Laying claim on Videotape

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No worries, figured you were busy IRL

adding Wedding

Claiming Panda

Panda

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nsZmoGUxqYMCVPh_VTjMakUi1PiTw121WFAbRjyW2RM/edit?usp=sharing

Princess Celestia stared at the panda in the human zoo. It munched on a leafy green growth. Slowly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said finally. Her former student grimaced. The zoo was past closing time and the rest of the hairless apes had filtered away from the exhibit already. Monkey Fluttershy had been nice enough to promise them an extra hour alone when she’d made the request.

“Yeah…” she said. “I tried to warn you.”

Celestia tried saying something in a language Twilight didn’t recognize. The panda didn’t respond. Celestia tried twice more, still not wanting to believe it couldn’t understand her. The panda took another bite.

Celestia’s shoulders slumped. Twilight patted her on the back.

“I know Twilight. But I was hoping that there had been some sort of misunderstanding, that they were putting on an act, something! The pandas I knew all those centuries ago were some the wisest, kindest and most insightful beings I have ever met. They had this gentle humor about them that…”

She sighed again.  “I never really forgave myself for not being able to save them.”

Twilight hugged her. They watched the pandas in silence as the weird, slightly poisonous sun above turned red and dipped toward the horizon.

“You said that they’re dying out here too?” Celestia said after a while.

“They were,” Twilight said sadly. “Fluttershy said they’ve started to turn that around, but there still aren’t many of them, even in captivity. And they’re having difficulty keeping the population stable, much less growing.”

“Why?” Celestia asked. “Is there some sort of disease? Is someone trying to kill them.”

“Welll,” Twilight said, drawing out the word. “Apparently they have some, uhm, issues reproducing. See, a lot of them were born and raised in zoos like this and they…” she blushed. “Don’t seem motivated to mate, and even when they try they have trouble getting the mechanics right. Fluttershy said they’ve even started making recordings of what is basically panda porn to encourage them.”

Celestia was quiet for a long moment as she took that in. She looked around, noting that this part of the exhibit wasn’t visible from outside. Finally she turned to Twilight, smiled and started undoing the buttons on her shirt.

“Well then. Twilight, would you mind helping me do a favor for some old friends?” she asked.

Twilight grinned. “Would I?!”

New Prompt: Towel

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OH. MY. GOD.

6041427

That bit about panda porn is actually true.

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-snorts- I know, but I didn't think Celey had an exhibitionist bent.

6041777

Worst case scenario, some weird ape creature wanders in and gets a show.

6040310
snrk...okay, I giggled.

And just realized it's been about a year since I claimed anything, 2016 was a weird year. But I'm considering writing for this again, so is Lotus still open?

One day, just one day. I'll write the actual prompt in my head and not the path my mind wanders to while I write. Decided to go for an AU as I still have to catch up from Episode 101 onwards.... Anyway, here's Lotus.

Prompt: Lotus
A small purple foal sat as patiently as she could while her mother carefully placed flowers among her mane before weaving the mane around it to hold it in place. Twilight was not normally an impatient foal, but today was special. Today marked the first time she would be permitted to visit the twin grand Temples where the chief religious leaders sent prayers and offerings to the revered deities. While it was common to see the Deities that led their lands and occasionally speak to them, this one day in a Pony’s life was held as special and sacred.

Once a year every foal who had celebrated their tenth birthday over the past year were presented before the Temples to receive blessings from the Deities of the Sun and the Moon. While no official name accompanied the sacred tradition, many called it the Day of Blessings. Although few were even luckier and they would be selected to serve the Temples, a rare honour and a great source of pride for any who were chosen.

“Twilight, hold still please. The sooner I can finish; the sooner we can leave,” muttered Velvet as she placed the last flowers in her daughter’s mane.

Soon enough Twilight found herself with her parents before the grand Temples, a large open square had been constructed between the two Temples and often served as the main area for events. She stood with her parents although her brother would again not be attending with them as a few years ago on his own Day of Blessings he was selected by the Goddess of the Sun to serve as a protector of her Temple. While the lands of Equestria were often peaceful, it did help to remain prepared in the chance that a neighbouring country decided on the path of war.

The ceremony passed as it always did, until at last Twilight heard her name being called. She walked slowly trying to get her excitement in check. As she approached the dais the deities stood, she looked carefully between the two. The Deity of the Moon was a mystery to her, she had heard the tales as any foal had yet she knew little of the Shepard of the Night and Sword of Equestria which in times of peace was ceremonial yet in times of war, she led the united forces of Equestria into battle. The Deity of the Sun was more familiar to her, she had seen the goddess before. Many times, likely more times than she suspected was the norm. The Herald of the Day and Shield of Equestria was as resplendent as ever, her coat seemed to gleam even more than the last time she had seen her.

It was the Deity of the Sun that led to her unusual request for her Day of Blessings. While it was traditional for fillies to braid flowers in their mane for the occasion, many went for sunflowers and moon flowers choosing what was said to be the favoured flowers of the Deities. She requested for lotuses instead of the traditional sunflowers. It took some convincing before her family would agree, although they had asked her before of why she wanted to switch the traditional flowers.

The reason for the switch was something she never shared with them, it felt to her that she would be betraying the secrets of the Deity of the Sun. Many of the times she had seen the Deity of the Sun, she had seen her near lotuses in full bloom. It was only once when she saw the Deity of the Sun under the light of the moon and seen the lotuses closed. It was this one time that she spoke to the Deity of the Sun, something few Ponies dared to do except when asking in prayers or giving in thanks and even then it was indirect.

It was a wondrous night, one memory she truly treasured when the goddess spoke to her and her alone. She explained the meaning of the lotus and why she treasured it, she called it the flower of purity and she had chosen it to remind herself of the past. That the flower was also a symbol of rebirth and she held it to be associated with the peace the world had since achieved since the days of old. That night she spoke her name to Twilight, another rare honour as few ever called the Deities by name.

Her mind came back to the present as she heard the Deities bless her and even though she knew what was to come, almost couldn’t help bouncing around when she heard the Dei-, no Celestia, announce to the gathered crowd that she had been chosen to serve as a Priestess in her Temple. It was a day she swore to remember for as long as she lived.

A soft nuzzle broke Twilight’s thoughts of the past before a large feathery wing returned her to the present. It had been many years since her Day of Blessings. She had spent many long and joyous years in the service of Celestia and even now as High Priestess of the Temple of the Sun, she still thought back to those early years.

“I see your mind is still thinking of those early years my dear,” said Celestia as she seated herself next to Twilight.

Twilight smiled, it was another aspect of their relationship that differed from those early years. Over the many years, she became Celestia’s friend and confidant and just under a decade ago she became her lover. “Just reminiscing, I thought about writing some of my life down as a memoir for others who enter your service. Maybe hand the original manuscript to whoever succeeds me as High Priestess when my time here has ended.”

She felt a soft kiss around the base of her horn, “I am aware as you are, that your mortal life here is coming to an end” said Celesita.

Celestia raised herself off the floor, before offering her hoof to Twilight. Twilight took the offered hoof and stood. As she did, Celestia turned and led the way down hallways even Twilight rarely ventured and down a few she had never ventured.

While she wished to ask her love where they were headed, she knew she would not get an answer so easily. They walked, continuing deeper into the Temple until they reached a pair of heavy oak doors engraved with numerous symbols although the one she recognized was the lotus.

Celestia took a deep breath before she spoke, “I wish to offer you a choice, you are at the end of your mortal life here. This is inevitable and something we both know, yet I will offer you a choice so few are ever offered. The lotus does indeed remind me of the rebirth of our nation from the chaos of own history. Yet it is also a symbol of my rebirth, I was led here just as you were many long centuries ago and given the choice.”

Twilight froze as she realized the implications of what Celestia said, but allowed her to continue.

“The choice is this, will you choose to leave and return to your friends and family who have passed before you or will you choose to stay and remain here and by my side until the end of days when all our work here has finished.”

I decided this story based on two meanings of the lotus flower, purity and rebirth. Hopefully it's not too forced and yes I did leave it on a cliffhanger. For the next prompt, I'm going to suggest Chaste.

Live Prompts (August 3rd);
Yield
Ebullition (The act of bubbling or boiling)
Cooking
Globe
Organized
Videotape (Fuzzyfurvert)
Woona
Inattentive
Chariot
Towel
Chaste

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Hey, I just noticed this here. Oops! I will get this posted shortly.

Also, thank you once again for the list of active prompts. That really has been a life saver all these years.

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Claiming Chaste

6048971Chaste

Twilight cursed under her breath. How had she been cornered like this, anyway? It had been a quick luncheon. Between friends, that thrice-accursed unicorn had stressed. She'd been promised tarts and biscuits and an array of delicious teas and milks. Instead she was cornered and under interrogation. She swore into the side of her mouth again.

"Swearing does not become a lady, Twilight." Rarity's grin grew a little wider, eyes shining with anticipation. Twilight gave her a sulking glance. "Now then. It was a simple question. How do you feel," she paused with relish, eyes greedily soaking in the beads of sweat that were forming on Twilight's brow, "about Celestia."

Twilight heaved a great sigh. Her eyes darted back and forth, until at last she snagged upon an escape. She offered a silent prayer. "What we have is special. I couldn't define it even if I tried." Rarity's smile fell away and Twilight's own rose triumphantly. Rarity tapped her hooves together.

"Special?"

"Yup. No way I could explain it, even if I wanted to. Unidentifiable in the extreme." She faltered. Rarity's grin was back. She'd just made a mistake.

"Mhmm, perhaps. But if it were undefined you would be searching for an explanation. Attempting to organize it. The Twilight I know wouldn't be comfortable with not knowing, let alone pleased with her own ignorance. Ergo, you're deflecting." Curse Rarity and her ability to string together coherent thoughts. Perhaps if she'd followed through with a particularly juicy rumor she might have gotten her diversion off the ground. But that would be throwing somepony else under the bus. So she volunteered up another explanation.

"Well, you're right, naturally! Look, I don't like to bring this up much," Or to lie, the pony princess thought to herself, "but there's a part of me that still needs to be, well...How can I explain it? I like being the smart pony. Celestia is--was--my teacher. How else am I supposed to be the smart pony unless I prove it to her especially?" She tried her best to look ashamed, which wasn't hard, considering she was lying through her teeth so hard she was afraid they might crack. Rarity looked empathetic. She almost let herself relax.

Rarity tilted her head. "So you use Celestia to self-actualize?" Again with the accursed line of questions. Time to play offensive.

"Why's it so important to you, anyway?" She knew the answer as well as Rarity did but dammit if she was going to be deflecting through the entire conversation Rarity was too.

"Why, my dear Twilight, it's simple friendly concern. We all have our talents. You're endlessly helping us stay organized and bringing us together. Organization is your strength. Relationships," she let a predatory air linger upon the word, "are mine. And it's easy to see that something about your relationship that pony leaves you, hmm, flustered? And not in an academic way." Rarity's smile screamed 'checkmate', but Twilight stared her down as best she could. "It was Celestia who inspired you to learn magic to begin with. It wasn't her teaching that impressed you, but her image, her prestige. You were enamored by her long before you even knew she had a school."

"W-well, you can hardly deny that Celestia is impressive. She told me you once spent half an hour kissing her hooves." She nearly melted off her own traitorous cheeks, which had turned a quite fetching shade of crimson at the mention of the k-word, with the force of her glare. "She's an inspiration to everypony. It was only after I entered her school that I really started to look up to her."

"I suppose that would make sense. But then, Rainbow Dash feels that way about the Wonderbolts, but you've never bonded with her over that. And then there's the Galas." Rarity leaned over the table. "You've been her plus-one every single Gala since you left Canterlot. You wear each other's cutie marks. You use terms of endearment with her you won't use with Cadance or even your family--"

"--Rarity--" Twilight tried to calm the oncoming storm.

"--You touch her in ways I've never seen outside of married ponies, and comfortably married ones at that--"

"--Rarity, we are friends. If I say we are friends, really, really, really close, touchy-feely, friends, then we're friends. Just friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Alright?"

"Well, if she's only just a friend, how come she gets such special treatment instead of us? I'd be offended if I didn't see what you plainly refuse to. Why I should think you might grow comfortable if you could only allow yourself to see--"

"I don't need to see anything! You only have this problem because you see romance everywhere! Whether it exists or not! Whether it needs to or should happen or whether it's a horrible, shameful, insulting thing you should never, ever bring up around someone because it might ruin their perception of you forever and you wish you could unfeel it and just be what they want and expect of you every single time you even think of them!" Twilight's eyes began to twitch, her ear flopping to one side. "And you know, you still don't understand and can't understand that love even with this, this side to it you keep pressing on towards. I can't take what she thinks I feel from her! She needs friends, Rarity! More than you'll ever know, she needs ponies who really care about her. Not sycophants or worshipers. I can't take that from her for some selfish, pathetic--crush!"

