"Oh, Luna..." Discord chuckled as he leaned back in his La-Z-Colt beside his film projector that displayed all the highlights of the four's shenanigans. "I didn't know you had it in you. My cereal doesn't spontaneously combust more than twice a month." He tosses a kernel into his mouth and takes a hard bite. He cringes as he feels his teeth disintegrate around the unpopped abomination. He spits out all of the contents onto his paw and stares at the incriminating kernel in disgust. "Unek-THeptable." He picks up the dastardly piece and flicks it away before shoving all the shards of broken teeth back into his mouth. He swishes them around as if he was rinsing with water and then inspected his repaired pearly smile in a mirror.
Suddenly, the projector began to falter and film unwound and fell to the floor. "Oh, no no no!" Discord panicked as he picked up the ends of the frayed film and paused the machine. He brings the broken film up close to his eye and minutely positioned it back into its original state. The film, thanks to being is his hands, repaired itself and appeared to have never snapped. Discord sighs as he examines his DIY. "Now where was I?" He scans through the film to find the frame where he had left off. Upon finding a new scene entirely that came afterward, he sets the reel back into place and resumed the projector. But not before taking out another bag of popcorn from his microwave and dumping it into his bowl.
Luna was pacing nervously up and down the upstairs hallway while Celestia continued on duplicating the dresses in swift fashion (pun half-intended). "Sister!" She called back. "What do fillies usually partake in on the weekend? I can't wait for those dresses forever, I will surely have to rely on your wisdom for the time being."
Celestia had barely heard and registered Luna's comment. She was hard at work starting on replication of the last dress in the line. That and the onset of a headache of the continuous strain which slightly muffled her hearing caused an involuntary moment of silence before she answered back. "I'll be finished in just a couple of minutes, sister." She seemed to have sighed out loudly. She continued to overestimate the capabilities of the everyday unicorn. But that still didn't deter her from finishing her entire load all in one stride. "Don't... worry about me. We can... play a board game or something. Why don't you... dig one out in the meantime?"
Luna started to head out the door when she took careful note on her sister's condition. She may have known better than to try at all, what with Sweetie's magic being juvenile. But Celestia still needed to learn not to try too hard. Just because she knew advanced magic spells doesn't mean she has the raw power to back it up. What terrible strain she must be putting herself through. Then again, the opportunity of an actual weekend appeared to act as one heck of a driving force for her efficiency. Nonetheless, Luna felt it better to focus on something more important than a board game. "How about I search the medicine cabinet for ibuprofen, sister?"
The realization hit Celestia like a locomotive. She set her materials down and sighed as she fell back onto her haunches. "Yes, please." She groans out while holding her forehead. She heard the pitter-patter of a filly's hooves head down the hall as she tried to massage away her migraine. Doing such an advanced magical technique may be quite effective, but not so when done continuously. "Perhaps I should leave some for the evening..." She fell back to lay on the floor and closed her eyes in exhaustion. Her chest pumped slowly as she took in laboured breaths. She could not remember the last time she felt like this.
"Princess... Princess..." A male voice chanted to her. Her condition clouded her mind with visions of being back at the castle and being looked over by a worried guard. "Your Highness. Please, you mustn't overwork yourself."
"I'm fine." Celestia responded. "There's no need to be worried."
"Honestly, I'm more exasperated than worried." A small filly's voice chirped from the guard's mouth before Celestia returned to reality completely. Luna was standing directly above her with a bottle of pills in magical grasp.
Celestia twisted herself around and sat upright. "I thought you weren't going to use your magic."
"Child-proof cap." Luna pointed out. "Would not have mattered if I dropped it. Which I actually did."
Celestia took the bottle in her hooves for the sake of getting rest and removed the cap. She realized that she may need water for this. Being the demi-goddess she was, she was not attuned to taking pills to cure her ails. Fortunately, Rarity was the type who preferred to have a glass of water on her nightstand as she slept. However warm it may be at this point, she promptly got up from her spot on the floor and trotted over. Landing the pill on the back of her tongue and finishing the whole glass in a single swig, Celestia experienced the oddly satisfying feeling of the pill slithering down her throat. She sighs heavily in relief and crawls back onto the bed.
"20 minutes, it said." Luna quoted the bottles label. "Then maybe we can get around to something hopefully more exciting than a board game."
"I agree." Celestia repents on her silly idea from earlier. "Maybe building a fort out of cushions and blankets may be more appropriate."
"Aren't we too old to be doing such childish activities?"
