My attempt at a trollifc. They should make a category for that... and Heartwarming... anyways. Princess Luna vs. Princess Celestia in an arm wrestle. Enjoy.
I got the idea from CosmicAfro's My Little Staring Contest: Alicorns can stare for a very long time I suggest reading it, but this is in no way related to that story.
Princess Luna strolled through the halls of the castle, nodding to each guard as she passed. Her eyes finally fixated on her destination, and she magically threw open the doors, marching in. There it was. Laying plainly on the table was the one key to her embarrassment. An image of her as a young filly, taking her first bath. Her marching continued towards it, and she reached a hoof out to grab it, when she was hit by an extremely painful electric jolt.
"What in Celestia's mane!" She exclaimed, withdrawing her hoof with a mild whimper.
"You called?" Celestia emerged from behind another set of doors, flipping her mane over her shoulder as she entered.
"Celly! How dare you take this picture! How'd you find it in the microscopic blackhole only I can navigate in the back of closet underneath the seventeenth shirt but above the illusioned one kept inside a wooden box sculpted by my ex-boyfriend's second cousin?" Her voice rose with each location, while her sister's delight increased as well.
"You foal! You showed it to me on the third day of the first month after mom ate that chocolate cake you wanted!"
"Why!" Luna's moan was accompanied by her slumping on the table, her head clanging against the wood. "Why would you think I didn't have my own weapon!" She magically held up an image of Celestia when she was in her teens, blushing and hiding cake pans behind her back.
"H-how dare you!" Exclaimed "Celly", using her magic to grab the image. She was unable to, however, as Luna had encased it in her own magical shield next to Celestia's on the table.
"Now, I'd suppose you'd like to work this out, correct?" Asked Luna, sitting down on the table with a smirk.
"I suppose," sighed Celestia, twirling her hair. "We are at an impasse, are we not?"
"Then I challenge you to an arm wrestling match!" Luna's voice echoed over-dramatically through the room, and lightning crashed behind her. "Thanks, Nimbus," Luna whispered over her shoulder.
"But Lulu..." Celestia's voice rose into a whine, her eyes pleading.
"Unless you want this image to hit Equestria Daily..." Luna swung the image tantalizingly in front of Celestia's nose before tucking it back on the table.
"Fine! Be back here after you raise the moon, sister."
"Very well, Tia." They glared at each other and left through the same doors they had entered, their hooves pounding against the carefully polished floors and scuffing away the polish and wax as they went back to their chambers.
When the two returned to the table, a small crowd was gathered, and Shining Armor stood with a whistle around his neck in the middle of the two of them.
"Both of you agree to the rules, correct? No magic, wingpower, or otherwise cheating using Five-Hour Energy, Discord, or other energy drinks." The two mares nodded simultaneously, narrowing their eyes at each other. "At my mark, you may begin." The two reached their right front hooves out, flexing them angrily. "3...2...1... Mark!" Declard Shining Armor, a smile on his face. The two mares grabbed hooves, starting lightly as they attempted to push the other's hoof to the table. Slowly, however, you could see them gritting their teeth with effort as their hooves struggled against each other, while Princess Luna attempted to alleviate the stress.
"So... fair sister," she grunted through clenched teeth. "How are you tonight?"
"F-fine," muttered Princess Celestia, clearly the worst off in this struggle. Without warning, the doors burst open, and Twilight Sparkle ran in, turning to her brother.
"What's going on?"
"An arm-wrestling match. We may be here for a while, Twily."
"Oh boy," sighed Twilight, magically pulling up a La-Z boy chair and settling down into it. "Oh boy."
"Well folks, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are still hard at it, but if you need a bathroom break, now's the time to do it. They've been like this for an hour now, and we all know this can last much longer. Place your bets with the pink pony to my right, concessions are with the orange mare to my left." Shining Armor's announcer voice was quite impressive, and a fair group of mares had gathered around him as he commentated. "Wait, wait! It looks like we have Princess Luna pulling ahead, aaaand... no, we're back to Fifty-Fifty. Speaking of which, the bet-holding pink pony also is selling some fifty-fifty tickets if luck's your thing!"
Princess Celestia grunted once again, her teeth bared. "Sister, be glad this will be settled before you must raise the moon," she jeered, and the crowd oohed together.
