Endgame
Luna gave Celestia a full day to settle before beginning her endgame. Early in the morning, she approached her bookshelf and pulled a tome from directly in the middle. On a similar shelf in Celestia’s chamber, a similar book sat. It had been Luna’s plan from the start: a two-point teleportation tunnel centered on that book, a book that her sister had been looking forward to for a long time.
A cursory examination of the book revealed the spell was still intact. Levitating the open book behind her, Luna began to search her room for the perfect test item. Nothing too big to spoil the surprise, nothing small enough to be unnoticeable. It was a shame that Rosewater was so adamant about Luna’s chambers being so thoroughly cleaned, some random dress lint or even dust would have been perfect.
Finally, her gaze fell on the gossamer drapery that hung from the canopy of her bed. Using a finely-shaped burst of magic, Luna cut a small piece off from behind the headboard, and placed it on the book. With a flash, it was gone. She carefully stowed the back on the shelf and began getting ready for breakfast.
Despite the rules stating that the prank war was to be kept between the sisters and the judges, it seemed as though several ponies in the castle staff knew. Whether it was from working so close to the Princesses, or possibly even the article published by the Canterlot Inquirer, there was an almost physical air of either excitement or dread as the clock ticked down to zero.
Luna was the first to arrive to the breakfast nook as it was being prepared. Food was still being shuttled in, windows being cleaned and curtains opened. She stayed mostly out of the way, helping out where she could, while patiently waiting for everything to be ready, so the scoreboard would show itself.
Even the board was getting grim. Whereas once the two pictures of the sisters taunted and boasted at their victories, now there was nothing but grim determination. With a score of forty-three to forty-six, in favor of Celestia, this next prank could make or break the whole game.
Luna took her seat and grabbed some food, only waiting a few minutes before the door opened, letting Cadence and Shining into the room. With Celestia and Discord to follow shortly, the first day of the end had begun.
_--_--_--_--_--_
The rest of the morning Luna spent deciding what else she would force into wherever Celestia had her book. The spell worked, judging from her earlier test, so it was possible to send something a little more interesting now. It wasn’t an easy decision, however. Any damage to the book could possibly disrupt the spell, which made anything really fun out of the question. It was a problem, she decided, best solved by post-sleep Luna. In a moment all the light was doused and she snuggled down to rest.
Boom!
Luna burst from her bed, to an explosion of paper and hot air. She glanced over at her bookshelf through the sheets of gently falling paper to see her trick book - the only one left on its shelf - open. Untangling herself from the sheets, she slowly stepped across the room to her shelf, mouth agape in disbelief.
Sitting on the open book was a small, shimmering swatch of blue fabric.
Before she could think further, the doors to her chambers burst open. Two Night Guard and a Day Guard rushed in, weapons drawn. “Princess,” the Day Guard shouted, “are you okay?”
“Yes, fine,” Luna replied, picking up the fabric in her half-asleep daze. She couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. The spell forced the book open, which then threw everything else on the shelf to the floor. It wasn’t an actual explosion explosion.
The three guards all glanced at each other. Only seven more days... “Are you sure, Princess?”
“I said I am fine. Thank you for your concern, but you are dismissed.” Things were starting to click together now. Celestia must have reversed the spell during court intermission. Not ideal, but at least it could provide some fun.
As the guards obediently filed out of the room, Luna began cleaning. Already, she was plotting her next move. Once the paper was up around the bed, she stuck a hoof underneath, careful not to trigger the wards she had spent so long resetting a few days ago. What she pulled out was a simple tin box, beaten and dented by time and use. Scribbled on the lid, in blue crayon, were the words, Emergency Prank Box. Property of Luna, keep out.
Luna sighed and opened the lid, taking in the haphazard assortment of items from older days, minus a tube of pink dye. She ran a hoof over the container of itching powder, a bag of fake spiders, a half-empty spool of fishing line, and various other prank paraphernalia before pulling out a small velvet bag.
The alicorn untied the drawstrings and walked over towards the book. With an evil grin, she upended the bag over the book, pouring it’s contents - dozens of small, white marbles - into the book, and through the portal.
