> Lunar Replacement
>  by Pinklestia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I am a lie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything had been normal,  everything had made sense, my life was just fine, finally getting on track after a rough break up with an my ex boyfriend, getting that promotion I’d been killing myself each night at work to get…

I’d even managed to book a trip back home for Thanksgiving, getting a chance to see  my family for the first time in years…

And then… there was darkness. 

It felt like I was was trapped in a deep, dark pit, one that I couldn’t get out of, one where I was being taunted and laughed at by some faceless, merciless entity. I was alone, and I was scared, having no clue what was going on. Just what was I to do in a situation like this? 

I prayed for salvation, for something to save me from this despair and shadow that seemed to surround and fill me to the depths of my very soul.

And then, as if the heavens themselves were answering that prayer, there was an explosion of colors, a literal rainbow rising forth from some point in the distance. It arced on high before careening back down, slicing through the shadow and darkness before striking down unto me.

You wouldn’t think a blast of rainbow would hurt, but it did. It burned and seared… but somehow, it also soothed and cleansed, the darkness parting and pulling back, pushed back away from me before a bright flash of light sent every last shred of it to the four winds.

It took some time for the light to fade and dim, allowing me sight as I found myself feeling weak, exhausted, like I had just run a five mile marathon with no practice. And there, standing right before me, was a big white horse. One that sported large feathery wings, a long horn, and royal regalia.

I gasped in surprise, for I recognized the being before me, and I had to blink several times, fighting back an urge to wipe my eyes and confirm the sight before me. It is one thing to see a cartoon character while watching TV or in the movie theater and another to see it for real. Mainly, because cartoon characters were, in fact, not real. There was no way I could possibly be seeing this! Especially in what appeared to be a room that was very much not my own.

We were not alone of course… there were others… the mane six? That’s what they were called right? But at the moment, they weren’t important… the large Goddess er Princess that was stepping towards me in an almost menacing manner was.

“It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.”

Everyone, or should I say everypony… anyways, they all were so surprised about ME being her sister. It appeared… it appeared that I had taken the place of Luna… this… this was crazy! 

“I…”

I know what I should say, I watched the first two episodes enough times. But… I am not Luna. I’m not the Princess of the Moon, the Steward of Dreams or anything… this might have been a dream come true for some, but not for me!

“Will you accept my friendship?” She asks and I can just see the hope in her eyes. Even though I feel like I should tell her the truth… the hope in her eyes… it’s too much… I can’t...

“I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!” I shout, rushing forward and hugging the bigger alicorn. Tears stream down my face, but they are not tears of happiness, but of fear. After all, if I told her I was some sort of hairless ape on another planet, one that created the very universe they lived in… 

I’d be in the nuthouse faster than you can say “Pickle Barrel Kumquat!”

The rest is a blur, mostly because I just sort of act on autopilot. Two young fillies come forward and place flowers around my head. I smile and thank them, blushing and looking shyly about… though really, I’m more trying to find some sign that this is nothing more than some terrible dream.

The whole party… is kind of surreal. In the show, it took five seconds for the party to be started… here it took closer to five minutes, but even then... that’s pretty impressive. I am at several points in the festivities highly tempted to run away, but seeing as I am the guest of honor, that just isn’t an option.

After eating and drinking too much the party's over and a golden chariot takes me and my supposed sister to Canterlot. It’s amazing she got one big enough to fit two horse sized ponies but whatever. It’s magic and even having like a dozen pegasi pulling it makes no sense to me. After all, we both had wings, couldn’t we fly? I mean sure, I didn’t know how to fly, but couldn’t Celestia? Heck, she should be able to teleport us...

Celestia evidently had a million things to talk with me, her desire to bond, to catch up… to heal the rift that Luna’s… my banishment now I guess had put between us… but I was most certainly not in a sociable mood, and I excused myself as I said that I was tired.

This leads her and a single guard pony to the top of a tower on the edge of the Royal Palace where a room was prepared for me. It lacked anything to declare that it was meant for the Princess of the Night, but as Celestia quickly explained, she figured it would be more fitting for me to choose the decor.

“Good night my dear sister… may your dreams be pleasant… and welcome home.” Celestia said, pulling me into another hug and leaving a small kiss on my head before she turned and walked out.

Only when I was sure I was alone, that there was no one else nearby, I picked up one of the pillows from the bed, and after placing it firmly over my equine muzzle, I screamed into the pillow and flopped myself down upon the bed, sobbing myself to sleep. 





My dreams were strange… in part because I was able to realize they were in fact dreams. And nightmares of course… but thanks to being… aware as I was, I was able to ignore them. And instead, devote my time to thinking.

Thinking about how to proceed, what actions I should take… and what consequences might come up from them.

Telling the truth was, most likely, a bad idea. Celestia would probably incinerate me on the spot, even if she’s supposed to be nice and all that. At best, I’d end up banished and thrown in a prison cell in the place I was banished to.

However, I cannot avoid Celestia forever, but until I can say for certain that I know Celestia won’t do something horrible, terrible, or horribly terrible to me… I’m going to have to find some way to make it through this.

I’d read stories about stuff like this, of humans, or in particular, Bronies getting put into the body of one character or another.

But the problem here was how little was known about Luna... I mean besides episode two, she was in that Nightmare Night episode and… well, I’ve heard there was more, but I haven’t gotten that far into the series...

Mmm, there were tons of Luna fics about her having to study to catch up with modern Equestria, I could do that, after all I just know what was shown in the TV show and not much else. That could work… couldn’t it?

There was only one problem. The only pony who could figure out any ruse I attempted was the very pony I needed to convince in the first place! Celestia…. A pony over a thousand years old, a troll and a wise ruler. How could I possibly hope to pull something this big past her?

I could just tell her a half truth... aside from the fact she was Luna’s sister, I didn’t know much else, and being locked away for so long had to do a number on one’s memories...

But even then… learning what I was going to need to even keep the pretense of being Luna was going to be difficult… what about things like flying, magic? What was I going to do!?

So many options… so many risks and possibilities… I have to do something… I have to figure something out...

Yes… yes, blame the Nightmare, say it stole my memories and knowledge. Stick to it, and don’t let my fear hold me back. I have to do what I can to keep from being locked up or blasted into the moon.

I just have to hope this crazy plan works. Hooves crossed.





Breakfast was… awkward. Celestia seems to be waiting for me to open up and I have no clue what to say. I’ve already said ‘Good Morning’, wasn’t that enough?

So, out of a random, crazed impulse born from a desire to get her to stop looking at me like I’m some alien, I tackle Miss Sunbutt to the floor, and I start to tickle her with my feathers.

That caught her off guard, but it’s not long before she’s fighting back. Peels of laughter fill the small, private dining hall. Within about a minute though, the tickle fight has devolved into a food fight, after I manage to knock a bowl of cereal on her head.

By the time we are done, there’s food all over the place. Milk and oats are splattered on the walls, the windows… definitively staining the rug. Thank Equestria for my new body being so damage resistant… I’m pretty sure a bowl tried to smash my face in at some point, only to just bounce off.

“Oh beloved sister, that was most refreshing!” I should get a dictionary so I can justify knowing modern words like fun… and well, a lot of other modern words.

“Yes, yes it was Lulu.” She says, pulling me into a soft embrace with a single wing, and making me blush at such tender affections. “I have missed times like this… times when we put aside all royal manners and conduct… just acted like we were those little foals so long ago…”

I just sat there, not saying anything as I tried to figure out whether I should say anything, or simply listen.

“Sometimes Lulu…” Celestia begins, surprising me by how soft her voice is right now. “I wonder how things could be if we weren't who we are. What if we didn't need move the sun and the moon? What if we were just two sisters who didn't carry Equestria on their shoulders? Would two mares named Celestia and Luna have had different lives? Would those two sisters have been better off if their foalhood wasn’t ruined by the truth of what Discord had been doing?”

This… this was coming out of nowhere… and it was making me feel strange and funny… it… it was making me feel guilty. I shouldn’t be hearing something like this… this was something the real Luna should be hearing...

Celestia had continued, but I barely heard any of it as tears began to fill my eyes, and to her surprise, I jumped up, running out of the room as tears streamed down my face. 

The instant I reached m-... Luna’s room, I threw myself in and slammed the door behind me.And I bawled… I sobbed… I cried. I was a monster! I had stolen Luna's life and body, and I was making it even worse by not telling my sister what she needed to know the most.

How... how can I fix this?

Wait... that thought... why had I referred to Celestia as my sister? W-What's going on? If I was just a fake, why would I see her as my big sister?

Maybe... maybe there is hope! M-Maybe Luna wasn’t gone… maybe she was buried somewhere deep down in this mind… 

'Hello? Princess Luna! Are you there?'

No answer… nothing.

Dammit. 





I don’t know how long I had been in here… it had felt like an eternity, but somehow I knew it had only been a day and a half. I had used my magic to lock the doors of Luna’s bedroom, and was pretty much refusing to come out. 

I was half-amazed that Celestia hadn’t decided to barge the door down and demand to know what was going on. Instead, she had simply slipped a note in under the door that said she would be here for me if I needed her.

It was comforting in a way… but it only served to make me feel even worse than I was already! Celestia was wanting to comfort me because she thought I was her sister… but I wasn’t! I wasn’t Luna, I was… well… Me!

I was going to have to do something soon… even Celestia had to have her limits. I just needed to calm myself down… maybe… maybe when night fell I would take a walk… a nice relaxing walk… some place peaceful, beautiful…

I pulled my head out from underneath my pillow and walked on over to the balcony, peering out at the massive maze that dominated the view below. The Royal Hedge Garden… yeah… yeah that would work! I’d always been able to figure things out when I was out amongst nature!

The sun was still high in the sky for now, but my body seemed to know that soon it would be time for the moon to descend… and when it did… I would quietly leave Luna’s quarters… and get the break I needed to make some important decisions.

Like whether or not I could really keep this facade up at all… or if I wanted to.

It was somewhat hard to wait, but the sun finally set and the moon rose to take its place. Then it was as if I was in a trance, my horn lighting up as I… as I painted a most wonderful, beautiful star filled night.

Next thing I knew, I was walking on the royal garden, the night calmed me, welcomed me. Maybe I didn't know the stuff Luna did, but apparently my instincts did. I looked at the moon and frowned, it should not be full, I gave it a small nudge and then it was almost full.

