//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Why There Are So Many White Unicorns in Equestria 
// by Captain_Hairball 
//------------------------------//

Celestia groaned. Somepony was pounding on the door. What nonsense. She’d only been asleep a couple of hours. It was still dark outside!

Then she remembered it was now her job to make it light outside. Well. Who cared. Everypony could sleep in. National holiday. She’d declare it as soon as she got up. She laid her head on the back of one of the stallions in her bed and tried to go back to sleep.

The pounding wouldn’t stop. Fine! “Coming!” she shouted. One of the stallions grunted as she climbed over him.

She opened her door. Luna glared at her over the tops of her spectacles, flanked by two thestrals from her Night Guard. Celestia’s little sister, just seventeen years old and a full foot shorter than her, nonetheless was quite adept at looming. Looming from below. It was a good trick.

“Sister!” said Celestia, with a big, fake smile. “Is it morning already?”

“It is not,” said Luna, “but it is supposed to be.”

“Okay! Just give me ten minutes to clean up and I’ll be right out!” Go away, Woona. Nothing for you to see here.

“What exactly have you been doing all night, sister?” said Luna, peeking around her suspiciously.

“Oh, you know, just up late… reading.” She giggled. “Very exciting book.”

“And who else is in there with you?”

“Nopony! Nopony at all!” said Celestia, over the sound of stallions snoring. “There’s nopony here!” Certainly not a janitor, a decorated military officer, and a clergypony.

“Then may I come in?” asked Luna. One of Luna’s guards sniffed the air — Celestia had to admit it was rather rank in her room right now —  and then winked at her companion. Oh Faust. This story was going straight to the barracks locker room, wasn’t it?

“No!” said Celestia, her smile slipping. “You can’t! It’s too… you can’t… you’re not…” She hung her head. “You’re not old enough.”

“I see. Is that all?” said Luna primly. “Well. I’ll raise the Sun for you. Take a bath. You need it.” She turned, and her guards stomped away after her. Halfway down the hall, she looked over her shoulder. “Oh, I forgot to mention. Star Swirl wants to talk to us as soon as you’re ready.”

Celestia slammed her bedroom door and slumped against it. How had things come to this?