Full (frontal) Moon Over Equestria

Chapters

The only chapter
Or maybe it isn't
(Guest chapter by Artie Downer) And now for something completely different
(Guest Chapter by Artie Downer) Finale

The only chapter

Much as Celestia hated to, she had to face certain unpleasant facts that simply couldn't be ignored. And currently she was forced to face a particularly unsavory fact that she loathed deeply. That being it was well past midnight, she had a big day tomorrow, and she was still wide awake, and showing no signs of being able to go to sleep anytime soon.

She'd been laying in her bed for the last hour, both mentally and physically exhausted from all of her royal duties, willing herself to simply let her mind drift into unconsciousness. But despite that desire for blissful rest, it seemed intent on alluding her in a game of cat and mouse that would make Discord proud. Sleep was subjecting her to more of a shell game than the various nobles did over the course of the day, and there was nothing she could do about it. Whereas a noble would ramble, and could be directed to get to the point in their poorly disguised begging for more money, sleep obeyed nopony, and would move of its own accord. It couldn't be heckled, or trolled, or even tricked into acting in a way it didn't see fit to.

Tossing and turning, readjusting her position for a better degree of comfort, had proven to ultimately be futile efforts in this battle of wills. If there was any winning to be had, it wouldn't be her; not anytime soon anyway. Given enough hours, she could probably drift off, but it was a long commitment that she simply didn't have the patience to devote time to.

The incessant ticking of the clock wasn't helping matters either. It served as just a mocking reminder of the fact that she couldn't sleep. Finally the culmination of everything got to be more than she could realistically tolerate. It was time to fly the white flag of defeat on this one.

"If I can't sleep, I'm at least going to be doing it somewhere else," she said to herself and finally sat up. If her bed was going to provide her with no respite, she was going to take to the halls for a late night walk.

She knew full well that the physical activity might only serve to shake the tiredness from her mind, but it was equally possible that it could allow her to unwind, and rest easier when she finally returned. Perhaps she'd venture out into the royal gardens and simply stare up at the night sky for a while, letting her mind drift to wherever it pleased.

Slipping out of bed, she retrieved a robe to pull over the flimsy nightgown she wore, slipping it over her shoulders and wings, and tying the belt shut tight. Both for the purpose of warding off the chill the night tended to bring with it, and for the sake of whatever palace staff she might come across during her walk, who would be seeing her in a less than regal state. Not that she would mind them seeing the real her now and again, especially the guards, but she doubted that they could truly be at ease around her; there were some things that even years of training couldn't overcome.

The sound of her guards snapping to attention at her chamber doors being parted merely served to reinforce that fact all too well to her.

"I'm going for a stroll to clear my mind," she stated as she stepped out into the hallway, the doors closing behind her. "I won't need an escort. At ease, gentlecolts," she instructed.

The two stallions remained at attention, but in a more relaxed manner than they had been previously. It was the best she could really hope for, and she knew that for a fact.

The feel of carpeting underneath her hooves wasn't something Celestia got to experience often when she walked the palace halls, what with it tending to coincide with almost constantly having to wear her regalia. It was a sensation she'd come to appreciate, simply because it was a change from the stagnant norm she was forced to put up with for so many centuries. It was a deviation from the standard order of things, regardless of how small it was; that was enough to make her repeatedly rub her hooves against the fabric as if she were trying to scratch an itch, simply to feel something new.

It wasn't enough though. Not nearly enough. She craved more than merely the feel of soft carpeting beneath her hooves in the dead of night.

Before she could linger on thoughts as to what she truly wanted, that train of thought derailed, and her hooves came to a stop as something new made its presence known. There was a delectable aroma working its way from the kitchen to where she stood, serving to distract her from her own brooding. And if her nose wasn't mistaken, that delectable aroma was something that she hadn't had the opportunity to sample in a long, long while,

Another sniff proved to dispel the thought of being mistaken, as there was no mistaking that aroma for anything else. Somepony was in the process of baking a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. Already the thought was making her stomach rumble.

"It couldn't hurt," she said to herself, feeling motivated to swing by the kitchen to determine who the mystery baker was. And perhaps if she were lucky, said mystery baker would feel generous enough to allow her a sample of their wares.

She could've easily teleported to the kitchen in an instant, but she chose not to. She wanted to savor that sweet smell as she made her way there on hoof, to give her something to look forward to. It would also give her the opportunity to hope for acquiring some for herself, rather than having that hope dashed immediately by the prospect of getting nothing.

The urge to storm the kitchen was quite strong as Celestia made her way through the palace, eager to arrive at her destination. But as she approached the doorway, her ears flicked as she picked up the sound of somepony talking and... no, no it wasn't talking, it was singing. The voice was quite soft, and the tune quite old; centuries old actually. That was in addition to the song being sung in a language that most didn't commonly have knowledge of. All those facts combined told her that Luna was the mystery baker.

She stepped into the kitchen quietly, weighting her options of approach. With her sister, that might make it easier to acquire a few cookies for herself. Or it might make the acquisition more difficult. It was hard to tell just how her Luna would respond; either friendly or playful.

The plan of her approach was to step around the bend in the room that led to the ovens, and casually comment on how somepony was certainly busy tonight.

But it was a simple rule that no plan survived first contact, and she faltered in her approach when she actually saw Luna standing in front of the ovens and taking a tray of freshly baked cookies out, before putting another tray and unbaked ones in. That in itself hadn't caused her to nearly trip over her hooves, but rather it was the view of her sister's bare backside, obstructed only by her tail.

Luna... Luna was standing naked in the palace kitchen, wearing nothing but an apron and oven mitts.

In her surprised state, she must've caused some commotion she hadn't been aware of, as Luna turned around to face her at that moment.

"You are up quite late, 'Tia," she noted as she moved to set the tray of cookies down on the nearest counter. "Is everything alright?"

"I... I don't know," Celestia said as she found her voice again, trying not focus on how the apron was currently hanging off of Luna's frame. "Is this a dream? Am I sleeping?" she asked.

Luna shook her head. "You are wide awake, dear sister, and well past your bedtime as well. What would give you the idea that you are dreaming?"

"Beyond the fact that my sister is currently naked in the kitchen while baking cookies?" Celestia asked.

Luna blinked, before looking down at herself to confirm for herself what Celestia was saying, before looking back up at her, just a tad bit sheepish as she did.

"You would like an explanation, I assume."

"I'd certainly appreciate one," Celestia replied and nodded.

"Very well. But before that, a question," Luna replied, "cookie?"

A plate of hot chocolate chip cookies, and a tall glass of cold milk. Celestia would be lying if she said such a treat didn't inspire a sense of nostalgia in her, as it reminded her of more enjoyable times long since passed, when both she and Luna were fillies. The two of them had spent a number of nights in their youth, enjoying this same snack, ironically in the same setting; the palace kitchen late at night in each others' company. Making it all the better was that they'd been cooked to the point of the outer edges being crispy without being hard, and one could just detect a hint of vanilla upon biting into it.

Of course that delight born from a remembrance of more enjoyable times back in the old palace, was tempered by the circumstances surrounding it. While she had succumbed to the simple joy found in hot cookies, Luna had divested herself of the mitts and apron before joining in, leaving quite literally nothing to the imagination as she enjoyed the fruits of her labors as well.

This was hardly the first time she'd seen Luna naked; far from it actually. Growing up they would always be bathed together. Even into their adulthood, social bathing was something still practiced with semi-regularity between them; having a companion greatly assisted in getting properly cleaned. Beyond that fact, bathing alone could be so very lonely, regardless of the attendants being on duty. Nothing had even been thought about it. But this was an entirely different context in which she was seeing her sister bare. It was... she really didn't know what it was.

"Are they to your liking, dear sister?" Luna asked her.

"Just like Mother used to make," Celestia replied.

"Fitting, seeing as it is her recipe that was used," Luna stated as she quickly procured another cookie for herself.

"Might I ask what brought this on? The last time we had a moment like this, it was your first night back in Equestria," Celestia pointed out, although she refrained from mentioning the obvious.

Luna merely shrugged as she chewed. "Just a simple craving for something sweet. And as it was a slow night, I saw no reason not to bake up a batch," she explained.

"Is the fact it's a slow night, also the reason you're naked?" Celestia asked.

"I take it you do not approve?" Luna asked in return.

"Would it matter if I didn't?" Celestia asked.

"In truth? No it would not," Luna replied, no uncertainty in her voice as she spoke. "It would, however, be appreciated if you did..." she admitted in a quieter tone.

Celestia remained quiet as she chewed on her cookie, observing Luna's demeanor, before reaching over and patting her hand.

"What you do on your own time is up to you, Luna. You're a grown mare, you don't need my permission," she explained, "but you have managed to pique my curiosity. If you feel up to explaining, why don't you start at the beginning?" she suggested.

"Yes, that may be best," Luna replied and nodded. "I cannot name names, but some time ago when I was making my rounds in the dream world, I was... shall we say introduced, to the concept of nudism. From what I gathered, it is the belief that nudity should be regarded as normal, not something that one should be ashamed of."

"And you decided to try it out for yourself to see if there was a point, correct?" Celestia asked as she turned her attention to the glass of milk next to the plate of cookies.

Luna shook her head in response. "Not at first, no, although I was intrigued by the idea. But it took quite some time before I ever considered actually going ahead and attempting it for myself. And then longer still, before I worked up the nerve to actually go through with such," she explained. She stopped to eat another cookie on the shared plate between them, before continuing with her story. "It was not something I rushed into without thinking. I was actually quite apprehensive about what I was considering; enough that I actually approached the night staff to hear from them first."

That made Celestia pause, and divert her attention back to Luna, milk and cookies forgotten for the time being. "Come again?" she asked.

"I did not consider it appropriate to engage in such unconventional behavior, without first informing those that would be present to witness what was to occur, and thus affected by it. So I briefed them on what I was considering doing, and listened to what they had to say in response," Luna elaborated.

"Very considerate of you," Celestia noted. Although that sounded like something Twilight would do rather than Luna. "And how did that go?"

"It was one of the most awkward things I have ever undertaken in recent history," Luna admitted and sighed, hanging her head in memory. "The night staff was just as uncomfortable with the idea as I; if not even more. Most of the night had been spent on discussion rather than application. By the time I had worked up the nerve to actually proceed, morning was already close at hoof, necessitating a postponement until the next night. But looking back, I believe such was the best course of action to take in broaching this subject."

"Oh?" Celestia asked, an amused tone tinting her voice in the process. "How so?"

"Well I am merely assuming, but I believe that my being just as embarrassed and uncomfortable as the night staff made for a more successful endeavor. They showed me the same degree of consideration that I did for them; if not even more. They were willing to aid me however they could, to help me feel at ease with what I was doing," Luna explained, a smile crossing her features as she spoke. Looking back at how things had started out, she liked to think that the mutual embarrassment on everypony's part had instilled a sense of camaraderie between them.

"Oh? So are there certain perks involved with working the night shift?" Celestia asked with a coy grin.

