//------------------------------// // Luna's New Role // Story: Understudy // by Pony-Berserker //------------------------------// Celestia slowly opened her royal eyelids. She really hated that moment when she needed to wake up before the sunrise and make the sun appear in the sky. She was the Princess but everypony in Equestria could sleep a little bit longer than her! She scrambled out of the bed and continued her usual morning routine. “Hey, sister. Have a nice day,” Princess Luna greeted her and then entered her chamber without waiting for a response. Luna was sleepy as well. “A day indeed, but nice? I doubt it,” Celestia murmured and then raised the sun effortlessly. “What a boring job, really. I think I need some vacation.” Suddenly, as the realization struck her, she brightened up. She was the Princess. She could do everything she wanted. Therefore, she could go on vacation. After she had been done with make-up, mane brushing, hoof cleaning and 'and went through her morning routine, aided by her maids, she went to Luna’s chamber. Celestia didn’t even bother to be quiet. She actually stormed into the room, waking her sister up. “Are you crazy, sister!? We thought we’d agreed not to wake each other unless a war is about to erupt!” Luna shouted angrily at her sister. It was the first time Celestia woke her up intentionally. “Forgive me my sister, but this is a matter of greatest importance,” Celestia said grimly, making her sister look scared and confused at the same time. “We hope it’s important enough to wake us up.” Luna frowned, waiting for her sister’s response. “I just wanted to inform you that I have decided to go on vacation, therefore making you responsible for my daily duties,” Celestia explained, no expression appearing on her face. “You will be the acting ruler of Equestria for the time being.” “What!? You can’t be serious, sister! You can’t leave us here and make us do all work!” Luna was outraged, expressing it with every bit of her body. “We have a great time being a Princess, who has nearly no duties!” “I’m sorry Luna but I really need vacation,” Celestia said firmly. “But what about us!?” Luna shouted. “I believe that both of you will be fine,” Celestia answered, going out of the room. “Ha ha ha,” Luna laughed sarcastically at her sister’s joke. The Princess of the Night glared angrily at the door for a few seconds and then used a ray of magic to destroy a nearby flowerpot. She was still angry after that but felt better nonetheless. *** A few hours later Celestia was almost ready to leave Canterlot. “Haven’t you changed your mind, sister?” Luna asked coldly. “No. I am already expected by the griffons. I simply cannot disappoint them now,” Celestia remarked. She looked much happier than before. Luna gave her sister a murderous look. “How long are you going to stay there?” “Oh, I haven’t decided yet.” Celestia smiled. “But I will surely let you know about that.” “This is not happening...” Luna facehoofed. “And what do you actually expect us to do here, while you are away? “All of my duties. You need to attend all the royal ceremonies, meet all the royal visitors, wave to our subjects from the royal balcony at least twice a day, you know, the usual royal stuff,” Celestia explained to her sister. Luna groaned in answer. “Is that everything?” “You also need to raise the sun,” Celestia smiled sheepishly. The Princess of the Night rolled her eyes. “Do you expect us to raise the sun? How are we going to do that?” “Luna, sometimes you seem to be so helpless.” Celestia laughed loudly. “Raising the sun is as simple as raising the Moon! I had been raising the Moon for a thousand years until you returned!” “Let us not speak of this again...” Luna murmured, trying not to look at her sister. “Oh, I would forgot! You are also obliged to act as a substitute mentor for my protege, Twilight Sparkle. I think you have already met her.” “Yes, we have...” Luna sighed. “Are we even qualified enough to be her mentor?” Luna asked, hoping to be exempted from performing this duty. “I do not have the slightest doubt that you are probably the least competent pony to be her mentor but I only ask you to read her reports on friendship and send her answers that you read them,” Celestia explained and added ironically: “I believe it ought to be easy enough for you?” “Meh, just go, we’ll take care of everything,” Luna mumbled, frowning. “When you get back, WE will go on vacation.” Celestia laughed heartily. “Oh, Luna. You had a thousand-year vacation recently!” “Vacation?” Luna gave her sister a puzzled look. Celestia got on the royal chariot and waved to her sister “Have a good time, Luna! I will send you a postcard!” Luna was so angry at Celestia that her head began turning red. When her sister had finally been gone from her sight, she shouted loudly, trying to relieve herself this way. Princess of the Night decided she would think of everything later and then went back to her bed. *** Citizens of Equestria were quite confused by the evening events. Namely, the Moon was raised as usual. However, the sun was still high on the sky. “By Celestia’s beard!” Spike shouted, running into the library. “Twilight, do you have idea what time is it!?” Twilight hesitated for a moment. “Hm... It should be dark already. What’s going on, Spike?” “I don’t know! The sun is not going down!” Spike seemed to be terrified. “Maybe it’s Discord again!? “I doubt it,” said Twilight calmly. “Besides, Celestia doesn’t have a beard.” “Look closely next time,” Spike said, shivering. Twilight and Spike went