Throughout Twilight Sparkle's long and storied history as Princess Celestia's personal student, she had never been late for a single thing - the Ponyville incident, she had been told, didn't count, as Celestia had never expected her to report back that often. As such, her record remained unblemished... for now, at least. The lavender mare panted as she sprinted through Canterlot, and her unwilling passenger had drawn more than a few stares by now. Applejack had since accepted her fate, and now sat encased in the magical bubble, her forelegs crossed.
At the very least, the earth pony had gotten to take in the sights while she was being dragged along. From what little she could see, Canterlot was essentially nothing but shops, and certainly lived up to its reputation as a unicorn city - almost everypony she saw was a unicorn, and what few non-unicorns she could see seemed to be military in some way or another. They began to pass several guardponies at this point, all of them either giving the pair a puzzled glance or crying out some form of 'Miss Sparkle?', and it was enough to make Applejack faintly grin. It seemed her girlfriend was more than capable of making heads turn, no matter the situation.
As they neared the front gate, Twilight gradually slowed her pace and eventually came to a stop, the magic bubble dissipating as she caught her breath. Applejack landed on her hooves rather gracefully, given that she hadn't been given any warning about it, and she soon walked over to give the unicorn a nuzzle. "Never seen you run so fast, Twi."
In between breaths, Twilight Sparkle managed to get out a reply. "Five... five minutes early..."
"Want me ta carry you, hun?"
"N... no... just need to... catch my breath."
Applejack nodded once and began to wander about as she gave Twilight Sparkle time to rest, her attention mostly focused upon the castle. She had been here before, of course, but it always seemed unnaturally large on the outside - some might even call it imposing. The walls themselves were high, and the gold-capped spires even higher, with the Equestrian flag affixed atop the tallest one. Guards roamed the walls, ever-vigilant for whatever threat might come at them, and Applejack found herself rather amused at the situation. Those guards, each and every one of them, all had to worry about some unknown and unseen threat... and she and her girlfriend had to worry about being late for a meeting. It certainly put things into perspective, but she doubted it would make Twilight worry any less.
"AJ?"
The earth pony quickly turned back around and walked towards the unicorn. "Yeah?"
"Do you..." Twilight Sparkle was apparently still catching her breath, but she seemed to be faring much better than she had been just a few moments ago. "...do you have any spare hair bands?"
"'course. I always carry a few extras under mah hat, in case any of 'em break." As if to prove her point, Applejack took a seat upon the ground and removed her hat, pulling a few of her trademark red bands from one of the inside seams. "Why?"
"I need them."
"For?"
The lavender mare narrowed her eyes and huffed. "...my mane? I'd like to at least be presentable for our meeting with Princess Celestia, and it's an absolute mess right now."
Applejack cocked her head and raised a brow. "Looks fine ta me, hun."
"If we were back in Ponyville, I might agree with you." Twilight sighed and blew a bit of her mane away from her face - it didn't look much different at all, aside from being a little disheveled, but it was apparently enough for the unicorn to deem it a 'mess'. "But this is Canterlot, and we're meeting with royalty. So can I have the hair bands?"
The earth pony shrugged in return and tossed two of the bands towards Twilight Sparkle, chuckling to herself as both hair bands were snatched out of the hair by a wisp of magic. The unicorn worked rather quickly, smoothing her own mane and tail out with some tendrils of magic, only to slip a band around each mere seconds afterwards. Whether it had been intentional or not, Twilight had tied up her hair in much the same way that Applejack had, and the orange mare began to grin as she eyed her. "Awful good look for ya, Twi."
Twilight Sparkle had to quickly fight a blush, and her ears flattened somewhat as she looked towards Applejack. "You think so? I mean, I know this is your look, but-"
"But nothin'. Certainly don't mind if ya borrow it, 'specially if that's th' result."
"...you're just saying that."
"Twi, darlin'... I mean it. Ya look cute." Applejack took a few more steps towards the unicorn and brushed up alongside her, giving her a peck on the cheek. It was enough to draw a few glances from some of the nearby guards, but she didn't care much at that point. "I ain't sayin' it 'cause it's my look, I'm sayin' it 'cause I mean it. Now c'mon - don't wanna keep th' Princess waitin', do ya?"
