Author's Note

This chapter contains villains, jello wrestling, silliness, and light princest.

The Equestria-Wide Princess Jello Wrestling Extravaganza!

Suddenly Celestia and Luna found themselves standing in a featureless darkness. It was not the wet, close darkness they had expected. Instead there was a sense of open space, and a faint cool breeze floating all around them. Then, suddenly, Discord’s voice came booming from every direction.

"In the blue corner, weighing in at four hundred and ninety-eight pounds, the shepherd of dreams, the stealer of cake, the inimitable... Princess Luna!" A spotlight came on, illuminating Luna, who was suddenly dressed in a loud spandex costume in clashing pinks and purples. She was standing on a platform at one end of a dimly-seen wrestling ring.

Celestia found herself sitting on a hard, metal chair in front of the ring, surrounded by indistinct, shadowy equine forms. Apparently for this event she was to be part of the audience.

"And in the red corner, weighing in at a svelte five hundred and sixty-seven pounds, the thief of light, the gobbler of children, the bringer of eternal night herself... Nightmare Moon!"

Luna gasped as a second spotlight flicked on, revealing her evil self at the far side of the ring.

"Laaaaaaaaaaaaaadiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiies aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand gentlecolts! Are you ready to rumble?" shouted Discord’s amplified voice, and lights came on over the ring itself. It was not a standard wrestling ring. Instead it was enclosed on the bottom and held a pool of bright green that rippled and jiggled gently.

"Jello wrestling?" said Celestia incredulously. "You have got to be kidding me."

Luna, though, wasn’t looking at the ring. Her eyes were fixed on the dark alicorn across from her. She too was clad in spandex rather than her usual armor, though the design of the costume resembled the armor somewhat. She grinned at Luna, showing sharp fangs, and leaped into the ring, landing in the knee-deep jello with a wet thud. "Come, princess! Let us see which of us is the stronger."

Luna’s eyes were narrow slits and she responded through clenched teeth. "Yes, let us." Then she too leapt into the ring, sending blobs of jello flying as she landed. The pair launched themselves at each other. Or rather attempted to. The jello didn’t give terribly good traction under-hoof, so both slipped and slid, hind legs going backwards as much as they themselves went forwards. Luna nearly toppled sideways, while Nightmare Moon was dangerously close to performing a belly-flop as her legs flew out from under her, but with a flapping of wings both managed to recover.

They advanced more warily, wading through the cold, gelatinous mess. As Discord’s announcement had suggested, Luna was the smaller of the pair, nearly a head shorter than Nightmare Moon. She didn’t seem put off by this at all, and with a sudden flurry of wings providing non-slip momentum, she leaped at her opponent, who instinctively tried to dodge and only slid again. They met chest to chest, Luna shoving Nightmare Moon hard, her wings pumping. Nightmare Moon stumbled and slipped, pushed backwards.

This provided her the opportunity to recover, though, for when her hind hooves hit the platform she’d started on she suddenly had the leverage to push back, and swiftly used her long neck and greater height to push Luna sideways. Luna’s wing-beats were interrupted and her hooves went out from under her, sending her down into the churned-up jello with a soggy crash.

She rose spitting, her mouth filled with the taste--lime, apparently--but Nightmare Moon didn’t let her get her hooves under her, she leaped on Luna, trying to pin her down. Luna kicked out, trying to rise, but with no success. Nightmare Moon put a hoof on her head, shoving it under the jello.

Luna suddenly twisted sideways, using the slipperiness of their medium to get free of Nightmare Moon’s grip. On her back now she kicked out again, and planted both hind hooves on her opponent, tossing her into the air.

Now it was Nightmare Moon’s turn to land with a wet splat. The jello cushioned the impact somewhat, but it was still bone-jarring. Luna scrambled to her hooves while Nightmare Moon lay stunned. She took swift advantage of her opportunity and leaped onto her opponent’s back, grabbing her horn in one hoof and grinding her face into the jello.

"Woo! Show her who’s boss!" shouted Celestia, unable to contain her enthusiasm at seeing her sister get the upper hoof. The audience around her came alive as she shouted, still shadows, but now animated, some cheering, but some booing as Luna continued to lay atop the black alicorn and pin her in the jello.