outside. It was late evening but the sun suggested it was around noon. “That’s weird...” Twilight said, rubbing her chin. *** Luna was walking nervously in circles. “We have no idea what to do! Celestia didn’t tell us how to move the sun!” She walked up to the window. “I thought that raising the Moon would work!” She looked around nervously as if she expected to find the solution lying somewhere around. She spotted parchment crumpled in the corner of the chamber. “Hah! We’ll write a letter to Celestia!” Luna exclaimed happily, smoothing out the parchment. My Dearest Sister, We are in trouble as we do not know how to control the sun. Please, help us, make your sun go down or the day will last forever! Yours truly, Princess Luna Luna looked at the parchment, feeling ashamed of the fact she had to send it. It was only the first day of her being the ruler of Equestria and she couldn’t even do the simplest task. She rolled the scroll up and then began to wonder how Celestia actually sent the letters. It had something to do with fire. After giving it some thought, she found some matches. She carefully lit one and then watched her letter burn. Luna smiled at her own cunningess, but her mood quickly worsened as she sawthe royal carpet catch the fire. Fortunately, the fire was quickly put out by guards. She should be pleased with the fact that the room had not been ruined. But instead, she commented: “We are glad you came here, our loyal subjects, but we the Princess would have extinguished the flame by ourselves.” Guards nodded. When they were about to leave her room, Luna shouted, “You shall not speak to anypony about that!” Luna knew she had to keep up the facade of a ruler who controls everything. What would her subjects think of her if she weren’t able to keep her room safe. After checking the ashes of the burnt letter, Luna figured out that the letter had not been sent. There had to be another way to contact her sister. Meanwhile in Ponyville, everypony was wondering what was going on. Even Granny Smith couldn’t remember any sunny night and she was one of the oldest living denizens of the town. “Something terrible must have happened to the Princess!” Fluttershy cried. “Maybe she is just overworked and forgot about sunset?” Twilight tried to find a reasonable explanation. “I really don’t care what time it is. I often nap during day anyway.” Rainbow Dash didn’t seem to be concerned by the sun at all. “Besides, now I’ll be able to perform my tricks any time I want.” “I think I’d better write a letter to the Princess,” Twilight said to her friends and hurried to the library. *** Princess Luna entered her sister’s room. She remembered seeing her reading some letters next to the fireplace. Maybe that fireplace was some kind of a portal that let her send the letters. Luna gazed at the fire for a while, trying to figure out, if it actually worked the way she thought. Suddenly, magical smoke appeared in the room. After a gray cloud was formed, it changed into a scroll, which fell on Luna’s head. “What kind of sorcery is that!?” Luna shouted angrily, opening the letter. That was the letter from Twilight. “Dear Princess Celestia,” Luna read aloud. That was the letter to her sister from her lowly apprentice, Twilight Sparkle. “How dare she ask the acting ruler of Equestria to lower the sun!” she shouted in anger. “How dare she ask the acting ruler of Equestria to do anything!?” And, more importantly, how could she ask her to do something apparently impossible? For Luna, it felt like an insult. “Well, maybe this peon can help us?” Luna wondered and then wrote a quick note. Unsure what to do with it, she simply threw the parchment into flames and hoped for the best. The scroll magically burst and disappeared. “Yay! It worked!” Luna exclaimed happily. *** Meanwhile in Ponyville, Twilight was waiting for Princess Celestia’s response. “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh! Maybe Fluttershy was right after all? Maybe something happened to Princess? Why isn’t she sending the answer?” Twilight was trotting nervously around the room. Spike wanted to say something but belched instead, spitting out the scroll. “You see? Everything is fine. If the Princess has time to send a letter, nothing can actually be wrong,” Spike said, trying to calm Twilight down. “Maybe it’s a brand new holiday or holinight in this case? Night of the Day or something like that?” Spike chuckled at his own joke. Twilight rolled her eyes, opening the letter and then read it aloud: To our subject Twilight Sparkle, We have no idea what to do. The day will last a bit longer until we find out how to move the sun. Please, help us! The acting ruler of Equestria, Princess Luna. “Princess Luna!?” Twilight gasped. “Something terrible must have happened to Princess Celestia!” she cried. “Why would Luna be in charge of receiving my letters!?” Spike shrugged. “I agree with Rainbow Dash. I usually sleep most of the day anyway. I don’t mind having the sun up all the time. Besides, Princess Luna is the best princess.” “Spike! It’s not about the sun! It’s about Princess Celestia! We need to take a train to Canterlot and see what happened!” Twilight was hysterical. “Twilight, do we always have to check everything out? I mean, don’t you think that there are competent ponies in Canterlot who can solve the problem?” Spike asked, hoping they won’t have to go to Canterlot. Twilight frowned and then grabbed Spike with her magic aura. “We’re going there, mister,” she said firmly, trotting out of the library. TO BE CONTINUED