Princess Celestia and Princess Luna seemed to be having a friendship problem. Twilight Sparkle is hesitant to send Starlight Glimmer, despite what the Map says. When Starlight arrives in Canterlot, she can see the sisters resent each other ... But what's the best way to tackle it? Besides, well, switching Cutie Marks?
[Another approach to A Royal Problem, combined with things from Between Dark and Dawn]
Despite all of Twilight's panicking and hyperventilating (and perhaps working the cogs on her music box conduit a liiiiitle too hard), Starlight Glimmer had an idea of what the problem was. And what she was going to do about it.
Called to Canterlot Castle solo by the Map, both she and Twilight were a little confused as to why it only called one pony instead of two, but it wasn't something Starlight didn't think she could do alone. Until Twilight started to make her feel that way, but putting those thoughts aside, she joined Celestia at the breakfast table once again.
"Wow" She smiled at the stack of pancakes, decorated with peach slices and pineapple fingers and shaped into a smiley face, "I almost feel bad for eating this, it's adorable!"
"Like I said, I enjoy this part" Celestia cheerily gave her reply as she walked to her side of the breakfast table, only having time to pick up her teacup before the door slammed open, the sour face of her sister making an appearance into the breakfast room and taking a banana from the fruit on the table. Peeling it, but eating the peel instead of the fruit, Celestia could only sip her tea in passive-aggressive disapproval as Starlight quickly got to her hooves.
"Princess Luna! Wait!" She approached the moon monarch, only to be made with a Princess with deep bags under her eyes and an expression that could frighten a cockatrice. Taken aback, Starlight glanced at Celestia, who let go of her teacup with a little more abruptness than needed, and seemed to give a look that indicated that she was ready to chew Luna's flank off if Luna snapped at their guest. Sensing the tension in the room was reaching a simmering point, Starlight breathed out, preparing herself mentally and emotionally for confronting the most powerful alicorns in the land about their issues.
"As you both know, the map sent me here for a reason, and I... think I found out what it is" She ended her opening line with an uneasy smile. Celestia rose up and stood next to her sister, her light voice such a contrast to Luna's air.
"Really? That's wonderful, Starlight!" A soft half-laugh. The praise was making Starlight see why Twilight was so happy being Celestia's student, it was nice getting this sort of encouragement, "What is it?"
Starlight almost wished she didn't have the say the next part. Celestia looked so chipper, and even Luna simply looked tired rather than irritated. Both looked at her expectantly, and her unease smile dissolved into an uneasy grimace.
"You two" She stated bluntly. Both Celestia and Luna were startled, and in one voice answered.
"Excuse me?" Was Celestia's enquiry, with Luna being more abrupt with "I beg your pardon?". However, when both were quick on the defence, they also looked at each other uneasily, and Starlight took that as her opening.
"Iiii think you're accidentally hurting each other's feelings, uh, without realizing it" Quickly she added on the last part. Blame never helped, it never helped to have one pony accused of doing something, it was better to have a pony explain how they were hurt rather than accusing the other of harming them. Both sisters looked at each other, but just as quickly, they looked away, seemingly unwilling or unable to communicate. She moved onto addressing specific issues facing the Princesses that she had personally seen, stepping closer to the tall white alicorn, "Princess Celestia, does it bother you that Luna seems to never notice the wonderful breakfasts that you prepare for her?"
Celestia looked away, her head down slightly, her voice sad, " Uh... Y-Yes. It does"
"Princess Luna, how you feel about the idea that Celestia never seems to acknowledge the work you put into lining the hallway with lavender every night?"
Luna was startled at first, but then frowned, more defensive than Celestia, "I... Well, I... I-It's not the best feeling" She admitted, and for a moment Starlight thought she was going to turn to Celestia. With the dire warnings about the last time they had a disagreement, Starlight very quickly moved onto her next point.
"When I was walking with you two, it ... seemed like the only time you see each other is when the other has finished their duties. Luna is exhausted with the night duties and the dream realm, and Celestia is drained from all the day duties and dignitaries. I know that ... well, both your jobs are hard. I've seen it!" Starlight probably said those last words too quick and too loud, but she was very eager to avoid a comparison. That would only end in disaster, she had more than an earful about how one sister thought the other had an easy job.
