Princess Celestia shifted her weight back and forth on her feet, her head occasionally craning forward to look down the tracks again. Each time, she would stare for a while, then sigh and straighten up. To an outsider, these motions were so subtle that they would barely have noticed it, since the tall princess was difficult enough to look up to for most ponies, let alone discern any smaller details. The guard detail around her certainly did not spend any time gawking, as they kept to their tight formation on either side of her, holding their spears at the ready, standing rigid and staring directly ahead, their superior standing in the middle. Every passerby gave them a wide berth, leaving a small island bare in the middle of the busy station.
The princess sighed and glanced to her left again, looking past a guard who heaved his chest dutifully, his eyes making tiny movements as he thoroughly examined the train station exterior. Celestia scratched herself below the neck, wiping away a stray bead of sweat that had formed on her coat, and straightened out her bright yellow dress, the sunflower-shaped opening on her chest a particularly unruly section of it. When her clothing, elegant off-day attire to be sure, was in order, she turned in place, quietly clicking the stubby heels on her shoes. The princess’ eyes drifted to the station clock, and she sighed loudly. She returned to her original spot near the ticket office and wiped off a stray clot of poplar wool that had landed on the back of her dress, right above the aetherial tail. A subtle clattering came from the armored stallions behind her as her hands straightened out the dress around her now clean backside, the smooth fabric hugging it tightly. She gave a tiny smile, grateful for such eager escorts, who were no doubt changing their formation to give them a chance to move their stiff legs around a bit. Celestia herself sat down on one of the nearby empty benches, sighing deeply upon checking the clock once more.
For a being who had lived for so long, having to wait a mere hour should have felt like the blink of an eye. And indeed, time would fly marvelously fast when she had to wait for tedious delegations to arrive, or spend entire days in the courtroom where her ponies would bicker over trivial matters. But today, everything seemed to have slowed to a crawl. Mortal sensations began to course through her; she could feel her legs falling asleep in the comparably plain shoes, her hands were fidgeting with the modest jewelry on them, and even the heat of her own sun was starting to make her long for the shade around the bench to grow larger. A pang of regret struck her chest when she thought of the guard detail, and how they stood unmoving in the blazing glow for so long.
The pair of guards right next to the bench particularly seemed tense, mere inches away from the merciful shade around the seat, and she caught them glancing her way several times, probably longing to take shelter in her spot. Them and many others working close to her seemed to be on edge at all times - or so she assumed from the odd glances, overly rigid postures, close friends trying to shower her with pleasantries, or just awkward silence. It worried Celestia to the point that she bit the bolt and did her best to put on a more frivolous off-day appearance, this low-cut and form-hugging dress in particular. She had countless times seen mares in Canterlot wear such outfits and have calm, trivial interactions with others, but so far her own guard detail looked more like there was an ambush lurking around every corner. She pouted and looked down, tugging at the fabric of her dress near her chest and wondering if she should get something even less formal, perhaps a T-shirt. Another rattle came from the guards, and the pair closest to her quickly averted their gaze.
Just before she could feel any more down, her eyes widened as she glanced into the distance, and she smiled when a white stream of smoke peeked above the walls of the city. A sharp whistle could be heard moments later, echoing off the nearby buildings, followed by the steady chugging of a steam engine. The train turned the corner moments later, its brakes already whining as soon as it got past the walls of the city, slowing its advance and letting it roll into the station at a calm pace. The wheels slowly ground to a halt, and the first of the passengers started hopping off the cars, some leaping into the arms of waiting relatives, others scooping up their luggage and swiftly heading for the exit.
“Princess Celestia!” The mare’s heart leaped from the sound of a familiar voice, and she turned to look at its source. Twilight Sparkle beamed widely and waved before hopping off the car, her bags floating after her in a faint purple aura as she approached. She was combed and propped, but rather visibly at the last moment. Her apparel was a curious mixture of a silken dark pink shirt below a lighter colored blouse, a pair of dark blue designer jeans, and cheap sneakers. It was much the same studious young unicorn the Princess had always known, but with a slightly more luxurious fashion taste, no doubt inspired by a close friend of hers.
“My dear Twilight,” Celestia replied, barely able to restrain a grin. The guards at her sides held up their spears to salute her student when she got close, but the mare held up a hand to set them at ease. She then held out her arms invitingly, and Twilight did not hesitate to oblige, leaping in to embrace her fellow princess.
“Sorry our train was so late,” she said, looking up once they both pulled back from the hug. Glancing at her bags, she retrieved a large scroll from one of them, opening it up to browse through its contents. “I had everything planned out. A schedule for the entire day, starting from me getting out of bed. Breakfast actually put me slightly ahead, but then I got to the station, and they had coal supply troubles, and there was just no way to—“
Celestia chuckled and gave Twilight’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s quite alright. I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Oh? Well…” The purple mare blushed a little and put the scroll away. “Good, heh-heh. So…” She nodded her head at the exit. “Shall we?”
