Weekend at Celestia’s
By Stratocaster
Chapter 1: Say Cheese
Twilight Sparkle strode down the main street of Ponyville on a clear morning. Around her, the proprietors of the Ponyville farmers’ market had already set up shop and customers were buzzing about making bargains with the venders. Earlier, Twilight left her home at the library, leaving Spike to sleep in, to set out for Canterlot with an important objective on her mind. In her saddlebag, she kept a device that she had wanted to demonstrate in front of her beloved mentor, Princess Celestia. Now she was heading to the train station with a spring in her step; that is until she was knocked off her hooves by a sky blue streak. Twilight fell to the ground and looked up at her boisterous pegasus friend.
“Hiya, Twilight, what’s up?” asked Rainbow Dash cheerfully.
She looked at her discerningly. “Rainbow, what are you doing up this early?”
“It’s only 9:00; nothing like a little cloud coffee to start the day, huh?”
Twilight face hoofed trying not to imagine Pinkie Pie this hyper.
“Anyway,” continued Rainbow. “I just wanted to get up so I can get a head start on perfecting my sick moves. Before I spotted you, I was trying out a new trick I call the Rainbow and Arrow. You want to see it? Huh? Huh? Do ya?” she jumped excitedly.
“Eh, maybe later, Rainbow,” shrugged Twilight as she stood up. “But I’m a little busy right now.”
“Oh? Busy with what? More unicorn magic stuff?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.” Twilight then reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a strange blocky device. “You see, I’ve invented a high powered magic camera that can capture photos in any spectrum of light: infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, etc. And right now, I’m heading up to Canterlot to test the camera on Princess Celestia. I figure she would be the perfect for my first photo, as only she has the kind of royal essence to be captured in such detail.”
Rainbow stared at the camera, not listening to a word Twilight was saying. It was an old-fashioned portable accordion-like camera with an oversized flash bulb on top. She peered back at Twilight. “Sheesh, Twilight, this seems like a bit much just to take a lousy picture.”
“Photograph, Rainbow, and I’ll have you know this will become a milestone in the field of magic photography.”
“Ooh, magic photography, that’ll definitely get you ahead in life.” Rainbow rolled her magenta eyes.
“Say what you will, but this is a truly important study. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have the next train to Canterlot to catch.”
“Oh you don’t have to take that slow old train again; especially not when you got a regular speed demon like your pal Rainbow Dash. I’ll give you a lift straight to the castle.”
“Uh, I appreciate that, Rainbow, but I think I’m okay with taking the train.”
“Nonsense!”
“Rainbow, what are you- AAH!”
Before Twilight could finish, Rainbow swept her up into the air with a quick liftoff. The lavender mare yelped as she held desperately tight onto her friend’s shoulders. Rainbow zoomed off out of the Ponyville skyline with her unicorn pal clinging to her and pointed straight towards the mountainside city of Canterlot. Soon enough, the two approached the pristine city and landed on the plaza of the royal castle. Twilight got to her hooves and stood wobbling with her mane windswept back.
“Thank you for flying Air Rainbow, please exit to your left. Heh heh, now that wasn’t so bad was it?” smiled Rainbow as she trotted toward the castle.
Twilight fixed her frizzy mane and followed her muttering. “She really needs a seatbelt.”
The two friends approached the large front doors which were opened by two sentries outside letting them into the castle. As they entered the foyer, they looked to the adjacent royal lounge where they spotted a familiar rose white alicorn sitting peacefully reading with a cup of tea. The Princess turned up and noticed them walk over.
“Twilight, my faithful student,” greeted Celestia. “And Miss Rainbow Dash of course, what brings you two here to Canterlot?”
“Good morning, Princess Celestia.” Twilight said. “Rainbow flew me here to visit you so I can ask a favor.”
“I’d be happy to help.” Celestia replied.
“Well you see, I’ve invented this high powered magic camera that capture photos in any spectrum of-”
“Basically, Princess,” interrupted Rainbow. “Twilight wants to take a picture of you because she thinks it’s an important study.”
“Well it is!” Twilight snapped at Rainbow then turned back to the Princess. “And I figured you would be the perfect subject, I mean, model for the first picture on this thing.”