"It might just be me ... but it seems like you are acting more like coworkers than ... well, sisters"
Celestia and Luna blinked at her, unsure about how to respond to that.
"When was the last time you did anything AS sisters? Not, y'know, a festival or an event or something. Just ... having some fun together? Taking time out to bond?"
"..." Celestia tried to think, while Luna wrinkled her lip.
"I don't know if you've noticed, Starlight, but we have a lot of duties, we simply can't drop everything and go for a day trip"
"Princesses don't get to have some time off?" Starlight rose a brow, "I mean, I know ruling Equestria is a huge thing and it takes both of you to do it" She thought it best to completely avoid the time that Celestia did it alone, for terrible reasons that would hurt them both, "But you need time for YOU. You're not just Princess Celestia who raises the sun, and Princess Luna who raises the moon. You are Luna and Celestia, the royal pony sisters. SISTERS. Even Twilight takes time off, and you know Twilight, she would work 500 hours a day if you let her"
Celestia had to stifle a giggle at that piece of truth, as Luna looked away again.
"What I am thinking is that you two only see each other when you are tired, and that's not good. I know that when I don't get to see my friends, when I only see them at school and they are busy with the students, that I feel resentment. I get jealous. It's kinda bad when they have this history and all these cool adventures together and ..." She sat on her rump and waved her hooves, "I ... don't. I feel left out. And I feel like they don't acknowledge the things I do either. But the summer is here, the students are all home for the holidays, and I get to spend time with the girls, and I can travel to the Crystal Empire to see Sunburst. We get to see each other outside of work and whatever's decided to attack Equestria. And... I think that's what you two need"
"Do you think this can be solved over some pancakes and lavender?" Luna asked bluntly, and Starlight once again smiled awkwardly.
"Well, no ... but I think it will help you rest and see each other more. Please, think about it. Twilight and Cadance can help, I'm sure of it, and you have lots of seasoned royal palace helpers that know how things work here inside out. One of you sleeps during the day and the other at night, sure, but if you take, say three days off, you can meet up your sleep patterns, and have a day to go back to normal!" She swallowed, offering a bright smile to sell the idea, "Sound fair? And if you are really worried, you can still raise and lower the moon, but maybe do that together ... "
Celestia and Luna looked at each other, sizing up the other's opinion. Celestia decided to move first.
"I ... had been hoping that we could attend the next Wonderbolt Fantastic Friday Flyover but I thought that would be too early for you so I didn't want to ask ..."
Luna looked down, sullen, but then brought her gaze back up, "There IS a performance of Manicore Melodies at the Opera I've been wanting to see but was too busy at night to catch and I thought it too late for you ...."
Starlight brightened, "Wonderful! You can do things together! Not as Princesses, but as sisters!"
"... Very well, Starlight" Celestia smiled, giving an air of dignity to the whole awkward affair, "We will try this. Starting next week to give everyone more time to prepare"
"Good choice" Starlight nodded, standing up again and pleased with herself at how it all ended, "... I can still eat the pancakes until then, right?"
"Calm down, Twilight" Starlight's expression was one of exasperated patience as the little ballerina figure that her mentor was using as an avatar started to hyperventilate.
"I can't rule all of Equestria, that's too much to do! I need to organise everything, I need to work on the plans for the next school year, manage the schedules of the students returning, organise the meetings and the galas, I need t-"
"TWILIGHT" Starlight slammed her hoof on the dressing table, making the music box jump and causing Twilight to stare at her, "Calm down a second, you'll pull a spring if you keep doing that"
"This is no time for jokes, Starlight!" Twilight snapped back, her voice higher than normal with anxiety, "How could you suggest that to the Princesses?! They've never taken a day off, no-one else can do their jobs!"
"Uh, pretty sure some ponies can" Starlight wasn't buying Twilight's view of the responsibilities of the dual monarchs, "I mean, what has Celestia been grooming you for, if not to be the next Princess of ALL of Equestria? Seriously, think about it. Everyone knows it. This is just ... a test run"
"I haven't been groomed for that" Twilight snapped defensively, but Starlight rolled her eyes.