Celestia nodded and led her former student toward out of the station, the guard detail following close behind. They left the shade of the large dome above the entrance and met the blazing sun outside. The white marble walls of Canterlot were close to blinding, forcing Twilight to shield her eyes until they could adjust. The sun princess herself smirked, her eyes able to glance at the orb in the sky without blinking.
“How come you insist on taking the train by the way?” Celestia asked. The guards moved ahead of them, forming a column to clear a path through the bustling streets. “If it’s just modesty, I can assure you, everypony will understand if you’re taking a chariot. They’ll know it’s important business.”
The sight of the figures in golden armor had a rapid effect, and when the princesses themselves came into view, some of the bystanders even dropped into a quick bow.
“Mmm… it’s just…” The purple mare fidgeted and gave a small chuckle, the sight of the bowing ponies making her cheeks flush. “I like taking the train. Gives me good memories… more time to enjoy the view...” She looked away for a moment and sighed. “I can fly whenever I want, but I don’t get to ride like this quite as often.”
Celestia hummed in agreement. “Good point.” She looked away as well, smiling. “My sister and I used to do that with rowing boats. I would paddle, and Luna would always complain that I don’t let her.”
“Oh?” Twilight looked up curiously. “And what happened?”
The tall princess smirked. “We’d wrestle, fall in, lose half our stuff and get everything else soaked… then we’d wrestle some more in the water.”
Twilight blinked for a few tense heartbeats, until a fit of giggling burst out of her. Celestia joined in with a more modest chuckle, and they shared another hug before continuing down the streets toward the castle. Behind the reserved exterior, however, the older princess was all but leaping with joy. She reminded herself countless times that no one pony could be more important to her than all the others. And yet, every time she glanced at the happy young mare beside her, it took all of her strength not to succumb to the emotions coursing through her. The urges to just hold her former student and never let go, to cry and laugh at the same time while feeling her warmth and hearing her wonderful voice.
The princess smirked, her own cheeks flushing a little, and she locked her hands behind her back while they covered the rest of the distance to the castle. A stallion in a fine suit waited for them in front of the double doors, greeting them with a wide smile and a courteous, albeit oddly incomplete bow.
“Allow me, your majesty,” he said and grabbed Twilight’s suitcase. Celestia noticed how the purple mare gazed curiously after the stallion, who kept giving the taller princess quick glances, and his gait seemed oddly tense as well. It was rather common, the nervousness and wobbly gait, whenever Celestia was around, and much more so ever since she had tried to lighten the atmosphere for her servants by changing her attire. Something to ask Twilight about, perhaps, and have her perform a short study. The Princess knew she would not want to ask much of her for a selfish reason, but it was for the good of her ponies - besides, knowing the dorky mare, no matter how much danger and adventure she had endured, she would still be overfilled with glee at the prospect of research.
“Oh! Thank you very…” Twilight blinked as the guards opened the doors, and the stallion stepped inside, all very proper, walking straight as a stick, yet moving with surprising speed as he rushed off, disappearing down the halls of the castle. “…much?” She shook her head and chuckled as they followed. “Ah, well… I guess that’s how it will be from now on.”
“Hm?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her.
“Remember how everyone used to behave when we’d walk around together?” Twilight glanced at her mentor with a smile. “Hardly anyone knew my name back then, they wouldn’t even notice me when I was alone.” She chuckled again.
The Princess sighed and shook her head with a weak smile. “Do remind me to talk to you about that. I believe I might need the help of your seamstress friend sooner rather than later.”
“Oh?”
“I’d never want to bury you in my own problems, but…” She subtly leaned closer as they walked. “The staff has been acting a bit odd around me. In these new times, having them act as if their life were on the line every second… I keep thinking I look too conservative, and it scares them.” Celestia hung her head solemnly, the point of her snout almost aligning with where the sunflower opening above her chest finally left room for imagination.
Twilight tilted her head, looking at the Princess with an eyebrow raised.
“But, later with that! Tomorrow, perhaps.” Celestia lifted an index finger to calm the purple pony down. After a second of silence and multiple eyelash flickers, a compact notebook popped into existence, had a note written down in it, then disappeared in a puff of magic. “You were saying, Twilight?”
The other mare was silent for a moment longer, oddly smirking and covering her face up with a hand rather briefly, before exhaling and continuing where they left off. “The servants and their bowing habits. It was just something I found funny even back then. As soon as I was at your side, they’d even give me bows.”
“Ah.” Celestia nodded, smiling. “And now you’re thinking the effect will be doubled?”
“I sure hope not. How can you do a double bow?”
