Tough Love: Luna vs. Celestia
Part 4: Mane and Cheesecake
It had been 60 days since the start of Celestia’s special training under her sister. She woke with a dull ache in her bones, just before dawn as he internal clock always bade her to do. Sitting up with a sore groan, she rubbed at her right shoulder and tilted her head until the bones in her neck crackled like popcorn. Wincing at the un-lady-like gesture, she rolled out of bed and went to the balcony. Throwing the doors open, she stepped out and headed towards the edge. Heaving a deep breath, the white alicorn smiled sleepily. Streeeetching a bit and flicking her tail, she opened her wings and launched herself perhaps ten feet into the air. Thrusting her hooves skyward and igniting immortal magicks, she pulled the sun from beyond the horizon just as the moon was slipping out of sight.
She landed with a satisfied clop of all four hooves touching the floor at once. Smiling and feeling the sun’s warm rays on her face, Celestia folded her wings and turned to go back into her room. With her god-like duties seen to, she could see to herself before she stepped out to start the day. “Lah-lah-luh-lah-lahhhh… lah-lah-luh-lah-lahhh…” she bent to get her golden regalias from their velvet pillows, then went to the vanity to brush her m—“AAAHHH!” she reeled backward in shock, her royal trappings going every which way.
Hearing the screech and the clatter of metal, the guards posted outside her Majesty’s room jolted into action. One of them bucked the door open and the other rushed inside, followed by his comrade. “Princess! We heard scr—whoa.” Both gold-armored stallions stopped to stare at their Princess. She was splayed out on her belly, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
“My mane!” Celestia stood up, scrubbing her hoof through her beautiful locks. The Princess of the Sun’s mane was… pink. No longer the four vibrant colors it always was, but a pure and whole color of pink and nothing else. “My mane!” she said again.
“Pink.” said one of the two stallions, pointing rather stupidly with a hoof. Both of the guards stared, slack-jawed.
“I-I’m not dressed.” She told them, quickly standing and shooing them out. The stallions quickly retreated to their posts, closing the door. Celestia rushed to the mirror, pulling at her ethereal mane on a magical level. It wasn’t colored, there were no chemicals in it that shouldn’t be there. It didn’t feel stiff or wrong in anyway, it had simply… changed color. Why? Had Luna snuck into her room in the middle of the night and pranked her with an enchantment? No… she couldn’t feel any Lunar magic stuck to her scalp. The Princess puzzled over herself for a long time until a maid poked her head in suddenly.
“Your Majes---pink!” she squeaked, eyes wide.
“Yes, Mint Leaf?” Celestia said, jolting out of her staring at her own reflection.
“Er, breakfast is served at your leisure in the white room. Princess Luna is already there.” She bowed low, but when she righted herself her eyes went right back to the bubble-gum pink of Celestia’s ever-blowing mane. The Princess turned, quickly lifting her horse-shoes, crown and chest regalia to herself. Struggling into them and tapping all four of her horseshoes on the floor quickly, she nodded after running a brush through her bizarre mane a few times. “This way, your highness.” Mint Leaf bowed and began to lead the way. The solar guards followed the Princess and the maid down the hallways. There was dead silence wherever the Princess went, and little shrieks of ‘pink!’ as she passed by. Celestia felt herself blushing, but there was nothing she could do about it. It wasn’t as though she could hide in her room and NOT be the ruler of a nation for the day because of her hair. Sighing and straightening up, she inflated her chest and walked regally. “Princess, you seem different lately.” Mint Leaf said gently as they turned a corner.
“I’m well aware my mane is pink, Mint Leaf.” Celestia smiled gently.
“No no!” The mare blushed a little, looking at the floor for a few moments in a searching way. Then, she finally looked back up at her ruler. “I mean you seem… taller, lately.” She cursed herself with a wince. “Er-well, not taller, but… but… better, than usual. It’s hard to describe.” She fretted a little bit, pushing her mane out of her eyes.
