Other than a few curious glances from castle staff on their way out, the two disguised alicorns made it out into Canterlot proper without issue. Their conversation, frequently interrupted by laughter from one or both of them, blended in easily with the background hubbub of other ponies enjoying a night on the town. Masked in the anonymity they shared, the Lunar Aspects smoothly navigated the streets, enjoying one of the few times they were not packed with boisterous crowds awaiting their arrival.
“... and that is why Dusk never made it any higher up the ranks of the guard. A pity, too, he would have easily eclipsed even his sister’s record, given how much he has done for Equestria over the past few years.” Artemis concluded, nodding wistfully to himself.
“Well, you say that, but wouldn’t that have stopped him from achieving his princehood? I am personally glad that Twilight went to Ponyville when she did, otherwise, well...” Artemis’ smile faltered slightly at that, but then he chuckled. “Things wouldn't have been quite so interesting as of late… or perhaps more interesting?”
The pair laughed at that, slowing their walk as they approached the familiar restaurant they had each unconsciously headed towards. Once past the threshold, Artemis removed his coat and cast a cursory glance around the sparsely populated room. He then attempted to flag down a waiter with a wing. After a few seconds of this, Luna gave him a confused look, and then abruptly widened her eyes. Prodding his side with a hoof, the disguised prince suddenly remembered that his wings were invisible. After an awkward chuckle, he cleared his throat and waved a hoof at a nearby waiter. The neatly dressed earth pony looked over from the table he was serving and nodded, saying a quick few words to his guests before swiftly trotting over to the waiting pair.
“Good evening, how many will it be?”
~~~
“They are just so good, I want to lick the plate!” Luna exclaimed, giggling as she gave her fork a quick lick before setting it down.
“You can, if you want to. I won't judge.” Artemis laughed along with her, enjoying the last of his pancakes. She looked over at him and raised her eyebrows slightly, before grinning mischievously. She then picked up her plate with her hooves and gave the surface a long, drawn out lick, all the while locking his eyes with a lidded gaze.
“I didn't mean it like… uhh…” Artemis' eyes continued to widen as he found his mouth too dry to speak. Narrowly dragging his eyes off to the side, he swallowed thickly before standing quickly, looking about in desperation. “... my, how sticky my hooves have gotten, I simply must go wash them!” He abruptly left the table towards the washroom at the back of the restaurant, his cheeks still burning as he heard Luna's unabashed laughter across the room.
Using his wings to fan his face, the Lunar Aspect stared himself down in the mirror above the sink. Taking a few deep breaths, he splashed himself in the face with some cold water. Even though he could feel his face burning, no tint appeared on his magically cloaked cheeks, in fact, the fur on his face didn't even get wet. This curiosity served to distract Artemis enough for his heart to stop racing, and after a few controlled breaths, he reentered the seating area.
His first instinct was, unsurprisingly, not to rush back to his table, in case his no-longer-doppelganger still was up to her mischief. This actually yielded the prince an unexpected opportunity to see what she was up to; alone in another world as she was.
Luna, sitting by herself in an eerily familiar donut shop, was almost overwhelmed by the tiny differences in the world she could pick out, even here. Like the light brown earth pony mare standing behind the counter, and the illuminated "Donut Jane" sign behind her were expected, but little things like the prices for food being noticeably higher, 2 bits for a dozen donuts? They don't even have sprinkles! Or the slightly, but noticeably, wider doorway at the entrance. Some changes made immediate sense, like the names for special breakfast meals having a more… macho ring to them. I could count on my hooves the number of mares who would order the "lumberjack sunrise" … and two of them are Twilight's friends … hmm. But other differences were truly mysterious, like how the layout of the dining area had replaced several of the tables for more bar space with additional stools, or what the small note about something called a "Veteran's discount" was doing in the corner of the menu.
Unbeknownst to her majesty, but knownst to his highness, her inquisitive stares at everything around her was utterly adorable, and after a moment of seeing such a display, he was emboldened to return to his table, ready for any remaining torment she had thought up in his absence. Her eyes snapped to him as he rounded the corner, and Artemis couldn't help grinning and blushing when he saw the bemused look on his date's face. Just as he saw her plate lift off the table and her mouth open again, he cast a quick spell as he seated himself across from her. Her smile dropped as soon as she saw her plate magically clean itself before her eyes, and she playfully glared at Artemis’ toothy smile as he barely contained his laughter.
Before she could say anything, however, Luna noticed the waiter approaching them with the bill. After a moment of confusion, she realized that they had to actually pay for their meal. She rarely needed to carry a coin purse with her, especially in Canterlot, since she mostly ate at these restaurants for events or as part of her royal duties. Even the rare times she managed to get her sister to eat a meal alone, they were accompanied by the unavoidable parade of advisors and guards, and there was somepony else to get the bill, if they were even charged.
She looked over to Artemis, who was still caught up in his own humor, and pointedly nodded towards the waiter. He wiped a tear from his eye and glanced the direction she indicated, and his eyes widened. He quickly checked around himself and his face went pale at the realization he had no bits to pay with.
“You wouldn't happen to know where, ah, the treasury keeps spare bits lying around, do you? I mean, my treasury, but it should be pretty similar to yours, right?” Artemis nervously asked, watching the waiter stop in front of their table and placed the bill between the Lunar Aspects.
“Is there something wrong, sir?” The waiter asked, looking suspiciously around the saddlebag-less pair.
“Well, you see..” Artemis trailed off, earning a tired sigh and a knowing glare. “I can get you bits from the cas… my house. I just forgot them, I promise!” He weakly tried to get up, but the waiter raised a hoof dismissively.
“I am sorry, sir, but payment is due before you leave the restaurant. I mean, is this any way to act on a date with a lovely mare like this?” He turned to Luna and apologetically smiled. “Terribly sorry about this, madam. I don't want to give you trouble on an evening out like this, but…”
Luna giggled nervously, and shook her purple mane out of her eyes. “I don't have any bits either. I guess we just didn't think this far ahead.”
“Honestly, that doesn't help me. Look, I don't know what to tell you…” The waiter let the sentence hang in the air, and backed up as Artemis stood up in front of him. He visibly gulped as the disguised prince towered over him, still intimidating, despite his well defined muscles flexing invisibly. Artemis shifted and straightened to his full height, head and shoulders above the waiter or anypony in the restaurant, a series of pops and cracks accompanying the invisible hardware adjusting.
Artemis took a quick look around at the now deserted room, save for the wait staff cleaning up a few tables. He then looked down at the intimidated stallion carefully back peddling from him, he lowered his disguise spell. Fear turned to awe as the waiter stopped immediately, then dropped to the floor in a deep bow. The prince smirked at this, and saw the other staff drop prostrate around him. “I am sorry for the deception, but you have no idea how hard it is to get food while looking like this.” He gestured to his billowing mane, glimmering coat, and clashing white medical braces. He shook his head ruefully at the prone waiter before him, and recast his disguise. “Please, rise. I just wanted you to know that this meal can be be billed directly to the royal coffers. It was most excellent, as always, and I hope to continue my visits here.”
