“Ah, there you are,” came a voice from the doorway, “I’m glad to see that the both of you have managed to do as little political damage as possible despite your ill-advised drinking. I think next time I’ll be absolutely sure that you can’t get your hooves on any alcohol.” Celestia opened her heavy eyes and gazed around through foggy, hungover, vision. Approaching them from the doorway was the rigid form of Celestia’s scheduling advisor Kibitz.

“Ah…” Celestia brought her hoof to her temple with a moan and a wince, “good morning Kibitz, and what is slated for today?”

“Not much Princess, we’ve only a few minor things to take care of until tonight’s dinner with Princess Sparkle and her friends.”

“Alright then, lets-” Celestia was cut off by a sudden rush of memory from the night before. ‘Twilight and her friends?’ she thought to herself, ‘I surely hope they don’t remember us from last night.’ she quickly recovered from her thoughts as she clambered to her hooves. “Let’s go get the little things out of the way then shall we? We’ll just leave Luna to her rest then.” Celestia turned to her sister as she said this who was still fast asleep, ‘she always did sleep like a rock.’

“Very well then, first on our agenda is a small matter of court. It would seem that some young fillies and colts had acquired for themselves some alcohol last night and their parents do not seem interested in paying fines, so we must assign them community service for their transgression, even if it is ironic that the sentencing should come from a hungover princess.” There was no amusement in Kibitz’ voice, “Do try to act stately while in court, and avoid falling asleep on the railings around the dais.” Celestia bit down her reaction to Kibitz’ and composed herself despite her pounding head and stiff body.

“I shall certainly try, but don’t expect too much until I’ve at least had some breakfast and a cup of coffee.”

“I expected such a request and am one step ahead of you.” said Kibitz as they exited the observatory staircase into the castle halls. Two guards stood side by side on Celestia’s right as they went through the door. One of them was holding a plate with a delicious looking muffin, while the other was levitating a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. “One banana nut muffin straight from the castle bakery, and one hot cup of coffee with liberal amounts of sugar and cream, just as you prefer.”

“Appreciated Kibitz, what would I ever do without you?” Celestia joked with a smile.

“I shudder to imagine.” Kibitz’ sarcastic remark was the last thing that either of them had said before arriving at the castle courtroom.

“All rise before the honourable Princess Celestia.” the voice of the bailiff boomed through the hall as all the ponies in attendance rose to their hoofs while Celestia made her way to the elevated dais at the end of the courtroom. Passing by the accused Celestia could see them all in the slightly wrinkled dresses and tuxedos that they’d worn the night before, they’d not been given the chance to change, having spent the last night in the castle holding cells as per protocol with all lawbreakers caught at the gala, no matter how minor the crime. After a short walk alongside Kibitz who stopped behind the dais as she continued to it’s tall platform, Celestia took a sip of her coffee to help wash down the last bit of her delectable muffin and then addressed the crowd with her “I hate Mondays” coffee cup floating out in front of her.

“Good morning everypony.” Celestia greeted them to mixed responses including but not limited too, embarrassed silence, “Now then, shall I have the list of today’s victims?” Celestia raised an eyebrow and gave a sinister smile at the row of fillies and colts making them shift nervously, Kibitz merely sighed at her lack of professionalism. One of the guards came forth and produced a scroll from under the shoulder plate of his armor, holding it out in front of him. Celestia picked it up and flicked it open with her magic causing the wax seal to fly off and hit the guard in the face, he didn’t even flinch.

“Oh, my apologies”

“Tis alright Princess.” the guard was fairly young, Celestia could tell from his voice, he must have been one of the of the recent recruits fresh out of the academy.

“Alright then, would a Mr.-” Celestia squinted as she tried to read the name, “Jury Rig, please step forward please.” After she asked for the accused by name, a grey unicorn colt with large bottle-cap glasses stepped forward nervously. “So then Mr. Jury Rig, how is it that you have come to be brought before me this fine morning?” The colt shuffled in place and looked at his hooves for a moment before answering.

“I, err- we… we took some wine from one of the tables last night, and we… Well-”

“You consumed alcohol even though you’re not of the legal age!?” Celestia dramatically gasped, “Quickly guards, lock him in the dungeon until he can legally consume the demon drink!” Kibitz sighed heavily and brought his hoof to his cover his eyes as the princess faked swooning over such a minor offense. The guards, having no sense of humor whatsoever, began to approach the colt, who looked like he was about to cry.

“Bu- but, p-p-please no I just I-” Jury Rig about had a heart attack before Celestia felt she had had enough fun.

“I’m simply joking Mr. Jury Rig, while your lack of judgement will not go unpunished, it surely won’t be something as overly severe as imprisonment.” Celestia turned around to Kibitz, “That’d be quite the abuse of power, would it not?”

“Keep the joking to a minimal shall we?” He said in frankly, an annoyed stare on his face.

“Oh Kibitz, you’re no fun when I’m hungover.” Celestia whispered to her advisor.

“And you’re not easy to clean up after when you’re drunk.” Kibitz’ bad humor, brought upon him by the princess’ drinking against his wishes, had made him quite unpleasant to be around this morning.

“Back to business then,” Celestia sighed as she turned around to Jury Rig “So, your crimes in total are petty theft and consuming alcohol underage. How do you plea?”

