Come on, Twilight. We're gonna be late
for the Nightmare Night Festival.
Huh?
Are you...
...that one creaky grandpa
from Ponyville Retirement Village?
I'm Star Swirl the Bearded.
Father of the omnimorphic spell?
Did you even read that book I gave you
about obscure unicorn history?
Um...
That sounds important!
Nightmare Night! What a fright!
Give us something sweet to bite!
Hi, everypony. Great costumes.
Happy Nightmare Night, Granny Smith.
I should have been
asleep five hours ago.
Pipsqueak the Pirate, at your service.
It's my very first Nightmare Night.
Since you moved here from Trottingham?
No. My very first Nightmare Night ever!
Enough chitchat! Time is candy!
Pinkie Pie, aren't you
a little old for this?
Too old for free candy?
Never!
Do you like it?
Yeah! Great costume, Twilight.
Oh, you make a fantastic weirdo clown.
A clown?!
Look at the borders on these robes.
These are hoof-stitched!
It's a great costume.
...grandpa.
Star Swirl the Bearded is only the most
important conjurer of the pre-classical era.
He created more than two hundred spells.
He even has a shelf in the Canterlot
library of magic named after him.
Maybe I should start up a pony group
to teach ponies of our history.
I bet everypony would love it.
Don't you, Spike?
I love it.
Hey, look. We're here already.
Should we get something to eat?
Twilight! Twilight! Look at our haul!
Can you believe it?
And then we went to Cheerilee's house
and we got a bunch more goodies.
-Didn't we, Pip?
-Sure did!
And then we had to stop and wait
for Granny Smith and...
Look what you did to Spike.
Aw, it's all in good fun.
Oh! Oh! There's another group over there!
Happy Nightmare Night, Applejack.
Howdy, Spike. Hey, Twilight.
Nice costume.
Thanks! I'm a dragon.
She means me, Spike.
With that beard, I reckon you're
some sorta country music singer.
While y'all are here, you feel like
bobbin' for an apple?
Thank you, everypony.
And welcome to
the Nightmare Night Festival.
Now, all the little ponies, who
have been out collecting sweets...
...should follow our friend Zecora
to hear the legend of...
Nightmare Moooon!
Spooky voice might work better
if she wasn't dressed like that.
Follow me and very soon
You'll hear the tale of Nightmare Moon.
Listen close, my little dears.
I'll tell you where you got your fears.
Of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary.
Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary.
Every year we put on a disguise
To save ourselves from her searching eyes.
The Nightmare Moon wants just one thing:
To gobble up ponies in one quick swing!
Hungrily she soars the sky.
If she sees nopony, she passes by.
So if she comes and all is clear,
Equestria is safe another year!
Um... Miss Zecora.
If we wear costumes to hide
from Nightmare Moon...
...so she won't gobble us up...
...how come we still need to
give her some of our candy?
A perfect question, my little friend!
For Nightmare Moon you must not offend.
Fill up her belly with a treat or two...
So she won't return to come eat YOUUU!
Everypony! Just dump some
candy and get outta here!
IT'S NIGHTMARE MOON! RUUUN!!!
Princess Luna!
CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE!
WE HAVE GRACED YOUR TINY
VILLAGE WITH OUR PRESENCE...
...SO THAT YOU MIGHT BEHOLD
THE REAL PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!
A CREATURE OF NIGHTMARE IS
NO LONGER, BUT INSTEAD...
...A PONY WHO DESIRES
YOUR LOVE AND ADMIRATION.
TOGETHER WE SHALL CHANGE
THIS DREADFUL CELEBRATION...
...INTO A BRIGHT AND
GLORIOUS FEEEAST!
Did you hear that, everypony?
Nightmare Moon says
she's gonna feast on us all!
What?!
No, children, no! You no longer
have reason to fear us.
Screams of delight is
what your princess desires.
Not screams of terror.
Madame Mayor.
Thy princess of the night hath arrived.
What is the matter with you?
Very well then! Be that way!
We won't even bother with
the traditional royal farewell.
I'm gonna go talk to her.
You can't talk to her!
She's Nightmare Moon!
No, she's not.
