“Are you sure that you’re ready for this, Luna?” Celestia asked quietly as she switched places with the younger alicorn, the day drawing to a close and as such, so did the day court. This was the first night court session since Luna’s return, and it would be an understatement to say that Celestia was nervous. Canterlotian nobles were nefariously annoying and incompetent, and Celestia has had more than her fair share of idiotic high-born nobility.
“Yes, sister. I will be fine. I may not be as old as you are, but I am no foal.” Luna said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “After all, have I not sat through many of your own court sessions? Have I not studied on modern politics? I am ready, sister. Please, relax.”
“If you say so.” Celestia said, not sure whether to keep badgering Luna on the subject. “Just remember-“
“Keep the order, remain calm, do not show strong emotions. Yes, I know of the conventions, Celestia. Now, off to bed, now.” Luna shooed the white alicorn away, before settling comfortably into the throne. There was still thirty minutes before the courts officially changed over, but already Luna saw nobles and petitioners milling about outside of the throne room, eager to test the mettle of the newly introduced princess of the night.
No doubt hoping that she would be a weakness to exploit, Luna thought bitterly. It was true that she still had much to learn about this new era, but politics - politics has remained more or less constant over the centuries. And Luna, while not the most approachable of ponies normally, was no novice to politics.
“This room needs some new furnishings, does it not?” Luna asked, turning to look at the night guard stationed beside her. “What do you think, Echo?”
The bat-like stallion thought for a moment before answering. “I’m no fashion designer, Princess, but I do agree that the decorum of the room isn’t very… night-like. I’m sure that you would be able to change the decor of the room to your liking, Princess.”
“You are, of course, correct.” Luna smiled, and Echo stood just slightly straighter. “Let us see if my illusory magic has weakened over the years.” Closing her eyes, she focused her energies, and her long horn started glowing a pale blue.
She pictured the white walls turning midnight black, the golden trims and archways into a murky crystal indigo, the red carpets into cobalt blue. She pictured the hanging crystal chandeliers becoming green ghostly will o’ the wisps, floating lazily around the large room, bathing the room in a sickly green light. She imagined the plush golden seats and tables transforming into furniture made of bone and obsidian, complete with skull-like embellishments and fiery decorative lights.
The stained glass windows, which Celestia had personally designed herself, were temporarily replaced with visages from Luna’s past. Her childhood, learning the ways of the moon. Painting the night sky with swaths of stars. And, with no little pain in her heart, her transformation into Nightmare Moon, as well as her epic conflict with Celestia. Then, her thousand year stay on the moon. And finally, her current form as princess of the night once again.
There was a long pause before she opened her eyes again, upon which she released a very un-royal like squeal. Echo giggled quietly to himself, before nodding appreciatively. “Very nicely done, Princess. Be it the night sky or your illusions, you excel at creating beauty.”
Luna coughed to hide a small smile crawling across her features. “Stand firm, Echo. Remember your training.” She whispered, before shouting out loud. “The night court has now begun!”
There was a loud ominous as the now gothic front doors slowly swung open, where two night guards, in full regalia, stood guard. In their mouths they held bone-like scythes that glowed with demonic energy, which were crossed, barring way into the room. As the petitioners hurried to get in line, they uncrossed the blades, allowing the first group in line to enter.
Their reaction was immediate. The nightmarish decor and unnerving guards, as well as the stark contrast to Celestia’s welcoming day court, was obviously spooking the petitioners. “Come forth. We wish to see your faces.” Luna said, in a controlled version of her Royal Canterlot Voice. Now it only sounded like there were multiple Lunas speaking at once, without the shouting aspect of a regular Royal Canterlot Voice.
“Y-yes, your majesty.” One of the ponies said, stepping forwards. She was a mare, and was wearing some form of dress.
Luna eyes her coldly. “State your name, and case.” She said, evenly.
“My name is Top Score. I… rather, we represent the board of education, more specifically the schools in the Canterlotian range.” Top Score began. Luna nodded slightly. This was a decent first petition as any.