“Uhm… not- err… guilty, I plead guilty.” Jury Rig lowered his head.

“Alright then,” the princess turned to the remaining ponies lined up off to the side, “and how about the rest of you? All who plead guilty please step forward.” Of the six that remained, only four stepped forward, their heads hung low. “Okay then, you’ve all been brought here because you committed the same crime, we know you committed it, and this is not a trial by jury but rather a bench trial. Those of you who stepped forward and plead guilty shall receive fifty hours community service with the Canterlot Royal guard, those who attempted to lie to me by feigning innocence to avoid consequences shall receive one-hundred hours. Glad we could wrap this up in a timely manner.” Celestia, displaying a clear lack of interest for anything that would not alleviate her throbbing head, took another sip of her coffee and looked below her, “Alright then gentlecolts, if you would please escort our guests to the Quartermaster to receive their schedules it would be greatly appreciated. And to you young fillies and colts, you shouldn’t drink until you’re my age.”

“But aren’t you like, a thousand years old?” said one of the guilty colts.

“Oh you flatter me, take ten hours off his sentence.”

“Belay that,”said Kibitz, “he serves just the same, flattery will get him no where.” His annoyance once again coming to the dampening of Celestia’s day.

“Sorry dear, but it would appear as if my hooves are tied.” Celestia raised a hoof up and shrugged as she took the last sip from her coffee cup. “And it appears that I am out of luck as well.” she said as she overturned the cup without a single drop falling out.
“Don’t worry your majesty, your next cup has arrived on schedule.” Celestia turned around to see a guard standing next to Kibitz with a thermos of coffee.

“Oh Kibitz, you are the best.” she took the thermos from the guard and emptied its contents into her cup before inhaling a deep breath to take in it’s aroma. “Sweet nectar of the Goddess.”

“Well then, seems you’ve wrapped that up rather quickly.” You’ve bought yourself a short bit of time before we need to meet with the gryphon ambassador.” The pair had already made it out into the halls and were making their way to their next destination.

“Oh Goddess… I always hate dealing with the gryphons.”

“Uhm… your highness.” Kibitz tried to interrupt Celestia, but in her fog of hangover and lack of care, he went unheeded.

“They’re always so uppity and full of themselves. You’d think smashing them lopsidedly in ten wars would dull their egos but in fifteen-hundred years they’ve yet to become more hospitable.”

“Princess, you should probably-”

“Do I have to go talk to them? Can’t Luna go?”

“Celestia I-”

“I’d hate to have to spend any extended period of time validating them for everything they do. Like it’s some great achievement that their total crop output is, for the twelve-hundredth year in a row, a third of ours.”

“Well then!” an unfamiliar voice took Celestia away from her rant, “If that is how you feel about our goods and services then I shall take my leave.” Celestia turned to see the gryphon ambassador and his entourage. Once again out of coffee, she found herself also out of damns to give.

“Good, saves me the time,” even though her head hurt now, she knew the tongue lashing she would receive from Kibitz would make it ten times worse, “not like the Gryphon Kingdoms have much to offer us anyways.”

“We shall see about that when we cut you off from our gold mines in the south.” The gryphon spat back, clearly insulted.

“Pfft,” Celestia sputtered at the gryphon mockingly, “like we need your Gold.” Celestia stomped a hoof on the ground and cracked the tile beneath her hoof. Using her magic on something not immediately obvious, she smiled at the gryphon and stared straight at him as a large amethyst shot straight out of the ground through the cracked tile. “Who needs gold when you’re castle is built upon one of the hundreds of enormous gem mines in our country? Also, we do supply about half of your food each year, so I’d suggest not doing anything drastic.” The gryphon froze in place for a moment and Celestia, who at this point was totally free of the shackles of standard politics and was instead indulging in an outright slam fest of the Gryphon Kingdoms, “Or perhaps you’d rather us cut off our support of your border security endeavors and allow the dragons to encroach on your territory and push your weak military around, which is, you guessed it,”she laughed in the Gryphons face, “half the size of ours!”

“Ha ha!” a thundering voice came laughing from down the hall. “Are we making little the Gryphon Kingdoms again?” Luna flew down the hall to join her sister, “Did you mention their proportional poverty in the face of our overflowing coffers?” Luna smiled widely.

“And their weak armies.” Celestia returned the smile to her sister before they both turned to the now, thoroughly insulted ambassador.

“What is the matter ambassador? Can you not respond to our sister’s claims of the how frivolous your nation of tribes is? Or art thou simply chicken!” Luna laughed heartily in the face of the ambassador as well as she bumped Celestia’s hoof with her own before being joined by her sister in mocking laughter of the ambassador, who at this point could stand this treatment no longer and made his way to the door silently with what remained of his shattered pride.

“Go on back to your coop, your hens are surely waiting for you!” Luna yelled after him as he exited the room. The two sisters stood there for a few more seconds of hearty laughter before simultaneously turning around and seeing Kibitz who stood there frozen. “I think that your advisor has become broken, sister.”

“Did that just happen?” Kibitz was mortified, “Surely this is a dream, Princess Luna is here, I must be dreaming… please tell me I’m dreaming.”

