A Daunting Task
The sound of constant chatter and dissatisfaction was heard throughout the royal halls. Thousands of ponies were noticeably lined up at Canterlot Castle, effectively closing many of the city’s nearby streets. Members of the Royal Guard, adorned in their unmistakable golden armor, were attempting to keep everything under control. A city that was once a bustling and prosperous metropolis was now a full-blown shantytown, chaos running rampant. Trash covered the streets, tents lined the sidewalks, and shops nearby were only used for the occasional relieving of oneself. The line itself rode up the castle steps, winding through almost endless corridors, before halting at its final destination: Princess Celestia.
And there the Princess watched as immeasurable amounts of ponies badgered her with their trivial wants and needs. The throne room sported a new look, extravagantly different from its already grand design. Wreaths decorated the cold stone pillars, ornaments hung from the banners, and even the throne itself was donned with festive lights. The grey and dark grey checkered floors were repainted red and green, fully accepting the holiday season. Aside from the Princess, the embellished room was the most breathtaking thing the ponies had ever seen. Unbeknownst to everyone else, however, Celestia counted second, after second, until at last she heard those blessed words.
“Last hearing for today!” an intimidating pegasus guard shouted. The moans and complaints of every single pony, who were waiting for days, erupted throughout the halls. The hallways were no different from the throne room as the seasonal decorations were shaking from the noise. As the booming roars died down with the horde of ponies trotting away, the last, and very fortunate pony walked up to Celestia.
“Your highness,” an old pony said while kneeling.
Celestia rolled her eyes, eagerly anticipating the chance to retreat to her chambers.
“Yes, my loyal subject?”
The old earth pony was anything but regal, and his voice certainly did not express the arrogance of the usual Canterlot elite. Celestia looked upon him, the change of scenery refreshing her fatigued mind.
“I-I’m sure you’re aware of the coming of Hearth’s Warming Eve, and I’m sure you’re also aware of the… stress it can bring.”
Celestia chuckled, reveling in the massive understatement that he had not a clue about. There was something about the winter season that spread happiness, peace, and prosperity amongst the ponies of Equestria. But for the Princess, all it brought was loads of paperwork and holiday disputes. Celestia sat patiently, maintaining her royal form.
The frail equine looked up at his Princess, marveling at all the splendor her gold-gilded throne had to offer. He eyed every carving, every glorious feature of the golden monument. He was practically drooling in front of Celestia. One of the nearby guards coughed, effectively throwing him the “wrap it up” look.
“Ah yes, well, uhm, I own a shop, a couple of blocks down the castle, actually. And, you see, last week, I was preparing for the ever dreaded Hearth’s Warming Welcoming Sale. The trouble is that, before I could open, the angry beasts seemed to plow through my doors. Now, I’m not saying they were all responsible, as some actually paid, but many of my wares were unaccounted for at the end of the viscous stampede.”
Celestia’s head perked up, softly peering down at her troubled citizen.
“Oh my, that certainly does sound unfortunate… but,”
The shopkeeper lowered his head at the word.
“I am unsure as how this is a matter to be dealt with by me, as you should have reported the criminals to the respective authorities,” Celestia said, her mind wandering off towards other, bigger problems.
“Ah, well yes, you see, I actually could not remember any single ruffian. I came here to ask for… well, a sort of reparation,” the pony said, anxiously grinning.
Celestia once again aimed her piercing gaze at the colt. He shivered as he could almost feel her eyes entering his very mind. A faint coat of sweat formed over his brow as he could not maintain eye contact any longer. Celestia narrowed her eyes, a silence penetrating the former bustling room. Just before the colt couldn’t take it any longer, Celestia broke the torturing silence.
“Very well, I will see to it that you are repaid substantially for your troubles. I am sure that a couple thousand bits would cover any damages and lost invento-”
“Sister, wait!”
Everypony in the room turned their attention to the other Princess, Princess Luna. As quickly as she appeared, she began walking towards the throne. It was actually rather awkward, watching the Princess as she made slow progress walking along the unnecessarily lengthy red carpet after such a dramatic entrance. The ponies waited patiently until, finally, the lunar princess stood beside her respected elder sibling.