Luna frowned at hearing the tone of Celestia's question, narrowing her eyes in response. "Celestia. I hope that you are not suggesting what I believe you are. Because if you are, I am going to slap you in response," she warned, her wings twitching as she did. "Nudism is not about that. It is not about succumbing to, and embracing base desires in such a bestial manner."

Celestia put her hands up in mock defeat, but could do little to suppress her amusement at Luna's response. "I'm sorry, Luna, I apologize. Really. I just couldn't resist, you left yourself wide open with how you were speaking, and I'd be remiss in my duties as a big sister if I let that go," she explained. But she calmed down and became serious once again. "So how long has this been going on?"

Luna huffed and frowned, but eventually shrugged and continued with her tale, deciding it was best to simply let it go. "Long enough that it no longer seems strange to go without clothing. The guards are no longer uncomfortable in my presence, regardless of what they see, and the staff has become relaxed; both mares and stallions. It has more or less become business as usual," she explained.

"Well that's certainly good to know. But you didn't really answer my question," Celestia replied with a knowing smile as she picked up a cookie to nibble at. "I asked how long this has been going on, not how long it took for everypony to become adjusted to it."

"Oh. Right," Luna replied, realizing that she'd been caught. That left no choice but to actually confess. "About three months now. Perhaps five..."

Celestia quirked an eyebrow at hearing that. "Five months? You've been going nude every night for five months, and this is my first actual hearing of it?" she asked, not really believing it. How did something like that not get out through gossip?

Perhaps the ponies that made up the night staff were more loyal to Luna than she'd suspected.

"Well... almost every night. There have been times when it was simply not possible, due to royal duties that needed to be tended to. But for the most part, yes," Luna explained.

Celestia remained silent as she thought over this. Although that would prove a lot easier if she actually knew just what to think about what Luna had told her. This was a lot of information to take in all at once, and needed to be properly processed. She decided not to pursue the matter of how long Luna had been a practitioner, as it was irrelevant right now.

"Is the night court one of those duties where clothing is required?" she asked.

Luna nodded in response. "I did not think it appropriate to do otherwise. Even if I did think such, it is not something I would actually dare to try. At least... not without you knowing beforehoof, so that you might be able to offer guidance on the matter," she explained hesitantly.

Celestia briefly wondered if Luna's admission was part of something larger. Had her sister secretly orchestrated all the events of this evening, just to bring about this moment? Had she needed to speak with her, but couldn't think of any other way to go about it?

This was going to require gathering more information before proceeding in one direction or another.

"I'm curious about how you actually arrange that. Where do you keep your clothing, so that it's convenient when you have a petitioner to see?" she asked, wondering if one of the maids was on call, and tasked with keeping her sister's garments available at all times.

"Ah! That is a matter that was brought up by my aide, Night Blossom, when the matter was first being discussed. She had a brilliant recommendation for such eventualities, as it would take too long to be made presentable otherwise," Luna replied and snapped her fingers.

In a flash Luna was dressed in the same gown and garb Celestia had seen her wearing when she'd turned in for the evening, complete with regalia. She then snapped her fingers again, and it was once again gone just as it had come.

"You placed an invisibility charm on your clothing?" Celestia asked.

"Feel for yourself and tell me if that is what I did," Luna replied as she extended her arm for her sister's inspection.

Celestia reached out to feel her sister's arm and confirm this, but stopped as a mischievous grin crossed her features, and then moved to feel an entirely different part of Luna's anatomy, to see if this was what she'd truly done.

Luna squawked in surprise and swatted at Celestia's arm, unable to keep from giggling as her sister's fingers danced lively across her bare belly. She immediately pulled back and shielded her abdomen with her forearms crossed to prevent any similar attacks being launched against her. "You are evil!" she laughed.

"And don't you forget it," Celestia quipped and smirked. "So you teleport your clothes off and on, in order to make yourself presentable at a moment's notice if need be?" she asked.

"Correct," Luna replied as she straightened up again. "There were numerous suggestions offered on how best to proceed with this. But in the end, summoning clothing when it was needed seemed to be the best, along with assistance from the staff when it is necessary. Nopony outside of them is aware of what I do. Other than yourself."

As best as Celestia could tell, Luna was exercising as much caution, discretion, and concern as possible as she went about her activities, without ending them entirely; something that she doubted her sister was going to be doing anytime soon, judging by everything she'd said so far. Nor was she really seeing a reason as to why she should.

"Well then. It sounds like you've given all of this a great deal of thought, and have a sustainable game plan if you intend to continue. It seems, to me, that you have everything well in hoof," she stated before taking a sip of her drink.

"It does, does it not?" Luna replied.

Celestia paused. Something in Luna's tone, something that a stranger would be excused for not being able to notice, suggested that there was more at issue than what she was being told. Exactly what that was, she didn't know. But she knew the tone, and knew Luna well enough to know when something was weighing on her mind; she'd made a great deal of effort at becoming wise on such matters after her return to Equestria, as she had no desire to ever lose her sister again.

"There's more to it than just that, isn't there?" she asked.

Luna looked uncomfortable, the uncertainty of whether or not to reply, and how go reply, playing out across her face as she waged an internal battle of what to to.

"There is," she finally admitted, "but you would find it stupid."

"Finding something to be stupid, doesn't mean that it is stupid. But what was stupid, was my joking about the palace becoming a den of debauchery when the sun went down," Celestia explained. When Luna looked back at her, she continued. "That little slip about what was appropriate during the night court wasn't a mere hypothetical, was it?" she asked.

"It was not..." Luna admitted as she looked down.

"Do you want to hold the night court while nude?" Celestia inquired.

Luna shook her head slowly. "It is not something that I want to do. But... it is a thought that I have pondered from time to time. I cannot help but wonder what it would be like if I were to actually do such," she admitted.

"There would certainly be consequences to doing something like that," Celestia pointed out, to which Luna nodded. "Political backlash, fits from the nobility, referendums being filed, scandals in the tabloids, social justice warriors taking offense, those who seek to emulate you in how they conduct themselves..."

"I am aware," Luna replied and nodded. "Every time I have considered the possibility of attempting it, I am forced to weigh the facts of what potential fallout my actions may bring about if I did so. I simply do not feel that what would come of my actions would be worth it. There is simply too much at stake. If only I could make my mind stop wandering..."

"Let me ask you something, Luna," Celestia spoke up, interrupting whatever brooding her sister was undertaking. "Being a nudist, if that's the right term, is it something that you enjoy doing?"

"Very much," Luna admitted without hesitation, "It is difficult to express in words just how relaxing it can be to stroll through the hallways at night in nothing but your fur, and do it in such a casual manner, all without feeling like you are doing something shameful that must be hidden away from view. It can be so invigorating and freeing to actually experience."

"Then that's all I really need to know," Celestia replied, before downing the contents of her glass. "If this really is something you'd truly like to do, I'll support you in your endeavor."

Luna blinked, not sure she'd heard Celestia right? "You... you will? Just like that?" she asked.

"Just like that," Celestia confirmed with a nod. "Luna, as best I can tell, you're quite serious about not only this, but also your efforts in being professional in how you conduct yourself while doing it. I admit I don't know that much about nudism, but I can see that this isn't some passing fancy you've gotten involved in simply because it's fun. If it's truly important to you, then the least I can do is be supportive."

"E-even... even if I said that I did wish to hold the night court while nude?" Luna asked, her voice shaky as she did.

"Even then," Celestia replied.

The counter might as well have not existed, as Celestia quickly found herself tackled by Luna, nearly knocked off her stool in the process as a firm, highly energetic hug was delivered.

"I cannot express how much I appreciate that."

Celestia hesitated momentarily, before returning the hug and rubbing the patch of soft fur between her wings, not caring that her sister was currently naked. Right now Luna was happy, and that meant more to her than the fact she wasn't wearing anything.

"I do not know if I would ever be ready to actually take such a step. But thank you for saying that you would stand by me even if I did. It means much to know that you have my back in this," Luna stated before pulling back to look up at her. "You do know that if I did, our rule might never be the same again, right?"

"That's not necessarily a bad thing to experience, Luna, sometimes change is necessary. Our rule certainly hasn't been the same since you returned," Celestia pointed out. After a thousand years absence, Luna's return to rule had been met with... opposition from the powers that be. There were many who had been unhappy with the thought of the former Nightmare Moon returning to a position of authority. But regardless of all their wailing and gnashing of teeth, they had little choice but to accept the fact that the diarchy was returning in full force, and that they'd have two princesses to contend with from now on. "Considering such, a nudist princess shouldn't be all that controversial. Just be sure to let me know beforehoof when you plan on proceeding. I don't want to wake up to the fallout already in full swing, and I missed out on all the fun."

"Of course, of course," Luna agreed and nodded quickly. She didn't know if Celestia was joking about missing out on the fun of a political shakeup, but right now she didn't really care; she was just in too good of a mood right now. "I do not think it will be tonight, however. The docket holds little in the way of petitioners that need to meet with me. It is mostly paperwork to tend to."

"Perhaps that's for the best. I'm far too tired for all of the excitement of a revolution tonight anyway," Celestia replied as she disengaged from the hug. Despite the contents of the talk tonight, as well as her stomach, she felt more relaxed than she had previously. Now he actually felt like she might be able to rest. "Have a good night, Luna," she replied, before procuring two of the few remaining cookies for herself for the journey back to her quarters.

"Um... before you depart, 'Tia, might I pose another question?" Luna asked.

"I don't see why not," Celestia replied and shrugged. A few more minutes without rest wouldn't hurt her at this point.

"Perchance would you... like to participate as well?" Luna asked, a hesitant tone in her voice as she spoke.

Celestia must've been more tired than she initially thought. Had she heard her right? "Come again?"

"Would you like to know for yourself what nudism is about? An explanation can only go so far in a matter like this, and some things can only be understood through practical experience," Luna clarified.

Celestia mulled over the question, looking between Luna, and down at her robed form as she contemplated the proposition. She certainly could do that; she doubted it would cause any harm. She'd only have to untie a single knot, and slip out of a few articles of clothing to actually do it. And if what Luna was saying was true, the only ones who would actually see her, were those who were already accustomed to observing nudity in a public setting.

If she was going to support Luna in her endeavors, it couldn't hurt to have some understanding of just what she was supporting.

"Perhaps. But some other time. I'm too tired to be trying anything new right now," she finally replied and yawned. "Give me a few days to think it over, alright?"

"Of course," Luna replied and nodded, not seeing anything wrong with the request. If Celestia was willing to lend her support, the least she could do was give her the time to think it over for herself. She briefly wondered if she should point out the benefits of sleeping without sleepwear, as it would give Celestia the option of a head start, but she didn't want to come off as being too pushy. She would simply hold off for now, and let her sister proceed at her own pace. "Have a good night's sleep, sister."

"I'm certainly going to try," Celestia stated as she stood up and stretched. "I'll see you at breakfast."