Better. Now, what I was going to do? I had Luna's body and her power, and some instincts, or echoes of her knowledge.

Yet... I AM NOT LUNA! How many times must I say it to myself for me to get that!

But... I am the closest pony they have for the job right now… 

I cannot break Tia’s heart, I cannot let the six chosen ponies know that all their work was useless. This might not be my world but... I should try to do my best to at least keep Luna’s role going.

So even if guilt consumes me, if nightmares plague my slumber... I will do the best I can to fill this role.

USURPER! IMPOSTOR! YOU ARE JUST A LIE! Some might say... but aren't dreams and nightmares lies in a way?

A mare waited a thousand years to get her sister back, better a lie or a dozen that breaking her. Equestria needs Princess Celestia more that it needs the truth.

And so, I decided to continue my lie.
> Strange Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-*- Princess Celestia -*-


For over a thousand years, she had awaited the day that she could bring her sister home. For over seven hundred of them, she had been seeking a way that would allow her to do so even earlier, so that she could fill the aching hole that lay in her heart. Her mortal subjects could not comprehend the pain she had been in for so long, with her beloved sister sealed in the moon above them.

Her release from her imprisonment should have been a joyous time, one full of the two sisters making up for lost time, and her showing dear Luna how much she wanted to earn her sister’s forgiveness.

Yet somehow… something was missing. Something was not right… and Luna’s behavior since she had been freed from the prison of Nightmare Moon did not help that gut instinct that told her something was simply not right.

Was it… guilt? Was her sister still feeling burdened by the weight of her actions so long ago, and her attempt to bring back eternal night upon the land?

Suddenly, her thoughts were jumbled as she felt something she had not felt in a long, long time. She looked up and watched as the moon changed, shifting from the full moon, to a waxing moon.

For the first time in over a thousand years, the moon wasn’t full and the stars… they all shimmered with a gleam that she had never been able to replicate. It was a sight to behold, something she had longed for just as much as she had longed for the presence of her beloved sister.

Truly, it was a marvel. And there could only be one source...

"Sister?" Celestia called, looking around and eventually spotting Luna slowly making her way through the hedge garden. Celestia felt an urge to go out and speak with her, to tell her how lovely the night was… but for some reason, she held back. 

Her sister’s posture and her recent behavior made it clear she wanted to be left alone right now… should she really intrude when she wished to be alone with her thoughts?

But if I leave her be… if I don’t try to help her with whatever is bothering her… the Nightmare might return… and I cannot allow that to happen, for her sake, mine and that of Equestria.

That thought bade her to do something… which was she soon stepped out onto the balcony and took flight, silently gliding through the cool night air. She scanned the maze for a moment, considering her options, before eventually landing in another passageway… one that was opposite to her sister and that would remain adjacent to hers for some time.

Eavesdropping and tailing her like this might not be the kindest of things to do… but I need to do everything in my power to protect both Equestria, and my sister. If I can learn what it is that is troubling her… then I will be better equipped to help her.

And so she followed along, walking softly and quietly along with her sister, using a spell to peer through and make sure she was still nearby as she strained her ears for even the softest whisper from Luna. It was a relatively quiet night, but this didn’t mean that if she wasn’t careful she wouldn’t miss something.

This kept on for nearly an hour, when Celestia realized they were reaching the center of the maze, where a great tree rested and provided both ample shelter from the sun and a gorgeous view of the palace grounds. It was a place they had visited once after dethroning Discord and restoring harmony to the lands of Equestria… only back then the tree had been a mere sprout. 

It was there that they had, together with the remnants of the Kingdom of Unicornia, had planned out the construction of a majestic city built straight from the mountain… a city that would come to be called Canterlot, and would serve as the home of the Platinum dynasty as they worked to rebuild what had been lost in Discord’s reign of chaos.

Had Luna come out here to reminisce? Or had she simply wished to find some place where she could be alone with naught but her own thoughts and the celestial body that she represented? 
Soon, Luna left the maze and stepped towards the ancient tree, circling around it and sitting in the exact same spot they had sat a millenia ago. Celestia walked on out of the shadow of tall arch, casting her gaze towards her younger sister and edging closer… until she heard something she hadn’t heard in a very, very, very long time.

Her sister… was singing.

It… it was a song that spoke to how her sister had felt all those years ago… but what made it worse was the sad, sorrow filled tone that Luna was using. Guilt dripped from every word, and she could feel her heart breaking as she listened.

I cannot leave my sister alone like this… I need to help her. Celestia thought to herself as she silently approached Luna, the Princess of the Moon finishing her song in a tearful whisper as she gazed up at her namesake. She didn’t seem to register the presence of Celestia until Celestia draped a wing around her… 

Celestia felt more pain flow through her heart as she saw and felt her sister flinch at the contact, but years of experience kept that pain from showing on her face as she wrapped her in a tight embrace.

“My dear sweet sister… Lulu… please… don’t shut yourself out from me again. Whatever is bothering you… whatever troubles you… I will move the heavens and Equis itself to help you… just please…” Celestia says, tears beginning to form in her own eyes as she feels Luna beginning to shake from held back sobs.

Then Luna hugged her back while she cried. "You… you were alone for a thousand years, every night reminding you of our fight." 

Her sister then smiled "But you never lost hope did you? You knew that one day the monster would escape and then there would be a chance to… t-to get m-me back."

Celestia silently nodded, wanting to say so much more but afraid on how her sister would react. 

Luna then shifted about nervously, looking about uncertainly before finally looking up and asking “Tell me dear sister… did you not try to find some other way to bring me back? Did you have no choice but to wait for the Element Bearers?”

Celestia was caught off guard by this question, unsure how best to respond. Should she really tell her how many paths she had tried? How many experiments she had attempted? That she had even considered going down a dark path herself, just to have her sister come home as herself again?

"Tell me, because I know you Tia, even if the stars had promised to aid my escape, I know you would be unable to try nothing until the right time came. How many times did you try to bring me back? How far did you push to bring me home?”

Maybe hearing about her own screwups would make her little sister feel better… but she had an image to maintain, and anypony could be listening…

"I… I have many regrets, things I could have prevented, things I shouldn’t have done. Ponies who fell due to my arrogance and foolishness. Heavy is the head that carries the crown,  especially since I had to do it alone." Luna seemed to droop a bit upon hearing this… even as she spoke up once more.

"Tia… do you think my return is the herald for bad news? I… I had nightmares of old foes returning."

Her sister had been having prophetic dreams? Of old enemies of Equestria? No… she didn’t want to think that more trouble was on the way, not when she had just gotten her sister back. It must have simply been remnants of the Nightmare trying to mess with her head…

"I saw… so many bad things my dear sister, in old times ponies seeked the stars trying to divine the future and asking for wishes. Yet after both the fall of the Crystal Empire and Discord's defeat… that was no longer the case. And while I hope this new era has a place for the night, will ponies ever forgive me?"

The sudden change in topic was a confusing, if welcoming one. “Of course my dear sister… there is a place for the night… I have done everything I can to help show the Ponies until the day of your return… and they have already forgiven you, as I have.”

Luna was silent for a moment, simply turning her gaze back up at the moon and her night sky… yes, it was her’s once more. Her shifting of the moon had shown and proven that… and Celestia couldn’t be happier to drop the mantle of Regent of the Night.

She was so busy admiring her sister’s glorious nocturnal sky that she nearly missed the soft, hushed whisper she uttered. Celestia’s own ears drooped slightly as she thought about what her sister had just said.

'Her time in the prison must have weighed heavily on her…' I’m sure that I can help her forgive herself for her own actions. She wrapped her wing tighter around Luna, smiling down at her as she said “If you would like, tomorrow you could begin the Night Court again… or begin selecting recruits for your Lunar Guard.” 

At the downcast look that graced Luna’s face at these suggestions, her smile softened as she said “Or you can take your time adapting to things. I’m happy to do whatever I can to make you feel comfortable until you are fully ready to return to your position by my side, as an equal.”

Luna said nothing for a moment, seeming to mull things over, before hesitantly beginning. "E-Equestria has changed much since my banishment. I do not think I am ready yet to rule our subjects again.” She kicked at the ground, tacking on “I don't even know the current laws and customs of Equestrians are.”

“Learning that will take time, but I don't want to just shut myself in the library, isolating myself from everypony… I… I want someone who can help teach me what I need to know… while also helping me learn to make friends…”

Celestia hummed to herself at that

"While your student Twilight Sparkle seems to have a good heart, she also seems to be quite powerful. There lies a problem that could have grave consequences if left unattended."

Celestia stared at her sister in confusion "What are you trying to say? Is my student in danger?"

"Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark is the symbol of magic. Because of that, any magic is theoretically possible for her. Even spells that you or I together could not do. She… she needs somepony to teach her what you could not."

Celestia seemed shocked at what her sister had said.  "You… you want to take Twilight Sparkle as your student?'

"I… I know Equestria has changed since my banishment. As I said before I am not ready to rule our subjects again when I don't even know the current laws and customs. Learning that will take time but I don't want to just guard the dream lands and study, isolating myself. What I know and is still relevant is magic. Spells that probably have been lost in time, secrets that most do not know. You have teached her restrain, but she isn't an alicorn. She probably struggles with high level spells because she never allows herself to use all her power. Because…. because she doesn't know how."

"How… how do you know that?" Celestia was even more confused, her sister had just isolated herself since they came back from Ponyville, yet what she said was accurate. 

"My blessing and curse is that I can see ponies nightmares and dreams. Your student greatest fear is losing control of her magic." Luna said then seemed to think about it for a moment. "Well, maybe not exactly her greatest fear, but is one of the big ones."

"And you think you can help her?"

“I need to be able to talk to somepony who isn't family. I need to learn how to relate to ponies of this era. I don't want to deal with rump kissers and fake politeness, with ponies who praise me in my presence and curse me when they think I am not listening.” She let out a sigh as she glanced back up at the moon, then to Celestia. 

"Eventually I will have to, but until I am sound of both mind and body… I think it would be too dangerous. Twilight and her friends... and the Ponies of Ponyville have shown me kindness that I don’t yet feel I deserve. I know they can help me heal… and yes I think I can help her.”

Celestia was silent for a moment, considering the idea in her own head. It would mean she wouldn’t be able to see her sister every day, but it might actually speed up the process of returning Luna to her former self. What was more, Luna could learn the Magic of Friendship right alongside her star pupil… And Luna herself could likely teach Twilight a few things about magic in turn, things that Celestia had only the tiniest understanding of.