“Sounds interesting.” Celestia said. “I don’t mind posing for a photo every once and again. Okay, I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight grinned.
Celestia got up from her couch and led her two companions upstairs. They walked down the hall to her throne room after she told her guards to leave them in privacy. They close the door and Celestia stood in front of her throne.
“This should be a good backdrop for your photo, Twilight.” She said.
“I really appreciate this, Princess.” Twilight replied.
“Yeah, and I really appreciate busting my wings just for you to click a button.” Rainbow scoffed at the unicorn.
“You’re the one who offered to bring me here.” Twilight shot back.
The bickering two then saw that Celestia was fussing with her mysteriously waving mane, parting it from side to side with indecision.
“Gee Princess, are you okay?” asked Rainbow. “You seem pretty anxious.”
“Oh, I’m fine.” Celestia replied. “It’s just that I’ve been a bit nervous about an important event I have tomorrow. I’m expected to meet with a council from the Land of the Griffons for a royal banquet. Honestly, I just get so uncomfortable at these formal things. That’s why I was thinking about visiting Ponyville later today to relax. Rarity said she would make me some nice attire for the council.”
“But you always seem so calm whenever I see you on royal business.” Twilight said. “I didn’t know even you could get nervous.”
“When you’ve been the ruler of Equestria for as long as I have, you learn to hide it well.” Celestia joked. “Okay, I’m ready whenever you are, Twilight.”
Without further adieu, Twilight grabbed the camera from her saddlebag and mounted it on a tripod. She fiddled with various knobs and latches on the magic device as she positioned it to the most accurate millimeter. After inching the camera for a little bit, trying Rainbow’s patience, Twilight turned back to Celestia.
“All set.” She told her.
The Princess poised herself in a regal pose smiling for the camera.
“Cheese!” Twilight hid her face behind the device and clicked a single button. Immediately, a burst of bright light shot from the enormous flash bulb, sweeping through the throne room and distorting visibility for a few seconds. Celestia dropped her smile at the blinding flash, as her pupils shrank to the size of peas. After a moment of suspension, she suddenly collapsed and fell to the floor on her side, with her face still frozen in shock. Twilight and Rainbow stared at the fallen Princess with bulging eyes before finally breaking the silence.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” they both screamed.
“Twilight, what have you done?!” shrieked Rainbow.
“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Twilight stomped her hooves nervously and then gasped. “Oh my goodness, the flash from the bulb must have stunned her. I didn’t think it would be that powerful!”
They rushed over to Celestia’s body, and Twilight felt her pulse.
“Is she…is she…” stammered Rainbow with fear.
“No, she’s just unconscious.” Twilight assured. “The flash must have shot her nerves. Oh this is all my fault. I knocked out my own teacher! This is worse than sending a late friendship report. This is ten times worse! Rainbow, what if somepony finds out? We’ll be in more trouble than we’ve ever been in our entire lives! We’ll have to disappear; move to a new town and change our names to Midnight Sprinkle and Raincloud Bash, and then-”
Rainbow grabbed Twilight and gave her two quick slaps across her cheeks.
“Snap out of it, Twi!”
The obsessive unicorn rubbed her red cheek. “Thanks, I needed that.” She then sighed looking at the unconscious alicorn. “Look, there’s no way we can run away from this. We have no choice but to do the right thing and confess.”
Another blue hoof stuck Twilight’s face.
“I said snap out of it, Twilight! You’ve got to be crazy if you think we’re going to tell anypony about this.”
“But Rainbow, we have to own up to our crime.”
“Do you realize what Princess Luna will do if she finds out we knocked out her sister?!”
Twilight then became horrified. “Oh crabapples, you’re right. Rainbow, we can’t let anypony know. Oh, but she has that council with the griffons tomorrow. What are we going to do? We can’t exactly hide a half-dead alicorn.”
“No, but maybe we won’t have to.”
“What do you mean?”
Rainbow rubbed her chin in deep thought. “Well, we don’t know how long she could be out. And she’s supposed to meet Rarity later today. I think I know how she could still get to Ponyville.”
“How?”
Rainbow then lifted up Celestia’s upper body with some strain. She managed to make the Princess almost seem like she was sitting up awkwardly.
“Twilight, go find some string and tape. I have an idea.”
Twilight groaned under her breath. “Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?”