Canterlot Hospital for the Mentally ill

     The Solar Princesses stood in front of the two lesser princesses, that being Cadence and Twilight Sparkle. “Now, you both know that ruling a nation is hard work, Cadence more so, since she ruled the Crystal Empire,” The rainbow-maned alicorn said to the shorter alicorns. “And since Cadence and her husband were ruling the Crystal Empire, it’s now up to Prince Shining Armor and Prince Blueblood to take over the Empire during this special day.”

     The white alicorn’s sister watched the smaller alicorns carefully. She wasn’t so sure they were ready to take on Equestria for a day just so her sister could go and get a hoof-i-cure. But, this did have some upsides to the Lunar Princess, like getting to see Equestria in daylight, which would be pretty fun, yes? Perhaps even helping mentally disabled ponies at the nearby hospital...

     “... are you ready to take on this challenge and face it with honor?”

     “Yes, ma’am!” The younger princesses yelled. The Solar Princess nodded, and the Lunar rolled her eyes.

     “Celestia always makes this to formal,” Luna murmured to Cadence and Twilight once Celestia was out of ear-reach. “Just make sure not to destroy life as we know it, alright?” Twilight giggled and nodded.

     “Don’t worry, Luna, we’ll be fine, you just have a relaxing day!” Twilight responded as Cadence trotted away. “Wait for MMEEE! You know I can’t fly yet!!!!” The lavender alicorn screeched, running toward her former foal-sitter with her wings open. Luna giggled.

I think my pony skills are getting better, she thought to herself, opening a window and flying outside. I think it’s time I met ponies who need me. To Canterlot Hospital for the Mentally ill! She screamed in her head, dive-bombing to the street, much to the surprise of some snooty ponies taking a walk.

     “Princess Luna!” Luna turned to see a little earth pony filly no older then four run up to her. “You raise the moon every night, right? That’s sooooo cool!” After she had said that, she jumped straight on Luna’s flank in a hug.

     “Dream Sparkle! You get over here this instant!” Another earth pony, who Princess Luna assumed was the filly’s mother, shouted. Once she got there she pried off the filly from Luna’s flank and made the foal sit down. “This is a princess you’re talking too! Show some respect! Now apologize!” The filly sluggishly got to her feet and murmured an apology.

     “Dream Sparkle,” Luna said, keeling down to Dream’s level. Dream glanced up with her eyes beginning to fill with tears. “I have a day off today, so you can talk to me all you want.” The mother looked shocked.

     “Buh-but princess! You’re a... Well, princess! Minors shouldn’t be able to talk to ponies like you!”

     Princess Luna glared at the mare. “If I say your filly can talk to me, she can talk to me, got that?” Luna said in a deathly quiet voice. The mare flinched.

     “Y-yes, princess...”

     Luna nodded and looked back down at the filly, who was bouncing around and chattering, vaguely reminding Luna of Pinkie Pie. “And, and if you weren’t a princess, what would you do?!”

     “Shush, you’re being watched... Or that could just be me...” The alicorn whispered, glancing around at Canterlot ponies that were stopping their stroll to see a hyper filly and a princess walking together. “And I would work in a mental hospital.”

     “Blech, why would you want to work there? It’s full of... Odd ponies!”

     “Well maybe when you’re older, you will understand. You’d better go; it looks like your mother is calling you.” Dream glanced behind her and saw her mother beckoning with one of her hooves.

     “Awwww, but MOOOOOOOM!” Dream stomped her hooves on the ground, making more ponies stare at the group of a wild filly and a princess.

     “No ‘buts’! Now come with me, we have to get you a shot.”

     “No! Mom, shots hurt! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!”

     Luna chuckled as she watched the crying filly get dragged away to get a flu shot. “Poor filly... Heh.” She took to the air again, looking at the ground for the mental hospital she was going to visit. “Ah, there it is,” she said, diving down and pulling up at the last moment, and then landing softly. She was greeted with a pony in a uniform, who she assumed worked at the hospital.

     “PRINCESS LUNA...! Oh, um... hello, princess, ma’am,” the pegasus shouted, but correcting herself when Luna flinched. “We’re glad you could make it to Canterlot Hospital for the Mentally ill! I’m waiting for my partner to arrive, so we can take you on a tour of the building, but he isn’t here yet... So we’re going to wait inside. Please come with me!” The pony began to trot to the entrance and Luna followed with enthusiasm.

     Once Luna’s eyes had gotten used to the dim light, she looked around at- unsurprisingly- a waiting room. Chairs lined the left and right walls, and a small desk stood near the back left of the room. On the back right wall, two double doors stood. They had no windows, and Luna suspected that that’s where the patients were kept. The walls were a sickly yellow, with some of the paint peeling off revealing mold.

     “Oh, uhm... Lovely...” Luna murmured as the worker lead her to the left side seats.

     “Thanks, but it looks a whole lot better once we get to the patients rooms,” The pegasus said, sitting down just after Luna did. “My name’s Sky Cloud, by the way,” Sky shyly spoke, stretching out her hoof expecting Luna to take it, which she did.

     “And I’m sure you know who I am,” Luna laughed.

     “Of course! Who could forget the Princess of the Night?”

     “A lot more ponies then you think...”

     “Oh, uh, I-I’m sorry...”

     “No no, it’s alright, I’ve gotten used to it.” Luna smiled. It seemed her pony skills were getting sharper.

     As their conversation got more into Equestrian politics, the front door opened, showing a frazzled looking earth pony stallion with a brown body and a darker brown mare and tail. “I’M HERE! I’m here... whew...”

     “You’re late, Dr.! Princess Luna is already here!” Sky Cloud shouted, making the ponies at the desk jump. “Please, let’s go, Dr. Whooves, before night falls, you know how some of the patients get when night falls...”

     “I know, I know! Don’t get your cutie mark in a knot! I’m here, so let’s go. Good afternoon, Princess Luna,” Dr. said, bowing to the alicorn, but quickly getting back up. “We have three floors to cover today, so let’s get going, hmm?”

     The night princess stood up and followed the two workers to the double doors at the back right side of the room. Sky Cloud pressed a button, and the doors slowly swung open, revealing a long, low-lit hallway that seemed to stretch to infinity. Cold air blasted Luna’s muzzle, making her shiver. “Get ready, Princess Luna,” Sky whispered as she walked through the doors and into the hallway. “It’s going to be a long day.”