"No... I guess we shouldn't." She threw a hopeful smile towards her girlfriend and quickly returned the kiss before taking a few cautious steps towards the gate. "Here's hoping the Princess will at least be... receptive."
They wouldn't have to wait long to find out.
-----
It hadn't taken long at all before both ponies had been given an escort by one of the guards, and they had been quickly ushered into the halls of the castle - dropping the name 'Twilight Sparkle' had that sort of effect, after all. This sort of walk was nothing new for the unicorn, especially when one remembered that it had essentially been a second home for her. She had no doubt walked these same corridors numerous times throughout her life, and she probably could have found her way to Princess Celestia on her own if she had wanted. Applejack, however, was another case entirely. The earth pony had been inside for several ceremonies and events, and yet the areas she had been in were but a small portion of the castle. She would have gotten hopelessly lost without somepony to guide her around, and if that somepony had to be a guard, then so be it.
Just like with the exterior, the inside of the castle seemed to be unnaturally large. The halls seemed to be tall enough for a pegasus to comfortably fly through, which was certainly no small feat, and if anything, it had been purposely done. The majority of the guards were pegasi, after all, and both of the Royal Sisters were easily capable of flying as well. Floors and walls alike seemed to shine, as a testament to just how clean they truly were, and banners seemed to adorn a wall here and there - it didn't seem as if there was any real pattern to it at all. They seemed to take several turns at random, but Applejack never mentioned a word of it. Instead, she continued to follow Twilight Sparkle and the nameless guard, allowing herself a look around every now and then.
As they took another turn, Applejack quickly found herself in a much larger hall than all the ones before, if such a thing were even possible. Lining both sides were stained glass windows, each one telling a story of some sort. She certainly didn't recognize some of the tales that were being referenced, but as they continued on, she definitely remembered two of them in particular - the windows that had been dedicated to herself and her friends, for their actions against Nightmare Moon and Discord. She would have continued to stare at the windows if it weren't for the fact that her train of thought had been interrupted by another voice, one that was deceptively loud, yet soothing and warm sounding.
"So good to see you again, my faithful student. I see you've brought your friend along as well."
The earth pony quickly let out a yelp and dropped herself into a bow. The very same hall they were in was apparently the throne room, and on the throne itself sat Princess Celestia, a rather amused smile upon her face. Applejack would have sworn under her breath if she thought she could get away with it, but in the presence of Celestia, she hardly thought such a thing possible. "Awful sorry, yer Majesty. Was thinkin'."
"You say that as if thinking is a crime, Applejack." The monarch of the sun allowed herself a chuckle, and as she rose from her seat upon the throne and began to descend the steps, she glanced towards one of the stained windows. "I'll admit, those two are some of my favorites, but... perhaps I'm biased."
There was a grin and a wink in the direction of Twilight Sparkle, and the unicorn quickly returned it in kind. "It's good to see you too, Princess."
"Trying a new look, my faithful student? Perhaps taking inspiration from your friends?"
It took a bit for Twilight to register that Celestia was referring to her mane and tail, and as she did, she grinned faintly and did her best to hide a blush. "You could call it that. We're, um... we're not too late, are we?"
"On the contrary, Twilight - you're about twenty seconds early. Looks like your record lives to see another day, hm?" Such a statement caused a nervous laugh on Twilight's behalf, and Celestia soon directed her gaze towards the earth pony. "No need to keep bowing, Applejack. I doubt you want to be stuck in that pose all day."
"Er..." Applejack quickly stood up and gave the alicorn a sheepish grin. "...probably not."
"I thought as much. Come along, you two - I'm sure you'd rather discuss things with me in private, rather than here in the throne room. These are sensitive matters, after all, ones important to the defense of Equestria." Celestia's last statement was certainly louder than the others, and some might have said that it had even been purposely done. It drew its fair share of glances and stares from the guards and other castle staff, all of whom quickly resumed their duties, and the Princess hardly seemed to pay any mind to them at all. Instead, she simply walked, and Twilight Sparkle and Applejack both quickly began to follow her. "I trust that your trip here was a safe one?"
Twilight picked up her pace and walked alongside her mentor, looking up at her. "It was rather uneventful, but I did discover that Applejack isn't exactly fond of teleportation."
The alicorn grinned and briefly glanced over her shoulder at the earth pony. "I have a feeling there's a bit of a story behind all this."
