The sun had begun to set when the Titan-class airship arrived at Mareay. As they debarked, Con Mane had relayed some instructions to Rarity, telling her to mingle with the crowd and keep an eye out for Princess In Hoc Signo Vinces. As soon as the sun had set, the Feast of the New Moon had begun. Great banquets were set forth and a firework show lit up the moonless night sky as the costumed ponies conversed and danced below.

Rarity was in her element. The Feast of the New Moon was going splendidly for her. She had been shaking hooves with rich and famous ponies from Manehattan to Las Pegasus and had acquired a number of orders for Princess Platinum cloaks just like hers. The presence of the Equestrian elite troubled her, however. There were heads of government, famous Applewood actors, heads of industry, academia, and banking. She had never heard of this event, and she thought she knew about every big to-do that the high society ponies held.

Since they had landed, Con Mane had left her alone as he went to set up his donut stand. Rarity began to whisper into her collar to ask him what the deal was with this event, when a familiar voice called out her name. She turned and saw Fancypants, her friend and one of the most important ponies in Canterlot. The white-coated and azure-haired unicorn was dressed as a sheikh. His usual well-trimmed moustache had been replaced with a scruffy beard. A parody of his usual cutie mark (three crowns with purple gems) was portrayed on his desert robe, replacing the crowns with a more Saddle Arabian design.

Rarity smiled happily.  "Fancypants! I am so delighted to see you!"

"I don't recall ever seeing you here before, Miss Rarity," Fancypants said. "Which is surprising."

"Oh, it's my first time. I'm a tad confused though as to why all you important ponies are here. I'd never even heard of this isle before," Rarity said, her voice low so the others wouldn't hear her confession.

Fancypants smiled. "Do you know the history of the Feast of the New Moon?"

Rarity shook her head.

Fancypants explained: "The story goes: long, long, ago, a ship of explorers were lost amidst a terrible storm during a new moon. It was dark, their ship had been damaged, and they were all terrified. Princess Luna herself appeared and helped guide them to this isle, Mareay. In thanks to Princess Luna, they held a festival. The story spread and soon every year, sailors would travel to Mareay and join the survivors in celebrating Princess Luna, for sailors rely on the moon for guidance."

Fancypants looked up into the night sky. "In appreciation of her fans, she bestowed upon them a gift of magic for one blessed night. Soon, thousands of ponies were coming and the festival became solely about receiving that gift. As you are well aware, in ancient times Luna believed she was not well-liked, and she became frustrated that they were greedily after her gift and cared not for her. Soon after, she became Nighmare Moon. The festival continued, without her gift, but was only celebrated by a dedicated few. During the next thousand years after the Nightmare Moon incident, Celestia eventually attended the Feast and, in honor of her sister, she began bestowing the magical gifts once more. This was also when the tradition of costumes arose, since the moon is 'gone' during a new moon phase, traditions of Nightmare Night bled over, wherein the ponies were scared of Nightmare Moon coming to eat them if she could recognize a pony. Luna and Celestia's presence here attracted the monks of the Order of the Eclipse, and they vowed to make sure the festival remained dedicated to the royal pony sisters, and not just their magic. The festival became a secret club of sorts, less than a hundred ponies attend now. mostly just sailors and the upper class, although anypony is welcome."

Rarity smiled. "Very interesting. Thank you, Fancypants. What can you tell me about our host, Princess In Hoc Signo Vinces?"

"She's about your age, I believe. Hard to tell with that armor she's always wearing. She's a sweet little lass, I've known her since she was but a filly," Fancypants said.

"What is her cutie mark?" Rarity asked.

Fancypants frowned. "Hmm. Now that you mention it, I believe it has always been covered by a garment. Dresses when she was a little filly, armor when she grew up. Very curious indeed."

Fancypants craned his neck to look behind Rarity and smirked. "Speak of the devil, here she comes now."

