To Swap Places

by The Blackcuno

Finer Points of Life

Chapter 2
Finer points of Life
Swapping Bodies

~0~0~

Celestia paced as she had nothing better to do after Twilight coming down to say hello and wreaking her visit to the spa with Rainbow Dash.

"Why couldn't I have waited until the morning to cast that darned spell" she said "Now I have no idea what's going to happen as she was drunk at the same time as me casting the spell!?"

"Umm Celestia, are you okay?" Rainbow asked barging into her library through the window that she had left open for Owlowiscious...no Twilights library not hers, her memories were getting messed up real fast.

"No. Um. Yes I mean argh" she continued. She was still pacing around the wooden unicorn bust in the centre of the room, "This isn't supposed to happening like this"

"oh-kay" Rainbow replied beginning to sound board of Celestia pacing. She had yet to re-dye her mane so it was still a nice snowy white colour with slightly darker white showing where the colours changed when it was of rainbow colouration.
Rainbow noted that for some odd reason, Celestia seemed to leave deep gouges in the wooden floor whenever she finished her lap around the bust.

"No you don't... nor can you understand the complexity of the conundrum that I am now stuck in!" she began, "LISTEN TO ME. IM NOW STARTING TO SOUND LIKE TWILIGHT!" she continued as Dash slowly flapped away from Celestia with a look of fear plastered on her face, "This isn't supposed to happen"

Celestia continued to pace in fear of what was happening to her at the present time.

"Okay Cele', Calm down your starting to freak me out here... look I'm going to get the girls and we talk this over okay?" Rainbow said, hovering overhead, however it fell on deaf ears as Celestia was now racing around gathering various books over differing genres to try and fix this problem she was having.

Dash left the freaking out mare to her devices and bolted out the window and towards the closest of her friend’s places; she didn't need to fly far as it was Sugar Cube Corner.

As she had left though Celestia shook her head only to displace a few strands of pink mane from her usually well groomed mane. She continued to pace only stopping when she tripped on an uneven floorboard and sent her somersaulting head first into a book shelf dislodging a book that landed neatly on her head like a jaunty fez.
Celestia moaned in annoyance.

~0~0~

Twilight landed in the main courtyard to the welcoming Radar, who was being trailed by Luna with a look of concern. Twilights usual flowing mane was absent now and now hung limp in the wind, it was still ethereal but lacked the 'missing wind' that normally allowed the manes to wave in the air.

"Twili. You look frazzled, is everything okay?" Luna asked. The pony guards nodded to each other and proceed to leave them alone. Luna knew that an alicorns mane would droop like that if they were feeling unwell or depressed.
"No. I mean argh. I think so or not" she began "Sis, Celestia says hi...oh and what's this about a massive spell that literally swapped me with my mentor!"

"Oh buck. You know?" Luna said, "How much did Celestia say then?"
"Enough for me to know that you’re involved in the spell casting part of this problem. Everything seems okay in my eyes but I know everything is wrong at the same time. My mind is in complete chaos. All I need now is Discord popping out of stone or Chrysalis popping in for an invasion and my day would be complete" Twilight continued to rant as they walked towards the main courtyards, "I'm going to admit something. Last night I was drunk when she casted the spell. Or passed out from one to many ciders"

"Ah. That may be why the spell backfired when it was casted last night. It was supposed to be cast on ponies that were sober and willing to partake" Luna said, "but that was casted on two sober ponies. So I don't know how this is going to affect the spell. I was, after all, the one who created it"

Both alicorns walked into and sat in the morning gardens on a bench specifically designed for such. Swiftly both were surrounded by animals of various traits and descriptions. This included bears, badgers and flamingos to name a few. A pair of Robins perched themselves on Twilights crown and proceeded to chirp happily form their new perch; Twilight looked at the two and sighed happily.

"So what exactly am I supposed to be thinking right now?" Twilight asked, "As I'm so confused right now sis"

"Well. Perhaps you already are thinking the way she planned" Luna said as Twilight let her head fall into her crossed hooves in confusion, “Besides she wanted you to enjoy this, rather than over thinking it Twilight. Perhaps you need to relax a little bit more and go with the flow. So to speak”

"But I acted like her in the library not an hour or so ago, my memory is becoming real fuzzy in certain finer details of my life" she admitted as a light green bird with yellow ring around its neck fluttered down to the bird feeder that was in front of them and let out a shrill chirp of happiness, "I now know why Fluttershy wanted to come here during the gala two years ago"

"It is quite relaxing I know. You should see the night time animals coming out. Celestia thought it would be nice for me to have some animals I can admire that liked my night times" Luna said pointing out a Barn Owl and a Tawny Frogmouth sleeping in the trees next to one another, sleeping.