She was about to give her approval, when Luna spoke up. “I promise to meet you in your dreams every night. I don’t want you to think of me as a horrible sister, especially when here you are, wanting to expend time and energy with me and I want to run into a small town to make some friends and teach magic."

She chuckled at this, a soft, warm hearted sound that kept Luna from looking insulted or upset. “My dear, beloved Sister… you not only have my permission, but my blessing.” Celestia leaned in, giving Luna a kiss on the forehead before nuzzling her. “What I want above all else is for you to be happy, to be the Luna I have missed for so long. If you need to get your help from somepony else… then I shall wait patiently for the day when you can take your place by my side in Canterlot.”

And then Luna cried as she hugged her big sister. Celestia calmed her while she smiled, their moment being interrupted minutes later by Luna's stomach grumbling. 

"I guess I should not have skipped meals. " Luna said while her face was red as a tomato and she separated from her sister "Is anypony in the kitchen awake as this hour or I will have to look over your usual hide spots for snacks?"

"Don't you dare! I mean, I am quite sure I stationed a few ponies to run the kitchen at night and they will make you whatever you want." Celestia's face was a soft pink at her sister teasing about her eating habits. 

"I knew that It was not just me shrinking down what made your behind look so big." Luna said smiling then looked herself over. "And look at me, unlike you I could use some meat in my bones, I am a growing mare after all."

Then Luna's stomach growled again "Yes, I should get some to eat right now." And after that Luna horn glowed and she teleported away, leaving behind a very confused princess. 

"Did… did she just joke and called me fat?"  That, that had been nice, to joke and talk with her sister like so long ago. 

And... maybe she had let herself go a bit after all.
> I am a Loon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-*- Princess Luna? -*-


I have no clue what just happened. The plan was just to convince Celestia to let me go to live with Twilight Sparkle in Ponyville. And then…

I asked her an uncomfortable question about her past, I…I told her about having nightmares about the future. I promised to meet her in her dreams at night when I have no clue how the hell I moved the moon or even did any other magic. And I even called Celestia fat! How could I have said something so stupid?

'I…damnit I’m hungry.' Thankfully the night kitchen staff were kind enough to make me a sandwich…and after that about a dozen more.  Weirdly enough I wasn’t even missing the taste of ham. That reminds me, why the heck does Applejack raise pigs? Does she trade them in the market in the big city to some meat eaters? Yeah that must be it; going into the Everfree to hunt truffles would be suicidal. Though maybe they hunted them in Whitetail woods instead...

So miss Loon, let's think… how the hell do I get to Ponyville? Did they even have a train service in the first season? No, I don't think so. Taking a carriage? I still don't have my own guard and it would kind of be awkward if I went back with Sunbutt…er, my sister, to ask for a ride. Though she’d probably be happy to give me one...

There is no way in Tartarus I’m going to try to teleport; I don't even know how to levitate a pencil! Or use my magic at all! So… do I trust whatever is going on that let me move the moon, to let me fly to Ponyville? I mean, it felt natural, as if I’d done it thousands of times before...

Well my body, even as weak as it is, is way tougher than Rainbow Dash, but if I go crashing into everything it would be weird. I don’t think I could explain that away all that well.

Thinking about it, I realize there is no need to go right away. I do need to pack and get money, then I realize I’m a freaking Princess. Ponies would probably just give me what I wanted if I asked.

But that would be abuse of authority and bla bla bla.

And of course, Celestia has probably gone to sleep already. She wouldn’t mind being bothered, but it doesn’t feel right bugging her when she is trying to sleep.

Yeah, moving in with Twilight Sparkle is future Loon’s problem, yay!

Oh stars, did I just act like Spike?
You know what? I am crazy and it works, all hail Luna Loon, ruler of the night sky!





While I am asleep I find myself in a black space full of hundreds of giant bubbles? But just when I find one full of pink, balloons, streamers and cake I wake up.

'Damn, I’m sure that was Pinkie Pie's dream!'

Unconsciously or by instinct I can use magic just fine, but if I try to do it on purpose the magic fails me since I have no idea what the heck I’m doing. Plus, I still have no clue if those were really the dreamlands or just a weird dream I had. It was hard to sort everything out right now…seeing as I was still wondering if this was all happening in the first place!

There go my plans of finding out what Pinkie Pie’s dreams are like and scaring certain ponies. I could have used the entertainment.

And how in Tartarus will I keep my promise to talk to Celestia in her dreams? I can’t even seem to enter a dream properly!

Okay…think about that episode where Pinkie Pie babysat (or rather, foalsat) the cake twins.

Maybe instead of overthinking it, I should just close my eyes and want very hard to visit somepony’s dream.

The world came into focus, and as I looked around, I saw shelves of books filled to the brim, almost to the point of bursting. A table with the bust of a Unicorn sat in the center of the room.

"A library? Then this must be…"

"Princess Luna?" Said a familiar boy's voice

'Spike's dream of course.' I thought as I turned towards the sound of the voice, putting on my best friendly face, like that time I had to babysit a bunch of kids despite myself not wanting to.

"Hello Spike the dragon, let's talk about your sister Twilight Sparkle, shall we?"





The following conversation literally took all night since I had to wake up to lower the Moon. Thank the stars for this body trained muscle memory, or I would be stuck right in Tartarus or worse.

Actually, probably not Tartarus. No, either some arcane magic lab, or a funny farm. And not the fun kind of farm, like Sweet Apple Acres.

What I learned was interesting and left me worried about the poor kid’s mental health… I think. I might be reading too much into it.

Twilight Sparkle wasn't a bad pony but apparently had become used to treating Spike like an assistant instead of a brother. Which wasn't really her fault; I admit, this might be me putting my own fan thoughts on their relationship. Still…

Celestia, it seemed, had raised Spike until he could talk and then encouraged him to spend time with Twilight. Twilight, being the bookworm that she was, ended up turning him into her assistant. At first it was more like a game, but as years passed he became one for real.

Worse, apparently my sister had not taught Twilight Sparkle ANYTHING about dragons. But to be fair the purple unicorn had never asked. Well, okay, Celestia might not know much either, but most Equestrians didn’t know anything about them except they were big, scary, and had pointy teeth.
Spike and Twilight Sparkle relationship wasn't bad. Whowever, while they genuinely cared about each other, I think it could be better. But was this me caring about them, or just wanting my vision of them to be true?

Also for better or worse, Twilight Sparkle DIDN'T have a brother called Shining Armor. She did have a pink foalsitter long ago, but it was a pegasus. And yes she had that long name save for the princess part. I wasn’t sure what to think about that part.

So I found myself as a Princess Luna in the wrong universe. Or maybe the right one? I never liked the idea of there being more alicorns than me and my sister after all.

Wait, me and my sister? But I’m not really- ugh this is making my brain hurt. Whatever. Help Spike to be treated like a little brother now, worry about the cosmic and phenomenal consequences of there only being two alicorns later. And think about what else might be different here. And I will not stop myself if I think that Celestia is my sister since at least biologically we are.

Wait… breakfast!

"Spike and my sanity can wait, I hunger!"





Want to know something hilarious?
I got the moon down two hours earlier than Celestia had planned to. But once the moon went down she was literally forced to wake up and raise the sun. My sister was NOT amused.

So I got to watch her glares as she drank enough caffeine to kill a normal pony.

"Dear Sister, the moon told me it was time; after all the Summer Sun Celebration IS supposed to be the longest day of the year and that was just a few days ago. So you only get a few minutes less daylight today. That's how it should be."

“It is still summer, and the days are supposed to be longer. I can understand being eager to exercise control over the Moon once again now that you are here, rather than imprisoned, but that does not mean you can go messing with the natural cycles even a little.” She replied grumpily as she finished off her cup, then took a bite of her oatmeal as she waited for a refill.

“I will have to add those minutes of sunlight to today just to make up for it, which will cause some minor confusion for some of our little Ponies.”

"Oh? But I did make the day longer, didn't I? After all the moon going down two hours earlier than you had planned means a longer day, not a shorter one." I said confused, slightly worried about my sister’s mental state.

Celestia looked at me, then at her coffee. “Hmph… seems I’m still half asleep… so much for the hope the coffee would do any good.”

"How about a week-long festival? Declare it a national holiday, every non-essential government activity gets closed down for the holidays and the festivities get done in the afternoon so you can just move the sun then go back to sleep."

Celestia had gotten a sack of coffee beans from… somewhere while I was busy rambling and was making her own coffee. Maybe they were stronger beans?  So it took a while to answer.  Once she had drank the third cup of "real coffee" she finally answered to my idea.

“My dear sister, as much as I would love to throw a festival to hail your return, Equestria just finished one of its biggest festivals, the Summer Sun celebration, and that in many cases takes more time and resources than any other holiday save perhaps Hearths Warming Eve.”

"Oh it would not be for me, but a Summer festival, maybe dedicated to the arts or something. Have plays right outside so anypony can see them, that kind of thing. And delegate a lot, give those stuffy nobles something to do. Oh! And make it mostly free so those same nobles and the rich ponies have to endure the 'peasants' or what do they call it nowadays. Not completely free of course; that leads to abuse and sick ponies."

Celestia sat and hummed at this, looking at me in a way that sent a small shiver down my spine. “Perhaps next year the Summer Sun celebration can be turned into a weeklong festival.”

“Besides, that will ensure I can spend some time having some fun with my sister this month, instead of having us both be caught up in preparing a kingdom wide festival.”

The mention of fun… it made the barest flicker of a memory cross my mind. I wasn’t sure if it was mine, or Luna’s. But I knew one thing…

“Fun? What is this…‘Fun’, you speak of dear sister?” I asked, feigning confusion.

Celestia smirked, shaking her head as she said “Lulu, I know for a fact you know what the word fun is, why-”

Celestia didn’t get a chance to finish, for I had pounced upon her, wrapping my forehooves around her and proceeding to tickle and lavish her with a kissy face. Celestia’s squeals of laughter echoed about the dining hall, filling it with a warmth no hall in Equestria had felt in a thousand years.





After that, Celestia had royal duties to do and I had a pony to hunt. Well I really didn't but I honestly wanted to meet Moon Dancer since when I awoke with Nightmare Moon controlling my body I had yet to see any episode where she appeared even as a cameo.

At least, as far as I was aware of anyways. The show didn’t exactly make a habit of giving all the background ponies names.