She looked like she was going to say more, but she realized by Rarity's expression that she'd lost. The truth was out. The flimsy illusion of chastity long since cast aside. Twilight deflated, wings at her side. But the glee in Rarity's eyes was gone. Rarity pursed her lips and soften the hard line that had formed in her brow. Her eyes were wide with shock. They readjusted into what Twilight guessed was understanding during the subsequent awkward pause. "Twilight, if what you feel is selfish, than why does it sound like you value her feelings so much more than yours?"

She tried to work her jaw, but only a squeak came out. She felt her heart sinking towards the floor. Rarity knew, she knew and they were actually talking about it and now everyone would know and...

"You haven't thought about this very much, have you?"

"No." She squeaked the word out, trying very hard to be as small as was physically possible.

"Because you were too ashamed to?"

"Yes." Every word came out like a mouse's sneeze. Tiny and explosive all at once.

"And you want what's best for Celestia, right? Absolutely best?"

Twilight gave a solemn nod. She screwed her eyes shut. She was a big pony. She wasn't going to cry. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't--She felt a trail of salty water run down her cheek. Damn.

"Then you owe it to her to say." Rarity's voice came down like the world's most gentle guillotine. "If you think she deserves genuine friendship, you need to be a genuine friend."

Twilight tried not to choke on her own running nose and clammy throat, tried to stop the shaking, tried to force back the emotions that had balled up so deep inside her that they would explode out any time Celestia was so much as mentioned. "And we don't have to do it all at once." She cracked a shamefully teary eye open.

"Really?" She tried to look at Rarity through the blurry vision that she held.

"Of course not." Rarity stood up and walked around the table to her, putting a hoof on her withers. "I told you. I am here for you, and will do my best for you. And when you are ready to tell Celestia you aren't as chaste as you'd like, I will be right behind you every bit as much as you've been when you helped set up my boutiques. I am not the petty town gossip." She amended her statement at Twilight's playful, sulking look. "I am not only the town gossip." She offered her hoof to Twilight. "I am also your friend. And you, and Celestia, both deserve this resolved."

Twilight rubbed away her tears, stood her full height, and took the hoof. "Right."

Next Prompt: Forever

I'll be claiming Towel for a thing I'm planning to write tomorrow.

6049053
Claiming and posting Inattentive (Easy posting link)

“Help!” Twilight shouted as she galloped into her throne room.

One by one, her friends looked up from reading or playing games and shot her a puzzled look.

“Help?” Rarity asked. “Whatever do you need help with?”

“Cel- Cele- Celestia—” Twilight stammered with sweat running down her brow. She looked from side to side, eyes bouncing all around.

“Is she in trouble?” Rainbow hopped into the air.

“N-no, sh-she ju-just-”

“Jest what?”

“Pro—”

“Prompted an unwarranted panic attack?” Pinkie offered.

“Prop—”

“Propped up a villainous dictator in a remote village with the intent of overthrowing all the other princesses and once again ruling Equestria alone with her prized protege just like old times?” Starlight smiled cheerfully.

With the exception of Twilight’s continued nervous stammering, she received nothing but dirty looks.

“Oh, lighten up. That was funny and you know it.” She pouted.

“Celestia proposed to me!” Twilight finally shouted.

Cheers went around the room and everyone moved in to hug her.

“You need help planning the wedding! Gotcha!” said Pinkie.

Twilight looked dumbfounded. “Well, yes, but that’s not why I’m panicking! I didn’t even know Celestia and I were dating!”

Many deadpanned stares followed her statement.

“Why are you all looking at me like I’m clueless?”

Applejack coughed lightly. “Well, ya are.”

“You didn’t think twice about Celestia stopping by week after week with a armful of beautiful flowers, filled with lilacs, lilies, and roses?” asked Rarity. “All matched to either her colors or yours? And all of your favorites?”

“Or that she started dotting all of the i’s in her letters with little hearts?” asked Spike, retching slightly.

“Or that she took you on a picnic on top of a hill late one evening and brought a telescope?” asked Fluttershy. “And then wrapped you in her wings and...”

Twilight started blushing brightly. “When you put it like that....”

“Or when she invited you to the Wonderbolts show with seats in her personal skybox, when you have your own?” asked Rainbow.

“Or these headlines?” asked Starlight, holding up several newspapers with headlines like “Latest Royal Couple Sighting!” and “When Will They Announce Their Engagement?”

“Or that giant multilayered cake that Celestia ordered from Sugar Cube Corner that has both of you in beautiful wedding dresses?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight blushed an even deeper shade of red.

“Oh wait, that order just came in this morning...”

Applejack rested a hoof on Twilight’s shoulders. “Look, Twi, we love ya, and clearly Celestia does too. Question is how you feel about her.”

“I thought I out-grew my fillyhood crush,” Twilight mumbled to the ground. She raised her voice and her head, “But I do love her. I’ve always loved her.”

“Then there’s no problem!” Rainbow said.

“Slight problem, perhaps.” Rarity interrupted. “Twilight, dear, what did you say when she asked you to marry her?”

Twilight’s blush drained in record time. “I... I didn’t! Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!”

Rarity tsked. “That would be something we need to take care of right away. Allons-y!”

A short train ride later—with plenty of hoofholding and cooed reassurances that everything would be alright from Fluttershy and Rarity—Twilight was mercilessly shoved into the solarium at Canterlot Castle.

“Twilight!” Celestia exclaimed. “You, you ran away so fast, I didn’t know what to think...”

“Yes!” Twilight said, dashing up to her beloved and wrapping her in a tight hug. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”

And the newly betrothed princesses kissed.

Next prompt: Focus

Prompt List as of 12/17/2017, 11:14PM EST:

Yield
Ebullition (The act of bubbling or boiling)
Cooking
Globe
Organized
Videotape
Woona
Chariot
Towel (currently claimed by ultra1437)
Forever
Focus

6049053
Umma claim Ebullition because I have a good one.

Here's Towel

A slam from her apartment front door jolted Twilight from the serenity of her shower.  She remembered locking it, so it must be only one of a very few ponies whom had a key.

Seconds later, a melodic voice drifted through her shut bathroom door.  “Twilight?  Are you in here?”

Not-quite-literally melting at the voice, she took a few seconds before yelling back, “Ah, yeah!  Give me a few minutes, Celestia.  Just finishing up.”

“Alright.  Take your time, Twilight.  We have all day.”  Straining her ears, Twilight heard the soft thumps of Celestia’s hooves making their way back down the hallway.

Following Celestia’s instructions, she did take the few minutes she needed to scrub behind her ears and rinse her mane before shutting the water off.

Stepping out, she snagged a towel and immediately started drying off.  Once the first was soaked from drying her wings carefully, she discarded it into the hamper and her magic reached out for a second, wrapping it around her head and trailing it down the back of her neck to dry her mane.

Reaching for a third, she encountered a problem.  Her magic didn’t find purchase.  Looking over, the third spot on her towel rack was empty.

Panic immediately rushed through her veins.  ‘Oh no!  Did I…’  Looking around her bathroom, she was out of dry towels.

She felt her second towel was too soaked to use on her tail as well.  She checked again ‘I did!  Oh, I hope Celestia doesn’t mind…’  Heart rate skyrocketing, she knew she had to ask, but was entirely too embarrassed.

Ears pinned back, she cracked the door open slightly, and stuck her head out.  She looked toward where she heard Celestia go.  “Ce-Celestia?”

A thump from down the hall sounded alongside a “Ah!” as it sounded like Celestia tripped and fell.

Embarrassment forgotten, Twilight yanked the door the rest of the way open and charged down the hall.

“Celestia?  Are you alright?  I thought–” she stopped as she noticed Celestia, nose first on the floor, facing her.

Shaking her head a little, Celestia looked up to see Twilight, concern written all over her face.  Her rear half was still dripping wet, but a towel wrapped about her mane was half undone.

A soft pomf sounded throughout the front room as Celestia’s wings unconsciously spread, a matching bright red blush covering most of her face.  “T-Twilight I–”

“Are you okay?  That sounded like a big tumble.”  Twilight stepped forward and helped Celestia to her hooves.

“I-I am fine.  What did you need?”

Twilight’s ears perked and she looked back over herself.  Suddenly remembering herself, she ‘eeped’ and the towel on her head slid down over her eyes.  “I… ran out of dry towels.”

Celestia quirked an eyebrow, but her blush hadn’t faded at all and her tail swished once.

“I was hoping you could get me some from the closet… but then I heard you fall.”

Celestia’s ears pinned back and she looked away.  “Sorry.  You startled me and…”

“I’m just glad you’re alright, Celestia.”  She turned and started making her way back, toward her closet.  “Let me just get a towel and I’ll be ready in a minute!”  Grabbing a dry towel, she returned to the bathroom and shut the door.

Left to her thoughts, Celestia’s blush deepened and wings seemed to quiver.  ‘Am I really… going to ask Twilight now?’

A minute later, Twilight returned, the towel on her head gone, but a second one now hovering her rear.

“So, while I’m drying, what did you need, Celestia?”

“Celly.”

Quirking an eyebrow, Twilight asked.  “What?”

Blushing furiously and refusing to look Twilight in the eyes, Celestia explained, “Call me Celly.”

“Okay… Celly.”  Noticing Celestia’s blush, Twilight tilted her head adorably.  “Are you alright?  Your face is kind of red.”

Sputtering, Celestia replied all too quickly.  “I’m fine!  Better than fine!  I’ve never felt so fine in my life!”

“O...kay?”  Twilight turned to more genuinely confused than anything.  “So, what did you need?”

Gulping audibly, Celestia looked over to Twilight.  “I wanted to know if you wanted to go out later.”

“Oh!  Let me check my schedule, I think I have some free time today.”  Turning, she left the room to look over her notebook.

Half a second after Twilight turned, she slapped a hoof to her face as her mind continued down its path.  ‘No.  Bad mind!  Bad choice of words!’

Twilight rounded the corner to her kitchen and checked the calendar.  ‘Free time… now to four PM!  Perfect timing!’

Smiling, Twilight called out, “Hey Celly!  I’m free until four!”

“That is great, Twilight!”

Turning around, one of her wet hindlegs slips out from underneath her and with a loud 'Eeep!' she crashed to the ground.

Thoughts forgotten at the thump, Celestia asked, “Twilight?  Are you–”  as she rushed into the room.  Her words left her at what she saw.

The sight before Celestia was better than anything her mind could make up.  Twilight’s towel had fallen away, and she lay on her back with her hindlegs spread accidentally.

“I’m… alright.  I slipped.”  The moment passed as Twilight rolled over and stood back up.  Celestia stood unmoving, except for her wings, which were quivering again.  “Celly?”

Making her way up to the larger mare, Twilight waved a hoof in front of Celestia’s unmoving eyes, her blush turning her entire face red now.  “Celly?  Are you…”

Shaking her head, she stepped back.  “I’m alright.  I just wasn’t…”

Rearing up, she placed a hoof on Celestia’s forehead.  Celestia was burning up!

Squinting her eyes, Twilight set back down on all fours again and jabbed a hoof into Celestia’s barrel.  “Celly, you’ve got a fever.  Your face has been red since I walked out.  Why did you come here when you’re obviously sick?”

Celestia sputtered, her ears pinning back.  “But I’m not…”  Inspiration struck, and a second later she started coughing into a hoof uncontrollably.  “Yes, I’m sorry, Twilight.  I did feel a little under the weather on my way over, but I didn’t think anything of it…”  Ducking her head down, Celestia tried to slink around Twilight.  “If you want, I’ll just head home to rest.”

“No!  No.”  Twilight’s words surprised both ponies.  “I-I’ll take care of you.”  She ushered Celestia bodily over to the living room couch.  The rub of Twilight’s coat against her own seemed to tease Celestia even more.

Before Celestia could protest, Twilight had laid her down and wrapped a blanket over her, including her stubborn wings.  “Shush.  Lay down and let me take care of you.”

“But…”

“But nothing.  I won’t let the most wonderful friend in the world stay home alone, sick.”  Twilight returned to the kitchen.  “You stay there.  I’ll get some soup on.  It’ll help, alright?”

Twilight’s words made Celestia’s heart soar.  ‘I… she… really thinks the world of me?  I-I can’t lie to her like this.’  Shrugging off the blanket, she stood.  Magic flowed through her horn and almost yanked her wings back down to a resting position.  “T-Twilight?”

“Do you need something else, Celly?”

“Could you come here, please?”

“Alright.”  Twilight returned to the living room to see Celestia sitting in front of the couch, almost back to normal, other than her red face.  Twilight gasped and rushed forward.  “What did you–”

A hoof shushed her before she could continue.  “Twilight, please.  I am not sick.  Not like you think, anyways.”