"Please. Anyone with half a brain can see that's what this is all for. You're not going to do it alone anyway; I've said that Princess Cadance could help too. After all she rules the Crystal Empire-"
"And has to look after Flurry Heart!" Twilight almost seemed personally offended at the Princess of Love being offered up for the position, "You can't just-"
"You DO realise that Shining Armour looks after Flurry Heart too, right" Starlight rose a brow, "It's not like Cadance does it all herself. And they have staff. She keeps saying the Empire is too peaceful, I think she'd enjoy the chance in scenery"
"Well, no offense, Starlight" Twilight took on that smug tone and equally smug smile she wore whenever she thought her point was best, "But I think I know my sister-in-law best" Pointing a hoof to her chest, "And I'm telling you, she-"
"Already said yes" Starlight's face mirrored Twilight's smug smirk, at least, until Twilight's smirk fell away to a blank stare.
"She ... did?"
"Mmmhmm" Starlight curled her hoof under her chin, her smirk deepening, "She says she'll pick you up on her way to Canterlot, if you wanna do this. She says it will be no big deal, and she can visit some friends in Canterlot while she does it"
"..." Twilight look put out at being proven wrong, and sighed in defeat.
"Very well, Starlight. Tell Princess Celestia that I and Cadance will be there ready on Thursday so she and Luna can have the weekend off"
"Great" Starlight beamed, hopping off the stool she was perched on and heading to bed for the night, "The Princesses are just doing some stuff together, no need to panic"
"Right!" Twilight tried to be optimistic, wringing her hooves together, "No need to panic ..."
Sitting atop Celestia's tower side-by-side, the Sisters watched the night sky twinkle gently and waited for the right hour to come to see the change of night to day. Luna stifled a yawn, much to Celestia's amusement.
"Tired already?"
"No, I'm just used to getting ready for bed at this time" Luna's horn glowed in preparation to lower the moon, "I think it's just a natural reaction"
"I do the same when the clock in the main hallway strikes" Celestia admitted, "I always hope I'm not with other ponies when it happens"
"I wonder if our guards do the same" Luna mused. One night guard and one day guard stood at the entranceway behind the sisters, purely out of habit, and they looked at each other at the corner of their eye before shrugging in unison.
"Here we go" Celestia's horn glowed brightly as she waited for Luna to bring the moon down beyond the horizon. When she had the duty of day and night, she found moving the sun to be as effortless as breathing, but moving the moon ... it felt so heavy and cumbersome, on more than one occasion she thought she would somehow drop it. Luna, on the other hoof, moved it so smoothly and perfectly, slipping it underneath the skyline as Celestia brought up the sun, turning the dark sky into a colourful patchwork of purples, pinks and golds before sky blue became the dominant colour.
Celestia smiled, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face and warming through her fur, "Raising the sun, check. Now, we can do things we wish to do. First thing's first; breakfast!"
"This will be very strange; I usually have a snack and then head to bed" Luna noted, taking her place at the breakfast table as Celestia prepared the pan for pancakes.
"Well, as long as it's not a banana peel this time ... I'm surprised you ate that, it must have been very .... chewy" Celestia took a banana from the fruit bowl on the table herself, setting it on the chopping board to use for decoration once the pancakes were finished. Flour, eggs, buttermilk and various other ingredients were whisked together and poured into the sizzling pan, Celestia humming to herself as she worked. A maid pony brought Princess Luna the day's newspaper, bowing whilst another pony brought in two pots of tea for them. Foggy Mountain Grey for Celestia, Shire Lanka Jasmine for Luna.
"That would be an understatement" She made a face, sipping her tea as she unfurled the newspaper, "... though I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes some sort of health craze. Remember that time cake smoothies became a thing when you enjoyed the winning entry to the National Dessert Competition"
Celestia winced as she turned her pancakes over, "How could I forget? I had to tell ponies not to drink three gateaux shakes for dinner instead of food!"
"I think Equestria's dentists were not amused" Luna said, though her own tone was rather mirthful as she turned the pages.
"Anything interesting?" Celestia filled Luna's plate first before fixing her own, arranging the strawberries, blueberries, bananas and pineapples carefully.
"No, just the usual. Weather notices, society pages ... some interviews about the upcoming Daring Do books, nothing exciting" Luna set the paper aside as Celestia placed her pancakes in front of her.