"Let's... just say that I should probably clean my hooves."
Celestia let out a hearty laugh and looked over her shoulder once more. "Doesn't agree with your stomach, hm?"
Applejack simply sighed and shook her head.
"You get used to it with repeated exposure, believe me." The Princess faced forward once more and seemed to idly muse to herself as she walked. "I still remember the first time Luna tried teleportation. Poor thing was vomiting for the next few days."
The unicorn at Celestia's side let out a sound akin to a 'bwuh' and looked up at her mentor, slightly confused. "Wait, Luna? As in, 'Princess of the Night' Luna?"
"The one and the same. She's much better now at it, of course - doesn't get sick anymore. I think she prefers to use her wings, though... something about the feeling of the open air." The white alicorn sighed and tilted her head somewhat. "Luna's always been unusually poetic when it comes to describing things. Sometimes I wish she would simply say what was on her mind, rather than be cryptic about it. I doubt I would need a team of translators dedicated solely to her if she did."
"...uh."
"That was a joke."
From behind the both of them, another voice made itself known. "Ain't a good one, if that was what you were goin' for."
Twilight Sparkle quickly snapped at the source. "AJ!"
"What? I'm just speakin' mah mind!"
"Well, don't do it in front of royalty!"
Princess Celestia snickered and took another turn as she continued to lead the two ponies along. "I don't mind the honesty, Twilight. It's a welcome change of pace when you have to deal with politicians most every day. And besides, it's rather cute to see you two bickering like an old married couple."
That mention alone was enough to silence the both of them, drawing yet another laugh from the Princess. They were in a much quieter section of the castle this time, as shown by the relative lack of both staff and guards. The stone here seemed older than the rest - just as clean as the rest of the castle, but the wear and tear on it was certainly evident. It gave the impression that the castle had never been built all at once, but instead, had been merely added upon over the centuries. Twilight Sparkle had a fairly good idea of where they were at, and her suspicions were soon confirmed as they arrived at a set of huge golden doors.
"I apologize if this seems a little over-the-top." Celestia slowly shook her head and gestured at the doors in front of them. "I'm afraid I gave the architect a little too much freedom when they were designing this particular room. Still, a bedroom is a bedroom."
Applejack blinked and stared up at the doors. "This is yer bedroom? I think th' doors are bigger than mah room ever was."
The alicorn seemed to find a hint of humor at that. "It's possible. But yes, these are my private chambers - I figured this would be as good a place as any for us to have our little talk. I'm typically not bothered at all while I'm here, so I doubt we'll be interrupted."
Without another word, the doors slowly swung open, revealing Celestia's own personal sanctum - unlike the doors themselves, the bedroom seemed to be fairly average in size. 'Average' for royalty was still large, however, and as one of the Royal Sisters, it seemed rather fitting for the Princess to have such well-furnished quarters. A row of bookcases lined one of the walls, some filled with scrolls rather than books, and Celestia's bed sat on the far side of the room. To their left was the entrance to her bathroom, and directly to their right was a fireplace. Above the hearth was a rather large painting done by an unknown artist, and in front of the fire itself sat-
Twilight Sparkle cocked her head. "...Princess Luna?"
The dusky alicorn turned to face towards the door and simply yawned instead. She certainly appeared tired, and as Celestia lead the other two ponies into the room, she was quick to greet her sister. "Sorry to keep you waiting, little sister. I know this is early for you, but I wanted you to be here as well."
Luna let out another yawn and slowly shook her head. "It's fine, I... oh heavens, I'm too used to sleeping in."
"Not a morning pony?"
"...what do you think?"
"Oh, I already knew the answer. I was just trying to judge how crabby you were."
The young sister huffed. "Not funny."
"Sorry. In any case, Luna, this is-"
"I'm rather well acquainted with Twilight Sparkle, at this point. 'tis good to see you again, little one."
The lavender unicorn gave a slight bow in return, preferring not to speak just yet.
The Princess of the Night soon directed her attention towards the earth pony, and she squinted her eyes somewhat. "And as for you... I remember you, from Nightmare Night. You were the straw pony."
Applejack coughed. "Scarecrow."
"And just how many times has it lived up to its name?" Such a question could only be answered with silence, and it was shortly followed by a chuckle from the younger Princess. "I thought so."