Princess In Hoc Signo Vinces, affectionately nicknamed Winny due to the pronunciation of 'Vinces,' walked into the festival area flanked by two robed monks of the Order of the Eclipse. She was clad in the same golden armor that she was wearing in Con Mane's photo. Rarity followed suit as all the ponies turned towards the princess and laid down. The three unicorns stood upon a platform behind an altar shaped like a crescent moon. The horns of the monks began to glow and behind them an ancient sailing ship made from driftwood was formed.

Winny began to speak and Rarity leaned forward to hear, startled to hear such a gentle voice coming from a pony wearing battle armor.

"We are here to celebrate our beloved Princess Luna," Winny said. "I thank you all for coming here tonight. We've heard rumors that things were not going well in Equestria, and we are very pleased to see you are all safe and sound. Without further ado, Brother Moonbathed?"

One of the monks stepped forward, he bowed to the crowd, then began to speak with a booming voice. "Tonight, like every year, we have gathered here to celebrate Luna and her star-strewn night. Hail, Luna!"

The other ponies all repeated "Hail, Luna!" and raised their heads to look up at the night sky. Rarity blushed with embarrassment and tried to mimic the others.

Winny spoke again, her voice much louder than before. "The moon's light smiles upon our sleeping forms while she polices our dreams, driving our nightmares into the darkness where they belong. We have gathered the nightmares here tonight so that they might be slain and trouble us no more!"

Rarity's heart skipped a beat as shadowy, monstrous figures began to emerge on the deck of the driftwood ship.

The three unicorns turned and shook their hooves at the shadows. Moonbathed spoke again. "Fire shall have its will of thee! We must have fire!"

The two monks conjured up torches and touched them against the base of the ship. Flames began to lick at the driftwood and the shadows began to merge into the form of one terrifying creature.

Rarity jumped as a loud, sinister voice boomed from the shadow. "Foals! When will ye learn that me ye cannot slay? Year after year ye burn me in this place, lifting your puny shouts of triumph to the stars. When again, ye turn your faces to the pillow and drift into dream, do ye not find me waiting, as of old? Foals! Foals to dream ye conquer me!"

Winny stared up at the shadow as the two monks covered their eyes with their hooves.

Winny stood defiant and pointed towards the shadow. "Thine malevolence which would pursue us here has lost its power under these friendly stars. So we burn thee once again, nightmare! The flames may not devour ye, but Luna shall set us free!"

The shadow's voice laughed. "Ye shall burn me once again? Not with these flames, ye foals. I spit upon your fire!"

The flames magically died out and the monks fell to the ground, quivering in fear. Winny looked up into the night sky. "Oh, Luna! Princess of the night. Beautiful Luna, we beseech thee! Save us from this nightmare!"

The moon-shaped altar began to glow, Rarity smiled as she heard the voice of Princess Luna emanate from it. "A simple torch will not do. One light alone must light this fire. The moon's light. A pure, eternal light."

A magic wand appeared, floating above the altar. It was silver and tipped with a sapphire star. Around the star orbited gently glowing illusions of the moon's various phases - full, half, crescent, and a dark void with a silver outline representing the new moon.

Winny grasped the wand and held it over her head. "Oh, darling Luna! We thank thee for thy gift!"

Winny pointed the wand at the shadow. "Be gone detested nightmare! Be gone! Once more, we banish thee! Be gone, foul nightmare! Lunar fire shall have its will of thee!"

A moonbeam shot from the wand and the ship was engulfed in pearly, luminescent flames. The driftwood, and the shadow, were quickly consumed and the ponies began to cheer as all that remained was a plume of smoke.

Winny got down on the ground next to the monks and everypony, sans Rarity, said in unison: "Hail, Luna! Once again, thou hath set us free!"

Princess Luna stepped forth from the smoke. "Let all on whom my light falls be welcome if they desire to be so. As the moon waxes and wanes, so too does all life. Turn to the moon, and I will be thine guide."

The ponies clapped their hooves and cheered. Winny rose. "Oh, great and wondrous Luna! Ye have smote the nightmare once more upon this night. However we know tomorrow is another day, and we beseech thee to grant us thine blessing on this most happy of nights. We humbly ask thee to accept this offer."

Winny pulled out a decanter of milk and poured it out onto the altar. Luna smiled. "Thine offer pleaseth me. Tomorrow, thine nightmares may return, but tonight, thou shalt have joy!"