“Her Majesty’s obviously been working on her posture or something.” commented one of the two solar stallions that followed them. “Why else would she look more radiant the normal, lately?”
“Captain Grey!” Celestia chirped, a heat going across her face. The stallion shrugged, smiling good naturedly.
“Has something besides your mane changed lately, your highness?” asked Mint Leaf with innocent curiosity. Celestia smiled in a mysterious way, and the little mare knew she would get no answer for it. “Well, either way, I was just wondering.” She said, bowing and pushing a grand door open for her.
Beyond was the White Room, or more often than not the Royal breakfast room. Luna sat at one end of the table as always, and she stood when Celestia entered. “PINK!” she squawked without thinking. Celestia gave her a look. “Er, I mean--” Luna quickly contained herself, folding her wings down and looking more regal. “Good morning, sister!” she greeted more properly.
“mumble-mumble-pink-mumble.” Aegis Shield whispered to Stalwart Hide from the shadows where they watched over Princess Luna. Celestia gave them an honest scowl and they quickly silenced themselves.
“I woke up and my mane was like this.” Celestia said, taking her place at the table. The usual hay bacon stripes, juices, cereals, and other things were waiting. Luna, as usual, had not touched a thing until her sister arrived—but was now buttering toast.
“It looks good on you, much like the rest.” Luna smirked a little, gesturing with her spoon as she helped herself to some sugared hay rice cereal. Scooping up some into her mouth, she watched Celestia look herself over again.
“My maid and guards said the same thing this morning…” the Sun Princess mumbled in a troubled way. “Do I look that different, suddenly? Other than my mane, I mean?”
“If you’ll forgive the term, you have been looking a bit more radiant lately. Healthier, if you will.” Luna winked mysteriously, gesturing at her chest and fur with her spoon. “One might think you were having a second youth, with your complexion suddenly turning that color.”
“My complexion?” Celestia looked down at her white fur.
“Look closer, sister.” Luna said bemusedly. “Normally you’re a milky white, yes, but look even closer.” She watched her sister screw up her eyes and lift one of her legs, looking a bit closer. She gave a slight start when she saw it. There was a certain… sheen, to her now. Not that she hadn’t been clean, white and virginal-looking before. Now, there was a certain otherworldly shine, just on the bare edges of perception for even her, to her fur. “See it?” Luna asked. Celestia nodded slowly, mouth a little agape.
“Oh my.” Was all Celestia could think to say. She didn’t look around the room, but she could feel the eyes of every pony else boring into her, trying to see what Luna had seen. She still looked white to them, what was different…? Cocking her head and lighting her horn, the sun Princess fixed a plate of mounded food and began to eat.
“You have been eating quite a bit more lately, Tia.” Luna chirped, finishing her bowl and reaching for a potato hashbrown. Celestia looked up with her mouth full, mildly offended. “Oh no no, nothing wrong with that.” The dark alicorn said with a smile. “I just mean, you’re getting stronger and…” she paused to word it carefully. “You need more fuel. It’s a healthy sign!” she said with a grand smile.
Celestia swallowed and wiped her mouth daintily, “Oh.” She said softly, not sure what to make of Luna’s words. Sure, she’d been training for two months, but now her body seemed to be… what, awakening? She didn’t wake up feeling dead like she had the first few mornings. She was eating more, now her fur and mane were looking like she was centuries younger… was she finally getting back into shape? “Well, I do feel a little more energetic lately.” Celestia admitted.
Luna smirked with approval. “I’m glad.” She tilted her bowl to drink her sugary milk, then came up puffing. Very un-princess-like, but both Lunar Stallions chuckled at the cuteness. “You know, sister, I can sit on the throne for a few minutes more if you’d like to fetch a bath and tame your new mane.” The Princess of the Night offered.
Celestia considered, then smiled and nodded. “Alright.” She said, rising when her third plate of food was half empty and she was full. “I think I will. Mint Leaf?” she called to the maid, who appeared at her side with a little squeak of attention. “Call for Bubble Bath and his team. I want a morning bath.” She said, standing regally and tilting her head up a little bit like royalty.
