//------------------------------// // Apple Hat // Story: Where Dark and Light don't Differ // by MellowSoul //------------------------------// The next morning, Celestia and Luna brushed their manes before breakfast. Even though they weren't particularly concerned about age or metabolism, they wanted to start eating healthier, save for specific occasions. It was a matter of self-care more than anything. Luna took an apple from the table, skewering it with her horn. "'Tia, look! I'm Applejack!" Celestia burst into laughter, falling on the floor like Pinkie Pie used to. "Don't tell her! She'll curbstomp your ass!" The elder mare picked herself off the ground. Luna removed the apple, levitating it toward her snout. She took a bite. The sweetness bordered on diabetic. "Juicy." "You a shinigami now?" "I already dress like one." "Touché." "We should spruce this place up when we're done. It's a bit dull, wouldn't you say?" "I think we've never agreed more. We've got a few boxes left to unpack. Just need the right music first." "I got you covered." Luna pulled a copy of Immortal's album At the Heart of Winter from her back pocket. The middle of fall was upon them. Nightmare Night would arrive within the next several weeks. Even though no one would see them, the sisters figured they should put up a few trinkets. At least it would look more festive. "Hard to believe this whole album is written in standard. It's heavy as fuck!" "It's almost like power metal, but less cheesy. The music's still clearly from a D&D campaign." "If only the earthlings knew." "I'd rather they not. With all the political stuff going on, I suspect it would end badly - especially for us." "Understandable. One thing that cannot be understated is humanity's propensity for greed. I shudder to think how they would use our power." "You're doing it again." "You know my mind. I can only stave off the dark thoughts for so long." "Why don't we get started? Should help keep you occupied: at least for a little while." "Sounds like a plan." Celestia and Luna put up old picture frames and halloween decor, taking breaks to jam with the music. Celestia tuned their instruments to the desired pitch, practicing riffs reminiscent of The Automata and Pantera. Cemetery Gates held so much more meaning after '04. While she wasn't as skilled as her sister, her technique was nothing to scoff at. "You've gotten better," Luna complimented, "At this rate, you'll catch up to me in no time." "Eh. I'm not interested in recording guitar. Most bands these days use double or triple players for a robust sound. I think you being the sole lead makes us sound more unique. In some respects, it's closer to classic bands." "Guess I can't argue with that. The cabin in the woods fits the black metal vibe. Now we just need snow and we'll be in Scandinavia." "Yeah - all grim and frostbitten." "You think Frozen was inspired by Immortal?" "Probably." "We'll start writing in a few days. I wanna relax for a bit first. We've got all this cool stuff. No sense letting it go to waste." "I hear you." The sisters read together for a while, watching TV before firing up their computers. Part of their privacy entailed a lack of internet, reducing their options to local storage for media. They each grabbed a hard drive and controller. The drives were loaded with emulators, games, TV shows, books, movies, comics, and music among other forms of entertainment. The only drawback was, they couldn't use guides if they got stuck. Luckily they had Twilight if they needed help. "Have you read Dragon of Grace yet?" Luna questioned. "Not yet. We were too busy with the move to focus on anything else." "It's the reason I'm so obsessed with retro tech. I hired a team of engineers to customize our operating systems. There are plenty of features crammed into both the hardware and software. Now that we're stuck together, we can communicate in fun and interesting ways." "You mean like secret languages when we were children?" "In a sense. There's a program we can use by connecting our PCs with an ethernet cable. It's a completely closed circuit that's impossible to hack. That's how Maria played Quake and Doom with Emily." "So this is it, huh? Our lives...?" "Is this how you want things to be? We can always rejoin society." Celestia shook her head. "That's not it. I was just thinking." "About what?" "Ever since you came back, we've been closer than ever. It's just that...I've often found myself wondering. In another life, would we have been lovers...?" Luna's face turned crimson. She was confused how to feel. Flattered? Angry? Concerned? In truth, she'd wondered the same thing, but it wasn't something they could talk about. Under most circumstances, anyone asked that would feel unsafe. She couldn't be too upset though. Living alone was bound to send anyone into places they shouldn't be. Celestia had never shown herself to be a threat, save for Daybreaker's brief intrusion. Maybe it was okay to be honest this time. "It's possible. Perhaps it's even likely. I admit, I've had my share of rather...Unconventional....Thought processes: especially in my subconscious, but you understand why such feelings raise alarm, don't you?" "Of course, but denial would serve us no better. Acknowledging an issue is the only way to move past it." "Now it has been. From this point on, all discussion of such matters is off limits. There are boundaries even gods should not cross. If you must explore them, do so in my absence. Likewise, I shall do the same. Are we clear?" "Yes. Absolutely." "Now, then. Let us explore the worlds contained within the minds of man. The dawn of days eternal now awaits." "Thank you, Luna."