“For you, my lord, this is free!” The waiter said shakily, pulling out the bill to tear it apart.
“No, this is not a royal visit, only for pleasure. You didn't even get the publicity of having me here, since I was in disguise the entire time. Please, I will tell the treasury to dispense appropriately after I explain why I was here.” He looked over to Luna, who was hiding a giggle at the shaken waiter. She stood up next to him, and the two began to leave the building.
“And have a lovely night, all of you. We will know.” She said with a laugh, taking off onto the street at a gallop, looking over her shoulder and daring Artemis to chase her. After he shrugged apologetically to the staff, he grabbed his coat, turned, and bolted after his fleeing date. Even after the hoofsteps faded in the distance, the restaurant still remained in a stunned silence, before the ponies gathered and immediately began gossiping.
~~~
“No, I have never been down to this part of Canterlot, but that's not the point! I already know that the only kind a fun you can have in seedy places like this are either illegal, not very mare-friendly, or both!” Artemis said in a hushed tone as he glanced around at the dimly lit backstreet in the lower ring of Canterlot. A prince had no reason to go this deep into the undercarriage of a city, and every time the guards or Solaris had invited him to something this far from the castle, he refused.
“Oh, stop being such a spoilsport! That is just what I said until the Elements brought me here after a particularly abysmal Gala. I tried to resist, but even Sister was calling for me to be hogtied and carried here, so…” Luna noticed that this was not a very convincing argument. “Alright, fine. I give you my word this will be good, wholesome fun with no lawbreaking… on our parts.”
At that, Luna pushed the door to a dark two-story building open, and a low pounding of distant music spilled out. Artemis’ expression twisted a little, and looked anxiously at his companion. “Berry promise?” He said, hesitantly following the mare through the door.
“Umm… no.” She replied, a devilish smile on her face as she recognized the interior as an identical club to back in her Canterlot. Luna reached out and grabbed the hoof of her confused counterpart and pulled him towards the source of the music. Down the stairs to the basement, she quickly turned and dragged him through a dark narrow hallway with small flashing lights along the baseboards.
“I, uh, what is this place?” Artemis shouted, the music growing louder as they went. Not hearing over the deafening noise (or perhaps not choosing to answer) Luna continued to the door at the end of the hall and pushed it open. Brilliant flashes of light and pounding music assaulted his senses, and the prince threw a hoof up to shield himself. Rolling her eyes, Luna walked back to him and teleported the pair of Alicorns into the room.
Blinking and looking around, Artemis just barely saw the door they were previously standing at swing shut, across a large open room filled with a pulsating crowd of ponies. Thankfully, they were now on the opposite side of the room from the raised DJ stand near the entrance. They were surrounded by what looked like mismatched tables holding a variety of exotic drinks, though the only light that made it back to the tables was cast by the strobing lamps a good hundred paces away on the far wall.
“I am… a little out of touch with the new music and dancing, it is a lot less… refined than a thousand years ago. I should probably just… uh… sit back here and maybe have a drink.” Artemis started back peddling as Luna stalked toward him. When he felt a wall behind him, he continued babbling with increased urgency as her eyes took on a predatory gleam. I am not making a fool out of myself on the first night out. I am not making a fool of myself on our first night out. I am not making any more of a fool of myself on the first night out. I am not…
Artemis’ train of thought and excuses stopped when Luna pressed a hoof to his lips, locking eyes with him as she leaned close enough that the tips of their horns almost touched. “Shut up and dance with me.” She gave him a smile and lowered her hoof.
I am going to make a fool of myself on our first night out.
~~~
Empty drinks and a few broken tables stood as testament to the incognito alicorns’ revelry, and the much smaller crowd now either kept their distance from the two, or drunkenly danced about with them. Said alicorns flailed about in a slightly more violent version of the prevalent dance, their unusually strong bucks and twists being the cause of most of the destruction.
“I never thought *hic* I could have this much fun dancing!” Artemis shouted to Luna, who promptly started laughing at his hiccups before falling off of the chair upon which she had been standing (and possibly attempting to dance). A burly bouncer yet again attempted to step in, barely squeezing through the close knit group of fans and morbidly curious onlookers the two had amassed.
“Miss! Please…” He shouldered into a particularly rowdy patron and glared at them. “Sir, take your date outside! You two have had enough to drink for tonight!”
Artemis wheeled around and almost fell down himself, before his eyes finally focused on the buff earth pony. “NO PONY COMMANDS THE LORD OF THE NIGHT!” He bellowed in the royal Canterlot voice, making even the DJ recoil and pull off his headphones. With wide eyes, the bouncer stepped back and looked around for support, not feeling too keen on approaching the much larger and more muscular unicorn by himself. Before he had a chance to call for backup, though, a brilliant flash of azure light joined the dizzying array of lamps as Artemis dismissed his disguise.
Luna was still laughing, lying on the floor in a puddle of what she hoped was somepony’s drink, when her partner changed form. The white unicorn quickly changed into the dark blue prince, mane billowing its uncountable stars, his coat glowing with moonlight. All but the most intoxicated dancers in the room immediately dropped into low bows as they recognized their ruler, and those that didn't were quickly pulled down by the ponies around them. The music immediately stopped with a electronic buzz as components were disconnected by the now prone DJ. The bouncer snapped into a rigid salute for an instant, before s look of panic washed over his features, and he, too, dropped prostrate before the looming alicorn.
“I had no idea my night was so enjoyed by the youth of this generation! I must inform my brother of this new life at night in the city of Canterlot! I will… *hic* I will invite all of you to the Grand Galloping Gala!” A spray of golden Gala tickets sprayed from the tip of Artemis’ horn, much to the surprise and confusion of all the terrified ponies around him.
A few staff members of the club had entered the door to the room, and there was a low buzz of conversation as some of the ponies stood back up to look at the fluttering cloud of gold-embossed tickets. The bouncer who had just tried to kick the prince out was visibly shaken, his face covered in sweat as he made a beeline for the door.
“Are these real? I thought you had to be, like, a stuck up… I mean Canterlot elite... to go!”
“Don't they have sold gold toilets in the castle?”
“Holy horseapples, I was hitting on the Prince's marefriend… I gotta go!”
Artemis barely contained laughter as he helped a panting Luna to her hooves, the two sharing a nod before heading towards the exit. Looking over her shoulder, the still disguised princess lit her horn and commanded the smashed furniture to reassemble itself, much to the shock of those in the area.
“Bill the coffers for… whatever. Also get stronger furniture or something, I plan on returning.” Artemis stated with a chuckle as he passed by the bewildered bar staff. Looking to Luna, he shrugged and opened the door for her. With a similar flash, Luna also dismissed her disguise, this time with mixed reactions from those present.