“Yes your highness!” Mint Leaf galloped away to make it so.
Luna’s eyes narrowed in bemusement, watching her sister stride confidently to the end of the table—pause—consider—then grab a banana from the fruit bowl and continue out. The yellow fruit followed her, levitating along by magic. The Princess of the Night shook her head proudly. Now her sister was acting more and more like a healthy Princess. The pink mane was unexpected, but still. Celestia of centuries past had had a pink mane, so maybe that was a sign of healthiness to her body? She didn’t know. But hey, if a pink mane was what it took to show she was getting healthier and stronger, then so be it. “Pink.” She mumbled, shaking her head. Stalwart Hide giggle-snorted, rushing a hoof over his mouth to shut himself up.
=-----=-----=-----=
Celestia was stewing in the hot bath while Bubble Bath fussed over her mane. He cocked his eyebrow at her silently, then pawed at it some more. A team of four mares, two on each wing, were using the usual special oils and preening her wings. But, none of them could take their eyes off of Celestia’s newly pink mane. Shrugging a little, Bubble Bath lathered a brush and began to work at it with his usual strength. “My tail too, Bubble Bath.” The white alicorn folded her arms over the lip of the bath and rested her head on it blissfully. “Don’t forget my tail.”
The stallion nodded, working at her bannering mane for a long time before moving around to the rear. Bubble Bath was very professional when it came to his job, so it was not a sexual thing for him to literally grab the royal tail and lift it up into his hooves. It was his job, after all. Celestia startled a little, not used to the motion, but stayed relaxed. Dipping the brush into the water, he lathered it down and began to smooth and straighten it with the cleaner. The alicorn purred while he worked. The pairs of mares were impressed while they worked at Celestia’s great wings. Usually they found at least a couple of broken or misaligned feathers. This morning, however, there was almost nothing for them to do. Yes, they oiled and lightly brushed the beautiful flying span, but the individual feathers looked… great. Their stalks were strong, and their color vibrant. Perfect.
Bubble Bath worked Celestia’s tail a bit more, moving to the over and under of the dock, or base, of it. Though it flowed as though caught in an eternal breeze, he could still hold the thing in his hoof while he worked. But, the moment the brush stroked the underside of the base of the royal tail, Celestia jittered and giggled aloud. Her wings RUSHED upward, bodily tossing all four of the mares working on them. She turned about ticklishly. “Bubble Bath! At least give me wine and dinner first!” Celestia laughed. The team of five ponies felt their jaws drop in sudden dead silence. The Princess’ hoof jumped to her mouth in horror. Had she just SAID that?! “F-forgive me!” she quickly rose from the bath with a splash. “That was inappropriate! I’m sorry, my little pony! I-I’ll do my tail from now on, I should not have asked--!” she begged her servant, her face a lovely shade of crimson. Bubble Bath nodded slowly, his face still one of open shock. The bath team watched the white alicorn struggle up and out of the tub, shake herself like a dog, then use magic to super-heat her body to dampness. “I-I must away! Noonday Court will start soon!” Celestia rushed away, astounded at herself.
"Bubble Bath? Did you just goose the Princess, working on her tail back there?” one of the mares asked with a cocked eyebrow. Bubble Bath scowled and pelted her with the soapy brush. The blush on his face didn’t help.
=-----=-----=-----=
Princess Celestia was more than a little distracted at the Noonday Court that day, her cheeks a rosy sort of pink that matched her mane so well nopony mentioned it. Everypony seemed to think the Princess was either making a fashion statement, or had simply reinvented her image into something more pure and radiant. After all, she did look so much better with a single-color mane, right? Right? Of course she did!
Celestia was troubled at her comments at Bubble Bath. She would need to stay out of the Royal Bath House for awhile, that was going way over the line and she’d not been so embarrassed in ages. She couldn’t say such things to her subjects! They were all safe and equal in her eyes, and she was supposed to be--
They see you as a white, virginal goddess.