Twilight removed Celestia’s hoof, but said nothing.

“I… came over to spend some time with you.”  She sighed softly.  “We have been friends for many years, have we not?”

Twilight nodded, starting to look impatient.

“I-I had hoped you would notice my intentions before, but with today’s events, I am afraid I must make them obviously apparent.”  Celestia took a breath, holding a hoof to her chest.  A moment later, she exhaled and stomped that hoof down.  “Twilight, would you like to go out on a date with me?”  She closed her eyes tightly before continuing,  “As… marefriends?”

Twilight’s eyes widened and her ears stood forward.  “Celestia… you… and me?”  Celestia's eyes opened slowly and she nodded.  Twilight gestured to Celestia and herself again and received a second nod.  “Oh.”

Celestia looked down as her wings sprung open with another pomf and she looked off to the side.  “Yes.  When you thought I was sick, I just couldn’t pretend and waste both our ti–”

Celestia found a hoof over her mouth, Twilight reared up to reach properly.  “Don’t.  Even if it was a lie, it wouldn’t waste my time.”  Removing her hoof, Twilight moved and sat down on the couch to be more eye level.

Blinking in surprise for a second, Celestia continued, “I’m sorry to seemed to have sprung this on you suddenly, Twilight, but it seemed to me like you didn’t take my hint.  I just wanted to ‘clear the air’ so to speak.”  Celestia nodded to herself before seeming to stare into Twilight’s eyes and waiting for an answer.

Ten seconds passed as Twilight looked down toward the floor.  Behind her, Twilight’s tail swished.  “So you want to be special someponies with me?”

Celestia nodded once.

“And you couldn’t ask me before?”  Twilight reached up and hooked her hooves around the back of Celestia’s neck.  “Of course I will,” she whispered into Celestia’s ear before nuzzling the blushing cheek.

“I’m sorry, Twilight.  I had honestly thought you would pick up on my intentions earlier.”

“You did nothing wrong, Celly.”  She nuzzled Celestia’s cheek again.  “I have literally zero experience with any romance and you still choose me.”  She pulled back, with her ears pinning back.  “Even if you had to beat me about the head with your intentions.”

Leaning forward, she nuzzled Twilight's cheek this time.  “I would only do that to a pony I truly loved, Twilight.”  She pulled back before placing a hoof over one of Twilight’s.  “I mean it.”

A small blush of her own started to show through her purple fur.  “Twi.  You, of all ponies deserve to call me by a nickname if I can call you by one.”  Twilight laid down, thoroughly caught up in the moment.

“Alright, Twi.”  Celestia laid down next to her and a wing suddenly cooperated as it laid down over Twilight’s back.

Twilight suddenly shot to her hooves.  “Oh no.  Earlier… was I accidentally…”

Pressing a hoof to Twilight’s barrel, Celestia explained, “Only a little, Twili-Twi.”  She guided Twilight back down onto the couch.  Resting her head on top of Twilight’s, Celestia’s wing squeezed a little.

“Was I really–”

Celestia’s horn lit and closed Twilight’s muzzle.  “You are a beautiful, adorable mare, Twi.  Never let anypony tell you otherwise.”  Celestia’s lilac orbs seemed to soften as she closed most of the distance between their muzzles.

Twilight subconsciously closed most of the rest of the distance, instinct taking over as she stared into Celestia’s beautiful eyes.

Celestia’s breath washed over Twilight’s nose as she said, "Kiss me you beautiful nerd,” before closing the scant millimeters remaining.

Twilight saw stars.

Gdoc version for easy import!

1855 words. Holy shit this was a literal ton of fun to write. I goddamn love Oblivious!Twilight. She might be my favorite to write to date.

New prompt is Tease in honor of how badly I got Celestia there. I can't believe we haven't done this one yet! I checked!

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Ebullition

Everything was working perfectly thus far. Twilight had been able to finish her letter in only a single draft, had been able to send it without any shortness of breath or stomach cramps, had been ready to go to the palace after only five minutes of preparation. It was perfect! Celestia was just like another friend. She could do anything with her. Say anything to her. The chariot arrived, and there was no thundering heartbeat or nagging worry of failure. She stepped inside with confidence she hadn't ever had before. "To Celestia!" She extended a hoof forward. The stallions pulling the chariot exchanged glances.

"Um, with respect--your majesty, the safe word?" The Changeling safeguard was rarely brought to bear against her. She blinked.

"Ladybugs." Was she really that different? "I assure you, gentlecolts, everything is fine. Better than fine. I just want to demonstrate a new spell I've been learning." That sounded enough like Twilight that the stallions at least spread their wings to take off.

She lept from the chariot upon arrival and began a healthy canter towards the palace, trying to ignore the worried looks of her escort.

"Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia's voice was warm and open. Twilight enjoyed the warmth in the way one would enjoy a thin glow of sunlight on a cold winter day. It was fleeting and pleasant, but nothing more. "I must say it was a surprise to hear you scheduled a visit so suddenly, but a visit from you is never unwelcome." She waited for the blush, for the touched and private smile. Something to denote her Twilight had heard her. But what came in response was something utterly alien to her.

"I appreciate the consideration. Was it too much trouble?" Twilight looked at it her with a casual concern. Her lip remained unbitten. Her eyes remained unwavering. A single raised eyebrow was all that she could muster.

Celestia's gaze grew distant. "No. No trouble at all..."

This was GREAT! She could say anything to Celestia, do anything! No more barriers or lies, ever! She wanted to test it further. But she needed privacy for that. She looked to the guards. "Guards, I need to demonstrate a spell for Her Majesty. I would appreciate some privacy."

"Safe word." This time it came from Celestia, said in disbelief. For some reason that didn't bother her.

"Ladybugs." Twilight ignored the fact that Celestia's eyes were widening behind her. The guards exchanged glances--Twilight continued to hate that look of worry that kept following her everywhere--and reluctantly marched out. Okay, this was it. Time for a real test.

"You know, I've been thinking...just between friends. As I was growing into my alicorn body I noticed your eating habits are a little...aggressive, and that you're a little rounder than the rest of us alicorns. It's important to keep your health under consideration, and I was wondering if you wanted to try an exercise regime. I could find time for the two of us, and maybe with a bit of effort we could reach a healthier body mass!" She said it with friendly concern. No shame. No worry of disgust or disappointment. Amazing! But then she saw Celestia's face, and something inside her flickered.

"What brings this on?" Celestia's smile was shallow and stretched. You could tell by the way it pulled too strongly at her dimples. A part of her brain that felt locked in a deep sleep conjured up that fact. Celestia was hurt. Why? Had she said something wrong?

"Well, just that you might want to think about your health. Pinkie Pie doesn't and we all worry for her. I didn't and everypony worried for me."

"Shouldn't that be my choice?" Celestia's smile stretched a little further. The edges of her eyes were pinched. Whatever it was that was faltering internally, it was building up pressure like magma waiting for an eruption. Twilight forced it back down.

"Of course! But I thought some time between friends might bring us closer together." That relaxed the smile--and her insides--a little.

"Perhaps, yes. I confess I had been hoping to spend more time with you outside of our shared duties. But maybe in an activity we both enjoy. Reading, or perhaps stargazing or some practice in magical theory."

Twilight's curiosity overrode whatever the boiling pool of magma within her was. "You like stargazing? I always thought it'd remind you of Luna."

Celestia faltered. "It does, yes. But I love my sister, and the beautiful art she shares with us even more."

"Oh, okay. That makes sense, then. Luna is a good friend." She cast a nostalgic grin back to making friends with Luna.

"Why would I not?"

Twilight's insides continued to froth and boil. Something inside her was screaming not to say, but she forced it down. She had identified it, and it was the enemy. Love had driven a chasm between her and Celestia and this was her bridge over it. "Thinking of Luna makes you feel ashamed. Like any of your failings. Just like I do with Smartypants. I didn't know you were moving past that. I'm glad."

"I beg your pardon?" Celestia was not even bothering with the smile now. This wasn't going the way Twilight wanted.

"I mean, you and Luna are already starting to fight again." Celestia bit her lip. Twilight pressed on, fighting hoof and tail against the feelings frothing within her now. "You close yourself off when you're hurt and I thought you'd do that since--" Celestia put a hoof over her mouth in shock. She spat out the last few words as quick as she could. "Since you don't like to talk about things like this, even when you need to." Celestia let a tear run down her face. Twilight's entire body froze.

Something had gone catastrophically wrong, both inside and out. The Princess--Her Princess--was crying, and it was all her fault. The pressure inside her was boiling to bursting point. "I wish for you to leave me, Twilight Sparkle." The words were enough. Something in Twilight exploded. She coughed out a great cloud of grey and brown smoke, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks and body kicking against the force of the potion's expulsion.

"Princess Celestia!" She rushed towards the throne, batting the contemptible smoke out of her way as she went, and bowed low. "I'm sorry, I--I can't make this better, but how do I make this better, ohhhh!" She began to prance in place, teeth gritting. "I just wanted to help you, I promise! I know it doesn't seem like it, but please, please believe me--I just wanted us to be closer and for me to, to..." Celestia saw the instant change through her, and her eyes widened in disbelief, another tear running freely. She smelled the odor of rotten eggs and dark chocolate and knew immediately what her foolish, wonderful little alicorn had done.

"An apathy potion." It explained everything that had just happened altogether too well. "But why, Twilight?" Twilight froze in place. It had gotten even worse than she had possibly imagined. No, no, no. Magma churned and erupted within her, a volcano at last blowing its peak. She couldn't say. Especially not after insulting her Princess so badly this day. "I-I-I-" No. She chided herself for stalling. She had made Celestia cry. Celestia deserved to know. And Twilight deserved whatever callous rejection was coming, a dozen times over. "I love you." She cringed and starred at the floor, her entire body burning. "And it hurts, and it makes me act stupid and hide my words and I just wanted to make that easier on us. I just wanted to be the friend you deserved and not some, some, stupid filly in estrus all the time!" She gave a ghost of a glance upwards. Celestia looked exactly the way she'd expected. Dumbfounded. Shocked. "That's why." She simmered in silence, ready for whatever rebuke came next.

"Twilight, if I wished you to change for me, I would have been a poor friend and a worse lover." Celestia rolled the last word around in her mouth a little, trying to see how it tasted. "I love you exactly the way you are. Your attitude towards me was never a barrier for me. You were right, if cruel, just now. I do make distance between the things I wish not to address. Perhaps that is what led you to this. I too wish we spoke with more honesty, but...I was afraid. Afraid the truth of me might drive us apart. Not unlike you."

Twilight wobbled. But then hardened. Determination flared within her. The boiling in her stomach continued to scald her, but now it worked as fuel to her drive. "I promise I will make this up to you. I can be as far or as--" She saw Celestia shaking her head. Her mind raced to find the problem. She ran back over what Celestia had said, from start to finish. If I wished for you to change for me. Oh. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "No. I will make this up to you by listening. I will make this up to you by speaking. And by not flinching from what you have to say back."

"Let me begin by saying that whatever happens next, I will still love you. Never fear for that."

The feeling in Twilight that had been burning on overdrive at last settled. No more scalding boiling. No more crushing pressure. "And no matter what you say next, I will love you, too."

Next Prompt: Outrage

Seems this place got a breath of life the last few days. Still hoping we reach 500, to that I’m taking Forever.

6261376
Claiming and posting Outrage (Easy posting link)

Twilight yawned and stretched, with her hooves slid out in front of her and her back arched as far as she could manage. She flexed her wings out and ruffled them. After she turned her head, she saw that Celestia was still snoozing heavily.

The last silvery sliver of moonlight slipped below the horizon, leaving nothing but the far off, dim lights of the city to provide any illumination.

“Wake up sleepy head, it’s sunrise. Or it should be,” Twilight whispered from beside Celestia in their bed.

Celestia murmured and stirred, but snuggled the blankets ever tighter.

Twilight clicked her tongue and rose, bidding her beloved a brief bye with a soft kiss to the forehead while she prepared the day. At the time of the Friendship celebration, Twilight hadn’t realized that Celestia was literal when she said that she already possessed all the skill needed to pull off her plan: when she had previously taken the magic of the alicorns, her own magic left an indelible mark on all she touched. Both the sun and moon recognized her as a steward, and would obey her wishes that they move.

Twilight giggled softly to herself. She was getting used to moving celestial bodies more and more.

The soft tinkle of magic faded into and out of her hearing, and the pale reds and oranges of a new sunrise came over the other horizon.

With new light shining into the room, Celestia finally stirred awake and blinked. “Twilight?”

“Good afternoon, princess,” Twilight playfully whispered. She kissed Celestia again. “We have court today, so we’ll need to be on our best behavior.”

It remained a closely guarded state secret; one princess courting another would invite far too much unwanted attention, and their budding love needed peace, quiet, and time to grow.

