Princess Celestia entered the private dining room she shared with her sister to find that Luna had started eating without her.
“I’m glad you got started without me dear sister, I guess I’m lucky I didn’t sleep in or there wouldn’t be anything left for me. It’s not like I look forward to our one meal a day together.” Her voice held just a drop of sarcasm at that last statement, just enough to leave one wondering if they had imagined it.
She sat down across from her sister and watched as her own plate of food and a cup of tea were placed in front of her, the pancakes smelled wonderful and she was sure she could see chunks of apple in them. She wondered briefly where the apples had come from. She had rather enjoyed the pastries that she had been served at Princess Cadence’s wedding and knowing that they had been grown by Twilight Sparkle’s good friend Applejack had left a warm feeling in her heart.
“Tia, you should really try this apple cider, it’s really good!” Princess Luna finished off her mug of the chilled substance with the daintiest little hiccough.
“Thank you sister, but I am quite sure that I can handle the day courts without being intoxicated. In fact I believe they prefer that I remain sober, I’m sure you have already read of the incident that occurred three years into your banishment.” Princess Celestia smiled behind her teacup. All she needed to start her day was her specially imported green tea topped off with a single lump of sugar… and a generous drizzle of honey.
“Indeed I do dearest sister! I believe thy subjects referred to it as ‘The Month of Drunken Bodies’. Referring to the fact that you couldn’t even move the sun in a straight line, forget the moon or even THYSELF!!” Her sister laughed loudly. Obviously this mug of cider wasn’t her first of the day.
Celestia however refused to be baited by her sister and she sipped her tea peacefully. The month that she referred to of course had happened almost a thousand years ago and while none of her subjects have been able to find reference to the event in question Luna seemed to find things in libraries that would astonish even her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. She was also the only pony she knew that would dare remind her of it.
“LuLu, you are going to find my every mistake over the last thousand years and make sure to remind me about them aren’t you?” Celestia put down her cup and watched as if by magic it was refilled by the attendants. The Cakes in Ponyville weren’t the only ponies she pulled the ‘fake sip’ prank on, although they certainly handled it better than the castle staff.
“Oh no dearest sis-hic-ter, I endeavour to only tease of you for the funny ones. Just because I wasn’t here to make fun of you at the time doesn’t mean I forfeit the right to make fun of you now. After all, who else would dare tease the Almighty Mover of the Sun?! Come sister, just one mug please? It was made by the Apple family in Ponyville, and we know how much you want to make a good impression with Twilight Sparkle’s friends.”
“Well… Maybe one sip, but just ONE Luna. No more.” A cup of the cider appeared once again as if by magic, the kitchen staff were the most talented she had ever employed despite being high strung. She raised her cup to her mouth and sniffed it. She tried a dainty sip, delicious would be an understatement. She took a giant sip just as the door burst open, in her shock she sprayed the cider all over Luna, her mane and face now dripping with cider.
Captain Shining Armor stood in the doorway and swallowed hard as Princess Luna turned to face him. He could see his life flashing before his eyes… Was his sister really that adorable when she was a filly?
Before Princess Luna could say a word Princess Celestia burst out laughing, Shining Armor froze. No pony on the castle staff had actually heard Princess Celestia laugh, not since before Princess Luna had taken the mantle of Nightmare Moon.
Luna turned back to Celestia and glared.
“Thou planned this… this… this outrageous prank! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!” The volume of her voice was rapidly approaching levels matched only by the ‘Royal Canterlot Voice’
“Oh, be calm sister. I didn’t plan anything, which is what makes it so funny.” Princess Celestia managed to calm her giggles and smiled broadly at her sister, all but ignoring the dumbstruck Captain of the Guard.
“FUNNY!? THOU HAS COVERED MY ROYAL VESTMENTS IN CIDER, NOT TO MENTION MY COAT AND MANE!” Luna raged on and Shining Armor quietly closed the door, determined to escape Luna’s wrath while he still could.
The guards outside the room weren’t so lucky they began to sweat in fear but otherwise showed no sign of being terrified of being called on to break up a fight between the two goddesses.
“Well you did invent moonshine, perhaps now you can invent an entirely new form of liquor, ‘starshine’.” Celestia’s voice was full of amusement.
“HOW DO YOU LIKE IT!!?” An entire pitcher of apple cider splashed Celestia in the face, her mane went limp, the colors faded leaving only a stained mess of pink hair behind.
“HUZZA, TODAY’S FORCAST CALLS FOR SUNSHINE!” Luna’s voice could be heard outside the room, where two Royal Guards stood unflinching covered in nervous sweat. They had no clue what to do if the Princesses came to blows.
“LUNA!” The walls shook with the impending rage of the sun goddess.
The guards outside the door whimpered in fear of what was to come.
“Yes, dearest sister?” Luna smiled mischievously, her face the picture of innocence.
“You win. I’ll take the day off, but only after I bathe.” Celestia grinned happily, it had been well over a thousand years since she and Luna had both taken a day off to play.
“We can have the servants fetch us more cider.” Luna was bouncing with levels of enthusiasm that not even Pinkie Pie had been able to attain at the Grand Galloping Gala.
“Much more.”
