An Extended Vacation
Luna, Princess of the Moon -- no, actually, former Princess of the Moon; that was going to take some getting used to -- closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Somehow, she was... disappointed. The air tasted the same this evening as it always did. Her shoulders felt no less burdened, the only difference now compared to yesterday was her lack of royal regalia. She opened her eyes and looked over the remains of her former room. Where once the walls were covered in star-charts, sketches, and sheets full of calculations, now they were bare. The entire room was bare, save for the bed itself, and work desk, which itself held none of her papers and other work.
Most of her work -- at least the part she cared about, the night sky itself -- had been magically shrunk down and placed in a pair of saddlebags lying at the foot of the bed. Twilight Sparkle, now the new owner of the castle, insisted that there wasn't any hurry to move out; it was only the night after Twilight's official coronation, and in fact this room would always be open to Luna and Luna alone, she assured in that nervous, shaky way of hers. The same was true of Celestia and her room, from what Luna was told. Still, there was nothing keeping either of the Sisters here any longer, and the world was calling in a way she hadn't allowed herself to hear in centuries -- even ignoring her long exile.
Luna was looking forward to it, really she was. But at the same time Luna couldn't help a certain trepidation at all the change, especially the good bye's she would be enduring over the course of the next night or so. Luna swallowed nervously. One in particular was going to be especially hard.
"Hey, Luna," a voice spoke up from the entrance to her room, causing her to cringe just a little. This was going to be a difficult conversation. Luna turned to face the newcomer, a small smile on her face despite herself.
"Hello, Sugar Heart. I was just thinking about you."
The pony in question grinned. She was a green earth pony with slightly darker green mane which had in recent years gained a grey streak (something Sugar Heart herself complained came in a good decade too early, and she blamed it on the stresses of being Luna's friend), and her Cutie Mark was an image of a spoon full of sugar in front of a medicine bottle. "Sure. You took part in the biggest battle between good and evil in recent history, gave up the throne, and had to help get the new Princess settled in, and so on and so forth. I'm sure I was the first thing you were thinking of tonight."
Luna laughed. "And you sell yourself short, as usual. Tonight of all nights, I think, you would be at the very top of my thoughts."
One of Sugar Heart's ears flicked in curiosity. "Oh? Why's that?"
At this, Luna scowled and blushed a little. "Well, er, ah. The thing is... there is really no reason -- either for myself or Celestia -- to remain at the castle anymore, and I haven't really had the opportunity to truly experience Equestria since I came back from the Moon, and now that the opportunity has presented itself..."
"Wait," Sugar Heart interrupted. "Wait wait wait wait. You're trying to say goodbye, aren't you?"
Nothing for it but to be direct. "Yes," Luna said.
Sugar Heart nodded in understanding. "You know, one of the nice things about being retired -- especially a retired Princess -- is that you can go wherever you want whenever you want. That includes coming back home whenever you want."
Luna nodded. "Twilight Sparkle; that is, Princess Sparkle; has said as much. But I can't deny that things will be... different... from here on out."
"True," Sugar Heart agreed. "Then it's a good thing that you're not the only one retiring tonight."
"Well, of course, Celestia is making a similar journey -- an 'extended vacation' I believe she calls it -- but we've already decided that at least some time time away from each other would be good for the both of us. We're not actually planning to meet up together in Silver Shoals for several months. That still leaves..." Then Luna stopped, as the tone of what Sugar Heart said caught up with her. She looked her friend up and down and realized that she wasn't wearing the uniform of her station. "Wait, Sugar Heart..."
Sugar Heart was grinning rather playfully at this point. "You're not the only one who's been doing some soul searching this week. Now, I'm sure Princess Sparkle would be a very fair and enjoyable employer to work for, but the more I thought about working the castle without you here, the more I realized... well you already said it. It would be different. A kind of different I don't think would be worth sticking around for. So, effective, like, an hour ago, I'm retiring, too."
Luna smiled at first, then slowly her expression turned dark. "Wait a moment, I know I'm somewhat unfamiliar with modern employment practices, but I do know you are nowhere near the traditional retirement age. How are you going to support yourself from here?"
Sugar Heart raised a hoof to calm her friend. "Don't worry about it, Luna. I got it all taken care of. Spoke to Princess Sparkle herself." At the expression on Luna's face, she amended. "Okay, well, Celestia pushed me a bit, but Princess Sparkle kinda figures me being your best friend was more important than me being a servant of the castle. So, yeah. Don't worry about me."
Luna stood sightly stunned for a moment, before bursting out laughing. Sugar Heart huffed. "What?"
"I'm just picturing your encounter with Twilight Sparkle in my head."