“I’m afraid not Kibitz. We really just told the ears of the Gryphon Kingdoms exactly what we thought of them… and it was pretty fun.” Celestia smiled to Luna who returned the gesture. “Never get used to seeing a gryphon who’s had his pride shattered. That was great,” Celestia giggled, “we should go trash talk more gryphons later.” The pair laughed in front of the still frozen Kibitz.

“Years of negotiating… gone…”

“Perhaps he is broken.” commented Celestia.

“I… I think I’m going to take my leave for the rest of the day, I shall be back tomorrow. You’re done for the day anyways, at least until Princess Sparkle arrives… I shall see you then.” Kibitz silently turned around and headed for the castle exit and Luna and Celestia watched him walk away.

“Oh I am never going to hear the end of it tomorrow…” said Celestia, “But it was sooo worth it.”

“Even for the short time I was here it was excellent fun.” replied Luna.

“Indeed it was. So how are you doing this morning?”

“I feel as if my head was clamped in a vise and my body was rusted armor.” said Luna, uncharacteristically cheery for someone who would describe themselves feeling as she did.

“I feel much the same, and my coffee has, once again, run out.”

“Uhm… Princess.” Celestia turned around to see yet another guard with a thermos of coffee.

“Amazing, Kibitz is the absolute best.”

“His talent is scheduling after all.” Luna remarked.

“It’s why I hired him.” Celestia poured yet another cup of perfectly made coffee into her cup and looked to her sister as she took the first sip. “So, Luna, what should we do today?”

“I am unsure, perhaps we could seek out Shining Armor and try again to convince him that we are under siege.”

“Unless you plan on traveling to the crystal empire and being back by four I think that’s not an option.”

“Ah, yes… he’s with Cadance now, I do miss the two of them around the castle, for the short time I was here before they departed they were most fun to have around.” Luna smiled, lost in thought for a moment as the two sisters were walking the halls.

“Yeah… real fun…” said a sarcastic Celestia, “Goddess, those two were a handful when they first started dating, couldn’t tell you how many times I had to pull strings to keep Shining Armor in the academy. Kept getting caught skulking around the castle late at night, mainly by me. It was unfortunate for him that my room was adjacent to Cadence’s at the time, couldn’t tell you how many times I had to stop those two from attempting to ‘give her an heir.’ Goddess their dirty talk was awful.” Celestia took another sip of coffee and continued their tale as they rounded the corner in the hallway, “I had this pole in my room I called ‘The Knight,’ because I kept threatening to shove it up his ass every time I caught him.”

“Ha,” Luna laughed, “Your Knight in Shining Armor, how clever.”

“Thank you, you’re only about the third pony to get that. Anyways, it never stopped him, I did have to hit him with it across the head a few times. I’d prod his flank with it if I caught him at the door and just stare at him with a raised eyebrow and a smile, that normally got the job done. I’d walk him out the door and just wait for him to try again the next night. I’m glad Twilight was a complete dork, with the lack of security her parents had at their household I’m surprised that she wasn’t with foal half the time.”
“I may have perhaps helped with that.” Luna said as she shrunk away for a moment.

“Oh really? And how is that... were you giving her-”

“Nightmares?” Luna cut her off with an embarrassed grin, “Specifically about the colts she fancied rejecting her.”
“Really?” Celestia questioned her sister with slight annoyance, “Do you have any idea how long it took me to get her to have any confidence in herself because how those repeated nightmares?”

“Not nearly as long, as I recall, as it took you to finally get Cadance to stop believing there was a monster under her bed.”
“That was you too?!” shouted an exasperated Celestia, “Good Goddess… It took seven years. Seven years of constantly getting woken up at least twice a night to come illuminate her room, flip over her bed, and getting guards to dress up like monsters so I could blast them with teleportation spells. I actually took to bringing the sun up an hour early for the last four of those years, we lost almost sixty full days worth of nighttime because she was so damn persistent on waking me up, so at the end of it, I just started staying up and raising the sun early…” Luna giggled as Celestia finished her rant and turned to her sister. “Ahhh…” she sighed, “I guess it’s all in the past now, even if it did afford me no end of annoyance back then.” Celestia laughed quietly, “So… exactly how many of my former students did you also harass in their sleep?”

“Oh…” Luna snickered as her smile grew wide, “pretty much all of them. From Wood Wand, to Silver Star, each of them had their little quirk I exploited. I remember Firebolt, you know the one that had the gimp and the thick glasses about a century ago? He, had this hilarious attraction to you, not the first one mind you, but easily the funniest. He would always write these dreadful wish-fulfillment stories with him actually getting to fulfill his advances. Goddess they were just dreadful.” Luna laughed as Celestia joined her with an awkward chuckle, “Anyway, I’d always go into his dreams and make your dream figment reject him in the most devastating ways. He always reacted so poorly, that poor colt would always cry in his pillow until he went back to sleep.”

“Well that’s just... depressing…” Celestia remarked as Luna was laughing to herself.

“You see, but then when he went back to sleep his thoughts would almost always shift to this strange rejection fantasy he had, where he would just follow you around whilst you rejected his advances and then proceeded to lay with the guards and dignitaries around the castle.” Celestia’s eyes grew wide as Luna began to giggle even harder, “And he would just sit there and watch you perform unspeakable acts to the castle staff, all the while commenting upon the inferiority of his stallionhood in comparison to your partners. It was always so fun to watch if I needed a good laugh.” Luna began laughing at incredible volume for a moment before looking to Celestia who was staring at her wide wide eyes and open mouth.

