Forgetting by Going Back

Celestia was soon wheeled into her own throne room, which was currently being cleaned.

A maid dusted off her throne, turning from her post to smile at Celestia and wave before going back to her work.

Celestia’s eye twitched in pure spite.

That bastard! I’ll banish him!

No, no. First, I’ll buck him in the chest until a few ribs break! Then, strangle him until he turns blue! Or, whatever shade of color that stupid Draconequus would turn to! Probably bucking pink to piss me off!!!

But, that’s not the end! Oh no! I’ll remove his lips from his face with a Dislocation spell, then throw them into the Sun itself!

Then – and only then – do I do him the pleasure of being banished!

What upset Celestia about the simple act of wiping her throne clean was that Discord had methodically thought out even the most minute details. He was playing into this mind game so viciously that he went through the trouble of leaving dust on her seat of power, making her out to have been a foal for much, much longer than she actually had been.

Celestia’s nanny casually peered down to check on her charge, noticing the little cutie pout with determination.

She asked as her eyes followed Celestia’s gaze, giggling once she figured it out, “Oh. Does my sweet little filly wanna be a big princess until her niece arrives?”

Celestia, still making up her mind on how to best murder Discord, flailed her hooves at the throne, signaling her desire to be on her favorite chair once more.

Her hoofler picked the foal up, and explained to the maid the plan. Both cooed at Celestia, which she mentally rolled her eyes at. Then, the cleaning mare quickened her pace to be done before moving onto another section of the palace to tidy up.

Celestia sat on her throne now, taking in a deep breathe from the frustration of her current predicament.

She was wearing a diaper, mistaken for a foal, in a game of wits with essentially a collection of body parts forming a complete plothole, and was going to be taken care of by her own feather-flipping niece!

She curled up into a little ball, whining from the unfairness of it all. And...the cold of the throne was upsetting.

Her nanny noted the foal’s whimpering, and picked her up to return her to the stroller.

Petting the poor baby, she spoke in a motherly tone, “Awww, sweetheart. It’s okay, sunshine. Nana’s here. The big mean throne isn’t meant for you yet. We’ll try again in a few years.”

Few years…

Huh...I don’t remember ever doing an execution of somepony. Guess it’s a good time to start as any once I’m an adult again. I wonder what Discord’s last words will be.

Probably him just laughing.

Grrrrr!

...

Suddenly, hoof-steps were heard getting audibly louder.

Bu-dun. Bu-dun. Bu-dun.

Princess Cadence and Shining Armor both trotted into the throne room, gleefully exclaiming welcomes to all.

Although, as Celestia was suddenly swooshed out of her stroller to be pulled into her niece’s opened hooves, all the greetings were now only for the foal.

The Crystal Empire princess held her now-baby aunt like any other little one, back and bum both supported as a long-awaited smooch-fest ensued.

Celestia couldn’t help giggling at the ticklish side effects of being peppered with kisses by her motherly niece, even going so far as to babble out an attempt of saying hello as the adorable event concluded.

Shining grinned widely, petting Celestia’s mane as he complimented her, “Aww, Celly. I didn’t know her hair was so soft. Kinda...always thought it was supernatural somehow. Like, there but not?”

Cadence rolled her eyes as she placed Celly onto her back to walk to the throne, suggesting, “Darling, you also thought Twilight’s wings were fake at first.”

Shining put a hoof on his chest, swearing, “Hey, how was I to know that they weren’t just glued on? The doctor that sewed them back up probably thought the same thing as I did.”

Cadence shifted a severely-alarmed child into her lap as she sat upon the throne, adding before the schedule mare walked over to her, “Yeah, only he didn’t cause her to spasm on the floor after a ‘check-up’.”

The schedule mare, known as Ms. Calendar, now acted as Cadence’s assistant until she left the castle, then of which all legislative power would be hoofed back to the appropriate parties afterwards.

Ms. Calendar approached the Princess of Love, already listing off times and such where Cadence would be requested to appear.

Cadence rolled her tongue in her mouth, waiting until the afternoon was spoken on, requesting, “Yes, yes. But, whilst my duties do belong to the court and diplomats, I haven’t spent any time with my little aunt since her transformation. Nor, my brother. If you’d be so kind, I advise purging the rest of the afternoon events to whoever would have done them in my stead.”

Calendar rebuttal-ed, “Princess – has been so long since I uttered those words – the regional politicians were to go on vacation today. You can’t honestly-”

Cadence smiled brightly, masking the inner fury with a thin veil of cheery words, “Ah. Of course, well any who do have issue can openly discuss the matter with me ponysally. But, I must note that it should be a private discussion. Between only I and them. Alone. No guards.”

“N-no guards? But...what if they are comba-”

“I said no guards, understand?!”

Ms. Calendar gulped slightly, nodded to the arrangement, then went to fetch whichever law-maker she could wrap her hooves around to submit to the frightening royal’s sudden arrangements.

As she departed, Lightning-Strike strode in, head low as if scanning the area like an animal on the prowl.

Cadence beckoned him to her side, patting the throne welcomingly.

Ears perked at the sight of the young Alicorn in Cadence’s embrace, he walked briskly on over.

Lightning-Strike asked of his sister, “This is her, right? Celestia?”

Princess Celestia wasn’t sure of who this pony was. Cadence hadn’t had anypony in her life aside Celestia herself for the longest time.

Maybe she had found her birth parents?

At any rate, this pony felt different. Far different from anypony else she had ever met.

Something about this Lightning-Strike was-

Celestia shouted in shock, clumsily lifting her hoof out of Cadence’s hold to point out, “Gababa!”

Princess Cadence’s hind-leg began bouncing as she cooed, “Yessss, silly Celly. They’re a stallion, just like Shiny.”

Dammit, Cadence. Do you not see the Alicorn right there?! Right there! Just loookkkk!

Lightning-Strike stared down at her, inching out a small smile as best he could muster, “Hello, little princess. You are such an amazing wonder, but you probably don’t know that yet.”

Celestia really got an ear full of his voice, disturbed by how it fluctuated. Soft and clear, but rough and guttural as well. It made her shiver out of nowhere.

Cadence felt the shiver, responding promptly, “Well, I’ll just give you to Shiny for now, sweetheart.”

Shining Armor immediately took her from Cadence, placing her on strong neck momentarily.

Princess Cadence sighed, acknowledging her workload as a clock rung from the entryway, “I’d best be off. Shining and Lighting-Strike, I’m counting on you two to keep Celestia happy until I return.”

Shining Armor made an amusing face at his wife, “I’ll try my best, babe. Dunno how much fun I could possibly be, though.”

Lightning-Strike shrugged, noting, “We’ll...see.”

And, like that, Cadence teleported away to her meeting.