"I will be looking forward to it then," Luna replied. "And before you ask. Yes, I will be dressed for such. There are too many ponies on the day staff up at that time for the alternative to be viable."

"Alright then. I leave the palace in your capable hands," Celestia said as she departed. "Just try not to burn down the kitchen. I'll never hear the end of it," she called over her shoulder.

Luna didn't know just what sort of response to give, finding Celestia's comment so off the wall, it might as well have come from Pinkie Pie instead of her own sister. What sort of remark was that even supposed to be?

Before she could ask for clarification, something bitter was tickling her nose. Instantly she understood just what Celestia had been saying.

"Ack! My cookies!"

Or maybe it isn't

Before she began her exploration of nudism, Luna had never given thought to just how much clothing some ponies tended to wear over the course of their daily -or nightly- activities. To her it had all just been routine, and perfectly normal.

Now, however, it was astounding just how wasteful it could all be considered. There were clothes to be worn when sleeping, clothes that were worn as one woke up and went about getting ready for the coming day, clothes that were worn during said day -or night- and clothes that were set aside for special occasions that otherwise went ignored for reasons of impracticality in everyday wear. There were even clothes intended to be worn underneath other articles of clothing.

Then came the matter of all the laundry that had to be done to keep up with the constant wearing and changing of said clothing.

Luna didn't really consider herself a true nudist, or at least not just yet anyway. For her, being nude around the palace was simply something she enjoyed doing when it was possible.

She supposed that was something of an advantage to being the Princess of the Night, rather than holding Celestia's office; fewer ponies brought their problems to her directly, due to the timing of her schedule. There were certainly those that saw her, but not nearly the sheer volume that came during the day. More often than not, there would be long periods of inactivity, punctuated by short but intense periods of seeing many petitioners. that sought her counsel.

It was times like this she was eternally grateful for the loyalty of the night shift of the palace staff. If not for their willingness to assist her, she doubted that she could get away with even half of what she did.

Now if only they could help her with all the paperwork that went into governing a country...

That matter aside, the ponies of the night staff really were a blessing to her. They had been very understanding, and very supportive when she'd approached them about the prospect of her going nude around the palace. And after the initial awkwardness had passed, things had become quite routine once again. Going without clothing no longer seemed strange to her; to the contrary, it seemed perfectly normal now to disrobe whenever it was a possibility.

She honestly didn't mind having to wear clothes when it was necessary; her experiences with nudism had hardly filled her with a hatred for being dressed, and a barely contained desire to immediately rip them off at the first available moment. Although it had made her dislike all the impractical runaround that was involved with it. There were times she honestly wished it was possible for her to simply roll out of bed, and go about getting ready for the night, without first having to put something on to make herself presentable, before changing into her official clothing for whatever the evening brought with it.

Sadly that just wasn't an option; not with how she woke up before the official change over between the day and night shifts in the palace. With waking up two hours before the setting of the sun, she had little choice but to tolerate the impractical runaround until the official changing of the guard, and every other staff member, before disrobing finally became an option. That was provided her counsel wasn't immediately needed.

Fortunately the hour was close at hoof, as the setting of the sun, and raising of the moon, was nearly completed. She had a generous two hours before her first scheduled appointment would arrive and need to be seen, meaning the opportunity to unwind would soon be present, and she was going to take it for all that it was worth.

"And done," she announced, the moon set properly in place high above the sky for all to see.

"Another success," Celestia idly noted as she took the opportunity to admire her sister's work. She never could get the night sky just right during her stint as a solo ruler; she simply lacked the artistic flare that it needed. In hindsight perhaps that was for the best, as nopony could ever replace Luna.

"But of course. Was there ever any doubt?" Luna asked.

"Perhaps a little," Celestia admitted with a cheeky smirk of a grin. "But thankfully it wasn't warranted this time around."

Luna frowned in response to Celestia's jab. She knew full well that it was nothing more than just playful sibling banter. But really, she just wasn't in the mood for it right now. She'd just shrug it off, and pretend that she hadn't heard anything being said.

She'd get her sister back for it later on, when the time was right, and she least expected it.

"If we are done, I would like to head back inside now," she stated.

"Of course," Celestia nodded, seeing no reason to warrant them staying out on the balcony any longer than was necessary. "So then, another slow evening for you?" she asked as they both walked along.

"For the most part," Luna replied and nodded. "But the night is just beginning, and the docket is often prone to change. It is for that reason that I intend to take a bath now, and utilize the available time as best I can," she explained.

"A bath?" Celestia asked, to which Luna nodded. She had her suspicions that Luna had been adjusting her usual schedule to better support her late night activities, but she had no proof to it. Nor did she really need it, as her sister's affairs were her own.

Most of the time anyway.

"I had plans for a bath myself before I turned in," she casually mentioned as they walked. When she saw Luna subtly directing her attention towards her, she continued. "Perhaps both could be done at the same time? If you don't mind the company," she suggested.

"No, not at all. To the contrary, I would appreciate it," Luna replied. Perhaps she could even talk her sister into tending to that one particular spot between her wings that was so hard to reach on her own. Fingers worked so much better than bath brushes in these situations. "Shall we use my facilities?"

Celestia nodded in response to the suggestion, not seeing anything wrong with that. "That works. I'll be there shortly, I just need to grab a few things to be ready."

"Nonsense, I am well stocked for bathing. Come along," Luna retorted, seeing no reason to delay getting washed up, as any such delay meant staying dressed longer than was absolutely necessary.

"It isn't that, Luna, I'll be in need of something to wear once done," Celestia pointed out.

"My robe is freshly washed, sister, and I will have no need for it afterward. You are free to use it for the walk back to your chambers," Luna replied, it being apparent that she needed to remind Celestia of that fact. "Now let us proceed without further delay. Lest I pick up you and toss you over my shoulder, and carry you there," she warned.

"Well when you put it that way..." Celestia replied, unsure of what else to really say in response to such an unusual threat.

Despite the in-floor tub in Luna's bathroom being smaller than her own, Celestia knew that it was still big enough for several ponies to use if so necessary, or even wanted. There was never any doubt that they would both be able to clean up without needing to do battle for sufficient elbow and wing room.

The attendants that Luna had procured for their bath, two earth pony mares, named Moon Lily and Dusk Wind, she wasn't so sure about. They were of average build for their tribe and gender, and there was nothing saying that they'd be climbing into the tub with them, but there was no guarantee. If that were the case then they might all wind up getting cozy with one another before this was over and done with.

Not that there was anything wrong with that if it actually came to pass. They were very charming mares to interact with based on previous meetings she'd had, and under different circumstances, in a different setting, she had no doubt that the four of them could have pleasant interactions together as friends; maybe even the Neighponese approach of a shared hot spring with bottles of sake for a relaxing change of surroundings.

But for tonight it was strictly business.

Luna had wasted no time in disrobing -quite literally in this case- and making it clear that she had nothing on underneath, before sinking into the bubble-filled water of the tub and letting out a content sigh as she allowed the water to wash over herself.

"There are truly few things as relaxing as a proper bath," she said as she leaned back and closed her eyes as Dusk Wind proceeded to kneel down and massage her shoulders.

Celestia watched as Moon Lily folded and set Luna's towel aside, before making her way back towards where she stood to address her. "Your clothes, Your Majesty?"

"Oh. Of course," Celestia agreed and nodded as she began to make herself ready. The regalia itself was teleported back to her chambers for safe keeping, while the rest of her daily wear was stripped from her frame, before being handed to the awaiting mare. "Thank you."

"The pleasure is ours, Your Majesty," Moon Lily replied as she carried the clothes over to add them next to Luna's robe, carefully folding them into a near pile to be set aside for later.

Celestia saw no need to wait before easing herself into the tub across from Luna, silently agreeing that it did feel relaxing to soak in. And the relaxation only increased as she felt Moon Lily's strong hands take a hold on her shoulders, doing her best to work out the accumulated knots of tension and stress. Whatever the mare's salary was, she was well worth it.

For a while the room was largely silent, apart from the sound of water sloshing, and various noises of contentment made by the diarchy as they were worked over by skilled and experienced hands. And once their shoulders were done, their wings were next, being tended to with all the preening skill that one would believe only a pegasus was truly capable of.

"Oh yes. This was just what I needed to relax after the events of today," Celestia sighed as she leaned back, enjoying the sensation of Moon Lily working over her left wing.

"More of the same, I presume?" Luna asked.

"Far more than should be legal under any circumstances," Celestia replied, torn between talking and not talking about her own ordeals. Talking meant thinking over everything again, and right now all she wanted to do was forget. "I think it's about time the the rules governing proper court decorum be revised a bit; to make it clear that those seeking counsel should actually get to the point within 30 seconds of their audience officially beginning. I swear, it's getting to be ridiculous just how much dancing and weaving around the issue some will do, because they believe it yields better results," she stated, clearly annoyed as she recalled just how much time was wasted by those trying to be tact, and doing a poor job at it.

Luna couldn't help but giggle in response, finding her sister's displeasure humorous, but also sympathizing with her. There were times she so wished that their subjects didn't feel the need to conduct themselves with quite so much eloquence when addressing them; she didn't even want to think of how many combined hours they all spent trying to rehearse how they spoke, just to approach them about whatever the subject in question was.

"I myself would go with the approach of requiring them to write out essays, explaining in 25 words or less, why what they have to say is so important that it deserves a royal counsel," she stated.

Celestia laughed at hearing Luna's suggestion, finding the notion to be a rather hilarious approach to weeding out pompous petitioners. Maybe there was some merit to such an approach of doing things, as it would require them to look at actually conserving their words, and saying the most with the least. "That might actually be worth looking into."

With laughs had, they settled back into the bath, enjoying the pampering that was provided to them.

But eventually the enjoyment, along with the bath, simply had to come to an end, in order to make way for the rest of what the evening held for each of them. They both stood up as the tub was drained, allowing the water to drip off their bodies, before Moon Lily and Dusk Wind each handed them a large, fluffy towel with which to dry off more thoroughly, and wrap around themselves afterward. Or at least Celestia did, while Luna refrained from covering up as she dried.

'Of course,' Celestia thought, remembering that the two procured attendants were on the night shift. And if they were on the night shift, they were privy to what Luna had been doing the past few months.

"Celestia. Might I ask something?" Luna asked, bringing her attention back to present.

"Of course," she replied.

"By chance have you had the opportunity to think about what was discussed three nights ago in the kitchen?" Luna asked as she went about drying one of her wings.

Celestia paused, not expecting that sort of question. Even the attendants seemed confused as they looked at one another; likely in hope of the other knowing what was being discussed.

"You'll need to be a little more specific, Luna, we talked about a number of things that night," she pointed out.

Luna nodded in understanding, before replying in a far more straight to the point approach. "About your participation."

Celestia could suddenly feel all eyes in the room being upon her, even from Moon Lily who was standing behind her and thus couldn't actually be seen to confirm it.

In truth she hadn't given the prospect much thought since it had been presented to her for consideration, even though perhaps she should've. She didn't have anypony to blame for that fact but herself.