Luna’s words suddenly rang true in her head. Celestia frowned at nothing, cocking her head. When had been the last time she’d had a stallion to warm her bed, even for a night? She thought for a bit. It was before Luna’s banishment, she winced. That was a long time to have no masculine company at all. Sure, a raunchy romance novel and thick enough curtains could make for a pleasant evening of stress-relief. But, one’s own hoof did not kiss your cutie mark and purr your name when it was over.
Captain Grey looked up at Princess Celestia on a whim, and cocked his eyebrow. She was grinning a very bizarre grin, and her cheeks were a little rosier than before. “Er, Princess?” he called up to her. “Are you alright?”
Celestia flinched a little, then looked down the dais stairs at him. “Of course! Send in the next pony, please.” She gestured, straightening herself and pushing her mane out of her eyes. Calmly as she could, she served the rest of the Noonday Court until it was time to stop for a break. It was, for lack of a better term, snack time. Celestia had always insisted to give her attendants snacks or little sweets to reinvigorate them in the late afternoon. The work day was literally as long as the sun was in the sky, after all, they deserved treats! Most of them chose things like fruit smoothies, chilled raw vegetables, or small cakes. The Sun Princess, however, had had a particular craving lately and had voiced it to the kitchen staff. Cheesecake. Cold, chilled cheesecake with a drizzle of strawberry sauce.
“Your majesty?” A stallion chef with a white hat on approached with a covered silver platter.
“Ah, Chef Cherry Ontop!” Celestia was delighted to see him, very much looking forward to her afternoon snack. “I’ve been waiting all day, do you have my cheesecake like I asked?” she said with a wide, wide smile.
“Er.” The stallion wilted a little, looking to one side. “I… no, no I don’t.” he lifted the lid to reveal a chilled slice of carrot cake. Celestia cocked her head, her smile falling. “I could find no proper ingredients, and the resupply carts do not come until tomorrow.” The chef said a little shamefully. “But, I did remember your highness has a like for carrot cake as well. I had enough materials for that!” He perked up, holding up the perfection that was the slice he held.
You wanted something, you got it. Why? Because you could.
Luna spoke in her head again. “Hrm.” said Celestia with just a tiny twinge of disapproval on her face. The stallion looked at his Princess a little nervously. “The supply carts that stock the palace pantries come tomorrow, you say?”
“Yes, your Majesty.” Cherry Ontop said, looking side-to-side and sweating a little.
“And I had asked for a cheesecake yesterday evening, to be served today, yes?” Celestia asked. The stallion nodded again and the white alicorn heaved a patient sigh, like a mother reasoning with her foal. “In the half day or so since-- what kept you from visiting the market-- or a bakery, my little pony?” she asked serenely.
Cherry Ontop’s ears wilted down, his eyes went soft and he looked at the carpet he stood on with utter shame. “W-well I… I…” he didn’t have a single reason and wilted down even further, red in the face. His chef’s hat deflated into a pile atop his head.
“You are a royal dessert chef. You must be adaptive when the situation calls for your special talent.” Celestia said, smiling on only one side of her mouth. The stallion gulped, not daring to look up at her. “Please serve that carrot cake to one of the palace staff. I shall go without today.” The white alicorn said with a sense of finality, no longer looking at him. He was dismissed.
Every guard in the room could pinpoint the exact moment when Cherry Ontop’s pride got punched in the eye and his heart snapped in half like a Twix bar. He looked positively destroyed. Ears wilted, trying not to cry, the poor stallion turned away, “Y-yes, your Majesty!” He choked out. He covered the carrot cake slice with the silvery lid and bore it out. He was trying very hard not to break down and flee, some of the throne room officials could see.
Captain Grey eyed his Princess out of the corner of his vision. That had been just a little bit… cruel? No. Surely not. That was not the Celestia they all knew and loved. The kitchen had just gotten lazy when the Princess had asked for something specific (for once), of course she was going to scold them. If he, a mighty solar stallion, showed up for work with shoddy armor, unshorn fetlocks, and no snap in his step—he’d be laughed out of the palace! Working for the royal family demanded only the very best from ponies who were good at their jobs. Yes, “snack time” wasn’t super-important, but if you had only one thing to do for her Majesty you’d better Faust-damned get it right! Captain Grey withdrew his sympathy from the bumbling dessert chef, no longer worried about Princess Celestia’s behavior.
