easily. His attention was pulled to the pony once more as a sudden bolt of lightning flashed behind it revealing a set of white, unholy looking eyes and a dark face for a split second as thunder rumbled its way across the crowd. He watched as the figure leaned forward ever so slightly and took a slow breath before speaking with a slow regal sounding female voice. “So...you do not fear Nightmare Moon sir knight?”

He slowly shook his head as he felt a cold chill begin to work its way up his back. He had rarely felt this kind of feeling before and to be honest with himself it made him uncomfortable, especially when a dark laugh began to echo from the mares lips. He knew though that he couldn't show any sign of fear or weakness when facing something unknown “No...I can't say that I do.”

This made the mare pause before laughing darkly once again but before he could speak once more she reared back hitting him on the chest with her hooves knocking him to the ground. He frowned and watched as a pair of black wings splayed out from her sides causing the cloak to fall away and a gasp of fear to rise from the citizens gathered at the stage.

Standing before them was an Alicorn feared by many, her coat black as night, her eyes a piercing white making it look as though she could look into a pony's very soul. Her horn was long and sharp and her armor and helmet gleamed in the moonlight making her look even more intimidating but what stuck out most to Grevin was the razor sharp looking fanged teeth that were bared. It was Nightmare moon herself.

Grevin tried to rise to his feet only to have her lunge forward forcing her hooves onto his chest and abdomen once again easily knocking him onto his back and holding him down earning a small shriek from the crowd as they tried to back away from the intimidating princess of the eternal night.

Grevin frowned feeling the pressure of her hooves on his chest while he looked up at the powerful mare above him. She smirked and stared down at him and after a few seconds she gave a quick wink, throwing him off guard. The mare raised her head and once again faced the crowd. What came next could only be described as ear shattering.

“CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE!” His ears rang as the force of her voice caused him to physically shake and fall back once again to the dirt. “AS YOU KNOW I, NIGHTMARE MOON CONSIDER THIS TO BE A NIGHT OF HONOR AND JOY! HOWEVER, IT IS CLEAR TO US THAT THIS YEARS CELEBRATION IS LACKING. PERHAPS WITH A PROPER TRIBUTE YOUR CELEBRATION CAN BE SAVED. I WILL BE WAITING FOR IT WITH MY NEW PRIZE...PERHAPS HE CAN BE SAVED BEFORE I GOBBLE HIM UP AND THE NIGHTMARE NIGHT CELEBRATION WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER YEAR!”

Grevin cringed feeling his eardrums shake with each word she spoke, but before he could bring his hands to his ears, he found himself being enveloped in a thick cloud of smoke causing his vision to blur and blocking out everything except the smirking mare who remained above him. He felt an odd sensation of falling causing him to twist and squirm until a few moments later when the smoke began to fade and he realized that they were no longer in the center of Ponyville.

He felt the mare move away from him allowing him time to gather his senses and sit up. Once his vision cleared fully he learned that she had taken him to a small clearing outside of Ponyville. There was nothing there except for a small dirt path and a large statue of Nightmare Moon that clearly looked to be quite old. As he glanced around he found that his captor had moved behind him and was simply watching him with a small smirk on her lips, her razor sharp teeth glinting ever so slightly in the moonlight, her blue cat like eyes watching him with a hint of humor in them as he slowly rose to his feet. “Well, I certainly think that, that will make it a night to remember for them, don't you?”

He blinked a moment in confusion as he carefully watched the now smiling mare. She didn't seem as intimidating as Twilight and the others had described, and then it hit him. His mind finally caught up with what was happening. “Princess...you had me fooled for a few moments there.”

Nightmare Moon laughed softly before a magical aura enveloped her form causing it to shift and shrink a bit causing her to take on a more delicate shape. Moments later Princess Luna stood before him holding a small set of fake teeth in her hoof, her bright blue eyes smiling at him. “Was I too into character for you Sir Hades? Did you truly think that Nightmare Moon had come to Ponyville for her tribute?”

He raised his hand to the back of his head scratching the nape of his neck lightly as he smiled. “Well, to be honest, I wasn't certain what to expect. After all with Discord running around out there anything could happen, but I believe I know what's going on now.”

She smiled and moved around his right side letting her wing and tail ever so lightly brush over his arm causing small goosebumps to rise on his flesh making him shift on his feet slightly. “Oh, and what would that be?” Her voice was light and cheerful.

He turned doing his best to ignore the soft sensation that just ran up his arm and watched her as she made her way over to the statue, standing before it looking at it with a distant gaze. “You're playing with the foals and other ponies. Giving them a small but fun scare for the night. It's kind of you to get into the festivities with them.”

She smiled and tilted her head down her eyes closing as a small sigh escaped her. “It wasn't always that way you know. When I first came to Ponyville just after being freed from Nightmare Moon's grasp I was looked upon with what I felt was true fear from the village. I didn't understand that when they screamed and ran it was out of a fearful fun rather than terror. It took the wisdom of Twilight Sparkle, the laughter of Pinkie Pie, and the patience of Applejack to help me truly understand what was happening. I almost canceled Nightmare Night forever until they helped me see the truth.”

He blinked a moment and slowly moved forward so he was standing beside her. He hesitated a moment uncertain how he his next action would go over but he didn't feel right hearing the somber tone in her voice and doing nothing to help. Slowly he reached over and lightly ran his hand across the base of her neck and gently slid it down her back stopping just before he reached between her wings. “And, what was that truth princess?”

She took in a quick breath her eyes snapping open and locking onto him causing his hand to freeze just at the edge of her wing muscles. Her cheeks flushed red and her wings ruffled slightly but a small smile came to her lips as she turned her head to look at him with both eyes saying nothing as she just stared at him.

Grevin blinked a moment noting how her eyes seemed almost glossy as she looked at him, her lips curling into a soft smile. The slight hue of red on her cheeks was cute...almost too cute. It seemed that these ponies, their rulers included, had a way of looking adorable in almost any situation. The silence though was deafening and he couldn't help but think he had made some sort of mistake when he touched her back. “Princess? I'm sorry, I-” He began to pull his hand back only to see her horn light up with a soft glow, his hand becoming encased in a similar aura which then proceeded to halt his retreat.

He almost expected to find himself being thrown across the clearing, after all many royalty in Bastion considered the touch of a commoner to be degrading, and if that person were of a unique nature it would be downright disgusting. However, instead of being thrown airborne he found his hand being returned to its original position on her back. He glanced at his hand then back at Luna, confusion once again washing over his features. “Princess?”

Luna's blush grew but so did her smile. “Mr. Hades...Grevin, what did we tell you about how to address us when we were alone?”

He sheepishly smiled and raised his free hand in apology. “I'm sorry Luna...old habits do die hard.”

She winked and shook her head, her ethereal mane shifting with the motion making her look quite elegant. “It's alright, you did nothing wrong. To answer your question I learned that the children enjoyed my company, and were playing a game with me without my knowledge. Once I learned the truth, everything fell into place and I've done my best to return to Ponyville every Nightmare Night to play our little game. I even do my best to make the sky look it's finest for the event.”

