//------------------------------// // Delaying Tactics // Story: When Good Sisters Go to War // by thehalfelf //------------------------------// Delaying Tactics The previous morning had been a sobering one.  Luna knew it was going to be bad; the prank Celestia played on her was good, but when she walked in and saw her sister up by a full five points she turned on a hoof and stormed out of the nook, ignoring Discord’s customary opening quip.  Not even Celestia herself, at the handoff of Day to Night had been able to wring much from her. Sixteen days.  Sixteen days to make sure she came out on top.  Her mental list of plans was solid, but the bubble wrap had thrown them all off.  It would take days to get things back on track, and she likely didn’t have days.  After all, the sun was slow to warm, but once burning... She needed an emergency prank, a backup plan.  Most of all, she needed to stall for time.  Luckily, Canterlot Construction was currently repairing all the damage done to her sister’s room, and that gave her the perfect opportunity... Deep in her room was a contingency plan, something not used since the prank wars of old, when not crying to mom was a serious rule.  Masked by the sound of distant construction, Luna pulled the tin canister from underneath her bed, dispelling the numerous charms and curses keeping it hidden.  It was an aged classic, a long shot, something that anypony paying attention would see coming a mile away. Luna’s only hope was that in a duel so high-profile and high-power, it would go unnoticed. She tucked the canister underneath a wing - making sure it was completely unnoticeable - and ventured from her room.  It was like a walk down memory lane, having not pulled a prank this basic in years.  The difference being that back then, she would have been questioned for walking around like this, especially late at night.  Nowadays, she merely had to acknowledge bowing without letting the can fall from her wing. A hallway choked with dust and full of ponies in high-visibility vests and hardhats bustled in the hallway outside of Celestia’s rooms, busy cleaning and rebuilding from the Bubble Wrap Incident.  All the workers bowed, but it was clear that several only did so out of forced propriety. It was uncommon, and slightly rude, but, considering the circumstances, acceptable.  As she walked past, Luna dipped her ears.  “We apologize for your troubles,” she said, directed towards the most hostile knot of ponies.  “Our sister has asked Us to oversee the reconstruction of her rooms.  We... I promise to keep further damage during my visit to a minimum.” A few snickers and smiles serving as proof of her victory, Luna strode into the destruction of Celestia’s bedchamber.  Most of the bubble wrap and movable miscellaneous items having been cleaned up, but what was left was carefully avoided on the trip into Celestia’s bathroom. A large gilded tub, with several spouts and bottles of hair product and other niceties takes up the middle of the room.  Tia was always fond of her long morning baths...  A single bottle of aromatic bath bubbles floated up to Luna’s face, followed shortly after by the silver can under her wing. _--_--_--_--_--_ Aside from Luna’s little temper tantrum in the breakfast nook, today had been a good day for Celestia.  Day Court had been relegated to emergency session only, due to the noise and stress of reconstructing the castle, leaving the Princess of the Sun large tracts of free time that would have otherwise been taken up by the problems of other ponies - some needing intervention, other simply burning hot air. It was a horrible way to think of her little ponies, but, despite the cliché, some ponies truly only want more power. A deep sigh.  A bath would help, tremendously.  Maybe one with her favorite bubbles, nice and warm.  It might also help her forget about the residual disaster in her bedchamber, and the upcoming budget meeting to find a way to expense the repair work going on outside. Celestia entered the bathroom and, with a practiced web of spells, set everything going.  Several taps dispensing heated water, the drain sliding shut, a few packets of fizzing crystals, and very last, a bottle of pink, slightly scented bath bubbles.  A bit of horn and hoof filing, and she was ready to go. With a warm sigh, Celestia lowered herself into the slightly steaming, bubbling bath.  She chuckled, popping a few of the pink bubbles with a hoof.  Well, at least these won’t be costing me a fortune... _--_--_--_--_--_ Luna arrived first to the breakfast nook, for the first time in a few days.  Her gaze barely registered the three judges on their way to the scoreboard.  “What?” she said, now quickly turning to the three others, already tucked into breakfast.  “No score for that?” “Score for what?” Discord asked.  “Did something happen?” Cadence and Shining looked at each other.  “Sort of...” “And you didn’t tell me?!” “We had no reason to.”  The couple shared another look.  “We didn’t need a mirror, you could go see the effects for yourself.” Discord glanced over at Luna, who was busy stuffing her face into a plate of muffins.  “Well, do you have anything to say for yourself?” “Day court,” Luna mumbled back around her current mouthful. After looking back around the room and heaving an indignant sigh, Discord floated from his chair.  “I’m not against going to review an unannounced prank.  But now I won’t let any of you watch.”  With a hmph he vanished. The three remaining ponies in the room quickly finished their meals, not wanting to miss a minute of what was coming next.  Luckily for them, the castle was full of servant corridors which made rapid traversal easy, if not a little time consuming.  After sliding through several tight hallways, around a few startled mares and stallions preparing to do their jobs, and making no more than two wrong turns, the three found themselves in the royal preparation room, just behind a door to the throne. In the room beyond a crowd milled, the soft hum of conversation just audible through the door.  It didn’t seem like Celestia was in the room, yet.  Of course, there was always the chance she wouldn’t come to this one, there were two Royal Waiting Chambers, traditionally. “So, have you seen?” Luna asked, almost bouncing in her excitement. Shining shook his head. “We only knew something was going on when we heard that Day Court was to be delayed two hours,” clarified Cadence.  “Of course, we immediately suspected.  You know you are supposed to give us warning, right?” “It was a very last minute thing.  I knew that Sister was going to score well for her last prank, and I needed to capitalize on her momentary distraction.  This is, after all, the first Royal Prank war in a millennia, and I will not lose.” As she finished, Luna’s ears perked up and swiveled towards the door they just entered through.  It opened, allowing a tall, light pink mare with a multicolored, flowing ethereal mane to enter.  She halted in the door, and for one of the few times Cadence had ever seen, Celestia didn’t know what to do. The silence was broken by a snicker.  Cadence and Shining both turned to find Luna standing by the door to the audience chamber, barely able to contain her laughter behind a hoof. “You’re lucky I don’t petition the judges to throw this out, for public defamation,” Celestia deadpanned, stepping fully into the room and shutting the door. “But ‘tis not defamation, dear sister.  It’s been a long time since you had a change.  After all, cosmetic dying is all the rage amongst the younger ponies today,” Luna retorted.” “I think it looks nice,” Shining added, pulling attention from all the mares in the room.  “What?” “Yes, yes,” Cadence gently pat Shining with one hoof.  “We know you have a thing for pink mares,” she finished, handedly ending any more comments from him. Celestia coughed quietly.  “Yes, well, if you’ll excuse me then...”  She walked over to the audience door, next to her sister, and whispered something in her ear. Luna visibly paled, then pulled the door open.  As Celestia walked outside, and the crowd quickly fell to a stunned silence, the judges and Luna could easily hear, “Good morning, my little ponies.  I apologize for the delay, the dye took longer than I thought to set...” The door fell shut, cutting off the rest of her speech.  “She’s good,” Shining muttered. “Yes, but what did she tell you, Luna?” Cadence asked, her eyes never having left the other alicorn for a second. “‘Just wait until tomorrow.’”