Luna's horn began to glow and the altar was bathed in moonlight. The milk transformed into a glowing, soft-as-silk, opalescent custard. "Enjoy my gift, my friends! Know that I am always here if you require me." She winked, and vanished in a flash of moonlight.

The ancient performance ended, the ponies rose and formed a line as the monks dished out the custard. Con Mane and Rarity looked expectantly as Winny was served, but instead of removing the helmet as they hoped, she pulled out a straw to eat her custard.

Rarity raised her eyebrow and looked at Fancypants. "That was... interesting."

Fancypants chuckled. "Oh, indeed. It is silly, I know, but it is the same ritual that has been performed for centuries. They apparently used to reenact being lost at sea in the early days."

Rarity eyed the altar as they approached. "And what is this, dessert?"

Fancypants smiled. "It's your first time, correct? Oh, Miss Rarity, you are in for a surprise."

The moon's milk, as it was called, was one of the most delicious things Rarity had ever eaten. She smiled broadly and turned to Fancypants."I've nev-"

Her eyes went wide as she felt her hooves leave the ground. She frantically looked around. "What is going on?"

Fancypants laughed. "That is Luna's gift, lunar magic. The moon's milk can enchant you with magical powers for one night. It appears you have received flight."

Rarity had flown before - on yachts, hot air balloons, carried by pegasi, and on magical wings - but never like this. It was as if she was floating in zero gravity. She glided around in amazement. "Oh my gosh!"

Below her, she saw the other festival attendees enjoying their new powers. Earth ponies tossed around boulders as if they weighed nothing, ponies were running across the water as if they weighed nothing, others were flying through the night sky, and a small group of ponies were throwing each other into the air and laughing gleefully as they slowly fell to the ground as if they weighed no more than a feather.

Rarity touched down next to Con Mane. "Oh my gosh, this night has been absolutely spectacular! Thank you so much!"

Con Mane laughed, then his expression grew grim. He nodded towards the altar. "Sorry to cut your jubilation short, back to the mission."

Winny stood behind the altar and raised her hooves to the sky. "May Luna guide our steps in the night and bring them to the new dawn." She waved to the crowd then began walking into the night. Con Mane smirked as the princess' monks stayed behind to distribute the moon's milk. He thought, Good, no security detail.

Con Mane nodded at Rarity. "Now's our chance, let's follow her."

After they got away from the crowd, Con Mane pressed a button on his wrist wizard and a barrier enveloped them. "Sound dampening field," he explained.

They stealthily pursued Winny through a wooded area and soon arrived at her castle. It was a fairly small structure and was adorned with seashells and images of dolphins. So far, they seemed to have evaded detection from the princess, who had been walking at a slow pace, twirling the moon wand in the air.

The princess entered her castle, closing the doors behind her as Rarity and Con Mane hid near a dolphin-shaped fountain.

"What do we do now?" Rarity whispered.

Con Mane pointed towards an open window. As they climbed inside the castle, Con Mane's device shrouded their hoofsteps, even on the stone floors inside. They heard a clip-clop echoing down the hallway and ducked into the shadows as Winny walked past. They resumed following her, staying back a safe distance.

Con Mane peeked around a corner as Winny entered a room, closing the doors behind her. He glanced at his wrist wizard, which had a blueprint of the castle on its HUD. He sighed. "Well, this may be our chance to see what she's hiding under that armor. That's the royal baths. Are you ready?"

Rarity raised her eyebrow. "Oh, but we mustn't."

Con Mane put his hoof on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Rarity. There's no 'we' here, Equestria needs you for this task."

Rarity shook her head. "It's not polite! You're the spy, why can't you do it?"

Con Mane grinned. "You'd think so, but I've already calculated the risks in my head. A strange stallion barging in, that might get me zapped. You saw her, she brought that moon wand in there with her. I don't think I want to be lit ablaze like that ship. However, a  strange mare wandering in, saying she was trying to find the little filly's room? You should be relatively fine."

"Relatively?" Rarity asked, icily.