“So you just watched me… perform, like that?” Celestia was sickened.

“Oh, pshaw! Do not act like I am some sick sexual pervert, it was only a dream figment that looked like you. I have seen many a things in the dreams of our subjects. You would likely not be surprised at the sheer number of them that have fantasies about the both of us, mainly you of course. Being the only known ruler in Equestria had left you to be the object of many of your peoples affections… and desires…” Luna then winked at her clearly uncomfortable sister, whose face she then proceeded to laugh in once more. “Besides, tis not like you are some unspoiled dove Celestia. I have seen your dreams, I know you that you have a wilder streak. One that matches that of Miss Rarity’s.”

“Okay then, that’s enough!” Celestia cut her sister off with a raised hoof and a bright red face, “I remember enough of my own dreams to know that there isn’t a non-weird way that this will end.” Luna simply laughed, “How’s about we move on with our day before things get strange with some passing castle staff.”

“Alright then, I can agree with that. It was becoming difficult to keep a straight face due to your growing discomfort.” The pair continued down the hall to the kitchen for a snack as Celestia had one last thing to say on the subject.

“You damned mind reader...” The pair just laughed as they continued down the halls in search of something to do.

It had been several hours, and it was almost time for them to meet Twilight and her friends at the Canterlot train station. Ever since the gala they’d wrecked two years ago, it had been their new practice to show up the day after each one to have dinner with the princess, and avoid making fools of themselves again. The two sisters were off to their own devices around the castle and Luna currently found herself in the company of the most adorable little unicorn child she’d ever met, too adorable in fact. She knew something was amiss as the small filly had taken to following her, asking her questions about the kingdom in a stereotypically cute voice.

“Pwincess Woona?” the small pony beckoned her attention.

“Yes child?” Luna responded as she would to a normal filly, caringly and kind, should it turn out that her suspicions were incorrect.

“How big is the castle?” asked the filly.

“Very big my dear. Very big and very old.” Luna smiled trying to place her hoof on what was wrong with the unicorn in front of her.
“Oh…” The filly paused for a moment before asking Luna yet another question, “how many gawds aw thewe.” The child’s incessant need to speak as if r’s were w’s was beginning to irk Luna.

“There are quite a lot of them young one.” she replied, and the young filly paused a moment and took a look at a nearby potted plant before shrugging and turning back to Luna.

“Do you maybe have a specific number?” The last sentence came out a little too clearly, and was quite out of place for a small filly to be asking about.

“Why must you know?” Luna said sternly to the small filly, who looked nervously at the potted plant to her right before responding.
“Because… I, uhm… my daddy wants-” it was then that Luna saw it. The small, green, forked tongue.

“Ah ha!” shouted Luna as she snatched up the small filly with her front hooves. “Show me your true form!” Once more the small filly exchanged glances with the plant and looked back to Luna.
“What aw you tawking about?” she nervously asked.

“Reveal yourself changeling, lest you wish to confront your worst nightmares right here and now?” Luna stared angrily at the small filly who shuffled in her hooves for a moment before responding.

“I’m… I’m not a changewing, I want my momm-” black, swirling magic began to encompass Luna’s horn, “Okay, okay…” With a flash of green magic the small filly changed into her true form. After a moment’s readjusting to her new form she brushed her green and blue striped hair out of her similarly colored, heterochromatic eyes “alright fine, you caught me… now what, Princess?”

“It has been a while since I’ve caught one of your lot in my castle. Why are you here?”

“Did the questions not give it away?” she hissed out to Luna, “you must be pretty dense if you couldn’t gather why I’m here.”
“I am treating you with respect even though you were just attempting the guise of a small child, a poorly done small child at that.” dark magic began to swirl around Luna’s horn as the changeling’s eyes grew wide, “I would expect the same from you… now then, why, specifically, are you here?”

“Well, as I’m sure you know we’ve been down on our luck since the whole ‘invasion’ thing, so we’ve kind of adopted a new policy of… ah damn, what did she call it again?” The changeling paused for a moment.

“Why don’t you ask the plant?” Luna smiled at her.

“Why would I ask the plant?” the changeling looked at Luna with a look that implied that the princess was less than sane.
“I saw how you were exchanging glances with it, do not take me for a fool. Unless you have some kind of weird thing for plants then it is my suspicion that the plant is one of your number.” Luna finished her accusation just as as a guard entered the room to see Luna holding up the changeling.

“Excellent timing guardsman, I require you to lick that potted plant.” The odd request caught both the guard and the changeling by surprise.

“Lick the plant?” they simultaneously questioned the princess.

“Yes, the plant, tis a changeling just as this one. Now then, you have your orders, lick the plant and tell me what it tastes like.” The changeling started to laugh hysterically as the guard did as he was told.

“Okay then…”

“You’ve got to be kidding, now you have your guards licking plants? How crazy are you to think that-” the guard recoiled from the plant with a cringed face.

“It tastes strongly of limes Princess.”

“Ha!” Luna laughed at the changeling in her hooves as the guard tried to recover from the awful sour that consumed his taste buds. “I knew it!”