“Proceed.”
“We need more funding in order to expand our schools into more… impoverished parts of the area. Our budget is already spread thin, and more schools would only decrease the overall quality of our schools.” Top Score produced a small stack of paper and set it down on the presentation table, which was quickly retrieved and filed away by Luna’s assistants. “If you wish for more details, your majesty, you need only to contact me, or consult the information which I have organised for you.” She bowed again.
“Understood.” Luna said simply. “Your petition will be considered and reviewed. You may expect a response within a week. If you have nothing more to add, you may leave.” The petitioners bowed, and left the room, muttering amongst themselves.
“Next!” Luna shouted, and the guards let in another group of petitioners. This time, they were dressed fancy. And they were arguing. Groaning internally, Luna went through the standard procedures. “State your names.”
“Smithy Steel, of the Steel family.” A grey stallion said, bowing. Then he gestured at another stallion. “Hammered Steel, my brother.” Upon hearing this, Luna had to hold in a laugh, and even the stoic guard cracked a small smile. “We are representatives of the Canterlot manufacturing community, and-“
Then the other two ponies butt in, interrupting the Steels. “Golden Flow, and my partner, Silver Stream.” A gold stallion pointed at a silver mare. “Golden Bit Bankers.”
“Your case?”
“They usurped our earnings!” Smithy said, pointing at the bankers.
“We did not!” Golden Flow glared at him.
“It was our gold, and you took it!”
“You sanctioned it!”
“Your fault!”
“Your fault!”
“SILENCE!”
The room fell silent as Luna rose, her eyes literally burning with purple flame. “You will NOT disrespect the sanctity of the night court.” The ponies cowered in absolute terror as Luna assumed her Nightmare aspect. “We don’t know how you act in the day court, but behaviour like this will not be tolerated in my domain.”
She stepped off the elevated dais, landing gracefully in front of the terrified petitioners. “This is how things are done in our court.” She said, her horn glowing idly. “See, Celestia has always been the more diplomatic of us two. She relies on the respect and adoration of her subjects.”
Silver Streak and Hammered Steel started choking. “But she was never much good with combat magic, and wouldn’t harm her subjects. We, on the other hand,” they collapsed, unmoving. “Have no such qualms. Whoever disrupts our court can die. We are a princess. We can make it happen” Her horn glowed again, and two downed ponies gasped, regaining consciousness.
There was a lengthy silence. “Brute.” Golden Flow muttered under his breath. Unfortunately for him, the room had perfect acoustics, and the word echoed loudly about the chamber. Two demonic hands of shadow, pulsing with a crimson glow, burst out of the floor, dragging the stallion down back into the ground. He couldn’t even scream.
“Anypony else?” Luna smiled sweetly.
“We, ah…” Hammered and Silver exchanged nervous looks. “Retract our petition. We’ve made up.” Quickly, they bowed hastily and dashed off, out of the room.
“Next!”
Celestia stared in amazement as Luna’s assistants carted box after box of reviewed petitions out of her office. Peeking inside, she saw Luna idly flipping through a sheaf of papers, sipping on a cup of fine wine.
“How…?” Celestia stepped into the room, causing Luna to look up.
The midnight blue alicorn beamed, standing up from behind her desk. “Sister! I was wondering when you would visit.” She smiled charmingly, levitating up a bottle where her cup of wine had presumably come from. “Want some?”
“Luna, you’ve passed off more petitions in a night than I could in a month.” Celestia stammered, gesturing at the piles of loose papers and documents scattered across the room. “How?”
Luna only smiled knowingly, taking a sip of wine.
Far, far under the castle, in a prison of pitch darkness, Golden Glow and several other nobles shivered.
There was a brief flash of blue light, and a pair of glowing serpentine eyes appeared mid-air. "We do hope you like the accommodations. No one crosses Luna without punishment." She started to laugh.
Maniacal cackling filled the dark chamber, echoing about as the nobles curled up in fear.