So I asked a few ponies, and I soon found myself inside the library of Celestia’s Gifted Students school. Yes, I know that’s not the name, but I’m in a hurry here!

There I found a cream colored Unicorn with a mane and tail style similar to that of Twilight Sparkle’s…though it was rather frayed and there were signs of stress on her face. I could even see some dampness still in her eyes.

Thankfully, I had picked up the present Spike had for her in the first episode from Twilight's tower, and had hastily sewed it back up, though not very well. I floated the present in front of her, but she ignored me. I waved it in front of her, but she seemed to just stare right through it. I even dropped it a few times, though not on purpose. I still wasn’t having much luck with this whole magic thing.

"Excuse me…"

Nothing..how rude. Well, time to be charming.

"Moon Dancer of Canterlot I have a present from Spike the dragon and Twilight Sparkle the gifted."

Talking in a more pleasant voice finally seemed to catch her attention. Then she saw that floating present and an alicorn.

And ignored it to go back to reading!

That made me angry! So angry I teleported away to some desert and screamed.

Then I created a glass statue of the mare and smashed it. Then did the same a thousand times more, every time making the statue more realistic and getting more creative in the ways I killed her.

By the time I ended up with her covered in quite realistic conjured blood my anger had finally subsided.

"I… I might need meditation lessons."

After that I took a dive in the ocean to calm down and extinguish my flames. Then I enjoyed the beauty of the sea and thanked the Sun and Moon that apparently breathing was optional for alicorns, or at least for me.

Then I went to take a bath and once I was presentable again I thought about what to do about Moon Dancer.

It took me a while to think in something that wasn't harmful to the mare or amusing to watch.

Finally I decided to take a page out my sister book and write her a letter. After all, sending her to Applelosa to make friends and study non-pony cultures might be actually be good for her. And yes I gave her a grant to do that on the condition she also get a job in the town and did her best to know everypony and actually make friends.

Of course I later told my sister what I had done. All of it, including my tantrum in the desert. Then she confessed to me that she dealt with frustration by being a prankster occasionally.

My answer was to dress in a clown outfit and, turn her mane and coat pink.

"Yes, this does seem to work well; thank you dear sister for your helpful advice."

I have no idea where I got the clown outfit either. No, actually I do, apparently there is a room full of costumes of my current size in the castle and I teleported one to myself just because.

Instead of a minor spell fight Celestia made up a song about being a "A Pink Princess in a pink world." that was basically a rip off the song Barbie girl.

And then we were both wearing our royal regalia and back to normal like nothing had happened.

Yeah it was weird for me too.

"So you decided to take Moon Dancer as a student of sorts?"

Well it was more of a punishment, but sure let's go with that.

"Somewhat, she really seems like she had to stop reading dusty old books and make some friends."

Celestia just stared at me, I winked.
"Did you talk to Twilight Sparkle, maybe in her dreams?"

"Oh no, I talked to the assistant, that's how you get to know the interesting things."

"And I suppose you also helped fillies and colts with their nightmares?"

Ouch, right into the heart, thanks a lot sunbutt.

"I think I will wait until ponies get used to me first; besides, I don't want to be feared." Then I started to cry.

Celestia hugged me. "Sorry I guess it must be hard."

"I… I think the children will be scared of me."

I really did, I had been acting weird lately. What if I acted like the other Luna did in the Nightmare Night episode?

So I kept crying and sobbing and I was basically a mess. Then I somewhat calmed down and we had dinner after we did our duty of moving the sun and the moon.

And of course when I went to sleep I just couldn't get pleasant dreams.





I had nightmares, everything from being exiled to the sun to waking up as a puppet in a dollhouse. The only reason I didn't wake up screaming was because the nightmares ended before I woke up.

And then I was left in an empty space with only myself in it.

"Now what?" I asked, but nothing answered back.

"Ah well, let's try something. My Sister Princess Celestia."

I then saw a bubble with a sun cutie mark on it and I entered it. What I saw inside was terrible, a blazing sun, scorched earth, the ruins of Canterlot and at the center of it there was my sister only she was literally light on fire and her eyes were blood red.

"Sister?" I asked fearfully and when the fire monster in the shape of my sister saw me she seemed surprised.

"Luna? Little Luna? NO! I killed you! I…"

The next thing I knew, I was hugging the flamming mare, it hurt and burned my coat , mane and skin but I didn't stop. 

"Is okay Tia, is just a nightmare I am here now." 

Thankfully the flames extinguished and I got hug back.

"My little sister… you shouldn't have to see me like this." 

Celestia was back to her normal appearance and was crying. My horn glowed white and I became fully healed. 

"Is my job. How could I face scared children if I can't face my sister first?"

We nuzzled each other and just stayed there, hugging each other.

'For you Princess Celestia. For the future of Equestria, you cannot know the truth.'

I could see it now, Celestia rage at being tricked, at being given a fake sister after waiting a thousand years… nothing would survive. 

So I have to continue to wear this mask if lies until it becomes the truth, is the only choice.

Finally after what it seemed like a long time, I woke up. Then I went into my sister's room and saw her as she raised the sun, it was beautiful. No wonder Twilight Sparkle fell in love with that. 

"Dear sister, are you well?" 

Celestia turned around and seemed surprised to see me.

"So… it was really you? The one I saw in my dreams?"

"Yes. Children usually have their parents and caretakers, but we only have each other. And I did promise  that we would see each other in dreams, didn't I?"

"I… thank you." 

Even if is a lie, she is still my sister. I am the only one who can heal the broken mare behind the princess mask.

So even if it costs me everything, I will persist in my lie. Because this is the lie that might save Equestria's future.
> The Moon has been doubled
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up to the smell of food, waffles with maple syrup. Then I  looked around, this wasn't Luna's room, everything in the room looked...  plastic and fake.

Still, the cloud bed I was over was quite comfortable. I took a bite of the cloud and ate it getting disappointed that it tasted like water. I looked myself over, I still was in Luna's body but was wearing a Powerpuff Girls nightgown, weird. 

Then breakfast floated to me, held in a familiar colored aura, it felt a lot like my own magic actually. It was waffles and orange juice, and toast with strawberry jam.

"Oops, I forgot the tray!" The voice of a small girl said. Then a wooded tray floated under the breakfast. Then the food landed in the tray slowly.

"Who are you? What's going on?" I  asked but I got no answer and the food tray landed in the cloud without sinking.

Still... the food smelled good. 

I ate the breakfast slowly, savoring it. Then I jumped to the floor and exited the room , finding myself in a land made of chocolate.

"Hi!" Said the voice again, this time in front of her. It was... a mini Princess Luna? What?

I kicked herself, it hurt and the filly Luna in front of me didn't disappear.

"Hi, why I am here and who are you?"

"I... I don't know?  And... I... uhh... bye!" The filly unicorn then threw a smoke bomb and ran away. I chased after the mini me and then...

And then I woke up... for real this time. 

The thing about being Princess Luna I probably hate the most, is being nocturnal. Breakfast was okay but after that I had to go to sleep, and no, apparently Dream Walking doesn't count as sleeping.

I sleep for a few hours and woke up screaming, thankfully not remembering my nightmares. That made me miss the mini Luna dream. 

I decided to take a long bath and play with a ruber ducky that somehow was in my tub.

Maybe it was my sister idea? It was distracting at least.

After that I asked the guards outside my room to sent me a maid.

I ended with a nervous looking earth pony mare.

"Is... is something wrong your highness?" The coffee brown pony asked while trembling.

I took out a brush from under my pillow, doing my very best to not smile as that would have scared her even more. Then have it to her.

"Brush my coat servant."

"What? I mean... yes princess!"

Having my coat brushed was relaxing, despite how nervous she was, the earth mare did a good show.

"You did well, what is your name servant?"

"Toffee Sparkle your highness."

I raised an eyebrow "Are you related to a Twilight Sparkle?"

"Not as far as I know Princess."

'Must be a coincidence then.'

"Very well, you can leave." 

The fact she almost couldn't stop herself from running when she left hurt a bit. 

'Calm down Luna, trust is something that must be earned.'

Two days later, after that weird dream with mini me, I said goodbye to Moon Dancer as she left in the train to Appleloosa, she didn't seem very happy with her new job.  

Most ponies were keeping their distance from me, but that was probably because of the guards my sister had following me and because I was a princess and  unlike Celestia, most ponies didn't know me. 

No of course it wasn't fear because I had been Nightmare Moon, don't be silly!

I felt... not great or less guilty but definitely better about my choice. The trip would be good for Moon Dancer, possible crush on Twilight Sparkle or not.  

And about myself? I really wanted to try something. 

"Pinkamena Diane Pie, if you do not appear here right now I will exile your whole family to the Badlands." 

I waited a few minutes, nothing happened. 

The Royal Guards looked at me in confusion. 

"Nevermind, I just wanted to see if that silly mare was following me around. I am not really gonna exile anypony to the Badlands... today."

I then turned and started to walk back to the castle, thinking about it, Moon Dancer might also had been grumpy because the train left at five in the morning. But I am not a day pony, okay? Early morning is the best you can get from me. 

But then I changed my mind and I walked right into Joe's Donuts, somehow it was open at this hour but the one in the counter wasn't Joe but an old mare, maybe his mother?

So I ate donuts and forced the guards to eat donuts too, I even paid instead of using my royal right of getting it free, because otherwise they would feel my ire.  

Despite what fanon had taught me about Luna being addicted to caffeine, I actually just drank a glass of milk. 

Then I was back in the castle in time to see my sister out of her morning shower. That she usually took later, but me messing the moon had forced her to take it at about six AM. 

She was not a happy pony even If I had been the one working all night dealing with dream problems. Well mostly failing at entering dreams but I did help Fluttershy yesterday a bit at least. 

I smiled and nuzzled her neck. 

"Good and glorious morning dear sister! Fair Moon Dancer has left on her mission and I ate these delicious things called Donuts, even if I failed to meet Joe of the Donuts." 

Celestia chuckled at hearing me.

"Luna why do you talk like that? I know you can speak modern Equis." 

"Oh that's true but I am the royal princess sister no pony knows; so I decided to play being the weird one. I am still out of date in many things." 

"Hence why you took the guards to eat donuts?"

"Yes but is true we didn't had those before... Let's call it my time out on the moon." 

And that soured everypony mood, even mine, great job substitute Luna! You failed Lunar Replacement, you Destroyer Moon Moron you... 