Luna's query managed to draw both a cough and a stern glare from her elder sibling, and Celestia soon walked over to sit at her side. "Now is not the time to be witty, Luna. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack are here at my invitation and they came to talk, not so you could make snide remarks at them."
The dusky alicorn sighed and lowered her head somewhat. "...my apologies, Applejack."
Upon hearing the apology, Celestia's own features brightened somewhat, and she gestured towards the open area in front of her and Luna. "Have a seat, you two. I'm sure there's much you'd like to discuss."
Both Applejack and Twilight did as told, sitting down directly across from Celestia and Luna. Their tails reflexively wrapped around one another, and there was a brief exchange of smiles before Twilight Sparkle turned to face her mentor. "Well... yeah. I think we've both got a lot on our minds."
"Too much on your minds, and no idea of where to start. Perhaps I can be of assistance." The white alicorn smiled and leaned forward somewhat, though Luna preferred to simply stay put for the time being. "How have the two of you been since admitting your feelings to one another?"
"It's been... different. Better, but different. I mean, Applejack and I are still friends - nothing is going to change that. But this has been..." The unicorn frowned and placed a hoof to her chin. "It's hard to put it into words."
The earth pony quickly spoke up, adding her own say to things. "I think what Twi is tryin' ta say is... neither of us were expectin' somethin' like this ta ever happen, but it sure ain't unwelcome. It's one thing ta know that you got a whole bunch of friends willin' ta stand by ya, no matter what. It's another ta know that there's somepony out there that's yours, willin' ta do... well, everything Twi has done."
Luna began to snicker and grin. "...such as breaking a pony's jaw?"
"Somethin' like that. Still, after everything th' two of us have been through..." Applejack let out a content sigh and gently leaned on Twilight Sparkle, giving the unicorn's cheek a nuzzle. "...kinda nice knowin' it's got a happy ending."
The show of affection made Celestia smile widely, and she regarded both mares rather fondly. "A much-deserved 'happily ever after', it would seem. Neither of you seem to regret what's happened, but tell me - what of your friends and family?"
The question made Applejack's own expression sour somewhat, but she stayed by Twilight's side, seemingly taking comfort in her presence. The unicorn looked towards the Princess of the Sun, her expression hopeful yet pained. "It's been... conflicting. All of our friends have been supportive, as have my own parents. But... Applejack's family..."
"Not so much?"
"...No."
"There's pain and anger in your voice, Twilight. You feel rather strongly about it, don't you?"
"Because it isn't fair to Applejack at all! Her family means the world to her, and to have them reject her just because of who she loves? It's childish! Wrong!" Twilight Sparkle huffed and looked towards the floor. "...the things Granny Smith said to me and accused me of."
Celestia frowned and tilted her head. "This has been eating at you for quite some time, hasn't it?"
"Yeah... I just don't understand how a pony can say such things. I mean... is it really so wrong for me to love somepony else? They act as if it's a crime, but-"
"Twilight, my dear... the only crime is to deny yourself the opportunity to love and to be loved. I know it may be difficult, but give Granny Smith some time - the announcement of any relationship should be a joyous occasion, but instead, it left her conflicted. She's being confronted with something she was raised to think is wrong. And when you spend your entire life thinking that there is a 'right' and a 'wrong' way to love and be loved, well... any deviance from that can be difficult to accept. Change is often neither subtle nor slow, and it can be difficult to swallow, especially when those closest to you are involved."
"...like Applejack."
"Just like Applejack. All you need is time." The Princess of the Sun turned towards Luna and smiled - her younger sibling had apparently dozed off, yet Celestia made no attempt to wake her. "...that was something I learned myself."
"I don't think it'll be as simple as waiting, Princess Celestia."
The alicorn redirected her attention towards her pupil, her smile turning into a grin. "And if you're anything like the Twilight I've taught, then you're likely searching for another solution."
"Well... yes." Twilight briefly grinned in return, and she quickly turned to face Applejack before looking back towards her mentor. "I don't have anything planned - yet - but I'm still looking. There's always multiple ways of doing something, it's merely a matter of finding them."
"As inquisitive and resourceful as always, I see."
The unicorn beamed giggled faintly. "I try to live up to my reputation, Princess."