Their soft laughter echoed throughout the halls of the castle as they walked, now only followed by the sound of their own footsteps. The guard detail dispersed from around them, and Celestia noticed again how Twilight kept watching their expressions, her eyes narrowing curiously. Looking for herself, she noticed some of the guards looked just as tense as the servant from before, though their discipline made these details a lot more subtle.
Eventually, neither princess decided to make mention of what they saw, and they retreated to a small lounge next to the main dining hall, already set up with a pair of armchairs and a table between them, facing a currently empty, ornate fireplace, while the room itself was brightly illuminated by large windows to their left, the light reflected by the gilded, curvy decorations and furniture inside. They sat down in the chairs, while a handful of maids came in, bringing them tea and pastries, up to and including a rather healthy variety of cakes. Twilight gave a knowing smirk when she noticed the mares subtly nudging the plates with cake on them toward the sun princess before scurrying away, almost as though they feared retribution.
But it would not come, and for the first time that day, Celestia could not conceal a tiny blush on her cheeks, especially when she noticed Twilight smirking at her. To play along with the humorous scene, she reached for a slice of Black Forest cake first, her motions drawn out on purpose as she picked up her fork, scooped off a corner, and lifted it to her mouth.
“Mmmm~” She made a show of munching on the piece and pretended to experience pure bliss from the, admittedly, rather delicious confection. Twilight Sparkle nibbled away on a biscuit and watched, trembling occasionally as she struggled to restrain her laughter. Moments later, the laughter turned into a tiny squeak, and she leaned back reflexively as the next forkful was suddenly inches away from her snout, its sweet aroma tickling her nostrils.
“It’s simply divine, Twilight,” Celestia mused with a playful smirk of her own. “You must give it a try~” She nudged the fork even closer, almost making the purple mare go crosseyed as she stared at the piece of cake approaching her lips. She fidgeted in her seat and hummed awkwardly.
“Oh, um… I think I—Mgmmph!” Twilight’s eyes widened from an eruption of sugar in her mouth, her lips instinctively sealing around the cool metal of the fork, holding it in place when Celestia let go of the handle and leaned back in her seat. She picked up another fork and went back to grazing on her cake, doing her best not to laugh as Twilight blushed deeply and curled up, the fork still in her mouth as she chewed. Eventually, her hand wrestled it free, and she conceded by taking a slice of Sachertorte.
A cup of tea then helped both wash down the odd moment, and they just sat quietly for a while, sinking into the soft cushions of their chairs. While no more games passed between them, Celestia was almost worried for a moment, as a tinge of paranoia ran through her mind - a semblance of tension, hesitation, and odd, rapid looks. To have it surface when she was at peace with Twilight was quite disturbing, and she rubbed under her neck, which the low-cut dress fortunately allowed for. Her brow furrowed, as that made the odd feeling in the back of her head and in her gut even more rabid, but only for a moment. She refocused her sight, glancing at the purple mare, who had her legs crossed as she stared at the ceiling, sighing contently and smiling widely, a finger tapping on one of her knees.
Celestia was puzzled by the sight. There were no ulterior motives behind her actions, it was all supposed to be harmless fun, yet Twilight seemed to be affected on a level far deeper. She did not show it openly, but the older mare knew her former student well enough to notice the tiny hints that gave it away. At least, they gave away that something odd was stirring inside the mare, but what it was, even Celestia had trouble comprehending. There was one particular idea that came to mind, but it was far too absurd, and she dismissed it immediately. Still, it kept nagging at her, as no other conclusion had enough evidence. What particularly bothered her was how there was no precedent either. When Twilight was a mere filly, she never reacted this way to any sort of friendly poking from the princess. She would giggle, get fussy, or, at worst, bury her face in a book and stay there until she fell asleep.
While she pondered all this, her eyes never left the purple mare, particularly her face. She had a hint of icing on her lower lip, and her blouse was lightly peppered with cookie and cake crumbs. Celestia blinked, realizing that she had been staring at it for half a minute with her mouth slightly open. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat.
“Well…” She gracefully stretched her limbs. “That was refreshing.”
Twilight nodded in agreement, her legs swinging idly. “Mmhmm~”
“Do you want to take a walk?” Celestia glanced out the window. The sun was steadily inching toward the horizon, but it still had a few paces to go.
“Yes, definitely!” Twilight followed the princess’ gaze, eyes narrowing from the solar orb’s light. The two calmly got up from their seats, thanked the maids seeping into the room to clean up the remains, and they followed the hallways to an exit in the rear of the castle, which led to the gardens.
A wide palette of colors and shapes greeted them on either side as they walked down a tiled path, and there was a steady drone and motion all around, creatures of various sizes moving around in the thick foliage. In the dim light of dusk, the colors and sounds all felt blurry somehow, neither able to shine in the sunlight nor stand out in the darkness of night. This short segment of the day had a magic of its own, everything blending together as some would curl up and hibernate, while others would crawl forth to take their place. Celestia glanced back at the castle, her mind picturing her sister standing on one of the balconies, getting ready to raise the moon as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon. For a moment, the elder sister considered delaying that moment for a while, so she could enjoy the view for that much longer with Twilight.