Celestia just turns her head and stares at Luna with half-lidded eyes, waiting for the light to turn on in her head. Watching her look down at her adolescent body and sighing in defeat made her smile and giggle. "Don't lie to me. Building a fort still sounds fun no matter how old we are."
Luna shrugs. "Fair enough. You got me there."
The doorbell suddenly rings, causing Celestia to reel back in soreness and Luna to gasp in shock.
"What was that?!" Luna inquired. Being back from her imprisonment on the moon for just a few years left her unaware of some inventions that had occurred in her absence.
"That was... a doorbell." Celestia groaned. "Someone is at the front door. So you should go see who it is."
"Ohh. That actually sounds like quite a convenient little device." Luna proceeded down the stairs to answer the door. "Being able to know who's at the door without someone else having around to answer it for you... and hearing it throughout the house. A commoner's life sounds more and more intriguing." She mumbled to herself before arriving at the front door. She opened it and was unable to give a proper greeting due to a couple of enthusiastic fillies about Sweetie's age blurting in her face.
"Hey, Sweetie Belle!" They both greet with just a hint too much charisma.
Luna shrieked and backed up from the sudden fright and landed on her flank.
"Oops," said the orange one. "Sorry for scaring you."
"We were just too excited t' begin on our new crusadin' list." The cream-coloured one finished.
Luna recovered from her scare and had just split seconds to recall the names of her visitors. I remember helping them with their nightmares. What were their names? Ugh. Oh! Scootaloo and... Applebloom, that's right. "I'm fine, you two." She invites them inside and closes the door behind them. Having heard of their cutie mark crusading routine, Luna was at least slightly up in the know of what they were refering to when they mentioned their list. Also figuring that they must have made previous arrangements to meet first thing in the morning, being the adventurous tykes they were, she went along. "So, what's on the agenda?"
"Well, first..." Scootaloo lays down a short list on the ground. "Applebloom suggested corn husking. Don't ask me why." She turns back to her with a look of confusion. Why the apple farmer thought she could have a chance at a cutie mark about corn was still beyond her.
"Hey!" Applebloom retorted. "Ya never know. Besides, if it isn't my talent, it could be one of yers." She takes another look at the list. "Plus Ah don't think yer one to talk if y' thought of make-up artist."
Scootaloo sighs. "Well, like you said, you never know. Heck, I might actually be good at it."
"Won't know unless you try, after all." Luna coined.
"Thank you!" Applebloom blurted. "In that case, why don' we try dairy farmers?"
"Says the--" Scootaloo cuts herself off and recalls the conversation they just finished. "Never mind."
"Uhhhh..." Luna was unsure of what to go along with. She figured it would be best to start out with something fairly labour-inducive just to get it out of the way. If something bad were to happen down the line, it's best she finds the other limits to this body as soon as possible. "I like the dairy farmer idea. We could make some friends with the cows there."
"I agree!" Scootaloo furls up the list and starts heading back out the door. "Dairy farm it is!"
Applebloom was about to follow her out back to the scooter when she catches Luna trying to walk past her. "Don' forget t' let Rarity know yer gonna be out."
"Oh... right." Luna had almost let Celestia slip her mind, she doesn't normally let her know when she leaves the castle for non-royal business. "Rarity!" She hollers up the stairs. "I'm going out with my friends!"
Back up in Rarity's room, Celestia was trying to doze off, hoping the pill would kick in soon. She listens to Luna's last words before she left the house. "I don't know when I'll be back! See you later!" She doesn't give a response. She flips over to her side and massages the sides of her head. She groans, "ugh, sick AND all alone. What a way to start my vacation..." She takes Rarity's blindfold and ties it around her eyes to get in a quick nap. "I trust that she'll have fun for me though." She sighs.
As the crusaders cruised through the town on the scooter and wagon, Luna was clinging onto Applebloom like a vice. Knowing very well that she couldn't fly and that a child's body is a especially fragile she didn't want to take any chances at stumbling out of the wagon; much to her friend's chagrin.
Applebloom had let her hold on at first under the oblivious thought that it may have been a hug, but it quickly donned on her how tight she was trying to cling. "Um... You okay, Sweetie Belle?" She asks back to her friend.
"No," Luna squeaks out in fear. "We hit a rock! I almost fell out!"
Scootaloo calls back, "but we hit tons of rocks along the way! And since when are you so afraid of falling out? We've been doing this for almost two years."