"Her Majesty is thinking of becoming a nudist herself?" Dusk Wind asked curiously.

Luna shook her head. "It would be presumptuous to jump to such a conclusion. More accurately she has expressed a willingness to at least consider trying it for herself, and see what she thinks of it," she explained.

Whether Luna had done it deliberately, or simply without realizing it, she'd put her on the spot with her statement. Now that she had an audience, she was uneasy with the prospect of actually doing something like this for herself. It was one thing to support something in concept, but something entirely different to put the concept into actual practice yourself.

On the other hoof, she had told Luna that she had her support in this endeavor, even if that endeavor eventually led to her hosting the night court while nude, in full view of whichever petitioners sought her counsel, despite the political fallout that would come about from such occurring. If she was willing to go that far in all this, then surely she could bring herself to actually try it out for herself, and get an idea of what Luna saw in all of this. Otherwise she would simply be ridiculous.

"Well... I don't suppose there's any harm in seeing what it's like," she finally relented and shrugged her shoulders. "I just wish that I'd spent some time at the gym the past few days..." she mumbled.

"Oh stop worrying about such things, sister, you look fine. You have nothing to be concerned about," Luna assured her dismissively. "Even if your breasts are considerably lopsided."

Celestia, at hearing this, immediately looked down as she peeled back the towel away from her chest, trying to see just what Luna was talking about. And then she heard Luna snorting, before erupting in laughter. Looking back up, she realized that she'd just been had, as her sister laughed without mercy, and Dusk Wind was trying without much success to not do the same. Looking behind her she saw that Moon Lily was the only one attempting to show any restraint, and it looked like her efforts might just kill her if she wasn't allowed to release her amusement.

"That wasn't funny, Luna," she stated firmly as she glared at her sister, doing her very best to convey just how annoyed she was.

Not that it was doing much good, as Luna wasn't actually looking at her.

"It is not my fault you left yourself open," Luna replied as she composed herself once more. "Really now, sister, you have little to truly worry about. Your tummy not being as tone as you believe it should be, will hardly be at the forefront of anypony's mind should you cross their path," she stated.

Dusk Wind managed to nod in agreement to Luna's point. "She is quite correct, Your Majesty. Nudism is about being confident and comfortable with your body for what it is, not for what it could be. It is about being yourself, not glamorous," she stated. And it was only after she stated such, that she stopped to think about what she'd said. "Er, that didn't come out right."

"Perhaps not," Celestia acknowledged, "but I do believe it conveyed the point you were trying to get across. I suppose I am being rather silly about all of this. It's just such an unusual concept for me," she admitted, to which the others nodded. "Well... I suppose there's no sense in beating around the bush."

With a steadying breath to calm her nerves over what she was about to do, she slowly undid the towel and let it fall free from her body, before handing it back to Moon Lily, just as she had her clothing earlier in the evening. Once again she was as bare as Luna, but not nearly as comfortable as she apparently was.

To their credit, however, Luna and the others were doing their best to make her feel at ease. None of them were looking at her in a way that struck her as being inappropriate, and their smiles struck her as warm and genuine. Luna then went a step beyond that, and held out her hand like she was making ready to greet a friend.

"Do you wish to continue?" she asked.

"I suppose that I might as well. In for a bit, in for a pound," Celestia replied, not really seeing much reason in backing out now. If she did, then she was going to feel very foalish later on for letting something like social embarrassment overcome her, where Luna had proven resistant to it.

Steeling her nerves, she reached out and took Luna's hand, solidifying her decision in her mind. Come what may, at least she wasn't alone in all of this.

When Celestia had agreed to see what it was like to walk through the palace, sans clothing, she had forgotten to take basic matters such as temperature into consideration. Despite being dried off, stepping out of the steamy bathroom and into the palace hallways had still provided her with a rush of comparably cold air meeting every part of her exposed body. Even after having time to adjust and acclimate to the cooler night air, it still left a good deal to be desired.

Next to her, Luna let out a relaxed sigh and stretched her arms over her head as they walked along, showing no signs of being uncomfortable with the situation.

"Truly there is little quite as relaxing as a night stroll right after a good bath. Wouldn't you agree?" she asked.

"Under normal circumstances I would. But right now it's a little too cold for my tastes," Celestia explained as she rubbed her arms in an effort to fight back the chill creeping over them.

"You are exaggerating things, sister, it is not that cold at present," Luna replied dismissively, not finding the halls nearly as chilly as Celestia was making them out to be.

"Oh no? Then why are my nipples so hard that I could cut glass with them?" Celestia asked.

At hearing this, Luna turned to look at her sister, and the aforementioned bits of her anatomy that were supposedly being affected. They certainly looked like they were cold.

"Perhaps it is just a tad bit cold," she finally admitted and shrugged. "I forget that I have done this long enough for my body to acclimate to the temperature. Truly I tend not to even notice it anymore. In fact I find the chill of the evening to be quite invigorating to experience," she stated.

"Oh really? Well then, you'll absolutely love it when fall and winter come around," Celestia commented.

Luna laughed at hearing that. "Even I do not know what I will do once the weather becomes that cold, dear sister. We will just have to wait and see what may come."

There was a beat of silence as the two continued walking along, the only real noise being the sound of their hooves against the marble flooring, and occasionally Celestia rubbing her arms. And it was this silence that led her to noticing the stark difference in how she and her sister moved. Luna was far more relaxed in her stride, showing no signs of discomfort, which was in contrast to her own current state.

At first she was all for taking a nude stroll through the palace hallways, partly because it was such a break from the usual stagnate routine she felt trapped by. The idea titillated her, fueling a small flame of rebellious behavior within her. But now that she was actually doing it for herself, she was having second thoughts. She felt uncomfortable about being so exposed and such. She felt... surprisingly vulnerable now that she was out in the open, and not covered by even a flimsy silk gown. It was all quite surprising.

She needed a distraction to take her mind off of such a fact. Maybe if she wasn't thinking about it so hard, it wouldn't feel quite so strange.

"Tell me something, Luna, do nudists wear clothing in situations where it isn't required?" she asked.

Luna nodded. "Some of them do, yes. There are certainly some that are completely opposed to wearing clothing, but very few of them actually express an outright hatred of clothing and the wearing of such," she explained, briefly glossing over just some of the information she'd learned in her time.

"Well now, that's certainly interesting," Celestia noted, even though she hadn't been inquiring about that specifically. "And the one you met that introduced you to nudism. What category do they fit into?"

"You know that I cannot talk about such details, sister, and I would appreciate it if you did not try and pry about such," Luna replied sternly, trying to make it clear without having to redundantly spell out that the matter was closed for discussion. She wasn't about to violate the trust had between the dreamer, and the dream keeper. They needed to know that their most intimate secrets, laid bare for her to see, would never become the subject of gossip. She needed their trust in order to do her job.

"Alright then. I apologize," Celestia replied sincerely, knowing when to step back and not press any further. And uncomfortable silence followed in the aftermath, before she finally chose to speak up again. "So what type of clothing do nudists wear anyway?"

"Whatever would normally be appropriate or necessary in the given situation," Luna replied and shrugged, glad that the subject of discussion had changed. "Nudism is not about being provocative, or intentionally drawing attention to your body. You will be noticed, yes, but that is not the same thing as causing notice to occur deliberately."

"That seems a little hard to comprehend, considering everything," Celestia pointed out, just not grasping it. Despite what Luna had said, she still had doubts. "How exactly do you not draw attention to yourself when you're nude?"

That was a question for which Luna didn't have an immediate response, and Celestia noticed that instantly. Her sister actually slowed the pace of her stroll, which she followed in turn as she waited to see just what sort of advice had to be offered up on incognito nudity.

"I will admit, I do not have a clear answer to that one," Luna stated as she gave an aside glance. "As best I can tell it is all about intent; you are not nude because you wish to be seen, but because you simply do not care if you are seen nude in a casual setting. It is... something I am still trying to grasp the finer points of," she explained.

Celestia decided to refrain from asking Luna about her decision to participate in something that she didn't fully comprehend. After a thousand years of experience, she knew quite well that there were times when one simply had to dive into something unfamiliar; something she had to do more than a few times herself.

Ultimately she decided not to press the issue further. Luna had come to her understanding of the matter through trial and error over the course of months. And while she wasn't certain about dedicating that much time to it, perhaps the same approach of simply going for it was what needed to be done.

However that plan came to a halt as they rounded the corner, and she found herself facing one of the night guards making their rounds. Immediately she felt herself stiffening up in surprise, a squeak trying to form in her throat but failing to properly escape. And from what she could tell, he was just as surprised as she was; if not even more so.

"Y-Your Majesty?" he asked, unable to fully conceal his shock at what he was seeing.

Celestia tried to search for something to offer up in explanation for this awkward situation she found herself in. But before she could do that, Luna was already stepping up to the plate, and taking the lead.

"My sister has decided to participate and see for herself what it is like to go without clothing," she explained.

"O-oh," the guard replied and nodded in understanding, not really knowing what else to say.

"It's a prospect I'm almost certain would be going easier if the weather was warmer. Right now the chill of the night air is making it rather difficult to get into fully," Celestia admitted uneasily as she rubbed her arm.

The guard could do little more than nod in response, unsure of what else he could add to the matter. "Understandable."

"If you wish, we could always reschedule for sometime during the daylight hours when it is warmer," Luna suggested.

Celestia quickly shook her head in response. "I don't think I'm ready to go quite that far just yet, Luna, it's just too much," she stated.

"A few days ago you said you would support me if I chose to conduct the night court while nude," Luna pointed out. "How can you be comfortable with something like that occurring, but not being nude yourself in front of your subjects?"

"That's because the idea of a nude ruler is much cuter when done by the younger sister, and more likely to be accepted by the public," Celestia countered.

Luna mentally stumbled, her concentration shaken as Celestia referred to her nudeness as being cute. Her sister was attempting to play dirty.

"Properly orchestrating societal changes requires a delicate, thoughtful approach to what's going to occur. It would go over much better if the public perceived one of us supporting the other in statement, rather than participating right alongside them," Celestia explained.

"I-I am still not certain if I am willing to take it that far. It is quite a leap to make," Luna replied, unable to explain the sudden shift in dynamic that had just occurred between them. In just a short span of time she was the one lacking confidence, while her sister seemed to exude it right from her pores.

Her sister played dirty. That was all she had to say on the matter, for that was all that truly made sense.

"Perhaps. But it would be best to keep your options open should you decide to do such," Celestia pointed out.

All throughout the exchange, the guard remained silent, looking between them like he was watching a tennis match as points of discussion were exchanged, not knowing what else to do.

"I'll just... get back to making my rounds then," he muttered as he excused himself, eager to return to something that he could actually wrap his head around.

"Before you go, I have a question I'd like to ask," Celestia spoke up, interrupting his escape before he could leave the area. "What was it like when Luna first broached this subject with the night shift?"