This made him smile, genuinely smile. He had heard of some royal charity in Bastion for a few peasants in a few kingdoms, but nothing like this. Never had he seen royalty not only come and visit on a holiday, but to play with the children, to help make the event special...that was amazing. “That is one of the greatest things I've ever heard. No royalty in Bastion would ever do something so kind,so fun for children. You have a good and kind heart Luna.”

Her eyes brightened and her smile became sheepish as she slightly ducked her head to the side averting her gaze a bit reminding him of a shy young woman who had been embarrassed, but even with her current distraction she kept her magic hold on him, keeping his hand in place on her back, in fact it almost felt like it was being moved more towards the center of her back. “Y-you really think that?”

He gave a slow nod his smile still showing, a small chuckle escaping his throat as he took in how sheepish the once bold princess had become. “I do. I think you even did an amazing job with the sky tonight. The moon is bright enough for everyone to see clearly while still giving it a dark ominous feeling, perfect for the holiday.”

Luna's cheeks were quite red by now, her head tilted further away from his gaze now while her eyes seemed to glaze over her thoughts clearly taking the forefront of her attention. Grevin paused a few moments before glancing to his hand that was still held in her magical aura and after a few more seconds he began to frown and tug at it hoping to free himself. “Um...Luna...Luna?”

The princess of the night didn't move, almost as if she didn't hear him, her thoughts drawing the majority of her attention. “...perfect...” she mumbled lost in her own little world causing him to frown a bit.

He leaned in close and closed his eyes knowing that what would happen next wouldn't end well but he needed his hand free. He took a deep breath and placed his mouth right next to her ear. “LUNA!”

What happened next would be a chaotic blur forever etched in his memory. As soon as the sound shocked her back to reality, the princess became so startled that her wings shot open with a loud 'Pompf' slamming into his chest knocking him off balance. An instant later her horn flared with strong magic causing the aura around his hand and wrist to shift and fly off her back and into the air dragging him with it against his will.

He managed to utter out a partial phrase, “Oh Sh-!!” before being slammed into the side of the statues base hitting it just right so it knocked the wind from him. This gave her enough time to focus her thoughts and encase his arms and feet in a strong magical field preventing him from moving while she glared at him, a hoof raised up nursing a flattened ear.

“Why did you do that?”

He sighed and tugged at his arms once more. “I was trying to pull you back to reality. You had my hand stuck in your magic and I was beginning to get uncomfortable. I'm sorry if I hurt your ear.”

She rolled her eyes and moved closer a small chuckle escaping her. “Grevin, I was simply lost in my own thoughts. I'm sorry about keeping you stuck like that.”

He shrugged his shoulders as best he could. “It's fine really but...um, well could you let me down now?”

Much to his chagrin she simply smirked and shook her head as she moved closer and watched him with half lidded eyes. “I'm sorry but no.”

He frowned his frustration and confusion slightly showing in his voice. “Why not?”

She smirked and turned letting her tail smack him in the face, it's soft ethereal form teasing his skin as she walked away from him. “Because, one you need to look like a knight being held captive when the children come, which should be any moment, and two...”

He shook his head trying to lose the tickling sensation that she left across his cheeks with her tail and watched her as she moved away...was she moving her hips a little more than before? “Two....?”

She turned and winked with a mischievous grin, her blue eyes flashing with mirth. “You need to pay a tribute to me...it is my holiday after all.”

He blinked a few brief moments with wide eyes his jaw slackened a bit. “Wait-what?”

-Elsewhere-

In the depths of the Everfree Forest a shadowy figure made her way through the dense brush trying to make her way towards a boisterous sound in the distance. She had been traveling through the mysterious forest for several weeks doing all she could to survive while making her way back to civilization. Slowly she pushed her way out of the brush and into the moonlight finally escaping the darkness of the forest and allowed the dim light to reveal her black coat and fierce green eyes.

In the distance Chrysalis, the former queen of the changlings could see the village of Ponyville clearly having some sort of celebration, the sounds of foals laughing reaching her ears bringing a small smirk to her lips, her fangs glinting in the silver light. She couldn’t help but feel a small sense of relief that she had managed to find her way to some form of civilization after her defeat at Canterlot.

She had been so confident of her victory in Canterlot that she had failed to realize just how strong the bond between Princess Cadance and Shining Armor had been, and she paid a price for her arrogance. The blast from the shield they produced was enough to throw her far from the capitol and once she had fully recovered from her wounds, she tried to muster her remaining forces to return to their homeland. However, upon reaching the borders of their homeland they found themselves bared from entrance.

She could feel her blood boil her fangs bared, growling at the memory of how her former subjects barred their way past the border informing her that due to their failure they too were punished. She was stripped of her position by a rebellious brood mother, Crimson Wing, a brash mare who saw an opportunity and took it, banishing Chrysalis and the small force of changlings that remained from her invasion army. She had no choice but to try and make her way across Equestria finding nourishment when they could. Yes they primarily fed on the emotions given off by ponies, but they could scrape by on fruit, breads and vegetables, but it was difficult. By the time they reached the Everfree Forest only a small handful of changlings remained under her control. While she ultimately didn’t care about the changlings following her, every time one of her remaining brood died she would feel more and more isolated, which was not a feeling she cared for. Her suffering wasn't in vain however and by a stroke of good luck she received word from some of the hive style loyal to her back in her homeland. There was a new creature that had made an appearance in Equestria. A creature of great strength, honor, and most of all deeply hidden emotions and that is what brought her here now. Perhaps she could find this creature, befriend it and use it to give her the strength she needed to take back her hive and kill that over zealous bitch that threw her out.

A sharp scream caused her piercing green eyes to widen and drew her attention back to the small village forcing her to put her current thoughts to the back of her mind. Something had caused a large disruption to the celebration, and then she saw it. Rising out of the center of the town was a large pillar of black smoke that spun quickly in a tight spiral. She watched as it rose into the air and twisted about for a few moments before arching around to land back down in what appeared to be a clearing hidden just outside of the town. A small smirk came to her lips as her eyes began to glow a fierce bright green and a burst of green flame surrounding her for a few moments before disappearing and in her place now stood an average sized unicorn pony that had a light teal coat, a two tone mane of emerald green with silver streaks in it, blazing bright green eyes and on her flank was a simple emerald that seemed to be sparkling.

With her disguise completed Chrysalis narrowed her eyes in determination and began to run towards the clearing hoping that she could at least get some sort of glimpse as to what had caused all the noise in Ponyville.

-Perspective change-

Grevin sighed and shook his head as Luna looked at him expectantly from where she sat in front of him a look of mirth in her eyes. “Luna, I don't have any candy to give to you. I'm sorry but I can't give you a tribute with something I don't have.”

Luna raised a hoof to her mouth her smirk growing into a full grin, the humor of the situation making her laugh. “Well, I suppose I can't let you go then, can I?” Her ears twitched at the sound of snapping twigs and laughing children coming from the nearby dirt path, her grin growing as she levitated her fake fangs back to her mouth. “Oh good, they've come to save you.”

Her horn flared once again and her form shifted and returned to the imposing figure of Nightmare moon, though this time her eyes still had a hint of mirth in them. She made her way past Grevin leaving him prone against the side of the statue base, and hid herself behind it blending in flawlessly with the shadows there. Grevin couldn't help but smile at the kick Luna got out of her little game and had to admit that if he were in the same position to do such a thing he would enjoy it too.

