Twilight glanced at her calendar Ugh, Monday, she thought. This close to Hearts and Hooves Day, again? And guess who doesn’t have a date? Twilight Sparkle, that’s who. And guess whose friends are going to goad her into finding literally anypony to spend the day with? Cursed weekly friendship meeting, she mentally grumbled.
She shook her head lightly to clear it and trotted downstairs, eager to start her day. She figured shelving books ought to keep her plenty occupied, considering Spike decided to sleep in this morning. She made herself a quick breakfast of pancakes, maple syrup, and mixed berries.
An entire morning passed without interruption. With everypony else focused on their own plans for the rest of the week, nopony bothered to visit the library. A good and bad thing, mused Twilight. Nopony’s getting in the way, but that means nopony is exploring any good books, either.
Close to noon, Spike finally got out of bed and cantered downstairs. He groaned. “Uh, Twilight, what’s for breakfast?”
“Nothing,” she said flatly. “For lunch, I made you a bowl of turquoise pebbles. Spike, really, it’s almost noon. You have to get to bed at a reasonable hour. Stop staying up so late with those comic books!”
“Whatever, mom,” he shot back, rubbing his bleary eyes. He finished descending the stairs and made his way to the kitchen.
“Spike, I only say it because I love you.”
A mumbled “Yeah, yeah” was all the reply Twilight caught before a series of knocks on the door caught her attention. She quickly trotted to the front entrance and swung the double doors wide with her magic. There stood her friends, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.
“Girls!” she shouted, quickly grabbing the five mares into a tight hug.
“Good to see you too, Twilight,” grumbled Rainbow Dash. She extracted herself from the sudden hug and flew inside.
Much more enthusiastic agreement came from the other ponies, as Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy all trotted inside after the hug broke up.
“Ready for the official weekly friendship meeting?” Twilight asked, taking the spiral staircase up the throne room. Her “castle” still took some getting used to. It was just slightly bigger than the Golden Oak’s Library, but it didn’t yet feel like home. Her old library was warm, inviting, and felt alive. For all intents and purposes, it had been alive. It had been her giant, hollow oak tree.
Had been, she thought, almost spitting at the bitterness that still haunted those thoughts. Books can be replaced, but the memories? Never. Tirek was beyond destructive. Every other villain we’ve fought, we could fix the damage. Not to the library.
The other five ponies chit-chatted among themselves as they ascended the staircase to the throne room, and everypony took their seats in the circle.
“So!” Twilight began, excited to get started on their weekly ritual. “What does everypony have planned for this week? Anything exciting?”
“Ah ain’t got that much planned, save for givin’ Rainbow a good ‘talking to’ behind the barn if’n she breaks mah brother’s heart.” Applejack twitched her hooves to make air quotes while her eyes narrowed at the prismatic mare sitting across from her.
“Hey now! Big Macintosh asked me to have a picnic with him down by the pond and I said yes. I haven’t done anything wrong!” Rainbow retorted.
“Yet.”
“Heard that.”
“Ya were supposed ta.”
“Girls...” Twilight said, hoping she put enough edge in her voice to silence the two.
“Good for you, Rainbow Dash, getting a date for Hearts and Hooves Day. Big Macintosh will treat you to a lovely afternoon, I’m sure,” said Rarity. “Sadly, this year, it falls on Fluttershy and I’s special spa day. So we’re just making it extra special! Chocolates and champagne and the deluxe tour.”
Fluttershy nodded, blushing lightly at the mention of the beverage of choice. “We decided that nopony else ought to intrude on something we always do.”
“Mmhmm. No dates for us on Hearts and Hooves. Not that nopony has asked, mind, but just that Fluttershy and I consider our spa days to be, well, ours. We are ‘bucking the trend,’ as it were. Best friends forever, eh, Fluttershy?”
Another nod. “Best friends forever!” she confirmed.
Rainbow and Applejack ignored the conversation and continued glaring daggers at each other. Twilight cleared her throat and eyed both mares.
Turning to Pinkie Pie, she asked, “How about you, Pinkie Pie? Anything special planned?”
