This Masque of Mine

Celestia grunted and groaned, sweat beading slightly on her brow as she focused with all of her might. Her body strained against the pressure of magic she had unleashed, but stopping now would lead to catastrophic mayhem and chaos. Her bright pink mane flowed wildly, as if a huge tunnel of wind was being blasted against her face. Her cutie mark glowed brilliantly, spinning on her flank and illuminating the area with sunlight and warmth. Finally, with a groan of effort, the young princess lifted the sun into the exact position it was supposed to be: sunrise.

Celestia breathed deeply, trying to regain her composure as she shook of the salty sweat and looked around the area. She was on a large steppe high on top of Canterlot Mountain, surrounded by nothing but the morning sky and the breeze. She looked down at the magnificent marble structure she stood on and grinned triumphantly. The sundial beneath her hooves showed the time, and the shadow beneath the gnomon showed her accuracy: dawn. The familiar warmth of her birthright shone on her coat, and she noticed her mane had slightly changed color again. It was very faintly turning a blue-green, melding with the natural rosey pink and having the radiance of the dawn captured in its locks. I truly am becoming more powerful! she thought. And more beautiful, too! she giggled. She entertained the idea in her head as she trotted over to the stone stairwell leading downward into the mountain before she heard two sets of voice rising up from the depths. She quickly hid behind the gnomon, waiting for her prey to emerge from their hidey-hole while trying to surpress giggles..

An old grey-brown colt limped up the stairs, grunting in agitation at his recent feebleness. He finally reached the top step, stepping onto the sundials base and walking forward slightly. He tilted his cap upward with a hoof, squinting at the new dawn and grinning . He stroked his beard as a young mare came up behind him, her short blue mane flapping slightly in the wind. She gazed at the sky around her confused, wondering why the sun was up when the stars and the moon were still about in their night-play. Sunrise wasn't supposed to be for another twenty minutes, and she felt the stars sadness and jealousy at being outshone by their residential representative. The moon, as usual, was peeved that it didn't have enough time to be out as long his brother.

She turned to the elder colt, a look of annoyance in her eyes. "Where is Celestia? She's earlier than usual again, and she's making the stars feel inadequate!" She started whispering softly to the stars and moon, coaxing them.

The old pony chuckled slightly, still baffled by the sight of a princess physically speaking with the stars and moon. He knew that while it may seem ridiculous, Princess Luna's method actually made it easier for her to control the night sky. As he watched her speak he trotted over to the middle of the dial and sat, watching the young royal coax the night into slumber once more. Luna's horn glowed brightly, and she started swaying her head as if conducting a concert of classically competent ponies with her horn. As she swayed the stars started dancing, slowly fading in with the morning sky. The moon was less agreeable, and Luna had to stop swaying and literally lower her head to the ground, almost bowing, to get the moon to move. Despite her best efforts, the moon refused to budge.

He had seen enough, and Starswirl the Bearded rose achingly to stand beside the youngest princess. Celestia peeked over the gnomon, her curiosity getting the better over her eagerness to prank her mentor. The old colt's horn glowed a bright yellow, and his magic physically surrounded the moon.

"Come now, you old rock! Down you go!" He yelled, Princess Luna not looking away from the moon. She felt slightly embarrassed that her mentor still had to help her lower the moon, even though it was her chosen duty since birth. Still, she accepted his aid as they used their magic to, slowly but surely, move the moon down into it's place for the day.

Celestia giggled, revealing her hiding spot to the two. She trotted around her spot, a small sneer on her face. "I enjoyed the show with the stars there, Lulu. Gorgeous, really. The moon's still giving you trouble though, huh?" She tsk'd tsk'd. "Can't exactly live up to your namesake if you can't even get the job done, now can you?"

Luna's face grew hot in shame, hating being called "Lulu" in public as well as being mocked by her shortcomings. "Don't even speak to me, Tia. You can't even raise the sun on the correct time, let alone fall asleep without my moon and my night sky." A memory crossed her mind, making her giggle darkly. "Then again", she started coyly, "there is that one guard you seem to fancy. Perhaps he's the one tucking you in? Lulling you with pillow talk, perhaps?"

Celestia gritted her teeth in anger, her mane glowing red in anger as the area around them started to heat up immensely. Starswirl looked to his right to see the sun was getting bigger... no, closer to the planet. The plantlife around them started withering from the intense heat, and sweat poured from both him and Luna's body. The pond nearby boiled with intense heat before evaporating into a cloud of steam, and the fish within flopped around aimlessly, gasping for their lives. Starswirl used a cancellation spell to counter Celestia's hissyfit fueled magic, then was pulled by her ear toward the stairwell leading downward. Luna followed suit, her ear being pulled slightly harder than her sisters as they both winced and complained in pain. Before he left he easily returned the sun back into it's position, Celestial trying to give an apologetic grin in vain.

They walked down the steps for some time, the old one never easing his grip on the heirs ears. Finally they reached a doorway, Starswirl nearly dragging Celestia and Luna in front of him as he swung the stone barrier open with his forehoof. The both stumbled forward, giving each other annoyed looks as their horns clashed, the turned around to face their tutor.

He was as silent as stone, staring down the sisters with severe cynicism. They knew what he was going to say, word for word, as he had said it to them for over one hundred years. Luna, you troublesome filly! Celestia, you foalish sunspot! How many times have I told you to blah blah blah and furthermore blah blah BLAH. They readied their eyes for the rolling position and awaited their master.

Oddly, however, he started to smile. Not only that, but he even began to chuckle a bit. A chill ran down their spines, causing some fur to stand on end. The great and powerful Starswirl the Bearded, creator of the Elements of Harmony, founder of the Magic Tribunal Academy and mentor to thousands before them, LAUGHING?

This was not good. Not good at all.