“Captain Grey!” Celestia called down the dais after everypony had had their fifteen minute break and tasty afternoon snack. The solar stallion snapped his head around to her. “Send in the next pony, please.” The white alicorn was smiling, clearly in a very good mood. The solar stallion sighed with relief as he went to the great double doors to summon the next appointment of the day. Of course her majesty wouldn’t dwell on something like cake. There were more important things to worry about, and her subjects didn’t need to see her scowling over something so trivial. He found his respect for his Princess renewed.
End of Part 4
First I was'"time to go to sleep."
Than I was "fanfic updated!"
Than I was "who needs sleep? Must read!"
First! But on a more important note...
Chef's last name is Ontop. Very similar to Onatopp... as in...
images.wikia.com/deadliestfiction/images/c/c9/XeniaOnatopp.jpg
this kind of Onatopp!
Sorry for the gratuitous Goldeneye joke, but I couldn't resist. All the same, hint hint!
Yay, Celestia is changing and seemingly for the better. The pink mane was a surprise, kind of makes sense that it might've become diluted as Celestia got weaker.
Cheesecake is the best kind of cake.
Celestia's actions were appropriate. A pastry chef should be prepared to make ALL the cake, but especially the best cake.
Very nice so far. Keep it up!
I can see where this is going.
And I'm liking it! Continue...
>> "Cheesecake. Cold, chilled cheesecake with a drizzle of strawberry sauce."
Aww... I need to go to sleep and you've made me hungry. Argh, you. Argh.
708998
Seconded. Luckily the mobile bakery stops around my block in 54 minutes. Oh man. I'm buying two...
Getting back into shape, getting younger and more alive. And Luna seems to be ramming a steel pipe where her spine should be.
I would love to see how Twilight reacts to the new (old?) Celestia.
"Did you know, there are three kinds of ponies?"
"Those who have strength."
"Those who live to fly."
"And those who can feel the flow of magic."
"Those are the three..."
"But her...?"
*Starts to hum 'Zero'*
Celestia acted inappropriately here, and the comparison with an unkempt soldier doesn't work. A good ruler sets expectations and punishes ONLY when those expectations are not met. The expectation (presumably) is that a soldier will be well groomed and professional, and as such Celestia would be right to dismiss a slovenly guard. But for Cherry to act as he did indicates that similar actions in the past were accepted without comment and thus he had no way of knowing that today should be different. Celestia would be well within her rights to ask Cherry to go out of his way to provide the cheesecake, but (again presumably) precedent had been established and Celestia should not have humiliated him publicly for acting in a manner consistent with his past performance. A ruler that privately changes her requirements and then punishes her subjects when they don't meet them inspires fear, not respect.
If, however, you're setting Celestia up to descend into tyranny, then disregard.
I like how she's turning into Molestia. I assume that the next stages will be Tyrant Celestia and Trollestia before she assumes her ultimate form: Hasbro Celestia
fim.413chan.net/fim/src/132320638838-celestia-toy-pink.png
Celestia frowned at nothing, cocking her head. When had been the last time she’d had a stallion to warm her bed, even for a night?
_____________________________________________
Uhhh. Forgotten Mr Eyupp, already?
711868 Different story, different timeline.
710015
A very valid point to which I agree. A simple change in the end of her reaction by extending some kindness like, say, forgiveness by acknowledging his error and how he could have avoided it but the expressing that it truly doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things and that he should simply remember this occasion in the future. She basically declared that his creation was not worthy of her and dismissed him as if he had done this to many times and she had grown tired of it. This is looking like the beginnings of the rise of the solar empire if Celestia continues to become more "aggressive" in her demands.
