“The New Nightmare Night”

The stallion had been escorted to the palace in secrecy, meeting Nightmare Moon herself not in the throne room, but in a distant corner of the palace, away from prying ears. He was a tall, lanky stallion dressed in a poncho and a wide-brimmed hat. He would have projected mystery and a hint of danger, was it not for the rubber chicken sitting on his back.

“So tell me, stallion, are the rumours of your skills true? I’ve heard that you are the greatest in your profession across the Empire.”

“My accomplishments speak for themselves, your majesty.” The stallion answered calmly, his voice low, almost growling, “I’ve yet to fail even once. Tell me what you need done, and I will accomplish it.”

“My subjects celebrate Nightmare Night, yet it is a joke. They dress themselves as whatever childish, frightening thing they can find and leap out from corners, yelling ‘booh’. They gather candy and laugh about petty scares. It is silly and it is insufficient to celebrate their empress. I want to see it reinvented into a night for the glory of the empire, see them gathered not for foalish goofs, but for a night of wonders and manic joy. I want it to be a night that surpasses all others, where the music does not stop until the light of dawn, if even then! Can you do this?” she asked, looking to the stallion, whose eyes had widened.

“Can I ever!” he exclaimed, his voice rising in pitch. “I’m seeing parade floats down the streets, where each city block can come together to compete about the greatest one! There should be masquerade competitions too, with masks! Dressing as the “Spirit of Nightmare Night” to be as glamorous as they can be! Competitions to see who can come up with the craziest stunts to shock and thrill the audience! It’ll be a night of mad wonders, your majesty, one that they’ll never forget!” He was almost bouncing up and down, quivering with eagerness to get to work. Nightmare Moon smiled to herself. Finally, her night would become what it deserved to be.