Astra curled up to her husband and hummed into his mane. “This… this is how you know that I love you, Solaris. Did you know that?”
The large, golden alicorn stallion chuckled, running a hoof through his wife’s mane. “And how do you know that I love you, my star?”
“It is a beautiful night and I am here in this bed with you rather then enjoying it.” She grinned. “Do you think Luna will be ready to join me at night soon?”
“Any day now, dear. We just have to be patient. You know what happens when you try to rush a cutie mark.” Solaris chuckled, nuzzling into her neck.
“Yes, I know, I know. But admit it: you are just as excited for Celestia to join you.” Astra licked her husband’s nose.
Solaris scrunched up his nose and pouted. “For my little filly to grow up, spread her wings, and maybe find her destiny somewhere far away from here? I could wait for that.”
Celestia looked up to watch the moon from where she was laying on the cloud, and Luna curled up to her. “And that’s Ursa Major, and below is her baby, Ursa Minor.”
Luna yawned and let a lazy shiver run down her spine and to her tail before curling tighter into her sister. “Mmm-hmm…”
“Luna, are you even listening, or just out here to snuggle up to me?” Celestia smiled, lifting her wing to peer down at her baby sister.
Big, innocent eyes looked back up at her. “Can’t it be both?”
Celestia laughed and nuzzled Luna’s cheek before covering her back up. “Of course. Now…oh dear… Mommy put the stars of Orion’s Belt too close together…” She glanced inside the window of Mommy and Daddy’s room to see the light was off and chewed her lip. “Luna, I need to get up and try to fix Mommy’s stars.”
Luna tilted her head. “Fix Mommy’s stars? Can you do that?”
“Well…I’m gonna try! They’re needed so ponies can find their way!” Celestia stood up and pointed her horn at Orion’s Belt, closing her eyes tight as she grunted and sweated, her horn sputtering and glowing, gold sparks falling off of the tip. Slowly, the three stars drifted a bit farther from one another.
Luna gasped and jumped up, flapping her wings and trying to climb onto her sister’s back in excitement. “You’re doing it, you’re doing it!”
“Uh huh!” Celestia snorted, planting her hooves and grunting some more. Her horn finally went out, and sweat ran down her face, pasting her mane down to her head. She looked up, a huge smile on her muzzle. “I-I did it!”
“You did it, you did it, you did it!” Luna was bouncing up and down on Celestia’s back by now. “You… oh, uhm, I hope Mommy won’t mind, though.”
Celestia wiped her eyes, shaking her head. “I don’t think she will… huh...that feels funny…”
Luna tilted her head, trying to lean over Celestia’s head to look her in the eyes. “What does? Funny-funny or weird-funny?”
“My flanks felt warm for a second. Maybe I used too much magic?” Celestia glanced up to look into Luna’s eyes.
Luna blinked a few times, then gasped and pulled back to scamper over to Celestia’s tail end, pushing the tail aside and pointing excitedly at her sister’s flank. “Tia, look!”
Celestia looked back to see a crescent moon glowing on her flank surrounded by some dark splotches. “A cutie mark? I got my cutie mark! Luna I got my cutie mark!”
“You got your cutie mar — oops!” Luna leaned back a bit too far in an attempt to throw her hooves up out of excitement, and she flailed for a few seconds before she falling off of her sister and rolling across the cloud.
“Luna? Are you okay?” Celestia turned to grab Luna with her magic, just in case she kept rolling.
Luna giggled, rubbing some cloud out of her mane. “I’m fine. Come on, we have to show Mommy and Daddy!”
“Get on my back then, Lulu, so we can fly back down.” Celestia laid down on her belly.
Luna flapped her wings again, clambering up onto her sister’s back and holding tight onto her mane.
Celestia flew down and ran inside the palace, passing the guards on either side of the door. “Mommy! Daddy!”
Solaris sat up quickly, giving his elder daughter a curious look. “Celestia? Weren’t you going to watch the night sky with your sister?”
“I was, and I saw that Mommy messed up the stars on Orion's Belt, so I fixed them! And look at this!” She turned to her side eagerly.
Solaris and Astra both gasped, immediately leaning closer with looks of wonder and confusion. “That’s… Tia, you got your cutie mark?”
“Yes! And look, it almost glows! It’s the moon!” Celestia prances a bit with Luna on her back. “It’s so pretty, like Mommy’s!”
Solaris and Astra both shared a glance before giving Celestia nervous smiles. “You’re right. It really is.”
Celestia shook her head and chuckled before catching up to Luna. “Day dreaming and flying, or, in this case, remembering and flying can be dangerous. Or, at least, it makes me slow down.”
Luna swerved to fly a loop-de-loop around her sister. “You are slacking off, sister. Perhaps in the future I should ask for Lady Dash, if I am to have a proper competition.”
“Well, excuse me, Luna, I was just remembering my cutie mark story!” Celestia stuck her tongue out.
Luna smirked and waved a hoof, talking with the same exaggerated affectation she had used as a filly when they were still playing princesses as a pretend game. “You are excused. Just don’t let it happen again.”
“You were there with me, Lulu. It was just you and me. I was showing you the night sky.” Celestia smiled sadly. “Mom and Dad sure were shocked by my cutie mark.”