Con Mane used his magic to pull open Rarity's cloak. He opened one of the hidden pockets and withdrew a deck of cards. He pulled out an ace of hearts and slipped it into Rarity's collar. "This will absorb one spell. If she's hostile, yell something and start running, I'll bust in and cover your retreat. I saw that you've got a temporary power now, so fly towards the beach. Mayday is standing by and will come pick you up with a company airship. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, as she's a great flier, but not a great pilot."

Mayday's voice crackled from his wrist wizard. "Hey!"

Con Mane smiled. "Sorry, Mayday."

Mayday's voice crackled again, the tone despondent. "I busted up both my wings trying to help stop that undead army. They put me on airship duty. Me! A pegasus!"

Mayday started ranting about how unfair it was and how mechanical flight paled in comparison to natural flying. Con Mane turned down the wrist wizard's volume, shook his head, then turned to Rarity. "I told you the agency was in a jam. See what I have to put up with? Cranky pegasi pilots. Alright, for Equestria?"

Rarity sighed. "It goes against my lady-like demeanor, but, yes, I suppose. For Equestria."

Con Mane ran numbers in his mind over how long it would take a unicorn to remove a set of armor with or without magic, then, presuming that enough time had elapsed, prodded Rarity towards the door. He grimaced as he heard the princess' shriek simultaneously come down the hallway and blare in his ear from Rarity's communicator.

Winny was relaxing in a bubble bath as Rarity entered. Rarity was immediately embarrassed, and disappointed. Winny had a white coat, soft, blue eyes, and a short, blonde mane. A very normal appearance for a blue-blooded pony royal, and not the terrible visage Rarity was expecting. Her flank, and therefore her cutie mark, was underwater and protected by a layer of bubbles. Winny raised her eyebrow as Rarity stared at her.

"You wear the guise of a princess, yet your manners are that of a peasant. How rude. Were you raised in a barn?" Winny asked sarcastically.

Rarity blushed and glanced away. "I'm terribly sorry, your highness. I've never been to Mareay before, and I was trying to find the little filly's room. So sorry, please forgive my intrusion."

Winny smiled. "Go out into the hallway and it's six doors down on the left."

Rarity bowed her head. "Thank you, your highness. Sorry for intruding upon you like this. I am so sorry for the inconvenience."

As Rarity backed out of the room, Winny called out, "Don't forget to knock first!"

As the intruder left, Winny used her magic to lock the door. A robed monk, horn glowing, stepped out from a side room - he was Brother Dawnfire, the princess' protector. The monk had a dark red coat and hair of reds, yellows, and oranges that evoked the image of the rising sun. His cutie mark was of a fiery sun rising over a horizon.

Dawnfire listened at the doorway, then ceased to channel his spell, dispelling the illusion he had cast on the princess. "That was a close one, your highness. I didn't even hear anypony in the halls."

Winny looked down at her reflection in the water and pouted. Her natural appearance was slightly unnerving, with a pale, ashen coat, dark blue hair, and eyes that burned with blue flames. She didn't know why she looked as she did, but she knew it made her different, a fact she had been trying to hide ever since she became aware of it.

"What is known?" Winny asked.

"Naught but her name: Rarity. I observed her earlier at the festivities, living it up with the Equestrian elite," Dawnfire replied.

"Was it truly an accident, or do you think it was intentional?" Winny asked.

"She may have been dared to do it perhaps. It may have been as she said, I'm not sure. You must admit you do come off as rather alluring, and some of our guests have been coming here for years and never seen even your illusory appearance," Dawnfire said. "I'm sure quite a few are rather curious as to what you look like."

"You know I don't like ponies looking at me, and even if they saw the illusion, what if they ever saw the real me? They would hate me," Winny said as she angrily swished the moon wand around in her bath.

Dawnfire shook his head. "They wouldn't hate you, Winny. They may not understand you at first and would stare, which is awkward, but they wouldn't hate you just for being different. And besides, there could be other ponies out there that look as you do for all we know. Even if there are not, that just makes you all the more unique and beautiful!"

Winny sighed and let herself slip farther down into her bath. "So you've always said, old friend."