He watched with interest as several foals ran into the clearing led by the one and only Pinkie Pie all of whom were carrying bags filled to the brim with various candies and treats. Pinkie grinned as her eyes locked onto his and she slowed the group just before the statue. “Alright everypony, there's Grevin. Lets give our candy up so Nightmare Moon will let us have another Nightmare Night!”

The group began to move forward ready to distribute their goods when an ominous laugh filled the night air sending chills down their spines. From behind the statue a dark figure slowly made her way out into the moonlight, her piercing solid white eyes glaring at the bunch as she moved to stand before the statue. Grevin saw her take a deep breath and closed his eyes bracing for what he knew was coming next. “CHILDREN OF PONYVILLE! I SEE YOU BRING TRIBUTE TO ME IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE THIS BRAVE KNIGHT AND TO KEEP YOUR ANNUAL CELEBRATION. KNOW THAT YOUR CELEBRATION WILL CONTINUE THANKS TO YOUR DILLAGENCE HOWEVER, I'M AFRAID THAT YOUR FRIEND HERE NEEDS A LITTLE MORE EDUCATION ON NIGHTMARE NIGHT.” She lowered her head and smiled devilishly at the now cowering bunch. “SO RETURN TO YOUR GAMES AND CELEBRATION, AND HE WILL JOIN YOU IN TIME...” She took a step forward looking Sweetie Bell in the eyes. “UNLESS ONE OF YOU WOULD CARE TO TAKE HIS PLACE?”

Within three seconds the only two souls remaining in the area were Grevin and Luna, a faint dust trail and the sound of distant laughing the only sign that there was once a group standing in the clearing with them.

Luna laughed as her horn once again glowed and her form shifted back to it's original form, the fake teeth once again being removed from her mouth. Grevin couldn't help but laugh as well, seeing the scared yet excited look in the foal’s eyes made it clear to him that they truly enjoyed their time with their princess.

He paused at that thought, his mind taking him back to Bastion for a moment, forcing him to compare his former home to his new one. He let his gaze shift around a moment before focusing once again on Luna, specifically the smile upon her lips and in her deep blue eyes. She was something that never existed in Bastion, a royal who clearly loved her subjects and who in turn was loved by them. This land never ceased to surprise him, even when he thought he had figured just about everything out.

A small giggle pulled him from his thoughts snapping his attention back to Luna who had now turned around slightly and was staring at him with those same amused eyes, a sly smirk forming on her lips. “You're staring...” Slowly she turned herself to face him fully her ethereal mane flowing beautifully behind her, her wings flaring slightly adding to the sight. Her eyes gleamed with something besides simple mirth, and her smirk remained while her voice seemed to become a bit softer and more demure. “Did you see something you liked Grevin?”

He blinked a moment before he realized just what it looked like he was doing earlier. It would be quite easy to misconstrue his staring at her and his cheeks turned a slight shade of red barely visible in the moonlight. “N-no, I mean yes, but not what you think.”

Luna smiled softly as she lowered her eyes, trying to use her mane to hide her own cheeks which were hinting a slight shade of red. She moved forward slowly to the still prone man until she was a few steps away before sitting on her haunches and slowly raising her gaze to meet his taking a few moments to observe how he looked in his armor. “So…then tell me what do you mean?”

He smiled a bit and looked to the side as he tried to gather his thoughts into a proper sentence. “Well, back in Bastion, royalty never did anything close to what you just did.”

She tilted her head to the side letting her eyes wander over his face finally settling on his eyes, her curiosity showing on her face. “I’m not sure what you mean when you say that.”

He turned his head away avoiding her piercing gaze...damn the way her eyes pull him in and seem to find a way to always lock with his. “Well, you just gave a tremendous thrill to those foals by participating in the celebration with them. Not only that, but it was quite clear you enjoyed doing it. In Bastion royalty never do have anything to do with common folk and look down on anyone lower in class than them…while you and the others seem to embrace them as equals. You care…that is something special and quite heartwarming.”

Luna was so surprised by this that her magical hold on him broke dumping him down to the ground before her. His words echoed in her mind for a moment before a bright smile began to form on her lips. “I am glad that you find it to be so...and I must say that at first I didn't understand the children and their games...a thousand years locked away will do that to a pony. However, thanks to Twilight and her friends I was able to reach this point and I would not trade it for anything.”

Grevin slowly rose back to his feet and began to dust himself off as he listened, his own eyes watching her, taking in the sincere look in her eyes. “I'm glad to hear that Luna. Children can never have to many good role models to look up too.”

As the words left his lips, Luna's eyes seemed to snap open in surprise, a look of shock coming over her features, her ears stood straight up and her wings ruffled uncomfortably for a few seconds before slowly relaxing. She turned her head and looked away for a few moments saying nothing only watching the ground under her hooves before snapping her head back up to stare at him with her deep blue eyes making him squirm a bit under her gaze. “...Role model? I'm a good role model?” She asked quietly, her voice sounding softer than he had ever heard before.

Slowly Grevin nodded a soft smile forming on his lips. “Of course you are, is there any doubt? It's quite clear to me that these ponies adore you Princess. When you take time out of your busy schedule to not only make the night more beautiful than it usually is for their celebration and then on top of that come and take part of their celebration bringing a thrill into their evening...it shows you care and want to be a good ruler to them. Growing children...foals have to look up to that, how could they not? If anyone is going to know, it's me. Back in Bastion I grew up on the streets alone, and I would have been thrilled to catch a glimpse of a royal family member passing on the street, let alone be able to have one participate in a celebration with me.”

As he spoke Luna took every word to heart, her right fore-hoof sliding up to her chest plate just over her heart. She felt a warmth come from within that was brought on by the truth of his words causing her eyes to water in joy. She slowly turned her head back to look at Grevin for a few seconds before speaking, her voice still soft and quiet. “You mean that? Even after I became Nightmare Moon and did so many terrible things that caused me to be exiled...you mean to say that I am still capable of being a good role model after all that?”

He smiled and nodded once more while crossing his arms over his chest his eyes locking onto hers. “I mean ever word. If one makes an effort to overcome their past ways in order to improve not only themselves but to also improve the life of another...then it shows just how strong their character truly is. I'm pretty sure you fit the bill and by showing that kind of character, you clearly show that you are a good role model.”

He never could of expected what happened next. Luna began to cry as a large smile broke out across her face and she quickly lunged forward using her wings to give her a burst of speed tackling him before he could do anything besides throw his arms out to the side in an attempt to keep his balance. She threw her forelegs around him as a cry of pure joy escaped her lips, her muzzle finding its way to his collar nuzzling against the crook of his neck while they both fell backwards into the dirt.

