Chapter three
A pair of head phones slide off of a mare’s head as she tosses, and turns in her bean bag chair. Flipping out of it this time, forcing gravity to do its work, and landing with her muzzle now getting on a more intimate level with the floor. Princess Luna snaps out of her daze, and shakes loose the nap she just had in not the most comfortable position that she has found herself in lately. Sitting up, controller in lap, and with the volume way to loud for any normal pony to live comfortably.
Though the addition of a blanket on her did bring some comfort as she wonders how it got there. Yawning wide as her jaw almost unhinges like a snake. She takes in a deep breath before rubbing her eyes as she glances up at the screen reading only the words ‘Game Over’ scribbled up in blood while now her jaw drops down even more. Face hoofing herself at the obvious mistake in her choice.
“I really shouldn’t have pulled an all-nighter with this blasted game,” The lunar princess picks the crust that the Sand Colt left behind in her light sapphire eyes. Using them now to look up at the clock when she realizes that it is actually eight in the evening.
“Oops,” she chuckles to herself at the mishap, and the laps of better judgment, “I guess this was an all-nighter from the night before hoof,” ‘Why do I do these things to me?’ the question pops up in her head for a moment, before realizing something very simple.
‘Oh right, because it’s fun,’ Lulu beams while putting her game away for the evening, and does a quick work on her mane. Brushing it to the side as it reverts back to its normal wind blowing form.
Taking a quick peak outside of her room, the hallways seem vacant for the moment as she steps out in her silver slippers on the carpet that lines the center, as she begins to walk about in search of any pony she knows.
The soft sounds of chatter while the giggling of children soon fill her ears in no time as the lunar princess draws closer, and closer to the study room before her. Putting her ear up to the doorway she can hear them ever clearer through the wooden frame.
‘If she is laughing that hard, then that can only mean he is here, and if he is. Then so are his parents,’ her gentle hoof nudges the door open while she looks inside before stepping in.
The near instant appearance of a young alicorn in pure a white coat, long graceful wings with a sharp horn on her, almost causes the Luna to stumble. At first thinking that she would have been jumped by her sister. The serpent like tail attaching itself to the hind of the pony while a tri colored fringe at the end flows off of it, and the similar colored Mohawk running down back of the alicorn’s neck before her would beg to differ of who she’s face to face with.
Rosebud, or Rose for short, has grown up quite a bit in the last eight years. For a fourteen year old, she already is becoming adept in the field of magic, and on top of that having just as much skill in the air with her wings as your ordinary guard. The daughter, between Celestia and Discord, has showed more than a hunger for knowledge. As she continues to study on her own the various fields of magic, and what they have to offer.
Much to the joy of her aunt Twilight, who happily sits idle on the couch, and chats with Rose’s mother while her husband, Flash Sentry, does his best to keep up with the kids. Flash, and Twilight met one another years ago in the Crystal Empire. Though it wasn’t until he was moved to be Twilight’s personal guard, that their affections finally started to blossom. After a somewhat troublesome relationship, at the hooves of a rather angry king and queen out for vengeance. The couple grew even closer with one another though the experience.
Soon enough after a few years dating, Flash popped the question, and the couple tied the knot with one another. Thankfully being graced with a now four year old son to call their own, as he fumbles about on the ground trying to control the wings on his back to fold them up, as they seem to get under his little feet, and trip him up while he runs. After another fumble from his appendages, Snow feels the cradling hooves of his father whisk him up and off his feet.
“Don’t worry, Snow, I got cha,” Flash strokes the wings that cause little Snow Bolt to have so much trouble. While the father runs his hoof through the black mane down his neck, and over snow white coat that he was aptly named from.
“I know you do, dad,” He beams with his little violet eyes that he got from his mother.
“Watch out though,” Flash motions to the incoming alicorn with his prosthetic wing, which he lost in combat all those years ago at the hooves of the queen, “Seems Rosie doesn’t like to be trifled with.”
“I hate that name!” the teenager in the room teases, as she flaps her wings to catch up to the pair.
“Run daddy! Run!” Snow leaps from his father’s grasp and gets to his feet. Promptly taking off running across the carpet.
As much as he can at least, with having his wings to worry about as they trip him up once more, and Sentry places him instead on his back as the now Captain in the guard takes off. Twilight can’t help, but giggle at the trio going about their business. Ever sense receiving the title of ‘Royal Canterlot Magical Advisor’ (a position she acquired upon the defeat of their adversaries. Like Flash now being a few ranks higher). Life for the young alicorn couldn’t be better. Besides the occasional political drama of having to wear a crown, but that just goes with the territory. Though these moments she shares with her royal in laws make it all worthwhile, as she peers around the room at the kids running about. Noticing the dark cobalt alicorn stepping in to the room, after almost being taken out by her niece. Twilight nearly leaps out of her seat.
“Luna! You’re awake!” Twilight beams at her fellow princess. Scooting over on the couch to give her some room to sit down.
“Aye, it would seem I am,” still shaking off the Sand Colt in his attempts to get the night mare to sleep once again. Luna’s head drops a little lower as she takes a seat. Almost sulking while she took the time to play her game rather than be with family, “If I had known you would be here though, I wouldn’t have stayed and slept in so much. My apologies I might add.”