Eventually, she just smirked and turned her gaze back the the gardens. “So… what news from Ponyville?”
Twilight blinked and looked up from a large flower she had been inspecting. The petals curled up as soon as the mare lifted her head, as though it were a face ducking for cover once they were done conversing. “Oh, nothing out of the ordinary.” She rolled her eyes with a smile. “Pinkie tried to throw me a ‘Have a safe trip to Canterlot, and be sure to come back safely as well, also PS bring over some donuts from Donut Joe’ party. Spike went out gem hunting with Rarity, so I have a feeling re-shelving day will fall behind schedule.” Tapping her chin, she shrugged and stood up, facing the elder mare. “Not much else. How about you?”
“You know how little Canterlot changes, Twilight,” Celestia replied. “At least, whenever you and your friends are not anywhere near.” She gave a knowing wink, and they shared a laugh.
It was fully dark by the time they headed back to the castle, only moonlight and a few torches left to guide them. As they walked through the halls once more, Celestia’s ear twitched when she heard Twilight give a long sigh, and she noticed an odd, almost melancholic look on the purple mare’s face as she let her gaze wander around. At one point, she even reached out to touch the white marble walls, her fingers sliding along them noiselessly. The taller pony’s eyes widened when she felt Twilight’s other hand brush against her own, and almost instantly she could see herself walking down the exact same section of the castle, leading a promising young unicorn filly to her new life under the tutelage of the princess. Said filly could barely contain herself, wanting to dance in joy, hug her new mentor to death, and run up to everything and inspect it to the finest detail, all at the same time.
“Remind you of something?” The princess could barely keep her voice from shaking. She was far from being on the verge of tears, but the rush of emotions were powerful all the same. Instinctively, her fingers embraced Twilight’s hand, and the two walked at a slower pace, now much closer to each other, their sides in almost constant contact.
“Mhm…” Twilight’s voice seemed to waver a good deal as well. She stopped next to a miniature statue of a unicorn with a long beard, arms spread wide, and a friendly smile on his face. One could almost see a herd of students gathering around him. “I sometimes miss those days.”
Celestia nodded silently as she watched Twilight from behind, once again struggling to restrain herself as every inch of her screamed at her to pull the mare into a warm embrace. Moments later, the elder princess’ eyes lit up when an idea struck her. “The old days… Hmmm. Twilight, how would you like it if we went back in time for a bit? Just for today?”
“Huh?” Twilight turned around, a confused look on her face.
“Your old room.” Celestia smirked and placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder, gently turning her in the direction her other hand was pointing. She could almost feel the mixture of disappointment and broiling excitement within her fellow princess, the former due to how it was not a new time travel spell. “It’s still there, we never repurposed it. In fact, I’m quite sure the maids wouldn’t mind setting it up.”
Twilight’s jaw dropped as her eyes landed on the familiar oak doorway, and for a few seconds, she could not even speak. “Oh!” She gave an awkward chuckle and waved it off. “Oh, thanks, but… uh… that’s really not necessary.”
Her efforts were in vain, however, as soon enough she was fidgeting with her hands and concealing her blush off to the side, while a dozen servants and maids were busy cleaning the room and removing the excess furniture that had been stored there. The purple pony’s concerns were readily dispelled, as it was only a couple that the Princess asked first - the rest joined in on their own, clearly delighted to do something nice for the girl they knew for so long. Celestia made an effort to distance herself from the labors, and, judging by the lack of anypony working solely to “be on her good side”, sighed to herself yet again, mentally preparing to loosen her wardrobe and attitude up even more in the future.
The staff were dismissed, the head maid personally receiving a gentle pat on the head from Celestia as an attempt to further dissolve any tension. The mare on the receiving end was about two heads shorter than the tall Princess, her snout just above chest level, and her reaction was to quickly shrink to an even smaller size and scurry away, blurting out thanks until she was out of hearing distance. Celestia huffed and shook her head, making a mental note to further investigate this issue later, and instead focused on adding just a few personal touches to the room before letting Twilight in.
Twilight stared wide-eyed the moment she stepped in, her breath stopping for a few seconds, and the taller princess could swear she could see tears in the corners of her eyes. Her own threatened to do the same when the young mare tiptoed up to a small bookcase in the corner, taking out a worn tome and dusting off its cover before opening it. Celestia recognized it as the very first textbook Twilight had gotten from her, and her expression was just as awestruck as the day that now felt like it was a lifetime ago.
“Oh my gosh…” Twilight muttered. “All these years… and it’s still… all here?”
