Chapter 40: A Royal Problem
Chapter 40:
A Royal Problem
In the following days and moons, since Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Flurry’s Heart’s visit, Twilight has been continuing to carry out her princess duties in Canterlot which has allowed her to spend more time with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Normally, that’s usually a good thing expect, the two sisters now seem to be remembering why they had their argument in the first place as they repeated the same mistakes they made a while back from whenever Celestia made pancakes for Luna and when Luna decorates the hallways with flowers. They are still hurting each other’s feelings without realizing it and instead of talking about they become much colder and distant towards each other.
Last time this surfaced up, Twilight and Starlight resorted to forcing them to settle it out with a day off in Ponyville only to forget about when they got in the mix of a prank war against Rainbow Dash which resulted in them accidentally having their cutie marks switched and being covered in rainbow paint. Something that Rainbow Dash had to visit every other day to give them baths as punishment for her actions.
One evening, while Princess Celestia was busy tending to delegates from across Equestria as usual. Princess Luna is walking around the halls with a wagon full of baskets containing lavender flowers with Twilight and Starlight watching and admiring her work as they walk beside her.
“Wow, Princess Luna.” Starlight commented in amazement. “These look amazing!”
“Thank you.” Luna warmly smiled in response. "Lavender's calming scent is known to aid dreamers in achieving a restorative sleep," The night princess explained.
“That’s very thoughtful!” Twilight told her as she sniffed the flowers.
“Well I do try my best to make sure the ponies in this castle sleep peacefully.” Luna responded as she continued replacing the flowers with fresh ones.
At that moment Princess Celestia enters the hallway with three delegates by her side.
"And I said: 'Touring? More like boring!'" One of the delegates joked as she and the others including Celestia laughed.
“Oh you really are a card!” Celestia commented as they walked by while not noticing the hanging baskets of lavender her sister had just put up.
"But as always, my sister is too busy having fun with dignitary ponies to acknowledge anything I do. Hmph!" She commented with a disgruntled snarl before walking off feeling upset all over again.
"Princess Luna, I’m sure she didn’t mean too." Twilight tried to reason with her. "She was just distracted is all."
“Are you sure you’re not just saying that just because she was your mentor?” Luna asked not buying it.
“I’m sure.” Twilight firmly answered.
“Your majesty, please…” Starlight spoke up. “Let’s not take this personally, remember the last time you two fought.” She hoped that would remind her to bury the hatchet.
“The only thing I remember was you two pulling that elaborate prank on us to get us to stop but since now we remember why we’re arguing in the first place I find this anything but helpful.” Luna still angrily refused to listen to them as she walked off in a huff.
“So for much for our little prank to get them to listen.” Starlight commented with a sigh now seeing it was all for nothing.
“It’s not your fault.” Twilight assured her with a sigh as she expects this to surface up again. “Considering they never really reconciled and forgot why they argued in the first place it was bound to pop up again.”
“I guess the question is, how we stop it?” Starlight questioned her mentor.
“We’ll just have to try again in the morning.” Twilight answered while feeling exhausted when she said again once more. “Just this time, refrain from using your magic to switch their cutie marks like last time.”
“Of course.” Starlight agreed with a nod as she immediately wants to move on from that incident that nearly got her in hot water with the princesses.
“Hopefully we can avoid a repeat of Nightmare Moon and Princess Celestia from a thousand years ago.” Twilight hopefully spoke as she and Starlight made their way back to their rooms to go to bed. “But I think we’ll manage.”
“Since when have we not faced a friendship problem we couldn’t solve? Especially the Princess of Friendship.” Starlight felt the need to ask her.
“Not one any of us can think of, so none.” Twilight answered.
While the two were talking in the hallway, Midnight was watching the scene from her orb.
“Not yet, Princess Twilight.” Midnight said. “Because I’m sure friendship will fail you in the end when the times get tough and you will eventually see the truth of when that happens.” She then said as she pulled out images of Princess Celestia currently sleeping while Princess Luna is currently visiting other ponies in the dream realm.
Midnight using a whisper of her voice with magic casts a spell to have her voice echoing to both Celestia and Luna at the same time.
“Having a sister who doesn’t acknowledge the wonderful things must be very infuriating and disappointing isn’t it?” Midnight said to both alicorn sisters with their voices to make it sound like she is their conscience speaking to them.