“I have seen this one’s dreams, and his situation is not what he says it is,” Luna whispered into Celestia’s ear.
Celestia’s homely and warming smile faded ever so slightly as she heard the words. She began to rise, appearing larger and even more intimidating than she had ever been. Taking one last look at the sweaty, shaken pony, she turned to her most trusted friend of all.
“He is lying; he is only here in an attempt to undeservingly receive money. He does not even own a store,” Luna whispered, glaring at the worn-out colt.
“Are you sure?” Celestia asked, visibly concerned by such an accusation.
Luna sternly looked Celestia in the eyes, and nodded. Celestia sighed, shaking her head as she slowly lifted her front hoof towards the door.
“Guards, take this subject to a holding cell,” she commanded.
The seemingly courteous “shopkeeper” had his bottom jaw rested upon the castle floor as the remaining two of the Royal Guard carried him away, the large doors closing behind them. Luna, upon recognizing she was alone with her sister, dropped her regal posture, slumping onto one of the steps next to the throne.
“Well then, I am guessing that revealing a fraudulent scheme was not the reason you have called for me, Tia?”
Celestia, as well, dropped her dignified posture, lying back in her chair. She moaned as she conjured up a comb, attempting to hide the split ends that were beginning to form. Luna let out a small giggle, sitting up from her previous position.
“It is a little late for that; is it not, dear sister?”
“Hmm, well I guess it is, Sister. I am sorry, but this time of year somehow always catches me by surprise. The disputes, the arguments, the requests: I am afraid they flood in without mercy during the holidays.”
“Ever since I have returned, I have wondered how you could possibly deal with them. Why, a holding cell? I remember a time when most of our problems ended with the softest punishment… banishment,” Luna commented.
Celestia looked into her sister’s aquamarine eyes, matching Luna’s previous giggle with one of her own. She walked down the throne steps, accompanied by her sister, as she reveled in those memories set in her mind long ago.
“Well, we had only led a couple of hundred ponies back then. I am sure that if we were to do that today, the offense would have to be much direr than a mild act of fraud.”
“Should not the rules be the same, no matter the size of what we command? Sometimes, I sense that in these past thousand years, you have developed a... relationship with your subjects,” Luna said, boldly critiquing her elder.
“I do not see my love for the well-being of my ponies as a hindrance, my dear Luna. I think it has done quite well. Equestria has come a long way since we began our journey.”
Celestia walked up to a large stained-glass window, briefly recalling the time it depicted, so long ago in the past. It was crafted with remarkable craftsmanship, easily illustrating the climatic defeat of Discord by her, and her sister.
“In any case, I deem it to be a rather, remarkable strength for us ponies. Peace and love were not so easily found back then...”
A new silence crept onto both of them as they stared intently at the window.
“...But, going back to why I had called for you, would you please come with me?”
Luna nodded, trotting up beside her as they walked out of the throne room and down one of their many hallways. They turned right, walking down another hallway towards one that only they were allowed access. On the right wall laid countless stained-glass windows, each portraying a different event in Equestrian history. To their left, a wall that abruptly ended turned into an open view across their land of Equestria. The sun was lowered, and the scene of warming orange sky somehow reduced the effects of the outside’s icy winds. Masses of feathery snow draped itself across the land, forming the trees of the castle garden into what seemed to be giant broccoli-shaped marshmallows. As the sisters walked, the sun finally bid goodnight to the land, and fell past the horizon. Celestia let out a long and winded sigh, as if an enormous weight had been lifted off her weary shoulders.
Oh, finally. That feels so much better, Celestia remarked in her head.
Celestia looked to her right, watching her sister silently walk beside her. She was so quiet, and her expressions remained as cold as a windigo’s breath. She remembered when she wasn’t so; when she was giggly and asked question upon question. Back then, a simple “yes” or “no” was never good enough for her. Celestia found it to be her biggest annoying trait, but oh how she wished that time to return. Celestia finally broke the soft, tranquil silence when she asked, “Sister, do you remember what happened on the first Hearth’s Warming Eve?”