“Dammit!” a shout came from the potted plant to Luna’s right

“Ugh, the one thing we can’t hide.” the changeling sighed, “Come on then, Bug, they’ve caught us. Just change back and get arrested with what’s left of our dignity…”

“I…” the plant began to speak through an awkward face on one of the leaves, “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” it was the exasperated changeling in Luna’s grasp that expressed disbelief in her comrade, “We practiced this over and over!” she turned to Luna with a sigh, “He’s new, straight out of the hatchery.” she then looked back to her presently handicapped friend, “Just concentrate and assume your old form again. Just like when you took up the plant.” the changelings grew quiet as the one attempted to change back to no avail, instead he just sat there... unmoving. “Oh you have got to be kidding me… just take us like this I suppose, I’m sure the queen will be just delighted to hear about this.” Luna set the changeling down and the guard approached placing manacles from his side onto the changeling and a magic suppressing ring on the her horn.

“You’re not very resistant are you?” Luna questioned the changeling female.

“Part of the queen’s new policy.”

“Assimilation.” added that plant.

“That’s what it was! Thanks, Bug.” she rose one of her hooves up a short distance before the manacles would allow it to move no further, “Whatever the case being, we’re just supposed to hang around now, we’re not in the invading business anymore since love is apparently crazy strong against us, even though we eat the stuff. So basically, we’re just in the background now, feeding on bits of latent ‘love’.”

“I’ve always wondered how that worked exactly.” said the guard, who was looking at the plant trying to find a way to secure it.
“To be totally honest, I’ve not the slightest clue, it gets briefly mulled over in Swarmergarten, but they never really go into detail about it, they just cover how to obtain it.” The changeling explained her limited knowledge to the guard who had settled upon simply taking a small length of rope he’d had with him and tying it around the pot that the changeling plant sat in.

“Alright then, as informative as this has been, I’m going to have to ask that you be taken to the castle holding cells until further notice.” Luna stopped the conversation short, “Guardsman, if you would escort these two to the holding cell, I’ll see to them a bit later.”

“If I may have a word, Princess?” the plant spoke again. “If it’s all the same to you, I know we haven’t exactly had the best track record around Canterlot, but we weren’t exactly doing anything wrong. I mean, we didn’t replace anyone, and we surely don’t have any potted plants locked up the mines below canterlot. In all fairness, I don’t exactly see why we’re being arrested.”

“I…” the guard began to speak, “Actually, nevermind.”

“What is it guardsman?” Luna asked her subordinate.

“Well,” he said nervously, “the shrubbery has a point, I mean, they were just hanging around here. And it might not reflect well on us if we arrest them for simply being changelings, that might incur some diplomatic backlash from their hive.”

“I see…” Luna couldn’t help but think that she was somehow allowing herself to be just a little to trusting of the perforated ponies before her, and she also didn’t want to fathom how ridiculous she looked listening to plant that actually made sense. “Well then, I will permit the two of you to remain around the castle on the condition that you are watched by this guardsman here. And you,” Luna looked to the guard, “you are not to tell anyone of their true nature, lest you cause unneeded panic. I shall come to you two later to see about the terms of any further stay. Do not betray my trust, lest you wish to meet your ends gasping for air on the moon.”

“Duly noted Princess.” said the raspy voice of the locked up female, “Don’t worry though, we’re on orders from the queen as it is, so we’ll make no trouble.” The guard took the ring off of her horn and she immediately changed into a beautiful pegasus mare, still locked in her manacles as she gave seductive glances to the guard, “At least, not any trouble our handsome attendant wouldn’t like.” The guard shifted nervously and blushed, even though not a moment before, the changeling wore the form of the strange insectoid pony that she was.

“Uh huh… well then, do what you will as long as it’s within lawful boundaries or you’ll be in the dungeon so fast your carapace will shed.” Luna gave her last warning as she turned away from the party behind her. No sooner did her hoof hit the ground did Celestia enter the room. Taking a quick look behind her to check on her latest guests, Luna saw the changeling mare staring with wide eyes at Celestia, as the guard was removing her manacles.

“Oh hello Luna, glad I found you we need to get to…” Celestia paused and looked behind Luna with a raised eyebrow, “why is that guard tied to that plant?” The guardsman, having needed a way to transport the changeling plant, had tied the rope around his waist to pull it along behind him. It took him only a moment for him to react.

“Physical training, Princess, I’m toting this heavy plant with me to build up my strength for the upcoming guard triathlon.” He smiled to the princess.

“Ah, good thinking, just be sure you’re not scratching the tiles, I’m sure the masons are already upset with me for breaking one earlier, I’d hate to see you get in trouble for scratching them up.”

“Will do, Princess.” the guard saluted as he clicked the manacles off the changeling and began dragging the much heavier than expected plant out of the room with his other charge in tow.

“But yes, as I was saying, Twilight’s train should be arriving soon; we planned on meeting them at the station so we need to get moving here in a few minutes.”

“Splendid, I am quite excited to see them again…” Luna paused for a moment, “I surely hope they don’t remember us from last night.”

“Me too, I have been dreading that all day... but we still have a dinner to get through. So here’s to hoping they remain oblivious to what we’ve seen.” and with that the two set out for the Canterlot train station.