---

In the interest of maintaining state secrets, Twilight returned to her chambers to bathe and prepare for her day in court. On the way, she passed Luna’s chambers, and chuckled at the poor guards being serenaded by the freight-train-like snores of the lunar princess.

Twilight received a curt nod as she passed. No comment was made on the state of her mane, or that she smelled of a warm summer’s afternoon.

Once she reached her own chambers, Twilight hopped into the shower for a quick shampoo. And conditioner. And a good amount of brushing. In fact, Twilight cursed not bringing Rarity along to the semiannual tetrarch summit. On a rotating schedule, two of the four Equestrian princesses would preside over court at the same time. This was Twilight’s favorite week: she would be with Celestia in court for most of the day.

It beat presiding with Luna, who had a habit of muttering threats under her breath about protecting her sister, or presiding with Cadance, whose gossip-mongering would go down in legends. Though, Celestia said the positions were reversed for her: Cadance was the protective sister(-in-law) and Luna was the relentless gossip—something about having missed a millennium of court intrigue. Twilight and Celestia both quietly assumed Luna and Cadance spent their court plotting and swapping notes.

After a longer-than-expected grooming session, Twilight felt herself presentable enough to don her regalia. Then she headed down to the breakfast hall. Upon entering, one of the hall’s waiters swept her into a chair and placed her favorites, chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream, in front of her.

“The Princess will eat in a quick-but-dignified manner and proceed immediately to the throne room. Court will begin in a half hour.” He bowed low and shuffled out of the room. Twilight looked at a clock on the wall and blanched. Court really would be on in a half hour. She poured herself a glass of water and plunged her fork into her pancakes. A quick breakfast would have to do.

With barely a minute to spare any glances except at her throne, Twilight nearly galloped up to it and turned to face the doors. Sooner than she’d like to calm herself, petitioners would spew forth and demand attention. She took a deep breath and finally looked to her side, where Celestia sat calm and serene.

A rosy blush sprang across Twilight’s cheeks. Celestia wasn’t wearing her peytral! Her pristine, soft, fluffy white fur stood proudly for Twilight and anypony else to ogle! Well, obviously, only Twilight could ogle; everypony else had the good sense to only catch a glimpse.

Her lascivious thoughts were interrupted by the first of the petitioners bounding into the throne room. Twilight cursed under her breath. How would she be able to concentrate when that beautiful, nuzzle-able neck was right next to her, begging to covered in kisses?

But Twilight restrained herself. At least, until she heard a few scandalized whispers talk about that slender, graceful, swan-like...

More scandalized whispers, and even louder gasps. Even the guards’ composure was broken as they turned to look. To stare. At Twilight, secret lover of the Solar Princess, nuzzling Celestia in public.

At first, Twilight didn’t notice, enthralled as she was in the always delightful sensation of that soft fur against her muzzle and the way Celestia’s breath would catch ever so slightly when she nuzzled that one spot just above her barrel.

When Celestia’s breath didn’t catch, however, and remained frozen in place with bright red blush, Twilight turned and looked. The entire throne room stared back at her.

“Horsefeathers.”

Inspired by this image:

Next prompt: Statistics

Writing "Forever" is taking a bit longer than intended, got a bit side-tracked.

But the current prompts list is here;
Chariot
Cooking
Daring
Globe
Intimacy
Organized
Statistics
Tease
Videotape
Woona
Yield

Also the overall prompts list has been updated, link.

Prompt: Forever
He was the first I ever loved, we promised each other to be true forever. We had no idea what forever would come to mean, what forever would come to mean for myself. We were an unusual couple, in a world hostile to those who married outside their own. The lingering scars of the time before the Warming still lived strongly in their minds. We shared joys just as much we shared sorrows; we stayed together for all of our lives. For all of his life, I knew there was a good chance I would outlive him. Even now, I still remember his dying words, a reminder that he would wait for me no matter how long it took. But also a desperate plea that I would live, that I would love someone again. Him, no matter what happened I would always remember and I keep to the hope that one day we would see each other again.

She was the first I fell for, the first crush. It was a silly dream, the young filly in love with someone who seemed unreachable. Even when she was my mentor is seemed an impossible goal, even as I learned she was no different than a mortal mare. I shared my early life by her side; listening to her guidance and her pearls of wisdom yet at the same time I learned to laugh with her and see the mare she keeps hidden from the world. She was in many ways, my first true friend even if neither of knew it or felt that way. At least to begin with, things have changed since I left her guidance and have spread my own wings.

She was the beacon in my life, a beacon of hope and light after the personal disasters of the last millenium. The many who I’ve lost through one tragedy or another; my sister through my own hubris, many dear friends and a few lovers to the embrace of death, a few students who fell for a wayward path. The world was not without joy, yet I was adrift and lost. I was going through the motions, my sister had been my rock; someone to keep me steady when the long toll of the years became too much.Yet here she was, a young filly with magic I had not seen in many long years. Yet all for her gifts, all she wanted was to be able to learn and to be under my guidance. In time I found a friend again even as it was tinged by the eventual sorrow that one day she too would be gone. Even her adopted brother, the young drake she hatched would outlive her before he too would pass on or as others before him hide himself in a places long forgotten by the world. Few of the ancients remained, most had long hidden themselves away.

She became more than a friend as I spread my wings and began to soar, began to climb on my own. It was amazing to look back and see how far I’ve come since the early days. I did not consider myself boastful, compared to one of my dear friends it is hard to come off as boastful when one hears the tales she spins of herself. Well-deserved in many of them, but no less cocky about them. I did not consider myself boastful of what I had achieved, but I could not forget the smiles she gave me when I succeeded or the comfort she gave me when I failed. She was there to encourage me onward to greater heights than I could have imagined when I resolved to learn all I could about magic.

And here now on this special day, we promise to each other before our friends and family our promise to remain true to each other. To be each other’s friend, to be each other’s family, to be each other’s love now on this day and for as long as we both shall live, to be together forever.

Next Prompt: Daring

Claiming Focus.

Here's Focus

“More on the left!”  signalled over a radio out to gunners on the wall.  Gunfire rippled out from the wall, tearing the mindless horde apart, leaving corpses missing body parts from sheer volume of fire.

A commanding voice shouted “Halt!” and the gunfire petered out.  And so the battles went after the end of the world came.

Some weird pulse passed through the solar system.  Scientists had seen it coming for months, but didn’t think it would do anything.  Then, it passed the Earth.  And the dead rose, literally overnight.  When individually killed, the dead wouldn’t rise for another month unless the bodies were incinerated or too damaged to move on their own.

There were other reports of some living humans getting some kind of superpowers, but society the world over collapsed within the week, so nobody could put it all together.

Twilight returned to her spotting station’s balcony.  Last week, she’d requisitioned a few extra bodies to assist her, along with some extra ammo to pick off stragglers.

Command had delivered, alright.  She got her two new roommates, Celestia and Luna.

Celestia was supposedly some kind of impressive sniper, but entirely too cheery and familiar with others she worked with.  Her twin sister, Luna, was almost her exact opposite.  Luna couldn’t hit anything worth a damn, but she could pick out a rat scurrying at night like an owl, and kept the same hours as one.

Though they were twins, they didn’t look alike.  Celestia’s was built like an amazon of old, with nice curvy hips and large bust that put her at odds with Luna’s petite frame.  Luna was Twilight’s height, but carried herself with far more grace than either her sister or Twilight.  She had the air of a dancer about her whenever she moved.

As opposite they may physically be, they got along better than most married couples did before the world ended.  And it just annoyed Twilight to no end.

Twilight grunted.  Within six months, the tower would either need replacing or reinforcement.  The little tower they used kept in constant radio contact with the city they helped protect.  It was rusting and leaning.  One of the remaining few bastions in the world, it was called Dawn.

Celestia’s voice carried from inside the tower, “Twi?  Did you fill out the report like I asked?”

Sighing softly, Twilight turned and called back, “Yes mom, I did.  It’s over on the counter.”

Celestia squealed happily.  “Ah, thanks love!”

The sound of boot steps echoed before a chair scraped and Twilight tuned out Celestia delivering their report.

Turning back to her spotter’s scope, she eyed several hordes as they wandered, literally miles from their location.  She took notes on those that might make their way toward Dawn.

“How goes it?”

Instantly, her body moved on autopilot, reaching for her sidearm.  A hand grabbed hers before she could rack the slide.  Twilight looked up and met Luna’s cerulean orbs.

“Sorry, Twilight.  Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Relaxing Twilight replied, “No problem, Luna.  What are you doing up?” as she returned her sidearm to its holster.

“Celestia’s singing to herself again.”

Twilight nodded.  “Ah.”

Luna put a hand on Twilight’s shoulder.  “So, my question?”

Twilight showed Luna her notes.  “Nothing headed our way, from what I see, anyway.  I only just got started for the day.”

Luna nodded.  “Right.  Sorry.  Mind if I hang out here?”  She took a seat next to Twilight.

“Sure, go ahead and catch a nap.  I’ll keep a good lookout.”  Shifting, she reached into her pack and handed Luna a pillow.

Luna took it gratefully.  “Alright.  Thank you.”

A few hours later, Luna woke up and took her shift on watch, leaving Twilight and Celestia inside as they killed time before bed.

Celestia sidled up to Twilight, leaning into the smaller woman.  “Hey Twi?  Where’d Luna get to earlier?”

“Outside, napping next to me.  Apparently you were being too loud.  Again.”

“Oh, sorry.  I’ll try to it keep down next time.”

“Do try, she has a hard enough time sleeping as it is.”

“Oh?”

“Half the time I leave you alone in here, she comes out and sleeps next to me.”

Celestia quirked an eyebrow.  “Really…”

“Tia?  Got a straggler!”

Instantly, Celestia was all business.  “On my way!”

Suddenly on her feet, she seemed to teleport to her weapon, snagging it in a single hand and hefting it over her shoulder before heading outside.  Twilight always seemed to wonder how Celestia could lift a massive anti-material rifle in a single hand, but didn’t question it.  She slipped out behind her a pair of binoculars in her hand.

“Where away?”

“030 degrees north, four clicks.  It’s a big Hulk.”  Luna moved over but held the scope steady to allow Celestia to see.  Mentally following Luna’s directions, she zoomed in on it.  Celestia and Luna had seen this before, but Twilight’ hadn’t.

Some of the odd ways people had been buried in the past produced different kinds of Risen.  Shamblers were your everyday zombie, effectively.  Slow, easy to avoid, mindless.  A Hulk comes only from mass graves.  The bodies sort of congeal together, to produce a single, huge mass of flesh.  Somehow, the flesh was as tough as tank armor, and needed similar weapons to break it apart to kill, unless one found the correct head to shoot.  The others were vestigial, but only one seemed to keep its ‘awareness’.

Pulling the binocs down, she heard Luna say, “I think I found the master head.  ”Half-bald woman.  Redhead.”

“Oh, I see it.  I bet she was a pretty little thing.”

Hefting her weapon, Celestia slid the skids on her bipod underneath the railing and hooking in next to Luna.  She sighted in on her target.  “Winds?”

Twilight scanned the trees.  Autumn had come and trees were shedding leaves slowly this year.  “Calm.”

“Distance?”  Celestia asked as she dialed in her scope.

Luna propped up a laser rangefinder.  “3.1 kilometers.”

“Oh, that’s a real big one then.  Good thing I had you check.”  One last twist and she was set.

“Cover your ears, girls.”

Twilight’s hands shot to her noise cancelling headset slididng it over her ears quickly.  She saw Celestia’s lips move, but couldn’t hear what she said.  Luna seemed to react, nudging her before she slipped on a pair of sound muffling earbuds.

Celestia held up five fingers and counted down, when she reached two, she dropped her hand, instead steadying her gun with both hands.  Mentally following her countdown, Twilight brought the binocs up and watched the Hulk.

Next to her, the rifle’s muzzle flashed, the gun kicked hard into Celestia’s shoulder, and a muted boom sounded in her ears.

Twilight watched as the round soared downrange, striking the target Luna called out.  It bored through the neck-flesh, severing the head entirely, before continuing through into the Hulk itself.  A second later, the left half of the Hulk blew to pieces.  Body pieces scattered as the rest of the massive Risen collapsed to the ground, burning.

Pulling her headset off, Twilight heard Celestia say, “Oh.  Oops.  I forgot I had an explosive one loaded.”

“Tia!  We only have a few of those!”  Luna slugged her sister in the arm.

Rubbing the spot sheepishly, Celestia hefted her rifle back up.  “I used it for what it was meant for!”

Luna sulked.  “Still.”

“Sorry, Lu.  It was an honest mistake.”

“Just like this morning?”

Celestia seemed to deflate a little.  “I said I was sorry.”

“No you didn’t.”

“I did!”

Twilight piped up.  “You told me, not her.”