“Your move, Celestia.”
She turned and was about to continue cleaning when a small pop sounded behind her. Luna hit the floor, scattering even more paper to the wind trying to avoid the horrible retaliation. “I was kidding! Let me clean first!”
A sharp crack echoed through the room, followed by much softer tinkling. Luna uncovered her eyes and slowly turned towards the bookshelf. Now covering the few bits of paper and discarded velvet bag were the shattered remains of a teapot.
Luna scooped the pieces of china up and pulled them closer. Little drops of lukewarm tea dripped down onto her legs and the paper-covered floor. “Who sends something breakable through teleportation? Honestly...”
After doing her best to repair the teapot, with a mental note to return it when she remembered, the alicorn returned to the mess that was now her room. She moved the book to her mostly empty desk, to avoid another explosion, then tossed the tea-stained papers before returning everything else to its proper home.
“Okay now,” Luna said, scanning her room with a pranker’s trained eye. “I don’t know what game we’re playing, but I’m down...”
But was there anything breakable in her room that she was realistically willing to lose?
No, but there were other rooms in the castle...
A missive was sent out with detailed instructions. Just under ten minutes later, right as Luna was prepared to return to sleep, a servant returned with a single desk lamp. She dropped it through the book, donned a sleep mask and earmuffs, and went back to bed.
Whatever came back could be dealt with in the evening.
_--_--_--_--_--_
That first night taught her several lessons. One: never take magically altered teleporting books to Court. Ever. Lesson Two: instruct cleaning staff to not touch anything sitting on/near/on top of magic books. Lesson Three: return teleported tea pots before they get removed by cleaning staff.
Last but not least, Lesson Four: do not, under any circumstances, start a teleportation war with Celestia.
Her sister was a machine. Whenever Luna threw out an item, Celestia always had the perfect counter. It was a lot of fun, especially with the tacit vow of silence in the breakfast nook, but it was brutal nonetheless. The lessons of the first day helped soften the second. And third.
But not once did Celestia begin her unholy rain of endgame pranks. Luna’s normal Guard escort of none became two. She began scanning every hallway, double-checking any intersection. A pony from her entourage had to enter a room before she would.
The rest of the week passed in much the same way, Luna’s paranoia only growing every day. Between the lack of Celestia’s final prank and the constant back-and-forth of her book, the Moon was starting to wane.
It got bad enough that Luna stayed in her empty court on the second to last night before the end of the war. She watched her internal clock, only leaving with her Guard escort when it was reasonably safe to get to the breakfast nook. Two Night Guard led the way, checking every hallway, side door, and intersection. One of them even opened the door to the empty breakfast nook.
Luna walked in and took a seat facing the door. She threw down her prank book; after Celestia had riposted with an entire puzzle, minus a piece, Luna had decided enough was enough. Her final prank was over.
Cadence and Shining were the next to join her. They were certainly dressed up, most of their common clothes were packed for their return trip. “Still nothing?” Shining asked, seeing the look on Luna’s face.
“No. But there are only two more days. Two more, then I’m safe.”
Cadence sat next to Luna, and placed a hoof on her withers. “You know, if it stresses you out this much, why do you do these prank wars?”
“It is simply a holdover from our foalhood, something fun to remind us of less-stressful times.” Luna looked around the room. “Thought to be honest, we never had such stringent judges, or even any sort of ‘winner’. Maybe this one is different just because of the added pressure.”
Before Cadence could respond the door opened again, admitting Celestia. “Good morning Sister, Cadence, Shining Armor.” She sat across from Luna and opened her mouth to speak, but like Cadence before her was interrupted.
Discord floated in through one of the windows. “Excellent, the gang's all here. What an exciting time this is.”
“Quite.” Celestia looked over at her sister. “Isn’t it fun, Luna?”
“Y-Yes, but I would like to request my final score,” Luna said, turning to look at the judges, “for the book.”
Celestia cocked her head. “Book? Did you do something to one of my books.”
“Wait, it wasn’t--”
Pop!
Everybody in the room, as one, turned to look at the book next to Luna on the table. It had opened itself to make way for a single cup of tea, still steaming.