Nightmare Knights Issue 2

My Little Pony: Nightmare Knights #2 is the second issue of IDW Publishing's My Little Pony: Nightmare Knights comic miniseries. In the issue, Princess Luna and Stygian recruit a group of former villains for their planned heist of Princess Eris' casino.

Summary
One night after the events of the previous issue, Princess Luna waits impatiently for her sister Celestia to raise the sun so that she can go about her business without arousing suspicion. She joins Stygian in the castle library, where Stygian has been up all night researching an ancient relic from the time of King Bullion similar to the good/evil meter outside Princess Eris' casino. Because the meter only allows villains or former villains to enter the casino, Luna and Stygian are unable to seek help from the Mane Six or the other Pillars of Old Equestria. Fortunately, Stygian has an idea.

First, Luna and Stygian travel to Las Pegasus to recruit someone who can steal Luna's magic back from Eris without detection. Luna initially believes they are going to recruit Flim and Flam, but Stygian instead suggests Capper, who has made a living giving self-help seminars on how to trick ponies into buying stuff. As Capper signs autographs, Luna and Stygian approach him with their dilemma. Capper is wary of joining their mission at first because of the other-dimensional threats they might face. But when Flim and Flam enter and see Princess Luna as a potential business opportunity, Capper agrees to join Luna and Stygian, much to Flim and Flam's dismay.

Next, Luna and Stygian travel to the Crystal Empire to recruit someone who can muscle their way out of the casino in case of resistance. They seek out Tempest Shadow, who has found a place for herself protecting the outskirts of the Empire with Glitter Drops. When Luna and Stygian explain the situation, Tempest agrees to help, eager to use her strength and magic for good.

Finally, Luna and Stygian travel to Yakyakistan to recruit a unicorn skilled in illusions to serve as a distraction. At the home of the yaks, Trixie puts on a magic show, but her act riles the yaks into an angry stampede. As Luna, Stygian, and Trixie flee, Luna says they have come to recruit Trixie for a mission, and Trixie quickly accepts in order to get away from the enraged yaks.

With Luna and Stygian's team of former villains assembled at Canterlot Castle, they explain the details of their mission once more and each individual member's assigned role. Trixie asks what the name of their team is, and Luna dubs them the "Nightmare Knights"—in recognition of her and her teammates all being villains at one point and turning their lives around. On the night of the auction, Luna and her Nightmare Knights return to Eris' world in disguise and successfully gain entry into Eris' casino. Upon seeing so many villains gathered together in one place, Capper starts having second thoughts about his acceptance of the mission.

Quotes

 * Princess Luna: I just have things to do.
 * Princess Celestia: What sort of things? Does Luna have a date?
 * Princess Luna: It's none of your business what I'm going to do. Just raise the sun so we can all get on with our day.
 * Princess Celestia: My sister, ever the morning pony.


 * Princess Luna: Stygian!
 * Stygian: It was Rockhoof in the study with the shovel!
 * Marian and Amethyst Maresbury: Shhhhhh!
 * Princess Luna: Oh! Sorry.


 * Capper: Well, young fellas, it looks like it might be time for you to trot on home. It seems my heroic services are needed again.
 * Audience Pony 1: Oh my gosh, are you working with Princess Luna now?
 * Audience Pony 2: I ship it! I so ship it!


 * Princess Luna: I need a thief.
 * Capper: I'm listening.


 * Flam: Stay! We'll pay you anything! Just don't leave!
 * Capper: Now, brothers, be upstanding stallions. Don't beg. We had to part ways eventually. Better we part as friends now before one of us cleans out the other.


 * Stygian: I admire you for passing up all those bits for this.
 * Capper: Friend, the bits mean nothing to me. This little hustle was just to pass the time. Now, stealing a precious object from the Goddess of Luck? That is a task worthy of my skills.


 * Glitter Drops: Oh my gosh! I can't believe the Princess Luna is here in my ranger station! I'm gonna freak out.
 * Princess Luna: That really isn't necessary, Glitter Drops.
 * Glitter Drops: Luna knows my name!


 * Princess Luna: I'm glad you two have reconnected. You're frequently in one another's dreams.
 * Tempest Shadow: Yeah, have I told you that I really don't like that you do that? As much as I hated the Storm King, at least I know he wasn't poking around in my head when I slept.


 * Trixie: Yaks of Yakyakistan! Do not avert your eyes! Do not flee in terror! What you are about to witness is merely the illusion magic of—the Great and Powerful Trixie!


 * Trixie: Why do so many of my shows end like this?!
 * Princess Luna: Honestly, in what way did you expect them to react?
 * Stygian: Why would you even write a spell that did that? It's grotesque!
 * Trixie: The Great and Powerful Trixie does not write spells to serve some mundane function! She writes spells because she thinks, "I wonder if I could do this?" And sometimes the answer is, "Yes!"


 * Trixie: What's the name of our cool secret team? Personally, I like: "Trixie and the Illusions."
 * Tempest Shadow: Why would we name it if it's supposed to be secret?


 * Princess Luna: What about Nightmare Knights?
 * Trixie: Like the holiday?


 * Princess Luna: I am Starry Night Terror! My iron horseshoes stalk the dreams of foals everywhere!


 * Stygian: I am the hoofbeat from under the floorboards! I am the shadow in the empty stable! I am the Dark Horse!


 * Capper: I'm the Alley Cat and I... Well... I stole one of your polearms and twenty bits while I was walking up here.


 * Tempest Shadow: I'm Maelstrom Shade, and if you ask me any more questions I'm gonna show you what I'm known for.


 * Trixie: The Great and Powerful Roxy refuses to answer to your standards of objective morality!


 * Capper: Capper, ol' buddy, what did you get yourself into?
 * Tempest Shadow: Too late to turn back now, scaredy cat.
 * Capper: I'll have you know, I have a cousin named Scaredy Cat. Ah, well—how bad could it be?


 * Capper: I should have learned by now not to ask that question.