“We will return.” She said with a wink, noting that everypony present was completely flabbergasted by the second Alicorn. She then promptly pulled the door shut behind them and chased after an already galloping Artemis. Something in her foggy mind was trying to alert her to the significance of what was going on, but she was too busy having fun.
That part of her mind grew more insistent as she caught up to him and saw that his bandages and braces were all but destroyed, ostensibly by the motions of the jubilant prince. Also, the coat under the bandages was glowing even more brilliant under the moonlight, highlighting the numerous scars running along his body. Luna was now fully aware of what was grabbing her attention: the angry red injuries she had seen at the beginning of the night had closed and lightened, to a degree more consistent with weeks of recovery, rather than hours. Also, unless he had drunkenly thought to cast a second disguise spell, his mane was almost as enchanted as the first time she had seen him, billowing and full of stars. This was not the battered patient she had saved from the moon, and if she watched close enough, Luna could swear she saw the deep wounds heal before her eyes.
“Artemis, wait for me!” She called as her fellow alicorn used his wings to jump the entire height of the stairs in one leap. Amazingly, rather than his injuries preventing him, the medical braces seemed to be the only thing holding him back from full flight, though they looked a lot worse for wear as the metal clasps strained against his powerful wing muscles.
"How about you hurry up and catch me?" Came a slightly slurred reply as Luna watched Artemis take off down the road towards the castle. The narrow roads of the lower ring giving way to the wide avenues of the upper ring of Canterlot, which would usually be bustling with ponies during the day, but the two lunar alicorns were quite happy to frolic by themselves, as Luna closed the distance between them at a dead sprint.
Goading and triumphant laughter caught in the prince's throat as he turned his head to see the lithe and sleek form of his partner edge past him, highlighting the earth pony magic alive and well in his fellow alicorn's physique. Now it was her turn for a few triumphant laughs, though as the two closed on the castle gates at full speed, they were both struggling to gulp in enough air to maintain their thunderous gallop.
Luna began to slow, looking back at her companion to announce their entry or command the gates opened, but was surprised to see him crumpled on the side of the road, several paces back. A jolt of alarm somewhat lethargically shot through her mind, but before she could speak, she was interrupted by a blue hoof extending from the pile of fur and feather (and metal) covered appendages.
"I'm ok!" Came a quick reply from Artemis, before a flash of magical light teleported the inebriated prince to his hooves next to Luna. “And before you ask, I am not sure if that was the injuries or the drink. I was up one moment, chasing after your shapely… uhh, after you, then the next I was sampling the local grass for an early breakfast.” He then spit out a few stray blades of grass to emphasize his point.
“I am more concerned about how you just did that.” Luna replied, tilting her head to the side to look at where her companion had just been. She felt her Alicorn physiology at work banishing the chemical clouding of her mind, and soon she began compiling the many unexpected leaps in Artemis’ condition over the night together.
“I… I am not sure either. I have been feeling pretty… Woah. I think the alcohol has run its course. Good thing I- we don’t get intoxicated like the mortals, I don’t think I could handle a hangover like this. But yeah, I am feeling so much more alive, and for the first time since you sent me to the hospital, I am feeling my connection with my- our moon.” The lunar prince looked up, and the entire night sky brightened in concert with his horn.
A beaming smile broke out across Luna’s face, and she stepped closer to extend a hoof near his head. “I would wager you haven’t even noticed this yet, right?” She brushed her hoof through the swirling nebula of mane extending from behind his horn, appreciating its return to the full glory she had seen before.
The prince guffawed in wonder and joy, reaching a hoof up to join in the gentle mussing of his fully ethereal mane. When he looked down, though, he found himself almost snout to snout with Luna, and saw the stars of his mane and sky reflected in her eyes. “You would be correct, and you are to thank for it. I have been marveling at how quickly my health, my strength, my life has been returning while I have been with you tonight. It is almost as if my injuries had cut me off from more than just my abilities, but my self. But with you, it is like the moon shines in my sky once more, if you will pardon the analogy.” He quickly turned his face and cleared his throat, desperately trying to will the tear back into his eye before the princess saw it.
“You are most welcome. Tonight has been wonderful for me as well, and I hope we can find a way to do this again, without the help from our siblings.” She gave a scathing glare at the low-hanging moon in the sky and briefly considered rewinding it back up a ways, just to give them more time together. “But for tonight, we must get back to the mirror chamber, so I can assist my sister with the coming dawn. Perhaps you, too, can try your hoof at it, given how far you have come.”
A warm wing settled around her shoulder as she said that, and she looked over to see Artemis right next to her, smiling serenely at the castle ahead of them. It was his time to be surprised by a sensation, as he felt her lean her head against his neck, bringing the two alicorns into a solitary hug in a silent city. Staying that way for minutes that felt like hours, the quiet hubbub of early risers shook the pair from their reverie, and they looked around with begrudging acceptance of their impending parting.
Withdrawing his wing, Artemis gave a sidelong glance to Luna, and murmured mischievously “You don’t suppose I can teleport all the way past the gates from here, do you?” The princess raised her eyebrows at this, with a twinkle in her eyes, and replied back “And from there all the way into the castle?” He replied with a roguish grin and said “You are on.”
He felt a tap on his opposite shoulder, and turned his head to see the retreating tip of her wing, before he was further surprised by a warm and wet sensation on his cheek. “For luck” said the princess with a wink, before she disappeared in a brilliant flash of magical light. Reaching a hoof up to where she had kissed him, Artemis grinned with fiery confidence as he lit his horn and teleported after her.
~~~
A simple note came fluttering down from the mirror in the vacant chamber, landing softly next to a rune-engraved cage that held a single sleeping mouse.
"I definitely felt that! It was just like your magic, but you were asleep!" Voices echoed down the hall, along with two sets of hoofbeats. Finally, the door to the room opened, waking the rodent and bathing the interior with magical rose-colored light.
"Yes, yes Twilight. I believe you. Just, talk a little quieter, I was up much later than normal. And if I remember correctly, most of that time was calming you down, my fledgling Princess of Freaking Out." Muttered a drowsy Princess Celestia, a large cup of tea floating in her magical grip. When presented with the slip of paper by her former student, she read the note's instructions quickly before taking a last sip of her favorite beverage.
Twilight, ever the dutiful disciple, took the teacup in her grip and set it down, before picking up the caged mouse and gritting her teeth in preparation. With a bright magical flash, the mirror's surface blazed with light, before eventually resolving into a window to an almost identical room. On the other side, facing the two princesses, were the princes of Day and Night, along with their familiar moon princess. Celestia rolled her eyes with a rueful smile as she saw the matching reluctant looks on the two Lunar Aspects' faces, and Solaris joined in with a light chuckle of his own. Twilight, lightly blushing, smiled at the happy pair's longing gazes before she tried to surreptitiously look around the room through the mirror.