“I mean you Princess Celestia make pancakes for her every morning which she doesn’t even acknowledge or take the time to enjoy?” Midnight said in Celestia’s voice. “And you have already forgotten it all over again and just letting it all slide.”
“I know right.” Celestia grumbled in her sleep.
“And yet she thinks she knows what it’s like to be you.” Midnight further manipulated her. “While she is flitting every pony lovely dreams every night.”
“Ugh!” Celestia groaned in disgust. “I know right.”
“And as for you Princess Luna…” Midnight then told Luna in her voice. “Your sister doesn’t even acknowledge the lavender you put out into the lining of the castle hallways every night.”
“I know it’s just frustrating!” Luna angrily agreed. “Why do I even bother putting up with a pony who gets smiled and adored by everypony in Equestria like she is some sunshine princess?”
“And why should you?” Midnight questioned. “Maybe it’s time you tell her that.”
“Maybe you both should try out life in each other’s hooves.” Midnight told both alicorns. “Prove to each other who truly has it easier.” She tempted the sisters as she sent magic through her orb again to cast a spell on the two of them.
Nothing happened when a bright flash of light appeared then disappeared through the castle as both alicorn sisters carrying with what they were doing as usual.
“Starting tomorrow, you both will prove to each other by learning to be each other more.” Midnight told the alicorn sisters as they both look on with determined looks taking Midnight’s words to heart.
Midnight would then deviously smile seeing that her plan worked and is ready to move on to the next phase as she sets out to prepare her set-up science lab by setting up the specific chemicals and potions she needs.
The next morning Twilight and Starlight both set out to find the royal sisters so they can try to sort this all out again but to their surprise they weren’t at the dining room so they both searched around the castle with hopes to find them with no luck as they both regroup in front of the doors to the throne room empty-hoofed.
“Any luck?” Twilight frantically asked.
“Nope!” Starlight honestly replied with raised hooves. ”And I searched about half of the castle for them! How about you?”
“You got me just as empty-hoofed!” Twilight also came up with nothing either.
“Well where else would they be?!” Starlight questioned as she is about ready to lose it as much as Twilight as she thinks of where else they could have gone.
“The throne room!” Twilight spoke up after realizing where they could have gone. “Did you check there?” She asked.
“No, I haven’t!” Starlight answered. “Let’s go!”
The two quickly made their way to the throne room where they came across the two arguing from just outside about to tear into each other when a bright flash of magic occurs inside.
“What happened in there?!” Twilight asked in panic.
“I don’t’ know!” Starlight responded just as alarmed as they both storm into the throne room where they come across the two sisters with their cutie marks swapped again.
“WHAT IN THE NAME OF CELESTIA AND LUNA?!” Both Twilight and Starlight said in shock together when they saw the switched cutie marks.
"Oh, Hello.” Celestia greeted the two as they barged in.
“Princess Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed still shocked.
“Princess Luna!” Starlight exclaimed in the same tone.
“What happened to your cutie marks?!” Both ponies said in unison.
“Oh, just a little something that came from our decision to swap roles for the day.” Celestia calmly replied as she thought nothing of it unlike last time.
"What do you mean?” Twilight questioned while resisting the urge to hyperventilate.
“Our consciences spoke with us last night and urged us to push into settling this once and for all by learning what it’s like to be in each other’s hooves and slippers.” Luna answered still taking it in stride while intensely glaring at her sister. “And I think I be able to benefit with an easy day followed by a good night's sleep.”
"You can try. I haven't had an easy day in, well, ever! But now, I get to sleep, and tonight will be a breeze.” Celestia scoffed with an intense glare right back.
“Okay.” Twilight nervously replied. “If you’ll excuse me us for a minute before we help you two out.” Twilight said as she pulled Starlight by the tail and quickly pulled out just outside of the throne room.
"OW! TWILIGHT!" After she slammed the doors behind her she rubbed her sore tail in pain. "What was that for?!"
“Please tell me you didn’t swap their cutie marks like last time?!” Twilight seriously questioned her student. “I thought we discussed this not long ago.”
“We did and it’s wasn’t me this time!” Starlight honestly and innocently answered with her hoofs raised up innocently. “Otherwise I’d be facing two angry alicorn sisters right now like I did when I accidentally spilled paint on them!”
After taking a calming breath with Cadance’s breathing technique she regained her composure as she thinks this through.
