Former Princess Celestia was having a wonderful morning. She had woken up near the crack of dawn as usual in order to enjoy watching the sun rise under the power of someone else. Though it felt strange to observe ‘her’ sun slowly ascend over the horizon without having put it there, it was also quite a relief.
Plus if she was being honest, the task had grown routine over the centuries, and Twilight brought an extra flair to the job which Celestia hadn't been able to muster in quite some time.
With that observation out of the way the former ruler of Equestria trotted from the balcony back into their hotel room. All while doing her best to ignore the loud, rumbling snoring coming from her sister’s room. Though the accommodations were somewhat quaint especially when compared to the castle, Celestia rather enjoyed staying in a simple hotel. Though this one had two private bedrooms, the living room, kitchen, and eating area had all been rolled into a single space.
It wasn't a place Celestia would like to stay for an extended period, but they werent here for much longer. Just enough time to go to attend a festival, see the manehatten sights, and have a little time to simply mingle with her fellow ponies. That last one was perhaps the most important in the alicorn’s mind, as she felt as though she was growing away from the common pony in the last century.
Though still only half awake, Celestia chose to forgo her morning tea, for it wouldn't be very long until Twilight joined them for breakfast. The busy ruler always seemed to have time for them, and Celestia wasn't about to turn down the wonderful company. Glancing at the clock the alicorn quickly realized there wasn't much time before her guest arrived, so she hastily made her way into the bathroom in order to make herself presentable.
Though not enough time to have a full shower, Celestia could at least wash her face, check her make up and ensure she didn't look as awful as she thought she did. Turning the taps, Celestia ran the water for a moment while she searched for her face cloth only to stop when her gaze landed on the mirror. Terror slowly gripped her heart as the mare came face to face with a visage clearly not her own.
It was a set of features she had seen before, many times actually, but only in her darkest of dreams and most unpleasant of nightmares. Flames had replaced her hair while her eyes had become dark, twisted and much alike Nightmare Moon’s only a blazing orange. Large, sharp fangs jutted from her muzzle, and on her flanks were slightly larger images of a blazing sun.
How she hadn't noticed such a change until that moment was beyond her, as she didn't exactly feel very different. Immediately Celestia frantically tried to figure out what had happened to cause such a transformation, starting with her dreams. Which had been fairly normal, she had been flying above Equestria, and had passed over many towns as well as the odd village.
Had that feeling of ownership of pride, prompted such a change? Or perhaps it was something else?
The pony plugged the sink with a stopper, and after it was filled, dunked her head inside. The wide, deep sink was just big enough to fit the alicorn’s cranium within, and after a few seconds she pulled back. Only to find that she had not in fact, dispelled the twisted features of the evil creature looking back at her.
“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Celestia muttered, poking and pulling at her features in a panic. “I can't let Twilight see me but if I cancel she would think something was wrong and probably burst in anyway.”
The pony frowned, her panic briefly being replaced by regret. “I really should have worked on that girl’s neurosis.”
Celestia shook her head. “Think Celestia, how do you change back?”
The alicorn mentally flicked through all the many, many spells she knew in search of one that may help her only to end up panicking even more when she realized none could assist her.
“How did Luna turn back?” she muttered, only for her eyes to go wide in fear. “I am not spending a thousand years on the sun! Or the moon for that matter. Though it's not like the elements are easily accessible anymore.”
Celestia turned and began to pace in the small bathroom. “Twilight’s probably already figured out that petrification spell, though there is a chance she would simply try to lock me in Tartarus.”
The former princess began to chew on her feathers while internally she was growing increasingly panicked by the second. She didn't want to get blasted, or imprisoned, that much was obvious but would she, or could she even fight her student? Of course it was possible, and Celestia would probably win, but there was no way the alicorn could bring herself to do such a thing.
If that option was out, and there was no way of changing back then she would just have to-
A heavy knock startled Celestia from her thoughts, and made her turn to the door, eyes widening in fear.
“Hello? It's uh, Twilight. I know I’m a bit early but I was scared the muffins might get cold,” exclaimed the slightly nervous tone of Celestia’s former student.