Celestia nodded and quietly made her way to the door. She had a feeling this was enough for her fellow princess to take in for one day. Best leave something for tomorrow. She closed the door halfway before leaning in for a moment to whisper softly. “Sleep well, Twilight.”
Twilight hugged the book against her cheek, as though she were snuggling with it. “Mmmm, thanks. Good night, Prince—“ She caught herself and blushed. “Er… Celestia.”
The princess chuckled and closed the door. She waited for a few moments outside before giving a deep sigh and heading for her own chamber.
“Mmmm…” Princess Celestia stirred on her bed, the sheets a mangled mess around her waist and thighs. She huffed and licked her lips, her mouth painfully dry and aching, while all of her limbs felt like they had been stuffed with lead.
Something was definitely not right. Her pose, her discomfort, and even the very air she breathed felt off. Her eyes cracked open, taking in everything she could not directly sense. It was still dark, which perplexed her even more. After a day spent keeping the ridiculous antics of the Equestrian government in check, nothing short of a natural disaster could wake her in the middle of the night. And ever since Luna was in charge of the second half of the daily cycle once more, Celestia had been getting better sleep, not waking up to stare at the odd, unfamiliar shapes of her old furniture in the dim fragments of moonlight seeping into her room. And Twilight Sparkle in pajamas, standing next to her bed. That wasn’t quite right either…
Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes popped wide open.
Twilight Sparkle in pajamas, standing next to my bed?!
Celestia’s head sprung up a few inches, her upper body sluggishly tagging along. “Twilight?” she muttered. An odd, unpleasant tension formed in her chest, making her hold her breath. “What is it? Is everything alright?”
The purple mare hugged the object in her hand against her chest, and Celestia narrowed her eyes, struggling to make out its features. The tightness in her chest shifted to an entirely different sensation when she realized it was Twilight’s pillow. Her old pillow from her grade school years, in fact, the worn lavender fabric still faintly showing the tiny cutie mark at the center. She embraced it almost like a small filly would do to a plush toy, pulling it up to her face. Combined with her mane, only her pleading eyes and a hint of her bright red face were visible to Celestia.
“Umm…” Twilight’s meek voice could barely penetrate the thin stuffing of the pillow. “S-Sorry, I shouldn’t have—“
At first, Celestia was too stunned to react. Her own inner workings were far too turbulent to show anything other than a look of confusion on her face.
“Twilight…” she mumbled.
“I… I couldn’t sleep, so…” Twilight curled up more and more with every word. “I thought maybe, um… I could…”
Finally, an emotion broke through, and the elder princess could barely restrain herself. A wave of relief washed through her entire body, which then turned into a sensation of her limbs wanting to melt, while she felt an urge to coo to her former student and wrap her in a tight hug, as one would comfort a scared puppy trying to cuddle. But Celestia had more discipline than that, and she settled for a gentle smile. She even permitted herself a tiny chuckle, both to calm her student and to vent some of the emotions roiling inside her.
“It’s okay, Twilight,” she said. “It’s quite alright. Shhh~” Her hand reached out to caress Twilight’s arm and give a gentle squeeze. The mare flinched at first, then began to loosen up slowly.
“H-Huh?” Twilight lowered the pillow a few inches, revealing her snout. “Oh… um… okay.” She giggled meekly, her curled up stance finally coming loose. Celestia’s smile widened, and she kept rubbing the mare’s arm to help her calm down. She then raised an eyebrow once she got a good look at Twilight’s face. On the surface, it was still a face from the past - a young filly looking at her mentor with both hope and concern for her own future - and it could all but reduce Celestia’s heart to a puddle of warm goo. But the face had changed over the years, and time had added more than what one could see in the shape and texture. Beneath the surface, she could now see something more subtle. Tension, but not the anxiety of an eager student. Admiration, but different from how one looks up to their trusted teacher. In a way, it almost made the “cute filly” exterior seem deceptive.
The white mare blinked and took a deep breath, shelving her thoughts for now. Her initial conclusions seemed too silly to entertain for now, and she was keeping Twilight waiting. She sat up on her bed and scooted away from the edge a few inches while pulling back the covers from the empty spot, holding them open as an invitation. Twilight blinked and glanced down at the offered space, her cheeks burning a bit brighter, which elicited another reserved chuckle from Celestia.
“Can I?” Twilight hugged the pillow against her face again. “Just like… you know… old times?”
The other mare nodded, and the young alicorn shifted on her feet for a few moments before inching up to the bed and hesitantly sitting down on the edge. She held her breath as she leaned onto her side, placing her legs on the soft mattress one by one, even the toes on her bare feet curled up. Her hands kept the pillow firmly against her face as she sank into the cushions, her big, lavender eyes staring into Celestia’s own.
