//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: A Busman's Holiday 
// by Parchment_Scroll 
//------------------------------//


A Busman's Holiday
Epilogue


Princess Luna stared off into the sky, admiring the stars.  "You're very quiet tonight," she said after a moment, glancing over her shoulder.

Princess Celestia smiled at her younger sister.  "Just enjoying a nice, peaceful night for a change."

Princess Luna smiled.  "Indeed.  No monsters, evil spirits, changelings..."

"Speaking of..."

"Ah," Luna said with a wry grin.  "The real reason you're here."

"I can't just spend time with my little sister?"

"I'm sorry," Luna said.  "That was uncalled for."

Celestia sighed.  "True, though.  When Twilight and her friends brought you back to me, I thought we'd have a chance to catch up on a millennium of lost time."

Luna smiled and nuzzled her older sister.  "Oh, Celestia, we have all the time in the world.  It would be greedy to try to keep you all to myself."

Celestia smiled back.  "That doesn't stop me wanting to," she said.

The two stood in silence for a moment, merely enjoying each others' presence.

"You were saying something," Luna said reluctantly, "about the changelings?"

Celestia sighed.  "What were you planning on doing with them?"

Luna frowned.  "They are a problem," she said.  "To be honest, I'm still trying to figure something out."

"You told Orange Meringue you had everything under control."

"I have been known to exaggerate."

"Luna..."

The Princess of the Night sighed.  "I wish it were cut-and-dried," she said.  "That queen...  Bright Eyes...  she might have been something else."

"What do you mean?"

"For months, she lived at peace with the Lost Colts."  Luna smiled.  "Imagine!  A changeling queen, living in Harmony with ponies."

"What are you thinking, Luna?"

Luna sighed.  "Not thinking," she said.  "Hoping.  I'm hoping it's not too late."

Celestia smiled.  "That's a wonderful thing to hope for," she said.

Luna followed her gaze out over the castle grounds, towards the statue garden.  "In the meantime," she said, "the changelings are being kept in the caverns beneath the castle."

"Isn't that where--?"

"...Queen Chrysalis kept Princess Cadance, yes."

"Poetic."

Luna smiled sadly.  "Not, actually, my intent," she said.  "I simply needed a place safely away from the castle prisons, but accessible by myself and the guards."

"And Short Shanks?"

"Eventually, I hope."  Luna smiled.  "It would warm me so to see him get a happy ending after all he and his friends have been through."

Celestia sighed.  "That's not all," she said.  "Is it?"

"All right, yes," Luna replied after a few moments.  "I can't help but remember how I felt when I saw you there in the ruins of our old castle."

Celestia nuzzled her sister, wrapping a large pearly wing around her, and the two stood there for a few minutes, just looking up at the sky.

"Luna," she said, breaking the silence, "there is one other thing."

"Yes?"

"You hurt Gravy Boat's feelings."

"I?"

"Yes, you," the elder princess said, gently poking her sister on the nose with a forehoof.  "What was the idea ordering sandwiches from a restaurant for a banquet when we have some of the finest chefs in Equestria waiting to serve us on a moment's notice?"

"They make spectacular sandwiches."

"Lu..."

"Yes, Tia?"

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the young mare who delivered said sandwiches, would it?"

"She's a friend of a friend."

"Why, Luna!"

"Don't you 'why, Luna' me, Tia!"  Luna grinned mischievously at her sister.  "I know for a fact that you go to Pony Joe's on a regular basis.  And I am not letting my friendships interfere with my judgement.  They wouldn't use me like that even if it occurred to them that they could, anyway."

"Luna," Celestia said, "what have I told you about interfering?"

"I can't help it!" Luna said.  "I know you said I shouldn't, but I just want ponies to be happy."

"I said no such thing!" Celestia said, sitting upright in the most prim and proper manner possible.  "What I said was 'don't get caught interfering in ponies' lives.'  Free will is a wonderful thing, but that doesn't mean we don't get to exercise our own free will, now, does it?"

Luna chuckled.  "You always were the sneaky one," she said.

"I am shocked you would say such a thing about your own sister!"  Celestia put on such an air of wounded pride that Luna couldn't help but laugh.  "Now, come on, dish!"

"Dish?"

"Tell me all about this young mare and we'll see what we can do.  Together."

Luna smiled.  "Well," she said, "her name is Salad Sandwich.  Her parents own the restaurant 'Graze'..."

The two spent the better part of the evening enjoying each other's company, gossiping like fillies, laughing, and, of course, plotting and planning.  All was right with the world, at least for that moment.  Other moments would come, of course, and with them, other problems.  But for now, everything was perfect.


Fin