Luna stopped walking, as she looked up at a certain window, one showing a white alicorn, flying high in a gold-trimmed chariot with various, visibly happy ponies below her.
“Ah, I do. It was the year before I was sent, away.” Luna shrunk as she spoke the words.
“Yes, and do you remember what we did on that distant day?” Celestia queried as she continued walking.
Luna’s former frown let out a small grin, as she thought so far back, and quickly returned back to Celestia’s side.
“I remember everypony being absolutely shaken. However, I do remember us giving something back to our loyal subjects. An attempt to “lift their spirits”, yes? Are we doing the same here in the castle? It would be most fun to return a favor or two towards our loyal servants.”
Celestia shortly held her breath before exhaling, going over her next words very carefully.
“Actually, while you were gone, I have upheld that little tradition on the exact same day. However, instead of the few hundred ponies that followed from the ashes of Discord’s reign, our followers have spread across all of Equestria.”
“Why, making a gift for everypony across Equestria? That would take weeks, if not months of preparation,” Luna scoffed.
“It has,” Celestia spoke as they stopped in front of a large set of wooden doors. However, these doors were different than any in the castle, as they rose up high, almost into the ceiling. Carvings of happy ponies adorned the doors as Luna keenly looked upon each picture. There were ponies having snowball fights, ponies sitting around a fire telling stories, and even one constructing a luxurious igloo. Celestia entirely enveloped both doors with her magic, her aura sparkling with gold as it always had. As both doors were thrust open, the sounds of drills, hammers, and small babble erupted into Luna’s face, blowing her sparkling, stellar mane back with considerable force.
Celestia and Luna overlooked the huge room from above, which more of a factory floor than a room. Hundreds of ponies were hard at work, crafting gifts from the simple teddy bear, to a complex winding flugelhorn. Far to their right sat the largest mountain of mass-produced gifts that Luna had ever seen, still slowly growing in size. The stunned princess gaped across the factory floor in disbelief, eventually forming into sheer confusion.
“What is the meaning of this?” Luna demanded, glaring at her sister.
“I could not end it, Sister. I could not take away one of the very few things that they looked forward to. When I saw how happy, and joyful, they were from their gifts, how could I deny my subjects?”
Celestia lowered her head, a tear beginning to fall from her eyes. Although she cried, she could not help but smile as she looked over the tiny fraction of her loyal populace.
“I understand, Tia, but you are not dealing with a small crowd of ponies anymore. We rule over tens, if not hundreds of thousands of ponies. You cannot keep this up forever,” Luna said regrettably. Luna placed her hoof under her still-exhausted sister’s chin, lifting her face to hers. Only the Princess of the Night had seen the dark bags that plagued Celestia from under her eyes. Celestia stared at her with a hopeful gaze before turning away to oversee her expansive operation.
“I know, Luna. And that is why I have shown you this,” Celestia deadpanned.
Luna’s eyes widen, her legs trembling as she took a sudden step back.
“I understand if you refuse, but I must ask now. Since your banishment, I have upheld this tradition. And, unfortunately, my royal duties have taken its toll. The kingdom has grown too large for me to do this and my royal duties, even if I am an alicorn. This is why you must do this part in my place.”
Luna flinched as she closed her eyes, searching for an alternative solution.
“Big Sister, you surely must understand that this is impossible. Hearth’s Warming Day is tomorrow, and gifts of this vast quantity would take days to deliver,” Luna reasoned.
Celestia’s horn illuminated with her token golden-aura as she turned towards her sister.
“Yes, normally this would be impossible, but with this…”
A small crystal sphere with various intricate carvings and notches appeared before Luna. As Luna looked closer for inspection, the sounds that once covered every inch of the large room suddenly ceased. Luna looked around, only to find that everypony stood frozen in their place. At first, she thought of it to be a silly prank, but she then spotted a pony throwing a teddy bear towards another. The toy was stuck, in midair, as both ponies were also motionless.
“…You will be able to every single one of these gifts in less than a second.”