"In truth? It was... very awkward in the beginning," the guard admitted uneasily, remembering some of the less than shining moments that had been experienced by not only himself, but by the rest of the night staff. "But after a while it stopped seeming like a big deal, because we all learned how to stop treating it like it was a big deal. Eventually it wasn't anything unusual to see Her Majesty walking around in such a manner. It all became... really casual," he explained.

"It still seems like there should be more to it all than just that," Celestia mumbled none too quietly, still not sure how it could just be that simple. But then again she was accustomed to getting the runaround by those seeking her counsel, always looking for hidden meanings behind carefully crafted statements. So maybe it really was that simple, and she was simply making it more difficult than it really was.

The guard nodded. "It seems that way at first. But ultimately that's really the long and short of it," he explained. "If I'm excused. Have a good evening, Your Majesties."

Left alone in the isolation of the hallway, Celestia couldn't help but note something about the whole encounter. "That... that actually went better than I thought it would."

Luna nodded in response. "The more it is done, the easier it will become, until you do not even notice it anymore," she explained. And then an idea came to her. "If you would like I can call a meeting of the night staff and inform them of these developments. Any lingering awkwardness could be addressed all at once," she suggested.

Celestia contemplated the notion that was being presented, pondering if it was worth it. On the one hoof, Luna had a point that she could get the awkward meetings over with all at once, and no longer have to be concerned about who she might bump into tonight. She would be around others who were familiar and -presumably- comfortable with Luna's habits, giving her the opportunity to speak with them and find out more about all of this.

On the other hoof...

"You're certain there won't be any gossip if I did something like that?" she asked.

"There has yet to be gossip pertaining to myself. I believe it safe to conclude such will not be occurring," Luna explained.

"Alright then," Celestia replied and nodded. If the night staff could be trusted to maintain secrecy with Luna, perhaps she should extent them the same courtesy of trust. "In for a bit, in for a pound I suppose."

"Excellent," Luna replied happily. "Just, before we do such, might I ask you a question?"

"Of course," Celestia agreed.

"About what you said earlier. Your willingness to support my being a nudist, even if I were to extend that to when I go about conducting my royal duties," she started slowly as she rubbed at her elbow. "Is it because you love me enough to support what I am doing? Or... because you see it as an opportunity to be amused at what chaos may come about of my doing so?

Celestia blinked as she looked at her sister, her mind trying to process the question being presented to her. Did she really think that...

"Have I truly been such a bad sister, that asking such a question was needed?" Celestia asked as she stepped closer, and gently touched her hand to Luna's cheek. "We may tease each other, but never for the sake of being mean spirited and hurtful. Being a nudist is obviously important to you, and knowing that, I'd never reduce it to the role of simple fodder for the sake of my own petty amusement," she explained.

Luna listened as Celestia talked, placing her hand over her sister's as she closed her eyes, smiling as she leaned into the touch. "That is all that I needed to know."

The next thing Celestia knew, Luna had moved and pulled her into a hug. It felt... very unusual without any clothing between them to serve as a buffer against their contact, but she wasn't about to push her sister away for that simple reason. She could tolerate it for her sake... even if tolerating it wasn't all that hard.

"Good then," Celestia replied as she settled into the hug and rubbed her sister's back right beneath her wings.

"Just as all you need to know, is that if I ever find out you are lying to me on this, I will not hesitate to teleport-kick you into the main fountain of Canterlot city, naked, where every passerby will be able to see you," Luna continued.

Celestia immediately pulled back to look Luna in the face at hearing what had just been said.

"Am I quite clear?" Luna asked, her expression unchanging throughout it all.

"Crystal, Luna," Celestia replied, completely unable tell if her sister's warning had been in jest, of if she'd been quite serious. Even after all this time, she could still be taken off guard by just how intimidating commanding Luna could be when she wanted to be.

The fact that she'd said it in such a calm and friendly tone, along with her eyes shut and while wearing a smile just served to make the entire thing all the more disturbing to experience firsthand.

"Most wonderful," Luna replied happily as if they'd been discussing far lighter topics. "Come now. Let us inform the staff so you need not worry about being seen further."

Before Celestia could even speak up, she found her hand being grabbed by Luna, as she was practically dragged along with a great amount of enthusiasm.

"Faust please help me..." she mentally groaned, all the while wondering just what she'd gotten herself into with all of this.

(Guest chapter by Artie Downer) And now for something completely different

Author's Note

So fun fact. I really didn't have much in the way of plans for continuing this story. But Artie Downer liked it so much, he wanted to see it continue in one form or another. So I agreed to host his work as a guest chapter. Hope you like it.

(Guest chapter by Artie Downer) And now for something completely different

The main ballroom of Canterlot Castle was the premiere setting for all events of social and regal significance in the capital city. From welcoming foreign dignitaries to being the staging ground of the wedding of Princess Cadence, many would consider it the heart of the royal palace. To Celestia, it was probably the most cherished place in her home. Whilst many would assume a ruler would yearn to stay in the throne room for as long as possible, it was the ballroom where she felt most in touch with her pony subjects. For it was here that the invitees of the Grand Galloping Gala would come and meet with her personally, and even be able to shake her hand. It was a gesture the Royal took in great stride, as it gave her a chance to truly connect with the common folks of her land, even if it was only for a moment or two. Though the Gala was meant to be a more of a sophisticated affair, Celestia always made sure to send out invitations to randomly selected ponies from all walks of life in Equestria. She would not miss any chance to speak with and acknowledge all who came to bask in the wonderful promenade she had in store for them. And in all honesty, she very much enjoyed it more than spending endless hours making various toasts with the high-class socialites and nobility, who would drone on and on about whatever new politic was on the up-and-up in the court.

But on this night, there were no festivities to be had. Rather, it was a standard evening for the Royal Ballroom, in that it was occupied by the attendants and housekeepers of the Lunar Court. Every night, once the moon had been raised, maids, cooks, butlers, and guards would convene to schedule and assign what had to be done for the rest of the night. What had to be cleaned, what supplies needed to be restocked, what parts of the castle required upkeep; all to serve the Princess of the Night at her every beck and call and keep her living quarters in proper form. She was never one to demand her staff perform petty and tedious assignments, like some spoiled and insecure monarch. Far from it, Luna treated the help with her utmost respect and appreciation. The feeling was mutual, as they all were all willing and able to make their Princess' life as easy and worry-free as possible. To Luna, it was almost like they were a second family to her, that there could be no ill will between them.

It was this troop that had assembled in the ballroom, waiting for their call. At the top of the grand staircase were a pair of large, sealed doors, and it was here Celestia and Luna found themselves on the other side of. True to her word, the Sun Princess had walked the entire way from the Royal Residence to the ballroom, without a stitch of clothing on her. They had run into some more guards along the way, making Celestia jump in her skin every time, before her sister concisely explained what was going on. In the end, the two princesses would continue on their trek, with the younger always leading ahead, holding her elder sister's hand. Celestia couldn't help but admit that the experience had definitely been interesting; she was surprised she'd never even considered walking through the palace in the nude before, in all the thousands of years she had lived there. But now she had done it, and was still taking it all in. However, she wondered if what lied ahead of her may prove to be too much.

"Sister, please wait here. When the time is right, I'll beckon you. Okay?" Luna asked, as she approached the doors.

"Y-yes, of course," Celestia replied. Now that the time was drawing ever more near it all finally began to hit Celestia. She, the supreme authority in the Land of Equestria, the one who raised and set the Heavens themselves with her powers, was about to step in front of a large group of ponies, naked as the day she was born. They would see her in a certainly less than regal state, and this would perhaps tarnish her image forever. As Luna reached for the doors, a number of thoughts started to swirl in her head. "There will most certainly be rumors... Tartarus, forget simple gossip, it'll be the paper's front page tomorrow!! The nobility will surely throw a fit, they'll call me an incapable! They’ll never stand for their princess prancing about totally bare!! And once the populace finds out, they might even-!!"

Before Celestia's worries could arrive at their worst possible outcome, the lights from the flatly-lit ballroom shined onto her bare fur, through the slit of the opening doors. The eldest sibling witnessed her equally nude sister pry the studded gates with relative ease and then take a simple step inside. There was not an ounce of fear or shame within her. Luna strode out to greet her assembly with all the confidence of a reigning monarch, as she stopped at the top of the ballroom staircase. From where Celestia was standing, she could not see who her sister was addressing, but she heard what sounded to be a number of ponies standing at attention.

"My dearest staff," Luna began, her voice both projecting yet soft at the same time. "Tonight, the full moon once again shines its pale luminescence onto all of Equestria, a truly mesmerizing display from our celestial friend. And on nights like this, some may say our nocturnal friends are given a 'chance in the spotlight', if you will." Some ponies chuckle at this quip. "Whilst our cherished subjects rest comfortably this fine evening, you have taken on the responsibilities and obligations of a job quite significant; to provide comfort and acquaintance to your Princess of the Night. I'm sure many, if not all of you, have made some personal sacrifices in order to serve me to your fullest capabilities. For this, you will always have my deepest gratitude." With this, she gives a light bow.

Luna pauses for a moment before continuing. "Since my return as your Princess, you have all been there for me, as those I can depend upon. Which is why, almost half a year ago, I announced to you all my wish to perform my royal functions in a more... humbled manner. And when I feared rejection and shame, when I expected to be thrown in the proverbial manticore's den, you instead offered me your kind and welcoming words. Once I was taken in by your encouragements, I felt a fool for ever considering such negative outcomes. I couldn't have been happier in that moment. Whilst I admit it was... perplexing at the start, we all soon managed to move far past that stage. Now, whatever state of dress either of us might be in is no longer a concern or bother to anyone. For your acceptance and open-mindedness of my nudism, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

"Which brings us to my announcement for tonight. Sister?" Celestia was almost caught off guard when Luna turned her head towards her and beckoned her over with her hand. She was so enraptured by the sincerity of her speech that she almost lost herself. But her sudden thrust back into reality only elicited a gulp from the Sun Princess. Celestia stood there for a while, completely still, before Luna subtly waved her over again.

"Well, in for a bit...," After taking a deep breath, Celestia took her first step.

There were long pauses between the plantings of her hooves onto the marble floor, but nonetheless, they brought Celestia closer and closer each time. From where the lunar staff were stationed below, more and more of the Sun Princess came into view. With one last step, she finally made it to where Luna was, standing next to her. There, she met the faces of hundreds of servants at the bottom of the stairs, all looking up at her.

Immediately, the ballroom erupted with whispered gasps of surprise and shock. Celestia was quick to feel all of their eyes staring at her naked body. Maids and butlers and gardeners and cooks and royal guards and carpenters all took in the sight before them, gazing over every inch of her pure white form. Despite wishing not to appear embarrassed, Celestia couldn't help but shift her hands to cover her marehood, all the while she felt a tingle going up her spine.

A harsh blush began to grow on her cheeks, as she said to herself. "I... I shouldn't be-"

But before she could finish her sentence, a hand gently placed itself on her shoulder. She looked to see Luna, meeting her calm eyes and warm smile. Everything Luna wanted to say to her sister was said in that expression. "It's alright."