“Nope! Me and the Cakes are SUPER busy this week, baking cakes and taking reservations in the shop for the couples who want a little romantic brunch! But I love seeing their smiles,” Pinkie said cheerfully, bouncing in her chair. “Almost makes me wish I could take a day off to spend with a special somepony.”
Again, Fluttershy only nodded in response and Rarity gave an affirmative “Mmhmm!”
Twilight pondered her current plans for the week. A completely clear schedule, same as every year. She nodded slowly and finally murmured, “Me too, Pinkie. I haven’t ever had a date on Hearts and Hooves Day. Never really liked it much.”
Five gasps.
“Twilight, dear, surely you mean since arriving in Ponyville?” Rarity asked, eyebrow raised as she leaned over the arm of her chair closer to Twilight.
Twilight just shook her head.
Applejack stopped glaring at Rainbow long enough to stare open-mouthed at Twilight. “Ya mean ya never had a colt or filly ask ya on a date? Never traded cards in school?”
Another head shake.
“Aww, that’s so sad. I know! Let’s set try to set Twilight up with somepony! It’ll be like a friendship project! And then a party afterwards, to celebrate!” Pinkie jumped out of her seat and started bouncing around the circle.
Again, five varied nods and murmurs of agreement as Twilight’s friends smiled at her, expecting her answer.
Twilight sighed. “Oh, fine. Not like I had any other plans.”
Five cheers and Twilight smiled weakly. This might not be such a bad week after all.
“Sister dearest!” chanted Luna, stalking the halls in search of her older sibling. “You know what week it is! What Friday is!”
Though her voice echoed well in the stone halls of the castle, Celestia knew Luna had no hope of finding her. Not while Celestia still knew all of the secret passages. Luna could barely find the grand dining hall from her bedroom, let alone hope to keep track of the myriad of hidden doors, hallways, and rooms throughout the castle.
This week was not Celestia’s favorite, especially with the return of Luna. Her sister was dear to her, to be sure. She would not trade her for the world. But some small part of her resented every year since, because Luna insisted that Celestia take one day off and enjoy herself with somepony special. Oh, it would be the usual arguments, “I’ve been gone for a thousand years, I ought to pay you back one day at a time; you need a break, you’ve been working yourself too hard without somepony else to ease the burden...”
Nevermind that I’ve not dated anypony in well over a millennium. Nevermind that I barely have time to attend to my duties, let alone invest any amount of time in meeting somepony for the hay of it.
“Auntie Luna!” rang a singsong voice.
Pony feathers, Celestia swore.
Princess Cadance came bouncing past the tapestry that hid a small doorway to Celestia’s current hiding spot. Celestia could still see the two alicorns from the little window in the door itself. She cursed her size and its limits in this room. Had she been the size of a normal mare, this would have been a spacious studio. To her, however, this was a cramped little writing space, barely able to fit her and a desk.
"Good day, Cadance. By chance, have you seen my dear sister? She seems to be avoiding me," said Luna. She looked behind Cadance, tilting her head to either side.
"No, I'm afraid not," Cadance replied with considerably less cheer than her greeting. "Do you need her for something?"
"Your holiday approaches, and once again, I am trying to convince 'Tia to get a date for the occasion. I have learned that she has not had a date in some time, and I feel that it is my duty, as Princess of the Night and her sister, to ensure she has an enjoyable holiday."
Cadance put a hoof to her chin and tapped it lightly. Her bottom lip pushed up and she gazed at the ceiling, as if it held the answer she was looking for. She then broke into a smile and pumped her hoof in the air. "Luna, I have it!" She exclaimed. She trotted over to her aunt and whispered in her ear.
Banish it, Celestia thought, I wish I knew one of Twilight's scrying spells.
Luna nodded enthusiastically and shouted, “Huzzah! That will surely do it! Come, we must find Celestia at once!” She and Cadance then broke into a brisk trot in the opposite direction, leaving the entrance to Celestia’s hiding spot quite alone.
After a few minutes to be sure they wouldn’t return, Celestia slipped out and set off down the hallway towards her room, sticking to the carpeted sections of the hall to mask her hooffalls as best as possible. She used her wings to keep the weight off of her hooves, quickly making her way through the empty corridors.