---
I am a little surprised by everypony's reaction to her change in hair color. A few odd looks and maybe a question about it would be expected but constant shrieks of "PINK!" as if it was something of dire consequence seems to be not only extremely unprofessional for Equestria's "finest staffing" but seems a bit odd in general. Who gets surprised over a hair color change to the point of hollering out the name of the color?
Wine and dinner first
Damn, Celestia, You crazy
Well, this was a bit of a surprise. It wasn't a point I had considered, but it does make sense that as Celestia's physical fitness level improves, she'd be seeing some changes in the physical department. For her mane and tail to undergo a change from the multicolor to a single color status suggests that her body's channeling higher levels of energy now that she's getting back in shape. If that follows a full progression, when Celestia's back on top of her game physically, her mane's probably capable of putting the brightest spotlights to shame if she allows it. The various reactions to her change in mane were amusing, I'll grant that. I can just imagine the look on Luna's face when her sister and her bannering pink mane and tail walked in for the morning meal. (Frankly, I think that it speaks well of the various guards that there was as little stir as they showed. Guess both the solar and the lunar guard training held up very well.)
I see that an improved fitness level is giving the solar princess a bit more of a improvement in her response to certain stimuli as well. I would imagine that Bubble Bath's going to have a bit of trouble the next few bath sessions, though I would imagine that Celestia will also have a bit of a problem there as well. I am a little surprised that she's had a millennium-long dry spell in her bed, though. I would have thought that at least at some point not too long after losing Luna to the Nightmare, she'd have had someone at least willing to share cuddles with for a while. The fact that she didn't really doesn't say much for her circle of friends outside of her sister. In a lot of ways, that's the true sad point of her life up to this point. I don't suppose that when this is all over, that Celestia might consider borrowing some of Luna's training techniques and joining her solar guard in an occasional training exercise? Seems to me that it could only improve esprit de corps if the Princess would join her guards for PT from time to time. (And if she stays in frisky mode, the Solar guard could be a reasonably discrete dating pool; providing they don't have the same physical requirements from the Lunar Stallion series.)
And finally, there's the Cheesecake Incident. That was definitely a case of Celestia throwing her weight around, though for once I suspect that she will look back and possibly consider that she was a little on the heavy side. I'll definitely agree, since Chef Ontop had a full day's advance notice, he certainly should have ensured that Celestia's snack request was met to her specifications. I didn't see any signs in the story that there was a history of such substitutions being a regular item, so I have to believe that the rebuke was within acceptable bounds. She wasn't particularly mean in her chastising, and in the end I have to feel that Chef Ontop got a valid criticism. It really couldn't have been much milder, and in the end it was only the source that led to the level of reaction we read about. All in all, I'll definitely give this scene 4.5 out of 5 moustaches.
Good work!
Product placement...
She was a bit hard on the chef pony
708811 is she the woman who sexually kills people?
I'm wondering if Celestia is finally realising that, in trying to be a benevolent ruler, she has allowed her subordinates to walk all over her for a while. That doesn't excuse her over-reaction over the cake but... well, for Faust's sake, if a member of the palace staff can't handle the Princess being in a testy mood one day, then he's probably in the wrong job! Make your excuses, apologise and make sure it doesn't happen again then move on!
I'm hoping that we're going to get to see Twilight's response to the "returned to her prime" Celestia. Because that's why I think her mane has returned to the colour of her youth: she's regained the vigour and power of her youth after centuries of just... existing.
I don't see why people are saying Celestia over reacted to the cake, I think she handled it splendidly considering! A full day's notice, and he'd been too lazy to make sure the request was handled properly? All she did was call him out for it, and rather politely too. Celestia with some spine is awesome to see.
2.bp.blogspot.com/-NeLNXuzO1HM/T4FmJJ5PxlI/AAAAAAAAldo/rgI0pi_74Hk/s400/caaake.PNG
BLASPHEMY!
Chef Cherry, you have failed your Princess.
Cherry Ontop just needs to remember that it could be a lot worse. Just ask Admiral Ozzel!