Luna didn't know how to answer back. She shifted her wide eyes around and tightened her lips together. "Uhh..." After swallowing her fear of falling out and having it replaced with concern of blowing her cover, she lets go of Applebloom's back and grabs onto the sides of the wagon.
Applebloom still did not let her confusion go. "Yer actin' a little odd today."
Luna didn't answer, she instead gave a nervous grin.
Scootaloo disregarded and continued on with their trek to the dairy farm.
Rarity sat anxiously atop her new throne, darting her eyes around to take in the scenery of the wide open room; the stained-glass window mosaics, the tapestries, the red carpet, and her two guards that stood patiently at the base. She was a princess. Taking it all in left her with a most ecstatic smile and her shoulders shrugging up to the sides of her head.
One of her guards couldn't help but listen to the subtle noises she made. He turned around just in time to see his Princess Celestia making a rather childish expression as she stared out one of the windows. If he wasn't trained to know better, he'd admit to his boss that she looked cute. "Forgive me, Your Highness. But you seem particularly cheerful today."
Rarity snapped out of her blissful trance and responded to the guard. "Oh! Is it that noticeable?" She blushes. "Oh, look at me. I'm going to have myself bored to pieces in no time." She sighs and slumps over the arm of her throne. "What could I possibly do -as a princess- to kill some of my time off?"
The same guard taps his comrade on the shoulder to have him join in. "Have you thought of continuing on your millennial memoir?"
That idea sounded a lot like literary business to her; not her field of expertise, and of course, can't be done without any of Celestia's knowledge. "Mmm... It's been far too long a while since I've worked on it..." She's hoping her assumption doesn't lead to one of them saying that Celestia just worked on it last week or something. She took the split second of silence as clearance to continue. "So I think I'll just nix the whole thing." She hops up from her seat and descends the steps of the throne. "I'm sure I can find something to do..." As she was about to leave the room, her ears perk up and she got a wonderful... awful idea...
Rarity turns her head back to the guards with a mischievous grin to rival Discord's, causing them to tense up at their posts. She turns and walks back a few steps and speaks to the one who spoke up before.
The other guard couldn't help but practically do all the trembling and sweating for him. He hasn't seen Celestia make that face since the "Night of the Great Moan".
...That poor triple chocolate statue never saw it coming.
Rarity stared intently into his eyes. "Tell me... You are loyal to me down to the core, correct?"
"Yes, Your Highness." The first guard confirmed, remaining stoic and proud.
"...And you would do anything I ask?"
"Yes, Your Highness." He repeats as his comrade audibly gulps from beside.
"In that case..." Rarity takes a step back to give him some room. "Sing me a little number."
He didn't seem the least bit confused by her request, though that couldn't be said about his partner. "Which one, Princess?"
"Whatever you can think of." Rarity's tone of voice had loosened up.
"Very well..." He jabs the blunt end of his spear onto the ground and propped himself up on his hind legs. After gaining his balance, he turned to his side and places his other front hoof on the front of his helmet...
Hello, my baby! - Hello, my honey!
Hello, my ragtime gaaaal!
Send me a kiss by wire
Baby, my heart's on fire!
If you refuse me - Honey, you'll lose me
And you'll be left alone, Oh baby, telephone
And tell me I'm your oooooowwwnn
The guard returns to his regular post as if nothing happened, leaving his partner awestruck and his boss impressed in more ways than one.
Rarity smiled widely at her guards' apparent willingness to carry out any order she could think to give them. With an entire castle full of them, she's bound to think of something to do that takes advantage of this. Though, she quickly considered against it. Whether such a strange command could blow her cover, or maybe Celestia would be upset at the grievous misuse of her guards' loyalty. Or maybe, just maybe, give Celestia the idea to organize stunts of her own. Nonetheless, Rarity was immensely proud. "Oh, wonderful! That certainly brightened up my day more than my sun ever could."
The guard responded with deep, prolonged, bellowing frog croak. The princess and other guard were understandably befuddled.
Discord was standing above and behind his projector screen, acting as the marionetteer for the guard who was displayed. He pauses dangling his tools around in his hands and reconsiders. "Okay, maybe that was going a little far..." He drops them and returns to his seat. "I'm sorry, dear Rarity. But I had to make my own fun there."
Rarity had long since disregarded her little surprise performance as she merrily trots down the hallway. She thinks to herself, I remember something about Celestia saying she sometimes likes to harass the guards... Perhaps I can spend the next hour or so playing small games with the more stiff ones.