"Miserable wretch!" shouted Nightmare Moon, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the way she had to spit out a mouthful of jello first. The shadowy tendrils of her mane whipped out at Luna and succeeded in spilling her off of Nightmare Moon’s back. She tried to get to her hooves again, but Luna grabbed one hind hoof and yanked, pulling her back down.

The pair rolled around in the jello for a bit, a tangled disarray of legs and wings, slimy jello making them slip and slide against each other, and the spandex they were both clad in only adding to the problem. Luna kicked and bit like a mare possessed, and even with her larger size, Nightmare Moon was having trouble keeping from being pinned. Only the slippery jello let her escape, but it didn’t allow her to pin Luna either, she slipped free every time.

Luna abruptly rolled the opposite way to escape Nightmare Moon’s latest attempt to pin her, separating the pair. Both took the opportunity to get back to their hooves and stood, spattered with melting jello, and glared at each other.

"I shall show you who is the miserable wretch," hissed Luna. Her wings flapped again and this time she didn’t leap forward, but up. In an instant she was aloft, soaring above the arena.

The crowd booed, apparently regarding this as cheating, but Luna paid them no heed. She shrieked a war cry and dove down on Nightmare Moon. The dark alicorn tried to dive aside, but the jello made her hooves slip and she couldn’t escape. Luna crashed into her with a stunning, impact, knocking her to the ground.

She didn’t stop there, she followed her tackle up with a series of punches, hitting Nightmare Moon repeatedly, knocking her head back into the green, gelatinous mess. Nightmare Moon began to struggle weakly, but Luna didn’t relent, she punched her again and again, hitting her in the jaw over and over, until at last the dark alicorn went still, lying defeated in the jello.

"Victory, by a knock out, goes to Luna!"

Discord’s voice boomed, and the crowd all around Celestia cheered. Suddenly Nightmare Moon vanished. Celestia found herself standing in a single spotlight, the room again plunged into darkness. Meanwhile Luna sat blinking in the audience, still covered in jello but no longer in the ring.

"In the red corner, weighing in at a cake-loving six hundred and twenty pounds, the bringer of light, the eater of cake, the ruler of Equestria herself, Princess Celestia!" called Discord’s booming voice.

"And in the blue corner, at six hundred and sixteen pounds, the tyrant of the sun, the bane of darkness, the very fires of heaven, Daaaaaaybreaker!"

The lights came on, revealing the churned-up ocean of green jello between Celestia and her doppelganger. Celestia and Daybreaker moved at the same instant, both leaping down into the ring.

They both slid and slipped as they landed, but Celestia managed to keep her hooves under her. Daybreaker threw herself at Celestia, her flaming mane and tail trailing behind her. Celestia braced all four hooves, but couldn’t keep from sliding backwards as her opponent slammed into her. Her hind hooves hit the edge of the arena and she braced herself against the ropes, her teeth gritted, and flung Daybreaker back into the pool of jello. The crowd roared, and Celestia could hear Luna cheering with them.

The jello hissed as the evil alicorn's flaming mane and tail hit it, and she scrabbled wildly, trying to gain her footing. Celestia leaped at her, not giving her time to recover. Her hooves slammed into Daybreaker, sending her sliding across the arena.

She tried to pin Daybreaker up against the wall that held the jello in at the side of the arena, but Daybreaker kicked and flailed, impossible to pin down effectively. Especially with the jello making everything slippery. Celestia gritted her teeth, her expression determined, but Daybreaker connected with a solid kick and flung her back to land with a splat in the center of the ring. Another chorus of cheers from the crowd celebrated the dramatic move.

Celestia rolled to her hooves and stood over Daybreaker, glaring down at her other self. Daybreaker scrambled to her hooves and lunged at Celestia, slipping and sliding but managing to connect. She wrapped her hooves around Celestia and used her weight to throw them both down into the jello again. Celestia didn't manage to resist, so instead she rolled with the motion, coming out on top of her opponent once again.

Daybreaker gave her a look of pure hate. Then, suddenly, worryingly, she smiled. Celestia had her shoulders pinned, and Discord was counting down now, but Daybreaker leaned her head forward and kissed Celestia.