Celestia blushed in embarrassment.  “Oh.”  Immediately, she turned and hugged her sister.  “I’m sorry, Lu.  I know I wake you up early far more often than you would like, but…”

Sighing, she returned her sister’s hug.  “I know.  I know.”

Ignoring the rest of the conversation, Twilight brought her binocs back up and inspected the Hulk.  Something was wrong.  It was still moving.  “Celestia? Luna?  It’s still moving.”

Luna said what they were all thinking.  “Oh shit.”

Celestia slammed her weapon back into position and scoped in.  “Ah, that must not have been the right head.”

“How can you tell?”

“You normally can’t.”  Celestia replied.  “Luna’s got a gift that lets her see weak points in everything.”

“Oh.”  Twilight shook her head.  “Isn’t that like… cheating?”

Celestia reached out and tapped Twilight’s shoulder gently.  “Only if it’s a competition.”

“Ah.  Right.”  A second later it clicked.  “Wait.  How?”

Luna replied, “Dunno.  Tia’s always been a good shot.”  Luna motioned to Celestia, holding the massive rifle steady.  “If I got this gift, she got super strength.”  Luna shrugged.  “Like, if I asked her to, she could take this tower down with her bare hands.”  Looking closely, Celestia didn’t even look to be trying hard to hold the rifle.

Celestia chuckled.  “Like I would.  I like you two too much to destroy our home.  Temporary as it may be.”

“Then maybe you can vacate the premises with your lives.”

Cold steel pressed against Twilight’s back and she froze.  ‘Fucking looters.’

Slowly Twilight put her hands up as Luna saw and froze.

“Tia…”

“Hold on.  I found it!  Five...”

Making eye contact with the person behind Twilight, Luna covered her ears.

Twilight dropped the binocs and covered her ears slowly, just in time for Celestia’s countdown to finish.

Celestia fired and three things happened.  First, the Hulk fell and didn’t get up again.  Second, Twilight felt heat and pain as the assailant fired, hitting her in the gut.  Third, Luna lunged for the assailant.

Nary a sound from her lips, Twilight fell forward.  She blacked out before hitting the floor.

Snarling, Luna tackled the assailant.  The man was unable to bring his weapon to bear against Luna and it was knocked from his hand.  “Tia!”

Setting the weapon down, she looked over at where she heard a gunshot.  Dramatically, Twilight was face-down on the floor, and Luna held down the attacker.  She froze, torn between what needed to be done, and what she wanted to do.

Luna pointed to the man.  “Tia!  Get ahold of yoruself!”  She stood slowly, a foot holding the man’s head down.  “Take care of this asshole!  I’ll get Twilight!”

Shaken from her fugue, she replied, “Right.”

Trading positions, Celestia held up the man with one arm.  “Why?”

Eyes wide in fear, the man yelled, “What?”

“He’s deafened.  He didn’t cover his ears when you fired.  Give it a minute.  Strip his equipment.  Never know what else he’s hiding.”

Celestia’s other arm parted the man of his coat, revealing two more handguns, a grenade, and six spare magazines.

Luna, meanwhile rushed inside to get the first aid/trauma kit.  She knew it wouldn’t be enough, but it would be worse to not try.

Returning, she knelt down and flipped Twilight.  The girl was flushed, losing blood fast.  Turning her over, she set about getting the clothing off the young woman.  It would have to do for bandages.

“Let… me… go!”

“Why?”

“Tia!  Kill him or knock him out and tie him up.  I need your help!”

The man swiftly met Celestia’s other fist and saw no more.  It was a simple matter to break his neck, use a pistol to put a bullet in his brain, and chuck him as far as she could.  She returned to see Twilight’s clothing off and Luna attempting to fish the bullet out.

“How is she?”

“Losing blood.  Fast.  She won’t survive an hour unless we can get it out and stem the blood.”

“Have you got it?”  Celestia set out two needles threading them shakily.

Luna’s tweezers poked around, her hands shaking uncontrollably.  “I can’t… I can’t find it.”

Celestia knelt down next to Luna, and tried to take the tweezers from her sister.  Luna shrugged her sister off, still fishing around for the bullet.

Several minutes passed before Luna pulled the tweezers out.  Slowly, she started sobbing.

Celestia’s voice was soft.  “I… how do we save her?”

“I don’t know.  If we radio, nobody will be here in time other than to… help send her off…”

Tears in her eyes, Celestia eyed her rifle.  “Lu?  I… have a crazy idea.  I have no idea if it will work.  Just hear me out.”

“What is it, Tia?”

“I shoot her with my rifle.”  Luna surged to her feet, eyes blazing.  “Where she was shot before.  The bullet is much faster and generates a whole lot more heat.”

Luna flung herself forward into Celestia’s chest beating on her sister.  “No!  I won’t let you hurt her more!”

Pulling Luna into a hug for a few seconds Celestia replied, “If I do it right, I should knock the bullet free and cauterize her wound.”

“No.  No!”  Luna disappeared into the tower, “If you have to do it, use something that won’t literally take a chunk out of her!”  She returned with Twilight’s much smaller-caliber rifle.  Meticulously cleaned and taken care of, it would hopefully save its owner.

Gripping Twilight’s rifle gently, she brought the much lighter frame to bear.  “Alright.  Hold her steady.”

“Okay…” Luna croaked as she sat Twilight up and helped lean her against the metal wall.  Her skin felt clammy, and she was pale.

Celestia kneeled down and placed the rifle’s barrel against Twilight’s wound.  “Ready?”

Luna nodded.

“Three… two… one…”  Celestia felt something in the air change.

Ka-boom!

Lightning struck the tower as Celestia fired, drowning out all sound.  The flash at her back, Luna watched two bullet fragments sail free from Twilight’s body, off into the distance.

When Celestia pulled away from the wound and turned to get the sewing needles, Twilight seemed to move.

When she turned back, Celestia smiled softly.

Luna looked down at the young woman.  Somehow, the clamminess was gone, and she no longer felt cool to the touch.

The arm in Luna’s grip moved.  “W-what happened?”  Twilight asked.  Looking over her shoulder, she saw Luna, crying.

“Twilight?”  The girl turned and met Celestia’s teary eyes.

“Celestia?”  Celestia surged forward, hugging Twilight from behind and unintentionally groping the young woman’s breasts.

Feeling herself be felt up, Twilight blushed profusely.  “Um.  Why am I topless?”

“I dunno, why were you not wearing a bra?”  Celestia teased.

Twilight meeped softly, her blush deepening.

Luna joined the hug, chastely, and distracted Twilight.  “You got shot.”

“How?”

Luna thumbed over to where the man’s coat lay.  “That asshole shot you as Tia took down the Hulk.”  Celestia removed herself before handing Twilight a shirt.

“Oh.”

“We tried to save you.”  Celestia replied softly.

Twilight quirked an eyebrow.  “Tried?”

Celestia returned to the hug. “I’m not sure how you’re alive, and honestly, I don’t care.”  She reached forward toward one of Twilight’s hands.  “You’re alive, an–yowch!”

A small electrical shock passed to Celestia when she brushed against Twilight's fingers.

“What?”

She touched Twilight’s fingers and was shocked again.  “You shocked me!”

Luna looked up right as a raindrop splashed onto her nose.  She grabbed Twilight and tugged at her arm, surprisingly unshocked.  “Inside.  Now.”

“Why?”

Luna looked to Celestia.  “Electricity.  Water.  Do the math.”

A small “What?” was ignored as Celestia stood over Twilight, covering her.

“Right!”  Celestia ushered the smaller girl inside.

Twilight felt cross, but let herself be pushed inside.  “Why do you want me inside?  I love the rain!”

Celestia and Luna exchanged looks.  Luna shook her head.

Kneeling down, she hugged Twilight softly.  “Not right now, Twilight.  Something happened, and we’re pretty sure being in the rain right now might kill you.”

Anger snapping over her like a twig, she shouted, “What happened to me?”

Luna watched as blue arcs passed over the pair.  Celestia seized up, her arms locking around Twilight, holding her in place.

“Twilight!  Stop!” Luna begged, afraid to come closer.

Twilight’s head turned and her rose eyes shone with little arcs of blue.  “Stop what?  What am I doing?”

Luna shouted, “You’re hurting her!”

Surprised, Twilight looked back to see Celestia’s entire body clenched like a fist, twitching, and all of her muscles clearly defined, like she was trying to put all of her strength into something.

Feeling like something pricked her hands, she looked down to see electricity flowing from her hands into Celestia.  “A-ah!”  She yelled as she pulled her hands off Celestia.  Almost instantly, Celestia released a breath and toppled over to the side, her muscles relaxing.

Twilight looked between her hands and Celestia.  “W-what happened to me?!”  Tears shone in her eyes.

“I am not sure, Twilight, but I have a guess.”  Luna moved over to her sister and knelt down.  Celestia was alive and breathing, just passed out.  ‘Good.’  Standing up again, she folded Twilight into a hug.  “When Celestia was trying something, lightning struck the tower.  You were leaned against a metal wall.  Some of the electricity must have passed through you.”

“How did–”

“We don’t know.  Somehow, you gained some sort of control over electricity.  Whether it’s temporary, or permanent, we also don’t know.”

Celestia stirred softly, rolling onto her back.  “Wow.  Haven’t felt this bad since I stopped that bus in Old London.”

“You did what?”

“It wasn’t moving fast.  Or that big, really.”

“My point remains!”

“Shh.  It wasn’t really a big deal, Twilight.”

Celestia sat up, leaning against the couch.  “Twi, can you come here?”  She pat the spot next to her.

“Uh, sure.”  Twilight moved over and plopped herself down, careful not to touch Celestia with her hands.

“So.  You’ve got some kind of freaky electricity powers now.  Whether they’re permanent is another question.”  Leaning gently into Twi, she looked concerned.  “How do you feel?  Any different?”

Gathering her feelings, Twilight felt that, “No.  Not really.  I feel sore, but otherwise fine.”

“Good.”  She wrapped an arm around Twilight and lifted Twilight.  Suddenly, Twilight felt Celestia’s lips press to hers.

“Mmf–” Twilight sputtered against Celestia, her hands rushing up against Celestia.

“Tia!”  Luna shouted, a blush starting on her face.

Celestia pulled away softly, staring Twilight in the eye.  Slowly, her hand brought one of Twilight’s up into Twilight's vision.  “See?  I had a feeling.  A shocking revelation if you will.”

Blushing profusely again, Twilight groaned softly at the pun.  Slowly, she brought a hand up to brush some of Celestia’s hair out of her eyes.

A pillow plonked against Celestia’s head, “Tia!  That was horrible!”

“Oh, relax, Lu.  I had a hunch and that was the easiest way to check.”

“By kissing her?” Luna shrieked.

Surprising everyone, Twilight, red as a beet asked, “So… that meant nothing?”

Taken aback, Celestia was speechless.

Seeming to deflate a little, Twilight turned away from both Celestia and Luna.  “I knew it.  Nobody likes the nerd.”

Spurred into motion, Celestia's thumb turned Twilight’s head back to face her.  “Hey.  I never said that.”  Twilight looked almost hopeful.  Sighing softly Celestia explained, “You never showed any interest before.  I honestly thought you weren’t interested in any romance at all.  I mean, you let Luna sleep with you all the time and never made any moves on her.”

Looking Celestia in the eyes she confessed softly, “I… might be interested.”

“Alright!”  Celestia leaned forward intent to kiss Twilight again.

Twilight’s soft hands pushed her away.  “What about Luna?”

“What about me now?”

“Get over here, Lu.  Got somethin’ to say.”

Skeptical, Luna plopped down on Twilight’s other side.

“What now, Tia?”

“She says she’s interested in me.  Romantically.”

Luna quirked an eyebrow.  “And?  I gathered as much a minute ago.”

Celestia smirked.  “She wants to know about you.”

“And?”

Twilight meekly added, “What do you want, Luna?  Are you alright with me and your sister?”

Luna smiled devilishly.  “No.”

Celestia’s smile dropped, and Twilight looked devastated.  “Lu…”

Twilight’s tears threatened to fall. “What?  Why?”

The smile turned seductive.  “We’re a package deal, Twilight.  You get both of us, or neither of us.”

“W-what?”

“Let me put it in another way you can understand.”  She leaned over and kissed Twilight with Celestia watching.

Several seconds later, Luna pulled back and she asked, “That enough of an answer, Twi?”

“But…”

“We may not be lovers with each other, but we do share lovers.  Is that alright with you?”

Twilight gulped softly.  She looked both in the eyes and said, “Okay,” before gently guiding Celestia’s lips to her own again.

Pulling back she leaned into Luna’s embrace.  “Okay.”

Feeling Celestia’s hands creeping up her navel, she swatted it with one of her own.  Celestia recoiled with a soft “Yowch!”