Luna slowed down as well, her view shifting into the distance. “I remember that, I think… you had noticed some stars slightly out of alignment, hadn’t you?” She shook her head. “Hard to believe how little I cared for the stars back then.”
“Yeah, the stars in Orion’s Belt were too close together, not that you cared. You were just there for my warmth.” Celestia looked again “Get ready, guards are waiting on the balcony.”
“Intimidation tactics might be counterproductive.” Luna swooped up high over the balcony and spread her wings, magical lightning crackling behind her. “Doesn’t make it any less fun though.”
Celestia smiled “Lulu, we’re trying to avoid having them think that we’re evil, remember? Let’s just land normally, hmm?”
“Oh, fie, I think we have earned us some fun. But fine, you are the elder. The boring, no-fun princess.” Luna blew another raspberry, alighting between the terrified reasonably nervous guards.
Celestia landed beside her. “Hello Star Raver, Daffodil. How are you both this afternoon?”
Both of the guards stared up at the princesses with wide eyes, saluting with quiet squeaks.
“Is my niece here yet?” Celestia said with a patient smile.
“N-Not yet, Your Highness. They are on their way from the Crystal Empire, though.”
“Good to hear. Are you going to arrest us?” Celestia smiled, cocking her head slightly to the side.
Star Raver looked at both of them nervously. “Uhm… is that a trick question, Your Highness?”
“Not at all! After all,the planet did go dark right before we vanished. And now we have suddenly reappeared. Suspicious, is it not?” Celestia folded up her wings.
Luna rolled her eyes, stepping forward. “Stop teasing them, sister. Can’t you see that they’re already confused enough?”
“I’m not teasing them, Luna. I’m simply curious if they will trust our word or follow protocol.” Celestia shook her head and smiled at the nervous guards. “Mind, gentleponies, that no trouble will be levied against you no matter what you do.” Celestia stood calmly with a small yawn. “Oh my, please excuse me.”
“Well, uhm…” The guards leaned towards each other to whisper amongst themselves, shooting glances at Celestia and Luna the whole time.
Celestia smiled at Luna. “So. are you enjoying your newfound strength?”
Luna blushed. “It’s not about that, you know that. But… yes, it’s nice to be this awake and energized during the day.”
Celestia smiled and nodded before turning back to her guards. “Gentlecolts?”
They turned back to the princesses, holding up their spears and trembling slightly. “Would you two… mind staying in the dungeons while we get everything sorted out?”
Celestia smiled in a motherly fashion, hoping to calm her guards. “Not at all. Right, Luna?”
Luna shook her head. “Of course not. I always thought the dungeons to be rather comfortable, considering their purpose.”
“We’ll follow after you both. There’s no need for the spears.” Celestia took a step towards the balcony door.
The guards nodded and moved ahead, glancing back at the two alicorns every few seconds.
“I think they believe that we are going to attack them or some such, Luna.” She turned back to the two guards. “Gentlecolts, you are in no danger from Luna and I. You are simply following procedure and we will not punish you for such.” Celestia shook her head with a sad smile as she kept pace.
Luna smiled. “I think they are more afraid that we won’t attack them, and that they’re incarcerating their rulers. It’s nice to see how much they have come to respect and adore you.”
“I know, Luna, and I deeply respect them, and I am very proud of them. But these policies were created for a reason.” Celestia followed them down the stairs to the holding area. “And that I am very proud of them.”
Luna stuck out her tongue. “Yes yes. But for some reason we seem to be the only ponies who ever end up in the dungeons.”
“Luna, you were only held here once, when you came back from Nightmare Night still dressed up, and I had you released as soon as I woke up.” Celestia smiled, smacking Luna with her tail. “You were groaning from all the candy that you ate!”
Luna huffed. “Oh yeah? And what about that time you didn’t feel like drinking tea, and asked the maid for a cup of coffee instead? They feared you were a changeling and kept you there for almost two days.”
Celestia rubbed her chin in thought. “Luna, I think you’re right. We’re the only ones to be placed in the dungeons, aren’t we?”
Luna scrunched. “Even Chrysalis trapped her enemies in those caves instead of using our dungeons.”
“Huh. We should look into this later.” Celestia walked into the now open cell.
Luna followed after her, turning around to watch the guards close the door and quickly walk away to inform their superiors. After a few moments she sighed, levitated A key over from the wall outside the cell and locked the door. “Maybe we should consider some remedial courses for our guards first.”
“They forgot to lock the cell, didn’t they?” Celestia laid down on a cot with a yawn.
Luna shrugged. “And to get the magic suppressors. I told you they don’t get much practice in restraining criminals.”
“Well…” Celestia lit up her horn and began to rifle through a desk across the room. “They should be in here somewhere. Let me see...ah, I found them!”
“Oh, please don’t.” Luna grimaced. “The last thing we need is a complete panic because they forgot us down here, and the sun suddenly doesn’t set anymore.”
Celestia tapped at her chin. “I suppose you're right…” Her ear perked up as she heard the musical sound of her niece’s voice. “Oh! We’re down here, Cadance!”
There was the echoing sound of hoofsteps coming down the hallway before the Princess of Love casually walked into the room, smiling and rolling her eyes. “Really, Aunt Celestia, Aunt Luna? I feel like the only ponies who ever end up down here are you two.”