"And you more than exceed it." Celestia regarded Twilight momentarily before turning her attention towards the earth pony at her student's side. "You've been awfully quiet, Applejack."
Applejack stirred slightly, and stared at the floor before slowly bringing her eyes up towards Celestia's. "Just... waitin', I 'spose."
"For?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Mhm."
Celestia chuckled softly, smiling as she eyed the orange mare. "And what are you waiting for that involves me?"
Applejack hesitated momentarily. "I just wanna know whatcha think about all this. Yer opinion on it. How ya feel about it."
"My opinion on... the two of you, I'm guessing?"
The earth pony nodded and began to lean against Twilight Sparkle once more, and as she did, the Princess of the Sun closed her eyes and seemed to mull it over. Both parties remained silent, and the only real sounds within the room were the crackle of the fire and the soft snores of Princess Luna. Hopeful as they may have been, both Applejack and Twilight were woefully anxious - they had come all this way, if only to maybe earn the ultimate approval from one of the rulers of Equestria.
The elder Princess tilted her head, her eyes still closed, and she soon began to speak. "Applejack, there's something I wish to tell you. It's hardly public knowledge, and I don't think even Twilight knew, but I feel that telling you two the truth may put your hearts at ease. As powerful and long-lived as my sister and I may be, we're still ponies. We still have wants and needs, and sometimes, we grow lonely. We yearn for companionship, and sometimes, something more. Over the course of my life, I've been with many a pony - some of them stallions, and some of them mares. And though the sands of time inevitably claimed them from us, the end result was always the same... we loved them just as they loved us, and it was our memories of them that subtly guided us, helping us to turn Equestria into a place they would have proudly cherished. It's our memories of them that remind us why we do what we do and drive us to become better at it - because it's what they would have wanted. My sister and I are better beings for simply having known and loved them, and receiving that same love in kind. Love is not something to fear, nor is it something to crush. Love is something one should cherish and foster, and so long as you have and love one another, do the opinions of others really matter?"
Applejack repeatedly opened her mouth as if to speak, only to close it each and every time. The Princess' question had apparently left her stumped... or perhaps at a loss for words. She turned towards Twilight Sparkle, possibly seeking direction, a hint of some sort - instead, all she found was a frown. That frown, little by little, began to turn into a smile, and both mares looked back towards Princess Celestia.
The alicorn had since opened her eyes, and was studying the both of them rather closely. "You may not be able to answer such a question with words, but you've already answered it with your actions. Your grandmother gave you an ultimatum, and in the end, you chose to ignore her opinion. You chose what your heart desired. Still, I can tell that despite my ramblings, you still want a definitive answer - allow me to give you one. Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful of students, and Applejack, my most dependable of ponies... if the two of you yearn to spend the rest of your days beside one another, you needn't ask. You've more than earned my support, especially after all that you two have done for one another and for Equestria. It's easy to see how much you mean to each other, and I wouldn't dare get in the way of that, even if I did oppose it for whatever reason."
There was a squeal of joy from both Applejack and Twilight Sparkle - how else was one supposed to react to such news, after all? - and both mares threw their forelegs around the others neck, pulling each other into a tight hug. The noise was more than enough to wake Princess Luna from her slumber, and the dusky alicorn lifted her head as her eyes slowly fluttered open. "Wh... what'd I miss?"
Celestia briefly eyed her sibling, and soon turned her attention towards the celebrating couple once more. Both mares had pulled one another into a brief kiss, and though they quickly broke away, they soon returned to hugging one another. Such a scene already left the Princess of the Sun grinning, and it was then that she decided to speak - her response, in contrast to most everything she had already said, would prove to be simple enough.
"Something wonderful, little sister."
-----
In the end, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack had stayed a while longer, excitedly chatting with both Princesses. Luna actually managed to stay up this time, offering a bit of her own advice in the process, though some of it was rather... outdated. Such was to be expected from a being who had been gone for over a thousand years, however, and it was accepted just as graciously as Celestia's advice had been. Things were eventually forced to come to an end, though - Luna had a meeting with several gryphon ambassadors, and Celestia would get to sit through several appeals from some of the Canterlot nobles. The Princess of the Sun seemed particularly thrilled by the idea of sitting through such a thing, until it was pointed out by Applejack that she was simply being sarcastic, something Celestia quickly admitted.