Princess Luna turned back to the crowd, raising a single hand next to her face, and whatever chatter was still lingering hushed itself instantly. "As you can see, my sister, Princess Celestia, is standing stark naked before you, just as I am. A fortnight ago, she discovered my newly acquired habit, what I had been doing these past couple of months after raising the moon and starting our beautiful nights. I explained to her my feelings and intentions, and like a good family member, she accepted my endeavor. Just like all of you, it was definitely awkward for her at first, but she was quick to come around. In fact, so curious was she about my nudist lifestyle that she volunteered to try it out for herself. Which leads us to this current moment, and why she has presented herself to you as such. Since the end of today's sun, neither Celestia nor I have worn a single article of clothing.

"Princess Celestia decided to join me today to greet you all, as I have done nothing but heap your praises ever since I revealed to her what I have been up to. I insisted she come and experience for herself what it was like to be a nudist that had been so thoroughly accepted by those around you. So here we are. So on this night, I expect you, my faithful staff, to treat this audience with my sister with nothing but the same respect and appreciation in her current state of dress as you have all done for me."

A single moment of silence passed following Luna's declaration. In that time, Celestia shifted in place, her knees starting to rub together. But the silent second was soon dispersed, to be replaced by a raucous applause from all of the night staff. It was quite the sight, as Celestia looked over the crowd in astonishment. They were cheering, not just for one, but two of their rulers presenting themselves in their birthday suits. Yet in their eyes, as she scanned the ballroom, the Sun Princess doesn't find one expression of distaste or disgust or lasciviousness. Soon enough, a nervous smile formed on her face, as she brought one hand up to wave at the crowd. Luna smiled proudly at her sister, arms behind her back.

"Now then, shall we commence?"

With that, Princess Luna took hold of her sister's waving hand and began leading her down the stairs, in order to properly meet with her staff and servants. Even with having been bestowed a warm reception, a discomfort still lingered inside Celestia, as she was ushered towards the main ballroom area, drawing nearer to the gaze of her subordinates. Each step closer to them gave the help an evermore clear of the Sun Princess' exposed body, and knowing this all too well, she opts to cup her groin with her free hand, as snuggly and discreetly as she could manage. She at least wanted one part of her private anatomy kept out of sight.

Upon reaching the bottom of the grand staircase, Princess Luna let go of Celestia's hand and dove right into the matters of business. Standing before her, at the front of the assembly, were a group of ponies each wearing distinct uniforms and outfits from one another. Though their clothes were similar to ones worn by numerous other staff members in the ballroom, theirs was more decorated and distinguished in comparison. These were the department heads and chiefs of staff for the Lunar Royal Court. All operations and manners of commitments in service of the Princess of the Night were handled and led by these esteemed ponies. At the arrival of their liege, they stood at attention. "How may we be of use tonight, Your Majesty?" the head guard queried.

"At ease," Luna directed with a calming smile and a wave, the chiefs allaying themselves slightly. "No major directives or amendments tonight, mares and gentlecolts. We'll just follow the standard procedure and review today's developments. I just wanted to show my sister how it's done around here."

The department heads all nod in unison and bow. "Yes, Your Majesty." Then, rather quickly, they all turned and bowed towards Celestia. This sudden shift in their position prompted a small jump from her once more. "Thank you for joining us tonight, Princess Celestia. We are honored by your presence."

"A-ah, it's no trouble at all, really..." she responded, rubbing her arm nervously, her forearm positioned right beneath her breasts. ”P-please, don't consider my presence here a big deal. I just... wanted to see how it was really for my sister to be with you all. In this... state, I mean."

"Duly noted, Your Majesty," they all responded promptly. Then, just as suddenly as they turned towards Celestia, the department heads moved back to face Luna.

"Now, has our shipment of strawberries arrived on today's train?" the indigo princess asked.

"No, Your Majesty," answered one chief of staff, who adorned a decorated chef's attire. "There was a delay concerning the route out of Fillydelphia. A boulder fell on top of the tracks, and most of the day was spent removing the large obstruction. Our estimated time of arrival for those strawberries is about tomorrow morning, now."

"Ah, drats! I was really looking forward to having that strawberry milkshake this evening!"

"My apologies, Princess," said the head chef, as he bowed.

Luna only waved her hands and shook her head. "No, please don't concern yourself. 'Tis a mild inconvenience, at worst. Nothing to lose sleep about. Now then," she shifted towards a pony with rulers and pencils sticking out of his shirt pocket. "About the restoration of the East Wing. How goes it, Head Architect?"

Celestia merely stood there, astonished at what she was seeing. Her sister continued to be briefed by her top court officials, as if there were truly nothing out of the ordinary. In the midst of all this, she was having trouble wrapping her head around it. At the start, when Luna first explained how her staff treated her nudism as no big deal, she really didn't believe her. Celestia could not comprehend her sister's servants ever being fully comfortable with their princess trouncing around with no clothes on. She figured somewhere deep down, there would still be a lingering nervousness behind every conversation the help had with her. At the very least, some residual awkwardness or second-hand embarrassment must have stuck around. Yet, before Celestia's very eyes, she couldn't see any of it. Here were the two leaders of Equestria, standing in front of them, completely naked, and there was not a hint of abash or even strain amongst any of the staff members or their superiors. "How far you've come, Luna..." she thought.

But Celestia was quickly snapped out of her bewilderment, as it seemed whatever plans needed to be finalized for the night had been done. With that, the department heads bowed to be excused, before they were deployed to their assignments. "Come," Luna said as she turned to her sister, "it's time to do some greetings!"

"A-ah, right... Let's..." Celestia responded, before she started being led around once more.

"Many of the staff are now rotating into their shifts, so you won't be able to meet everypony tonight. But the ones who are either getting prepared or waiting for their appointed time slot usually amass here in the ballroom. I'm certain they'll want to see you!!"

"Y-yes, of course, Luna. L-let's do so." It wasn't long before the naked Celestia was brought into the very center of the ballroom, where a veritable congregation of the Lunar workforce gathered to greet the princess. Many gasps and awes were heard whilst the crowd gathered, and the Sun Princess couldn't help but tense ever more so, but not to the point where she'd become indisposed. As the more and more of the off-duty staff swarmed around them, all she could do was swallow warily. Luna, on the other hand, was not the bit uneased.

At once, a chorus of praises and questions were hurled at the two princesses, though particularly towards the elder one. Like a pony caught in a typhoon without a life preserver, Celestia tried to speak and answer amongst the flurry.

"Princess Celestia, you look stunning tonight!!"

"Well, thank you, I-"

"I can't believe Princess Celestia is a nudist too!!"

"T-that's not necc-"

"No, it's like Princess Luna said, she's only trying it out!"

"Y-yes, that's all this-"

"Princess Celestia, are you going to stay naked too?" another joined in on the same question. "Oh, would you, please!? Our time with Princess Luna has been even more magical since she started!"

"W-well, that's very-"

"Princess Celestia, what are you doing to do with all your clothes now that you're a nudist?"

"T-that's not-"

"Obviously, she's going to donate them to charity. What are you thinking!?"

"I-I don't think I-"

But before the bustle of queries could continue, the nighttime monarch stepped in between her sister and the heaping crowd. She knew Celestia was feeling quite vulnerable at this moment, especially given her current state of attire, and that it was best she not overwhelmed. Whilst she never threatened to forbid Luna from practicing her nudism, the younger sibling felt her whole lifestyle ridded on how well her sister took this experience. It was tantamount Celestia come away with nothing but the best impressions. With the level-headedness of a seasoned parent, Luna raised her hands slightly up towards her company, and the amassed ponies eased themselves.

“Now, now, my loyal subjects. Your enthusiasm and curiosity are coming in clear as crystal. I appreciate it, truly, how welcoming you all are of the present circumstances. But not an hour has passed since my sister began this preliminary with me. It’s best she be allowed to ease herself into this, wouldn’t you agree?”

The ensemble of servants and attendants had settled their eagerness by this point, now bearing gentle smiles, though they remained crowded around the two regals.

“Whatever questions you may have, I am more than happy to assist my sister in answering them. And whatever compliments you wish to bestow upon her, she’s more than grateful to receive. But let’s not overbear her, OK? Let’s just all take it slow from here on.”

The impromptu assembly all responded eagerly, “Yes, Your Majesty!!”

With a smile and a bow, Luna had brought the situation under control. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, reeling herself back from the edge she momentarily found herself. The crowd had stepped back a few paces, affording their naked royals some more personal space.

Luna began “Now then, let’s-“, but before she could continue, an officer of her Royal Guard suddenly approached from behind.

“Your Highness,” said the dark-armor studded stallion. He leaned into her ear, whispering something.

“Yes… I see. Very well, then.” Luna promptly turns to Celestia. “Forgive me, sister, but I must go now.”

Celestia’s heart skipped a bit upon hearing this. “W-what!?”

“There is a matter that needs my attending to in the East Wing. I know I promised you’d come to see the experience of nudism with me at your side, but this is urgent business. You have my sincerest apologies in this. But I assure you I won’t be gone for long.”

“Well, if you must…” said Celestia, returning to the shifting of her legs. She looked down at her bare thighs, her hand still squeezed between them in order to cover her lower lips. “But I don’t know how I can-“

Before she could finish, Celestia looked back up to find Luna already half-way across the ballroom, being escorted by her guard. She’s most surprised to find her sister had magicked her regal attire back onto herself, no longer in the buff. “It must be something to do with the nobility,” the Sun Princess thought.

“Don’t worry, sister!” Luna called, waving back at Celestia. “Just act your normal self! They love you for that!” Not long after that final pep talk, the Princess of the Moon walked into a corridor on the side of the ballroom, out of sight of all.

In Princess Celestia’s mind, there was silence. Then, it was followed by a single thought in her head. “Oh no…”

With the departure of Princess Luna, it all came bearing down on her once more. As that moment, Celestia was the only pony in the ballroom without any clothes on. Neither fine cotton linens nor golden regalia were there to mask her flesh. A shiver ran through her entire body, and almost instinctively, her free arm wrapped itself around her breasts, in an attempt to hide her nipples from view. Her knees bent into themselves subtly, as a deep blush started to form onto her cheeks. Feelings of utter shame and embarrassment began to well up inside her chest, begging for some kind of release, whilst the remaining members of the help kept their eyes locked onto her. Celestia could not will herself to do anything but stand there and shut her eyes tightly. She’d never felt more naked in her entire life.

But before it all became too much for her to bear, a single soft voice called out from the darkness. “Princess Celestia, are you alright?”

In that simple sentence, the Sun Princess recognized absolute kindness from the owner of the voice. It was not the least bit patronizing or glib. Peeking an eye open, she finds the worried looks of all of her subjects, looking upon their leader with the utmost concern and regard. Celestia saw it now. There was truly no judgement in these ponies. No disdain, no lechery of any kind.

“Yes… I’m fine.” Her stance loosened a bit.