Celestia could barely keep her smile from turning into a wide grin. “Look at you,” she said. In one smooth motion, she slid the sheet over Twilight’s curled up body before the mare could react. Her legs twitched, and she hugged herself even tighter in response. “In your heart, you’re still that promising little filly I took in on that fateful day~”
Twilight gave a muffled giggle through the pillow, followed by a deep sigh. Under the covers, the warmth built up by Celestia’s body washed over the other mare, making the blush on her face deeper. Still, as seconds ticked by, the former student started relaxing again, her eyelids sliding back down a little, while a smile formed on her face.
“Better?” Celestia asked.
“Mmm…” Twilight nodded and gave another sigh, which sounded even more relieved than the last. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Sleep well.” The adorable sight provided by the purple mare made Celestia herself curl up slightly, if only to hold back the emotions swirling inside her. She decided to cling to memories instead, thinking back to those “old times” Twilight mentioned. Back then, it was not uncommon for the purple filly to have troubled nights, either from exams coming up, presentations she had to make, or just having read or seen something that did not allow her to sleep afterward. By her own admission, she would always toss around in bed, telling herself it was not right, but eventually she could not help herself and snuck into Celestia’s room. Sometimes, she would nudge the princess awake first, and other times she would try to crawl in and cuddle up to the larger mare unnoticed. She would tremble in anticipation all the way until a white, warm limb would wrap around her, and she could close her eyes and find merciful sleep.
And now here she was, staring into Celestia’s eyes, the same odd look on her face that the older mare could not decipher before. They lay there silently for a while, until Twilight sighed one last time and let her eyes slip closed, a smile of relief on her face as she wheezed. Celestia let out a breath she had been unconsciously holding, and her limbs relaxed, her head sinking into her pillow once more. She kept staring at her companion for a while before her own eyelids felt too heavy to hold up, and she allowed darkness to take her once more.
But it did not last very long. Not a minute after she closed her eyes, Celestia felt something shifting through the mattress and the fabric of the covers, and her heart skipped a beat when something brushed against her side. Her eyes opened, and she found herself staring at the slightly messy purple mane on the back of Twilight’s head. Her back was just barely brushing against Celestia’s chest and one of her hands, while their thighs and feet were also a hair’s breadth apart. It was the elder princess’ turn to blush as she could hear and feel Twilight breathing, and there seemed to be a tiny hint of playfulness in the sound, not unlike that of a child pretending to sleep while barely able to hold back their giggling. She could not see, but she was almost certain that the purple mare was smiling.
For reasons beyond even her own understanding, her hand slid up along Twilight’s back and started gently caressing her side. Not that this was breaking some sort of taboo, but she never did it before when the young mare did not seem in need of a helpful caress. This time, however, Twilight did not seem distressed at all, yet she was definitely expressing some kind of need, and Celestia did her best to deliver.
Twilight squirmed lightly, giving a low hum, and Celestia shuddered when she felt the mare’s bare foot brush against her own. Her hand paused for a moment, then moved a few inches once more, and the same result came in response. Twilight fidgeted on the bed a little, and Celestia’s cheeks burned even brighter when more of her fellow alicorn’s body rubbed against her. The wings on the mare’s back fluttered with every inch the hand moved, and their legs slowly pressed up against each other. All of a sudden, the air under the thin covers felt incredibly warm.
Despite it all, Celestia felt more calm than ever before. The development was odd, sure, but if she focused her mind on Twilight’s reactions, she could tell the mare enjoyed it, and that was all that mattered. Her hand became more eager and bold, moving further up and down, while she leaned a bit closer, her breath caressing the younger princess’ neck and making her shudder. Inch by inch, Celestia snuck both her hands in, wrapping them around Twilight’s body, while her muzzle nestled against the mare’s cheek. She tensed up at first, but only for a moment, and soon enough she moved to help the process, letting the other arm slip under her while Twilight pressed her back and legs tighter against the white mare.
“Mmmm~” Twilight gave a tiny giggle as Celestia’s muzzle brushed against her ear. Her own hands came up to hug the taller mare’s arms against her body, while their legs slowly wrapped around each other, making the embrace that much closer. Celestia said nothing, merely sighed contently once they were fully entwined. Their breathing soon fell into the same rhythm, and she realized how rapidly her heart was beating, not unlike Twilight’s own, which she could feel hammering right against her hands.
They remained in this calm embrace for a while, both giving no more than a contented sigh every now and then. Celestia’s eyes slipped closed, and she expected the darkness of sleep to take her once again. But it would not come. Something inside nagged at her, and the feeling only got stronger when she felt Twilight fidget in her hold from time to time.
Once again, her hand moved before she could even comprehend what guided it. She slid them up along Twilight’s sides, exploring her delicate, slender frame, but this time she slipped them under the mare’s arms, fingers gently caressing her armpits. The purple mare yelped and curled up tightly, though no longer out of shyness. An impish smile tugged on Celestia’s lips, and she wiggled her fingers again, this time eliciting a tiny giggle from her former student, while her feet kicked against the white mare’s own. Again and again, she would tease the poor mare, probing her to test the sounds she made, and each time Twilight would giggle a bit louder.