I saw the Elements of Harmony
change her back to good.
But it seems like she's having
some trouble adjusting...
...after being gone
for a thousand years.
Princess Luna?
Hi. My name is...
Star Swirl the Bearded.
Commendable costume.
Thou even got the bells right.
Thank you, finally! Somepony
who gets my costume.
Uh... I just came to welcome you
to our celebration.
My actual name is...
Twilight Sparkle.
IT WAS THOU WHO UNLEASHED
THE POWERS OF HARMONY UPON US...
...AND TOOK AWAY OUR DARK POWERS!
And that was a good thing, right?
But of course! We
could not be happier.
Is that not clear?!
Well, you kind of sound
like you're yelling at me.
But this is the traditional
royal Canterlot voice.
It is tradition to speak
using the royal "we"...
...and to use THIS MUCH VOLUME
WHEN ADDRESSING OUR SUBJECTS!
You know, that might explain why
your appearance was met with...
...mixed results.
I think if you just changed
your approach a bit...
...you might be met
with a warmer reception.
CHANGE OUR APPROACH?
Or the volume.
Oh. We have been locked away
for a thousand years.
We are... not sure we can.
Don't worry, princess. Fluttershy
can give you some great pointers.
She's delicate and demure
with the sweetest little voice.
GO AWAY! NO CANDY HERE! VISITORS
NOT WELCOME ON NIGHTMARE NIGHT!
Fluttershy, it's me, Twilight!
It is you.
Ah, and Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare Moon?!
Wait right here.
Fluttershy... you remember Princess Luna?
CHARMED!
Likewise...
TWILIGHT SPARKLE HATH SPOKEN
OF THE SWEETNESS OF THY VOICE.
WE ASK, THOU TEACHEST TO US
TO SPEAK AS THOU SPEAKEST!
Okay...
SHALL OUR LESSONS BEGIN?
Okay...
SHALL WE MIMIC THY VOICE?
Okay...
HOW IS THIS?
Perfect. Lesson over.
A little quieter, princess.
HOW IS... this?
Better. Right, Fluttershy?
Yes.
How... about... now?
Now you're getting it.
And... how about now?
Yes! Well done.
AH, THANK YOU, DEAR FLUTTERSHY!
OUR NORMAL SPEAKING
VOICE SHALL SURELY...
...WIN US THE HEARTS
OF THY FELLOW VILLAGERS.
Fluttershy! You've gotta hide us!
Nightmare Moon is here and...
She stole Fluttershy's voice so she
can't scream when she GOBBLES HER UP!!!
NAY, CHILDREN, WAIT!
I mean... nay, children, wait.
Come on, princess. Time for plan B.
It is of no use, Twilight Sparkle.
They have never liked us
and they never shall.
My friend Applejack is one of the
most likeable ponies around.
I'm sure she'll have some ideas.
Heee...!
Whoop. Careful there, partner.
Uh... Applejack.
The princess is looking for a little
advice on how to fit in around here.
"Fit in"? Really?
I mean... that's easy!
All you gotta do is have
the right attitude.
Loosen up a bit, be positive,
play a few games, have some fun.
Fun?
What is this "fun" thou speakest of?
Pray tell, what purpose do these serve?
Try to land the
sp-sp-spiders on the web.
You can do it, princess!
Ha! Your princess enjoys this... fun.
In what other ways
may we experience it?
Fire away, princess!
Ha ha! The fun has been doubled!
Why don't you try bobbin' for apples?
We got the best apples
in Equestria here, princess.
I ask that thou call us... me...
...Luna, fair Applejack.
Hear me, villagers!
All of you! Call me Luna!
Show me to this bobbing apples.
Whoooa...!
Hey, gals. Anypony seen Pip?
We lost him the last time
we had to run...
NIGHTMARE MOON IS
GOBBLING PIPSQUEAK!
EVERYPONY RUUUN!!!
Heeelp! My backside has been gobbled!
'Tis a lie!
Thy backside is whole and ungobbled,
thou ungrateful whelp!
Fair villagers, please do not back away.
Let us join together in...
...fun!
Not enough fun for you?
What say you to this?