“Would you like to sit down, Your Royal Highness?” another voice asked.

“Ah… yes, I think I would like that right about now.”

On cue, the gathered staff formed a path, parting themselves to reveal a furnished couch a few feet away, positioned next to a mosaic window. Taking a deep breath, Celestia made her way. On her trek, the arms and hands concealing her most private lady parts soon shifted away, allowing her to walk more naturally. Now unrestrained, the more filled areas of her body jiggled subtly with each step she took. Occasionally, her bare flesh would brush against the clothes of the ponies she went past, eliciting some minor blushes from her, though not enough to lose her composure.

Finally reaching the lavish sofa, Celestia wasted no time planting her posterior onto it, the cutie mark on her hind sinking into the heavenly soft cushions. “Ahhhh…” she sighed, feeling the tension from her body melt away. In an unconscious effort to still keep her marehood hidden, the Princess of the Day crossed her legs as she eased into the couch. All around her, most of Luna’s attendants still stood, looking at her.

“Umm, Your Majesty?” asked one off-duty cook. “Is it alright if we talked to you? Or would you rather we leave you be?”

Normally, Celestia would accept the invitation to exchange words with her subjects without hesitating. But for a brief moment, she did. But it was only for that moment. “We can discuss whatever you wish, as long as it’s conducted orderly. And I ask you refrain from asking about the… nudism topic. Quite frankly, I’m still trying to figure it out myself, so I don’t think I could offer you all any satisfying answers,” she laughed.

With a smile and a nod, the Lunar staff unanimously agreed to it. A chance to speak openly and free with the ruler of their country was a chance not many were afforded in this world. It was not an opportunity they could pass up. And it was one Celestia always took on with stride. How lucky they were to live in Equestria, even more so to serve the Royals directly.

For the next hour, ponies would come and go to chat with Princess Celestia, in all of her naked glory. They would come and she’d ask about their jobs and hobbies, what they did in their free time, what they aspired for in life. And they would all be quite forthright with her, elaborating on whatever dreams and hopes they had for the future. Perhaps seeing their monarch in the nude helped them be open themselves? But who could say.

After a time, many would go off to fulfill their responsibilities, but as they left, a new batch getting off their shift would come to speak with her. Celestia lost herself in these conversations with her subjects, like she always did. It was like music to her ears, hearing them be so candid with her. Her posture became less stiff over the course of the night, and at points, she forgot she was even naked. Though the occasional chill or blow of the wind would quickly remind her.

“This must be how Luna feels,” she thought. She was listening to a butler who had just gotten off her shift. Being over a millennia old, it was no difficult feat to listen to what someone was saying while thinking in her own head. During Court, she’d often skip the listening portion altogether! “I must say, after a while, it does feel quite freeing. To pull down the barrier between ruler and subject, especially in this manner.” Then something came to Celestia. “If that’s the case, then…”

“Oh, forgive me for bringing it up, your Highness,” said the butler. “But I think what you’re doing is wonderful, especially for Princess Luna!”

“W-well, I appreciate your thanks… Tell me though, why do you think my being naked is good for Princess Luna?”

“I mean, it’s just more validating for her, wouldn’t you say? That she shouldn’t feel discouraged from her lifestyle!”

“…Do you think she still feels some level of shame?”

“Well…” the butler trailed off. “I don’t think it’s like that. But Princess Luna is only ever naked around us. She’s never once attended Court like that. She’s always quick to robe herself when she has to.”

“Perhaps it’s because I’ve yet to give my permission for her to do so.”

“But even then… I don’t know how to say it, but even if you let her, I don’t think she would. I feel like she’s putting her duty over what she wants to do.”

“Many ponies would say that’s an admirable quality,” Celestia responded.

“But that’s fair! She shouldn’t have to sacrifice that just to placate some prissy nobles!!” Realizing how uninhibited she was being, the butler was quick to bow. “F-forgive me, Princess! I didn’t mean to speak so flippant!”

Celestia merely waved her hand. “It’s no bother. In fact, you’ve given me something to think about…”

Eventually, Luna returned from whatever business she was dealing with, just in time, as Celestia had begun to feel weary. With the glow of her horn, her clothes and regalia were whisked away into nothing as she approached her sister, just as bare as her. “I hope they weren’t too hard on you,” she teased.

“It was difficult at the start but… I think I got the hang of it, as they say.”

Luna was taken aback. She saw before her an entirely different presence around her sister. When she had left her, she seemed ready to fall apart, like a leaf in the wind. But now, the same regal charm Celestia was renowned for radiated from her. Placing her hands on her hips, she said. “I must say, ‘Tia. I’m impressed. I never knew you’d come around so quickly to it!”

“It’s like you suggested. I suppose I just had to feel it for myself. Though, don’t expect me to start walking about like this on the daily. I still have at least a modicum of an image to uphold, you know.”

“Of course,” Luna replied with a smile.

“Though it has become quite late now,” Celestia yawned. “I must ask to adjourn for the night.”

“Allow me to escort you, sister.”

“With pleasure, little sister.”

Upon ascending the staircase they had entered from, the two Equestrian princess bid the Lunar staff good night, sans clothes to the end, before making their way to the residence. Just as warmly as they received her, so too did they pay Celestia salutations.

As they took their trek through the long hallway towards Celestia’s quarters, she couldn’t help but feel the journey wasn’t as long as it was earlier in the night. Even the chilly air from before seemed to have all but vanished. “Is this what it would be like?…”

Before she could ponder any further, they reached the doors to Celestia’s private abode. Its resident took her time opening them before entering, and allowed her sister in. Using her magic to put on a thin nightgown, Celestia remained facing Luna. “Well, I hope you’ve had your fun for tonight.”

“Please, ‘Tia, I was hoping you’d be the one to get the most out of this!”

“Well, I’ve certainly have… been given a lot to think about. Nevertheless, in the end, you’re the one who has gained the most from all of this.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because, Luna,” Celestia began. Her shoulders stiffened, hooves together, her chest puffing outward. It was the stance as a proper royal, one she took whilst officiating some royal decree, having mastered it through countless years of practice. Whenever Celestia assumed this posture, she meant business. “ Should you desire, I hereby grant you my blessing to conduct your Court in accordance with your nudist lifestyle. As far as I’m concerned, you can go anywhere in Equestria as naked as you wish. You have my absolute support, as your fellow monarch and as your sister.”

It was Luna’s turn to be taken aback. She couldn’t believe she actually heard those words coming out of her sister’s mouth, only imagining them. But it wasn’t long until they sank in, and a wide smile took shape on her face. “Oh, ‘Tia…”

Still in the royal posture, Celestia found herself the target of her sibling’s sudden and tight hug. “You have no idea how much this means to me,” Luna said muffled, her face buried in her sister’s chest.

“Oh, I think I have some idea,” Celestia responded, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

Letting go, Luna stood proudly before her elder sister, an earnest look of determination beaming from her eyes. “I promise you won’t regret this, sister. Soon, all of Equestria will come to know and accept this way of life.”

“That is if they don’t overthrow us first.”

The two share a laugh, before Luna asks, “Can I start tonight? May I attend this night’s court as is?”

“Mm, not tonight. Whenever you plan to make your debut, I’d like to be in attendance. Just in case. You know how those nobles can be. Worst comes to worst, I’ll dust up one of Starswirl’s old spells and wipe their memories.”

“Oh, you,” chuckled Luna.

With that, the two eternal siblings bid each other good night. “I love you, ‘Tia,” said the younger sister, reaching up to plant a kiss on her cheek.

“I love you, too,” said Celestia, warmly reciprocating.

Luna gave her one final goodbye wave before making her way back into the corridor, leaving Celestia by herself. In this solitude, a part of her worried if Luna might try and attend court in the buff anyways, but she wouldn’t do such a thing.

“What a night… Just what is it that I’ve done?” Celestia asked herself. She approached her bed, collapsing onto the silk blankets and fluffed pillows. She waited to enter her dreams.

But as she tried to sleep, an odd constriction was felt upon her body. Her own skin felt uncomfortable, even suffocating to some minor extent. After a few minutes of this, Celestia took a chance in how to bring an end to it. With a deep sigh, she got up from her bed and slipped off her nightgown, the thin fabric falling to the floor. After a few moments, finding herself free from any discomfort, she returned to her bed nude. “It’s too hot anyways…”

It was only the next day when Luna informed Celestia of her intentions: she would announce her nudism not just to her Lunar Court, but to Equestria as whole, that very night. The princesses were on the way to their daily solar and lunar cycle ritual, the Princess of the Night walking with a veritable spring in her step. “Eager as ever, aren’t you, Lulu?”

“I simply can’t wait another night. This is the moment, I can just feel it!”

“…You realize once it’s done, people will never look at you the same way again.”

“’Tia, I was banished to the moon for 1000 years. I’m sure my clothing-optional lifestyle will not be all that big of a shock.”

“Be that as it may, the sensibilities of ponies vary widely. Whilst you may consider your associates and servants to be like a second family, your average Donut Joe will most certainly feel differently about the whole thing.”

“Regardless, this is what I want to do. You can tell, I take nudism very seriously, sister. It feels like a piece of me has been missing my whole life, and now I’ve finally found it.” Luna stops in her tracks, standing proudly once again. “Let the nobility have their fuss, and any who won’t accept it. I am who I am, and there’s no changing that. And if there are any other ponies who feel restricted by societal norms, whether they be nudist or not, I hope they can look to me to see there is a place for them in this world.”

Celestia chuckled. “When did you become the revolutionary?… Don’t answer that, actually.”

Luna chuckled back. “You need not be concerned, sister. Don’t expect to start seeing a naked pony on every street corner. I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Yes, right…” Celestia said, trailing off.

As it had been done countless times, the sun set into the fields of Equestria, and the moon blanketed the sky in a dark blue sea of stars.

With her duties completed, Luna left straight away to her quarters, in order to prepare for the night’s court. Normally, she would just wear what she usually wore, but it wouldn’t be the case this evening. Having accompanied her sister there, Celestia was surprised when Luna asked her to wait outside. “If you insist,” she obliged.

Celestia did not wait long, however, outside her sister's chambers, as the doors parted open gently. Out stepped Luna, wearing only a long silk blue robe and her crown. No other regalia, no jewelry, no crystal shoes adorning her hooves. By the way the garment flowed onto her body, Celestia could tell she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

“Shall we commence, sister?”

The older sister took a deep breath. “Yes, let’s.”

With that, she followed Luna into the East Wing, the location of the Lunar Throne. There they would find her Royal Court, and the numerous nobles, commoners, and press of the night, waiting for their princess. Luna had informed her staff the previous night of her intentions, so there was no need for an assembly at the ballroom. For tonight was the night. The night Luna had been waiting for.

Celestia had rarely been to a session of Lunar Court, she was too busy with her own royal responsibilities to ever stop by and sit in. But whenever she was there, she was always surprised by the number of attendees and the babble they made. Tonight was no exception, as while she and Luna approached the wide open doors to the latter’s throne room, Celestia could hear the mumbling and clamor of all who were present.