"In a way, I'm glad" Celestia took her place at the table with her own pancakes, "I don't want Twilight to be overwhelmed on her first day"
"Cadance should keep her right" Luna noted, smiling as she saw that Celestia had arranged the berries into the shape of a crescent moon with little strawberry stars and a dollop of syrup to represent the dark blot of the Cutie Mark on her flank, "She's always been a lot calmer and able to handle herself"
"True, she could learn a lot from her" Celestia ate the pieces of pinapple off her pancake first, "At least this time she doesn't have to raise the sun and moon"
"Oh, stars, the last time that happened" Luna laughed, "Ponies thought the world had lost it's mind! I got all sorts of letters from the Pegasi and star watchers that were angry and upset about the change. 'It throws all our charts off, Princess!'. Yes, well, there is a great big centaur coming who is eating all the magic, I think we can let the moon and sun off just this once until we fix it"
"Sometimes I wonder what the issues we face sound like to other ponies" Celestia mused, "There was that, a insect pony Queen whose subjects eat emotions, a chaos creature who likes to play odd and twisted games with everyone, a pony made of shadows, a tyrant King obsessed with crystals ..."
"And yet ponies think we do nothing but treaties and dreamwalking" Luna sounded a bit annoyed, stuffing a whole pancake in her mouth, "I feel like saying 'Have you seen any Bugbear swarms or Maulwurf? No? You're welcome!'"
"And ponies think we are useless ..." Celestia's voice was sad and low, lowering her fork and her eyes to the table. Luna paused, then raised the slices of peach on Celestia's plate.
"Nonsense!" A funny voice from one of the slices, wiggling like it was alive, "You went horn-to-horn with the Queen Bug despite never seeing her before! The Queen thought she would be defeated, she even said so, it was just Shining Armour's love that made her stronger!"
"Yes indeed!" A warbly, snooty voice out of another peach slice, "Without putting all the Alicorn magic in Twilight to hide it, Tirek would have easily won!"
"Chuh, and let's not forget the time when the Sisters took down Discord alone! No help there except the Elements of Harmony! If they didn't have a connection to the Elements, Equestria would have been lost!" A grumbling old-man voice from the third peach slice, one that was a little more wrinkled than the others, "Back in my day, we didn't have no whipper-snapper friendship magic to sort that out, no sir! We walked a thousand miles on broken hooves while on fire to solve our world-changing problems! Whilst having no legs! Youngsters today, no respect for their elders!"
Celestia couldn't help but giggle at the little show in front of her, "Don't play with your food, Luna"
"I'm not playing with my food, I'm playing with your food" Luna countered lightly, stealing one of the peaches on Celestia's plate and popping it into her mouth. Celestia grinned, and started to move a couple of strawberries that Luna had set aside to finish last.
"My goodness, isn't it a lovely night for a stroll!" Celestia mimicked a high Canterlot accent, wriggling the taller strawberry, "Certainly no danger around here!"
"Indeed! I can't remember the last time I saw a cockatrice around these parts ... it's so nice to walk in peace without those ghastly tatzlwurms messin' up the place!" An Appaloosan drawl from the second strawberry, causing Luna to snigger behind her hoof, "That was worse than that time those gosh-darned pigasus plagues wiped out all mah turnips! Starved for fifty hundred moons, so we did! Wait, wait, nooooo!" Celestia slowly levitated the strawberry off Luna's plate and towards herself, "They got me! The pigasus are back for me! Save y'self darlin'! PROTECT THE TURNIPS!"
"Bravo!" Luna clapped as Celestia ate the strawberry, pleased with herself, "A solar performance with stellar reviews!"
"Oh, I think Twilight made it quite clear her opinions on my acting ability" Celestia was amused at remembering the ill-fated play, "Still, as long as it entertains"
"Speaking of entertains, what time is the Flyover?" Referring to the Wonderbolts weekly demonstration for fans and general public to test out new routines in front of an audience.
"Three o'clock, plenty of time" Celestia brought up a little gold pocketwatch she used to keep the time in her public rounds, seeing that it was still only seven in the morning, "We can do plenty before then"
"Then I have a suggestion ..."
"WELCOME TO BRIDLE BEACH!!" An overexcited pony greeted the sisters as they stepped onto the golden sands, "Care to try the water polo?? Or maybe some paragliding? We have a two-for-one special today!"