"I thought that I did that?" Twilight said, "After you returned when Celestia and the Elements removed the nightmare from your body. See what I mean I'm swapping my name with Celestia’s"

"All part of the spell Twilight” Luna commented “In a sense, you think that you did. But you didn't at the same time. It was Celestia, but she implanted her memories in you and vice versa" she continued sighing "It’s the very basis of the spell. After two days, you would awaken as though it a dream and like a bad sense of doing it all twice"

"So onto a different topic; the spell how is it cast exactly?" Twilight asked, sounding interested in the idea. Perhaps she could once this is all over coax her friends into trying it out with her.

Luna smiled at the idea of explaining her only contribution to alicorn magic "The ponies switching forms would need to be in the same room touching in some manner, be that horn to horn simply touching via hoof, the Caster, Me in this example, would proceed to cast the spell. Only a pony with control over a celestial body, or one with sufficient magic pools, would have the magic capable of casting it correctly" Luna stated looking to see Twilight smiling at her.

"You mentioned before that you actually created this spell?" Twilight asked eyes widening at the idea that she had created it.
"Of course" Luna said smiling down at her.

"That's why I respect you sis" Twilight said yawning "Sorry, I did not get much sleep after Pinkie's party last night"

"And that's why I think the spell may have backfired. Your memories wouldn't be a straight swap over, but it seems that a few may have lingered or not transferred at all" Luna said to be interrupted by the sound of soft snoring at her side; looking down she sighed and smiled at the sight before her.

Twilight had fallen asleep on the bench, head in hooves and mane now flowing like it should

"Ah dearest sister you bring a smile to my face every time. You and your late night binges" Luna said as unicorn and winged unicorn walked towards them, Shining Armour and Princes Candace respectively.

"Aunt Luna. Aunt Twilight. Is she okay?" Candace asked looking at the sleeping Alicorn, a soft snore brought relief to the Alicorn “Or sleeping”

"Late night binge" Luna said “Too much alcohol and not enough sleep would do that to any-pony"
"Ah. Princes I apologize for the interruption. But we got a situation" Shining said

"Pray tell Captain. What is the problem, and please keep it down. Princess Twilight is snoozing" Luna stated, resting her wing over Twilight's head.

"We have reports of changelings moving on the borders of Equestria. as Princess of the sun, Twilight needs to appoint some-pony to speak with them and get them to agree to stop their movements" Shining stated in a tone like that of a true military captain.

"And what, pray tell, cant you decide? Tis after all her only 2 days off in the last century or two" Luna said "2 days was all she asked for Captain, Can this at least wait?"

"I...must have missed the memo" Shining said, “but since the wedding we have been on thin ice, so to speak, with the changeling empire"

"Relax dear" Candace said, "If what Luna says is true. Can this not wait until Monday morning?"

"If you wish, I shall have a word with one of my own personal knights to have them sort this out" Luna said getting up. Prodding Twilight to receive only a moan in response, "Sis, you need to wake up. If you want to go to sleep, I'll have Shining Armour escort you to your chambers" Luna continued. Luna prodded her again only to hear a moan of annoyance.
“Can’t I sleep here” She muttered back.

A small plume of green fire appeared before her and with a magical pop a scroll appeared. Twilight let the scroll hit the dirt as she got up off the bench and stretched. Taking it in her magic aura she unfurled it and read the hastily scribbled note.
“Is it a friendship report from Celestia?” Luna asked

“No, it’s is not. Though I wish it was actually” Twilight said sighing, “seems like she has lost it again”

“What?” Shinning asked, “What do you mean ‘lost it’”

Twilight sighed and Luna realized what she meant

“This has happened before. When she thought that she was going to be ‘tardy’ due to a lack of Friendship report. She proceeded to enchant a ‘smarty pants’ doll”

Shinning gulped at the realization

“I had to cast a counter charm to remove the effects of the insanely powerful love charm on the populace” Twilight continued recounting that particular time in her head.

“So what are you going to do” Luna asked.

Twilight smirked and proceeded to ignite the parchment.

“Teaching her a lesson” she said happily while walking off leaving the others equally confused except for Luna who sighed in disappointment

“What was that about?” Candace asked, “That’s not the aunty I know and love”

“She’s having a rough day” Luna said flatly, “I shall go try and talk some sense into her. In the mean time, Shinning pass this onto my Captain-“handing him the parchment that she had summoned,”-and tell him to sort out this, Changeling, problem”
“Thanks Luna” Shining stated taking it in his aura, “hopefully we can sort this out without the need of another massive shield”

“Hopefully. But firstly let me see if I cannot talk some sense into my sister” Luna admitted trotting after her older sister.