“Okay.” Twilight spoke now relaxed. “Nothing to worry about. We’ll just help them carry out their new responsibilities and by the end they’ll see just that neither of them has it easier, realize how wrong they were, and make up.”
"I’m taking by seeing the hardships they overlooked is how they’ll see?” Starlight asked.
“Yes, I’m sure.” Twilight calmly answered.
“Twilight! Starlight!” Princess Luna called out. “Could you two come back and help me please?”
“Well, here goes nothing.” Starlight said as the two having calmed down enough to be able to face Princess Luna as requested as the royal guards and staff come before them as requested too. Once Luna stand on top in front of the throne chair preparing to address them, both Twilight and Starlight each stand by her side. Twilight on her right, Starlight on her left.
"As you can see, Celestia and I are switching places today." Luna calmly addressed every pony much to their confusion to this development and seeing Celestia’s cutie mark on her flank but didn’t feel it was their place to question it. "I assure you, I am more than capable of handling all of Celestia's, heh, duties. Dismissed.." She finished as every pony left as requested much to their confusion.
“So, what is first on my dear sister's to-do list?” Luna asked both Twilight and Starlight as the former held up the scroll as the latter reads it to her.
“It says you have a few public appearances. Store openings, judging the royal rose contest... You know, that sort of thing.” Starlight told Luna as said scroll instructs her.
“Oh, I knew today would be easy, but I didn't think it would be that easy.” Luna smugly chuckled feeling this is going to be a breeze although the two ponies assisting her both have looks of disagreement written all over their faces while Midnight who is secretly spying on them calmly smiles seeing that her plan is in motion as she mixes the chemicals in her hooves together from tube to tube.
Princess Luna then rode in her sister’s chariot as Twilight and Starlight both followed right behind them as the night monarch smiled and wave the best she could.
She kept smiling and waving constantly as she performed the honors of the ribbon cutting at the grand openings of new stores and throughout the royal rose contest.
Then came the photo shoot with a class of school foals as Luna tries her best to continue smiling while kindly obliging to the camera ponies request of trying to find the right place to stand for the photo while Twilight and Starlight give her encouraging smiles.
But the night princess struggled to keep it up any longer as the smile cracked just as the camera pony took the photo which showed Luna frowning instead of smiling which they all didn’t notice until it was posted in the paper to which Twilight and Starlight quickly snagged all of the copies before any pony could read them.
“"Princess Luna Unhappy with Student Fundraiser"? But I wasn't unhappy!” Said mare questioned as she levitated the paper over to Twilight and Starlight who took a look at it.
“Um, you are scowling.” Starlight pointed out as she showed her the image in question.
“Well, I-I didn't mean to!” Luna honestly explained. “I've been smiling all day! My cheeks hurt! I stopped for one second! And that's when he took the picture!”
“Guess smiling all day isn't as easy as you thought?” Starlight could only say as Twilight takes her turn to try to comfort her.
“It’s not a problem.” Twilight assured her. “We’ll just arrange to have a picture re-do when you’re fully rested. And just remember smiling is just when required of you, not all the time.” She then advised as Luna took back the paper.
“I just hope so because it says here that, because of me, the school didn't raise enough funds to go on their field trip! I-I didn't mean for that to happen!” Luna ashamedly said as she planted her face into the table.
“I know. But you can't dwell on that now.” Starlight tried to get her to move on from that. “According to the list, some delegates are about to arrive for a luncheon. You need to dispel rumors of timberwolves in the White Tail Woods. The nearby towns have been in a state of panic for weeks.”
“B-B-But I have to fix this!” Luna protested.
“And as I said before we’ll fix another time but as Starlight said there are still some royal duties on Celestia’s agenda you need to take care of since it’s time to move forward.” Twilight told Luna as three delegate ponies entered the room for the scheduled luncheon.
“Hello! Great news! There are no Timberwolves!” Luna loudly declared to three who all ran out of the room in a panic with voices of terrified disagreement.
“I'm sorry.” Luna apologized to the two mares trying to help her through this. “But I couldn't stop thinking about those poor students. Normally, I have all the time in solitude I need to work through my problems at my own pace.”
“Well, your sister doesn't get that luxury.” Starlight pointed out.
“And you’ll get that photo redo opportunity in no time once we get a proper rescheduling down in order.” Twilight again pointed out to assure her again as they hear more delegates arguing loudly from the other side of the room.