"Umm… where is Prince Dusk? I figured he would want to be here for this too." Twilight's timid question broke the other four royals out of their corresponding revere, and Celestia paid a quick glance around the opposing chamber.
"Oh, I figured he would make a scene again, so I shoved him in a closet." Came a matter-of-fact reply from Solaris. This casual response earner him a questioning or incredulous glance from everyone else present, before a muffled banging could be heard, seemingly to prove his point. "Don't worry, we play tricks like this on each other all the time, especially since he ascended. Sometimes poison joke happens to get in my tea, sometimes Artemis gets black dye put in his soap to dye his entire coat black, you know. One time we perfectly recreated his chambers in the Castle of the Two Brothers, and Artemis helped me move him there during the night. Remember that?"
"Please leave me out of this. I don't want to remember some of the things that have happened during your so-called 'prank war'. And I think there are some questions better left unasked."
"What happened when you were dosed with poison joke, Prince Solaris?" Came a sudden question from through the portal. Twilight, now studying Solaris, somehow missed the mortified look that appeared on his face.
"Case in point. In any case, Princess Luna, it has been a pleasure to, um, it has been fascinating, no, thank you for the successful experiment on interdimensional transport and stability. I hope, in the near future, to further study you- this process. I hope to study this process of travel to and existence in a parallel world." Artemis decided to close his mouth there, as his cheeks felt as if they would catch on fire if he were to continue.
Luna, to her credit, kept her cool long enough to lean in for a quick hug over his shoulder before whispering "Me too" with a smile. She turned back to face Solaris, who harbored a very familiar knowing smile that made her skin crawl slightly, but she still managed a courtly and polite thank you before crossing the mirror back into her home world.
Twilight rushed up and hugged her fellow princess upon her arrival, and wasted no time to quickly pass the cage back through so the two exhausted Solar Aspects could cease the incredibly complex and demanding spell. As soon as Artemis had full control of the magical container, he waved to his counterpart, who barely had a chance to wave back before the portal closed as the spell ended.
Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Solaris sat down hard on the floor of the chamber and looked up at his brother. After a few frantic thumps though, his eyes widened and his horn relit, before an exasperated Dusk Shine flashed into the room. Finally having the room and freedom to move, he quickly flexed his hooves and broke the manacles binding them together, before reaching up and removing the anti-magic ring around his horn. He glared daggers at his former mentor, while rubbing the sore areas he had developed while compacted in such a confined space.
“That was really unnecessary, you know. I could have just resisted my curiosity and stood outside, if you were so certain I wouldn’t be able to handle another face to face with Twi- Princess T- Her.” Dusk indignantly turned from his mentor, huffing as he saw both of his fellow princes roll their eyes.
“You? Resist your curiosity? I don’t know if that has ever happened before. Do you remember that ever happening, dear brother?” Artemis grinned when his brother asked him this, and replied with a similar level of sarcasm. “No, older brother, I do not seem to remember that happening for as long as I have known our young prince here. Perhaps he resisted it that time with the time traveling spell… Oh no, wait, He didn’t then. Hmm, what about the time with his friend Berry? I do recall something about… No, nevermind, he couldn’t resist his curiosity then either.”
“Har har, laugh it up, you guys. At least you two get to even meet your counterparts, I have only seen her once.” Crossing his hooves in front of him, the youngest prince sat down on the floor across from his former mentor, sulking. Seeing this, Artemis was once again reminded of how much of a help he had been over this whole process, and started thinking of ways he could make it up to him.
“Oh, I have an idea. Now, I can understand being a little… over excited when meeting with your female counterpart, at least face to face like we just did. Perhaps you would like to meet her in a different way.” Artemis walked over to his friend and set a hoof lightly on his shoulder.
“I am not open to entering your dreams, after how you and your new ‘Experiment Partner’ were looking at each other when you got back here, and for a similar reason I don’t want to let you into mine. Some of the things I have been dreaming about are rather… unusual for me. His dreams are right out.” He pointed a hoof across the room at Solaris, who only replied with a smile that further validated his point.
“No, this time has nothing to do with dreams, actually. I was thinking about asking Luna if we can give the two of you our mirrors for a few days. That way you can meet your counterpart in a much more familiar and comfortable way: as a pen pal.” At the suggestion, the young prince’s eyes lit up and he glanced over to where the small mirror was sitting on the table nearby.
“I can just, what, pass notes through the mirror and she will get them? I am not exactly a student back in my magic academy days. Don’t you think that she will find that a little, I don’t know, unbefitting of rulers like us?” As if to answer his question, the mirror in question lit up, and a carefully bound scroll pushed from its surface. When it fell to the table surface, all three princes could see that the seal it bore matched Dusk’s cutie mark perfectly.
“Well, there you go.” Solaris stood and started walking towards the door. “I need more tea if I am to set the moon and raise the sun after that whole debacle.” This statement resonated in Artemis’ mind, and he hurried to follow his brother as he turned towards the kitchens.
“Wait, brother, I have an idea about that, too!” When he caught up to the solar prince, he matched his stride slightly ahead of him. “Notice anything different about me?” The lunar prince shook his head and flexed his wings for his brother to see, but was underwhelmed by the response.
“What? You damaged your braces or something? It is still pretty dark in here, and you know your low light vision far exceeds mine.” Artemis quirked his brow in confusion, before stepping closer and asking “How about now?”
“Your, uh, injuries are healing nicely? And your wings look… well kempt? What, are you trying to brag you got preened on the first date or something?” Solaris shrugged in confusion, while Artemis sighed in exasperation.
“My mane! Look, it has returned to its ethereal state, meaning I have reconnected with my Aspect! The time I spent with Luna was lovely for many reasons, and not the least of which was that her presence seemed to help me heal and feel like my old self.” The lunar prince pressed a hoof against his chest at the warmth he felt, but was once again shot down by the reply he heard.
“I don’t know how to tell you this, dear brother, but your mane hasn’t changed. It is just hair, like it was yesterday.” The words struck the injured prince like a blow to the gut. He quickly turned to the grand windows lining the hall in which the two rulers walked. By lighting a small magical flame, he could see his reflection in the dark glass, and sure enough, his mane lay limp atop his head, like the mane of any common pony in the land.
“What? But how? I was getting better, I know it! I could-” He lit his horn, and attempted to teleport down the hall, but his horn fizzled and a spike of pain radiated down his forehead. Falling to a knee, he was quickly supported by his brother, before walking slowly to a bench at the end of the hall. “I don’t understand. I know I wasn’t dreaming, but, then, how did I do all those things? Are my injuries reopened?” He glanced down and started inspecting himself.
