Simple Morning
“This day shall forever be known as Cake Day! Free cake for all!”
“Yay! All hail Celestia! Bringer of cake!”
“Your highness, we have got the largest cake ever baked for your enjoyment, as per the now yearly ritual!”
“Thank you my guards, let us begin!”
Celestia blinked awake, sitting up. Her still pink physical mane ganging messily from her shoulders. She looked around and gave a somewhat annoyed sigh that her favorite potential holiday that sadly could never be due to a lack of ingredients. She would know, she attempted to make it happen several hundred years ago. It worked once, but the bakers complained that much free cake would bankrupt them if they did it once a year. And it took about a year to clean up all the frosting.
The Mare of the Day got to her hooves, stretching her back with a series of pops from her spine. She wished being an almighty sun goddess made one immune to getting kinks in her neck
Celestia slowly walked over to the mail set out for her by her loyal Guards. Letter from ponies requesting her presence for various events, nobles requesting money for their various projects, Chrysalis’ Changelings thanking them for leaving the animated Pinkie Pie to amuse them during their imprisonment, Chrysalis begging them to take that ‘annoying pink beast’ away, and the royal chefs asking what kind of cake she wanted for dinner tonight.
Giving a sigh, she set the letters down and turned to Philomena as the Phoenix yawned, stretching her wings. Celestia smiled, floating some bird seed over to Philomena…who sniffed it and turned her beak up at it.
“Philomena, you know what the vet said; you need to go on a diet, you’re getting to be a pudgy Phoenix,” the Alicorn chastised.
Philomena crossed her wings and turned her back with a snooty air.
“Oh it can’t be that bad, just take a few bites.”
The Phoenix shook her head.
“Two?”
Another annoyed shake of the head from the bird.
“One?”
Philomena tried to swat the birdseed out of her telekinetic grasp.
Celestia gave an annoyed sigh, then a sly smirk. “Fine then, I guess I can get your old food, but if you keep up like this you’ll end up like I did the century after I had to banish Lulu.”
Philomena snootiness turned to horror and the firebird gulped, giving a cautious, questioning squawk.
“Yes, really. You remember the ‘Century of the Chubby Celly.’ And need I remind you of the royal wheelbarrow?”
Philomena shook her head desperately and began devouring her diet bird seed without another complaint.
Celestia gave a smirk. “That’s a good phoenix.”
As Philomena started enjoying her new food, Celestia turned and looked in the mirror. She took a moment to take one last once over of herself. This was the Celestia no pony ever saw except for her sister, her niece, and a certain little purple unicorn filly who‘d sometimes come into her room at midnight after having a nightmare. The bedheaded, somewhat drowsy, pink-maned Mare. Celestia couldn’t help but giggle. She wondered if anyone would recognize her if she went out like this. Unfortunately, her Cutie Mark was a dead give away, but maybe she’d try that some day as a joke.
Celestia finally levitated a brush to begin grooming her pink mane. She took special care to check for lice and other parasites. The fact that she’d spend the day with a mane composed of auroras didn’t mean she shouldn’t take care of it. It gave her more reason to do so, actually. Divine energy mixed with parasites could result in mutations. Potentially sentient, annoying mutations. And no one wanted that. Sometimes she wished she had a normal mane like any other pony, then she wouldn’t have to worry about a microscopic race declaring war in her mane…again.
With her mane in order, the Day Mare levitated her barding up and donned it. She remembered when she’d first got it…
“Celly, I’ve got a present for you,” said the elder Alicorn, her reddish mane and scroll Cutie Mark standing out against the white fur.
The tiny pink maned filly’s eyes lit up when the golden jewelry was placed in front of her. “Thanks mama! It’s so pretty!”
A few moments later, a miniature Alicorn was precariously stood in horseshoes about five times too large for her, with a matchingly oversized crown and necklace. “How do I look mama?!”
Her mother covered her mouth as she gave a giggle. “Wonderful, honey, but you’ll need to grow into them a bit…”
Celestia chuckled. And ponies wondered where she got her ‘troll’ moments from.
With her barding on, Celestia finally did the one major change to her appearance. She let her core warm itself, the life giving heat of the sun beating in her chest. Her mane and tail began flashing with orange light and levitating, moving on solar winds that no one could sense but her. Shades of blue and green began snaking its way through the pink hair. Finally, a physical mane and tail were replaced by brilliant, rippling auroras.
Princess Celestia finally opened her eyes and looked back to the mirror, seeing the Princess of the Sun finally ready to start her day. This was the Celestia Equestria saw and admired. She was always amazed by how much a simple change of mane, tail, and clothing could change her appearance. She remembered the last thousand years when doing this daily ritual was heartrending. When she couldn’t look her reflection in the mirror without being reminded of sending her beloved sister to the moon…
Princess Celestia finally turned around and looked to Philomena, who had finally finished her bird seed. “See, it wasn’t that bad, was it?”
Philomena gave a half humiliated, half prideful huff.
The Princess chuckled and nuzzled her pet lovingly. “See you later, Philomena.”
Princess Celestia stopped by the kitchen to pick up a cup of coffee. The chef gave a chuckle. “Remember the old days, Princess?”
The Day Ruler chuckled. “Yes, I do hope I never need to consume that much caffeine again,” she said, looking over at a now retired cup bigger than her head. Being Princess of both Night and Day was a tiring position.
Walking out into the throne room, a yawn greeted her. “Good morning, Lulu,” Princess Celestia greeted, looking to the tired Night Princess.
“Greetings, my sister,” the blue Alicorn replied, trotting over and sharing a loving nuzzle.
The Ruler of the Day smiled. Yes, she used to wish she could remain Celestia and never have to become the Princess of the Day again. But now…
“Luna…I love you.”
Princess Luna gave her a smile. “As do we, Tia…Art thou ready?”
The Day Ruler nodded, trotting over with her sister to lower the moon and raise the sun to begin the day…
