Twilight frowned as she sipped her vanilla milkshake. That stupid feather... She reached back and tried to pull it out.
Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Something bothering you?"
Twilight looked back at the princess. "Sorry, Celly. I'm still getting used to taking care of my new wings. I got the edges this morning, but I still can't really preen them to save my life."
Celestia scooted closer to Twilight. "No need to apologize. Feather brushes are rather clunky to use sometimes if you aren't used to them, and it's usually easier for somepony else to do it. You want me to help?" Celestia's horn began to glow.
Twilight nodded. "Thanks."
A small tendril of golden magic worked its way into Twilight's feathers, causing her wings to twitch. The subtle telekinesis felt good, if a bit warm, as it gently readjusted any crooked feathers. She sighed.
"Does that feel good?" A smile twinkled in Celestia's eyes.
Twilight nodded again. "Yes. Very."
A sneaky smile worked its way onto Celestia's face. She lowered her head just a tad, and gently bit the tip of Twilight's wing.
"Ow!" She turned around to see her marefriend laughing, spitting out her feather. "Wasn't me, I swear. Discord did it."
Twilight arched an eyebrow, but turned back around all the same. Celestia lit her horn once more, and Twilight's eyes soon began to glaze over as she stared out the glass door. Celestia revved up the power of her spell, causing Twilight to make a small noise. Somepony's feeling it. Celestia thought with a smile. When she and her sister took turns preening one another, Luna always liked it when Celestia used that level of magic. It appears Twilight and Luna shared that trait.
Once more, she lowered her head just a tad, and bit Twilight's wing. It took a bit of nibbling for Twilight to jolt out of her reverie and turn around this time.
"Stop it!" A small blush began to spread over Twilight's face. "I know what you're doing, and it totally isn't working."
"Your blush says otherwise." A grin only seen on tricksters slowly spread across Celestia's face. "Don't tell me you don't like it at least a little."
Twilight's blush grew. "Yes, it feels good, and I do kinda like it...but still! Quit it!"
"You're sending me a mixed message here." Celestia was stifling her giggles at this point.
"Augh!" Twilight threw a cushion at the wall in her anger. "Celly, you drive me crazy."
"Just doing my job, citizen." Celestia saluted the younger alicorn, eliciting a huff from her.
"Can you still keep going, though? You know, without the biting?" Twilight tossed a meaningful glance at her mentor.
"Sure." Celestia's trickster smile grew softer, and she once again lit her horn. Working the magic into her back now, she heard Twilight make another noise, this time louder. She gently eased her magic into Twilight's back, rubbing up and down in small circles. She then began to gently work the telekinesis downward toward Twilight's hooves as well, effectively zombifying her. Even in this trance, a gentle nibble was all it took. Twilight opened her mouth to speak...
"Oh screw it. Keep doing what you're doing."
Celestia smiled, continuing to bite Twilight's wing, almost threatening to pull the feather loose at parts. Twilight sighed. "Why do I even bother with you sometimes."
"Because I'm just awesome like that." The princess winked.
Twilight rolled her eyes before levitating her book over from the side table a foot or so away. Flipping through the pages, she found she couldn't concentrate. Darn that lovable troll of a princess and her massage sorcery. Setting the book aside, she decided to just enjoy her preening.
It really was heavenly, the combination of warmth magic and gentle pressure creating the sensation of floating. She should take some notes on this later, in retrospect.
Then again, if her relationship with her mentor had taught her anything, it was that sometimes note-taking wasn't necessary, and could sometimes ruin the fun of an experience. Maybe it would be better to...put her new skills into practice...
"Celly?"
"What is it?" Celestia didn't cease her magic this time, continuing to let it flow through Twilight's wings.
Fighting her scattered thoughts, Twilight answered, "If we have time, I'd like to put my lesson on preening from tonight into practice." She winked.
"That would be lovely." They switched places, Celestia laying down rather that sitting on her hind legs due to her impressive height. Twilight lit her horn, and began to let her magenta telekinesis ease its way through Celestia's wings, taking care to adjust crooked feathers. Celestia closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh.
"Thank you, Twily. You know, you're more wonderful than you give yourself credit for."
Twilight blushed again. "I'm not that wonderful. Not compared to you or Luna."
"Do you want me to list all your wonderful qualities?" Celestia reached back and gently poked Twilight with her horn.
"No. Yes. Maybe." Twilight focused on her magic.
"You're one of the best mages in the history of my academy. You're beautiful. You're smart, unlike some of the putzes I've come across at the Gala and such events."
"I bet you've met ponies throughout the ages that are smarter than me." Twilight insisted.
"You've doubtlessly earned a place in the history books with all the times you've saved Equestria when Luna and I couldn't. You've ascended to alicornhood. And you know one of the best qualities?"
"What?"
"You have all of these qualities and didn't get an ego the size of the castle. You instead combined them to make my lovely marefriend." Celestia curled up next to Twilight, resting a wing across her back.
Twilight closed her eyes and rested her head on one of the many cushions scattered around the opulent room. "Nights like these are why I love you." She murmured as she fell asleep. Celestia laughed.
"I love you too, Twilight."
Author's Note
Been a while, hasn't it?
I saw this image and had to use it. Never mind there's currently a fic in the feature box with the same cover art, The Abyss said it was okay!