At this Sugar Heart blushed. "Oh, come on. It totally went..." she sighed here as a small smile played on her face despite the redness, "... exactly as you're probably imagining it."
~FiM~
They were standing before a large, ornate door in the upper levels of the castle.
"Well, there it is. You can do this, right?" Celestia said, a smirk on her face.
Sugar Heart looked up at her with a wobbly sort of smile. "Oh yeah sure I can do this it's not like I haven't just barged in on a Princess before I do it all the time I can do this I can do this I can do this..."
Celestia chuckled. "You're record's broken." Sugar Heart clamped her mouth shut. Celestia's grin widened. "You have no one but yourself to blame, you know. If you'd made up your mind just... yesterday, even, you could have just asked me."
"I know, I know," Sugar Heart groaned. "This whole... giving up on the throne thing took me by surprise, is all. Took me a while to get my thoughts together."
Celestia nodded. "I understand. You don't need to worry so much, though. Apart from just being a good pony in general, Twilight Sparkle is Princess of Friendship. She'll understand the importance of what you're trying to do."
Sugar Heart took a deep breath to stabilize herself and walked up to the door. She raised a hoof to knock on it, then made a quick glance behind her for some reassurance from Celestia. She was gone. Traitor. Sugar Heart took another deep breath, then knocked on the door.
She was admittedly a little surprised when Twilight Sparkle opened the door. Apart from the obvious -- having both a horn and a pair of wings -- Princess Twilight Sparkle didn't really look like a princess yet. She was barely an inch or so taller than Sugar Heart herself, and looked a few years younger. "Hello," she said with a kind but confused smile on her face. "Can I help you?"
Sugar Heart cursed herself silently as her mouth did that thing it did when she was nervous. "Hello you probably don't know me but I've been working at the castle for a good while now and I know you're probably really really busy and I probably should have figured things out earlier so I could have just asked Celestia about this but I didn't and now here we are my name is Sugar Heart."
For her part, Twilight Sparkle was visibly unaffected by the sudden word-vomit. Not surprising, Sugar Heart supposed. Pinkie Pie was rather legendary herself. "Sugar Heart?" Twilight muttered, tapping her chin. "Oh, Sugar Heart! I've heard of you. You've been Princess Luna's personal assistant since she came back, right?" She grinned here. "And also, from what I've heard, her accomplice?"
"Aha, hahahaha. ha.... She makes me do it?" Sugar Heart said with a sheepish shrug.
~FiM~
"How long did it take you to actually get around to the point of your visit?" Luna asked in amusement.
"Ten minutes!" Sugar Heart almost wailed as she flopped on the floor and covered her blushing face. "She let me ramble on at hyper speed for ten minutes. Just sitting there. Listening. I think she was actually listening, too. Just... soaking it all up as I went on and on and on..."
Luna laughed as she lowered herself to the floor and draped a wing over her friend. "That brings back memories, doesn't it?"
Sugar Heart grinned in spite of herself. "At least I didn't have to deal with The Voice this time."
Luna laughed at that. "Mayhap we shouldst bring out the olden speech on occasion. For tradition of course."
"And to mess with ponies who haven't met you yet."
"That, too."
Luna allowed for a few minutes of companionable silence before she finally asked, "So what are your plans, now that you are retired?"
Sugar Heart scratched the back of her head. "Well, I figured, I haven't really seen much of Equestria either. I've lived in Canterlot my whole life. The furthest I've ever really traveled out of town was Ponyville for cider season and Nightmare Night." Luna nodded at those memories. With the exception of Luna's first Nightmare Night -- apparently both Sugar Heart and Celestia had decided it was important for Luna to go "cold turkey" for that first one -- Sugar Heart almost always accompanied Luna on her traditional appearances. She and Pipsqueak had become pen-pals over the years. And certain members of the court silently cursed Sugar Heart for introducing her to the Apple Family Cider. Luna wished she could remember some of those nights better, considering some of the aftermath. Sugar Heart cleared her throat. "So, at least for a while, I figured, ah, if you didn't mind... I'd just tag along with you?"
Luna smiled at that. "I would be most delighted, old friend."
~FiM~
Luna and Sugar Heart were still chatting amicably as they ambled down to the main floor, stopping to wait for Celestia. "I think this whole 'extended vacation' thing will do you at least as much good as me," Luna said.
Sugar Heart blinked. "What brought that thought on?"
"Other than the fact that there is an official, notarized royal decree still in the records department demanding you actually take your yearly leave time?"
"Now, in fairness, I was never very good at taking vacation time even before I met you. I never really knew what to do with myself during extended time off." Sugar Heart's face went slack. "By the Princesses, I may actually end up going insane."
"Luna's right then," a sudden voice said above them. "This vacation is going to be good for you. A little insanity does wonders for you."
