The events of the afternoon were standard procedure when the two siblings got into one of their prank swings. Such days were always done tastefully and never with harm in mind, for of course they both still loved each other, and it was out of love that they traded insults and challenges back and forth. When you lived to be thousands of years old, it was absolutely necessary to constantly find new ways of entertaining yourself.
Luna and Celestia walked into the main audience hall together, both glaring at each other and laughing and in relatively good spirits, only to have their carefree attitudes quickly diminished. While the events of the cake festival were going on, a long line of ponies had formed in the main aisle, waiting to have their problems heard and financial situations improved. None of them were being attended to, and none of them seemed happy about being made to wait.
Celestia blinked. “Didn’t you put out the BACK SOON sign, Luna?” She whispered. "Surely these residents should have known that'd we be at the confection convention today!"
“The daytime is your responsibility!” Luna hissed back. I'm not usually even awake at this hour. I thought you did it!”
“I was at the cake festival!”
The two sisters exchanged a glance, and quickly made their way up to the front of the audience hall.
“Well it’s about time!” A mare near the front of the line exclaimed. She had a bright red coat and was clearly annoyed having to be made to wait in such an undignified fashion. By the look of her mane and Canterlot apparel, she was of the higher end of society and not used to being made to wait for anything.
Luna and Celestia both approached the upraised stage of the audience chambers, Celestia breaking to the right towards a small set of stairs, and Luna to the left, to a similar incline. They drew back together, a rare appearance for both princesses to be on staff at the same time, and sat on their respective thrones. Casting their pranks briefly aside, they intended on teaming up together to take care of remedying the situation before it grew out of control. As they sat down together, there was the sudded and unexpected sound of ridiculously loud flatulence. There were several gasps from the audience, then gradual laughter.
The two siblings stared at each other in combined horror, their faces turning the color of overly ripe tomatoes. Both alicorns narrowed their eyes at each other at the exact same time, with a look of ultimate, paralyzing suspicion.
“Did you…” Celestia hissed.
“I would never!” Luna hissed back. “Did you?”
“Certainly not!” Celestia looked appalled at such an idea.
“Well if you didn’t, and I didn’t, then who?”
---
Off to the side of the main chamber, unseen by either of the two sisters, a single one of Celestia's royal guards stood on sentry duty. He had only recently been promoted to Captain, and as such was in charge of security when Princess Celestia was holding her audiences. It was he who would likely bear the weight of the scolding for the mishap of allowing such a line to form when the Princesses were not around, but so distracted in their jobs they were that neither of the two alicorns noticed the Captain slipping a pair of very rude noisemakers into the saddlebag of his uniform.
A passing private in uniform paused at the entryway, saluting the Captain. The Captain saluted back.
"Everything alright in here, Shining?"
The Captain grinned.
"Just fine, Private. Just fine."