She has made her way out to the royal garden and proceeded along the cobblestone trails. After a tranquil few minutes, Rarity had come along a pair of unicorn guards who were stationed at the opening of a path that led out of the fountain area. These two guards were no different from the others; stoic as usual. Rarity had a few ideas brewing, but had them put aside for a moment.
The guards gave a quick bow and greeting once Rarity made herself known. "Working hard as usual, I trust?" She asks.
The guard on the left responded. "As always, Your Highness. Though standing here guarding the fountain still leaves plenty of time to ourselves."
"This is your assigned post?" Rarity inquires with a hint of disbelief. "You two just stand here all day and watch the fountain?"
"'Twas our task for months now, Princess." He answers.
The other guard speaks up. "We don't mind it at all. It may be uneventful, but it's also low risk, low responsibility, and no stress. If you're suggesting a change in shift for us, it would depend."
Rarity takes a seat between the two. "Not at all. I suppose if you both enjoy being here, I see no reason to reassign you." She was getting poised and ready to execute one of her little tricks. However, she didn't want to be too sudden. She decided staying around for a minute or two would help to lull them into a false sense of security.
Rarity's irksome plans were tossed out the metaphorical window after just 40 seconds of sitting there doing nothing; seeing, hearing nothing... except that darned fountain in front of them. Rarity groans in discomfort. "Oh, what have you two done to me to deserve this? Don't tell me again that you want to stay."
The guard to her left paused for a moment. "In that case, that will be difficult to answer, Your Highness."
Rarity scoffs off her guard's blasphemous words and stands up to look him in the eye. "Whether you enjoy it here or not, I cannot stand the notion of having you two doing something so unproductive." She recalls that they said that Celestia assigned them to this location and rubs her forehead. "Oh, what was I thinking?" A much better idea had popped into her head and she began to smile. "Ah! I know what I'll have you do." She leans down to look at him from his level. "Disregard the fountain and carry out this little demand for the day: Go into town, ask around for which little shop makes the best coffee, then go there and get me a mocha latte in the largest size they have. Be sure to keep it warm with your magic until you return." She stands back upright and allows clearance for the guard to take his leave.
He looked confused at first. But then he remembered that Celestia had the weekend off. Perhaps she's finding new things to try? She has never had coffee before. Nonetheless, the guard left his post and proceeded on his task. "Yes, Princess." Before turning the corner leading out, he looked back to his boss for further information. "Would you like it to be fat-free, Your Highness?" He couldn't help but finish his inquiry with a subtle, yet sly grin.
Rarity shot him a playfully stern expression for a split second before remembering that it was not technically her body he was referring to. She fakes a slightly dejected and embarrassed blush before answering with a regal smile. "Yes, please." During the last moment she had him at her disposal, she catches him for one more command. "Oh! While you're out there, feel free to bring home a date if you can."
This made the guard's eyes shoot wide open. However, now filled will adrenaline, he sets off with great haste. "Yes, ma'am!"
Rarity promptly shifted her attention to the other guard. "And you..." He stands in attention, ready for whatever unorthodox command she may have. "Do you know anything about massages?"
"Yes, Princess." He answers. "To help relieve stress and muscle tension to other fellow guards, we are all trained to know the basics. But don't you have professional masseuses at your command?"
"Yes," Rarity replies. "But I am asking you. I feel like giving you an opportunity to break away from any rut you may be in and give you a special task just like I did with your partner. Besides, wouldn't you consider yourself crazy to turn down a chance to get so close with me?"
"I don't consider myself to be in a rut, but you are quite right about the latter. Very well." He sets down his spear and removes the armoured slippers on his front hooves. "Where do you wish to receive your massage?"
"The rim of the fountain sounds suitable, wouldn't you agree?" Rarity suggests.
"Quite, Your Highness." He concurs. "It's nice and level and has plenty of sitting room."
"Are you making a crack at my flank like the other one just did?"
He tenses up and looks up to her with worried eyes.
Rarity looks back to her sun-butt and continues. "Because I don't mind the small ones at this point."
The guard was still a bit confused. "I... suppose?"
"Well, no big deal." Rarity trots over to the fountain and begins to lay down on the rim. She tucks her left hind leg under her body and allows the right one to dangle in the cool water. After nuzzling her mug down onto her front hooves and relaxing her wings, she beckons the guard over. "Shall we begin?"
He plasters on a delighted smile and walks over to his boss. He removes his helmet and gives a quick bow before staring. "At once."
As he proceeds with a routine, gentle massage, Rarity closes her eyes and allows a soft coo to escape her. Surely Celestia is feeling just as comfortable as I am...