“Down girl.  I just said yes to dating both of you.  That doesn’t mean I want to jump in bed right away…”

Reaching to the side, she felt Luna’s cheek jump under an index finger.  Startled, Luna asked, “How did you do that?”

“If I seem to focus on wanting to shock something, it works.”

Celestia wrapped both Twilight and Luna in a proper bear hug.  “Well, love, I can think of some uses for it.”

Luna laughed.  “Yeah, to keep you in line.”

Twilight wheezed as the air was forced from her.  Before she could start truly suffocating, Celestia released them.  “So, do you accept?”

Twilight shared a look with both sisters, before nodding.  “Yes.”

Luna, completely straight-faced, said, “Awesome,” before bursting into a wide smile.  She winked at Twilight.  “Now that that’s settled, I’m gonna get back on the scope.”  Standing up, she made her way to the door and called out, “You two have fun!”

“What does she…” Twilight’s mind went to lewd places at Luna’s implication.  “We’re not gonna be doing that!”

Celestia chuckled softly.

“Besides.  I’m too tired.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, um.  The last hour or so has really taken it out of me.”

Celestia grinned.  “Well, you can cuddle up to me.  I don’t mind.”

Twilight did just that, and was out in moments.

Gdoc link. 3671 words. Holy crap. Also, TwiLunEstia. That's a thing.

There'll be a second Focus coming later, too. The guys in Discord felt it was fine, so I'll post it here. I kind of don't feel that this one does the prompt proper justice, so I'll write a second, proper one.

The prompt I'm offering up is Intimacy.

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As someone who isn't in the Discord, is it recommended now to link the GDoc so to make posting on the site easier? Also I'm assuming Fuzzy's posting this to the collab, just asking if I should add it to the ongoing prompts list.

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I post the gdoc link because posting here puts all the formatting in directly. Rather than forcing Fuzzy to copy paste and then go back and mess with the formatting, I provide that link so he can just copy from there and not have to fuck with formatting.

Also, if you want to join the Discord, all you have to do is ask.

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Ah, was just curious since I noticed a few you had started doing that when this got revived. As for the Discord, I was there before; left it recently though.

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Claiming Videotape

Here's Focus II - Focus Harder

Consciousness returned to Celestia with a pounding headache.  Blearily blinking her eyes opened, she saw the back of the couch she was sprawled across.

She heaved to her side to roll over.  ‘What happene–’

“Wo-oah!”  Celestia cried out as she rolled off the side and fell to the floor.  Shaking her head, she rolled over again, sitting up properly.

‘What happened last night?’ she thought to herself as she looked around.  Scattered around the room were two sets of regalia, her own and another set in gold, for a smaller pony's frame.

Gazing at the furniture, she didn’t recognize the room.  Conversely, the room smelled very familiar, welcoming.  It comforted Celestia like an old friend.

As her mind slowly ground into motion, the door handle turned.  As it opened, a familiar blue hoof stepped in.  Celestia’s ears folded back slowly, as in walked the last pony she hoped to see in this state, her sister.

Luna stepped in and closed the door.  She gently moved to stand in front of her sister.  Luna’s face was stern as she spoke one word, “Explain.”

Celestia was confused.  “Lu?”

Luna’s horn lit and she cast a privacy barrier over the room.  “Sister.  Celestia, don’t play coy with me.  Why didn’t you tell me what you had planned last night?”

Celestia’s mind ground into motion, but came up with nothing.  No recollection of the previous night.  “I’m… afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about–”

The word “Bullshit!” blew her backwards into the couch.  Luna looked livid.

Celestia slowly pried herself from the couch and sat down again.  She softly spoke, “I’m serious, Lu.  I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  Her magic snapped Luna’s muzzle shut as it opened again.  “I literally don’t remember last night one bit.”  Her muzzle fell, staring at the floor.  “At all.”

She released her sister’s muzzle, expecting another shout.  What she got was a hoof gently lifting her muzzle to look into her sister’s eyes.  “Truly?”

Celestia’s ears pinned back and she nodded gently.  “I promised never to lie to you, Lu.  If I knew what I did last night, I would explain it in a heartbeat.”

“Well that just takes the cake, does it not?”  Luna’s hoof fell.  “I had this whole big shpeal planned to berate you for hours, but you just cannot remember!”

“I… let me try something.  It may help.”

“Very well.”

Celestia’s horn lit and she cast a memory spell, designed to help self-repressed or magically-suppressed memories return.  Several came up, but nothing recent.  Lamely, she looked to the side as the magic faded.  “Nevermind.  It didn’t.”

Luna’s wings sprung open, and she seemed to crouch in on herself.  “Did she do this to you?”

“Who?  Luna, I don’t remember anything.  You’re going to have to tell me what happened.”

Luna sighed before floating over a newspaper.

Newest princess result of nepotism? read the banner.

“No.  Twilight is not a princess because of nepotism.  She has earned her position fairly.”

“What?”  Luna brought it back.  “Oh.  Wrong heading.”

She folded it over and thrust it back to Celestia.

Royal Wedding soon?  Sources say Celestia and Twilight Sparkle to wed  Celestia’s eyebrows rose.  “What… is this?”

“I don’t know, sister, you tell me?”

“Again, Luna–”

The door handle turned and both ponies looked to see Twilight enter.  “Hi Celly!  I thought I heard you get up earlier so I–”  The rest of what she was going to say turned into a squeal as Luna’s magic grabbed her and roughly pulled her inside.  The only sound for a few seconds was the door slamming shut.

Pulled up to stare into Luna’s face, Twilight sputtered under the sheer intimidating presence Luna exuded, “H-hi, Luna.  Is… something wrong?”

The paper ripped away from Celestia and shoved into Twilight’s face.  “Explain.”

“O-oh.  There’s not much to say.”  Twilight beamed a bright smile.  “Celly asked me and I said yes!”

The sound of stone grating on stone played in Celestia’s mind as Luna slowly turned to stare daggers at her.  It took all of Celestia’s not-insignificant will to stay still until Luna looked away.

She found her voice and she sternly said, “Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight straightened up instantly.  “Yes, Celestia?”

More softly this time Celestia continued, “I have no memory of last night.  What happened?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

She racked her mind and found one place where the gap had started.  “I had just left dinner.”

“Oh.  Okay.”

Twilight took a breath.  “I wanted to surprise you with a visit, so I was waiting outside your room.  I know after a stressful day you like to have a glass of wine or two, so I brought a bottle.”  As Twilight spoke, it was like her memory started returning.  Celestia seemed to lose track of herself into Twilight’s recounting.

Her ears pinned back as she explained.  “You and I spent some time just relaxing before you seemed to grow… anxious?”  Twilight shrugged.  “I’m not sure.  You just seemed to have something on your mind all night, and it seemed to come to a head at that point.”

“You called me over, and swept me up in a wing.”

Luna looked between the two.  Celestia’s eyes were glazed over.

“And after that–”

“I kissed you and asked you to marry me.”

“Y-yeah.”  Twilight’s ears perked up and her tail swished.  “Hey, didn’t you say you didn’t remember?”

“As you said it, I saw it from my perspective.”  Celestia’s muzzle fell.  “I did.”

Twilight felt the mood in the room turn down and she tried to fight it.  “Hey.  I accepted!  That’s good, right?”

Luna’s voice had no emotion.  She looked to be a statue as she replied, “Nay, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight’s head tilted adorably.  “Why is it bad?”

“Because I had promised to let Luna marry you.”  Celestia hated the choice of words, but it was the simplest explanation.

Surprise stunned Twilight for a few seconds.  She looked between the two.  “Why?”

“My gratitude is boundless, Twilight.  As I read your lessons from Ponyville, I grew enamored.  I was waiting for you to settle in before asking to court you.”  She sneered at Celestia.  “And now all my plans are for naught.”

Celestia raised a hoof.  When did her vision get blurry?  “Lu?  I’m so–”

Luna stood stiffly.  “Don’t apologize to me.”  She turned and made her way to the door.  “I shall see myself out.”

Luna’s hoof reached for the door handle.  Though she tried to keep her voice even, her snide anger did leak into her parting statement.  “I… wish you two a wonderful marriage.  You two are obviously a match made in heaven.”

Before the door could open, a soft “Luna?” met her ears and she stopped in her tracks.  Her head turned to see Twilight at her side.

“I… I can call it off if you want,” Twilight hiccuped  She was tearing up, and it about broke Luna’s heart.  “I coul–”

Luna shook her head.  “Nay.  I don’t want to get in the way of your happiness any more than I have.”

“But–”  A blue hoof met Twilight’s lips and silenced her.

“No, Twilight.”  She nuzzled Twilight softly.  “I do not wish to get in the way of your happiness.”   She opened the door softly before whispering to Twilight, “Know that I am truly happy for both of you, but my heart wishes it was myself, instead of mine sister causing your heart to soar.”

Celestia watched the scene as her guilt grew.  When Luna walked out, she wept silently.  Moments later, she felt herself herded back onto the couch.  Her face was pressed into warm fur and Celestia broke down entirely, wailing despondently.  Distractedly, she felt wet drops fall on her own neck.

The pony comforting her stroked her mane and cooed comfortingly into her ears between her own sniffles.

What felt like hours later, Celestia’s wails faded as her throat burned.  Her cries of pain calmed down to gentle sniffles.

A soft “Celestia?” called her attention.  She looked into the purple fur she’d cried into, matted with her snot and tears, it would take hours to clean up.

Celestia sniffled loudly.  “I’m sorry to do this to you, Twilight.  I had never meant to actually ask.  Do… do you want to call it off?”

Twilight looked down into Celestia’s eyes, showing she’d been crying along with Celestia.  “Answer me this.  Do you really love me?”

Celestia’s voice was hoarse, but clear, “I love you, Twilight.  With all my heart.”

A hoof stroked Celestia’s mane.  “Do you regret asking me?”

“No.  My only regret is that I caused Luna so much pain.”

“She…”

“Loves you as much as I do, I would bet.”

“Why?”

“It’s like she said.  Saving her life from the Nightmare put the idea in her heart, but reading how you grew as a pony, and getting to know you caused her to fall for you.”

“What about you?”

Celestia answered honestly, “I have always loved you, Twilight.”

“Even as a foal?”

“A different kind of love, perhaps.  I saw you as the brightest, most inquisitive, and quite literally the smartest student I had ever taken on.  When I wasn’t working with you, the country, or sleeping, I was preparing lessons for you.”

“Did I really take that much of your time?”

Celestia’s small smile could rival the sun.  “You did.  I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world, though.  And that love grew after you had moved to Ponyville.  When I had actual free time, I found myself habitually making more lesson plans.”  Celestia laughed once, a soft, raspy thing.  “For a student I would not likely see again.”

“I don’t…”

“I’m not entirely sure when my love for you changed from what it was to romantic, but it did.”

“I have a question.  Were you were prepared to sacrifice your love for me, for your sister?”  Twilight asked.  “You would let Luna live the life you wanted?”

Celestia’s head fell onto Twilight’s chest.  “I was.  It seems the wine last night made me think otherwise, taking what she deserves selfishly for myself.”

“In my life, I have had the luxury of several ponies I would call a true love.”  Celestia frowned.  “Luna… has not.  Every one of her attempted romances ended catastrophically.  Several tried to harm or outright murder her when she refused to grant them power.  Others dragged her name through the mud after a breakup.  Others parted amicably, but their friendship was never the same.”

“She… thought that you might be her first true love.”  One of Celestia’s hooves slammed down on the couch.  “And I took that from her.”

Twilight’s hoof lifted Celestia’s head.  “Do… do you want me to try and love her?”

“Do you think you love her?”

Twilight shook her head.  “No.  But that doesn’t mean I can’t give her a chance.”  Celestia’s heart skipped a beat.  “If you want me to.”

“I want…”  Celestia wanted to, so much.

“Celestia.”  A hoof made its way to her chin.  “Celly.  If you want me to try, I will.  If you don’t… consider it dropped.”

“I…”  Will crumbling, Celestia shut her eyes and nodded.  “I want you to try.”

Celestia felt Twilight slid out from around her.  “Alright.”

What few tears remained threatened to fall.  “I’m sorry, Twilight.”

“No.”  She felt a soft pair of lips against her own for a few seconds.  “Don’t be sorry.”

Celestia felt as though she’d ripped out her own heart, but was silent as Twilight slipped out of the room.

~ Three years later ~

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Twilight leapt at her wife.  Her sister wept happily for the newlyweds.

1972 words. Gdoc Link.

Hoo boy. This one evolved as I wrote it. If I hadn't deleted a word, it'd be like 8k by now. I'm not entirely happy with it, but it does touch on something I believe Celestia would do, sacrifice her own happy-ever-after for those she loved. She suffered a lapse in judgement here and thinks it nearly cost her everything. Insofar as the ending, I'll leave it up to the reader to decide if Twi and Luna worked out, or it didn't and she came back to Celestia.