“Ready for the town hall?” Starlight asked a despondent Luna who sighs in response.
“Let’s just get this over with.” Luna resigned to whatever awaits her as Twilight and Starlight join her to give her assistance with dealing with the delegates who are currently arguing.
By the time the dispute was settled it was already nighttime.
“Glad that's settled.” The first delegate happily said as he and the other delegate trotted out of the room.
“And it only took three hours.” The other delegate chuckled in agreement.
“That got heated, didn't it?” The first delegate questioned.
“Still on for golf?” The other delegate offered
“Oh, absolutely.” The first delegate accepted as the other chuckles again now that everything is all sorted out thanks to the Princesses as said night monarch walks out of the room looking very drained with very exhausted eye bags more so than this morning.
“You made it to the end of the day. Yay?” Starlight congratulated.
“Hmm? Oh. Yes, uh...” Luna responded while half-awake before yawning. ”I'm just going to turn in, then. Good light, Twinight, Starnight.” She then made her way to bed with a yawn as she hands Twilight the scroll containing her list of nighttime duties for her sister.
“Poor Luna.“ Starlight commented. “That’s got to be very exhausting to have to work a whole day straight like that.”
“I know.” Twilight acknowledged in the same tone. “Try planning a summit without going to sleep for three days straight.”
Princess Celestia came trotting out just after Luna had retired for the night.
“Oh, hello, Twilight, Starlight.” She cheerfully greeted. “I don't know about you, but I feel very well-rested. Where's Luna?”
“She already turned in for the night.” Starlight answered.
"Already had a rough day." Twilight added.
“Did she now?” Celestia reacted with faux surprise. “It seems my duties were harder than my sister expected.” She then said as she trotted off to do Luna’s job feeling like she has already won.
“And now it is your turn to understand the hardships your sister goes through.” Twilight said in her direction as she and Starlight follow her.
In no time at all the moon was raised to begin the night courtesy of Princess Celestia.
Moon raised! It's even easier than raising the sun.” She chuckled to herself as she turns to both Twilight and Starlight. “What's next?” She asked the two only to find them having fallen asleep on the balcony. "Of course. Everypony's asleep at night."
The sun princess then proceeded to light up her horn and effortlessly used her magic to move the exhausted alicorn and unicorn onto her bed while tucking the blankets underneath them. She made real sure to tuck her former student in nice and comfortably. To her it was like old times being able to tuck Twilight into bed To her it was like tucking the very pony she sees as a daughter with her friend who they see each other as sister’s.
Heh. Luna works alone...” She solemnly said to herself before shrugging it off. “Oh, but it's nothing I can't handle. All I have to do is watch over Equestria, visit the dream realm, and protect ponies in their nightmares.” She then briefly read Luna’s list before crumbling it and tossing it aside as she set outside to do her duties. “My list was three times as long.”
“Alright, everypony's asleep," She said out loud as she watches the last light in town go out and then took notice that no pony else was around to hear her say that. "You're talking to yourself, Celestia. Heh. But there's nopony else to talk to!" She then chuckled to herself as she remembered something she can do. " Yet. I can talk to ponies in their dreams!" She then said as she lit her horn to enter the dream realm.
While there the sun monarch is greeted with various bubbles with each representing the dream of a different pony. A few in particular got her attention. Applejack was dreaming of herself as a foal. Discord was dreaming about having a friendly pillow fight with Smolder. Princess Cadence and Flurry Heart dreamt of the infant alicorn being a DJ, with shades on and sitting atop a turntable as Cadence danced to the beat of the music, and Pinkie while wearing shades was riding on Gummy’s back.
As Midnight watches from her orb to see Celestia do so while Twilight and Starlight sleep together like sisters in Celestia’s bed she then uses her magic directed at the two sleeping mares.
“And now for the fun part” Midnight said to herself.
“Now, to save some ponies from their nightmares. Which aren't real, so it shouldn't be too hard, right? Right. Good call, Celestia!” She then excitably said to herself before realizing what she is saying out loud. “And I'm talking to myself again.”
Suddenly a scream of fright is heard and Celestia herself knows what that means. Somepony is having a nightmare to which an alarmed Celestia takes notice to hearing that scream and who that scream belongs to as she accesses said ponies dream.