"Eh, I am going to take my morning nap. Dreamwalking is not really sleeping. See you for lunch? Don't be afraid to wake me for it... just use a long stick, I might bite."





Meanwhile back in Ponyville... 

"So you too were visited by Princess Luna in your dreams?" Spike asked in an enthusiastic tone.

"Yes. She... she told me some useful advice." Fluttershy said as she hid her face behind her pink mane. 

"Is that why Rainbow Dash is wearing a dress and complaining about it?"

"Well... I might have offered her a reward if she got used to wearing it and went to a fancy lunch with me. at Canterlot. Bye Spike, our carriage is here now."

"Bye and good luck. Now what I was doing so early? Ah yes, I had to take out the trash."

Trash collectors picked trash early in the morning in Ponyville, while in Canterlot they did so at night.

Spike wondered, What was Princess Luna doing right now?

Said princess turned out to be sleeping while she drooled to a pillow and called it mister Sparky.

And in said princess dream, she was playing tag with a much smaller and younger version of herself. 





"So... who are you?" I said after what it seemed hours of playing tag. Time inside dreams was relative after all. 

"I am Princess Luna!" The mini me said smiling. 

Oh... this could be good or could be horrible. Good because it meant something of Princess Luna mind and personality was left in her body, horrible because If she somehow took control over our body it would be with the personality of a little filly. 

Considering how powerful an alicorn could be, that wasn't good. 

And mini Luna  did explain were I was getting that information and magic skills I had been pulling without knowing how. 

Still... maybe I could take Celestia to meet mini Luna? I would have to make sure Celestia wasn't aware in the dream, but playing with mini Luna would probably help both her and mini me. 

Briefly I considered turning Celestia into a small filly... well maybe when Discord got free?Iis not like it would make things worse by then and I had to research how to do that spell first. 

"So, ever head the story of Princess Wonna who got stuck in the Moon?" 

"No, tell me!"

'Celestia, Luna, I have no clue what's going on but one day I will get the two of you together... I promise.'
> Is not easy being blue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There once was a princess named Woona, who was stuck on the moon. But you know what? Everything turned out ok in the end." I said finishing telling story of Moonstuck to mini Luna. 

I did my best and she enjoyed it, but there was no way It was as cool as the blog had been. Not to mention I only remembered the highlights so I had to improvise a bit. 

And then of course the dream started to fade away. 





I had an annoying bug in my face, I tried to eat it. 

Mmm, crunchy and it tasted like wood. 

Wait a minute... wood?

I opened my eyes and saw that the bug I had eaten was actually the point of a long wooden stick. 

I spit the wood bits from my mouth. 

Celestia was holding said stick and looked amused. 

"You weren't kidding about biting."

"Lunch time already?" I groaned, at least keeping mini Luna happy had not been Dream Walking, but I wanted to sleep more. 

"Yes, I can let you sleep a bit more if you want." 

"No, is okay... " I said and I slowly got out of bed, then took a cold shower and used magic to fix my apparence from wet pony to 'actually looks like a sexy Moon Princess.'

I probably could use the spell because the real Luna had used it a lot. 

Not that I do not prefer being pampered, but the spell is faster.

"Done! First bids on the dessert!"

"What? But the dessert is chocolate cake with chocolate cream, small bits of sour chocolate mixed with the cream and a white chocolate cover with cherries on top and vainilla cream!" 

I just... stared at my sister. 

"Dear sister, you are aware that a lot of ponies will get sick if they try to.imitate you by eating desserts like this, right?"

"I will let you have the bigger slice." 

"Ah well... I do need to put on some weight."  'Plus if I do have an alicorn metabolism, might as well  take advantage of it.'

Hey  don't look at me like that, the energy to move the Moon, manipulate dreams and stars has to come from somewhere. 

"But this night we are both running around Canterlot, just think of how those stupid nobles will react. Think they will make bets about who is the faster princess?" 

"But Luuunaa! I have a lot of things to do." Yes really, Celestia did whime to me like a spoiled child. 

"Oh..  are you saying all that cake and sitting on your behind all day have make your slow? " 

"You are gonna regret saying that little  sister, I will make you eat dirt as I leave you behind with my amazing running speed!" 

"Boop, the last one to eat lunch is a loser!" I touched my sister nose an ran to the dining hall, but she got before me because she teleported there.  

"Loser." 

"Cheater."

"You didn't say magic wasn't allowed."

"Fine." I grumpily sat to eat lunch but soon cheered up because the food was fantastic.  

"That was fun." My sister admitted. 

"Yes it was. Also calling not it in buying a present." 

"A present for what?" Celestia asked.

"The next event we are both invited to that needs one." 

"Oh like a wedding? I have been trying to hock up Cadance, that's Twilight Sparkle former babysitter, with someony. But that pegagus mare seems immune to love or something..."

I almost felt out laughing considering that the show Cadance was the princess of love... and talking about that.. 

"I think I saw her in a dream, she is the pink pegasus with a cutie mark that looks like a crystal heart, doesn't she?" 

"Ah yes, now that you mention it her cutie mark does indeed look a lot like that thing we had to destroy to kill King Sombra so long ago." 

Wait... Celestia and Luna destroyed the Crystal Heart?

"A pity that meant all the ponies that lived in the Crystal Empire had to move away after that but... having an Empire in a place with hostile weather that only survives due to a magic artifact was not a good idea to start with."

"Yes.  And quite pretentious to call a single city an Empire anyway."  

"True but King Sombra ego was as big as a mountain."

After that we finished lunch and shared the cake, the thing was so sweet it would probably have given me a heart attack if I didn't have Luna's body

"Tia, did you kill your sence of taste while I was gone? This cake has so much sugar that magic must have been used to make that possible!"

"Too sweet then?"

"Next time an enemy invades, just invite them some cake, they might perish on the spot."

Celestia then stared at me "Oh come on, is not that sweet!"

"Oh really? Then call a guard and order him to eat a slice!"

"No, I am not sharing cake with anypony else!"

"Then I win!" I said sticking my tongue out. 

"Fine, more cake for me."





After lunch I have my sister a hug, supressing the inner voice that called me an impostor.  

Then I brushed my teeth and went back to sleep. 

I awoke in time to rise the moon, yawning. 

Then I took off flying into the night sky until I found a nice cloud and relaxed on it. 

Soon the sun princess joined me. 

"So... still want to run around Canterlot?"

"No... too tired." I yawned again and hugged my sister." Ummm.... I think I  like you being so big, there is so much of you to hug."

Celestia smiled "Not the first time I heard that, but usually is one of my lovers." 

"Ah just you wait, once Nightmare Night comes around I will be somepony best princess... Probably a kid but I can wait until he gets older...  ah no, too creppy."

"I could never have romantic  relationship with ponies I knew as kids, too. That means I tend to have trouble finding somepony since everyone wants to know me since young and kids love me." 

"Mm hum, and yet you are horrible with kids, while I am horrible with adults.  We really need each other a lot don't we? Also... I think I might find Applejack cute. That's the orange farmer mare... but  ugh... Don't worry I can find somepony else, maybe her brother? No, he seems fragile." Why was I rambling like a fool? Stop!

"Are you serious about these feelings?" 

"I don't know, maybe? When I see the other Element Bearers I see potential for both and bad in them. But when I see Applejack..." My face feel hot, was I blushing?  

I groaned "Sorry... she probably is not even interested in mares..."

"And will you let that stop you?"

"Yes. I don't want to hurt anypony... well save Discord... too bad his power far outstrips ours."

Celestia nuzzled me "You deserve a chance for happiness."

"Maybe but... if Discord gets out, those six will be needed again."

And then I started to cry, in fact I cried myself to sleep. 





I decided to visit Applejack dream but I ended in Applebloom's dream instead. 

As I saw the dream turning into nightmare I intervened.

"Is not really that of a big deal."  I said after I turned the dream bullies to stone. 

"Princess Luna? And you mean my cutie mark?" Thankfully the filly wasn't scared of me.  

"Yes. Did you know ponies are the only species that gets cutie marks?"

"What about Zebras?"

"Well, I am sure they do not, but you could ask the zebra that lives next to Ponyville just to be sure. I think her name is Zecora." 

"But they make fun of me because I don't have my cutie mark yet." The small filly whined. 

"And if you had it, they would make fun of you because of something else. Don't let mean ponies decide what's truly important to you." 

"But .. I still want to find what my special talent is."

"Then just try to find what you are truly good at. And don't let others make you ashamed if your talent doesn't turn to be something... I think the word is cool?" 

"But if I had a cool special talent no pony would make fun of me and everypony would want to be my friend."

"Tell you what, why don't you ask your sister and her friends what kind of ponies you end getting as friends just because you are popular?"

"Okay, I think I will." 

I smiled and have Applebloom a hug. 

"Good. Never be afraid to ask your family and friends for help. Now I have to go."

"Wait!" She said just as I was about to leave her dream.

"Do you need anything else?" I said sounding annoyed. 

"Do you know any shortcut to getting a cutie mark?"

Should I? Ah why the buck not.

"Cutie marks tend to appear when a pony realises what they are really good at or what they find really important in their lives. The problem is that sometimes they don't understand what that something is even after they get their mark." I paused and licked my lips, how do you even get dry lips in a dream? "And it can be confusing since sometimes the cutie mark design doesn't exactly match the talent. Take your sister friend Rarity for example, her cutie mark is a diamond but she is a dressmaker and actually got her cutie mark after making fancy dresses."

"Oh... and do you know what my special talent is?" 

"That my little pony, is something you have to figure yourself. Goodbye." I left the dream before she had me answering questions all night.  

My next attempt to enter Applejack dream ended with... well let's just say Bon Bon and Lyra must be really be good friends. I quickly left that dream with my face red as a tomato.
> Moon Power
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up, set the moon so my sister could rise the sun and then I took a half hour cold shower. 

Just to be clear, being interested in females is not something I got after becoming a magical pony princess. As a human female I was Bi, I just had not dated any women since my time at the University when I wasn't a pony. 

What was a tad creppy to me was the age difference but at least we were both adult mares. And I was a tad scared that Applejack would feel like it was her duty to date me because I was a princess. Plus ya know, the whole thing of not wanting to conplicate the life of the mane six more than needed since we did need the girls to face Discord. 

Then I was torn between eating breakfast and going right back to bed, but hunger won out. 