I'm not offering a prompt, because I did already post Focus. This was my second idea. The third one is my latest story, Focused (NSFW, so I can't link it)

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Videotape

"But if you don't mind, I'd like to expand your function."

Rarity's hooves covered Spike's eyes. "What's going on? I can't see! Rarity, what--"

Fluttershy put a hoof over Spike's mouth. Nopony dared to get up. There was something paralytic about this. Like watching a drunk at a karaoke night. Or slowing down for a car accident.

"Are you sure you're up to this? This is," Celestia's purr made Applejack fight to hold down her apple fritters, "an advanced technique, and it may require some proper use of angles. Perhaps I should demonstrate first."

Twilight scoffed. She stretched her wings and other regions that would haunt the ancestral dreams of Rarity's family for generations to come. "I aced trig at twelve. I think I can handle some unfamiliar geometries."

Fluttershy gave a whimper of horror. Her wings flew over her face. _{Although a few feathers parted to allow for a peek.}

"What the hay were you thinkin puttin' this on for movie night, Dash?!" Applejack hissed, glad to have an excuse to turn away from Twilight's display of, err, femininity.

"I was thinkin' Twilight wouldn't keep this hidden underneath her Daring Do collection! I thought 'Angle of Attack' was an action movie!" Rainbow wailed at the sight of Celestia's wings going rigid.

"Do you think you have everything you need?" Twilight rattled off a list of items that set dread deep into the feeble mortal hearts of all attending.

"So long as you have the correct, mha, measurements in order." Celestia beckoned with a wing, rubbing the side of one leg.

"Thank you, your majesties," Rarity chimed in at the screen, "I shall now think of the horrors of this moment every time I need my tape measure."

"I assure you that I have every intention of helping you reach your absolute maximum."

"So long as you can derive something from the exchange as well."

Rainbow Dash had hated math before viewing this video. Now, she was pleased to report she did not. Rainbow Dash was terrified of math after viewing this video.

"I assure you that my variables have been accounted for."

"Make it stop!" Rarity screamed.

On the screen, Twilight levitated a ruler, an eraser and, to the horror of all still watching, a french curve towards Celestia. Celestia raised an eyebrow and purred again.

"Okay, that's it!" Dash erupted from her position with the explosive fury of a very emotionally traumatized typhoon. She dove towards the screen just as the camera began to focus on a part of Princess Celestia that she had no desire to see in close detail at any point in her existence upon the planet.

The television shut off before her hoof could reach it and before the offending region could come into clear resolution. A lavdender aura was surrounding the "off" button. The room was silent. All heads turned to see Twilight Sparkle, her eyes as wide as dinnerplates and her entire body limp, standing numbly in the doorway.

"Never speak of this again?" She submitted meekly.

"Never speak of this again." Four voices spoke in unison.

EDIT: A/N--might wanna give a "Saucy" warning for this in the collab. It isn't technically Mature but it's pretty close.

Prompt: Dynamite

Claiming Yield.

Foals Errand on the Discord server has claimed Woona but not mentioned it here.

Here's Yield.

Trigger Warning: Dark(?)/Gore

Twilight awoke groggily, pain shooting through her entire right side.  Attempting to sit up, she only managed to rolled over.  Something heavily pressed down on her, threatening to start crushing her.

She cried out, her shriek a mere squeak.  The pressure shifted, cutting off Twilight’s air.  Less than a minute later, she faintly heard, “Good.  It seems they have given up searching for you…” as her consciousness faded.

Twilight woke again with a start.  She was alone this time, but heard what sounded like a battle raging off in the distance.

She groaned as she rolled, kicking her legs out to get to her hooves.  She yelped as one never made it underneath her and she just ended up rolling, stopping on her back.  ‘Ow.  What happened…’

The battle seemed to draw closer, but Twilight could barely hear it over the pain she felt.  Looking down in the dim light, she tested her limbs and was unable to move her left foreleg.  She pushed herself shakily to her hooves, using her wings to help stabilize on three legs.

Nausea bubbled up, threatening to push her back down to the floor.

A glow shone from the far side of the room, growing brighter and brighter until Twilight’s fight or flight instinct kicked in.  ‘Oh sh–’  She thought as her wings kicked hard, straining from disuse as she dodged the light screaming to where she was, before slamming into the far wall.  Immediately, the rock face began to glow red, then orange, and melt away like slag.

As she pulled back, she noted it wasn’t a single light, but a stream of golden sunfire.  It seemed to track her around the room, lazily following her path and carving through the wall.  Twilight slowly hovered away from the light, around a corner to safety.  From there, she sat as her chest heaved.  Her stomach unable to take the sudden movements anymore, she leaned over and heaved, throwing up only bile.

After a few minutes, she felt up to looking around.  It looked like a hollowed out cave.  There were other exits from the room, including one going vaguely up.

A pained roar echoed through the room, and the golden beam cut out, leaving a glowing pile of molten rock slowly sliding down from the far side of the room.  A crash sounded, and she felt a blast of heat as she was temporarily blinded.

Twilight flailed, scampering away from the heat as best she could, huddling up against the wall.

A voice shouted, vaguely familiar.  It echoed around the room, rebounding throughout as Twilight felt like her skull would burst.  “What have you done with her?”

Much closer, no more than a dozen paces away, a dragon rumbled, his voice like trying to sand a mountain with a piece of paper.  “Like Tartarus you’ll ever find that bitch.”

There was another massive crash sounded against the far wall.  Unseen by Twilight, a glow stalked forward into the room. “You will tell me.  If not, I will get… unpleasant.”

The dragon groaned, and several thooms sounded, almost like the dragon was standing again.  “You can pry it from my dead corpse.”

Softer this time the female voice replied, “That can be arranged.”  The telltale sound of a unicorn’s horn powering up jingled to her ears, before she felt heat.  She felt like she was on the surface of the sun.  Instantly, her throat dried up, and the cry of alarm with it.

She slowly limped away from the heat, as fast as her hooves and wings could carry her.  Eventually, she found herself stuck in a corner with the temperature rising.

She laid down, curling up to try and keep the heat from spreading through her as fast.  Twilight found her words at last.  She croaked softly, “Stop… please.”

Unfortunately, the words were drowned out by the dragon’s massive pained roar.

Several seconds later, the heat faded, leaving Twilight panting like she’d run a marathon during summer, with her winter coat still on.

The air she breathed in smelled… coppery.  The dragon groaned, much softer this time.  “Now.  I will give you one. Last. Chance.”  There was the sound of a fleshy hit.  “Where.  Is.  She.”

“Go to Tartarus.”

“So be it.”  There was a blast of heat and the sound of magic again.  It was far hotter this time, and Twilight was sure her coat was going to combust at the very least.  As the temperature increased, her thoughts changed from combustion to incineration.

“Stop… please stop…” She screamed as loud as she could.

Instantly, the heat ceased.

“T… Twilight?”

Twilight whimpered before she heaved, throwing up more bile.  She didn’t dare open her eyes as soft hoofsteps made their way to her.

“Twilight?”

“Please… stop.  I-I can’t…”  Twilight broke down uncontrollably.

A hoof, hot as the sun, laid itself across her back and Twilight screamed.  Instantly, it was gone, but Twilight’s sobs gave way to broken crying.  She couldn’t spare the tears, but her nose ran.

A soft pssh sounded behind her.  The hoof returned, but normal body temperature this time.  A second joined it, pulling Twilight against the mare.  The body was much, much larger than she was.  “Twilight, are you–”  The sound of magic reached her ears and Twilight’s stomach fell.

“Stop, please!”  She struggled weakly, trying to get away from the mare that nearly incinerated her.  “I’m sorry!  I don’t know what I did, but I’m sorry!”

The mare let her go, and she scampered away, daring to open her eyes.  Everything was blurry, but she limped as fast as she could away.

Hoofsteps sounded just behind her.  “Twilight.  You have–”

“I said stay away!”  She spun, forgetting about her leg and ended up slamming face first into the ground.

The mare was on her in an instant, and Twilight felt magic wrap around her body.  While warm, the magic didn’t injure her, and she was lifted to her hooves, but held down.  A muzzle gently rested on her head.  “Are you injured?”

Resigned to her fate, her ears pinned back as she replied, “I… don’t know.  I… can’t feel my left foreleg.”

The muzzle left her head and she was turned around.  “O-oh, T-twilight…”

The mare’s voice seemed to crack, before she was pulled against the much larger mare’s barrel.  Looking up, her muddy vision didn’t give her much, but she saw stark-white fur clearly, and the mare must have had some kind of orange mane.

She cried out in pain as the mare grabbed ahold of her injured leg.  It was twisted several ways, but she only felt pain at the base of her shoulder.  “I… I’m sorry T-Twilight.  Your leg is too far gone to save…”

She looked up as her vision cleared, meeting the mare’s glowing, orange eyes.  Idly, Twilight noted that the orange hair was almost literally a mane of fire.  She was wearing a helmet, with a massive ruby inset against the covering for her horn.

“W-who are you?”

“That is not important right now, Twilight.”  The mare’s wings shuffled and her ears pinned back.  “Your leg has gone necrotic.  I need to amputate it.  Now.”

“W-what?”  She looked down at her leg.  The flesh was flaky, black, and she could clearly see her bone as it tore when the mare moved it.  She couldn’t feel anything but at her shoulder.  She started to panic.  “M-my leg!”

The mare lifted Twilight’s chin, nuzzling against it.  “I am sorry, Twilight, but I need to get rid of it, before it can spread.”  The mare’s horn lit and she looked around quickly.  “Blast, nothing…”

“What are–”

Her words were lost as the mare gently pushed Twilight to the floor on her side.  Gently, her magic pulled Twilight’s mouth open and held it.  The mare’s own foreleg slipped between her jaws, like a dog holding a stick.  “I am sorry for this, Twilight.”  One eye looked up to the mare, seeing her horn light up.

“This will hurt, Twilight.”  Her magic went to work, Twilight felt her body held down with the mare’s leg between her teeth.  “Bite.  Do not worry for me.”

She thought she had felt pain before, but that was nothing to now.  Twilight screamed around the leg in her mouth, involuntarily clamping down around it.

The mare dutifully did her best to ignore Twilight’s screams as she set to work.  The leg was set apart, and her magic slowly cut and pulled the necrotized flesh from the fresh at the shoulder.  A thin stream of solar fire cauterized the wound, incinerating any remaining leftover necrosis.

Twilight was frantic, uselessly struggling against her bonds.  As the heat cauterized her wound, she tried lighting her horn, but found she couldn’t.  Her tail lashed behind her, as her pupils were no more than pinpricks.  She felt some kind of liquid entering her mouth.

The mare’s work finished, she lifted the leg and set it off to the side.  Immediately, she felt Twilight’s teeth tear through her leg and she bled.  “I am sorry, Twilight.  I had to do that to save you.”

She released Twilight, leaving her leg in place until Twilight spit it out of her own accord.  A mouthful of blood followed it, splashing against the leg already turning red of its own accord.

“W-who are you?”  Twilight was frantic. “What do you want with me?”

The mare took her helmet off, slowly, with her hooves.  “I don’t know if you recognize me, but I am Celestia.”

“No.  You’re not!  You don’t look like her!”  She spat some more blood out.  “You don’t act like her!  She would never do that to me!”  Twilight gestured in the dragon’s direction.  “The Celestia I know would never kill a dragon in cold blood.”

“Twilight?  I don’t care if you believe me now.”  Her magic picked Twilight up, holding her against Celestia’s barrel.  “I’m more ecstatic than I have been in more than a year, seeing you alive.”  She smiled softly, a face Twilight almost recognized.

“What?”  The mare looked over to the dragon, Twilight’s eyes following.

“Xendasdyt, known as the Jealous One.”  The mare replied.  “It took me the better part of a year to find out it was him.”  She looked over the dragon’s corpse, several holes bored through it with solar fire, it wasn’t bleeding, the wounds cauterized by the sheer heat.  “The rest of my time after that was dedicated to finding you, and finding you alone.”

“He took you.  O-one year, three months, s-six days ago.”  Twilight looked back to the mare, and she now saw the Celestia underneath.  Tears gently fell from her eyes, slowly sliding down her muzzle to drip between them.  Slowly, a very light pink started to return to her fur, and the roots of her mane showed their normal color.  Her eyes were no longer slit, but glowed with fire.

“I–”

Celestia shook her head before her horn lit and a canteen floated over to Twilight's mouth.  “Drink, slowly.  I can see you are severely malnourished.  If you had no tears to shed when you cried like that earlier and throwing up, you are severely dehydrated as well.  Explanations can wait until after we return.”

Twilight opened her mouth and the canteen poured slowly into her mouth.  Over the course of ten minutes, she drank the entire canteen.  The liquid tasted like ambrosia.  Once it was done, she looked over to her severed leg.  The entire thing was black, and no blood poured from it, both from the necrosis and the cauterized cut.