The trip was just as any other, short, boring, and thanks to their guard escort, clear of any trouble. The train station was busy as normal, ponies shuffling on and off colorful trains that both Princesses wished were less ridiculously decorated. But after Celestia had made a comment about the railroad company’s first train model being a little plain and unappealing, the, at the time, CEO of Equestrian International Railroads decided to take it as an insult and make their trains overly colored, and horrendously fashioned. It was something that everyone had eventually gotten used to, except the Royal Guard, who would often be taunted by being asked if they had any cookies to sell when they had to use the trains to travel en masse.

“Do you see them anywhere?” asked Luna, the two princesses stood in the middle of a circle of guards that separated them from the crowds.

“Their train just arrived, so it should be any moment now.” the pair then took to scanning the crowd for signs of their guests. Ponies shuffled by them going every which way as the pair searched for Twilight and her friends. Every time either of them thought they’d spotted them a few dozen ponies would shuffle in the way and obscure their vision just long enough for them to lose track of who they thought they saw, that is, until a familiar blue pegasus shot up from the crowd and began to look around. After looking around for a moment, Rainbow Dash recognized Celestia and Luna sped over towards them. Shortly before reaching them she was grabbed by a magical field and thrown to the ground by one of the guards who then pointed his halberd at her with a shout.

“In the name of the Princess you shall go no further!” the guardsman shouted at her, the rest of his comrades simply stared at him with panic in their eyes.

“What they hay is going on?” replied a scared Rainbow Dash, “I- I didn’t do anything wrong, I was just-” She sounded like she was about to cry from her sudden, unexpected arrest.

“Release her at once guardsman,” said a stern Luna, “she is no threat to us, in fact we were expecting her. To have you react thusly is nothing short of embarrassing.” Luna glared at the guardsman disapprovingly and he relented his shield and stayed his weapon.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Princess, it’ll never happen again.” the guardsman recoiled.

“Don’t worry about it,” Celestia assured him, “you were just doing your job.” she turned to Rainbow Dash who was recovering from being pinned to the ground, “Apologies, Rainbow Dash, he’s new.”

“It’s no problem, I understand. I was just afraid I’d done something wrong that I didn’t remember.” Dash rose to her hooves and dusted herself off.

“So where are the others?” ask Luna.

“They got off the train right after I did, they should be right behind me.” Dash turned around and saw that the wall of ponies had yet to relent enough to allow anyone through, “Or maybe they’ll take a moment.” with a laughing smile Dash jumped up into the air once more to clear the crowds and fly to her friends. Or at least she would of, had she not been immediately slammed into by a fellow pegasus carrying a suitcase that burst into various beauty products and some risque clothing upon hitting the ground. The princesses watched as the two recovered and after a brief period of apologies and “watch where you’re goings,” the unknown mare quickly packed her suitcase back with an embarrassed red hue to her face. Dash helped her gather up her supplies quickly and then decided to just shove her way through the crowd to her friends. She quickly gave this up after a few moments being lost in the crowd and took to the air once more, this time with fewer aerial collisions.

The crowds began to thin out rapidly after another minute and Luna and Celestia could see the group of ponies from Ponyville coming their way. At the front of the group was Twilight, as per usual, quickly trotting up to see her mentor before the others, followed by AJ, Dash and Rarity with Fluttershy and Pinkie bringing up the rear.

“Oh Celestia, it’s so good to see you.” said Twilight at the princesses side.

“It has been too long Twilight.” replied Celestia as she lowered her head to embrace her faithful student. “Come now, we’ve already prepared for your arrival, the castle staff should be preparing the last of the food as we speak.”

“Ooh,” came a high pitched squeal from Pinkie, “I wonder what’s for dessert?”

“Whatever you wish Pinkie Pie,” chimed in Luna, “it shall be made upon request at the end of the meal.” she smiled to their guest.

“Oh now you’ve done it,” said Applejack playfully, “Ah ain’t seen a meal that Pinkie didn’t clean out the pantry when had the option.”

“We’re quite prepared for that, so don’t you worry about causing a problem. If you want something, all you have to do is ask.” Celestia reassured Applejack.

“If you say so,” Pinkie giggled, “I think I might have to get one of everything.”

“That can be arranged.” after a warm smile and a moment’s time Celestia was roused by a small tap on her shoulder looking to her left she saw it was her student that required her attention, “What is it that you need Twilight?”

“ So I, uhm… I know it’s really, really last minute, but could I by chance invite another friend?” she asked shyly.

“Of course, I see no reason as to why not.” it didn’t take Celestia long for her to figure out who Twilight was referring to, she only wondered how long it would take to retrieve her. But she was unsurprised by her forward thinking apprentice, whose smile grew large as she turned to the train and trotted off into one of the open cars. Turning to Twilight’s friends, she could see that they were slightly less pleased by this turn of events. Pinkie quickly turned to Rarity who used her magic to create a thin blue coating of magic around her muzzle that quickly disappeared as they nodded to one another, Rainbow Dash landed and tucked her wings in with nod to Applejack who tipped up her hat revealing the knotted end of a rope, and Fluttershy opened up one of her saddlebags and pulled up what looked like a blue ear attached to a black hood before tucking it back in and closing her bag back up. Celestia pretended not to notice such oddities and gave a quick glance to Luna, who she could tell was holding back laughter behind a calm expression.

“Oh I do wonder who Twilight has brought with her.” said Luna, cocking her head at a slight angle.