“I should have at least a few minutes, Luna never wakes up early,” Celestia muttered to herself, looking around the room. “Maybe I could make some manner of disguise or perhaps-”
“Just a second!” Luna shouted from the other room.
“Oh no,” Celestia muttered.
The alicorn tore the shower curtain from its hooks and fashioned herself a rather silly looking, but efficient shawl. With a few twists of her magic and a little alteration it had a hood, hugged her body closely, and obscured her tail as well. Pulling the plastic sheet tight around her features Celestia looked her reflection up and down.
“Are you okay in there sister?” asked Luna, who knocked on the door a second later.
“Is Celestia hurt?” Twilight inquired from outside the hotel room.
“I don't know!” Luna shouted before turning back to the bathroom. “Are you okay Celestia?”
“I’m fine,” Celestia replied, trying to lower her voice just in case it sounded menacing.
“She says she's fine!” Luna shouted.
“That's great!” Twilight yelled back. “Could you let me in now?”
“Ye-”
“No!” Celestia exclaimed only to wince. “I mean, go ahead, I’ll be right there!”
“Err okay then,” Luna muttered before walking away.
Leaving Celestia to peer into the mirror, her confident expression slowly melting away. “There is no way this isn't somehow even more conspicuous,” she muttered to herself.
In a fit of rage she tore the plastic sheet off, and threw it into the tub. Now pacing once more she tried desperately to come up with something, anything that would save her. Nothing came to mind, the alicorn quickly growing more and more desperate until she collapsed into a heap.
Twilight watched Luna curiously as the other alicorn stood smiling outside the bathroom door. “I-”
“Shh,” Luna retorted, holding a hoof to the younger mare’s lips.
Twilight frowned, and sat there in silence, wondering not for the first time what they were doing.
After nearly a minute of quiet, Luna grinned, and gave the other pony a nod. “Alright, open it,” she commanded.
Twilight shrugged and did just that, revealing a wide eyed Celestia laying on the floor. The alicorn was curled into a ball, her entire hoof stuffed into her mouth. She didn't seem to notice the two ponies looking down on her as the former sun princess continued to rock back and forth.
“Uh, what happened?” Twilight asked, turning to Luna. “What did you do?”
“Why is it that whenever anything happens you think I am the cause?” Luna replied with a frown.
Twilight merely raised an eyebrow.
“Okay so maybe it was me this time, but it was just a harmless prank,” Luna retorted.
“Harmless? Your sister is catatonic!” Twilight deadpanned.
“Pfft that's nothing, one time she turned me inside out,” Luna replied in a dismissive tone.
Twilight sighed, and massaged her temples. “Luna, what did you do?”
“I taught you an important lesson,” Luna claimed, a smile crossing her face. “Even your idol is susceptible to panic, and like you, she sucks her hoof.”
“I do not-” Twilight ground her teeth together angrily. “That did not answer my question.”
Luna chuckled, and rubbed the back of her neck. “I may have enchanted the mirror so that when she looked within it changed her reflection to that of the much feared Daybreaker.”
Twilight sighed slowly. “You know at this rate you're going to give your sister a complex.”
“I don't know what a complex is but it can't be worse than that one time she gave me mono,” Luna retorted.
Twilight swiftly clopped a hoof upside the other pony’s head. “Change her back.”
“Can't we leave her for just five minutes? I really want to have some of those banana chocolate chip muffins you brought,” Luna inquired. “Celestia always eats them all by the time I wake up.”
“Fix her or I’m drafting you,” Twilight demanded.
“You can't do that, I’m-”
“A private citizen over the age of eighteen who is in perfect fighting shape,” Twilight finished. “I hear the deserts of Karakus are wonderful in the summer, and so hot it feels like the sun never sets.”
“You wouldn't,” Luna retorted, eyes narrowing.
Again, Twilight merely raised an eyebrow.
“Augh fine! Just save me one of those muffins,” Luna shouted as she trotted into the bathroom. “Noone around here can take a joke.”