“Oh don’t worry about it, dear sister,” Princess Celestia waves off the act with her prosthetic hoof. Having lost the original in a fight with the enemy, just like Flash had in his encounter, “You were well out of it when Twilight, and Flash arrived with Snow. Rose and Snow checked up on you actually, and she draped the blanket on you to keep warm, winter is almost upon us after all.”
As she opens her mouth to answer her sister. Luna instead finds herself the victim of a flying tackle that knocks her clear off the couch. Courtesy of the alicorn daughter to inherit the crown eventually, tumbling about on the ground until the night mare finds herself lying face up. The beaming face above staring down in to her blue eyes, is almost too cute to get mad at for the intrusion on one that is barely half awake.
“Thank you, Rose,” she grunts out over the inhale of breath she forces her body to take, “You are too kind.”
“Oh, auntie Lulu,” the soft wings of her niece envelops her as Rosebud squeezes her favorite aunt. Twilight only losing out by a close second, “I’m happy you enjoyed it. You looked just so cold with the small patch of drool running down your chin.”
“I didn’t have drool!” Luna teases as she pushes Rose back so she is on top, while going back and forth with her niece.
Knowing full well what spots to exploit, Luna’s hooves instinctively go for the tickle zones that she has learned throughout the years. Listening to the soft murmurs from the mare’s mouth as Rose tries to hide the joy in her face. Though after getting worked up from playing with her uncle and nephew, she soon enough breaks down at the seams. Allowing floods of laughter, and tears come forth, while Rose nearly begs for mercy.
“Okay! Okay! There wasn’t any drool! There wasn’t!” Luna barely hears her over the giggles.
“I’m sorry could you say that again?” Luna responds as her hears perk up, “Didn’t quite catch that over… This,” She runs her hooves even more over the young mare’s sides. Enticing even more choking laughter to come out from her soft lips.
“Luna! Please stop it-t-t-t!”
“Oh if you insist,” Luna’s hooves of warfare stop, and come back to her sides as the night mare leaves her victim to control her breathing for the time being, and takes her seat back, “Sorry about that, I had to show Rose a thing to two.”
“We understand completely, Lulu,” Discord mutters, sitting next to his wife Celestia while listening to the still gasping sound of his daughter in the background, “I trust things are going just fine with your game then, hmm?” he muses, not getting a particularly righteous answer from her, and instead only a deathly scowl.
“I do not particularly like wasting time on such a thing that inhibits me from spending time with loved ones,” Luna’s voice softens up a bit as the cheery smile returns to her once more, “That said, so far I am kicking the flank out of any pony who tries to oppose me online.”
“Thus I will never get on par with you when it comes to that infernal contraption,” Tia rolls her eyes at her seemingly inability to comprehend how her younger sister can beat her every which way to Sunday when it comes to the video game. Even at times while out in the courtyard, and swordplay is involved. Celestia having more of a mage in her, already being adept in magic, than a battle pony, “All that said though I have accepted my defeat when it comes to it. Though Dissy, and, or Rose would stand to hold their own to some extent.”
“Well duh? Children are easily able to pick up new things,” Luna points out. Snapping Rose from her daze, leaving the daughter to try to defend her honor.
“Hey! I’m not a child anymore!” she says in a tuff, sticking her nose up in the air, “I’m a teenager, thank you very much.”
“Don’t worry now Rose, I was talking about this one,” Luna points over to Discord. Who cranes his eyes at the sister in law that he goes back, and forth on a regular basis with.
“Oh you’re just hilarious aren’t you?”
“Auntie Luna is awesome!” Snow Bolt instantly finds himself atop the night mare’s head. In amongst the flowing mane, and horn while Luna just looks up as best she can from her angle at the little pair of hooves that drape over her face.
“Can we go down to the kitchens, and get some ice cream? Your belly was making all sorts of sounds when you were asleep in your room,” The audible sound of a stomach growling fills the void of the laughter, and play of before. Being followed by the former as they all share a good chuckle from the on time cue.
“Actually that wasn’t me,” Luna points out before they get the wrong idea. Though she could always go for some soft serve.
Discord raises his lion paw up in the air, “Guilty as charged. So it’s settled, we’re off!” He points the way.
Rose taking a quick position next to her father on one side as Tia assumes the other. Snow Bolt taking a new tactical position on his father’s back while Twilight, and he pace side by side with one another. Flash extending his false wing over her side, and bringing the whole family closer. Meanwhile, Luna picks up the rear for now. Admiring the happy couples, and families. Feeling the thoughts she pushes down time, and time again making their way back up to greet her.
Choosing that if she doesn’t do something, and answer them. Then they will just keep on coming back more, and more. Thinking about the short time she got to spend with them, and how happy her niece, and even Snow were to see her. The night mare turns her own thoughts to how she stays alone for most of the day, and night doing whatever pleases her. Playing that game of hers. Practicing in the courtyard a few spells here, and there, or her sword play. Even perhaps playing a game of Paint spell if she has it in her.
“I really don’t get out much do I?” She is reminded of the times Celestia would barely leave the castle herself. That is until she had Discord un-tombed, so she could get more time to live a little.
‘Saw how that worked out,’ Luna giggles under her breath, looking at the royal couple in front of her. As she speaks on hushed tones to her own self at the moment, while those in front of her remain oblivious to what she is thinking as they step through the door to the study, and start to head down the hallway.
“I can hang it up for a bit, get out, and live a little myself. Why not?” the lunar mare answers to herself. Before galloping a short distance to catch up with the rest of them, so they can all partake in the frosted treat of ice and cream.