Meanwhile, Solaris looked on as his brother frantically tried to take inventory of his injuries, and casually inspected him as well. Indeed, with the light he was casting, it was apparent that the raw and angry red wounds had not only closed, but significantly shrunk. In some places, smaller injuries had fully healed to scars, barely breaking the fur of his coat. It is like he was able to benefit from his Alicorn Physique by proxy, sort of sharing in the powerful connection of his counterpart’s Aspect.
“We need to get her back over here. Or you over there.” Artemis was startled at the sudden and resolute statement from his older sibling. “I agree, but what made you-”
“Your injuries are so bad, and were caused in such a way, that I believe you will take a considerable time to heal fully. But in the short span of time you spent in the presence of your counterpart, you have made days, maybe weeks or recovery. And you claim you had better access to your magic and your mane regained its ethereal nature? If for no reason other than to have you pick back up your duties faster, we must get the two of you back together. Soon. But first, I need to get a refill of my personal tea leaf supply, somepony must have forgotten to check.”
~~~
“No, he replied, like, right away! You were so right about this being a good idea, he has such neat handwriting and perfect grammar. I think he may have even just wrote a joke, but he referenced something that I am struggling to tell if there is an equivalent version of it here, in our world, but I told him it was funny. Pinky always says that laughing at a pony’s jokes is a great way to make them feel more comfortable around you.”
Luna nodded and smiled to her fellow princess as the two walked towards the kitchens, following the trail of an increasingly impatient Celestia. Said Solar Aspect was currently alternating between glaring at her very empty teacup and at any member of the cooking staff who might have been responsible for forgetting to refill her personal tea leaf supply.
“But did you know, he decided to join the royal guards along with his sister and train instead of staying at the magic academy? I guess I always appreciated the guards while I lived here and went to school, and some of my first fillyhood crushes may have been the handsome, muscular guards in their shining armor. I mean, just armor. You know, if it was shiny or not, eh heh.”
Luna raised an eyebrow at this, and Twilight started sweating, but before any questions were asked, another scroll popped through the mirror. “Oh, I wasn’t expecting this. We have been pretty consistent on the standard ‘I send one, you send one’ paradigm for message sending. Perhaps he wanted to clarify what he was talking about earlier. Or maybe he wasn’t telling a joke, and instead that was something more serious. Oh no, what if I have just made fun of a very serious tragedy in his world by thinking he was telling a joke!”
It was Celestia this time who stepped in, though this time she merely pressed a hoof to the mouth of her worrying pupil, and picked up the scroll. Luna spied a solar seal on this note, and cocked her head as she tried to read over her sister’s shoulder. Before she could discern too much, Her older sister let out a bark of laughter, followed by a slightly annoyed sigh. “Good news and bad news.”
~~~
Artemis struggled to remember why he was standing here, in the middle of the market in Ponyville, but he was sure he was supposed to be getting something. Looking around the square, he nodded at some of the familiar sights and ponies he saw. Applejack at his apple stall, Rainbow Blitz walking around on his front hooves, like normal, talking to some faceless mare. Another stall, this one selling apples and run by Applejack, Butterscotch talking to a tree, a stall where Applejack was selling apples, Elusive sitting at a table with a well dressed ponnequin, sharing a romantic meal, an apple-selling stall with an apple-selling Applejack.
Wait. He thought to himself suddenly. Something I just saw doesn’t make sense. He turned his head back, and, sure enough, there he was. Blitz was now holding hooves with the mare and still managing to walk around on his front hooves. That’s what was wrong. The mare was replaced with a stallion, and Artemis nodded to himself. Had to set what is right in this world.
Suddenly, a point in space, just above the center of the town square, grew incredibly dark. Shadows were cast inwards, towards this spot, and everything distorted around it. Looking around, it seemed only Artemis had noticed this change, but before he could approach it to further investigate, a hoof stepped out. At first, it looked a lot like his own hoof, but he was proven wrong shortly thereafter by the long, slender leg that followed. A connection in his mind tried desperately to remind him of something, but he could not put his hoof on it. However, when a second hoof passed through, then more of a familiar princess appeared, he was washed with recollection.
“Luna! I mean, Princess Luna, how good it is to see you! I wasn’t expecting you quite so…” Artemis squinted his eyes, as he struggled to order his thoughts. Something was amiss, and he could not keep track of the timeline of events leading to now, no matter how he tried.
“It’s alright, Prince Artemis, you are dreaming.” She smiled at the dumbfounded look the prince responded with, and gazed about with a feeling of whimsy. “It has been a long time since I last had a chance to just dream like this. That being said, when I went dreamwalking, your dream stuck out like a beacon to me. Even now, you were able to manipulate your dream while in the midst of it, a feat rarely, if ever, done.”
“Oh, that makes sense. I just fell asleep when I returned, first chance I got. It turns out there is quite a difference between being able to stay up all night, and being up all night. I am guessing my brother’s letter reached you, then?” Luna’s smile faded slightly at this question, and she nodded.
“I can tell, even now, that your presence is diminished from when we parted last night. I also can tell, by the way our connection is limited here, that you are not healing the same way as you did when we were together.”
“That just means we have to spend more time together, right? I don’t know about you, but that sounds like much less of a curse than it is a blessing!” Artemis smiled at his companion, but faltered when he saw the look of consternation on her face.
“Oh, I agree, but as much as I would love to spend every night like last night, we have our subjects to think about. And also, I think that my sister grows envious of our time together, as her time with your brother has mostly been in service of us for the last several days.”
“I got a similar feeling, and I am sorry for them. I hardly asked to be so injured at such an exciting time, but we must deal with the circumstances as they are. It’s not like we can trade for the day or take turns, could we?” To this, Luna brought a hoof to her chin, tapping it thoughtfully.
“You know what, perhaps your idea isn’t so outlandish. I must think on this, and you must rest. Await word from me soon, though, I will broach this matter with my sister forthwith.”
“I believe Dusk once told me that ‘forthwith’ is no longer part of the common parlance, but I am more than happy to hear it from you. I shall await your correspondence with bated breath.”
~~~
“Are you really sure about this? Last time didn’t go so well, if you recall.” Celestia lightly goaded the youngest princess, only to have a quick eye roll as her reply. “Fine, then if you faint again, I will leave you where you fall, while the rest of us discuss the actual issue at hoof.” With a flash of her horn, the spell she had cast only a couple days prior illuminated the room, causing the standing mirror to glow. As the wind billowed outwards, the few remaining papers in the room merely rustled under their strategically placed paperweights, and the surface of the mirror shifted to clear. Now three pairs of alicorns stood, once again, facing each other.
A warm smile was exchanged between the glowing Solar Aspects, and a similarly fond smile by the Lunar Aspects. This time, however, when the two purple alicorns caught sight of each other, they stiffened a bit, but stayed standing. After a timid wave from Dusk, Twilight seemed to relax a little, and waved back.
