“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just destined to fit in with the ponies of this era. Maybe I need to take a decade or two off and just observe them properly.”
Celestia watched as her partner alicorn sat next to her on minute twelve of what promised to be a much longer monologue on what was making it so difficult for her to adjust back into pony society.
“An observational study would likely be very helpful. Of course I’d have to find somepony who doesn’t flee at the sight of me. I swear the Nightmare Moon affair didn’t even last a whole day and everypony in Equestria looks at me like I’m on a hair trigger to launching the moon into the sun and laying low the nation. Maybe I should vacation in the griffin lands for a while. Just long enough for a generation of ponies to die off and the next one come up. That way I can start fresh without everypony cowering at the sight of me. Or maybe I can just do my study in Pony-“
Celestia decided this line of thought had gone on long enough and dived in to interrupt by mashing her mouth to the other pony’s. Luna’s eyes widened in alarm, then relaxed as Celestia pressed the kiss deeper and piled the secrets of an immortal’s experience into it. Luna groaned and responded for a moment before a flash of realization caused her to jerk up and push away from Celestia.
“Celestia! What are you- What was- … Is it just me or have you gotten better at that?” Luna finally managed to settle on a question. Then, seeing the smug look creeping onto Celestia’s face, Luna shook her head and tried again, “I mean, what are you doing? Everypony still believes we are sisters! What if somepony had seen that?”
“Relax,” Celestia replied, rolling onto her side in the oversized pile of pillows the two had been lazing in, “The bravest pony in Equestria would rather walk halfway across the surface of the sun than set foot within six feet of this room without my permission. It’s as private as things can get.”
Luna narrowed her eyes at gave Celestia a calculating look. “That’s awfully specific… Is there a reason they feel that way?”
Celestia shrugged, and dug around under one of the pillows before pulling her head back out with a bag of mixed nuts. “I may have sent one of the Bluebloods to walk the whole thing after he felt he could barge in here without asking.”
Luna gave Celestia an unamused look, as the white alicorn struggled with the bag in her hooves.
“What? He’ll get back. Someday. Probably.” Celestia looked up from the bag and thought for a moment. “I’m pretty sure I fireproofed him before sending him…”
Luna was momentarily stuck for how to respond to that before deciding to just return to the original subject before Celestia’s antics drove it from her mind completely. “Be that as it may this is still a castle, and a castle without spies is like a granary without rats. Somepony has to have found a way to observe you in here.”
Celestia giggled, “They’ve certainly tried. Oh, do you want to hear what happened to the last one? I-“
“Celestia. We are supposed to be sisters. I thought we agreed we wouldn’t correct our little ponies about that.”
“We aren’t going to. But what we get up to in the privacy of the scariest room to try and enter in Equestria is our own business. Besides,” Celestia’s voice wavered and she adopted a worried appearance as she continued, “I couldn’t think of any other way to make you stop talking about leaving.”
Luna’s eye twitched as she tried to convince herself that Celestia was once again effecting hurt in order to make her feel guilty with all the centuries of experience she had accrued. Her will strained as Celestia turned a pair of giant puppy dog eyes on her, and Luna had to grit her teeth resist the urge to fall for what she hoped was just baiting.
“You’re still angry at me aren’t you… That’s why you want to leave so badly isn’t it…” Celestia sagged and looked forlornly at her forgotten bag of nuts.
“I…” Luna growled and shook herself, “Will you stop doing that if I agree to let you kiss me?”
“Deal!” Celestia exclaimed, her saddened visage evaporating like morning dew exposed to the midday sun.
“I knew you were faking!” Luna cried back, point an accusing hoof at the other alicorn.
“Only partly faking,” Celestia corrected, giving up on opening the bag and tossing it across the room before turning to Luna with a serious expression, “You really would break my heart if I lost you again.”
Luna considered the expression on Celestia’s face and found it to be genuine this time. Huffing she sidled back up to the other alicorn and made herself comfortable as she had been before. She sat there for a moment waiting expectantly before turning to Celestia who was sitting beside her quietly saying nothing with a light smile on her face.
“Well?”
“Well what?” Celestia asked.
“I gave you permission, aren’t you going to kiss me?” Luna elaborated.
Celestia considered for a moment before shaking her head, “I don’t think so. I’d much rather kiss a pony who wanted to be kissed.”
Luna blushed and tried to conceal the disappointment she felt come over her. She was interrupted in her thoughts a second time that day by her partner leaning in to kiss her again. This kiss was gentler but lingered longer before they broke again.
“I knew you liked it. You’re so cute,” Celestia said a hint of smugness marring the gentle smile she gave Luna.
“You’re kind of evil,” Luna said matter of factly.
“I know,” Celestia replied, leaning onto Luna and spreading a wing over her, “Lucky for me I recently found an old friend who can keep my evil side in check.”
Luna blushed again and leaned against her ancient friend as the two sat in companionable silence until it was time for them to return to their duties. And their assumed roles as siblings.