The meeting had taken longer than any of them had expected, but it still left the couple with the rest of the afternoon and the evening. It was time that they decided to spend with one another, and indeed, much of it was spent out and about in Canterlot. The young couple roamed the streets, staring through the various storefront windows and even stepping inside some to take a closer look. It was really only then, in those moments of normalcy, that things would begin to catch up with them - they weren't just doing things as 'Applejack and Twilight Sparkle'. They were doing them as a couple. It may have been nothing more than slight distinction, but just that little difference was enough to make them both happier than they thought possible.
Their day was ended with a stop at Pony Joe's donut shop, and though the stallion had been surprised to see Twilight Sparkle, he had been even more surprised to hear the news of her recent change in relationships. It was easy enough to see where he stood in regards to things - both mares had quickly been served an over-sized donut, and at no cost at all to either of them. The treats were quickly devoured, and despite staying a while longer to chat with Pony Joe, it was soon time to settle down for the night. With full bellies and soaring spirits, Applejack and Twilight made their way back to their room at the castle, their steps made light by all that had transpired.
That had been hours ago, however. As the light of Luna’s moon danced across the bedroom floor, Twilight Sparkle simply couldn’t fall asleep, and the unicorn found herself thinking over everything that had happened that day. The meeting with her parents had gone surprisingly well, after all - as surprised as they may have been, they had supported her fledgling relationship with Applejack, and had even gone so far as to openly accept the earth pony. It was the best possible way for her parents to have given their approval, and they had done so without hesitation. Even Princess Celestia, after several questions and lengthy statements, had given them her full support, though that had hardly been a surprise. There was essentially nothing left to stop them, something that brought a faint smile to Twilight’s face.
Still, there were other things on her mind, things she had been thinking about ever since their relationship had first started. Slowly but carefully, Twilight rolled over in bed until she was facing Applejack, and she gave the earth pony a gentle kiss. “Don’t doze off on me just yet.”
“Mm? Sorry, Twi...”
“S’okay.” The lavender mare hesitated briefly, then smiled towards Applejack as she began to open her eyes. “AJ, there’s... something I wanna ask you.”
“Oh, you know me. Always willin’ ta help a friend.” With a snicker, Applejack leaned towards Twilight and rubbed noses with her. “‘specially you, darlin’. Whatcha need?”
“Well... we’ve been through a lot over the last week or so. We’ve... weathered an awful lot, you and I, even before we started dating.”
“Mhm.”
“And I didn’t wanna say anything until I really knew for certain that this would work out, but... I know better now. I know that you would never leave me, and I would never leave you. I know how much we mean to one another. I guess what I’m trying to say, Applejack, is that um... I think I’m ready.”
The earth pony let out a quiet yawn and raised an eyebrow. “Ready? Ready how?”
“Oh...” Twilight was already beginning to blush, but with a faint smile upon her face, she shoved a single hoof under the covers. "...I think you know."
The reaction was almost immediate, and the orange mare let out a sharp gasp, her face quickly turning red. "A-alright, I get what yer sayin'."
"So." With a grin, Twilight grabbed hold of Applejack and pulled her on top of herself. “What do you think?”
“I’d say that’s a ‘Yes’...” The earth pony didn’t hesitate at all, and she leaned down to give Twilight’s ear a quick nibble before whispering into it. “So... how do ya want this ta happen? I mean, I could be gentle, or-”
“No.”
“...no?”
The unicorn pulled Applejack into a tight embrace, and as they locked eyes, Twilight gave her a firm and heated look. “I... I want this. Applejack, I want you to love me like this day was our last.”
Slowly, Applejack nodded, and the earth pony gave her a brief and passionate kiss before breaking away. “I'll do more than that, darlin'.”
As the orange mare leaned down and began to nibble and kiss at Twilight’s neck, the unicorn let out a soft gasp, and slowly but surely, a smile began to spread across her face.
“...Please.”
-----
The arrival of dawn brought with it another event arranged by Princess Celestia - breakfast with her and Princess Luna. Applejack and Twilight had gotten ready as quickly as possible and hurried off to the dining room, only to discover that both Royal Sisters had been patiently awaiting their arrival. As the earth pony and unicorn took their places at the table, the dusky alicorn let out a grumble and turned away from them. Curious, Celestia leaned towards her sibling. "Something wrong, Luna?"
