"I must say," said Celestia, as she rose to her hooves with an incomparable grace, "I had not anticipated you moving this early against me."
"I always was a quick study," said Twilight, her face locked in a frown, horn pointed straight at Celestia.
"I had expected a more nuanced response from you, Twilight, perhaps in a few years, once you had a chance to fully learn how to use the system to your advantages. But still, you have subverted my expectations. Well done, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia smiled, clapped her forehooves together and bowed her horn in respect.
"You have no way out of this situation, Celestia. At least, none that doesn't also end with Canterlot Castle coming down around us," said Twilight, her horn maintaining its glow, "but if you want to take it to that, I have no issue with that."
"No," said Celestia, "I shall relinquish the throne peacefully. Very well done, Twilight. Good luck."
Twilight gave Celestia a terse nod, and then a blast of magic blew Princess Celestia out a nearby window. Twilight watched until Princess Celestia was little more than a dot in the distance, and then lost to sight. With a sigh, Twilight trotted up to the throne, and sat down.
"Business as usual, gentlecolts," said Twilight, addressing the guardsponies in the room, "I will need some time to make the changes I desire in Equestrian law." The guards looked at each other and shrugged. Maybe Princess Twilight wouldn't be that bad.
Two minutes later, a blue and silver blur smashed through the stained-glass window depicting Twilight's defeat of Nightmare Moon, and slammed into Twilight. The impact sent the youngest Princess flying out the same window that she had sent Celestia through moments earlier.
"Huzzah!" cried Princess Luna, throwing one hoof out, "The throne is ours in totality! Guard, fetch us a barrel of mead, and schedule a grand feast for the eve!"
A guard shrugged, but before he could make a move to fulfil the Princess's request, Princess Cadence strode through the doors, accompanied by Shining Armor. The two shared a look, jointly picked up Princess Luna with their magic, and tossed her through the same window that both Celestia and Twilight had gone through.
"Equestria needs a more loving touch," said Cadence, "and sharing a ruler with the Crystal Empire will only improve our relationship and trade."
****Time****
A short while later, Cadence landed face first on a remote island. Once she'd pulled her head out of the white sand, she looked around. Twilight and Luna appeared to be playing a the most intense game of magical tag that Cadence had ever seen, and Celestia was standing next to her, offering her half a coconut with a straw in it.
"Drink?" said Princess Celestia. Cadence took the drink by sheer force of habit.
"So, who booted you?" asked Celestia.
"Shining," grumbled Cadence, "He proclaimed something about 'proper military discipline' before I left hearing range."
"I see," said Celestia, "For some reason, I suspect that Discord is behind this series of events, as when I arrived when Twilight ejected me from the throne, there was a cake taller than me waiting for me. But quite honestly, I did need a vacation, and this is better than most alternatives."
"So, what do we do?"
"There is a barrier around this place," said Celestia, slurping at her coconut drink, "It will dissolve in twenty-seven and a half hours."
"That's...an oddly specific amount of time," said Cadence, stepping to the side as her husband slammed into the beach.
"Another reason why I suspect Discord," said Celestia, "But this is honestly one of his more harmless diversions. I have a plan, but there is no point in doing anything now. The barrier is impenetrable from the inside, so we may as well enjoy ourselves."
Cadence shrugged as Celestia helped Shining Armour out of the sand, and took a sip of her coconut drink.
*******
Meanwhile, back in Equestria, what looked like Princess Celestia sat on the throne in Canterlot Castle. Under his illusion, Discord chuckled. There was no way that the Princesses could not know it was his doing, but he still had twenty seven hours and seventeen minutes before they escaped. And as long as he didn't do anything to drastic to Equestria, this would be a nice little bit of harmless chaos.
Celestia was much more fun when she was relaxed, anyway.