“Luna, we need to do something. I’m so bored. It’s been ages since anything exciting happened. We haven’t had a single misadventure since Baltimare.” Lyra was sprawled out on her sofa bed staring at the ceiling as she whined to her friend and roommate. “Sure me and Vinyl and I caught Octavia in the orchestra performance in Manephis, but beyond that half of the trip was work and the other half was mostly being alone in my room. It felt too weird being the third wheel since they’ve been apart for so long. Vinyl is almost done with her record so she won’t be gone much longer. It was nice Octavia managed to score that guest spot for a few shows so they could have some time together.”
The alicorn she was speaking with was calmly sipping tea and reading the newspaper. It had become her morning routine. The arcade’s business had been picking up lately.
“Joysticks is coming to check on the arcade in a few days. I’m going to ask him if I can hire somepony part-time to free up my schedule a bit. I also want to find out about serving our food ourselves. Some of the other arcades offer some in-house dining, nothing extravagant but I do suppose you would know that better than I. After that, we’ll just have to see. I do agree things have become a bit mundane lately though. Maybe we can make some fun with my sister. I do need to get back at her for again neglecting to inform me of some unflattering activities that sprouted in my absence.”
The unicorn’s muffled giggles crept over from the other half of the small apartment. “You’re still wanting to go through with pranking her all because hundreds of years ago ponies decided to make sacrifices of candy to you?”
“It's not what the ponies did Lyra. It’s that she did nothing to stop it, and here we return and have to learn about it on the streets. No; we will not stand for her neglect of the slandering of our image and the subsequent failure to inform us of such rituals!” The alicorn was flailing her hoofs recklessly about as she struggled to refrain from using the royal Canterlot voice. She took a breath and calmed herself. “It hurt Lyra. Yes, for a time I became a monster but knowing my sister let ponies continue to fear me even in my banishment, well that just wasn’t fair of her. Not for me and not for all those ponies who feared my false return. I have to do something to get back at her. Nothing terrible of course, but I have to let her know I won’t just let her allow my good name to be tarnished.”
“I guess I can understand that. Although you were still a monster when you did return. Not to be mean or anything. It’s just a fact.” The alicorn blushed at the thought. “Remember though your banishment didn’t just affect you or the regular ponies of Equestria; it changed your sister’s life too. She went from having your help in ruling to being all on her own. I can’t even imagine running Equestria with the help of a dozen ponies, and suddenly being all on your own can’t be easy. Equestria is a crazy place and crazy things are always seeming to happen to somepony, but your sister does a lot to quell the craziness. Nopony, not you nor your sister, could get to every problem that needs to be addressed on their own. Sure, you have advisors and nobles, but they don’t do any of the hard stuff. I’m sure it was just another problem for her that she didn’t have time to address when it had initially sprung up. Besides it eventually just became an excuse to have a festival and for foals to collect a heap of candy to eat in one night.”
Sadness replaced the alicorn’s previous annoyance as she listened to the unicorn's words. She had been selfish to get upset when such a probable cause was right there in front of her the whole time
“Now it was a bit wrong of her to not give you a warning. I would have said something, but I hadn’t even thought about how Nightmare Night started so I’m at as much fault there as she is. I’m sure it just slipped her mind in the excitement of having her sister return, plus she is still running the country alone for the time being.”
Luna wiped a tear from her eye.
“Lyra, thank you. Your words ring quite true. Our vengeance, no matter how small, is unjust in this situation. Sister is no more at fault for these events than the moon itself….”
“Don’t get me wrong,” The unicorn interrupted. “If you want to prank Celestia, we can do that. A prank war with the most powerful beings in Equestria is something I want to be a part of! I just can’t let it be about vengeance.” In an explosion of excitement, the unicorn leaped from the couch across the apartment landing with a booming thud in front of the table. “I know just the prank we can pull, but we're going to need help from a certain pinkie pony who just so happens to love pranks herself. Your sister loves chocolate cake doesn't she?”
“Well duh silly filly every pony knows how much Celestia loves cake. Why would you even ask such a question?” A familiar pink earth mare had suddenly appeared bouncing in place between the pair before Luna could even fathom an answer.
Luna shared a curious look with her unicorn friend before turning her attention to the new arrival.
“Um, excu….”
“Shhhhhhh I want to hear about Lyra’s prank.” The pink mare was eyeing the unicorn expectantly.
“Yeah I’ll get to that in a second Pinkie Pie, but first Luna and I, well, we kinda want to know how you got in here and why?”
“I don’t know how I got here, I’m just here. It was probably just convenient for me to be here so I’m here. Why I’m here is an easy one though to help you with this prank of course! It was your idea you said you needed my help just before you asked the silly question about Cestia and cake. Don’t you remember?” Pinkie Pie’s bouncing increased and her look of excitement just got bigger. “Now tell us about your prank already.”
“I don't know about you Pinkie but for the two of us, ponies don’t just usually appear when we mention them. I’ll get on with the prank though.” Lyra scratched her head in confusion before continuing. “So I was thinking we send Celestia a chocolate cake with an apology letter. You did say you already threatened to get back at her.”
Pinkie Pie could barely contain her excitement as her bouncing slowly began to closer resemble convulsions.
Growing a bit worried for the mare Lyra continued, “Instead of a chocolate cake, what we deliver is going to be a very convincing fake made out of dirt and chocolate icing.”
“THAT IS THE BEST PRANK EVER!!!!!!” Pinkie Pie exploded. “I’ve made mud pies before, I like to play in the mud.” Pinkie giggled at her own joke. “I’ve never made a dirt cake before though but it should be pretty easy. I can even give you a fake delivery slip from Sugar Cube Corner. It will look just like a chocolate cake in every way until she takes a bite and she finds out it's just dirt and icing.” The pink mare was hopping in place joyously again. “When do you want it?”
“Well, whenever you have the time I guess,” Lyra said with a hint of nervousness. “Luna needs to get to opening shop downstairs though, opening is in five minutes.”
Luna checked the time and with a polite nod she took off down the stairs to quickly prepare for the day.
“I’ll do it right after I finish this delivery.” Pinkie pulled a package seeming out of thin air. “I bet Rarity is having a fit by now she can’t start her day without her croissants. I got so excited at the idea of pranking a princess that I forgot I was on a delivery. I’ll bring the cake by this afternoon just before closing time. Cya later alligator!” And as quick as she had appeared she was gone.
Lyra just shook her head and made her way toward her bed. Being around Pinkie Pie always left her needing a nap.