So I had breakfast with Celestia. 

"Sorry that I didn't visit your dreams Tia, I got held up too long helping a child."

"So you are helping children's with nightmares again? That's wonderful!" Celestia then stood up and have me a hug. 

"A single child and she is from Ponyville... how are you doing?" I hugged my sister back.

"Well, I admit that waking so early is not fun, but it leaves me time to do other things." Celestia said thoughtfully. "How are your plans to move to Ponyville for a while?"

"I... I haven't been working on that. I decided to help ponies there with their nightmares first." That had been by accident but  it did help my plans. "And not just kids, but the Element Bearers and those close to them. They probably attract enough trouble already without having to deal with Nightmares." 

"Oh absolutely, no power comes without a price, even if the Elements Of Harmony are shared by six instead of two, their lives are gonna be more interesting that they have been before." 

"And do you have spies on Ponyville?" I just had to ask.

"No, if they truly need my help, I am sure they will ask. That's the true purpose of having made so young Spike flames have teleporting abilities, so my dear student has an easy way to contact me." 

That reminded me, did Sunset Shimmer exist? I didn't want to ask so I didn't know how to find out. 

After all, I had to worry about Celestia not thinking I was a fake Luna, so better not try anything like pulling Sunset name out. Is not like I could claim I got that name from a dream like I could with other things.

"Sooo... did anything interesting happen during my lunar timeout?"

"What do you mean by interesting?"

"Did you mayhap have a double life pretending to be a regular pony with the help of magic and before you knew it; the other identity ended married and with adopted kids?"

Yeah, turns out Alicorns can't have kids, dunno why, but that's how it is. Maybe is part of the price for being an alicorn. 

Celestia looked around making sure it was just the two of us, whatever servants were around quickly left us alone, taking the hint. 

"Yes... how did you know?" Celestia asked me with her head down... she seemed.... ashamed?  Dammit, why I had to keep getting ideas out of fanfics to ask her things?

I quickly walked to her side of the table and nuzzled her.   

"There is nothing wrong with that sister, if anything, having done that must have helped you to understand our little ponies better. In fact if I had done the same, mayhap I would not have ended so angry and sad." 

Of course I had said that as much to her as it was for myself. Because I was after all, lying to Celestia to make her happier. And what about the rest of Equestria? Well is not like no pony else was left that knew Luna before her banishment, so I didn't care since for them I was the only Princess Luna they had ever seen. 

"But Luna, I lied to all those ponies,  lied to my husband and children, and I even faked getting old as I saw my loved ones getting older!"

"So?  Honesty may be one of the Elements Of Harmony, but too much honesty hurts and destroys. And relacionships are not possible if you are completely honest.  Did you truly love them? Then it was at most like a small lie, the lie helped your husband and children like it helped you. After all, what are Dreams but lies one tells to oneself during slumber? Yet without dreaming ponies lives would be much worse."

By worse I meant dead, I had not investigated if ponies had done experiments about preventing dreaming like humans had. Something I actually didn't want to look into since I was sure that with Luna powers I could actually prevent anyone from dreaming if I knew how. 

"Lulu, I don't know if you truly believe that or you are saying that to make me feel better, but thanks." Celestia nuzzled me back, and we both stayed like that for a moment more until I walked back to my chair and finished breakfast since I was still hungry.

It was things like these that made me realise how hard it must have been for Celestia all the centuries she was without her sister.  

A part of me felt horrible because of my awful lie, for my pretence of being her sister. But then a crueler part of me said, 'didn't Celestia just admit of having done the same thing at least once?'

It was a sobering thought to find out Celestia and myself were the same in that regard. 

After that I went back to bed, woke up late in the afternoon and I decided to write a letter to Moon Dancer. 

Dear Student of mine Moon Dancer,

It has occured to me that perhaps you may resent me, for I barged into your life and forced you to leave the confort of your home and books, to do a task you may think foalish. 

But I assure you, it was a task that needs to be done, just as you needed to move on with your life.  

And I do think you are a smart mare with potential, otherwise I would  have not make you my student.  It was not just anger at how rude you were with me.

No matter what feelings you may have for Twilight Sparkle, I can confirm to you that the young mare didn't intent to be cruel and unkind, but was busy with an important task.  

That task being the defeat of Nightmare Moon.

The fact she seems to have forgot about you after completing said task is regrettable, but life not always goes the way we want.

That happens even if you are a mighty alicorn princess, so I say is better if you finally move on instead of suffering for somepony that ignores you. Had I done that myself long ago, there would have no been Nightmare Moon. 

So I honesty hope you are fullfiling your task and trying to make some friends in Appleloosa; while investigating how other smart species live and interact with ponies. 

And if do you feel you truly need my help, you can ask that for me. That's one of the privileges you get for being my student, and yes you can brag about that if you want, as long as you do so in moderation. 

Kind regards, Your Teacher, Princess Luna.

P.S: I think that once you have calmed down, you could write a very polite letter to Twilight Sparkle to tell her how do you feel. Politeness is a powerful weapon that can be mightier than a sword or a spell, if used right. 

Then I sent the letter by Pony Express mail, and by that I meant I got one of my servants to do the task for me. 

Is not like sending letters using magic was a spell that came to me by instinct, and I didn't want to ask Celestia how she did it. 

'Mmm, thinking about it, writing letters to others besides fair Moon Dancer might be a good idea.' 

 Dear and fair Applejack-

I stopped, thought about what I was doing, and threw the unfinished letter to the paper trash can next to Luna's writing desk. 

'I can and I must lie to Celestia, to keep Equestria and myself from burning to ashes, but I cannot do that to Applejack, that wouldn't be a good idea. Mmm, should look into disguise spells and look for an Applejack lookalike then?'

After all, everypony lies to get one night stands, don't they? 





Unfortunately I had no time to get to look into said spells because I received a letter. 

To the fair and kind Princess Luna,

My name is Swetie Belle, I am Rarity's sister. I don't know if this letter will get to your but I need help! Everything I try to cook burns, even orange juice! My parents seem okay with it but I saw the look of horror my sister gives me every time I try my hooves at cooking. 

Please, please, pretty please with a sugar cube on top, is there anything you can do to help me? I know you help ponies in their dreams but I don't think this can wait for long. 

Your fan, Sweetie Belle.

So I flew to Ponyville as quick as could, don't ask me how I didn't crash or made a foal out myself. 

When I landed on the town, everyone was panicking, but not thanks to me. 

A weird mix of bug and bear, perhaps of wasp and bear, was attacking the town. 

"YOU DARE TO HURT MY LITTLE PONIES, FOUL BEAST?" 

My shout was so strong it created a shockwave that destroyed all the windows in town, and made the bear thing yell in pain. 

That have me time to think what the buck to do, because mighty alicorn body or not, I didn't know how to fight or wanted to end dead doing so.

The creature had a bear like body with fur in white and black, four arms, two smallish feet for it's size and most worrysome, a big wasp like sting, or maybe hornet sting, that could probably kill my little ponies if they got hurt by it.

If that wasn't bad enough, besides bug like insectoid antennae and the sting, the creature had wasp like wings, that despite being a tad smaller that it's arms, that let the bear thing fly. 

And it was flying to hit me with it's sting, only to stop when a brave pony mare kicked him on the side. And so she saved me from being stabbed to death since I had just stood there like an idiot. 

Said brave mare being no pony else than Applejack. 

I still don't know exactly what happened, but one moment I was starting at the bug bear thing with anger, then at the smaller Applejack and when I looked at the monster my horn burst with power born out of fear of losing the mare I fancied, and... 

Let's just say the Canterlot castle maze garden would have won a new statue, had I not kicked the recently petrified creature until only stone dust remained. 

And then of course I blacked out, because why not?
> The Moon Must be Crazy I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I woke up, it was the middle of the night, I felt ashamed of having fainted like that, then again it had not been that long since the Elements purified me. 

I was resting in Luna's... in my very comfortable bed and I wondered who had moved me there when I saw Celestia looking at me in worry. 

"Hi Tia... I overdid it a bit, didn't I?" My smile was so fake that I did it only for two seconds since I hated the fact I had made her worry for me. 

My big sister cried and have me a hug, I hugged her back, also crying for some reason.  

"You made me and a lot of ponies worry about you." That was Celestia speak for saying 'I don't want you to get hurt ever again.'

"I know I was stupid to force myself like that when I am far from recovered, but when I saw fair Applejack in danger... I snapped." 

"Luna, Twilight and her friends could have dealt with the Bugbear themselves!" 

'Oh so that's what that thing was called.' 

"And so I should have done nothing  when my... when OUR LITTLE PONIES ARE IN DANGER? I cannot pretend to ignore danger when is in front of me, even if it's to teach somepony a lesson or is supposed to make things better on the long term. I love my little ponies and I love Applejack and if I get hurt because it was to protect them... then I will.gladly do so, as long as that means my loved ones are not the ones getting hurt."

"And how do you think I feel if I see you getting hurt Lulu?" 

'Yeah, I am an idiot. Wasn't my biggest excuse for my great lie to give Celestia happiness and to keep Equestria safe yet here I am hurting my sister?' 

"... If it had been you there, and I was the one in risk of getting hurt... Don't tell me you would have done nothing. I know you do not want to lose me again...but Tia... sometimes love hurts. You and I know that better than others do. We are so different,  you are the beauty of daylight in summer and I am the starry sky with a full moon in winter. Yet we are sisters, we are family, and we have a big responsibility, and no other shall ever know the price we paid to rule the sun and moon. Is it fair for me to seek love with others if I will not age like they do? Companionship and friendship is one thing, but love... oh how much love can hurt. That's why I won't tell anything to Applejack. To save her the pain."

"Luna... what are we going to do? Is has only been a few days and we already hurting each other feelings again. Will it always be like this?"

'Ouch.'

"Dear big sister of mine, I do not want to give you promises I won't keep. But will stay and rest in Canterlot until I feel strong enough again. Besides it was just a Bugbear, we just had a big scare but nothing happened. And... we are sisters, we cannot help but to fight... lets just try to communicate better so our fights... never get too big."

"Yes, let's do that." 

And then my stomach grumbled and Celestia then served me food herself, it was just vegetarian sandwiches and apple juice but it was really nice to see her pampering me.  

"Tiaaa! I am not a little filly, I can eat myself!" I protested when she tried to feed me. 

"Hush, you are still and will always my baby sister, besides Doctor orders say you can't use magic for a week, not even levitation."