“I sure we’re about to find out.” Celestia smiled back. After only a few more moments Twilight could be seen emerging from the train car with a familiar blue unicorn in tow. Luna and Celestia’s thoughts on what exactly they’d done last night made it extremely hard to keep straight faces, but they managed to hold off their laughter.

“Princess, this is my new friend Trixie, you know, the one from the letter a few months back? As of late we’ve decided to put aside our differences and make a go at becoming friends.” Twilight finished the last part of her sentence with a more than friendly grin in Trixie’s direction that was returned by Trixie with a similar glance and a slightly cocked eyebrow. As subtle as they thought they were, they were not. The rest of Twilight’s friends all shared looks of skepticism and disapproval while Rainbow Dash, also thinking she was not seen by the princesses, held open her mouth with a sickly expression and pointed her hoof at it.

“Greetings Princess, I’ve heard so much about you. I am Trixie Lulamoon, your humble servant.” Trixie said with a bow as eloquent and controlled as her tone.

‘Twilight must have told her to tone it down a few notches.’ thought Celestia, “I am pleased to make your acquaintance Ms. Lulamoon, the pleasure is all mine.” Luna and Celestia needed to do something fast, the both of them were on the verge of laughing aloud in the faces of their guests. Figuring it was time to move along, Celestia addressed the ponies. “Alright then, if every pony is ready we’ll go ahead and make our way to the castle, I’m sure the staff is more than ready to get everything underway.” and with that the group of ponies and their royal escort started through the busy streets of Canterlot.

It only took them a short while to reach the castle and it took even less time for Luna to see something was amiss. After taking no less than three steps in the door she spied none other than herself, followed by a guard lashed to a plant in a small cart walking down the hall towards them. Being the first one through the door she gave out a loud squeal and kicked the door behind her, slamming it with force straight into Twilight’s face.

“Aahh!” yelled Twilight as the door struck her. The sudden commotion roused the attention of her clone and entourage, and the both of them, with eyes as wide as saucers quickly dashed into a nearby room. The guard took the turn so abruptly it toppled the plant’s cart over and slammed it into the threshold. After a brief second they disappeared completely out of sight and slammed the door behind them. Luna turned around to address the situation, looking through the door she could see Twilight’s friends assisting her to her hooves, Twilight herself held a hoof up to her now bleeding nose.

“I’m so sorry!” exclaimed Luna, “I-” she thought quickly, “saw a mouse, yes… a rather large one, I swear he tried to bite me!” Celestia looked at Luna knowing that her excuse was just that, an excuse. This was the pony that used to be Nightmare Moon, that on a nightly basis conquered nightmares, nothing scared her. But rather than acting upon her suspicions she decided to assist Twilight.

“Come Twilight we’ll get you to the infirmary, just keep pressure on your nose and hold your head up.” She turned to Luna, “We’ll see you shortly Luna, we’ll just go get this taken care of first.” The ponies then continued through the door as a group with Twilight holding her head back and Trixie guiding her with a hoof around her raised hoof as she walked. The rest of the ponies followed behind looking worried, except for Rainbow Dash, who was giggling at the situation while AJ and Rarity gave her scornful glares.

“Yes, I shall meet you at the dinner table, for now I shall chase down this rat and expel him from the castle.” Luna turned and trotted from the group looking behind her as she went, as soon as she cleared their vision she looked in front of her to see that no one was in the hallway and began running full speed for the door that the doppelganger and guardsman had entered, arriving at the door she turned and kicked the door wide open to see the guard, plant, and changeling back in the form of the mare from earlier pacing the floor.

“What was the meaning of that!?” Luna shouted angrily as she slammed the door shut behind her.

“It was his idea!” said the changeling female, pointing a hoof at the guard.

“No it was his idea!” said the guard pointing to the plant.

“I can’t point.” said the plant plainly, “But it was totally his idea.”

“Gee, way to throw me under the carriage guys.” the guard said, exasperated.

“Who's idea was this? Why were you assuming my form? You’ve five seconds to explain before I send you to the moon, changeling!”

“Okay! No need to get hasty now, it was all in good fun. We were just messing with some of the other guards okay, we didn’t do anything really bad!” The changeling mare said in her panicky pony form, “I didn’t do anything embarrassing or vulgar I swear!”

“Yeah,” interjected the plant, “Bit did a great job portraying you with respect.”

“That is true, her impersonation was spot on.”

“Aww, thanks guys.” said the female changeling Luna now knew as ‘Bit.’

“That’s aside the point, what did you do?” Luna questioned her once again.

“We just fooled around with some guards is all, made a few perform an impromptu quartet of ‘Hoofloose’ and do some silly dances, nothing major.”

“There were no changes of policy your majesty, we swear.” the guardsman added.

“Yeah, we swear.” said Bug, still stuck as a plant.

“I’m sure…” said Luna with growing malice in her voice, “Why should I allow you all to spend the rest of your days outside of a prison cell for impersonating a princess hmm? How do I know you won’t do it again behind my back and do something truly damaging to my reputation or the kingdom?”

“Because we like freedom too much?” replied Bit with a worried smile.

“We won’t do it again we swear!” said the guard.

“We’ll stick to doing what we did before no more being you.” it was then that Bug immediately morphed into Luna atop the cart the guard had been carrying him in. The awkward new distribution of weight caused the cart to shoot out from under him and slam into guard beside him, who raised up his leg in pain and held his other hoof to the bruise on his leg.