“Twilight?” she whispered, her hands stopping for a moment.
“H-Heh-heh… mmm…” Twilight managed to stop giggling and squirming for a bit, her breathing much more rapid now. “Hmm?”
“Are you alright?”
“Oh… y-yeah.” She gave a small chuckle. “I’m good.”
“Hm…” There was a small, pregnant pause. “So… you don’t mind?”
Somehow, Celestia already knew the answer. She could suspect it from the sound of Twilight’s giggling from before. Beneath the childish noises, there was more than just the voice of a ticklish mare falling victim to dextrous hands. Something more mature and sensual lurked in the reactions, wanting to break free, but held back by concern for what the other might think.
“Yes…” came the reply, whimpered just loud enough for Celestia to hear.
No matter what the implications were, she did not stop to think about it. It was all both monumental and plain silly, while the act itself was too much fun for her to stop now. Her fingers worked with a mind of their own, rubbing slowly at first while exploring every inch, while she leaned closer to whisper in Twilight’s ear again.
“Mmmm, so…” She pressed in with her fingers particularly deep, making Twilight’s arm clamp down on her hands. “Have you been a good princess, Twilight~?”
“Hah-haha, wh-why do y-you— AhHAhaha! S-Stop!”
Celestia chuckled and wriggled her fingers even more. “Do all your studying on friendship? No more misuse of magic?”
“Nngh! Ahh-hahaHAha! W-Wait, I caHAHAn’t… ahh!”
“Were you a good little filly, my dear Twilight Sparkle~?”
Getting a moment of respite, Twilight puffed her cheeks, which were already quite red. “Hmph! I’m n-not a little filly anymore!” Her little moment of defiance was quickly broken when one of Celestia’s hands found its way to her belly. “AhhHAHAhaha! No! Nn-nuohhahahHAHhaHA, stooop! StaAHHAAAAHP I CAAN’T BREAUOHHHTHE!”
“Oh, is that so?” The elder princess’ hands danced all over Twilight’s body, one moving down along her belly, gently scratching or rubbing vigorously, whichever made the mare’s legs kick more wildly each time. Her other hand trailed up along Twilight’s side and chest, one finger teasingly tickling her neck and chin. In a lull between the intense tickling bouts, which gave the purple mare a chance to breathe, Celestia lightly booped her nose and leaned in to nuzzle and kiss her cheek. “For tonight, I’d say you are. My wonderful little pony.”
“Ohhhh…” Twilight blushed deeply, her laughter and moans trailing off as she seemed genuinely touched by the moment. She turned her head slightly, as if trying to return the nuzzle, while whimpering something that sounded like a “thank you”. Her respite did not last, however, as Celestia’s hands sprang into action once more. “W-Wait, I w-ahhhaHAHAHA NOO S-STOOHAHAHahaHA!”
Her legs all but tore up the covers, and even the sheets under their bodies became a mangled mess after a while. And when Celestia’s hands found their way to Twilight’s thighs next, the writhing mare’s voice reached all new heights, almost forcing her companion to stop. Almost. Even if they woke up half the castle, she could not convince herself to hold back now. Her heart was ready to melt from Twilight’s adorable reactions. She only held back in one thing, but that still felt too difficult to say, even after they had come this far. Even with her suspecting what might be going on in her former student’s head. This little game was much easier to play. No need to worry or think.
Eventually, it was the smaller mare who changed the course of the night. Celestia decided to experiment with her belly button next, her index finger circling around it like a bird seeking a place to land, before it snuck right into the small crevice and wiggled teasingly. Twilight barely lasted a few seconds before she started thrashing with all her might, laughing and groaning desperately. Moments later, Celestia’s hands pulled back, and she stared at her friend who was on her belly, legs curled up under herself while she faced the opposite end of the bed.
“Twilight?” She breathed deeply, having worked herself up somewhat as well. “Are you alright?”
The purple mare replied with a low moan and rocked back and forth in one place, still hugging herself. Tension flared in Celestia’s heart as she imagined something must have gone wrong, or she managed to hurt the mare somehow. Then, before the princess could react, Twilight quickly scooted over onto Celestia’s legs, which were left exposed after their violent thrashing threw the covers off. The purple mare wrapped herself around the slender limbs and hugged them tightly against herself, giving a wicked chuckle as her snout came near Celestia’s bare feet. The elder mare’s eyes widened, and her feet twitched as she felt Twilight’s warm breath caressing them.
“Wait… what are you doing, Twilight?”