"WHAT?"

"It was going to just be three days but as they say being royalty has it's perks."

"Sister, I am a Princess too, older sister ot not you can't order me around!" 

"I can if you are sick. Just...Just let me have this okay?" 

"Fine!" I sticked my tongue out but still let her feed me like I was a foal, it was humiliating but at least it was just the two of us. 

I wondered if the real Luna would have acted like this, being so playful with Celestia and so Celestia allowing herself to be playful and have fun too. 

And that reminded me I still had to have little Luna meet Celestia. But since Dream magic probably counted as magic I couldn't yet. 

After my meal was finished I finally remember to ask something.

"So what was Ponyville's reaction to my daring rescue?"

"Oh, most of the young ponies think it was cool, while most of the adults think it was violent and scary but of course they don't dare to complain to my face. And Twilight and her friends are impressed while Applejack is grateful."

"Oh... how grateful are we talking here?" I dreaded the answer to that. 

"Very, she thinks she owes you her life." Celestia smile made me want to kick her rump. 

"Sister, a romantic relationship shouldn't be based on an unpaid debt."

"While that's true, maybe this will be good for you."

"And what if I break her heart and we need Twilight and her friends to use the Elements again?"

"I don't think you will break her heart."

"Oh, like you didn't want to break mine?" I regret saying that as soon as it came out my mouth. 

"Luna... I... I will see you later."

"No, wait! I am sorry! My... my head hurts and I am grumpy because I am tired."  And it was actually saying the truth, I had pushed my body a bit too much. No wonder Luna didn't show for the rest of the first season after the Elements purified her. 

"Even so... I do have duties to attend to."

"Oh... right.  Kiss me goodbye in the forehead?"

Celestia smiled and did so "You have been... different since your return. Yo tell me things more and are more playful. And you tell me how you feel. It's a bit strange but I like it. Do you still want to give Twilight Sparkle magic lessons?"

Well of course I was different, I am a fake Moon after all, and no more that a lunar replacement at best. 

"Mmm, yes, I hate to see wasted potential and somepony being afraid of their own magic. And of course is strange... something big happened and changed things forever. Good night Tia."

"Good night Lulu." 

And then after she left I went back to sleep.

Somehow I ended waking up early in the morning. Maybe the thing about being Princess Luna I probably hate the most, is being nocturnal. Breakfast was okay but after that I had to go to sleep yet again.  And due to doctor orders, no Dream Walking for me.

I sleep for a few hours and woke up screaming, thankfully not remembering my nightmares. 

I decided to take a long bath and play with a ruber ducky that somehow was in my tub. 

Maybe my sister idea? 

It was distracting at least. 

After that I asked the guards outside my room to sent me a maid. 

I ended with a nervous looking earth pony mare.

"Is... is something wrong your highness?" The coffee brown pony asked while trembling. 

I took out a brush from under my pillow, doing my very best to not smile as that would have scared her even more. Then have it to her.

"Brush my coat servant."

"What? I mean... yes princess!" 

Having my coat brushed was relaxing, despite how nervous she was, the earth mare did a good show. 

"You did well, what is your name servant?"

"Toffee Sparkle your highness."

I raised an eyebrow "Are you related to a Twilight Sparkle?"

"Not as far as I know Princess." 

'Must be a coincidence then.'





Anyway after my mane was brushed I went for something to eat and decided to try something crazy.

I put my hoof in my mane and tried to pull something from it. 

I got a rubber ducky, so that's were it had ended! Wait... was this magic, Pinkie Pie like weirdness or just the ducky ending there during my bath? I didn't feel tired so it was probably the latest option. 

I went to the castle library and got a few servants to get me books about the last thousand years of history, if I couldn't do magic I might as well study.

I am ashamed to admit it, but I started with the books for young children first.  A dozen children books later, including a pop up one, I decided to give up for the day. 

At least I had learned there had been a few wars while I was gone. More evidence I wasn't in canon Friendship is Magic or just something the show didn't cover up in the episodes I saw before I ended as Luna?

And when I went back to my room there was a pile of letters waiting for me. Either Equestria Royal Mail service was quite fast or Twilight Sparkle had sent those to Celestia using Spike magic fire and she had left them for me. 

I decided to give them a look later, I was tired again. 

So I went to sleep and little Luna meet me again, I have her a hug and told her a fairy tale like version of Equestria war with the Diamond Dogs that I had found out just that day. 

"Long ago in the magical land of Equestria, there lived a princess who controlled the sun..."
> The Moon Must be Crazy II
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up, ordered to have breakfast in bed and... 

I looked at the nervous maid in front of me, an earth pony mare who had just served me breakfast. 

"What is your name maid?"

"Toffee Sparkle your highness."

I raised an eyebrow "Are you related to a Twilight Sparkle?"

"Not as far as I know Princess."

'Must be a coincidence then... wait a minute! Didn't we already said something like that before to each other?" I was sure this was even the third time, even. 

"Uh... maybe?" She was so nervous it was kind of adorable. 

However I had things to do, so I just ate my breakfast and then let her clean up the mess I made and leave. 

Then I started to read all those letters I had got the other day. 

It turned to be Moon Dancer reports about Appleloosa, the ponies living there and other smart creatures like the Buffaloes. There was even a tribe of horned rabbits that was causing trouble by stealing the food. 

There had been a bit of tension with the Buffaloes but both ponies and Buffaloes had got together to fight off the plague of horned rabbits eating all the food. 

I wrote back a letter suggesting they actually let the local coyotes, yes they had those, eat the horned rabbits but not to the point of extinction. 

I admit I skipped a lot of Moon Dancer report because it was basically a lot of text, but I saved the letters in a drawer in my desk to read them again later.  

I also remembered to praise my student for writing such a detailed report but I suggested that if it was nothing urgent to not sent so many letters at the same time again.  

Then I wrote a letter to Sweetie Belle suggesting she might have a great afinity with fire magic and that she should get somepony to train her fine control of her magic to avoid burning food all the time. I also went to the library and copied several control exercises for young unicorn ponies that... had issues with their magic leaking off, to sent to her.

I also told her that I was okay and that killing monsters was not something to do most of the time, but that bugbears and timberwolves were an exception to that rule because of how vicious and evil they were. 

I also told her to never ever go alone into the Everfree forest. 

Having done that, I took a bath and went to sleep, I stared at the rubber ducky, still wondering were it had come from, then hid it in my mane.

Then I woke up to the sound of thunder, what the buck?





Mechanist Queen Radiance Celestal, ruler of the mechanical city of Canteborg, alicorn mechanist supreme, watched yet another black and white video of what those Griphons were doing.  Oh, new Queen? In the same year? What was this, the third or second time? 

Honesty, who would have thought the stupid cat birds would become so violent during their civil war?

Worse, she had not figured how to stop the videos being grainy due to magical interference, but at least the things worked. She finally was able to stop using those quite expensive magical orbs that tended to explode for some reason. 

"Princess Celestia, is time for your meeting!" Her spunky assistant said to her. 

"I am Mechanist Queen Radiance Celestal, I don't go to meetings!" 

KRACK-A-THOOM!!!

Dramatic thunder and lighting struck down behind her... were her equipment was.

"MY VIDEO PLAYER IS FRIED! STUPID THUNDER! I TOLD YOU TO DO THAT OUTSIDE!" 

The so called Thunder, a brown pegasus, muttered a silent apology. 

"Oh dear... not this again... Did you forgot to take your pills your highness!" Her unicorn assistant said. How could a pony that was all pink be such a spoilsport?

"I don't need any stupid pills, I am a the mighty mechanist supreme, my whole body is mechanical!" 

"I admit that's an impressive costume, but if you do not go there soon those greedy nobles will steal from the crown more that they usually do."

"Ahh.... fine. Miss Fine, get me one of those pills and a glass of water, but I am keeping tne costume, so I can scare those idiots a bit."

"After the solar flare thing last year, they are always scared of you princess."

"Blame the idiot who thought getting the pony who controls the Sun on soft drugs was a good idea." 

"That idiot was yourself your highness."

"I don't regret anything but what happened to Luna! Now get me that pill already!"

Miss Fine have Celestia her pill and a glass of water, after swallowing it  the alicorn looked confused for a moment and then looked herself over. 

"I did the whole  Mechanical Queen routine again, didn't I?"

"Yes you did your highness. Although I admit those devices that you create while you are like that are impressive."

"No rampaging mechanical monster this time, at least?"

"No, we did keep you busy convincing you to conquest Griphonia, as you had instructed us."

"Good. Still keeping the costume on, now that Luna is back I don't need to act so restrained anymore."

Miss Fine raised an eyebrow. "As you wish your highness."

Then a paniqued and sleep depresived Princess Luna entered the room.  "TIA! ARE YOU OKAY? WHY WAS  LIGHTING STRIKING INSIDE THE CASTLE?"

Princess Luna then noticed the costume her sister was wearing.  

"Is that an armor made out of gold?" 

"Yes..."  Celestia said, her face red as a tomato upon being caught dressed like this.

Luna seemed to think about it for a moment and then said. "Do you think I could get one in silver?"

"Yeah, why not?"

And then Queen Luna from the Lunar republic was playing a board game with her sister.  

"Ha! I got the goose to the pond, I win!" 

"Lulu, you have to get it to the end square, not to the pond, the pond is a distraction and makes you lose a turn."

"But Tia, gooses love ponds!"

"That's why it is a distraction." Celestia said in a tired tone.  

"Okay. You roll two times then."

After a few board games more, Queen Luna felt asleep in her chair, still wearing the silver armor she had got before.  

"Princess Celestia, you missed your meeting... again." 

"Oh dear, what was it about this time?" 

"Let me see..." Miss Fine looked over a bunch of papers. "Something about raising a tool to a bridge?" 

"What bridge?"

"The one that connects New Troot City to Haysburg." 

"What's that raise of the tool ever for? The bridge is made of Swirl Bricks, they are harder than that coot head was, so there should barely be any maintenance issues. In fact, there shouldn't even be a tool anymore, that bridge was fully paid six years ago!"

"Yes but because you missed th meeting the council probably raised the tool anyway."

"And that's why I can't retire... if only there was a way of making more alicorns..."

"If I may ask, how are alicorns made anyway?" Miss Fine asked, full of curiosity. 

"Since me and my sister were found as babies one day, I am afraid that I don't know." After saying that Celestia magically removed the costumes of herself and her sister.  