Grevin grunted as the wind was knocked from him by the force of Luna throwing him to the ground and for a moment he thought about trying to push her off of him but then he felt a cool wetness against his neck as well as what sounded like soft sobs echoing off his shoulder. Slowly he wrapped an arm around the Princess of the Night holding her in a gentle embrace while she cried tears of joy onto his collar. He let the fingers of both his hands slowly rub up her neck and through the fine, star covered hair of her mane, the feel of it reminding him of the finest silks from his homeland, cool and soft. Slowly he slide his right hand down her neck to her back stopping just before her wings and sliding back up, rubbing the tension from her as she trembled under his hands. He turned his head as her shaking began to slow and whispered gently into her ear. “Princess...Luna? Are you alright? Have I upset you? I did not mean to offend if I-”

He was cut off by a soft hoof pressed against his lips causing him to stop mid sentence. He turned his head slowly and found himself centimeters from the gentle eyes of the pony now resting atop him. Her cheeks were wet with tears but her smile was bright making him feel a bit more at ease. “Sir Hades....Grevin...I thank you. Ever since my return from exile I've done my best to return to normal pony society. I've had to adjust to new customs, new rules, new ideas, and through it all I was still looked at with a great deal of fear and mistrust. My sister and my niece...as well as Twilight and her friends did what they could to help me adjust but through it all I believe I lost sight of what I truly wanted. I wanted to be recognized, appreciated, looked up too and I never thought it would happen until you just showed me that it already has and I simply hadn't realized it.”

She slowly shifted her position letting her fore-legs slide to either side of his head while shifting her lower portion to sit more comfortably on his waist and hips. Her eyes were half lidded and her voice became slightly huskier as she softly pressed herself down against his torso. “I believe that you have given me the tribute I asked for earlier...”

Grevin for his part had been alright with the close proximity up till that point. As soon as she pressed her form against his and he felt her soft breath against his lips his cheeks lit up in record time. He quickly averted his gaze and swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat as he moved his hands to her sides in an attempt to lift her off of him.

Unfortunately, Luna misinterpreted his actions and smirked flaring her wings out over them while a small giggle rose from her throat. “Princess, I- uh...I don't know if it would be best for us to be in this position...what if someone comes upon this scene?”

Luna smirked and shook her head, her mane draping down around his head in shoulders in a kind of shroud. “I am not concerned, we won't be like this for long. I simply wished to thank you for your kind words.”

This struck a chord in Grevin that sent a very cold chill down his spine. She wished to 'thank him'. The last time a princess did that he found himself in another compromising position that left him uncomfortable for days. The look on his face did not escape Luna's attention and she chuckled softly as she slide a hoof up and gently brushed it across his cheek her touch drawing his eyes back to hers. “Is something the matter Sir Hades?”

He frowned a bit as her touch pulled him back to reality and the situation at hand and he tilted his head away from her hoof earning a small frown from his captor who was looking at him with eyes which no longer held a softness in them but instead what looked like traces of hunger. “Princess...I believe we should be getting up now.”

Luna shook her head once more before sitting back slightly letting her hips rest against his, pressing down ever so slightly making him shift uncomfortably as he felt his manhood begin to respond to the sensation of her soft flank resting against him. She pressed her left hoof down against his chest enjoying the smooth feeling of his armor against her hoof. “I don't think so...at least not yet, I wish to talk to you about what Cadance discussed with you during your stay in Canterlot.”

He froze a moment his breath catching in his throat. If she knew what Cadance spoke to him about, then she may also know exactly what Cadance did in order to have that conversation. Perhaps that is the reason she is resting atop him the way she is. “Luna...Princess, I'm not certain I am comfortable speaking about that topic at the moment, shouldn't we be getting to the party?”

Luna simply smiled and winked as she wiggled against him ever so slightly causing him to blush as the sensation of her rubbing against his rising manhood rippled through his form. “Oh please...I simply wish to know if you have given any more consideration to what she spoke to you about. Do you think you could open your heart up once more to the possibility that love could find you? Do you think you could love a pony?”

While her smile was soft and gentle and her demeanor was calm as could be despite their current position, deep in her heart she was quite nervous. Under her hooves was one of the most unique beings in all of Equestria. He was a misunderstood soul who was kind, brave, and was gentle yet strong. He had caught her attention the moment she saw him in Canterlot sensing a kindred spirit of sorts, and after seeing him privately her interest in him grew. After hearing tales of his actions in battle in the Canterlot market and his most recent kind words she couldn't help but hope that perhaps he would be willing to let love back into his life, and perhaps see her as more than a co-ruler of Equestria.

Grevin closed his eyes a moment and looked away, his mood darkening. He took a slow breath trying to push down the sensations washing over him and let out a quiet sigh as he tried to clear the haze from his mind. He forced himself to ignore Luna's movements and once again opened his eyes and gazed out toward the path that led back to Ponyville, knowing that he wasn't truly sure he could answer her.

He knew quite clearly now that a few ponies had taken an interest in him...some more than others, but he figured it would pass in time however, the prospect of no longer being alone, to have a partner in life...well it was extremely tempting. He slowly turned his head letting his eyes lock once more with Luna's taking note of their shimmering beauty and the way they watched him with what he could only describe as a small glint of hope in them. “Well, I have been thinking on it quite a bit to be honest. Long ago I swore to myself that I would never let my heart be open again to avoid being hurt once more...however the more time I spend here, the more good I see, and the more attention I continue to somehow receive...I find myself beginning to question my past choice.”

Luna's eyes softened as did her smile upon hearing his words, her movements against him slowing to a gradual halt. “Why is that?...if I may ask that is.”

He took another slow breath and never broke his gaze from her, his red eyes seeming to pierce into her very soul. “In Bastion I was looked at as a monster...here I've been treated so kindly...I've been treated as a friend from the very beginning. I've been given a place to lay my head, food to eat, and work to do. I've never been questioned harshly, screamed at, or attacked. I've even found myself gaining the attention of a few mares without really meaning too. It goes against everything I knew...and perhaps love will be the same way here, who knows, perhaps instead of being hurt I will find the greatest comfort of all. I am simply uncertain at this point in time. I find myself wondering if some of these 'infatuations' are simply little crushes that will pass, or if they will only continue to grow and if they do will I be able to handle what comes of it. On top of all that the idea of being an object of affection is very new to me...and honestly it is a bit intimidating.”

Luna's heart began to beat a little faster as she listened to him, her smile only growing as she slowly began to lean her head down, moving closer and closer to him. His words touched her and she knew that he was taking a step in the right direction. “That is one of the best things about opening one's heart though. The uncertainty...the anticipation of the unknown, it can be quite a thrill.”

She quickly leaned down and placed a soft, chaste kiss on his lips before turning her head and whispering into his ear, her warm breath washing over his skin making him shiver under her. “I think that perhaps you should learn more about the possibility of a relationship here Grevin. I have a feeling that it can be quite a bit different here compared to your homeland. No doubt you'll have questions.” She smirked and lightly nipped at his ear tugging it ever so lightly. “I'd be happy to help answer any questions you may have...in a private session of course.”

His breathing paused as he felt himself stiffen further against her as she teased him, his pulse quickening despite his efforts to control himself. He let out a slow, shaky breath and hesitantly nodded. “Perhaps I should learn more in general...and I'll have questions for certain however, I think I'll avoid private sessions for now.”

Luna frowned for a split second before hiding it behind a soft but sincere smile. “Thank you for answering my questions Grevin, I do wish I could thank you further for your kind words, however,” Slowly she pulled back and rose to her hooves backing away from him a few steps. “I believe it is time to return to the party in Ponyville. Your friends are probably beginning to worry about you, and we shouldn't keep them waiting.”