“Do you mean to mock me?” Luna shouted with growing anger.

“Dammit Bug, what are you doing?” Bit shouted.

“I’m not trying to, I swear, please don’t banish me to the moon!” Bug shouted in Luna’s voice.

“Change… now!” snarled the princess.

“I’m trying to!” he shrieked as he closed his eyes in concentration.

“C’mon Bug, now is not the time.” said a panicky Bit.

“I know, Bit, I’m trying… just… just give me a second.” Bug was struggling to concentrate with an angry Luna in front of him, growing even more annoyed at hearing the sound of her own voice. After several seconds of strained looks, held breath, and grunts Bug opened his eyes, “I can’t do it.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear…” Luna glared at them all, now huddled together as Luna’s magic began swirling around her horn.

“Oh Goddess, please don’t banish us!” shrieked the guard.

“I swear we’ll be good!” squealed Bit.

“Please, we won’t do anything... I mean... we’ll do anything! Just please don’t send us to the moon!”

“Shut up Bug!” shouted Bit, she knew that every time he spoke in Luna’s form it angered her further, “Just change back already!”
“I can’t, I really can’t!”

“Come on man!” added the guard. Shortly after the guards last statement they all just began screaming in fear. Knowing that the walls of the castle weren’t completely sound proof, Luna stopped channeling her nightmare magic and placed a magical, soundproof bubble around her would be victims. She gave an exasperated sigh and watched as they silently screamed together with their eyes closed beneath a blue orb. After about thirty seconds of silent screaming it was Bit that realized that the immediate danger had passed and roused the other two from their hysteria. With their hooves still locked together, they stared at Luna with frightened expressions as she glared disapprovingly at them when the bubble disappeared.

“Listen well,” said Luna, “for this is your last warning. It would appear as if we are all in a delicate situation here. I cannot simply imprison you due to your friend’s current state, and while it would be easy to do, were he not, I still don’t have any real desire to do so as I don’t want everyone to know that there are changelings among them. So I am giving you three one last chance.”

“Why am I in this?” asked the guard, who received dirty looks from Bit and Bug.

“Because you were in charge of guarding them, and you instead used it as an opportunity to indulge in humiliating your comrades.” the guard fell silent once more, “Now then… here’s what I need you three to do. The castle cleaning staff make their rounds of almost all rooms in the castle every evening. Were they to discover you here and then see me at the dinner just down the hall, they would almost surely have reason to question your appearance. Celestia and I will be meeting Princess Twilight and her cadre of friends for dinner in about half an hour. It is when Celestia and I are at the dinner, that the three of you shall make your way to my quarters and await me there until I arrive after the dinner. There I can at least be assured that no one will discover you, as the castle staff are forbidden from entering the Royal chambers unsupervised. Understood?” Luna asked them.

“Crystal” they gulped in unison.

“Alright then, but before you go, ”Luna turned to the changeling assuming her form, “Bug was it?”

“Yes your highness.” he replied worriedly.

“Give me your best impression of me…”

“Oh here we go.” said Bit.

“Uh… uhm… Hello there guard pony,” he turned to the guard trying to act as if this was some kind of stage act, “how fares the watch good sir?” he then gave an overly large smile that looked creepy coming from Luna’s form.

“My Goddess that was awful.” said Luna, repulsed by the display.

“Why do you think he was a plant before?” added Bit bluntly.

“Well, what about you, Ms. Bit… I cannot believe I’m about to propose this,” she rose up a hoof and rolled her eyes, “what’s your best Celestia impersonation.”

“Well… uhm… one moment.” Bit was taken aback by the request and trying to act quickly to soothe the princess took a few steps back and with a flash of magic turned herself into Celestia, crown and all.
“Points for appearance, but how’s your voice.” said the guard.

“I don’t know, you tell me?” Bit spoke with the same soothing, honeyed words as Celestia. Her voice was matched perfect.
“Now interact as if you were our sister.”

“Years of improve classes, don’t fail me now.” Bit cleared her throat, closed her eyes, took a deep breath before continuing. Opening her eyes once more she looked to the guard with the same sweet gaze that Celestia gave all her subjects and spoke, “Greetings guardsman, and how are you today?”

“Quite fine Princess.” he replied.

“Good to hear, how’s the family?”

“Doing well your majesty, my wife just gave birth last week to our first son Valiant.”

“Why, congratulations, extend my wishes to your wife when you get home.”

“Will do your highness.”

“That will do I guess. You shouldn’t be required to say anything official, just keep to small talk if you have to, but try and avoid it. Guardsman, you shall guard the door until the dinner has started, at which point in time you shall come to see that Celestia has sat down and begun eating, when she has you shall return here and escort these two to my chamber, understood?”

“Yes princess.” they all said in unison.

“Good, I want no further trouble out of the lot of you. Now then I have a dinner to attend, be sure that when you head to my quarters that you do not deviate from the path. And by the way, congratulations on the son guardsman.”

“Thank you princess, but that was merely acting. I’ve no wife or child.” he replied plainly.

“Ah well then… good acting.” and with that, Luna exited into the hallway leaving the changelings and their custodian behind to attend the dinner she’d been dreading all day.

Author's Note

Went on a bit longer than I'd hoped, so I'm gonna finish it up with a third chapter.