The ponies suffering the bad dream were both Twilight and Starlight, who were both screaming as she appeared to falling down an endless hole of some sort. All the while pancake faces appeared in front of them staring at her, repeating over and over again saying "I care." in a menacing tone. They continued to fall downwards until they landed on a bed of lavender flowers but the lavender flowers suddenly flipped on its side and leaving the two mares to fall through the flowers.
When they at last stopped falling, Twilight found herself standing on top of a podium with a spotlight on her worrying while looked greatly troubled while Starlight finds herself standing like a ballerina on a music box locket with a spotlight on her as well.
“Ugh! No!” Starlight exclaimed as she spins around as both mares look around in fright of the void room seeing Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both going their separate ways with the Mane Five watching from afar.
"No! No!" Twilight cried out seeing the never ending dispute between the two students along with her friends walking out on her in disappointment. "No! Please!” She desperately cried out to her friends to no avail as they continue ignoring her as they walk off. “I’m doing the best I can." She said as she was reduced to tears.
Princess Celestia having seen enough entered the dream and landed in front of both Twilight and Starlight, as the environment had changed to resemble the throne room of Canterlot.
"Twilight! Starlight" She exclaimed very concerned for them. "I'm here now. Tell me what's wrong."
But Twilight continued to sob as she looked up at Princess Celestia. "All we wanted was for the two of you two come together and find common ground. But instead you drifting apart more than ever.”
"If you and Princess Luna can't see why you need each other then..." Starlight just as frantic as Twilight explained as…
"Then I am back!" A familiar wicked voice cackled as said mare appeared in both ponies dream. And said pony was one very recognizable pony, one that no pony ever would have had hoped never to see again... Nightmare Moon!
Celestia threw up a wing to shield Twilight and Starlight. "Don’t worry!" She assured them. "I know how to handle Nightmare Moon!"
But just then a voice that sounded like Celestia called out from the shadows.
"Yes! But can you handle... me?!" And from the shadows emerged a version of Princess Celestia that looked like Nightmare Moon, except she was a mare with white fur, orange boots necklace and armor, with red eyes and an orange flaming tail and mane and a yellow sun cutie mark much like Celestia.
“This can't be!" Celestia exclaimed in surprise and shock seeing this.
“Oh please.” The evil alicorn taunted her horrified good counterpart. “Even you have a dark side, princess much like Luna and Twilight" She taunted as she approached Celestia and placed a hoof on her chin. "If Princess Luna can turn into Nightmare Moon and Princess Twilight can turn into Midnight Sparkle, you can absolutely turn into me, Daybreaker. The better, stronger, and if I'm being completely honest, much prettier version of you."
"No! I'll never turn into you!!" Celestia defiantly retorted to her evil counterpart.
“Deep inside, you know how powerful you are. You don't need Luna.” Daybreaker further tried to break Celestia with her words as Nightmare Moon watches feeling offended.
“That's not true! Even when we were apart, I knew I needed her!” Celestia further retorted her words as Daybreaker cackled in response at her efforts to try to avert destiny instead of accepting it.
"Oh, please! You don't need anypony! You can do whatever you want. And all you have to do is get rid of anypony who stands in your way!" She said as turned her attention to Nightmare Moon as she sends a fireball right at her forcing her back a small distance. "I never should've banished you to the moon! I should've destroyed you!" She furiously told Luna’s evil counterpart as she charged at her.
“No, you can't do that! Day, night, sun, moon — Equestria needs both of you!” Twilight pleaded for the two not to go through with their catastrophic fight to no avail.
“Without balance, there's no harmony!” Starlight added to back Twilight’s valid claim as the two exchange magic beams before Daybreaker charges at Nightmare again to force her back only for Nightmare to retaliate with a wave of magic to send her back.
“Who needs balance when you can have it all?!” Daybreaker laughed it off with giddy glee as Nightmare Moon greats her to blast to the chest.
You can't get rid of me so easily, sister! Unless you plan on smiling me to smithereens!” Nightmare Moon returned with a malevolent grin as the two alicorns charged at each other as Princess Celestia appears to try to break up the fight between the two evil alicorns.
“Enough!” Celestia declared for the two to stop.
“I told you I was more powerful than you!” Daybreaker told Nightmare with an evil laugh as Nightmare responds by summoning a dark shadow below her. “Ugh. So much black. We get it. You're sad. You could really use some... sun!” Daybreaker said unimpressed while breathing fire at Nightmare’s direction as she uses her dark shadow as a shield to shield the attack causing the carpet both Twilight and Starlight were standing on to start burning up as Celestia swoops in to pull the two mares to safety as she conjures up a magic shield to shield herself from Daybreaker’s fiery attacks.