He slowly pulled himself up to his feet and took a few steps away from the princess before leaning down to dust himself off being mindful to do his best to cover the tent in his pants a small frown coming across his face. “You know what? I'm beginning to worry about having to watch my step around you princesses. I don't know why but it appears that you all seem to enjoy teasing the hell out of me. You're not making it any easier for me when you do that you know.”

Luna let out a small laugh before she moved a few steps closer to the man. “Are you saying that we have a habit teasing you and leaving you high and dry? Do you think we are just trying to get a rise out of you for a few laughs?”

He sighed and nodded as he rose back to his full height while crossing his arms over his chest fairly confident that he had finally managed to get his mind and member back under control. “Yes.”

Luna simply smiled and winked as she walked past him letting her tail rise up to brush over his chest and lightly glance across his chin in a teasing gesture. “Then you should be ever so careful around Celestia...if you think Cadance or I were bad then you have no idea what to expect.”

He blinked a moment before a frown came across his lips and he quickly turned moving after the princess as she made her way down the path towards Ponyville. “Wait a second, what do you mean by that? Luna? Princess?? Hold on a second!”

-nearby-

Chrysalis slowed her pace as she approached the location she had seen the cloud of smoke touchdown in. As it turns out her initial summary had been correct, it was an old clearing just outside the village however, it was clearly not just some random location. At the very edge of it was an old statue of the fabled Nightmare Moon, but that sight was not what caught her attention. She barely felt it at first but then it hit her fully...emotions...pure emotions. She felt them radiating off of the two creatures in the clearing making her almost begin salivating at the sensation.

The emotion she felt was jumbled at first...almost as if it were confused, but then it suddenly shifted and changed. It became joyful and sweet to her senses followed by an even stronger taste of love, though it wasn't very strong. Oh how she missed the sensation of that washing over her filling her with strength.

She had to know who was giving off these powerful emotions. She did her best to keep her new form and hunkered down into a crouched position as she moved closer to the field. Within a few moments she was able to get a very clear view into the clearing and what she beheld there surprised her greatly. There was the one and only Princess Luna lying atop a creature unlike anything she had ever seen before. She would compare it to a diamond dog but it was larger, more muscular and wearing what appeared to be armor? No this wasn't a diamond dog at all, it was clearly something larger, something more.

From what she could tell it was a male of some sort, and fairly large judging from the length of its body. She could tell that he wore some sort of armor, but any true detail about this creature was lost due to her view. She would have to wait to get a better look but until then she could still feel the emotions pouring off the two and that was enough to keep her attention glued to them. She could see that they were talking quietly back and forth from their moving lips and after a few moments she saw Luna slowly begin to lean down as a sense of nervousness seemed to pulse from the male beneath her. Chrysalis couldn't help but smirk seeing how this 'strong warrior' that she had heard so much about was intimidated by a simple pony princess.

That was however until a new emotion slammed into her making her dizzy with its sensation forcing her to shut her eyes to keep from falling over. It was lust. Pure, burning, wanting lust. The odd mirror image of Love and Chrysalis could only shiver as she felt it wash over her filling her with strength a small shaky breath escaping her lips. Slowly she reopened her eyes and looked over at the two trying her best to identify which of the two gave off the brief yet strong torrent of emotion. She managed to push past the remaining sensations that continued to wash over her form, digging through it to find that the nervous feeling she had identified before was still very present causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

She couldn't believe it. The princess of the night, Princess Luna wanted him. This was a royal princess, sister to Princess Celestia, co-ruler of the land. She could have any pony she wanted, stallion or mare...and she wanted this enigma of a being? She could understand that there may be a small amount of stallions in the land but as princess, Luna could simply take anyone she wanted...so why him?

She paused in her thinking as she watched Luna lean down and give this being a soft kiss confirming what she had sensed before moving off of him allowing him to get up. Chrysalis took the opportunity to get a better look at this creature now that her view wasn't obstructed.

He was indeed tall, and from what she could tell, strong. She confirmed her thoughts on him being a warrior however the moment she saw the way he carried himself in the unique looking armor. He had seen battle before, she was certain of that. She let her gaze snap to his face, a small smirk forming on her lips as she saw his skin color. He was slightly dark skinned and his hair was dark and wild but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was the scar on his face, and his eyes that made her take pause in her assessment. She was surprised to see such a scar on his face. In this land it would be nothing for a pony trained in healing magic to take care of a wound like that...this meant that he did indeed come from another land. On top of that, his eyes were not typical. While they appeared fierce, they had softness to them and something else hidden behind that but she couldn't tell what. She would have to get closer if she really wanted to get a good look, perhaps sneak up to him later on in the small village.

Chrysalis waited silently as she watched both the creature and Luna walking away heading back toward the village, her smile growing as she saw the blush on his face. He was timid around Luna…perhaps he would be shy around aggressive females as a whole. A small plan began to form in the back of her mind as she rose to her hooves and began to move into the clearing taking note of the imposing statue in front of her. She would sneak into Ponyville tonight and just watch him in order to observe his nature and learn more about him. Then as the night would continue she would introduce herself to him. She would play the part of a mare who would be timid at first and then quite friendly, forcing him to join her in conversation and hopefully reveal more of his nature to her.

That would give her more room to work at getting him to fall for her, but she had to be careful. This was Ponyville, the troublesome Twilight Sparkle and her friends who wielded the Elements of Harmony lived here. If she wasn’t careful they may find her out and that would be the end of her. She also had to make certain she didn’t make herself suspicious to her target either. He was from a different world, he may be able to sense more about her than regular ponies, and she had to be careful even though the reward had the potential to easily outweigh the risk.

She took a moment to check that her magic was still holding the façade she now wore before letting her eyes widen and her facial features soften to the point that she now appeared to be a wide eyed, innocent lovable pony that didn’t have a care in the world. With a small dark chuckle she trotted after her prey, her tail flicking with anticipation.

-Ponyville, Nightmare Night After Party-

Grevin followed Luna through Ponyville, the last remnants of young foals and some older ponies slowly making their way home for the night while the majority of the populace made their way towards the town hall for the Nightmare Night after party. He couldn’t help but notice that as they made their way closer to the party the less and less he would see the cutesy little costumes from before while more and more he would see what he could only describe as alluring adult costumes. He had to admit that he was surprised that some of these costumes were something he would never have expected out of these ponies. He saw one dressed as a French maid, and another as a sexy nurse. He heard Luna giggle a bit next to him making him glance over at her. “Something funny Princess?”

She smirked her blue eyes locking onto his and nodded. “You look surprised by some of these costumes Grevin. Did you think that we ponies could dress ourselves in such…imaginative attire?”

He quickly broke eye contact with her and cleared his throat. “Well, not exactly. I’ve only seen ponies wear average bits of clothing…hats, or glasses…the occasional shirt, but never anything that would be considered sexy.”

Luna grinned and lightly brushed his arm with her wing in a teasing motion. “You still have quite a bit to learn about Equestria my dear knight.” Grevin pulled his arm away at the teasing touch and shook his head ignoring the tone Luna’s voice had while heading up the steps into the town hall.

Once inside he found himself quite surprised by the layout Pinkie Pie had come up with for this party. Instead of the typical streamers and bright colors, there were black lights, dark colors, and even some fog flowing through the room giving it a fairly dark and eerie feeling. He found that there were already several ponies dancing on the main floor in front of the stage which was being run once again by D.J. Pon3 filling the room with what could only be described as a an epic sound. He looked to his left to see a bar had been set up and there were several tables around it, some filled by ponies who were enjoying their drinks, while others were enjoying each other’s company…some more than others, though they were fairly well hidden in the shadows of the fog.