Just as she reached the doors to her room, she heard her name shouted from further down the hall. Buck! she cursed once more, and ducked into her room and shut the door behind her. A golden glow enveloped both her horn and the door, and it locked tightly against any dark blue or pink alicorns wishing to gain entrance.
Satisfied, she turned around to her bed, only to find Luna and Cadance standing on her balcony, grinning like schoolfillies. I’ll give them this much, they’re clever, Celestia thought, half-smiling and cursing her luck.
“What can I do for you ladies tonight?” she asked. Her voice was diplomatically calm, not daring to show how furious she was with herself for forgetting that little detail about her balcony, too.
“Oh, ‘Tia, you know what week it is! I’m here to help you—” Luna started.
“Find you a date!” Cadance finished, her gleeful smile present in her voice.
“So I heard,” muttered Celestia.
“I’m sorry?” said Cadance.
“How charming! But you must know I haven’t given any thought to who I might want to take out on Hearts and Hooves Day,” Celestia said, hoping to nip this plot in the bud.
“We thought as much, so we came up with a brilliant idea!” Cadance said, before gesturing to Luna.
“Celly, what if you took somepony you already knew? It is our understanding that you have not taken a lover in over one thousand years,” said Luna, deadpan.
Celestia winced. Whoever told Luna that information would be sure to spend their remaining time at the Castle scrubbing the guard barracks until they were spotless.
“Thank you for the support, Luna, but—”
“Excellent! Cadance and I thought you may wish to invite Twilight Sparkle out on this date. It’s—”
Celestia shook her head, positive she had misheard. “I’m sorry, Twilight? On a date?”
“Why, yes, dear sister. It is perfect, is it not? Twilight Sparkle is a dear friend, so you already know each other well. In addition, Twilight Sparkle is now a princess herself, and therefore would not be intimidated by your position. Can you not see how well this works?” Luna inquired.
Oh, I see what would happen, alright, mused Celestia. She played out dozens of scenarios, all of which ended with an overly neurotic Twilight in tears. “Luna, please, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, really—”
“Ah, it is decided then! We shall write to Twilight Sparkle at once to inform her of your arrival this evening, where you shall ask her in person!”
Celestia groaned and put a hoof to her head. Goddess above, why?! She stomped her hoof and nearly shouted, “Luna! I. Am. Not. Asking. Twilight. Sparkle. On. A. Date.”
Luna stared in shock at the sudden outburst. “Why ever not, ‘Tia? You said yourself, ‘twas a splendid idea!”
“No, Luna, I said thank you for the support, and I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you interrupted me before I could finish,” said Celestia, returning to her soothing tone to take control of the situation that was quickly spiraling downward. “What I was going to say after that is that Twilight still thinks of me as her mentor and teacher, and she, my student. It would just feel... awkward.”
“But ‘Tia, Twilight Sparkle is an equal, is she not? Not only have her studies far outpaced any unicorn before her, easily marking her as the most intelligent and capable magic user in centuries,” Luna practically sang. Celestia could only nod proudly. “She is also a full-grown mare, with shapely hips, a taut stomach, and full lips. I do believe a great many ponies find these qualities most attractive, yes? You could do worse for finding a mate... I mean date! Date!” Luna stammered.
Celestia just blushed furiously. She’d be lying if she hadn’t noticed how well Twilight had grown into a gorgeous mare. She was also one of the few ponies Celestia could call a true friend, trusting that Twilight would keep any secret, overcome any obstacle. But she still thought of Twilight as her student, and had always thought of another pony being at her student’s side. Luna’s not wrong. It would be hard to find a better date on such short notice... Wait! Am I really considering going through with this?
“Aha! You have noticed as well, sister. Not even your legendarily stoic demeanor can hide such truths! Cadance, come! We must make haste if we wish to inform Twilight Sparkle of the imminent arrival of Her Royal Highness!”
“Luna, no.”
“Celly...” Luna pleaded.
“I’ll write to her myself, thank you.”
Both Luna and Cadance exchanged smiles and clapped their hooves together.