She sees you when you're sleeping...
“Do I have to?”
The pink eyes glaring up at her, looking oh so disappointed, said yes, she definitely had to. Luna sighed.
“But I don’t want to.”
The stare was unwavering, though it did get a little more exasperated.
“But I’ve done it so many times, Celestia.”
“You got to miss a thousand of them.”
That shut her up real quick. She didn’t make eye contact as she finished her toast. Actually, said toast was suddenly incredibly interesting. If one looked closely, there was a certain beauty in the way the morning sunlight hit the strawberry jelly on the toast, filling it with light. Absolutely fascinating.
It was a view she didn’t often get to experience. For good reason.
“Why am I awake again?” She asked, invoking an eye roll from her sister.
She sighed, and slowly rose from the table, the crusts of her toast abandoned on the plate, small globs of jelly still shimmering in the morning sunlight.
“Alright, but you’re raising the moon for me tonight.”
Celestia refrained from rolling her eyes again as her sister walked out of the dining room, her tail swishing behind her.
Luna was headed back to her room in order to bundle up to brace the cold, and hopefully get a few more minutes to herself, but a guard stopped her on the way.
He held a stack of neatly folded winter clothes.
“Celestia took some precautions, didn’t she?” He nodded and floated the stack over to her. She reluctantly took it and thanked him.
He didn’t move. She stood and waited. He stayed put. She stared at him.
“The Princess insisted somepony escort you.” He said delicately, knowing very well how angry this would make Luna.
“Does she really not trust me that much?” Luckily, she seemed more exasperated than angry. She shook her head, brushing it off, and quickly pulled on the sweater, boots, scarf and hat. All in a shade of red that she equated with blood rather than merriment.
She paused for a moment to look over her appearance in a window reflection.
“I look ridiculous, don’t I?” She asked her companion. He shrugged, and she trotted back down the hallway, the boots muffling her hoofsteps slightly.
Behind her, the guard looked slightly silly, his pace unnatural to keep up with Luna’s long legs.
But that was the idea.
Right before she stepped outside, she quickly cast a warming spell on herself. The winter gear was just for show, after all.
She swung open the doors and was instantly greeted by a frenzy of photo flashes. She pretended not to notice, and as she walked past, the crowd parted like the Red sea.
They followed her as she walked into the main part of Canterlot, a procession of winter coats and cameras. She quietly asked her escort if there was any way to get rid of the vultures. He shook his head.
“It’s generally a well publicized event.” He whispered back. She sighed, quietly of course.
The princess was a little out of practice. She hadn’t even been back on this planet for too many winters, so Celestia had been covering for... a while, even though they were meant to take turns. But, as the two had discussed at length, she had to do it.
It had begun to snow, and little flakes kept getting caught in her mane and tail.
Whatever. It’s festive.
She could see her destination long before she arrived.
They’d sent out scouts weeks before to find the tallest pine tree in Equestria, and this one had taken twenty pegasi to fly back to Canterlot and set up in the middle of the city square.
It was decorated with tinsel and garlands and strings of unlit light bulbs and ornaments made by foals from all across Equestria.
Luna found it a little gaudy, but you couldn’t have paid her to say it out loud.
Pegasi fluttered around the tree, adjusting ornaments and sprinkling glitter on the branches. But as soon as they saw her approaching, entourage in tow, they quickly stopped and landed back on the ground.
There was a large crowd surrounding the tree, and they started cheering as she got close. She put on her best princess smile.
Velvet ropes created a barrier around the tree, with a few feet around it. This entire circle was empty, aside from the tree, the head tree decorator (Moon something? Luna couldn’t remember her name), and a large candy-cane themed throne.
The decorator trotted over to her and gave her an oversized white glittery star as the crowd fell silent.
Her wings unfurled and she gracefully flew to the top of the tree, holding the star.
It was a lot colder way at the top of the tree, which sent a chill through her. She paused for a moment to look down at all the little ponies staring upwards, waiting for her.
She took a deep breath and placed the star on the very top of the massive tree.
Instantly, the tree sprang to life, the millions of lights on the tree twinkling, lighting up the square in the dusk. The crowd voiced their amazement at the display while Luna flew back down.
It is pretty beautiful. She admitted to herself.
She didn’t dwell on the tree for too long, though. Instead, she quickly sat in the throne, taking a moment to get comfortable.
She sighed quietly, taking a moment to get ready for the part she wasn’t too keen on.
“Alright fillies and colts.” She said, loud enough for the crowd to hear. “Who wants to sit on Luna’s lap?”
The sky was just starting to get dark as Luna was escorted back, this time without the regiment of ponies behind her.
When Celestia did this, she’d stay out all night, watching as the lights on the tree lit up the whole square. But Luna had a moon to raise, so she cut things short.
“So how was it?” He spoke up. She shrugged.
“I still don’t understand why Tia couldn’t do it.”
“Maybe she wanted to teach you a lesson.”
“Yeah, ‘bout what?”
He paused to think.
“About the magic of the season.”
She chuckled.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know... about love, and kindness, and goodwill, and all that junk.”
She shook her head, dismissing the idea, and they walked in silence for a few moments, the breeze running through her mane.
“So?”
“So what?”
“So did you learn anything?”
She laughed.
“Nothing to write a friendship letter about, that’s for sure.”
They laughed together, sharing a warm moment in the twilight.
Later, as she raised the moon, alone at last, she looked down at the glimmering tree, shining even more brightly from her high vantage point.
In that moment of serenity, she stopped to reflect on what had transpired that day.
And really, all she wanted was to go to sleep.