His attention was pulled back to his more current surroundings by a soft cough and a tap on his shoulder. He turned around expecting Luna wishing to tease him further but instead of just her, he saw something which caused a small lump to form in his throat. There Princess Luna stood with a sly smile playing across her lips as she motioned to the pony standing beside her. It was Fluttershy but she was dressed in what he could only describe as something that was beautiful, fitting and heart stopping.

The cream colored Pegasus wore a silken teal colored dress that had brown accents swirling over it. Her hair was brushed back and there appeared to be jewel like leaves draped throughout her mane and her wings. Her smiling lips had a touch of earth colored lipstick and her eye shadow was a beautiful shade of green that matched her dress. Her eyes themselves were shining brightly as she looked up at Grevin anticipation and a hint of excitement showing in them. “H-hello Grevin. I like your costume.” She blushed as she allowed her eyes to move over his body taking in every inch of him.

Grevin swallowed the lump in his throat as a small smile came over his lips as he leaned down to better speak to her over the loud music. “Good evening Fluttershy, you look lovely in your costume.”

She smiled brightly at the compliment and moved forward a bit her excitement showing. “You really think so? I tried to make it look like the Dryad you described. You made her sound so beautiful and I thought…” She paused as she realized just how excited she was sounding before blushing and looking down while pawing her hoof at the floor a bit. “Well…I, um, thought that maybe you would like a small taste of your home. You really like it?” She looked up at him with a small innocent smile.

He couldn’t help but grin at her cuteness and nodded earning another big grin from her. “I do…and I appreciate that you wished to help me remember the good things from my homeland. You look stunning in that dress.”

Her wings flared out a bit as she took a small step backwards, her cheeks rosy red now. “I-I-…um…w-well, thank you.”

He didn’t receive much time to further the conversation though when Luna bumped his side with her hoof drawing his attention back to her. “Don’t look now but you have more company.”

He blinked a moment as he rose back to his full height his eyes darting around a bit trying to see through the fog filled room. “Who are you talking about?”

His answer came when he felt a soft yet muscular form slam into him from behind wrapping its arms around his shoulders and neck while growling into his left ear. He could feel the soft coat of the pony on him, and the sensation of her wrapping her legs around him was enough to make him stumble a bit before regaining his balance. He tried to reach back to pull the pony off him only to have her tighten her grip and growl once more into his ear, her hot breath washing over the nape of his neck. “She’s talkin about me sugar-cube.”

He felt her let go and quickly turned expecting to see Applejack wearing something related to the farm but what he saw instead caused him to pause once more. Before him stood Applejack but her costume wasn’t mere clothing, it was her whole self. Her mane and tail were unbound missing her usual hair ties letting her beautiful blond lockes splay out over her shoulders and part of her face giving her a very wild yet sensual look, her coat was clean but appeared to be rougher than normal, and her eyes were narrowed and locked onto him as though he had a target on his chest. That however wasn’t what really caught his attention; that belonged to her mouth. Instead of the normal flat teeth that ponies had, her teeth had been changed so they now appeared to be quite sharp completing her transformation from regular pony to a wild animal ready to pounce on her prey. “A-Applejack?”

She smirked and nodded as she pawed the ground lightly with her front left hoof while lowering her head a bit making it appear as though she was going to charge. “Yup, it’s me. I thought I’d try something new this year so I decided to try and make myself up to be a Werepony. You already know that I’m confident and I’m strong and that tale you told us about those creatures from your world got me thinkin'. So I borrowed the idea of the Werewolf and used it for mah costume,” She grinned barring her teeth for a moment “I gotta admit, these chompers make me feel like a real predator, so much so that…” She winked at him as she slowly took a few steps forward her tail flicking with each step, her tongue across her lips as her eyes locked onto his and her voice dropped becoming soft and husky. “I might just have to go hunting for some prey.”

Grevin felt his cheeks heat up once more as he took a small step back, the look in her eyes sending a small chill down his spine. “Uh...”

Applejack smirked as she took another slow deliberate step forward for every step he took back. “What’s the matter Grevin? Don’t tell me my costume is too scary for you.”

He reached up and lightly scratched he neck as he shook his head while still moving backwards. “Well, no of course not. I think it’s a very good costume-“He paused when he felt his back press against a firm but soft surface that seemed to press back at him forcing him forward. He turned his head to see the smirking face of Luna watching him clearly enjoying how flustered he seems to be getting. “Luna, what are you-?”

Applejack took the opportunity to lunge forward and jump up putting her hooves on his shoulders while leaning in to press her forehead against his, her eyes locked on her target. “Hey there…Ever danced under the light of a full moon?”

He tensed under her gaze feeling her press her form against him for a few moments before pulling back a bit, her demeanor becoming more typical of the Applejack he was familiar with. “I…uh….you had me going there for a moment A.J…you can be pretty convincing with that costume of yours.”

She smirked and lightly licked her lips, her eyes narrowing once again. “Who said I was just playing?”

Luna smirked a small laugh escaping her lips as she watched Applejack play with her ‘toy’ but paused as she heard Fluttershy take in a sharp gasp. “Oh…my…”

The group paused and turned to see Fluttershy staring out into the middle of the fog filled room with wide eyes, her form shivering slightly as a figured began to approach through the thick mist.

Grevin took a few steps away from the three mares hoping to get himself some breathing room while he watched the figure begin to take shape. Slowly the fog began to part revealing a familiar purple mare walking toward them with closed eyes. Grevin almost didn’t recognize her due to her costume. Her mane was put up in a ponytail and around her neck was a black choker style collar. She had on a black cape, and around her barrel was what he could only describe as some sort of corset that seemed to hug her form. Each of her legs were fitted with snug stockings that seemed to add to her curves and her hooves were painted black. “T…Twilight?”

Twilight paused mid stride at the sound of his voice and slowly turned to face him a small smile on her lips. She took a slow breath in, sniffing the air a bit before her smile grew larger revealing a pair of sharp looking fangs poking out from her mouth. “Hello Grevin…girls…” She slowly opened her eyes and what happened next caused Grevin’s breath to catch in his throat for a moment.

As her eyes opened they revealed their normal lavender color however, in an instant they seemed to flash and were instantly replaced with piercing, seductive red orbs. She stared up at Grevin for a few moments before turning to look at the rest of the group, all of whom had to pick their jaws up off the ground. “So what do you think of my costume?”

Fluttershy stepped forward a small smile on her lips. “Twilight, it’s amazing. You look so different…where did you come up with the idea for this?”

Applejack nodded as she sat back on her haunches, slightly miffed that she had been outdone by her friend. “Yeah Twi, where did you think up that darn outfit?”

“The same place you two did. I took it from one of the creatures Grevin told us about. The Vampire…or Vampony in this case. I even found a spell that gave me some of the traits of a Vampire such as my red eyes and fangs. I like your costumes too girls, it looks like all of us put some great thought into our costumes.”