Luna and Sugar Heart looked up to see the mismatched Draconequis form of Discord floating above them, his typical dopey smile on his face. "Hello, Discord," Luna said with a decidedly blank face.
"Why, do my eyes deceive me? The rumors are true! Dearest Celestia and Loony little Luna are in fact leaving the nest!" Discord spared a glance in Sugar Heart's direction. "And you're bringing your little servant with you."
"Yes, Discord," Luna said, a little coldness in her voice as she did. "My friend has decided she wanted to accompany me."
Discord dropped to the floor with the sound of eggs getting dropped into a frypan. "Well, good for you," he said, his smile actually looking genuine. "I'm serious, I'm happy for you." Again he cast his gaze upon Sugar Heart. For her part, Sugar Heart managed not to cringe behind her larger friend, but it was a close thing. "Now that I think about it, I never apologized to you for my actions during my first return, have I?"
"No," Sugar Heart said. "You haven't."
Discord pulled on his beard with his lion's paw thoughtfully. "Well, that just won't do. Won't do at all." Here he performed a deep, sweeping, ever-so-slightly mocking bow. "My deepest apologies for sending you to the Moon and straining your friendship way back then. I was nothing short of a cad!" He looked up, with a smile on his face that cast just a little doubt on his sincerity, but Sugar Heart still couldn't help but think he actually was being sincere, somehow.
"Oh, uh, I guess I forgive you? Don't do it again."
Discord laughed jovially at this as he stood up straight. "I'll try."
Here he snapped his talon, which caused a tiny little red bottle to appear floating in front of Sugar Heart's face. She held out a hoof and the bottle gently dropped into it. "What is this?" she asked, slightly dumbfounded.
"Oh, just a little going away present." Discord leaned in close and stage-whispered conspiratorially. "About two drops in a bottle of bubble bath, say, yay big --" here Discord held his forearms apart about two hooves "-- will turn a white coat a most wonderful shade of pink."
Sugar Heart smirked and snorted a brief huff of laughter in spite of herself. "Why, Discord. Are you suggesting we repeat a gag? Not very chaotic of you, is it?"
Discord *popped* between Luna and Sugar Heart, an arm draped over each shoulder. "It's not just any gag. It's your first gag. Those're special. Besides. With careful timing and planning, a repeat prank can take the victim completely by surprise. They don't see those coming from the pros, after all." Here he launched himself back up in the air. "Well, I'm going to go bother Dearest Celestia for a bit before she gets down here. Ta!"
Sugar Heart considered the bottle for a moment, before putting it in her saddle bag. "You know, when Celestia freed him again and tried to reform him? I thought she'd gone nuts."
Luna grinned. "You are not alone. I kept the arguments private, but I was not particularly happy myself at that decision. And despite a few hiccups along the way, it worked out for the best in the end." She rolled her eyes here. "Even after all these centuries it's still infuriating how she does that."
Sugar Heart chuckled as a pony caught her eye. "Oh, Lemon Fresh!" She turned to Luna. "Sorry, could you give me a minute? There's a few goodbyes I'd like to get out of the way."
Luna nodded. "Certainly. There's no rush." Luna watched as Sugar Heart fast-walked over to a servant pony off in the corner and began animatedly talking with her, giving her a goodbye hug, and even giving her a gift of some sort from her bag. A few minutes later Celestia was standing next to Luna, also watching.
"She really is a special one," Celestia opined.
Luna nodded. "That she is." Slight concern crossed her face. "Are you going to be okay? I mean, well..."
Celestia laughed. "Don't you worry about me, Lulu. I have some friends of my own to visit. Including a few old ones I never expected to meet again." Luna couldn't help but smile at that. "I'll be fine."
Luna smiled. "I'm sure you will be." She grinned, here. "Did Discord give you a proper farewell?"
Celestia laughed at this. "It was certainly... uniquely Discord. Twilight Sparkle is going to have her hooves full with him."
"Along with everything else. But she can handle it. She's proven to be an exceptional pony."
Celestia cast a wistful glance back up the stairs. "Yes. Yes she has." Luna didn't say anything, but she suspected that Celestia may be the first of the two sisters to make a return visit to Canterlot.
A minute or two later, Sugar Heart returned. "Thanks. I needed that," she said.
Celestia nodded to her sister. "Well, then. The night is young and the world is calling. Shall we?"
Luna nodded back. "Yes. Let's. Sugar Heart?"
"Ready when you are, of course."
At that, the now former Princesses, along with one rather normal little earth pony, stepped out of the castle that had been their home, ending an era. And yet, at the same time, a new one was beginning, both for the nation and for the Princesses themselves. How could you not be excited about that?
~The End~