“Aww, they're so precious!” Celestia loudly whispered to Luna, causing her eyes to widen as she restrained a laugh. She almost replied before she heard the equally loud but decidedly more vulgar whisper from Solaris, and her eyes bulged as her cheeks heated up. A surprised laugh sprung from Celestia’s mouth before she could stop herself, and Luna could see Artemis struggling to contain himself, while glaring indignantly at his brother.
“Aaaand they’re on the floor again. You really enjoy trying to break your former student, huh?” Artemis asked his brother.
“Yes.” came two replies.
~~~
“So we would just, what trade back and forth? Our days are both at the same time, so it’s not like we can both be together in two places at one. And while I think you are perfectly capable of running day court all by yourself, Luna, I think it would leave a lot of ponies confused.” Celestia stepped over the unconscious form of Twilight and seated herself in a chair, looking back at her sister.
“And what would I be doing while she is running day court? You expect me to go for walks or talk to certain teachers from her magic school?” At this, Luna gave a startled glare at Artemis, before mouthing “You told him?”
With an incredulous shrug, Artemis mouthed back “I didn’t think it would matter!”
All conversation ground to a halt, however, when a pair of groans marked the return of the two youngest royals. “What did we miss?” they said in unison, garnering a questioning glance from the rest.
“Well, that was spooky. Did you two actually plan that?” Solaris asked, before getting elbowed by his younger brother. “What we were talking about is how we could facilitate a trade. It would mean princess sunshine there would get to spend time with her beau during the day, and I get to spend the nights with Luna. Stop laughing, both of you. I didn’t mean it like that, and we are never going to finish this conversation if you keep this up.”
“Wouldn’t that leave one of our nations without a ruler half of the day, though? I don’t know, maybe we could both hold court and try to get two days’ duties done in one day, and then switch to the other world for the next day. Though that comes with the headache of introducing our counterparts to the whole of Equestria, and that would lead to so many questions, like immigration between worlds and how rulership is passed between alternate worlds' versions of the same pony. Also, it assumes no pressing matters spring up on the ‘off’ days, which we all know is unlikely.” Luna added, pacing back and forth behind her sister’s seat.
Solaris shook his head slightly, before remarking “I could probably handle more than just day court in a day, if I had help for the duration, but likely not two full days in one. And the switching from world to world might get too confusing. I have thought about bringing this up with you, brother, that perhaps we could take care of all our duties in one fell swoop.”
“Oh, like Luna and I started doing a while back. Why has it taken this long for you to make the same change as us?” Celestia glanced at her sister, who simply shrugged in reply.
“I believe we just have a higher priority on having a prince always in the throne room, day or night, in case of threats to Equestria. Though, it sounds like the concept is already working for you. Doesn’t really help us with this issue, unfortunately.”
“Oh, I know.” Said Dusk suddenly, lighting his horn. “You can use this.” Right in front of him, in view of those across the portal, appeared a grey magical band.
Solaris' face twisted slightly, and he let out a wry chuckle "Look, I enjoyed switching with him once, even if it was just our cutie marks, but that was enough." Artemis nodded along with the sentiment, but had a look of curiosity on his face.
"Not for you," the young prince added, "For her." Dusk pointed across the portal, to where Celestia was sitting. "I still have all the schematics for making this one, so you, Twi- Princess Twilight, can make one that mimics Princess Celestia, which Artemis will wear. Then it is a simple matter of taking each other’s places."
Artemis, mind now completely halted, slowly shifted his eyes to the mirror until he met the gaze of the solar princess. Her eyes were wide, and a pink blush marked her cheeks, but she said nothing, seemingly trying to process what this plan was working out to be.
"... I will try not to do anything you wouldn't…" Artemis said with a weak smile, before he was immediately rebuffed by both Solar Aspects' reply of "Oh, I highly doubt that."
~~~
The morning of the first test was upon them, and Luna and Solaris were watching an unusual spectacle take place before them. Celestia and Artemis, who had picked the Brother's world to meet in for convenience, were rapidly going over their schedules and notes with each other. Planners and handwritten notes were floating around them as reference material, and they were both meticulously converting each other’s style of schedule keeping into their own.
“So whenever it was that I told the group of Coltscouts that they could come tour of the barracks, they took that to mean the entire local troop could come along, so you will have a few dozen young ones, most without cutie marks, when you go for that. Do not promise them further events or tours. Do not offer to go on campouts. No not offer to hold additional fundraisers for them, we already do one once a year. Do pick them up in your magic and make sound effects while you play with them. Do not put them on your shoulders and run around, because the disguise won’t work for that.”
“... and after the yak delegation leaves, if you can get them to leave, you both have a nice private dinner scheduled with Prince Blueblood." Celestia couldn't hide her smirk as she saw Artemis' confusion wash over her face, which was a unique experience, to be sure. “Oh don’t worry, you have much more experience with princes than I do, so it should be easy. But don’t act too familiar with him, he does try to worm his way into getting some form of favor or boon. If he brings a mare, or several mares for that matter, with him, pretend they are talking floral arrangements, because that is almost exactly how he thinks of them.”
“This is just… weird. I guess getting used to the voice modulation enchantment and everything is important, but couldn’t they have waited to switch until afterwards?” Solaris rolled his shoulders as he passed by Luna, and they exchanged a nervous chuckle.
“I don’t know, I believe I prefer this version of my sister. Much more goal oriented and direct. I wonder if he- she will be up to the task of pretending to care about some socialite gossip for the half hour at the spa this afternoon.” Luna smiled to herself, as if picturing Artemis being swarmed by spa ponies and attempting to fend them off like a bear covered in honey.
“Wait, you get to go to the spa? We are doing sparring drills this afternoon.” Solaris seemed to deflate slightly at this news, before quietly adding “I want to go to the spa.”
“Alright, I think we are ready. We just need to get Twilight to open up her side of the portal, and you two can be off for a whirlwind day of as little on the schedule as we could muster.” Celestia, disguised as Artemis, walked over and stroked a hoof down Dusk’s sleeping form. “Hey there, big boy, need some help waking up?”
Dusk went from dozing to fully awake immediately, and was further jolted when everpony else in the room shouted “Stop that!” at the pony softly petting his side. Wiping his eyes, he blearily looked up at his longtime friend Artemis, and his mind frantically struggled to process. A moment later, Princess Celestia, the beautiful and radiant mare version of his mentor, came over and stopped Artemis, before pulling him to his hooves with a sour look.
“We don’t have time for this, raise Twilight and tell her we are ready. I do hope she hasn’t fallen asleep too.” The mare pressed a small mirror into his hooves, and he suddenly remembered what he was doing. When the first note yielded no response, he thought for a moment before summoning the alarm clock from his bedroom. Tinkering with the clock briefly, he pushed it through the mirror and waited.
Ten seconds later, the mirror burst to light, and on the other side a glowing Twilight was teetering back and forth in her own version of the chamber. She sheepishly passed the alarm clock back through the mirror, before Princess Luna and the disguised Prince Artemis walked though.
