//------------------------------// // 29 - Intermission: Something Strong // Story: Change: Queen of The Hive // by tom117z //------------------------------// Canterlot, three days after Twilight’s disappearance Celestia was roused from her nap as the commotion from outside reached her ears, causing them to flick. Blinking owlishly, her eyes began to focus, revealing the stack of papers she had been working through. A sheepish smile crossed her muzzle, trying to remember the last time paperwork had caused her to drop off. She was interrupted again as the noise outside nagged at her attention. It was coming from outside her own chamber doors, and though she couldn’t make out what was being said, the voices were distinct enough; the two gruff males were obviously her guards, but the third female voice was one she couldn’t quite put a hoof on. Casting a quick spell, she amplified the sound coming from that direction. “The Princess said she was not to be disturbed,” one of the guards, ‘Stalwart Shield’ as Celestia noted, stated in a passive aggressive manner. “I don’t care what she said hours ago, I demand to talk to her now!” She could have sworn she knew that voice, and a feeling of irritation crept into her mind. “You don’t get to demand anything ma’am,” the second guard rebuffed. ‘That was definitely Quick Blow.’ “She said she could only be disturbed in the event of an emergency, or by her family.” “Family!?” the mare shouted. “FAMILY!? We’ve known each other for years, her niece is married to my son, and we both call the same mare our daughter. The only way I could be any more family is if I married the damn Princess myself!” Celestia ears flattened against her head. With everything that had been going on, she had completely neglected to involve Twilight’s other mother, Twilight Velvet. The realisation felt like a lead weight in her stomach, and shame coursed through her veins. Without a moment’s hesitation, she threw the doors to her chamber open, and pulled the younger mare in with her magic, closing the doors behind her. She unceremoniously set the light grey mare down in a cushioned chair by her desk, casting her shameful gaze towards the ground as Twilight Velvet glared daggers at her. Celestia bit her lip and sighed, forcing herself to meet the angered mare’s gaze apologetically. Her horn flickered in its soft yellow glow and a tea tray with a few pastries set out on it floated over to the other unicorn. Velvet glanced between Celestia and the small treats, her look flattening as she cleared her throat. “Now is hardly the time to think tea and cookies are going to fix this, Princess,” she hissed. “I can’t apologise enough for not telling you sooner. How much do you already know?” “Shining Armor only let slip so much.” She pointed at the tea tray. “But it was enough to know I’m going to need something stronger.” In a flash of yellow light, the contents of the tray disappeared, being replaced with a set of wine glasses, and two bottles of an expensive vintage. Celestia reached for a glass, but her eyes became as wide as saucers and Velvet instead reached for the bottle, popping the cork and sticking the neck straight in her muzzle. After a few seconds, Velvet came up for air. “Start from the beginning.” Three knocks rebounded off of Celestia’s door. Luna frowned when no answer came. “Sister? Sister, are you in there?” She sat silent for a moment. “Tia, this is no time for games!” There was no sound reaching the lunar monarch’s ears. Celestia must have had the privacy spell up, barricading the sound from her room. A bemused expression crossed her face as she knocked a little harder on the door. After a few more seconds of no response, Luna grunted in frustration. While she was a master tactician on the field of battle she had remarkably little patience when it came to her sister, a side effect of growing up so close to each other. With a stomp of her hoof and a flick of her tail, Luna decided she had waited long enough. She forced the doors open, launching into her prepared tirade. “Celestia, why weren't you there to lower the sun? You have never before…” words failed her. She had barged in to find her sister flat on her back, legs flailing upwards, panting heavily. Then she noticed, pressed up against her side was a smaller mare, also on her back, also trying to control her breathing. Luna’s muzzle went bright red, her ears splayed out, and she had to look anywhere but right in front of her. “And then… after three hours of frantic searching… we find her, sleeping soundly in her book fort.” Ripples of laughter came from both mares, and the cogs in Luna’s mind ground to a halt as she forced herself to register the ridiculous scene in front of her. ‘The smaller mare is Twilight Velvet, they haven’t been doing what I thought they had, and the empty wine bottles explain why they are on their backs. Right, OK.’ “Ah sister, so nice of you to join us.” Celestia grinned, the stench of alcohol strong in the room and her words slightly slurred. Luna shook her head, casting out the nasty images her subconscious has been kind enough to make for her. “So this is why you didn’t meet me to swap out the sun, Celestia. What’s the occasion?” Luna cocked an eyebrow, but her sister paid it no mind. “It seems I had been remiss. I had failed to inform my daughter's mother of recent events,” the white alicorn once again barely managed to stutter out in her drunken stupor. Luna raised an eyebrow, though with a tinge of amusement. “Not many ponies have ever said the words ‘my daughter’s mother’. I assume you are referring to Twilight then?” “Yeah,” Velvet piped up. “She didn’t tell me what had happen on our daughter’s trip.” Luna’s mind skipped again, before understanding what she had actually meant. “Ah. I take it you are now up to date?” she enquired, forcing herself to keep the rising fits of giggles at bay and maintain some level of professional control. “Yes, I think so.” She picked up an empty wine bottle. “But I guess we’ll see in the morning.” The younger mare giggled, enticing another one from Celestia. Luna levitated the empty bottle away from the drunk pair, and took a look upon the label. Blinking to confirm she had read it right, her jaw dropped in shock. “Tia, you told me we had run out of this vintage!?” Celestia had the decency to look sheepish. “I may have stashed a few bottles in my personal vault.” Luna raised that eyebrow again. “Ok, closer to fifty.” Another wine glass winked into existence. Luna took the glass, and with a flash of her own magic, swapped it out for a small tankard, smiling at her sister. “I need a bigger vessel if I have any chance of catching up.” Her sister smiled up at her. “So, where were you?” Luna settled onto one of the rooms oversized seating pillows, promptly taking a large swig of the filled tankard. “Velvet was just telling me about the time Twilight went missing during magic kindergarten, for the … fifth time?” “Oh, then please, do continue.” Luna turned to Velvet. “Well…” Velvet grinned as she went into the ridiculous stories of Twilight’s foalhood crusades, the odd little bunch enjoying themselves as they drank to their hearts’ content.