Luna smiled and stepped forward “That is quite true Twilight Sparkle. All three of you have put quite a bit into your costumes…and I must admit, I think they all are quite good. Tell me Sir. Hades, do you agree?” She turned her head to look at Grevin who had taken a few steps back trying to gather his thoughts.

He blinked a moment looking at the hopeful eyes of each of his friends who were watching him with anticipation. “Well, yes their costumes are all quite good. I’m very surprised how much detail you all were able to give them with the simple descriptions I gave.”

The three mares smiled in appreciation and he let out a small breath of relief as he felt himself begin to finally relax. He turned towards the bar a bit and glanced back at the girls. “I think I need to get something to drink…if you’ll excuse me I’ll-“

“I don’t think so Sir. Hades.” Luna stepped forward her wings extending out giving her an imposing form, the fog of the room spreading out before her. “I shall get you all some refreshment to enjoy from the bar while you…well I have a job for you Spectral Knight.”

He blinked a moment before his eyes became more serious and he straightened his shoulders somewhat. “Very well, what do you need me to do Princess?”

Luna grinned and leaned forward. “You are ordered to take these fine mares out to the dance floor, and let them have a night that they will never forget. “

He faulted a moment. “Wait…are you telling me to be something akin to an escort?”

Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy all heard that particular phrase and blushed as they averted their gaze. Luna rolled her eyes and shook her head, her ethereal mane shifting with the motion. “No. I am ordering you to be more social. These mares clearly dressed up in these wonderful costumes to impress you. You should show your appreciation and treat them to a good time. Do I make myself clear?”

A soft smile came to his lips as he nodded. “Yes, or course.” How could he of missed that. They could have dressed up as anything, and they choose to be things from Bastion, his home land, it was a heartfelt decision and he did want to make sure they knew he did appreciate their efforts as his friends.

Luna nodded and walked past him a knowing smirk forming on her lips. He was clueless when it came to mares. She would be happy to help give him a bit of a push in the right direction but she had to admit that she was a bit jealous of the three mares who were trying to earn his favor but she knew that this would be good for all of them. After all she had seen similar situations between ponies a thousand years before and those situations usually ended one of two ways, heartbreak or a herd. She made her way to the bar and ordered the strongest drinks available and told the bar tender to keep those drinks full no matter the cost until the end of the evening. The bill was to be sent to the royal castle afterwards. By the end of the night Grevin, and the girls were certain to be in for an interesting time.

Grevin made his way back to the three mares who all were looking up at him expectantly, the sound of the music thumping through the air making it quite clear that D.J. PON3 was in her element. He knelt down before the three and held out his hand his palm facing upwards. “You three have done a great job with your costumes; the fact that they are creatures from my home is quite touching, thank you. What do you three say we go onto the dance floor and have some fun for a while?”

Their response was immediate and surprised him quite a bit. All three of their faces lit up in joy and then without warning Fluttershy let out a yell “YES!” and latched onto his pulling him back flapping her wings with great effort forcing him out onto the dance floor where several other ponies had already begun dancing, Applejack and Twilight following close behind laughing as they went.

The music was blasting from the speakers near the D.J. Station, the bass thumping against his chest nearly knocking him off of his feet. The room had darkened further due to the D.J. dropping the lights to make the fog and strobe lights more effective making it more difficult for him to see. If it wasn’t for Fluttershy hanging onto his arm as she half flew half pulled him out to the dance floor he would have been completely lost.

He took a moment to look around trying to get his eyes to adjust to the dark and he had to admit he was surprised to see just how many ponies had already made their way out to the dance floor and were moving fluidly to the beat. He didn’t get much time to think about it though when Fluttershy quickly turned and ‘bumped’ into him causing her muzzle and lips to slide over his cheek and neck in a brief embrace before pulling back and looking down letting her hair cover her face.

Twilight and Applejack quickly moved in and each moved in on either side of his wrapping their forelegs around his arms. Twilight smirked and tilted her head to the side letting her mane brush over her shoulder as she stared up at him with her piercing red eyes. “Grevin, when they play a slower song, I want to be the first one to get to dance with you alright?”

Applejack narrowed her fierce green eyes and pulled his other arm making him shift position a bit drawing the others attention to her. “Nuthin doin. You got to dance with him at the welcoming party, it’s only fair to let Fluttershy and I get a slow dance with him first.”

Twilight frowned and began to open her mouth when Grevin raised his arms up and shook his head causing the two to let him go and take a few steps back. “Girls, girls, I’m certain that you each will get a dance of your own…please don’t fight over something like this.” The last thing he wanted to do was be the one to drive a rift between his friends, especially after all they had done to help him in the past.

Twilight glanced over at Applejack then Fluttershy and after a few moments the three all smiled and nodded moving closer to him effectively boxing him in causing him to tense up slightly as they each brushed against him ever so slightly “I think you’re right Grevin…come on girls, let’s have some fun.”

Luna smirked at the small group watching with great interest as she returned from the bar, several drinks being levitated by her magic. The three mares hanging onto Grevin were beginning to become more aggressive with their love interest and she was sure that given enough time one of them would finally push things too far. Luna couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of jealousy as she set the drinks down on the table and let her full attention focus on the dancing group.

She glanced around the rest of the room for a few moments taking in the various costumes and outfits that the ponies wore…Pinkie Pie didn’t lie when she said it was going to be more adult. She hadn’t seen this many skimpy outfits since the days of estrus over a thousand years ago. A small smile came to her lips at that particular memory. She could still hear the sound of stallions running in fear of being rutted to death while being chased by countless mares all across Canterlot.

She couldn’t help but notice that as she let her gaze wonder out and around the room, that there were very few stallions there…even the brother of Applejack, Big Macintosh was missing. It seemed that most of the ponies dancing were female, not that they seemed to mind, however she did notice several glancing over at Grevin with small looks ranging from surprise to intrigue. This brought a small chuckle from her throat as she realized that in a short time the land would be entering into another phase of heat, and thanks to the ratio of mares to stallions being a 8:1, many a mare may take even more of a liking to Grevin than before, especially thanks to his new reputation.

Luna learned that in the time she had been banished many stallions had begun to learn to observe subtle signs that heat would be approaching and as a result, had learned when to leave the area leaving no trace of their location until the mating rush had passed. Most shared this information with fellow stallions and parents of foals who wished to keep their offspring away from such things, but there were always some who would stay either out of ignorance or willingness. Luna knew that when the heat hit Grevin would be in for an interesting time and had to admit that she was curious as to how he would handle himself in such a situation. She was half tempted to visit Ponyville during the season but her royal duties wouldn’t allow her a chance to do so. It was always difficult dealing with the heat in Canterlot…being a royal meant she had to keep herself under control more so than others did. She could barely stand it and would often lock herself away while Celestia somehow managed to keep herself calm and collected…to be honest she had no idea how her sister did it, perhaps she would have to seek her council this season.

Her attention was pulled back to the dance when the sound began to die down to something mellower and D.J. announced she would be taking a fifteen minute break. Luna watched the three mares and a red faced Grevin make their way back to the table where she waited. “It looks like those girls are putting you through your paces Sir. Hades. Are they too much for you handle?”

Grevin blinked as he stammered for a few moments. “Erm- eh, no your majesty, they all are quite good dancers, I just need to improve.”