She bit her lip, a blush forming on her cheeks as she felt a hand rest on her ankle, ever so slowly sliding down and around her foot. The other hand let its fingers teasingly brush against her leg, moving back and forth and making shivers run through her spine.
“O-Oh… okay. So wha—”
Celestia gasped, jerking all over when she felt something moist and warm press against the bridge of her right foot. “Mmmm~” The lewd hum coming from her fellow princess made her blush deepen even more. Twilight ran her tongue all the way up to Celestia’s toe, making it curl up in response, after which she pulled back and gently breathed onto the wet surface. Another impish chuckle came from her as she felt the larger mare shudder and squirm.
“Well, guess what? I’m a princess too now.” Her hands cupped Celestia’s feet around the outer edges, her fingertips lightly pressing into the flesh of her soles. They wriggled in respone, but she held on tightly. “And that means I can do this!”
To her credit, Princess Celestia was no pushover. She had far more strength in her than her calm exterior let on, and she was accustomed to restraining her reactions when something tried to provoke her. Whether it was the Canterlot upper class pestering her with demands, the shameless suitor trying to win her over, or even her own sister deciding that a particular day has to be when they ‘blow off some steam’, she always made sure to stay in control. Even so, the combination of tonight’s experiences were pushing her restraint right up to its limits. The mare clinging to her legs had used the disguise of a cherished memory, and had now revealed herself as a completely different pony. One able and willing to reduce her own former mentor to a giggling, squirming mess.
“Ahhahaha, n-no, nnn, stop! Aaaahaaahhh… Aaahhh! Twiiilight, TWILIGHT, TWI— hahahaaah! Nnnooohooo!..”!” She gritted her teeth, groaning and laughing through them as the lavender mare’s fingers rubbed and tickled all over her soles, starting at the balls of her feet. Her legs squirmed desperately, but Twilight’s firm hold kept them from escaping, or from even delaying the mare’s wicked plans. Her snout kept trailing along Celestia’s trembling legs, nuzzling and giving little kisses.
“Dear Princess Celestia...” she said in a mock-evil voice. “Want to know what I learned tonight?” Her fingernails lightly teased the other mare’s pure white skin, trailing up and down between her heel and her toes.
“Grrfh! Ohhohoho nuohh! Hahaha!” Celestia managed to keep her volume at a much lower level than Twilight, not to mention steady, her outbursts not alternating between tiny giggles and sharp cries. The desperation was no less noticeable in her tone, however. She threw her head back and forth, hands gripping the tangled mess of sheets around them. The hands were kept there deliberately, in part due to Twilight’s cunning. The mare’s pose left her own feet safely tucked away, out of Celestia’s reach, unless she were to forcefully pry them out into the open. The same applied to removing Twilight herself, and in her current state, the last thing Celestia wanted to try was wrestling. In fact, a small part of her wanted to hold on instead and see just how far the other princess was willing to take things.
Her answer came swiftly as Twilight began scratching her soles all over, alternating between letting her fingers dance randomly or moving them in unison, never letting them settle into a pattern that Celestia could get used to. Her feet nearly twisted out of their joints, and her voice cracked a few times, her lungs burning as they tried to draw air between bursts of laughter. She very nearly gave in when Twilight gave the final push, forcing Celestia’s feet together and tickling them both mercilessly while she leaned in to run her muzzle along their surface, having to restrain a giggle herself.
“Ahhahaha! Ahh! Hahaha! No! Ohhh my g-gohohoosh!” The taller mare went limp on the bed, gasping for breath, heart pounding when her partner finally relented. Her arms and legs, the latter of which were now free, splayed out on the mattress, still twitching every now and then as the memory of the ordeal lingered on her skin. She felt something shuffle around, and it took her a few moments to realize that Twilight had turned around and was climbing her way back up to the pillows. She lay down on her side with a contented sigh, facing Celestia, a smug look on her face.
For a while, both mares could just stare and breathe heavily, a dreamy smile and a deep blush on both of their faces. Celestia’s eyes focused on Twilight’s own, and a wave of warmth washed over her when she found that old, familiar love in them once more. There was still that new presence in the background, but she understood it now. The mare she was now slowly pulling into a snug embrace was indeed no longer a little filly. When she offered to share a bed with Twilight, it was no longer about giving a frightful child some much needed comfort.
But these were not losses. Far from it. They had only gained things tonight. Learned from each other. She noticed how Twilight squirmed as her modest chest pressed into Celestia’s more developed bust. A small hum came from them both as their legs intertwined, and they felt a slight dampness on each others’ thighs, not to mention the intense warmth radiating between them. As their snouts pressed together, their breaths making each other blush even more, they both knew that a hug and a kiss could mean so much more for them from now on, or at the very least for tonight.
Celestia took a deep breath and let her eyes slip closed. She silently willed her dreams to stay away for just a few minutes longer, while her lips pressed against Twilight’s own trembling mouth.