With a surprised yelp Celestia lurched backwards, so completely confused and dismayed by the unexpected move that Daybreaker easily shoved her off. Then Daybreaker was the one on top, her hooves locked around Celestia in a firm hold that kept her pinned. Discord began counting again. Celestia twisted, her jello-slimed body writhing against Daybreaker's as she tried to get free, but she couldn't.

"...four, three, two, one! Daybreaker wins!"

"What? No!" cried Luna.

"Aha ha ha ha ha! Yes!" shouted Daybreaker. She flared her wings and leaped out of the arena, trailing chunks of jello behind her, to land next to where Luna sat. "Now you and I shall continue on, as the winners."

Celestia slowly picked herself up in the middle of the ring. She felt shocked. How had she lost? Would Discord actually let Daybreaker continue with Luna, and leave her behind? What would happen to her if he did?

"I shall not permit this! I advance with my sister or not at all," said Luna fiercely.

"Ah, but I am your sister," said Daybreaker, grinning toothily at Luna.

"Discord! Do you hear me? I shall not pass through whatever door opens with this... this... this imposter!"

"Those are the rules of the game." Discord poofed into existence next to Luna. Luna glared at him and backed away. Discord just grinned. "Winners advance. Luna and Daybreaker are the winners. That should be simple and straightforward enough for you to grasp."

"And if Daybreaker were to lose?" said Luna. She suddenly grinned as well, a fierce and eager grin. "A contest like this should have a champion."

Discord blinked at her, then started to laugh. "Oh ho! You liked rolling around in everyone's favorite dessert, hmm?"

Luna snorted. "What I like is immaterial. What I shall do is defeat her." She stabbed her hoof at Daybreaker.

"If you wish to provide me with more entertainment, far be it from me to stop you," said Discord. He snapped his fingers, and instantly the arena was dark again. Celestia found herself once more seated with the audience.

"In the blue corner, in the red corner, yadda, yadda, yadda," said the vanished Discord's voice, as both spotlights snapped on, immediately followed by the main arena lights. "Now fight!"

Luna leaped from her starting point towards Daybreaker, wings spread. Daybreaker leaped too, but sideways, splashing down in the jello well out of Luna's path. Luna skidded through empty space and came up against the platform Daybreaker had begun from. She used that to spin around, trying to keep from slipping. Daybreaker, meanwhile, was using the ropes that surrounded the ring, she pushed off from them and slammed into Luna. Both mares went tumbling into the jello, sliding through the cool green goo.

Daybreaker immediately got a hold on Luna, and tried to push her head down into the jello. Luna lashed out expertly with one wing, breaking the hold and twisting under Daybreaker. She slid free and rolled away. Daybreaker got to her hooves, ready to pounce on Luna as soon as she rose, but instead of getting up, Luna swept one hind leg across Daybreaker's, knocking her down into the jello again.

She grabbed her opponent and held on, and the pair rolled in the slime for a time, slipping and sliding as each tried to get the upper hoof. Luna managed to end up on top, with one hind hoof on one of Daybreaker's wings, a more effective pin than she could have hoped for. She grinned down at the fiery alicorn, whose mane and tail were sizzling faintly as they melted the jello around her. "Ha!" she said, triumphantly.

"Ha indeed." Daybreaker lowered her lids, looking at Luna through her lashes, and attempted to duplicate her earlier overthrow of Celestia by leaning up and kissing Luna.

Luna, however, seemed prepared for this, and her strategy was quite simple. She kissed back, hard.

Celestia, sitting in the audience and watching, felt her cheeks heat up. The sight of "her" kissing her sister was wrong in all the right ways. The rest of the shadowy audience seemed to agree, for there were cheers and whistles and whoops of encouragement sounding all around her.

Daybreaker's half-lidded eyes flew open, and she pulled back from the kiss, but Luna pursued her, taking shameless advantage of her position on top to press Daybreaker's head back into the jello and keep the kiss going. She pressed down with her body, too, her one leg still keeping Daybreaker's wing pinned, while her front hooves kept Daybreaker's own front hooves pinned down as well, but her other hind leg shifted to rub against her opponent intimately, sliding slickly on the slimy, melting jello that covered them both.

