Princess Luna smiled as more and more ponies pilled into her court. It had been a trying month, with Blueblood and his fool of noble friends trying to lead a ‘resistance’ coup against her that was seriously laughed at and a few other agencies questioning if Celestia was really on a vacation and if Luna hadn’t really overthrown her sister and was planning to stay in charge forever. Of course, having everypony see that Celestia and Luna had both acted over the top over her departure, letting all the guards know ahead of time, and talking to the Bearers of Harmony face to face as one could easily misread a letter saying everything was fine as a secret code that Luna was trying to take over really helped put ponies at ease.
It had also helped with all the backup letters that Celestia wrote about her vacation to the cities officials being sent out, relying on Fancy Pants network of friends and a few kind hearted newspaper articles about how long it was since she was in control, and how unlikely it was that she would really be trying to install eternal night after twelve days of a normal retinue, bar the few shake sunrises at the start as all could see Luna struggling to lift the sun before falling over dazed and sweaty so that was not an attempt to stop the sun but merely a pony overextending themselves. It seemed that most ponies were realizing that Luna had not in fact taken over control for herself but just to give her sister a vacation for a month and was doing a fairly decent job at it all things considered.
In fact, most ponies were attending the Night Court as they thought they would get more leeway from her if they started to work with her well known desire for some attention. Those at the beginning were the luckiest ponies ever, as Luna quickly put together what they were doing and made sure to show no favouritism in either Day or Night Courts. Yet, they still came to her more at the night and it was starting to be the same kind of tension as at the day court. It made her want to squeal with joy, but as a Princess, she couldn’t do that.
Yes, everything was going as well as Luna could hope for, smiling and nodding at the ponies in front of her, who in returned smiled back, bowing gratefully at her. At long last, she was getting the respect and love from her ponies for what she did and for she was.
This was an occasion to celebrate!
She raised a hoof to quell the crowd, simply stating she would listen to their problems but as she had to postpone her lunch, she simply was going to have a light snack as they spoke.
She had to fight back a squeal of pure joy as they instantly apologized for this, with complete love and concern for her wellbeing, instead of fear and panic for causing her to miss her midnight lunch.
She opened the package of her Moonpie as quietly as she could, something of an expert now as she was so use to opening the devilish plastic containers in places that eating such a delicacy would be frowned on and get a talking from Tia, who was not her mother!
She stared at the pastry and gave a soft sigh. It was a delicious treat, rich with chocolate goodness and other wondrous tastes that she could eat and eat and eat and eat without gaining a single addition to her royal flanks as she was a growing mare but it was the fact that somepony had created it and named it after her moon that made it even more special. That somepony had fought against the fears of her moon and decided to produce something baring her name, in a fashion of sorts. The fact the inventor was a descendent of one her guards meant even more to her.
She smiled, staring at the wondrous treat, holding it close to her nose to breath in the heavenly aroma.
“I do suppose it smells nice, but I do think you had enough tonight Lulu.”
It was because of the voice came behind her she was startled, badly as some would later say she was. Startled enough that she let out a squeak of shock, and then pain, as her intake of air for her squeak caused her to experience one of the worst feelings a creature could feel; that of a moonpie going up one’s nose. She flailed a bit, bating at her nose to get her once glorious treat out of her nose, before she remembered where she was, who she was in front of her and who spoke and then she forced herself steady, while rubbing a nostril quite hard while one of her more intellectually proven guards was already bringing her a glass of water to help her breath.
The doors open with a simple, but pronounced thud as a certain mare stood for a moment, with wings wide open and horn glowing softly with a glistening white coat, before sauntering into the room to the throne of the coughing Princess of the Night, who was back to trying to stick a hoof up her nose to get out the food. She was not about to use the snorking method as it was both loud and very crude, but it was very efficient to get stuff out of the nose as several past experiences had taught her. Celestia was truly a horrifying cook and very good at guilting her into trying whatever she made.
How one messed up a salad that bad, she would never know.
“Are you alright dear sister?” Celestia leaped and glided over to Luna, who’s eye was twitching as she barely restraining herself from snorking the food out. Holding her sister close to her, she gave Luna a good pat on the back. It was more like a good, solid smack that caused many nobleponies to wince, and in the case of Blueblood, fall over in pain as twin beams of moonpie and alicorn snot hit him straight in the face. There were exceptions to this; one such noblepony that was not in any pain or discomfort was Fancy Pants, who was sitting back and enjoy the scene with a nice bag of popcorn he had just for this occasion. “Any better Lulu?”
