Bedtime
With the kitchen clean, the bathroom was the next issue. Celestia and Luna spent a good forty minutes popping bubbles and drying everything, using nearly a dozen full size towels in the process. Once the floor had been dried, Celestia shoved the wet towels down a long chute in the wall which was tended to by the staff. Hopefully neither of them would have to explain why all the towels were wet, but at least the bathroom was clean and dry now.
"There." Celestia said. "Now let's get you into bed. I think we've caused enough excitement for tonight."
"S'early!" Luna said.
"It's not early for big ponies, only for fillies," the elder responded. "Now stop your whining."
"Not whining, I'm complaining," Luna said.
Celestia just shook her head. "Same thing," she responded, and led Luna upstairs to the private chambers. Luna still had a bit of trouble getting into the fluffy four footed pajamas by herself, and Celestia had to help. Even then, there was a good bit of struggling. Luna had several pairs, but her favorite were the ones with the stars on them. Celestia tucked her little sister into bed, it was just after ten. She was way ahead of schedule.
"Alright, you're all set. Goodnight, Luna." Celestia headed for the door.
"Wait!" Luna said.
Celestia stopped.
"You forgot the light! I can't sleep without it!"
Celestia sighed, and moved to the bedside table, where a jar of fireflies was kept. She shook the jar, which annoyed the fireflies, and their flickering butt lights glared at her in reproach.
"There, light." Celestia headed for the door.
"Wait!" Luna said again.
"You forgot my story!"
Celestia sighed once more and sat down by the bed. "What story did I tell you last time?"
"The Ugly Barn-acle, but mom says you aren't allowed to tell that one anymore."
"Alright, once there was a little filly who wouldn't go to bed. She was normally a very good little pony, but when nightfall came the monsters would come out and wait patiently for disobedient little ponies. The filly wouldn't listen to her big sister, and even though she was supposed to be in bed when the sun went down, she got up anyway. The monsters were waiting for her, and gobbled her all up. The end."
"You're terrible at telling stories. You made that up."
"I did not, it's totally true. You wanna test it?"
Luna paled. "No. Not really. I'll go to bed."
"Good, and don't get up, or the monsters will getcha. Just like this!" And with that she lunged at little Luna, tickling her belly with her front hooves.
Luna burst into laughter, wiggling and thrashing. "No, no, stop, I got it! I don't wanna get eaten!"
"Then don't get out of bed," Celestia said, and tried to leave.
"Wait!" Luna cried yet again.
"Yes?"
"I don't know where Reaper is!"
"Probably under the bed again," Celestia answered, and checked beneath the bed for the alicorn plushie that Luna always slept with. It was a disturbing looking thing, covered in red and black stripes.
"So what's his backstory this week?" Celestia asked, picking up the toy and handing it over. Reaper's origins changed every time she asked.
"He fell in a puddle of glowing green slime, so now he can't be hurt by anything and never gets sick and he can defeat anyone he wants just by looking at them!" Luna explained.
"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, no pony would ever exist like that. And if they did they'd probably be carted away for study or locked up as a danger to Equestria."
"You just don't applicate my way of esspressing my creativity," Luna responded, and stuck her tongue out.
"Good." Celestia said, and left, closing the door. She had only begun making her way to her own room when she was alerted by a noise downstairs. Dropping low to the ground, she crawled towards the balcony. A shadowy figure was sneaking in through the front doors, which left Celestia quite frightened. The drawbridge was up, how had an intruder gotten past it? She raced for the stairs, bounding behind pillar after pillar, sticking close to the walls. She was in full ninja mode, determined to protect the castle.
As the shadowy figure crept forward, Celestia made a lunge from behind. She tackled the intruder, and the two went tumbling head over hooves into the next room.
The elder sister's horn flared with light, illuminating the terrified creature below her. She had never seen such an odd thing before, and stared right into frightened red eyes. The intruder appeared not much younger than Luna, and was biting her with a tiny fang. A paw and a talon were wrapped around her front leg, trying to push her off.
"What in Equestria..." Celestia wondered.
From behind, her parents, now returned, stepped through the front door.
"Celestia!" Her mother sounded surprised. "I see you've met Discord already."
"Who now?"
Her father just smiled. "Luna was a test, although one we both knew you could handle. This little creature was found abandoned in the woods, and your mother and I are caring for him temporarily until a proper home can be found. How was Luna? Did she behave?"
"Of course," Celestia said. "I put her to bed and everything."
With that, Luna screamed from upstairs.
"CELLY! I got a drink of water and the monsters are gonna get me! I don't wanna be eated up!"
Father facehooved. "I see that."
Her mother just shook her head. "In any case, you two will have a new friend to play with for a while. If Luna wasn't much trouble, how much trouble could Discord be? Go on off to bed now, we'll get you in the morning."
Celestia hesitantly agreed, and headed upstairs. In the distance, from the direction her parents had taken the weird looking Discord, she heard a loud crash that sounded particularly expensive.
Surely just an accident.
Right?