"Ooo, that sounds fun!" Celestia brightened, looking over to the waiting boat and instructor, a nervous-looking stallion slipping into his paraglider and helmet whilst his family cheered, "What do you say, Luna?"
"Mmm, maybe later, I kinda just want to chill by the sand" Luna admitted, her gaze over by the sunloungers and the waiter handing out coconut juice drinks.
"Well, I'll keep a spot for you!" Celestia accepted the ticket for the paraglider, joining the queue as Luna made her way over to the loungers. She froze as Luna just made herself comfortable.
"Wait, Luna!" She dashed over, startling the waiter handing the moon princess a pair of complimentary shades decorated with toucans, "Remember, sunblock!"
"Sunblock?" Luna looked over the shades quizzically.
"Oh, right, you don't normally need it ... well, we need sunblock" A flash of gold magic, and Celestia summoned two bottles. A higher factor for Luna, and a lower one for her. Luna was even more bemused watching Celestia applying it to her own cheeks and horn.
"You're the Princess of the Sun, surely you don't need that"
"Everypony needs sunblock, no matter what" Celestia informed her, "Some need stronger, like you, you aren't normally out in the intense sun light this. I might need a milder one, but I need it too"
"If you say so ... " Luna applied the cream to her fur and horn, still a little confused but now content relaxing on her lounger, a cool coconut drink by her side and basking in the shade as Celestia took her turn on the paraglider, Luna smiling as her sister's excited yells sounded around the beach.
"Ahhh, it's been forever since I was on a beach" Luna washed off the sand from her hooves and legs, the sandcastle the pair build being added into by excited fillies who decided it needed a few more additions and a couple of dungeons full of bunnies, "We need to do that again sometime"
"I'll see if I can't add a beach festival to the social calendar" Celestia joked, making her way to the Royal podium in the Wonderbolt stadium for the Flyover, "We have enough social events, I'm sure ponies wouldn't mind one on the beach"
"We should possibly inform Seaquestria, so they don't wonder what all the noise is"
"I haven't seen Queen Novo for a while" Celesia mused, "We should invite her for lunch sometime"
"Or King Leo" Luna suddenly remembered, "The King of Abyssinia was very eager to have a chat closer to winter; I think his Kingdom are running low on yarn again"
Spitfire, the Captain of the Wonderbolts, appeared surprised as Celestia and Luna passed her in the hallways, abruptly turning around and racing up to them.
"Your Majesties" She offered a salute instead of a bow, "I wasn't informed you were coming"
"Oh, this isn't an official engagement" Celestia's voice was light, "We simply wanted to watch with all the other ponies. Please, pretend we aren't here and perform as you normally would"
Spitfire looked between her and Luna, wondering if there had been some sort of mix-up or mistake. Seeing nothing giving her a hint to some sort of trickery, she nodded.
"Yes, Princess" Another salute, "We hope you enjoy the show!"
"... I think we need to do more things casually" Luna remarked as they walked up the stairs to the Royal podium, "Everyone looks surprised or even a bit alarmed when we say we aren't here for something official"
"To be fair ... when we appear outside of engagements, it's not normally something positive" Celestia reminded her sister, taking a seat on the satin pillow decorated with sun designs.
"True ..."
"That was AMAZING!!" Luna's wings were spread wide, her voice breathless and her eyes wide as she relived the flyovers in her mind, "All that ducking and diving ... I was sure they were going to crash into the mountainside, I had a spell ready just in case! The way they can just zip through the clouds ... It's been so long since I saw flying like that!"
"Well, they are the best in Equestria" Celestia giggled at her younger sister's excitement, "I loved that they performed the Icaranian Sun Salutation and Batpony Backward Blitz for us just off-the-cuff"
"Oh, what I would have given to see my guards try that" Luna tried to picture the Night Guards flying backwards and somersaulting in the same way, "We MUST be present at the next Gala performance; if that was simply warmups and trials, the end will be stunning!"
"And the Gala is late enough you will see it" Celestia smiled, "Well, it's been a long day ... What do you say we turn in for the night and we can do all your activities tomorrow night?"
"DEAL! Sleep without dreamwalking ... If someone appears in my dreams, wake me up!"