Luna smirked and glanced at Twilight who’s own cheeks were a bit red and sent her a small wink. “I see. Well hopefully you will have improved enough to dance well at the Grand Galloping Gala. That is where I will most likely see you again. Until then it is time for me to return to Canterlot.”

Fluttershy frowned a bit, her mane a bit tussled from how she had pulled Grevin onto the dance floor. “Oh Princess, do you really have to leave now? We haven’t made you feel unwelcome have we?”

Luna smiled and shook her head. “No, of course not fair Fluttershy. I simply have other duties I must attend too. Ponyville has truly given me a night that I shall remember for a long time…” She paused and glanced over at Grevin letting her tongue flick over her bottom lip ever so slightly as the memory from the clearing flashed through her mind briefly. “A very long time indeed.”

She ignored the red blush she had managed to earn from the man and quickly turned and motioned to the table behind her. “I have taken the liberty of getting you something to drink. Have as much as you like, the bar tender has been told to not let your glasses be empty. “

Applejack smiled her bright green eyes shining slightly. “Well that’s mighty kind of you Princess. Thank you.”

Luna nodded her smile growing. “You’re quite welcome Applejack. I do ask one thing of you three mares though.”

Twilight tilted her head, her curiosity showing. “What is that Princess?”

Luna smirked and lightly flicked her tail as she motioned to Grevin with her head. “He needs to have a night that he will never forget…I trust that you three can do that?”

Fluttershy squeaked and blushed as she glanced to the man at her side, her cyan eyes widening at the implication. “A…a night he won’t forget?”

Luna managed to stifle a small giggle as Grevin took a small step back raising his hands slightly a small frown forming on his lips. “Now wait a moment…what do you mean Luna?”

She smiled and stuck her tongue out a bit in a teasing gesture. “I know that you have had many nightmares in the past, so I hope that these three can help you have more pleasant dreams and thus a more restful sleep in the future.”

Applejack frowned and looked over her shoulder at Grevin deciding to speak about it more with him at another time. She turned back to Luna and smiled warmly her own cheeks flushing slightly with red. “No worries Princess, we’ll take care of him won’t we Twi.”

Twilight simply smirked letting her red eyes flash as her fangs seemed to gleam a bit in the flashing strobe lights. “Absolutely. You can count on us.”

Luna simply smirked and nodded. “Good, then I will leave you for the evening, I trust that you will be able to show these fine mares a good night Grevin. I wish you all a pleasant night, and good dreams.” She bowed to the group before turning and making her way out the door, passing a teal pony with an emerald cutie mark just outside.

-Perspective Change-

Grevin frowned as Luna walked away, Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy somehow surrounding him on all sides within moments as if they were guarding a prized possession. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this situation and decided to do his best to get out of it. “Girls, what do you way we have a drink…it is a bit warm out on the dance floor don’t you think?” He slowly moved past Twilight ignoring the way her tail seemed to brush up against him arm as he walked past.

Applejack grinned and nodded. “Sounds good to me.” She hopped onto a nearby chair and took hold of a mug raising it into the air. “Bottoms up everypony.”

By now the rest of the group had taken their seats and raised their mugs to join their friend. “Cheers!”

Grevin had thought he had been getting used to the strong taste that equestrian drinks had but he quickly learned that he had been mistaken. While Applejack, Twilight and even Fluttershy had easily taken several large gulps of their drinks, he had found himself coughing and trying to catch his breath amid the strong taste and burning in his throat due to the alcohol. “Gah….Did the Princess tell the bar tender to double the strength of these drinks?”

Fluttershy turned and looked at him with a soft smile. “Um…well my drink didn’t taste all that strong. Perhaps yours wasn’t mixed quite right…uh, perhaps you should try another sip to see if it tastes any better.” She took another small sip of her mug before licking her lips and looking back over to him. “That is…if you want to I mean.”

He paused a moment and eyed the cream colored mare carefully for a few seconds a slight but still worrisome thought flashing through his mind for half an instant. Was Fluttershy trying to get him drunk? Surely not, she was to nice to do anything like that.

Slowly he nodded and took a smaller sip and found that the drink was indeed quite strong but it didn’t bother nearly as much as it did before. He gave her a small nod as he set his mug back onto the table. “I suppose you’re right. It is getting better.”

The normally timid mare grinned and ruffled her wings slightly as she raised her mug to let the bar tender know they needed more to drink. “Uh, Grevin I was wondering something.”

This drew the attention of everyone at the table, Twilight and Applejack turning to look at her noting that her cheeks were beginning to become rosy and her eyes were looking down at her hooves at the table. “What’s that Fluttershy?”

She smiled sheepishly ducking under her mane. “Oh…well, I was hoping to dance with you on the next slow song…that is if the others don’t mind.”

-Perspective Change-

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes as she made her way to a small vacant table not far from her target. She had a small frown on her lips which she formed as she passed the Princess of the Night, Princess Luna. She considered herself lucky that she hadn’t noticed her magical energy keeping her form shifted, but considering how hurried to appeared to be, chances were she wasn’t even paying full attention to her surroundings.

Slowly she made her way through the fog filled room her ears flattened against her head as she tried to ignore the loud blaring music that seemed to be pulsing through the air. How these ponies could listen to such music she would never understand, it shook her to the core, yet these ponies so easily danced too it.

She pushed those thoughts to the side though as she drew nearer to her target but her frown grew as she watched the table he sat at, specifically the three mares that were there with him. Were these ponies his friends or were they something more. Using her senses she gathered that there was indeed a romantic emotion in the room coming from them but as she tried to get a better idea of things, something caught her attention. She knew these mares.

Indeed it was hard to tell due to their costumes, but she recognized Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Fluttershy, all of whom played a part in her defeat in Canterlot. She felt her blood boil at the sight of their laughing forms her teeth baring as a small growl escaped her. She was tempted to attack them outright but she held back knowing that, that would not be a true victory.

Her attention was drawn back to the man as he took a drink from his mug, the three mares watching him with smiling eyes. Chrysalis’s eyes widened as a thought entered her mind. Was this creature so interesting that not only has he earned the favor of Princess Luna but three of the Elements of Harmony? Just what was so special about him? Was he some sort of playboy? Was he really good in bed? She had to learn his secret.

That’s when a simple but dark thought entered her mind that caused her to grin. She would learn his secret…and she would get what she wanted from him as well. She would even get her revenge on Twilight Sparkle and her friends for their interference back in Canterlot. She would steal this male right out from under them and claim his love as her own leaving them heartbroken. Then with his power at her command she will take back what was rightfully hers and then begin to spread her hive until all of Equestria is under her rule. Oh yes, this was to be a most wondrous night indeed.

-To be Continued

Author's Notes:

Authors notes: I’M NOT DEAD!
Hey guys, I wanted to say I’m sorry for taking so long for getting this next chapter out. I hope I’m not disappointing you all. Things here have been nothing less than crazy. Lots of work obligations, family concerns and things of that nature. Hopefully some things will be changing soon and things can lighten up. In the mean time I hope you enjoy part one of Nightmare Night. I ended up having to break this thing up because it was getting too large for my liking. I know that when I read a piece I can barely get through 10k words and I’ve been asking my readers to go over that so…yeah. The second half should appear sooner rather than later if I have my way with it. In the mean time leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks again for reading. /)*(\ -Grev