“Why do we even bother?!” Twilight asked herself and Starlight. “Now Equestria is doomed!”
Much like Celestia and Luna earlier, Daybreaker and Nightmare were both ignoring Celestia much like when the two sisters refused to listen to Twilight and Starlight when they tried to soothe their tensions.
Princess Celestia unsure of what to do then pulls up the dream bubble of where Luna is currently dreaming herself with hopes of turning to the dream expert for advice.
Inside her own dream Princess Luna was posing and smiling in front of a mirror. But every time she did it the children from the photo appeared behind her.
"That smile's too wide. It's obviously a lie." They chanted at the night monarch who reacted in surprise as she trotted around the mirror before coming face to face with the children herself who all look at her with very sad eyes.
"Princess, why don't you want us to go on our field trip? Don't you want us to be happy?" The filly Luna had stood next to even asked in a sad tone of voice.
"I don't!" Luna protested and then gasped in horror as she saw two of her teeth fall out. "I mean, I do! Please believe me, children, I do care for all of you!" She quickly corrected herself as more teeth fall out of her mouth but the children didn't appear to be convinced for they just encircled and surrounded Luna, drawing closer as they continued to chant. "That smile's too wide. It's obviously a lie."
Suddenly, Princess Celestia appeared and pulled her into the mirror and into Twilight and Starlight’s dream and into a hug.
"Celestia, I'm so glad you're…!" She said in tears in the embrace until she and Celestia finds themselves witnessing their evil counterparts engaging in an all-out brawl in front of a sobbing Twilight and Starlight.
“I've seen a lot, but I haven't seen this before.” Luna exclaimed in surprise seeing this with all of her teeth in her mouth.
“This is Twilight Sparkle’s and Starlight Glimmer’s.” Celestia told Luna. "She's afraid this is what will happen if we continue to fight!"
"If you don't fix this soon, it could have a grave consequence on both Twilight and Starlight's psyche.." Luna told her.
"But my magic isn't powerful enough! I thought if we worked together...!!" Celestia confessed.
“I have your magic, remember?” Luna brought because of the swapped cutie marks as her older sister looks at the moon on her flank. “It doesn't work in the dream realm. It has to be you!”
"Oh, Luna, I can't do this! I was wrong! Your job is so incredibly hard! You have to battle nightmares and work in the darkness and do it all alone!" Celestia then tearfully and remorsefully confessed and apologized for her treatment of her. “It takes such a brave, strong pony to do what you do!”
“And that pony is you.” Luna honestly confessed. “I walked a day in your shoes. I thought all you had to do was smile and be adored all the time, but I was wrong. There is so much more to it than that."
At that moment as the two evil alicorns continued to deck it out as Daybreaker conjures up flames as Nightmare conjures up a magical blast at her direction to which Daybreaker counters with a successful attack to overwhelm Nightmare as she fell to the ground in defeat with Daybreaker triumphantly cackling victoriously as the dream turns back into the Canterlot throne room.
"Please, don’t do this to each other!" Twilight in vain cried out for the two of them to stop.
“In order to defeat Daybreaker, you need only to trust in your strength and believe in yourself as I do.” Luna heartwarmingly advised as Celestia warmly smiles in return.
Just as Daybreaker fired off a finishing blow of magic as Nightmare Moon countered with a blast of her own, Celestia stepped between the two and used her wings to block the powerful beams!
“You can't defeat me! I'm everything you've ever wanted to be!" Daybreaker roared at her good counterpart.
"No, you are NOT me!" Celestia roared back at her evil counterpart. "And you will never exist again!" And with her wings she was able to push the magic blasts back towards the two villainous alicorns, vanquishing them both in a blink of an eye.
“You did it!" Luna congratulated her sister. “And on one of your rare visits to the dream realm I might add.”
"Only because you were here to help me, Luna," The day alicorn sighed. "I really don't know how you manage it night after night, and make it look so easy."
"So, did you... talk to yourself?" Luna asked with a knowing smile.
“Um a little.” Celestia honestly admitted as the two sisters giggle at each other.
“Is this really happening?” Twilight asked as she fearfully approached them.
