Chapter 2 - Mischievous Princesses, add a pinch of Pinkie Pie...
"And you get... FUN!" Pinkie Pie shouted to nopony in particular, mainly herself.
As she had walked in the direction of all the noise, Pinkie had been busying herself with concocting a plan for fun, using the princesses quarrelling to her advantage.
"Heheheheh..." She giggled evilly for no apparent reason. It seemed as though the princesses had stormed off in a huff from each other, and there was no longer any shouting to represent the sounds of arguing, There was, however, the distinctive sound of silver plates crashing to the floor, being thrown in anger.
Soon enough, Pinkie came to stand outside two large, arch-like doors, and the clattering could be heard just past them. She took a peek through the keyhole, to see who threw plates and cutlery in such a violent manner.
She could see a long table, which had been clearly carefully laid out, with the remains of eaten food still on the table. Around the rest of the room, there were large, regal paintings of the two princesses, looking important in their posture and stance.
Looking further around to the right, carefully shifting to the left so she could see in that direction, she saw... two eyes, staring directly at her! The face was that of an angry white mare, with a mean scowl on her face, pink ethereal mane flowing behind the head.
"Eep!" Pinkie Pie shrieked, jumping backwards from the shock of it. As she stood catching her breath outside the doors, they suddenly opened, revealing the Princess of the Sun, standing there.
Celestia looked quizzically at Pinkie. "Pinkie Pie...? Aren't you one of Twilight Sparkle's friends?" She asked with genuine concern.
"Yes indeedy Princess! I am one of her friends! You know, the party pony, with the appetite of a dragon who's just woken up after a century of hibernation?"
Now Celestia could remember. Certainly, she remembered the Parasprite incident. Not to mention the time at the Cake's party when Pinkie had jumped onto the table top and asked if she was eating her cakes, before bashfully eating it and bouncing away again. This made the princess smile a little more than she had been a few minutes ago. "I remember you now, Pinkie! What brings you to Canterlot, then?" She asked politely.
"Oh, nothing in particular, you know. Just, exploring really! I've always wanted to get to know the palace area a little more!" She said, a little distracted, as she looked around the, in all honesty, very large room.
Celestia followed where the curious pink pony's eyes were looking. "It sure is a magnificent room, isn't it? I've dined here for many years, and it never gets old. I'll show you around the rest of the palace, if you'd like!" She kindly offered.
"Oh, princess, I'd love that! Thank you so much..." Pinkie Pie blushed.
Princess Celestia made a swiping motion. "Think nothing of it! Besides, it's the least I could do for one of Twilight Sparkle's friends." She chirped happily. Her day was brightening significantly since her argument with Luna.
Pinkie Pie, following behind the princess, stopped her blush a little and rubbed her hooves together. The plan was working Perfectly...
**********
"And, this is my bedroom. Marvellous, isn't it?" Celestia said with glee to the little pink pony.
"Wow, Celestia! I love it! I wish I had a room just like it, it's perfect! Who knows what Rarity would say if she saw this designing..." Pinkie replied happily.
The room was large, but not as large as the dining room. As soon as you walked through the door, you caught sight of the magnificent four poster bed, complete with a canopy, which was painted to have the sun on the underside. and the smoothest silk bed covers. The mattress looked so bouncy, it was almost too much for Pinkie Pie. She wanted to bounce on it... so much...
Don't... imagine...bouncing...
NO! Pinkie cried out in her mind as she started to endure the pain of the mental image of the fun she could have, bouncing on the bed.
Celestia knew exactly what was going on here, and she didn't like to deny anypony's wish. "Go on then, just a few bounces then."
Pinkie Pie turned to the princess in wonder. "Oh, really? Are you sure?".
"Certain." Celestia said with a caring smile on her face. She was really growing to like this fun, friendly party pony!
A few bounces later, Pinkie Pie was finally relieved of the urge for springiness. "That was the best bed, EVER!" She shouted perhaps a little crazily. The princess smiled, and was happy that she could make another of her subjects happy.
The two were walking through the halls of the palace, away from the bedroom, and Celestia said, "I suppose that's pretty much all there is to the palace, but we haven't visited Luna's quarters yet..." She trailed off.
At quite appropriate timing, Princess Luna walked around a corner of the hall through a door in front of them, and stopped to regard them both. "Hello there, little pony. Aren't you one of Twilight Sparkle's friends?" She said kindly in Pinkie Pie's direction.
"Yes, I'm Pinkie Pie! You know, the party pony, that has an appetite-" She was about to continue when oddly enough, Celestia cut her off.
"-Of a Dragon that has spent a century in hibernation!" Celestia smiled, as if she knew Pinkie as an old friend.
Finally, Luna acknowledged her sister. "Ah, sister. Glad to see you're involving yourself further in Twilight Sparkle's life." She said sweetly, with a fake grin plastered with her face.
"Caring about my subjects is just about the definition of my job, Luna!" Celestia replied in response to Luna's remark. They stared at each other for a little while, then Luna excused herself and walked past.
Celestia then looked at Pinkie Pie, who was looking at her, and quietly murmured, "Actually, maybe we could go and have a look around Luna's quarters. Would be... nice."
PInkie Pie caught Celestia's eye, very innocently. "Sure!" Which unnerved the Princess a little. She felt bad for being a little petty whilst in somepony elses company other than Luna's.
***********
As soon as they got into Luna's quarters, and had shut the door, Pinkie Pie looked at the Princess oddly, and differently.
"So, what was that about between you two? You seem like you're... grating?" She tentatively remarked.
"Oh, we've just been quarrelling all day. We've been really frustrated with each other recently, and, well, we can't seem to sort it out. We just argue about the smallest things... and can't seem to get along a lot." Celestia sighed, confessing her emotions. It felt good for her to get them out in the open, after all.
"Well, a problem shared is a problem halved! Personally, I think you two need to learn to have a little bit more fun when living your lives! Like, having a party, or going on holiday, or even playing practical jokes on somepony!" Pinkie exclaimed enthusiastically.
Almost immediately, the princess cut in. "Practical jokes, you say? Hmm... Sounds fun to me!" She mused, interested.
Somewhere inside Pinkie Pie's mind, a miniature version of her with a moustache roared with success.
Hook, line, and sinker.