“Oh, and try to keep your hooves off her, older brother, at least until court has concluded." Artemis called out over his shoulder. Solaris laughed, before mischievously glancing at his companion and replying. "What, afraid of tomorrow's headlines if this happens?" Before reaching out and pulling the disguised Celestia close. "Younger brother, I never noticed how soft and inviting your lips look" Celestia, quickly picking up on the joke: "Older brother, how broad and strong your shoulders feel. Your every touch makes me quiver and-"
"Oh, sweet older sister, how soft your coat is, I could bury my face in your mane and sink into your luxurious form." Luna cut off her disguised sister by pulling close her companion who was disguised as her sister. "Especially with how round and plump your-"
"Luna!" Celestia, even disguised as Artemis, could not hide her brilliant blush, caused by a mixture of outrage and embarrassment. "I think we can all agree to hold off, right?" She asked, before turning to get Solaris' agreement. Instead of that, she caught her companion openly gawking at the sight in front of him. Celestia turned back to see what had transfixed him, before huffing in exasperation.
"Prince Artemis, I do believe I asked you not to… how are you doing that? I can’t even bend like that! Ugh, I will never understand how you stallions come up with such provocative poses. Unbelievable… and you, sir! I don't appreciate you looking so shamelessly at another mare, and right in front of me, no less!"
"Hey, she looks just like you! He. He does. I mean, exactly like you. I may as well be appreciating a picture of you! Really, you should, uh, take it as a compliment."
"I meant my sister, who is very much not me. I can tell you are sparing her some of your attention, too… though we do make a rather striking pair, don't we? With her dark coat and lithe frame, and my brilliant… wow, I hadn't realized quite how large-"
"This has awoken something in me."
"And that's our cue! Talk to you later, bye!"
~~~
The final group of petitioners happily trotted from the courtroom, surprised by the good moods and surprising demeanors of the princesses, but not questioning the favorable judgment they had received. Once the door to the throne room shut, Luna leaned across the side of her throne towards her ‘sister’.
“So, how do you think that went? I am a little perturbed that I was essentially passed over to be taking the lead here, but you have been doing a more than fair job seeking my opinions on issues and asking them to address me. I guess a little advocacy for lunar diarchs can go a long way, don’t you think?”
“I agree wholeheartedly, and even though we only did a few days of this kind of ‘double-diarch day court’ in preparation over in my home, I am filling this role more easily than I thought. You are right, though, about the masses mainly wanting to speak to me, but at least they have not been mean-spirited or petty when I direct them to you. I see that the ponies of your land are just as warm and friendly as mine, if not moreso.”
With the last of the ponies in line for today met, the two ‘princesses’ left the throne room and began the walk towards the spa .“Speaking of friendly, we arranged for the spa ponies to forgo any massages today in favor of the more hooves-off treatments, just so nopony tries to rub your back and discovers solid muscle a hooves width from where it appears.”
“What do you plan on us doing? I mean, I appreciate the time to relax, but this hardly seems to be essential royal duties.” Artemis smiled politely and nodded to a few passing ponies, just in case they happened to be important.
“Oh, you would be surprised, the spa can be a great place to improve the image of the crown, especially among the nobles. With castle staff and the Canterlot elite allowed limited access to the services, having our subjects see us ‘let down our manes’, so to speak, can really build appeal and rapport. Or so says my sister, I just go along with it because it means dedicated spa appointments every week. Thinking on it, that may also be part of her reasoning, too.”
“So it would probably be for the best that I stay disguised, even in the baths? I don’t know if the enchantment is complex enough to be able to simulate a wet mane, though.” The disguised prince looked up and idly waved a hoof through his illusory mane, billowing out from behind his illusory tiara.
“No, I worked with Twilight when she made this, and I can tell you that the illusion is very accurate. Not only will your mane get wet, you can even wash your coat, sort of, with magic. I wouldn’t try scrubbing with your hooves, because…” Luna glanced over at her counterpart, and her gaze lingered on how her sister’s form was replicated in all its glory, then envisioned Artemis scrubbing his hooves over his… her…
“On second thought, I don't think you should keep the disguise on. It would be too complicated to try to deal with, and you have so much more body to try to wash and…” At this last sentence, Artemis visibly stiffened, and Luna could have sworn she felt the heat of his blush from a pace away.
“Yes, it really would feel… improper washing somepony else’s body, at least without their permission, and she certainly isn't here to give that permission. Not- not that I would want permission. From her at least.” Now it was Luna’s turn to stiffen, except it was easy to see her blush, given she wasn’t wearing a magical disguise.
After a few minutes of awkwardly silent walking, they arrived at their destination, and parted ways with their honor guard before entering. “I will make the necessary arrangements. Since we asked to skip all massages for both of us, we can just tell everypony else to wait outside. It is one of the perks of having our own spa in the castle, after all.” Luna smiled, and nodded to the head masseuse as they entered an ornate door leading to the steam rooms.
After a few minutes of navigating the various rooms and passing along their wishes, the two Lunar Aspects were alone. Luna dipped a hoof in the water of the somewhat shallow pool that filled the chamber, while Artemis tapped his wrist. After the illusion had stripped away, he removed the band and set it on a shelf for safekeeping, before headlong jumping into the water, splashing his companion and earning a surprised laugh.
Almost as quickly as he had jumped in, the lunar prince sprang back out of the water, hissing as steam peeled from his coat. “You could have warned me they boil ponies alive in here! I thought that practice fell out of vogue millennia ago.”
Giggling more as she stepped deeper into the pool, Luna shook her head and relaxed, letting the heat melt away some of the stress she had been carrying with her. When she looked back, she saw Artemis watching her dumbfoundedly, as if she were wading into a pool of lava with some dragons. “You just have to go slow, and allow yourself to acclimate one step at a time. Don’t tell me they don’t have spa baths like this in your world?”
“No they- Well, if they do, they are not very popular, not compared to steam rooms or saunas. And I am not exactly in the habit of frequenting places like this, anyways, nor is my brother. Could you imagine? The two princes strolling into a spa and saying ‘Have your biggest, burliest spa ponies come try to massage muscle knots that are older than their grandparents’. I don’t know, spas just aren’t as popular, and more mares go to them anyway.”
“Really? Most spa ponies are mares, not stallions, in my world, but it is still more of a mare pastime. Maybe it is more of a comfort that mares have being exposed and vulnerable with other mares, but stallions are less comfortable having another stallion massaging them? This could really be a- Hey, I know what you are doing, you get me talking and you just stall and wait. You are getting in this pool, so get over here, or I will use my magic, and we both know how easily I can overpower you right now.”
After a cautious look at the water, and a more cautious look at Luna's now glowing horn, the prince finally stepped a hoof into the bath. Sucking air through his teeth, Artemis gave a pleading look to his counterpart.