"I think I will take the rest of the day off." Celestia said as she levitated Luna with her magic.

"What if there is an emergency?" Her assistant of course asked.

"If it's some monster or invading army, send a l1etter to Twilight Sparkle, if it's politics, you are now my prime minister, effective right now, I even signed it and everything." Celestia said and showing her terrified secretary a signed and stamped document.

"WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY?"

"Yes. If you need help, you are authorised to arrest anypony for insubordination, and the royal guard has been ordered to give you their support."

Her spunky assistant turned Prime Minister fainted. 

"Dammit! Why does this always happen when I try to get a Prime Minister?" 





I woke up having a wooden stick poking my nose but I didn't try to eat it, like I did the previous time. 

"Hey Tia, what time is it?"

"Time to lower the sun and raise the moon."

"Okay." Without even waking up of bed, I watched Celestia lower the sun and then I raised the moon.  

"What now?" I asked my sister.  

"Sister, do you think that I am a bad ruler?" Celestia asked out of nowhere.

"Considering there is still a country for ponies after all this time... I do not think so?" 

"I let stupid nobles raise an unfair tax just to have time to expend with you."

"And? You can just lower that tax or remove it, under the treat of ruining the stupid nobles lives, right?"

"Luna, that's not how things work nowadays. I am running a republican monarchy not an absolutist one."

"First, it should be a diarchy since there is two Princess, and second, if you just made a comment saying that tax is unfair, do you think those nobles wouldn't lower it just to get your favor? Or that public support wouldn't get in your side to lower it?"

Celestia lowered her head. "I... I think that would ruin the whole point of letting my.... our little ponies having a say in the way the government is run."

"If our little ponies were capable of ruling this country on their own, then you wouldn't have to keep ruling things, right? You would have becomed a mere decorative figure with no political power."

Now, is not that I don't believe in democracy but let's be honest here, ponies are not humans, without a strong and capable leader they are a disaster.  As show again and again and again in both the show and comics.

"That's... a not inaccurate way of viewing things. But I still don't want to abuse my power and influence like that." 

"So... do you want me to do it? To play being the rude Princess who is hated by nobles?"

"Pretty please?"

"Fine. But I also want to catch the most corrupt noble, strip him or her of his or her power and money, and let the population hit said roble with rotten fruit."

"Deal!"

Wow... that was easy, she must be really tired of those jerks abusing her lack of time.  

"So... who is the most corrupt noble?"

"If I told you, that would be too easy, is part of your responsibilities to find out." My sister said with the kind of tone she uses for public speaking.  

"You have no clue, don't you?"

"Lulu, ruling a country takes a lot of time and effort, I literally don't have enough time on the day!" 

"Why don't you ask fair Twilight Sparkle to help to organise you schedule? She seems the type to do everything with a checklist... or three."

"Because it would be a huge responsibility and give her a panic attack?" 

"Yes, I can completely see that. That's part of the reason I am helping her friends and allies before I start to give her magic lessons." And because I am literally winging it, of course. 

Then I tried to pull the rubber ducky from my mane to prank my dister and got... a maid?

"Toffee Sparkle, what the fudge are you doing inside my mane?"

"I have no clue your highness."

At least the look of complete confusion on Celestia's face was priceless.
> April Fools' Day: Trixie and her kitten
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can honesty say that I did not expect this to happen to me.

Lose my powers? Sure, I saw that coming.

Being shot? I actually preferred that to keep being a monster.

The Fairy Queen turning me into a cat and dropping me into another universe? Well, it wouldn't be so bad... only I am a cat.

And I was so sure I had drained Doormaker power almost dry, but then again is not like similar powers aren't a thing.

At least I am not a three legged cat, I have all my four legs and a tail, and look like your average tabby cat.

And this World... either the Entities went really crazy here or is not a version of Earth.

How I do know that? I could accept one talking pony as a result of a weird power, maybe a whole city of them, but a whole country?

And let's not forget the winged ponies, the pegasi or whatever the plural of pegasus is. They are flying ponies!

And then there is the unicorns, even the young ones have some kind of telekinesis and I have seen a few do other things.

Did some biotinker go crazy here? I wish. Because I also saw a donkey talk... and I am not sure if I saw cows talk or it was my imagination.

And how do I know is a whole country of ponies? Because my owner is a traveling entertainer. And we have been to a lot of places with lots of talking ponies. 

She is not a bad... mare is the term I guess? Even if we didn't have the best start.

After all jumping at her face because she made fun of someone... or some pony? As part of her act was not one of my smartest ideas.

But I hate bullies, and that mare she made fun of ended crying. 

Yet... it was somehow for the best? Ponies laughted and believed it was part of the act and we both... ended playing to that somehow. 

And after that well... I ended following her until she accepted she now had a cat. 

I know I am imposing so I tried to be the less annoying possible, but I am still a cat.

I may have keep my mind but... if anything not being human has made me even more stubborn an opinionated, and also quick to anger. 

So fam quite sure that if I wasn't a kitten she would have got rid of me in those first few days. 

And then I ended helping on the next show, without attacking her.  Apparently ponies found the idea of a cute kitten assistant adorable.

And so we ended stuck with each other.  She even started to put me on disguises.

Apparently the idea of a kitten dressed up as some big bear thing called an Ursa Major is hilarious.

And then... one day we reached a place called Ponyville.

That was... interesting is the most polite word I can say about it.

****

Ponyville looked like a town like any other... until you noticed is next to the Everfree Forest.  

What's the Everfree Forest? A forest full of monsters, that wouldn't look out of place in fantasy book.

Then again talking ponies and magic, my life became is a fantasy book. 

Yes is magic, I have no better explanation to it, ponies are not violent enough compared to Capes
and while monsters could be what this world version of Zion is using to create conflict... 

That doesn't explain the whole ponies being in charge of changing the seasons things. That's... too much Disney Fairy tale to be the result of Capes powers.

Anyway what I was talking about? I felt nervous about this town, any place that had to deal with regular monsters attacks would mean Trixie was more likely to anger the wrong per... the wrong pony.

I tried to tell her this, I even used my claws to do crude drawings on the dirt of ponies running her out of town but that just have her the idea to work on another act instead.

Give me a pencil and see if I could draw things with my mouth on a piece of paper.

To my surprise I actually could, I still wonder if it is because of the Fairy Queen not exactly turning me into a regular cat or this whole world magic thing.

"Oh my gosh what a cute kitten!"

I turned my head to look at a yellow pegasus with a pink mane looking at me like it was the best thing that had happened to her recently.

She also... smelled of other animals.

Maybe she worked in one of the farms taking care of the animals or something.

"Ah yes Pest is very cute." Trixie said doing her usual bragging.

"You named you pet Pest?"

"Is not my cat, she just wouldn't leave!"

I stared at Trixie, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean... she is my best friend?"

That... was sadly accurate if only because I was the  closest thing Trixie had to a friend.

"Why is she drawing a bunch of monsters attacking you?"

"She what? No Pest you are supposed to draw the Great-"

"Meow."

"Oh come on that-"

"Meow meow."

"Yes I know this place is near the Everfree Forest but-"

"MEOW!"

"No, they wouldn't dare!"

The pegasus meanwhile was stared at us shocked.

"I... I didn't understand what your cat said."

"Well... it takes a while since her accent is atrocious."

I glared at her again, 'I don't have an accent!'

"No, you don't understand I am supposed to be good at-"

Boring.

I went to the top of the trailer to take a sun nap. 

"Well maybe is because she is not from around here? Maybe cats from-"

"I had never thought about-"

I keep hearing less and less until I finally fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was the afternoon, the yellow pegasus was gone. 

"Hey Pest you still think they would run me out of town?" Unlile before Trixie actually seemed worried.

"Mew."

"Okay, we are not doing the Ursa Major story then."

I jumped from the rooftop to the ground, rubbed myself against her leg and purred.

"Oh wow... you really hate that story don't you? Then again I have been doing it since before I knew you, so it may be getting a bit stale."

If I wasn't a cat I would have kissed her in gratitude as it was when she showed me the evil queen dress she had made for me I didn't complain.

****

The new show proved quite popular with the young ponies, mostly because no one could take me seriously as a villain.  

The illusions and magic tricks did help to make me a credible threat, for a open theater play for kids, but the thing was still incredible silly.   

One or two times I had to bonk Trixie in the head to remind her to focus on being entertaining for the fillies and colts and to not fo her challenge someone thing.  We were just too close to the country capital, the chance of an actual mage being around for a visit was just too high. 

The fact I know more about geography that my owner was something Trixie had trouble with but once I showed her the map she had to accept that yes, better not push her luck in a town that had monsters nearby.  

Trixie looked a mix of annoyed and happy upon the new show results. Young kids didn't have that much money to give us, but all of them have us some money or at least fruit and vegetables, and not in the throwing them into Trixie face.

And yes that had happened a few times, and only one time it was my fault. 

Then came the part that tended to be most popular and I hated.

Me doing tricks for the kids with some of Trixie help from behind the scenes.  And I hated it because small kids insisted on petting the cute kitten. 

It didn't fool any adults or even smart kids but this was the part of the show for the youngest in the audience. And if we made those happy their parents tended to make Trixie happy, with coins. 

"And now Arthur the magical cat-"

"She is a female cat." Said someone in the audience, was that that yellow pegasus again? No, it was the cowboy hat wearing mare next to yellow pegasus. 

"Is just a stage name, as I was saying now Arthur the magical cats will do some tricks!" 

Trixie then asked if any of the kids in the audience wanted to participate and purposely picked the youngest one she could find that wasn't wearing diapers. 

Yes I know, ponies wearing diapers? Is weird.

Then I performed some card and coin tricks for the kid, a young filly, and she seemed to love it.  Those were old tricks Trixie herself didn't do anymore but even in a land of magic and wonder a cat doing them was enough to impress or at least look cute.

And then the show ended and kids got the chance to take a picture with me in exchange for some money. That also mean said kids touching me, but it was this or eating the cheapest cat food, instead of the second cheapest. Yes I can hunt my own food but not all the time and not the same day we are doing a show. 

It annoyed Trixie to no end that my pictures were more popular that pictures with her, but she also had some business sence and better take advantage while I remained young and cute.

And then we were finally done, I mistakely believed we had avoided disaster but then I saw a purple unicorn walk to us and when Trixie saw her she frowned for some reason.