Huzzah! How many points do I receive?
Do not run away!
As your princess we command you!
BE STILL!!!
Princess, remember! Watch the screaming!
NO, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!
WE MUST USE THE TRADITIONAL
ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE...
...FOR WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO SAY.
SINCE YOU CHOOSE TO FEAR YOUR PRINCESS
RATHER THAN LOVE HER...
...AND DISHONOR HER WITH THIS
INSULTING CELEBRATION...
...WE DECREE THAT NIGHTMARE
NIGHT SHALL BE CANCELED!
FOREVER!
sh**t. We had everything goin' our way.
Luna was happy, everypony in town
was happy. Now look at 'em.
But I wanted to be a zombie next year!
It's not over yet.
What are you gonna do?
I'm going to do what I do best.
Lecture her!
Princess.
Leave me be, Twilight Sparkle.
Princess. I'm sorry it hasn't
worked out how we wanted.
But you have to believe me when
I tell you that Nightmare Night...
...is one of the most popular
celebrations we have.
Yes. I can tell.
By all the adoring shrieks
of the children as they run away.
Princess.
No! No shrieking. No squealing
or screaming either. Okay?
Okay.
There's something I want you to see.
And I promise that it's safe, but you
really, really, really can't shriek.
Do you promise not to shriek?
Pinkie Pie, you remember
Princess Luna, right?
Ah. The ringleader of the
frightened children.
Hast thou come to make peace?
Nightmare Moon!
Rainbow!
She's changed, Pinkie!
She's not evil or scary anymore!
And she definitely doesn't
want to gobble you up!
Well, duh.
Huh?
I know that. Sheesh, Twilight.
I'm almost as big as her.
How's she gonna gobble me up?
So why do you keep
running away and screaming?
Sometimes it's just
really fun to be scared.
Fun?
Pinkie Pie, you're a genius!
No, I'm not. I'm a chicken.
Princess Luna!
I've finally figured out...
...why you're having
so much trouble being liked!
Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm.
Come with me. I'll explain
everything on the way.
Gosh. I never thought my
very first Nightmare Night...
...would be my very last.
Come, little Pip. Now don't you fret.
Nightmare Night's not over yet.
We still have candy left to give,
So Nightmare Moon might let us live.
Yes. Come on, little ponies.
What's Nightmare Night without
the annual candy offering?
You don't want Nightmare Moon
to gobble you up...
...dooo youuu?
Aw, the rainbow wig just kills it for me.
Come on, kids!
Doesn't that sound like fun?
Goodbye, Nightmare Night.
Forever.
CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE!
YOU WERE WISE TO BRING THIS CANDY TO ME.
I AM PLEASED WITH YOUR OFFERING.
SO PLEASED THAT I MAY JUST EAT IT...
...INSTEAD OF EATING YOU!
I am not certain that did what
you meant for it to do, Twilight Sparkle.
Just wait.
For what? For... for them
to scream some more?
Um... Princess Luna.
I know there's not gonna be
any more Nightmare Night...
...but do you suppose maybe
you could come back next year...
...and scare us again anyway?
Child. Are thou saying that thou...
...likest me to scare you?
It's really fun! Scary, but fun.
It... is?
Yeah! Nightmare Night is my
favorite night of the year.
Well then. We shall have to bring...
...NIGHTMARE NIGHT BACK!
Whoa!
You're my favorite princess ever!
She said yes, guys!
YAY!
See? They really do like you, princess.
Can it be true?
OH, MOST WONDERFUL OF...
I mean...
Oh, most wonderful of nights.
"Dear Princess Celestia."
"When you first sent me to Ponyville,
I didn't know anything about friendship."
"I met somepony tonight who
was having the same problem..."
"...your sister, Princess Luna."
"She taught me that one of the best
things you can do with friendship..."
"...is to give it to others and
help them find it themselves."
"And I'm happy to report that
all of Ponyville has learned..."
"...that even if somepony seems
a little intimidating, even scary..."
"...when you offer them your friendship,
you'll discover a whole new pony underneath."
"And even if my Star Swirl the Bearded
costume didn't go over..."
"...this still turned out to be
the best Nightmare Night ever."