It was strange, Celestia thought, as she tried to make herself comfortable in her seat. This had once been her throne for longer than she had really wanted it to be. Very few had ever seen another in this spot during her time.
On purpose at least. More than once, she had caught one of her personal students sitting in the throne, trying to look regal and majestic, but more often than naught, looking silly in a chair meant for someone of her size.
Celestia of course had never said any of that to the pony in question of course. She hadn't even been mad if she caught them in the act. In fact, she had found rather silly and downright cute in some cases.
Sunset had been the most frequent of her students to do so. Even before Celestia had shown her the World Mirror and Sunset's darker side had come to the fore, the unicorn had been rather fond of the throne.
But now, as Celestia finally found a position she could work with, she found it distinctly uncomfortable to back in this spot. Not because she and Luna had given up their positions, or that this was just temporary.
But the feeling of wrongness was palpable. It just felt wrong for anypony but Princess Twilight Sparkle to be sitting in this spot. Whether Twilight knew it or not, she had put her indelible stamp on the throne and the area around it.
Knowing her former student, Celestia had the feeling it drove Twilight crazy to even think about it like that.
Today marked the first day of her and Luna's return to the throne. Twilight had been kind enough to handle the sun and moon from where ever she was the evening before, giving the sisters time to readjust to the amulet.
Celestia had tried to raise the sun this morning though, as she once had for over a millennium, following a routine she had established while doing so.
Nothing had happened.
Celestia had tried once more, and again nothing had happened. It confirmed something she had begun to suspect sometime before now. The sun no longer recognized or even remembered her. The same might hold true for Luna and the moon.
Turning around, she checked to see if her cutie mark was still there or different. It was still the same sun in glory it had been for so long now. It was something she would have to ask Twilight about when she got back.
Forced to use the amulet, Celestia had eventually been able to get the sun into the sky to start the morning. Then had come breakfast, a quick bath, and now here she was in the Throne Room. Not at all sure what she was supposed to do now.
Turning to the Pegasus at her side, who had introduced herself as Azure Bolt, personal assistant to Princess Twilight herself, Celestia finally asked what was bothering her. "What happens now then?"
Azure looked down at the notes she held. "Normally, this is when Twilight opens her Morning Friendship Court. Where any creature can come and ask for her advice or help with a friendship problem. It's really an informal thing, and usually lasts a couple of hours. After that is Lunch, followed by the Afternoon Session of the court, and then it's whatever she feels like doing on that particular day."
Celestia nodded. It sounded much more fun than her Day Court had ever been. She did notice something, however. "When does she find time to handle the business of government? You did not mention that."
Azure nodded, smiling slightly. "Most of the small stuff is handled by various departments. All still ultimately fall under her authority, and anything major or a big expenditure must-have Princess Twilight's signature. But that's about it really."
Celestia's smile grew, proud of how much Twilight had handled the things that used to drive herself crazy. "And if there is an emergency in Equestria?"
Azure rolled her eyes. "Then Twilight handles it herself. It doesn't happen much, but if there's a monster attack, she'll usually go out and see what can be done about it herself."
Celestia nodded. "You seem to be okay with using the princess's name like that?"
Azure nodded. "Twilight made it clear when I first became her assistant she didn't want me to faun over her as some do. I've been at her side for a few years now. I've seen every side of her. The good, the bad, and the Twilighting."
Celestia's brows rose. "She still does that?"
Azure chuckled. "Not as much as she used to, she tells me. With the Royal Advisor Spike not expected to wake up any time soon, I'm the one who has to handle it. A newspaper upside the head usually does the trick just fine."
Celestia burst out laughing at that, wiping her eyes with a hoof. "I see you've learned the Sunset Shimmer method of dealing with overthinking ponies. Sunset would approve."
"There's that name again," Azure muttered, as she looked at the window for the Battle of the Bands. "Who was she? The princess says that yellow unicorn in the window is her, but I've never met her."
Celestia nodded, her expression softening. "You wouldn't have ever known her. Sunset died long before you were born Azure. That is her there. One of her proudest moments she once told me."
Azure looked up at the elder alicorn. "Do you know the stories for those windows? No one around does. We have theories, but Twilight never talks about them."
Celestia shook her head. "I only know them secondhoof from Princess Twilight herself, backed up by what Sunset herself told me. I do not know why she doesn't talk about them. I remember them being joyous, and they all stayed friends until the very end."
"Must be an alicorn thing," Azure said, though there was no animosity in her response.
Celestia chuckled. "Maybe it is. It's not my place to tell the princess how she should do anything. Not anymore. She has long outgrown needing that." She sat straighter in the throne, an old light returning to her eyes. "Shall we get started then?"
Azure nodded and gestured to the Door Wardens that they allow those waiting outside to begin coming in now.
As the last pony left for the day, still a little confused at seeing somepony else but Princess Twilight on the throne, but with a happy spring in her step, Celestia sighed, and slumped down in her seat. "Please tell me that was the last one?"
Azure looked out at the hallway leading to the Throne Room. The only ones in sight were the Door Wardens. She nodded as she checked her list one more time. "That was her. I wouldn't call it a perfect day, but it was a good start."
