Read the Author's note first.
Midnight and Octavia trotted down Mane street. They had enjoyed their holiday profusely. It was a wonderful day and the two of them were looking forward to seeing Luna again. Their nocturnal princess would likely be awake at this point in the evening and it was imperative that they go and check on her before putting everything away. As such was their mission, the moved at a fast, if relaxed pace to the palace.
When they arrived at the gate, the two palace guards took one short glance, then a double take, followed by a triple take. Midnight just kept going, Octavia following behind. In all honesty, their holiday had been cut short. Some pressing business had urged them back to Canterlot at full speed. They had dallied a little bit on their way back, the business not being truly urgent. Midnight kept going, passing by Lyra and Bon Bon on their way through the entrance hall. Lyra recognised Midnight and came over.
"Hey Midnight. Octavia. How are you guys doing?" Lyra giggled a little behind her hoof.
"Oh you know, same ol', same ol'" replied Midnight. Bon Bon walked over and joined them. Midnight started them moving again, Octavia following. Lyra and Bon Bon followed them through the corridors to the base of the lunar tower. They talked at they went, their conversation crossing various topics. Some were relevant, others less so. Some were embarrassing. Others were natural. One particular topic was relevant and embarrassing.
"So, what have you guys been up to?" asked Lyra as they started climbing Luna's tower.
"Fucking like bunnies" replied Octavia smugly.
"Hey, same. Did you know that if you pay Luna enough, she is happy to turn me into a human? Also, if I get her drunk enough, she will do it for free." said Lyra. Bon Bon faced hoofed. Midnight and Octavia didn't blink. They kept their faces perfectly blank. They really couldn't talk about weird sexual interests. Their own were written all over their faces.
"So, where are you two staying?" asked Midnight, ending a rather awkward slience.
"In the palace." replied Bon Bon.
"How did you two manage that?" asked Octavia.
"We got both princesses drunk for that one. Then we made a bet." said Lyra proudly. Midnight and Octavia just looked at her.
"What? You would be surprised at what you can get out of a drunk princess. this one time we-mmmfffmfmfmfmfmmf!" started Lyra before a zipper crossed her mouth. The four ponies looked up to see princess Celestia walking down the corridor towards them.
"I figured that you would be somewhere on your way to her" she said as they bowed/curtseyed. Celestia looked down at Midnight and Octavia.
"I do find your choices odd sometimes Midnight" she said, keeping her face perfectly straight. "I would have thought that you would have stopped Midnight from doing it a second time, Octavia." She said, turning from one to the other, her face blank, her shoulders shaking. She turned to Lyra and Bon Bon.
"Were you going to watch the reunion too?" she asked.
"Ohhh, yes. This is going to be GREAT!" squealed Bon Bon. Lyra's front hooves were trying to work the zipper. It wouldn't respond to her magic. She gave up for long enough to nod at Celestia before returning to her efforts. For the first time, Celestia laughed openly.
"Ohhhh, Bonny, I can see what you mean. I wouldn't miss this for the world." Celestia said, casting a look at Midnight. It was returned plainly before a smile broke out on the unicorn's face.
"I believe that this will be nothing that she has seen before." Everypony laughed except for Octavia, who giggled a little behind a hoof.
"Shall we go up then?" asked Lyra, her zipper finally open, allowing her to talk.
"Your most sensible idea today." said Celestia, leading the way up to Luna's balcony. They started walking again. Slowly, they climbed up to the top. Celestia opened the door and stepped into the light of the sunset.
Luna was sitting at the board game table, yawning with her guards when Celestia opened the door. Instead of having the usual risk board on the table, there was a new game.
"So, when I use this card, what happens?" asked Luna. One of the two guards looked at the rule book.
"You move at double the speed for the turn. You have to play it before you're roll." he said, looking up.
"We have company." said the other guard, sitting across from Luna. Luna spun around.
"Oh, hey sis. We were just about to get drunk and play strip Chinese checkers!" she said.
"I thought that we were going to finish this game first." said the first guard.
"Luna revealed what she had been holding under the table with her hoof. It was the four key pieces that they were supposed to be looking for around the board. Luna rolled the dice and it landed on a ten shortly after she played her the card that she had been asking about. Her piece shifted straight to the center of the board. She loaded the four keys into the miniature safe and turned them. There was a sound of knocking, then a weird noise before the 1812 overture started to play. Luna's magic flared around the board as it was packed into the box which was then placed under the table. Another box was whisked out.
Luna slid the board out and placed it on the table. It was a Chinese checkers board, except this one had twelve points as opposed to six, allowing twice as many people to play the game. The table rounded out and another chair appeared. Luna looked up at Celestia.
"Wanna play?" she asked. Celestia lauged, then turned towards the fourth person around the table.
"Vinyl, do you mind if I play?" Celestia asked courteously.
"Not at all Princess 'Big Cheese'" replied Vinyl. It was a time honoured ceremony. Nopony would interfere. Lyra and Bon Bon walked out onto the balcony. Another two chairs were conjured for them as well. Then Lyra and Bon Bon turned towards the door. Princess Luna looked from them to the door.
"What's the big-" she started to ask, then stopped, staring. Her breathing stopped. Celestia put her ear to her little sister's chest.
"Holy shit!" she said, doing some math. "432 bps"
Suddenly, Luna started breathing again. Then she blinked. Then, she burst out laughing. Midnight and Octavia walked through the doorway. They looked at Luna, who was literally rolling on the floor, laughing. Her two new guards were simply staring. They knew who it was, but it was so plainly a different body. Luna slowly calmed down, taking huge gulps of air. Then she turned a serious face towards Midnight and Octavia.
"I suppose that you want me to fix that" she said, her serious face melting in another storm of laughter.
Midnight turned her female face towards her princess. His normally masculine voice, now evidently altered by his own magic.
"Yes." she said flatly.
