Escaping from Celestia

Shortly after Luna's welcoming home party Celestia and Luna go back to Canterlot. Celestia had a feast put together as this would be her little sister's first meal in a thousand years. On their way back Luna, despite being gone a thousand years, could tell that her sister was not as happy as she was before they left Ponyville. Luna, wanting to reconnect with her sister, asked with concern, "Is everything ok? You do not seem quite as happy as you did before we left."

Celestia replied, "Oh it is just a matter of how things are after you leave a party. You wish it could last longer but it doesn't. Don't worry about it. There is a big surprise waiting for you at the palace when we get home."

When Luna was transformed into her normal self from Nightmare Moon, she was reverted to a more juvenile form of herself. She asked, "Really Celestia?" She got a huge smile on her face and asked, "What is it?"

Celestia smiled warmly and laughed, "Oh silly, it won't be a surprise if I tell you now!"

Luna smiled and waited anxiously for them to return home. She had been gone for so long that anything outside of being trapped would be an improvement. Once they returned to the castle Celestia said to Luna, "Close your eyes Luna, your first surprise awaits you."

Luna closed her eyes while Celestia led her to her new bedroom. Given that Luna had never lived in Canterlot castle this would be completely new for her. Finally she got her to her new room and told her to open her eyes. Luna was shocked by what she saw. She gave her sister a big hug and said, "Thank you, it is perfect!" Luna headed over to her bed and plopped down on it. It was made of the same material that her old bed at their castle in the Everfree Forest was. She continued, "Wow, this is so comfy! It is just like my old bed! Even my pillows are just like they used to be!"

Celestia smiled and replied, "I am so happy to see you happy. Follow me to the dining hall, I have another big surprise for you."

Luna followed Celestia to the dining hall and sat down waiting for supper to come. Finally their meal arrived. Celestia had the chefs prepare something that had not been consumed at a royal meal since Luna was banished, meat. Luna looked at her plate and saw the pork chops, corn and saw a huge pitcher of cider in the center of the table. She ran over to her sister, hugged her and said, "You remember my favorites! I feel happier than I have in my entire life!"

Celestia asked, "How could I forget what you liked so much? After all, you were the one who liked meat so much!"

Luna smiled, ran back over to her meal and began to chow down. While the cake they had at the party in Ponyville was good, it did not fill her up. After eating five plates of food, Luna let out a huge belch and said, "Wow, I never imagined I would eat that much all at once!"

Celestia replied, "Well you haven't ate a substantial meal in a thousand years so I figured you'd eat a lot. Come now, it is time for me to lower the sun and for you to raise the moon."

Luna and Celestia headed out to the castle balcony where a huge crowd had gathered to see the Moon Princess raise the moon for the first time in a millennia. Celestia lowered the sun to a cheering crowd and as Luna raised the moon the crowd cheered wildly, which caught her a bit off guard because she had never experienced anything like that before. After landing on the balcony having raised the moon, she waved to the adoring crowd and addressed them.

She started, "Well everypony, I've never been good at addressing the public but I want you all to know how happy I am to be back and how happy I am to have all of you as part of my sister and I's kingdom."

A pony in the crowd asked, "Princess Luna, will you be back with us for good or will you just be here for a little while?"

Luna was a bit shocked by that question. At first she was worried she would answer it wrong but soon that worry disappeared and she replied, "Yes, I shall be here forever. I have learned my lesson and I promise you all that I won't let anything like what happened in the past happen again."

Celestia smiled as she was so happy to see Luna, who in the past would have blown up over a question like that, reply to it with such grace and composure. After taking a few more questions Luna and Celestia returned to the castle. Inside was waiting Luna's head guardspony, Gray Wings. He asked, "Your Majesty, tonight will be your first patrol of the Everfree Forest in a thousand years. Do you think you will be prepared for it?"

Luna became a bit anxious and asked, "I don't have to go around the old castle do I? There are so many bad memories from there."

Gray Wings replied, "Well you are the one who shall lead the patrol, so you will be the one who decides where we patrol."

As Luna and Gray Wings were heading out of the palace Celestia yawned and said, "Well, you have fun. I am quite tired and I need to get some sleep."

Luna replied, "Well you get some sleep, it has been a long day for you."

As Celestia got to her room and laid down to sleep she felt that she had done a decent job of hiding her sadness over Twilight's leaving Canterlot. While she tried to bottle her feelings in, despite being alone, she couldn't help but wonder what Twilight was up to and knew she would miss their study sessions.