Celestia followed her gaze.  “I am sorry, Twilight.  I wish I could save it, but it is impossible.”

“What now?”  Twilight’s voice was small, and she huddled against Celestia like a lost filly.

“Now?  We get you home.  I can’t teleport us both, but I can carry us.  Are you hungry?”

Twilight nodded, and a single apple floated her way.  “Slowly.  Small bites.  If you are as malnourished as you look, you won’t be able to hold too much, and I don’t want you losing the water you’ve already got by eating too much.

Twilight nodded and went to light her horn, but nothing happened.  She leaned against Celestia and felt up to her forehead, finding an inhibitor ring on her horn.  Celestia noticed it at the base and gave Twilight a questioning look.  Twilight nodded.

Celestia’s muzzle slowly made its way down her horn, her teeth clamping down on the ring.  Gently twisting, she unlatched it and pulled it free.

Twilight took the apple in her magic, shakily.  Celestia looked over to the dragon as she crushed the inhibitor ring in her teeth, and spat the fragments out at the corpse.  Afterward she heard a small crunch and looked to see Twilight following her instructions.  She restrained herself from just devouring the most delicious apple she ever had, heeding Celestia’s instructions.

Minutes later, with the apple eaten, Twilight gently stood, using her wings to balance.  Celestia stood slowly behind her.  “We can get a prosthetic.”  She swept around Twilight and nuzzled her cheek.  “It won’t be the same, but it will be better than nothing.”  Twilight looked up to Celestia’s eyes, seeing her much more normal again, the vibrant violet  irises carefully watching her.

Twilight choked up, a hoof making its way to her stump and she flinched.  She stumbled softly, Celestia catching her.

“It fills me with so much joy to see you alive.”  Celestia’s ears pinned back.  “Everypony else had given up, but I refused until I found you.  Dead or alive.”

“Even my friends?”

“Reluctantly.  I expect them to be ecstatic when you return.”

Twilight’s voice was small.  “Celestia?”

“Yes?”  She nuzzled against Twilight’s forehead.

“Can… can we rest a bit before heading out?”  Twilight yawned.  “I… am so tired.”

“Of course.”  Celestia gently guided Twilight to the floor, wrapping herself around Twilight.

A soft, “Thank you,” came from Twilight as she succumbed to sleep.

Twilight woke draped in warmth.  Looking up, she saw Celestia still cuddling against her.  She scooted closer and wrapped her good foreleg around Celestia’s neck hugging her gently.

The older alicorn seemed to stir softly, looking down at Twilight in her forelegs.  ‘Thank goodness you are safe now, Twilight.’  She slowly brought her muzzle down to kiss the top Twilight’s head, above her horn.

Twilight squeaked adorably.

“Good morning, Twilight.  Are you feeling better?”

“Y-yes, Celestia.”

“Do you feel up for moving out today, or do you want to wait?”

Twilight sat up slowly, leaning on her sole foreleg.  “Let’s go home.”

Celestia sat up next to her.  “Let’s.”

2476 words. Gdoc link.

Hoo boy I let this sit for far too long, but I came up with the idea for this about two hours ago. I wanted to write something where Celestia rescued Twilight. I could see this becoming a pivotal chapter in a long-fic.

I'm offering up fire.

Claiming Fire!

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Now posted to the collab.

Wonna prompt:

Twilight giggled as Celestia peppered her horn with kisses. “Tia… stop… I’m ticklish!”

Celestia grinned brightly, before licking the tip of Twilight’s horn. “Oh Twilight, you are so adorable when you’re flustered!”

“Tia I swear… I am not that adorable!” Even as she denied her adorableness, her cheeks puffed out in a very adorable manner, at least in Celestia’s opinion. Just as she was about to take advantage of her mare friend’s super adorable denial she heard a knock on the door and pulled back quickly.

“Yes?” Celestia called out wondering who could possibly have gotten through all her guards, especially on date night nonetheless.

“Celly? I can’t reach the crackers... “

Celestia winced at the sound of the small voice, and glanced out the window No moon… of course, I totally forgot. “Twilight would you excuse me for a few moments, I need to help Luna.”

Twilight simply blinked a few times as her brain tried to catch up with the idea that such a small voice belonged to her boisterous friend.

Celestia opened the door smiling down at the small filly waiting patiently outside. “You could have asked one of your guards, you know?”

Luna pawed at the floor and nodded her ears pinned back. “Yeah, but I don’t like ponies seeing me this way… Only you big Sis!”

Twilight just stared out the door as Celestia shut it behind her. Five minutes later, when Celestia opened the door again Twilight was still in the same position.

“Now your tummy is full, so you should be able to sleep. Goodnight Woona.” Celestia smiled as Luna stuck her tongue out, before, opening the door across the hall and shut it behind her.

“Sorry about that Twilight now where...were...oh dear.” Celestia sat back down next to Twilight and poked at her with a forehoof. When she did not move, Celestia rolled her eyes and ran her tongue up Twilight’s horn causing the younger mare to jump back. “Ah, good you’re awake!”

Twilight quickly shook her head attempting to clear the cobwebs that had formed in her brain. “Wha-what is going on? Why was Luna a little kid? Why weren’t you surprised?”

Celestia sighed “Luna, never likes it when ponies find out about her condition so I don’t make mention of it. But, well the easiest way to explain it is that the moon has phases right?” At seeing Twilight nod Celestia continued. “And because of Luna’s connection with the moon she also has phases. You see?”

Twilight blinked a few times as she absorbed the information. “Yes, I think I do at least. She’s a filly because it’s a new cycle the first phase. How long does this last though?”

“Oh luckily the filly phase is only tonight she’ll be a teenager again when the moon appears tomorrow.” Celestia smiled as Twilight cuddled in under her chin. She lit her horn to pour the wine when she heard another knock.

“Celly, I can’t sleep will you tell me a story?”

Celestia pulled back from Twilight again with a small frown. “I’m so sorry, I forgot she’d be a filly tonight we can always do a rain check on date night…”

Twilight kissed her lips and smiled “Why don’t we go read little Woona a story and see where the night takes us?”

Celestia smiled and nodded “I think i’d like that.”

(New prompt-Dizzy)

New live prompt:

VAGINA LASERS

You can thank Knight of Cerebus for that.

So what all is active?

ACTIVE PROMPTS:

• Vagina Lasers
• Dizzy
• Fire
• Dynamite
• Intimacy
• Daring
• Chariot
• Cooking
• Globe
• Organized
• Statistics
• Tease

Goddamn have I dropped the ball on this! I'm sorry for that. But seeing as how we are heading toward the end of the line, so far as the show itself is concerned, let's see if we can make it that promised land of 500 written prompts. Plus I need something to shake the rust off with.

IF ANY OF THESE PROMPTS HAVE BEEN USED AND I'M JUST BLIND, APOLOGIES.

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This prompt has been posted! I am HYPERsorry this did not happen when it was fucking supposed to.

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It’s alive? I’m a bit surprised, but I’ll dust off the spreadsheet and see how far we are from 500. Might contribute again to see this hit 500, although if we have enough people we could do a collab sendoff on 500.

Edit
We’re at 485 by my count so we’re close, I’ll update properly and link the spreadsheet so the last few prompt stories aren’t missed.
Okay, spreadsheet is updated for the last few prompts.

Ah, why not. I’ll take Dynamite.

Prompt: Dynamite

Author’s Notes
Normally I’d save this for the end, but this time it felt important to start with this. Originally this was going to be a silly story, but as the show comes to an end and this collab creeps ever closer to the mythical 500 that it felt right to end my own tale. I don’t know how many people knew or figured out that about half of my prompts were loosely part of a longer narrative. I’d offer the list however I’ve never truly sorted where all the pieces go and in what order, there’s 28 in the probably canon list and 9 more in the optionally canon list, yet this felt right as a finale. Now on with the story.

“Okay, we have a very full day ahead of us,” Twilight said as she walked and waved around a long scroll in her magic, “starting just after breakfast we have….”

Celestia walking beside Twilight sighed internally as she heard Twilight list off their day’s schedule, today could not be a more inconvenient day to break the news to her but it needed to be done sooner rather than later and she had been considering this for months now.

“....and that takes us to dinner which tonight will be a formal occasion honou-,” Twilight continued until she heard a cough from beside her.

Celestia smiled slightly and draped a wing over her wife, “While I do appreciate you reciting the schedule for the day, and it has often been helpful. There is something I do need to speak with you about.”

Twilight leaned into Celestia’s side just looked up at Celestia as she rolled the scroll up before tucking it under her wing, “A talk about what? I know we don’t have any special anniversaries coming up just yet unless this is another one of your surprises. Although those usually involve some more elaborate scheme, like that one time you surprised us about going south to the tropi-”

Celestia blushed, “That was not one of my better ideas, let’s move away from that topic especially since I think Discord is visiting and I don’t want to give him more things to use against us.”

Celestia spotted an open doorway ahead of her, knowing that it led to a small reception room she deftly turned and led Twilight into the room. Once they were both inside, she used her magic to shut the door and with another spell sealed it.

Twilight just quirked an eyebrow at the display as she took a seat on one of the cushions, “Whatever you wanted to talk about must be important if you’re shutting everyone away from it.”

Celestia joined Twilight on a neighbouring cushion, “It is important, and something I have been considering for months now. I realize today may not be the best time to be discussing this given that we do have a full day planned, but we have enough time to spare a few minutes to discuss this.”

Celestia inhaled and exhaled quietly, “One of the topics we had talked about before we got married was the subject of foals and whether we would have any.”

Twilight nodded, “You said you might want one again someday, but you were still hesitant about that given there’s always a chance they would be mortal.”

Before Celestia could speak again, Twilight cut in, “You’re considering that again weren’t you?”

Celestia nodded, “I am, and I think I would like us to start a family. However this is another part to this that I wanted to discuss with you about first.”

“What would that be Celestia?”, Twilight asked.

“Our schedules; I’ve known you long enough to know you have more than just today’s schedule with you,” Celestia replied, “which would always keep us busy. Which is not what I would want. While we could get staff to raise the foals for most of the day, I don’t feel that would be fair to them. I want the chance to spend time with them and raise them without our schedules interfering.”

“So you’re suggesting a leave for yourself?” Twilight asked.

Celestia shook her head, “Both of us dear, it would not be fair for only one of us to be there for the foal. But yes, I am suggesting a leave. A sabbatical for both of us, which would leave Luna the sole ruler in charge of Equestria.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a forehoof, “That would be nice for both of us, it’s hard enough to find time to share with you when our schedules get so busy. Although have you talked with Luna yet, and did you know how long you were considering the sabbatical to last?”

“I have not spoken with Luna yet, I wanted to know if you liked the idea before I asked my sister about taking charge of things. As for how long, how does a century sound?”

Twilight turned to look at Celestia, “That’s a long time even for us, are you sure Luna will agree to this? Maybe half a century instead? That would still be time enough for us to relax a bit before starting a family and still enough time left to raise them.”

Celestia chuckled, “I see you are already accepting of the idea. I will speak with my sister later, see how long she would be willing to run Equestria alone. Although I do wonder how well she would take the idea if we decided to teleport to the other side of the planet for a few years.”

Twilight gently nudged the larger Alicorn, “I think there’s a limit to how far we can take this. Luna might be fine with us just disappearing, but most of the nobility…. Actually most of the general populace probably would disagree with us just disappearing for half a century. Although I wouldn’t object to taking a few years to travel. Preferably in some kind of disguise, being mobbed by Ponies wherever we travel makes enjoying the time away a bit difficult.”

Celestia just grinned, “You mean how they all approached you while we were travelling to see places associated with Starswi-”

Twilight responded by placing her hoof over Celestia’s mouth, “I won’t bring up the tropical vacation and you don’t won’t bring up that trip.”

Twilight hopped off her cushion, “Regardless, we do have somewhere to be and if we hurry we will only be slightly tardy.”

Celestia followed suit and unlocked the door, “I do remember a time when that word was very dangerous to say around you, but we should go to where we need to be. Before Luna starts getting the both the Lunar and Solar Guard mobilized-”

“Or send Spike to find us,” added Twilight as she led the way to their intended destination with Celestia walking beside her again.

Okay, here's hoping this still sounds readable enough given I haven't written in this fandom in about a year and a half.

GDocs version.
New Prompt: Conclusion

Claiming VAGINA LASERS

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I'm slightly terrified that this prompt even exists, or what'll come from it.

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I'm already 400 or so words into it. By the by, when I get to posting Dynamite, do you want me to include that author's note?

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I repeat, I’m a bit terrified of what comes.

And yeah, if you don’t mind. Although I should try to actually organize the prompts into some form of chronology.

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This has now been posted to the story page!