Celestia sipped her tea and stared at her sister across the table. Neither had said anything since they arrived around ten minutes earlier. A breeze rippled through their ethereal manes on its way down into Canterlot, and she shivered. The aroma of burning logs drifted up from the houses below. Luna shifted on her seat, and glanced around the terrace.
Celestia coughed into her hoof. "Well, was there anything you wanted to talk about, Luna?"
Luna winced, and turned back to her sister. "Not in particular."
Celestia set her cup down on the table and stared into the tea. Their meetings always seemed to end up like this since her sister's return. Perhaps she should have brought a book for her, as a peace offering. She coughed into her hoof again. "How has the night court been going?"
"Dead, as always." She sighed, and set her head on the table. A moment later, she blinked. "Oh, but that reminds me. One of our retired guards, Skyward Dream, passed away last night. He never married, and his family is deceased. I thought I would let you know before the Captain did, so that you may prepare."
Another job to do: planning and attending a funeral. She sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that. He was a good pony." She twitched. "Err... thank you, Luna."
She waved a hoof. "Do not mention it."
They were silent for another three minutes. An odd odor reached her, and she wrinkled her nose. "Do you smell something burning?"
Luna cocked her head, sniffed, then shook her head. "I do not, sister."
Again, the awkward silence rolled over them. Celestia glanced around for something to talk about, and her gaze landed on the library behind Luna. "So, have you had time for any reading lately?"
That was always a popular subject. Luna's eyes lit up. "Oh, of course. There is this most marvelous tome, by an H.P. Hoofcraft, I believe. Delightful work of literature. You should read it, if you have the time."
Celestia's gaze had wandered. "Oh, I'll... think about it."
Luna continued on in the background. Celestia wasn't listening too closely. After several minutes, she remembered where she was and began to listen again. "There is one truly magnificent scenes involving a creature that exists outside equine thought. I found it properly terrifying." She blushed. "I believe I may have upset the librarian with my fun, however."
Celestia coughed, though this time not out of awkwardness. "Luna, are you sure you don't smell anything?"
She sniffed the air again, and screwed her face up in revulsion. "Ah. Now I smell it. It smells like burning... ." Luna's eyes widened.
Celestia coughed a second time. "Burning what, Luna?"
Luna tried to look unconcerned. "No, I am sorry. I have simply been reading too much horror for my own good, sister."
Celestia glanced around the platform, but she couldn't see anything obvious. Luna said, "Sister? Is something the matter?"
Celestia wandered over to the edge of the platform, and looked down at the city skyline. She didn't have to search for long to find the towering cloud of putrid black smoke that was the source of the odor. She traced it down to the source, an open flame, and... was that Discord standing next to it?
He wore a pair of sunglasses, and held a marshmallow on a stick in one claw, which he held over the open flame. He waved to her with the other claw.
"Hellooo, Tia! I took care of the funeral arrangements for youuu!"