The younger alicorn nodded her head, taking another gulp of water and rubbing her snout. Her eyes darted to her guards, gesturing her head to send everypony out so the sisters could talk in private. With a grumble of ponies being ushered out, and the weary groan from a certain unicorn, the room was emptied out.
Luna turned her head to her sister, who was sitting in her Night Throne, and was instantly aware that both of them could fit on it now. Which meant that Celestia was going to find all the moonpies she stashed in her large throne!
Which was proven as Celestia floated all her treats up and burnt them all in an instant. She gave a tsk that made Luna’s ears fall to the side of her head, gulping and cheeks reddening. Tia was not her mother, she had to remember that!
“Care to say something Luna?” She raised an eyebrow, smirking softly.
“Thou looks well?” She squeaked out, looking over sister truly for the first time. She had certainly slimmed down; her legs once again showing the old muscles from their younger, chaotic days, her sides and barrel were slimmer and taut, and her flanks were thin! Her mouth fell slightly, amazed that the trainers could achieve such a task as she had never seen her sister’s suns that slender in all of her life!
A giggle and a gentle swat to her hoof brought Luna back to reality. “That does tickle a bit Lulu.” Her sister smiled and nuzzled her little sister, as the blue alicorn had realized she had traced her hoof over her sister’s flank and blushed a deep purple. “And I do remember that you’re quite ticklish.” She grinned, booping her sister’s nose, causing the Mare of the Moon to meep loudly and nearly tumble out of her throne. That caused the Mare of the Sun to laugh, picking her sister up in a hug.
“Dear sister, We must remind thee that We art not a toy to be handled in such a fashion.” She groaned, hating how small she was still! It was bad enough that she was barely taller then any of her ponies, she was almost foal sized for her sister that caused what Luna diagnosed as overt motherly desires for a foal of her own, that she was transplanting onto her because of her small stature. It was mortifying when she picked her up like this, and she was glad that Celestia hadn’t done anything in public…yet. She tried to wiggle out of her sister’s arms, but her grip was too tight for Luna to escape. She sighed, giving into her older sister’s whims, and leaned into the embrace, smiling a bit.
Luna then gave out another meep as her sister’s hooves went over belly, a spot that Tia knew that was ticklish for her and not to be done in public places like this!
“I think you should cut down on the sweets too Lulu.” She gave a short, happy laugh as she rubbed her younger sister’s stomach, feeling the slight bulge. “Both Bill and Beta Ray say that it starts with a slippery slope, like one too many treats.” She smiled at remembering the powerful earth ponies who had helped her trim done her figure and taught her some lessons about how much she ate.
“Perhaps sister, but We art a growing mare!” She flared her wings, free from her sister’s hooves. “We do have the capacities to enjoy more treats then thee, so We shall continue to do so.” She hopped out of her throne, smirking at her sister, posing her nearly slender figure. While she did have a bit of bulge, it was very small that a nice flight around the city or training with her Lunar Guards would fix.
“True, but as Doctor Blakes Donalds told me that’s just delaying the problem.” She smiled, leaning down to nuzzle her sister. “And Mjöl Nirroht, that smart griffon, told me about masking the problems to why I ate so much cakes.”
“Well, dear sister.” Luna grinned, knowing this was a bad idea, but it was too good to pass up. “It is good that thou worked through thou issues and problems, but alas you lost a title while thou was away.” She inched herself closer to the doors, readying her magic and wings to flee. Her sister would attack her as soon as she spoke of the title, but this was far too good to pass up.
“And what title was that, Lula?” She tilted her head, blinking confusedly.
“Why, it is Thunder Thighs dear sis-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!” Luna was too slow, as Celestia had instantly pounced her, holding her down with her raw strength instead of her raw weight.
“Oh that does it, little sister!” She brought into her self, her voice booming now. “The Night shall be vanquished under my hooves for you slanderous words!”
“No, no, please mercy-” Luna pleaded, trying to wiggle on her back, away from her sister. She was caught off as her sister’s hooves and feathers danced over her body, going for every spot that Tia knew would bring out the loudest snort of laughter and giggles from the Princess of Night.
And thus, the third coup of the Nightmare Moon was toppled, and the sounds of victory was heard throughout the entire castle.
And all was well with all the ponies in the land.
Expect for Blueblood, who was nursing a head injury from a combination of snot and moonpie.