"Yes, fair sister, be glad you'll be able to raise the sun no problem in the morning," replied Luna, and crowd oohed again. The crowd was split in two groups, each standing on the respective Princess' side of the table, raising random foam hooves or banners.
"It looks like we have some competition up in here! Remember folks, those fifty-fifty profits go to the Stallions' Rights Society-A great cause folks!" Both the Princesses rolled their eyes at their "announcer", but he was the best in Equestria, so they put up with it. The veins in each Princess' arms were popping out, and sweat rolled down the faces, wiped away magically on Luna with a handkerchief, while Princess Celestia wore sweatbands on her wrists and foreheads. "Remember folks, you'll be here a long time, so concessions are a great investment! The profits go to replace this orange mare's granny's hip!" At that, several ponies disbanded from their segregated crowds to purchase concessions as Applejack mouthed a 'Thanks' to Shining Armor. He didn't see, however, for Celestia was once again pulling ahead. "Well look at that folks! This might end sooner than we think! Luna's arm is grazing the table and... nope, we're back to even-steven. If this lasts six hours folks, the Princesses have agreed to auction off their most prized possessions!"
"WHAT!" Yelled both Princesses, glaring at Shining Armor.
"Just some reinforcement," chuckled Shining Armor as he magically lifted Princess Celestia's pillow. "Look at this folks! The pillow Princess Celestia sleeps on herself! After six hours, these are up for grabs!" Both Princesses glared angrily at him, and if looks could kill, he'd be beyond dead. However, they can't, and the Princesses resumed fighting, now having a common goal-to end this fast.
Princess Celestia's veins appeared to nearly crawl from her skin as she struggled against her sister, and her eyes were widened with the struggle. Luna was slightly better off, managing a relaxed appearance, but her sister could see she was near the breaking point. However, this was interrupted by their dear friend, the captain of the royal guard.
"Well look at that folks! We've done raised ten thousand bits in that fifty-fifty drawing! All towards a good cause, mares and gentlecolts alike! But I bet you're hungry-we've been at this for six hours now! Applejack is merely one thousand bits away from buying her Granny a new hip; let's help her out!" His voice boomed from the speakers, and the crowd had nearly doubled. "Wait folks, how long have we been here?"
"SIX HOURS!" Cheered the crowd, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's eyes both conveyed the same worried expression.
"Well then, I bet we should start auctioning off those lovely items we've got! Let's start off with Princess Celestia's pillow! Hoof-embroidered and made from manticore mane, this is definitely the most comfortable pillow I've ever seen! Where do we start the bidding?"
"One hundred bits!" Yelled a pony, and Shining Armor grinned.
"Well look at that folks! Only one hundred bits! And look at Princess Celestia-she's fuming!" That much was true. Her eyes were now lit with rage, and her arms were struggling with new found adrenaline. "Are you gonna buy your pillow back, Princess?"
"Two hundred bits!" Cried Princess Celestia, and the bidding continued.
"Well folks, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are still hard at it, but who's going to raise the sun and set the moon? Any comments, Princesses?"
"Well, Shining Armor, I've heard that large groups of unicorns can raise the sun or moon if so needed, is this true?"
"Yes you foals!" Yelled Princess Luna through gritted teeth, and she shared an eyeroll with Princess Celestia.
"Well then, I better get to it!" Twilight Sparkle chuckled at her announcer-commentary, then began searching through the crowd for unicorns to raise the sun. Shining Armor smiled as well, and turned towards the crowd.
"Alright folks, next up for auction, we have... Princess Luna's diary?" Shining Armor held up the book teasingly with his magic, and many ponies gasped. "How do we start the bidding?"
"Ten thousand bits!" Cried a pegasus, waving his hoof wildly, and Princess Luna moaned.
"You bid on that one more time and so help me everypony here will be on the moon!" Princess Luna's voice echoed through the room, not the Royal Canterlot Voice, but powerful nonetheless. "Now, Ten thousand and one bits, Shining Armor." The room had fallen silent, everypony there staring in fear at the lunar goddess.