~0~0~

When Rainbow finally returned after re-dyeing her mane and tail with liquid rainbow with the gang back at the library, they all gasped at the sight before them. The whole library was in a massive mess with books strewn across the floor, pieces of parchment levitating in yellow auras stationed periodically around the room at eye level; with a confused Spike holding what appeared to be a rolled up newspaper in one claw and a book in the other. The book was held in such a way that it was like a shield.

"What happened?" Rainbow asked, though she may have known the answer when a beam of yellow shot out randomly and stuck a parchment incinerating it on the spot.

"It's Celestia, she's gone nuts again! This time, the princess hasn't responded to my letter for help!" Spike said, narrowly ducking past a pair of floating inkwells and quills.

"That doesn't sound like Celestia we know" Rarity complained

"Remember the Smarty Pants Incident?" Fluttershy noted as Rarity stopped and nodded.

"How can we not" Applejack said, remembering when she found said doll in her brothers room, on the bed pillow "Ah still dohnt think Big Mac recovered from tha' entirely" she said stepping over a pile of novels, “Has she said anything at all to any-pony?”

“She was fine at the Boutique” Rarity said picking up a couple of books off the floor, “she was at the spa with Rainbow”
“Wait Rainbow, at the spa?” Fluttershy asked “That doesn't seem like you rainbow”

“I lost a bet okay!” Rainbow blasted back only to have Fluttershy cower, “Sorry ‘Shy”

“Its okay” Fluttershy replied

“Besides, I go to that sauna all the time anyway. Relaxes the muscles after a hard day flying” the cyan mare admitted as though it was a bad thing.

All 5 mares and baby dragon Ducked as a series of yellow beams incinerated a few more pieces of floating parchment to dust.

“Perhaps she needs a party to cheer her up?” Pinkie said hauling out her party cannon as Celestia’s head popped out like a meerkat from the stairwell.

“What? Pinkie stop don’t do that!” Celestia shouted racing towards the pink pony.

Pinkie ignored the shouting mare and slammed the firing mechanism with her hoof. With a deafening ‘Boom’ the cannon sent out its contents of cake, streamers and the like, all over the already messy library.

All ponies looked at the mare who had coped it all. Celestia stood in the center of the chaos, left eye twitching, as pink icing slid down her face.

“Ha-ha. Sorry Celestia” Pinkie giggled. Celestia however touched it with her hoof and tasted the icing. Her face lit up as the taste her mouth.

“Oh, you will be” she said in a slightly evil tone of voice.

“It was an accident Celestia. So don’t be mad” Fluttershy said as the yellow glow surrounded all the books on the floor and magically lifted them all.

With precision of a hawk with a sniper rifle, each book found its home within a few seconds, leaving a ground of confused mares standing there.

“Umm Celestia are you alright?” Applejack asked only to get a cake thrown into her face. Flicking it off her face, she saw Celestia cracking up laughing on the floor, “what the hay? Oh. You are going to get it now!” she replied throwing it back at her only to have missed her. The cake flew in an arc and caught Rarity on the flank as she tried to avoid it.

Pinkie raised the stakes with her cannon booming off again as she shouted “food fight!” and proceeded to aim the cannon at Celestia who was too busy laughing and avoiding flying cake to worry.

After an hour or so the whole gang was covered in pastry and laughing on the floor in a pile.

“You had us worried Celestia” Rainbow said

“I just needed something to lighten the mood up” the white unicorn replied getting up, “Sorry about freaking out like that”
“What was that all about anyway Sugar-cube?” Applejack asked

“Princess Twilight interrupted our spa trip with a surprise visit to Ponyville as she wanted to speak to me about something. I was freaking out that she didn't tell me about it through scroll and I thought that it was something that I did wrong” Celestia lied as the whole group just laughed it off, “girls?”

“Oh you are so silly sometimes” Pinkie said, “group hug every-pony”

Celestia was then assaulted by the bodies of her friends in a group hug in the middle of the library floor, each one covered in various layers of cake, icing and muffins, a smile on each of their faces as they did.

The only one not involved was Spike, who had retreated to the kitchen prior to the wave of cakes flying around the library main floor, walked in with a bucket and mop. With a sigh he began the task of cleaning up the mess that they had made.

To be continued

---

A/n

Chapter 2 is now up and hopefully a lot better to read than my first one, which was to be honest was rushed as it was written as a thing of thoughts to paper.
Chapter 1 was re-written/proofread so is much more coherent -so give it a re-read and continue with the story.

I have chapter 3 ready, just finalising and going over it with a fine tooth comb.

again constructive criticism is appreciated.

Comments

[martyrex]

Nice but had taken a little bit long

[wingzero]

With precision of a hawk with a sniper rifle,

BEST LINE EVER

[andmos]

IT'S ALIVE!
Great job on this one.

[Field_Marshal_Luna]

1250642global3.memecdn.com/still-waiting_o_207253.jpg

[Written Note]

May I edit for you?