"I am still in recovery, you would really use your magic to bully me in this state?" He asked, grinning as her horn dimmed.
"No, but I don't need my magic!" Luna suddenly cried out, before reaching over to Artemis' hoof still outside the water. With a tug, the prince stumbled forward, landing his second forehoof in the piping hot water, but also his chin on top of the princess’s head. With a sigh of relief, he carefully pulled his neck back around the fluted horn that had almost impaled him, before a startled yelp emanated from below. Quickly pulling back enough to see her face, Artemis realized that the two of them were now, once again, so close they almost touched, which seemed to be a trend in their time together.
“You really shouldn’t complain, this was your choice to pull me in here.” He turned his snout to the side, remembering that his blush was now visible without the aid of the magic disguise.
“But look at you, you are almost all the way in the pool! And I don’t mind being this close, I just, um, didn’t think about jabbing you with my horn. I usually only have to worry about that with Sister, but I guess even though we are almost the same size, I just thought… Not that we are almost the same size, I mean look at you, even after what you have been through you still look like an earthpony carved you from a mountain face… Is the water getting hotter? It definitely feels a lot hotter to me.” Luna’s babbling trailed off as Artemis leaned close and smiled peacefully at her.
“I appreciate this. I understand that my brother and your sister wanted some time together as well, but all the effort you put in, all of you, warms my heart. I must ask, though; Was this your idea or was it hers?”
Luna’s face twisted in a very subtle way, before she asked “What do you mean?” “This, the pool, the magic band, the ‘spa day’. I still have both eyes and I can read, you know. This spa may be somewhat regularly used by the two of you, but none of the notes in Celestia’s study mentioned spa day, even though the ones she brought to coach me with did. The spa roster has no slot for royal spa visits, and a solo appointment for Celestia in two days. I can’t help but feel like this was a setup.”
A moment passed as the two lunar diarchs gazed into each other’s eyes, before Luna let out a sigh of disappointment. “It was Twilight’s idea, actually, Celestia didn’t know anything besides the notes. Said she read it in one of her favorite trashy romance novels that she secretly reads when nopony else is around. And I didn't even think of the issue with the magic band until you mentioned it just now. I guess it felt like a good idea at the time, because a day in court with me, even if we are together, couldn’t be… how could you like it if I don’t like it? I have to keep things in check so nopony thinks… Boring is safe, and safe is good, right? A little expression, a little joking would be alright, but nothing too spontaneous. Only planned fun. Only what won’t make Sister worry…”
Tears fell heavy into the steaming water below. Luna felt hooves wrap her shoulders, and pull her into a soft embrace. She sniffled slightly when she felt tears hitting the back of her neck, and tried to pull away. Instead of being released, the pressure of the hug increased, and she found her face buried in between muscular limbs.
“I hear you. I am not upset you did this, and I could tell you displayed your true feelings. If I had not been so damnably curious, and just needed to figure out what was going on, I would have loved everything you set up. I guess I owe an apology to Dusk when I return, but that matters not. What does matter is we are here, together. I may be the only other pony out there who will ever get how terrifying it is, living perched on the edge of a knife. But that is why our bond is different. While every other creature we meet can, at most, cheer us on in our battles against the daemons that lurk below the conscious world, we two, alone, can join the fight together.”
Only after saying this, did Artemis release his hold, and Luna looked up at him with a gentle smile on her face and tears drying in her eyes. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you understand better. Sister, and even Twilight, for the best of their efforts, are little more than spectators when it comes down to it. But with your help, I will no longer be alone.”
“We could even hold longer shifts in each world, like a week here, a week there. Both of us holding court during the day, and then spend all night together in the dream world?” Artemis let out a wry chuckle. “That definitely sounds like a sustainable schedule, right?”
Luna, grinning mischievously, leaned in close until their snouts almost touched, before saying quietly “Maybe not all night~”
“What do you-” But Artemis was unable to complete his question, as Luna surged forward and trapped his lips in a deep kiss.
~~~
With the sun finally set, and the moon starting to rise, Solaris could be seen walking down an unassuming hallway with his younger brother, somewhat notably missing their honor guards. At an unremarkable door, the pair of princes quickly looked both ways down the hall before quickly shuffling inside. The younger prince reached down and tapped at his wrist, which slowly billowed and revealed the form of Princess Celestia, looking quite impressive and official, but actually completely unknown and positionless here in Equestria. This Equestria, at least.
“I thought that, when you said sparring, it would be a bit of light magic dueling, maybe some weapon drills. But full body wrestling? In the mud no less? It seems like an activity for young hoofball players, not veteran guards. And you claim that both princes must participate in order to show the proper form?”
“I know, I know. You must do things differently back in your world, but this is the way we do things around here every week, right Dusk?” Solaris grinned widely at the youngest prince, who was already standing in the chamber, holding a book behind his back nervously.
“Indeed it is, Princess Celestia. I assure you this type of thing happens all the time for us, you know, big rough-and-tumble guards. And the princes have always been the pinnacle of martial knowledge, spending untold millennia mastering hoof-to-hoof skills most of us would never otherwise see.” Dusk lifted a hoof to his mouth and coughed, averting his eyes from the two Solar Aspects.
A moment passed as Celestia scrutinized the serene grin of her counterpart, and the rapidly cracking poker face of his former pupil. As she took a breath to speak, though, a note popped out of the small mirror next to Dusk, drawing all their attention.
“It is time.” was all Dusk said before his horn lit, and the magical portal spell they were becoming accustomed to gradually manifested on the mirror in front of them. After a few moments, the surface cleared, showing a window into the matching chamber, with an almost matching set of three alicorns.
Now suddenly facing the reality of departing their counterparts, disappointment and even sorrow flashed across the faces of the two pairs of diarchs. Hearing a quiet conversation from across the mirror portal, Celestia looked at Solaris and whispered “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
Solaris’ roguish grin split across his face. “Always.” He quickly swept his partner off her hooves, dipped her low, and dramatically kissed her, making sure to match the little noises she made for added effect.
“Oh, don’t look at- why must they always-” Artemis sighed at his brother’s antics, shaking his head as he noticed Luna’s matching blush and exasperation. However, when he looked back to her, their eyes locked, and they froze.
“You know what would stop them, right?” Luna asked, raising an eyebrow conspiratorially. She reached a hoof up and pressed it into the side of Artemis’ neck, where she could feel his heartbeat was just as frantically fast as hers.
Artemis didn’t even verbally respond, as he, too, tilted his counterpart down, almost touching their horns to the floor. They, however, did not exaggerate the passion for anypony around, as there was no need. Celestia and Solaris, off in their own world both metaphorically and literally, stopped their kiss to stare, slack-jawed, at the sight of their younger siblings. Time seemed to slow down for all present, and if anypony was paying any attention, the manes of the two Lunar Aspects, like the night sky outside in both worlds, shone more brightly than ever before.
~~~ The End ~~~