Upon reaching the side of the doorway, a Lunar Royal Guard turned his attention to the princesses, and nodded. He quickly shifted into the throne room, raised the trumpet that was at his side, and blew into it.

Almost instantly, the talk and whispers which mixed together into an incoherent jabber quieted. In a booming voice, the guard announced:

“Presenting the Ruler of the Night, the Raiser of the Moon, and co-Sovereign of Equestria, Princess Luna!!”

At that, she made her entrance. At the moment they saw the blue alicorn, all who were in attendance stood up, not a sound amongst them. They took no note of her current attire.

The assembly did, however, expect Princess Luna to begin her ascent up the stairs to her throne and sit down, but she merely stood there. And the royal guard had not put away his trumpet. Their confusion was answered with the following announcement:

“Presenting the Ruler of the Day, Raiser of the Sun, and co-Sovereign of Equestria, Princess Celestia!!”

At this, the crowd could not help but begin to whisper and mutter to each other, as the white alicorn made her entrance as well, standing side by side with her sister.

With that said and done, Luna gave a slight bow to her equal in rule, who returned the gesture, before making her way to the Lunar throne. There, she turned to her audience and raised a hand, allowing them all to be seated.

“Thank you for joining me on this fine evening,” she started. “Normally, we would waste no time delving into the matters of state, as well as motions of consideration or requests from the crown. But these proceedings will have to be delayed temporarily, for I have an announcement to make. It is a declaration not just for this gathered assembly here, but to all of my Equestrian subjects.”

Celestia’s heart started to pound ever so slightly, watching her sister on from below.

Then, with an unexpectedly casual demeanor, Luna held onto the opening of her robe, before shrugging her shoulders and pulling the fabric down slightly. It merely took a few subtle motions before the gown slipped off completely, now standing stark naked before all in attendance. In the immediate seconds proceeding this, the eyes of the nobility go wide in aghast and shock, the brows of some furrowing in umbrage. Many of the common folk, there to plead their stays directly to the monarchy, stare on in equal bewilderment, covering their gaping mouths. A scattered chorus of gasps and hushed acclamations rung throughout the court. She paid no mind to any of it.

“I, Princess Luna of Equestria, am a nudist. To put it simply, I don’t like wearing clothes. I prefer to go about my nightly activities and royal duties without any clothing at all, as I feel more comfortable doing so. I have been practicing this lifestyle in secret for the past 5 months. From the start, the only ones who were aware of my choice of dress were my own staff, as well as my royal guard, and not a soul more. Not even my own sister was privy to it.” She paused for a moment. “When I revealed what I wanted to do with my personnel, they were rather quick to accept me and welcome it. They encouraged me to do so, and let their hearts open to my unique ways. In them, I sensed no rejection or unbecoming traits. It was they who stirred me not to keep myself hidden, to live two-faced, a life ill-suited for a Princess. Which is why I am here before all of you as such.”

The royal court stayed dead silent, staring on at their nude monarch. Celestia couldn’t help but be impressed at how well her sister was composing herself.

“I have chosen to reveal this facet of my life, because I believe it is right for a sovereign like myself to be as transparent as I can with the subjects who so rely upon my sister and I to keep them safe. It is the duty of government to not deceive their citizens in the slightest, lest the populace become disillusioned and grow resentful of their lawmakers. Not only that, but to conceal this aspect of my life, one that I cherish and take wholeheartedly, I would not only be lying to the people, but to myself. I have no desire to deny what I’ve discovered to be a foundational tenet of my life. I refuse to live some obscured double life, to keep it out of the spotlight, all for the sake of those who cannot accept me. My life and my body belong to nobody else but my own, and this is what I seek to do with it.

“Which brings me to my final point; it is by my wish, and with the blessing of my sister, Princess Celestia, that I conduct my royal court as I am right now, naked. From here on out, I shall live my life as a dedicated nudist, wearing as little as I can for as long as possible. This is my declaration to all of you, the people of Equestria. As your monarch and Raiser of the Moon, I hope you will come to accept me and trust in my judgement. This is not a proclamation regarding the laws and statutes of nudism or anything like that. This is merely your Princess laying herself bare before you, wishing for you continued love, support, and acceptance. The ponies of Equestria were quick to welcome me back after my exile, and I pray that it will be the case once more for this. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” With that, Luna gave a deep bow to the congregation.

A still silence hung over the throne room of the Night Princess, a quiet it had never known even when its occupant had been banished to her respective celestial body. It dragged on for what felt like an eternity, none daring to make a sound, even the smallest octave of noise, for the longest time. Eventually, somepony finally spoke out.

“Have you gone mad!?” cried out a noble from the barracks. He rose in a furor, his ornate jewels and sash bustling from his sudden movement. “This is completely ridiculous!! What is wrong with you, woman!?”

Despite the degrading question, Luna did not falter in the least.

Another noblepony quick stood up. “What you’ve done here is make a complete mockery of the royal court!!”

“This cannot stand!!!” yelled another.

“It’s so unbecoming of royalty!!”

“Have you no shame, Princess!?!”

“How could our rulers degrade themselves like this!?!”

The first noble hollered once again, reinstating his point. “It’s madness, I tell you!! Complete and utter madness!!”

Noblepony upon noblepony hurled their outrage and indignation at the Princess of the Moon. Celestia herself started to feel uncomfortable, despite not being the target of the tirades. But she watched on as Luna stood there and took it all, her eyes resolute, her stance without waver.

Finally, after a solid minute or so of constant degradation, she had enough, and raised her hand once more. Whether out of some morbid curiosity or out of obligation for what remained of their respect for the monarchy, the nobility ceased and sat back down.

“I completely understand your concerns and displeasure. I am more than aware that my lifestyle is not one meant for the mainstream, and that many would feel uncomfortable by it. It is totally within your right to not like something. But it is within my right to my life to live as I see fit, short of an immoral reprehension.”

A female noble spoke out this time, “You wish to lecture us about morality!?! Look at you!! You’re NAKED!!!”

“I know that. Is there something wrong with being naked?”

“Of course there is!! It’s inappropriate, unbecoming!! Especially for a Princess!!”

“Why is it inappropriate to be naked? Are there children currently present in this court?”

“N-no, but that shouldn’t matter!! We can see your-… Your-!!”

“I’m well aware of what you can see. And I ask, what of it? This is how all of us are when we’re born. Shall we shame any newborn foals?”

“Of course not, because they’re babies!! You are a full-grown mare presenting yourself in a lewd way!! Any stallion who looks at you like this is only going to have one thing on his mind!!”

At this, Luna stared back at the noble mare sternly. “Oh, really? And why do you assume that? Simply because of how I’m dressed? I believe that says more about the observer than the observed. Tell me, my lady, when you go to a beach or spend a day at one of your many pools, are you not surrounded by ponies in a lessened state of dress? Every time you see a shirtless stallion, or your husband sees a scantily-clad mare, are your minds suddenly flooded with devious thoughts?”

The noble mare held her tongue, unable to answer right away. She blurted out, “T-that’s a completely different context! It’s not the same as-!!”

“And what of my context?” Luna interjected. By now, she had expanded her wings behind her, their azure feathers swaying majestically in her stance. “What am I trying to accomplish by standing before you all like this? This is all merely in service of my personal comfort, nothing else. I am not acting in any sort of provocative manner, I am not presenting myself in a way that’s meant to be enticing. Is nudity completely synonymous with carnal desires? Have you never undressed yourself in a doctor’s office, my lady? Were you afraid the situation would come across as that of a sexual nature?

“N-no… but-!!”

“Am I showing anything half of our population doesn’t already have? Anypony can look inside a medical textbook and see what’s before you. But those tomes aren’t labelled as pornographic, are they? That is because of the context of the image. The context for my nudity is that I simply enjoy being like this. I do not seek out any lascivious actions, nor do I possess the desire for them at this time.”

Unable to come up with a counter, the noble mare sat back down, trying to wrapping her head around what she just heard. At the same time, the first noblepony from before stood up and spoke.

“It doesn’t matter what you are trying to get across with your… all of this!! Your context is meaningless when it comes to the perceptions of other people, other nations. We will become the laughingstock of the world if you follow through with this!! No country would ever take us seriously again, never view us as a legitimate statement!! It’s all just absurd!!”

Luna smiled softly, yet firm all the same, at this. “Lord Strongarm, you know better than any noble in this court how little the views of other nations means to me.”

“That may be your prerogative, but I will not stand for it. This entire spectacle has been a farce, a circus!! And I want no part in it! I will not degrade myself by participating in this lampoon of a court!!”

“That is completely within your right,” Princess Luna replied.

“Excuse me?…”

Luna turned her gaze towards the assembly as a whole. “I will not force this on anypony. Nudism is certainly not for everypony. What you see fit to do with your business is entirely in your hooves. If my way of life is not to your liking, if you simply cannot accept this, then you may leave this court as soon as you wish. I bear no ill will to any who wish to go, I simply wanted this opportunity to explain to you my feelings and intentions on the matter. If my reasons are not sufficient enough for you, then I apologize. But there is nothing that can shake me from this. Being naked is how I want to be. It is my complete and total conviction. There is nothing on this earth that can sway me otherwise.”

At this, the noblepony sneered at his princess, silently taking his seat once more. Again, the silence took hold of the auditorium.

In Luna’s mind, there was nothing more for her to say. She stated her case, and that was that. All that was left for her was the approval of her cherished subjects. Whether they gave it to her or not was all that was important at that moment.

The deep quiet came to its end with the lonely clapping of a pair of hooves. Below the barracks where the nobles sat, a single mare sat in the center lane of the throne room, before Luna. In her eyes, there was no trace of disgust or judgement. Only that persistent kind look Luna had come to know from her personnel. The applause rang in her soul. She smiled at her subject, folding her wings.

The singular clapping of one pony was soon joined by many others, as stallions and mares alike stand in ovation for their Princess. The humble subjects of Equestria seemed to give their unanimous approval to Luna’s nudism, and many began to straight up cheer for her. Luna’s smile became wider and wider, her heart filled with warmth.

Even some of the nobles started to clap along, though a good amount remained seated in silence. To those that remained but were still disapproving, it would take a while to convince them.

With all that was happening, Celestia could only stand back in amazement. She had never seen a royal court play out quite like this. And for one of the leaders of Equestria to strip herself of her clothing, only to be acclaimed by the crowd before her, it was certainly a moment for the history books.

Celestia was proud of Luna. Probably the most she had been since she overcame Nightmare Moon. And deep down, a part of the Sun Princess couldn’t seem to let go of the experience she had the night before. She couldn’t shake it off, that strangely liberating feeling, unbounded and unrestricted. And even on a conscious level, Celestia knew it. She knew exactly what Luna was talking about. After all, it was no accident that she was dressed light and loose at the moment, should she need to immediately disrobe and come to her sister's assistance like any good older sibling would.

(Guest Chapter by Artie Downer) Finale

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