"Y-yes Princess," stated Shining Armor before magically hoofing her the diary. "Now folks, we've up and raised enough money for Applejack's granny to get that hip, and we've raised over two years funds for the Stallions' Rights Society, so let's start up a new cause! We have the fantastic Rainbow Dash here to present to you another fundraiser!"
"Well, mares, gentlecolts, and foals alike, I'm here to raise money for a greeeat cause! Have any of you heard of the Young Fliers League?" Rainbow Dash was over doing the salespony side of things, dragging her voice.
"No!" Cried the crowd, many of them looking confused.
"Precisely! I'm going to found one! But I need bits, and lots of them to pay for equipment, space, and teachers! But wait, there's more! Instead of just donating, you'll be buying! Buying what, you say? Buying..." her voice trailed off to raise the suspense, "Buying roses! At the ridiculously low, low, low price of fifty bits a rose! There's a stand located to your left, thank you mares and stallions." Rainbow Dash bowed before flying off the stage and to the booth, where a line had already formed.
"No, we want to end it," grunted Celestia with a glare.
"Well either way, I have a plan." Princess Luna leaned into Celestia, whispering secretly as Shining Armor leaned in, trying to catch what was going on.
"Well folks, I have no idea what they just said, but let's keep going! They have to end soon, right?"
Luna and Celestia were still hard at it, though rather than anger they were simply tired. Despite the alicorn's many impressive abilities, staying awake for eternity is not one of them.
"Lulu? Perhaps we should call a truce," sighed Celestia, her arm nearly collapsed on the table.
"And admit defeat? Never. Just give up, you foal. I won't release that picture if you can just give up." Luna's voice was tainted with exhaustion, and many discarded waterbottles laid around the two mares. Princess Celestia's face suddenly hardened, and her strength increased. Luna, shocked, increased her power too, but Celestia had changed.
Her mane was a solid grey, appearing metallic, and her coat was slightly darker also. Her eyes had become slightly beady, and muscles bulged from her arms. "Admit defeat? Never. For I am... PRINCESS WRESTLEIA!" Princess Luna was shocked momentarily, then giggling. The name was hilarious, even for this fic-er for Equestria. Princess Wrestleia smiled, her teeth yellowed, and began pushing her arm towards Luna's with impressive vigor.
Meanwhile, Shining Armor just stared, his expression some combination of shock and confusion. Backing away slowly, he slowly opened his mouth, simply to shut it again.
Princess Luna grunted and moaned, barely holding up against her sister. She had been attempting to come up with plans to break Wrestleia's concentration all day, but failing miserably. However, it was quite clear Wrestleia was simply a burst of adrenaline. The metallic appearance of her mane was slowly vanishing, and the muscles were appearing to shrink. How this was possible, not even Luna knew, but she held up against her sister.
Suddenly, without warning, Celestia faltered. It was for a mere moment, but Luna seized it, gaining once again on her sister. This time, however, she kept gaining. Gritting her teeth and narrowing her eyes, her veins bulged as she fought her sister, until finally, Cel-er, Wrestleia's hoof scraped the table. The minor chatter that had been coursing through the room fell silent, and Shining Armor's eyes widened.
"We have a-a winner. Princess Luna wins!" With those words, the Wrestleia appearance fell, revealing an incredibly exhausted Celestia collapsed on the table.
The next day, Princess Celestia's health had been restored, and they had began debating. Though originally the fight was over the pictures, they decided they were both worthless (especially after a certain purple unicorn 'accidentally' burned them up). Therefore, there had to be some reward for the winner.
Several Hours Later
"I want to be sole ruler for a week!"
"No! We are both entrusted with power!"
The Next Day
"Fine, Lulu. You can be ruler for a week." Princess Luna's cheers could be heard across Equestria.
Princess Luna became sole ruler, and in that week, made many changes. She was permanent sole ruler, Celestia was stripped of her Princess title, and Equestria became a better place. They discovered Equestria was round, and set it into motion, therefore leaving Luna with more time to attend court, where she edited many laws to become even more modern. Twilight Sparkle and her friends all earned positions at the castle, and became the Royal Court's Jury, saving even more time for the Princess to do Princess-y stuff. Celestia did, however, find more embarrassing images of her sister, which result in Celly being banished to the catacombs of the castle and living as a hermit.