Celestia nodded. "Friendship is not my domain. It never was. But I like to think I've learned a thing or two over the centuries. Is there anything else I need to handle or know of?"
Azure looked at the next page she had, before shaking her head. "You're free actually, Only until your sister takes over this evening. Do you have anything in mind? There is a donut shop not far from here. Twilight raves about it all the time."
That piqued Celestia's interest, as an old memory came to her. "Is it called Donut Joe's? I remember Canterlot used to have a shop called that."
Azure shrugged. "I don't know what it's called honestly. But the princess says it makes the best sweets on this side of Ponyville's Sugarcube Corner."
Celestia smiled as she stood and stretched her wings for all they were worth, several pops being heard if one listened hard enough. "Donuts it is then. I need something sweet after all of that. I had forgotten how tedious the Court can be."
Azure chuckled as she placed her list down on the table next to the throne. "That works for me."
It was only night one, and Luna already felt bored. More so than she had when she had first returned from her time on the moon, and she had been recovering her strength and magic.
At least then, she had a good reason for having nothing to do. With her magic having been severely restricted by the Elements of Harmony, she hadn't been able to perform her nightly duties for some months.
Now though? With the moon taken care of, there didn't seem anything to do. So much so that Luna slumped down in her throne with an annoyed sigh as she looked at the unicorn next to her. "Is it always this quiet?"
Shadow Weaver nodded, looking at her notes quickly. "Normally. If Princess Twilight is able to handle all petitioners during the Afternoon Court, this time is usually pretty quiet. She doesn't seem to mind though."
"Of course she doesn't," Luna grumbled. "So what is there to do? Celestia seems to have handled all the usual stuff. Again. Is there anything for me to do?"
Shadow bit her lip, but she was here to help, and so she turned to a page near the back of a stack of papers before hoofing it over to Luna. "There is one thing. Twilight has been studying the idea of a source of unlimited energy. One that doesn't require magic. She has been looking for an outside opinion on it."
That piqued Luna's interest as she looked over the papers she had been given. It was all written in Princess Twilight's horn work, but she was able to make sense of it. But what it showed looked suspiciously like something she had seen before. "Princess Twilight seeks to use the by-products of baryonic decay as an energy source in a Solar Furnace?"
Shadow nodded, hiding her surprise that Luna seemed to catch on so fast. "Yes. How did you guess that so fast? Most don't get it for a while once they know about it."
Luna rolled her eyes as she looked over the papers again, her ideas confirmed. "Because I have seen something like this before. It is not a real thing of course. But a manga from Neighpon once used the same idea as a virtually unlimited power supply in the story's setting."
And aside from not using it in mobile suits, this was virtually identical to the GN Drive of Celestial Being, Luna thought as she looked over Twilight's various ideas. But there was one major stopping point that she could see. "Twilight has not, as of yet, found something like a fuel source and a way to create the particles needed in the Generation Furnace."
Shadow nodded. "Yes. She's spent so much time looking for it and has even tasked some of our best scientists and engineers to look into it. So far, they have found nothing. Most think it's a hopeless dream of hers. No one has told her that, but most of us that know about this think this is never going to work."
Luna gave the mare a look. "Do you believe as much?"
Shadow nodded. "The idea in of itself is not bad. In fact, I think it's a great idea. But this seems far too advanced for Equestria. We have made great strides in technology in the last five hundred years. But I can't see this ever working no matter how long the princess works on it."
Luna tapped her chin. "How long has Princess Twilight been working on this? I do not remember ever seeing this."
Shadow shrugged. "We don't know. Who can tell with her sometimes? Only the Royal Advisor Spike knows her best, and Princess Flurry Heart when she comes to visit. But she's not around all that often."
Luna giggled at that. That was true enough. "That may be why Princess Twilight has not made this more well known. I have known her for a very long time now. Not as well as my sister mind you. But I have learned one thing about her in all that time. Above anything else about her."
Shadow gave her a hopeful look, unable to keep her own curiosity down. "What's that?"
Luna looked out a nearby window. "It is that Princess Twilight Sparkle will not give up on this dream until she has exhausted literally possibility and avenue of research into making it a reality. Twilight wants this to be real. For this to be her lasting legacy to Equestria and the world, something she can point at with pride. Far than what she's accomplished as a ruler." Luna rolled her eyes as a thought came to her. "Short of asking Discord for help, of course."
Shadow rolled her eyes. Having had to deal with the Lord of Chaos himself on several occasions, she could very well see why Princess Twilight would not ask him for help. "Knowing him, he'd probably make it blow up in her face. Literally."
They both giggled at the idea. Discord would more than likely do it as well if he got the chance. Luna looked again at the papers floating in her magic. "I cannot say how much help I will be on this. But I will do what I can."
Shadow nodded, sighing in relief. "I think that's all Princess Twilight could ask for." She smirked after a moment. "And if nothing else, this gives you something to do during the night, doesn't it?"
Luna nodded, and before long, she was totally absorbed into reading what Twilight had laid out.