"No, 'Tia, I... it's nothing."
"...Luna."
The Princess of the Night continued to remain silent, though her face slowly began to grow red.
Celestia chuckled and leaned a bit closer towards Luna, giving her a playful nudge. "Oh come now. If nothing were wrong, you wouldn't be blushing."
"Fine." The younger sister huffed and looked back towards Applejack and Twilight Sparkle, her eyes narrowed. "I spent the entire night trying to paint, or trying to map constellations, and I couldn't. All because those two were going at it. Nothing but moans and cries and... agh!"
Princess Celestia let out a rather loud snort as she began to laugh, and her laugh simply grew even louder upon spotting the reddened faces of both her prized pupil and the earth pony, both of whom were far too mortified to even dare speak. "Oh goodness, this is simply too much!"
"It's not funny, Celestia!"
"It is to me!" The white alicorn snorted once more, prompting her to laugh even further. "You... you never thought to change rooms?"
"I couldn't! All my supplies are in that one room, and I can't move a telescope without having to recalibrate it! So I had to spend the entire night listening to the things they were doing to one another, and during my night no less!"
Celestia had managed to calm herself down, and she grinned rather widely as she eyed her sister. "You do know that a great many ponies do that very same thing during your nights?"
"I... but this is different!" Luna sighed and placed a hoof to her head. "Heavens, now I'm stuck with far too many mental images, and I can't get any of them to stop."
The Princess of the Sun was clearly amused by this point and decided to simply leave her sister be for a bit - the abundance of mental images would no doubt keep her occupied. With a grin, Celestia turned towards Twilight Sparkle and leaned down somewhat. "So, it sounds like you two had your fair share of fun."
Twilight nervously glanced about, doing her best to avoid any and all eye contact with her mentor - understandable, especially when one considered what had just been mentioned. "...y-yeah."
"Well, how was it?"
The unicorn coughed, her ears flattened. "Um... good."
"That's always good to hear." The white alicorn briefly levitated a cup of coffee and took a sip from it, setting it down and turning to face her student once more. "I'm woefully curious to know more, but I know you'd rather stay secretive of it for the time being. 'twas something special for you, after all. A bit of a pity - I like watching Luna squirm whenever I mention something that makes her uncomfortable."
"Like..." The lavender mare had seemingly regained her composure, and looked up towards Celestia. "Like... intimate acts?"
"Like that. Rather amusing, given that she's engaged in a few of them." Such a statement drew a horrified stare from the Princess of the Night, and Celestia let out a hearty laugh. "I already mentioned our prior relationships to them while you were asleep. Perhaps if you hadn't dozed off..."
The younger sibling simply huffed and returned to her own cup of coffee. Applejack had been quiet for the entire conversation, and upon further examination, it was clear that the earth pony had visibly shrunk, and quite literally as well. She had slouched down - likely on purpose - in some attempt to try and hide herself from Princess Celestia.
"...did I embarrass you, Applejack?"
The orange mare sat up a bit more, slowly nodding. Her face was still woefully red, but it had certainly improved. "...just a lil' bit, yer Majesty."
"Mm. My apologies. I suppose I do get a little too curious sometimes. I didn't mean anything bad by it."
"Nah, of... of course not. Apology accepted." Applejack sat up a bit more, but instead busied herself with a bread roll that sat in front of her - better that than risk trying to converse with the Princess of the Sun.
"So, with that being said, what does the happy couple have planned next in life?" Celestia took another sip from her mug, then eyed both Twilight and Applejack. Given the earth pony's preoccupation with the bread, however, most of her attention was placed squarely upon her pupil. "You haven't been together that long, but I find it can be fun to think about the future."
The introduction of a decidedly more 'tame' topic was a bit of a relief, and Twilight Sparkle immediately perked up. "Well, uh... remember our meeting yesterday, when I said was searching for another solution to our little problem?"
The elder Princess' expression brightened, and with her curiosity piqued, she leaned a bit closer. "You think you've found it, then?"
"I believe so."
"No need to keep us waiting, my faithful student."
And with that, Twilight Sparkle began to eagerly chat away, explaining in great detail just what her possible solution was.
As for whether or not it would work, well...