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8 - Does

Chapter 8: Does

I doubled back for the journal, forgetting that I left it under the pillow. I put it in the small satchel I carried and it nestled among the various crystals and preserved spell matrices I had been working on for a while.

As I stepped out of the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching me from the shadows. Though I looked back quite a few times, I couldn’t catch any movement or suspicious activity. If Tempora was around she’d use a detection spell, if Star Swirl was around he’d cast a number of scanning and probing spells, I was never really good with those analytical types of spells so the best I could do was pulse the area. Problem with that was that it would probably alert Celestia to some trouble. I didn’t want her to worry over something that could be nothing, but I still kept a sharp eye out.

Even though Celestia was several thousands of years out of practice, she still read me like a book.

“Is something wrong?” she asked me mildly. I couldn’t pin down her tone but it sounded more commanding, assertive.

I smiled. “It’s probably nothing.”

“I know when you are lying, Harmony.”

“And I know you know that I could be lying, but in this case I am telling you the truth,” I replied. Satisfied that I got the last word, I jogged forward, glancing back to see a cute pout adorn her face.

“Aww don’t be like that, Celly!” I cried back at her. “Just roll with it.”

–––––

I yawned a little as we entered the dining hall. The hall was as spacious and audacious as the rest of the palace and I was impressed to see servants running around, carrying trays of food and delectables. Luna was already seated and as she spotted me, she waved me over to sit next to her.

As I approached her I gave in to the urge to let loose a snarky comment.

“That was one long toilet break,” I said off-handedly.

The room went silent as Luna blushed an interesting shade of crimson. I patted her on the head.

“Aww okay, I’m done teasing, sorry,” I added, as Luna gave me one of her death glares. As I scratched her behind the ears, she reluctantly gave in with a pout that looked almost identical to Celestia’s just a few moments ago.

The doors further down the hall opened to admit a rather frazzled Twilight.

We all gazed at her with emotions ranging from what I think was exasperated amusement on Celestia’s face, a roll of the eyes from Luna’s and confusion from mine.

Twilight slumped down in her seat, quite obviously exhausted.

I decided to broach the subject, since everypony else seemed to know what was going on apart from me.

“So,” I spoke in the silence, “what has run you so ragged, Twilight?”

Twilight nearly dunked her head in the soup.

“Raggh blah,” she said unintelligibly.

“Ah, right,” I replied snidely. “Explains everything.”

Celestia interrupted before I could add anything else. I swear I wasn’t going to say anything both of us would regret. I’m over the fighting, really!

“Twilight is just tired, she’s been studying all night. She probably began the moment we left each other’s company.”

“Studying? Throughout the night? Why would anypony do that when there’s a comfortable bed and so much to see in the morning?”

Celestia giggled. “Someponies have a different definition of fun. Twilight’s is studying magic. Mine is keeping the peace and raising the sun. Luna’s is defending the weak and raising the moon. We all have our little roles to play.”

I blinked at Celestia. “Wow,” I said in wonder. “You’ve really grown up since the last time I’ve seen you. Back then, you still asked me to sleep with you sometimes before the nightlight went out.”

“Really?!” Twilight had bolted upright, staring at Celestia. Twilight's eyes widened as we all turned to her and she quickly placed a hoof over her mouth and sank back into her seat in embarrassment.

“I-I mean,” she stuttered, eyeing Celestia nervously. I saw Celestia wave the concern away giving me a raised eyebrow in response. Aww, where’s pouty Celestia? I want that back!

“Never mind Harmony, Twilight, he’s just recanting old stories to get a rise out of us.”

“Dang,” I said, pouting. “And it was working oh so well.”

Twilight looked between the two trying to decide whether or not to say something. Her indecision combined with the glare that Luna and Celestia were giving me spoke volumes about how the impenetrable wall of animosity between siblings was hard to overcome.

In the silence that followed, Twilight cleared her throat, the sound was like gunfire in the electrically charged room. With the exception of Luna, we all flinched, even Discord who flashed into existence.

“Is it just me or is that the most awkward bodily noise I've heard in quite a while?” he announced as he clicked his claws, summoning a caricature of Twilight's expression. I laughed at the picture. It didn't look anything like Twilight. Twilight fumed as Discord took a seat down the table.

Breakfast came as we chattered. When the food came in I realised I was getting pretty hungry. My fingers tapped lightly on the table as food was served. The smells were not as tempting as I thought. Instead of attending to my own food I glanced at Luna’s plate. I was disappointed.

“Luna,” I chided, glancing at the unappetising—or what looked unappetising to me—morsels on her plate. It looked like someone boiled some hay and then sprinkled some pepper on top. “That doesn’t look very tasty.”

She looked at me with helpless eyes. “I can’t help it,” she grumbled. “I eat what the royal kitchen serves. I can’t have what I like everyday. Celestia doesn’t like that.”

“Luna’s a grown mare,” I continued, turning to Celestia. “She can take care of herself.”

Luna sent a look that was in between indignant and pleading.

Celestia glanced at me, then returned to eating her own food delicately.

“Don’t tempt Luna. She always complains about her weight after I let her have anything. Then she blames it on me!”

“Huh,” I replied, looking at my own food. It was a selection of fruits and vegetables. It wasn’t very appetising either. There were no nuts. Where were the legumes? I needed protein if I wasn’t going to eat any meat. I returned my attention to Luna, to take my mind off the unpalatable nutriment on my platter.

“So that would mean peanut butter is out of the question?”

“Wha—no I’ve grown out of that!” Luna squawked, her hooves slamming on the table. When everypony stared at her, she blushed furiously slipping back into her seat.

“Oh well, I guess you won’t have any, since Discord threw that bubblegum at you.”

“That—”

“No fighting,” Discord interrupted mildly.

Luna clamped up.

“Harmony made an exception if you do recall,” Celestia stated, equally mildly.

Luna was on her hooves in an instant.

“You’re mine!” she yelled as the draconequus snapped his fingers desperately. With a flash of her horn Luna was gone too.

Twilight munched on her cereal looking at the scene with dead-tired eyes.

“That,” she mumbled, “was probably the most interesting family meals I’ve seen in a while.” She paused. “Barring my own.”

Author's Note:

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

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rikusorasephiroth

rikusorasephiroth #1 · Jan 21st, 2015 · · ·

I only JUST noticed that I had forgotten to Like this fic.

nebulaegalaxy

nebulaegalaxy #2 · Jan 21st, 2015 · · ·

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

I think the author notes are more... uplifting...

Lupus

Lupus #3 · Jan 21st, 2015 · 10 · ·

“Just roll with it.”

Roll credits

Mr Good Guy

Mr Good Guy #4 · Jan 23rd, 2015 · · ·

“So that would mean peanut butter is out of the question?”
“Wha—no I’ve grown out of that!” Luna squawked, her hooves slamming on the table. When everypony stared at her, she blushed furiously slipping back into her seat.
“Oh well, I guess you won’t have any, since Discord threw that bubblegum at you.”
“That—”
“No fighting,” Discord interrupted mildly.
Luna clamped up.
“Harmony made an exception if you do recall,” Celestia stated, equally mildly.
Luna was on her hooves in an instant.
“You’re mine!” she yelled as the draconequus snapped his fingers desperately. With a flash of her horn Luna was gone too.
Twilight munched on her cereal looking at the scene with dead-tired eyes.
“That,” she mumbled, “was probably the most interesting family meals I’ve seen in a while.” She paused. “Barring my own.”

Uh, I don't get it. What's the deal with the peanut butter? Could someone please explain that one?

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