“Or is this all a dream?” Starlight also asked just as fearful as her mentor as Celestia ends the dream with a flash of magic from her horn.
In a flash of light Princess Celestia found herself back in the real world right where she last stood in the real world, feeling rather tired and exhausted with matching eye bags to match.
"Welcome back, dear sister," Luna cheerfully greeted. "I know you had a long night, so I made you some pancakes." She then offered up a plate of said food which looked rather crusty and stale compared to how Celestia made them.
Celestia reluctantly took a bite from the offered stack of food. The pancakes tasted bad, but she swallowed them and then forced a smile as she told her sister otherwise.
"They're... delicious."
"I know that face.” Luna laughed immediately seeing through what she is trying to do. “They're not. I know you have the feeling to be perfect for everypony else, and you do an amazing job. But you don't have to do it for me.."
"In that case, these are terrible," Celestia honestly answered as she tossed the bad pancakes over the balcony plate and all as the two sisters giggle. “And seriously, for the record even I’m not perfect.”
“I know.” Luna acknowledged in between laughs.
“But it means a lot that you tried. I love you, sister.” Celestia appreciated what her sister tried to do for her.
“I love you too.” Luna returned as the two sisters hug each other as both Twilight and Starlight both come outside onto the balcony the two sisters were on.
“So... this was real. Or... was it not real?” Twilight asked in between yawns. “And this just happened now and-and not in our dream?”
“Because we’re confused.” Starlight also asked wondering the same thing.
“It's all real.” Celestia assured the two mares. “And we are so sorry we didn’t listen to the two of you when all you were doing was trying to settle our disputes from the beginning.”
“We should have tried to settle this out peacefully instead of dragging it out to the fight you two saw.” Luna added just as apologetic as Celestia.
“Well that's nice to hear.” Twilight reluctantly smiled. “Glad to see you both finally worked everything out in the end.” She then said still nervously laughing yet looking on the two sisters apologetically. "Otherwise we wouldn't have had to resort to more drastic measures like that prank a while back."
“It’s okay, Twilight.” Celestia placed a comforting wing on her back. “Both Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker are both gone. Never to exist again. And just like you said, we may have our differences and may be like our evil counterparts in some ways but we’ll be like them.”
“Agreed!” Princess Luna confirmed with a nod as magic appears with both of the royal sisters cutie mark’s returning to normal with both sister feeling better and purified with good and positive energy to which Twilight greatly sighed in relief seeing this.
“By the way, how did you both get the idea to do all this in the first place?” Starlight questioned out of curiosity. “I know you both said this twenty-four hours ago but was it true you both listened to your own consciences?”
“Yes it was.” Celestia honestly answered as she recalls what happened two nights ago. “When I was sleeping I heard my voice speak to me to convince me to try to fulfill my sister’s duties. As for the cutie mark swapping I honestly can’t remember how that magic spell got cast but it wasn’t mine.”
“Really?” Luna asked in shock and surprise. “That’s what I experienced too expect I heard my voice instead!”
“Really?! Whoa?!” Both sisters said in unison together in light of this sudden discovery.
“I’m no dream expert but I don’t think what you heard was your conscience speaking to you.” Twilight said as she places the pieces together. “Somepony else was behind this.” She then said as she sees Midnight’s symbol on the ground. “And I have a pretty good idea who. Midnight.” She confirmed as she showed every pony the symbol on the ground as they all look on seriously at it.
“But why would she go through all of the trouble to do all of this? What was she seeking to gain out of it?” Starlight asked just as alarmed as the three alicorns standing beside her upon seeing the symbol.
“Either attempting to bring out the worst of both Celestia and Luna into becoming Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon, or worse…” Twilight then thought to herself as she tries to figure out what she is planning as said mare is secretly hiding under the balcony with two glass containers in her hooves as she quickly teleports herself out of Canterlot and back to her lair and her lab at her base outside of Equestria where the Storm King's army is parked.
Once inside her lab where she places both glass containers containing magic into two sets of tubes where their magic went through the tubes into two portable containers containing two mysterious figures inside of them.
When sees that the experiment is going exactly as she envisioned it Midnight evilly smiles seeing that her plan has succeeded in flying colors.
“Now, where to begin.” Midnight said to herself as she sees the ongoing transformation taking place.
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A dark storm is brewing on the horizon. Dun dun dun!