Discord's booming voice was counting down again, Luna definitely had Daybreaker pinned, but Daybreaker didn't even seem to notice, she was kissing back willingly now, and making little moaning sounds into the kiss as Luna's leg rubbed against her. Celestia, watching, felt her entire face burning. And other things were getting heated up too. If this didn't end soon she was going to leave a puddle on her chair. Which was so wrong, watching her sister and her other self make out shouldn't be turning her on. Yet the wrongness only made it hotter.

"...two, one! Moonbutt wins!"

Luna broke off the kiss and grinned down at Daybreaker. A parade of expressions crossed the defeated alicorn's face. Surprise, dismay, and anger went in swift order, followed finally by amusement. "Defeated by my own desires. How psychological." She leaned up and gave Luna another swift smooch, and then suddenly vanished, leaving Luna alone in the ring.

Luna climbed out of the jello-strewn mess and shook herself off as best she could. Celestia hopped up from her chair, trying to control her blush. "Good job, uh, defeating her," she said. She'd almost said "Good job kissing her."

"I knew I could use her own tactics against her!" said Luna, still grinning carelessly, as if she had no idea how utterly wrong what she'd done was. Celestia just nodded, certain that if she responded she'd manage to say something revealing.

Luna looked around. "But where is the door? Surely this challenge is finished?"

"Did you not hear the rules, Princess Buttybutt? Only winners can move on." Discord's immaterial voice broke into a cascade of laughter.

Celestia sighed. "So what, then?"

"What do you think, Sunnybutt? You must win a wrestling match in order to move on. So, shall we proceed? Blue corner, red corner, cake-eating butts, etcetera?" There was a snapping sound, and Luna and Celestia faced each other across a fresh ring of jello.

"I suppose if we must," said Luna. She merely stepped down rather than leaping this time. "But as I know Celestia must win, what is the point? I could merely lie down and let her sit atop me, and call it a win."

"Oh yes, that would do just fine! Come, Sunny dear, and sit atop your sister, holding her down, while you have your way with her, reaching a climactic victory and becoming the reigning champion of the jello ring!"

Celestia flushed bright red. Luna tilted her head and stared at her with a puzzled expression, but then understanding dawned and a hint of pink colored her cheeks. "Daybreaker is not my sister," sputtered Luna, suddenly putting two and two together.

"No? And I suppose you were never Nightmare Moon?" asked Discord, mockingly. "But come, act out your little incestuous play. I insist."

Luna put her ears back, looking annoyed. Celestia looked away from her, trying to get her blush under her control. When she looked back, Luna was lying down on her stomach in the jello, not quite meeting Celestia's eyes. "Let us get this over with," she said.

"Right. Yes. Let's." Celestia walked over to Luna and climbed awkwardly astride her back, glad that they weren't face to face. Just as she had that thought there was an echoing snap from somewhere in the darkness, and Luna was suddenly on her back, Celestia straddling her belly.

"Discord," muttered Luna through gritted teeth, but her blush was back as well.

"I suppose a 'now kiss' is too much to ask? What if I said you had to before I'd let you move on to the next puzzle?"

"The rule is pinning down and winning, Discord, not kissing," said Luna. "And I'm pinned! Shouldn't you be counting?"

"I make the rules, my dearest Lunabutt. I think I'm changing them. Now kiss!"

"Oh for-" Luna cut off her complaint and rolled her eyes.

Celestia was still trying to not even look at her sister, though she was very, very, very aware of the warmth of her body beneath her.

Suddenly Luna's hoof reached up and touched Celestia's head. "Let's just do this and get it over with, sister," she said.

"I... ah..." Celestia hesitated.

"Come now," said Discord. "I promise that I will count the kiss as a win—oh my yes—and let you both advance if you do."

"Very well." Celestia leaned forward and brushed her lips to Luna's in the swiftest possible kiss. Then she flung herself back from her sister. She'd forgotten about the jello, though, and her hooves slipped so instead she just tumbled awkwardly atop Luna's legs. She quickly rolled aside, getting herself thoroughly coated in green goo.

Luna picked herself up out of the jello, and both ponies looked around for the exit, very much avoiding looking at each other. The phantom audience vanished, and a spotlight snapped on, illuminating a door with a glowing green EXIT sign over it. Both alicorns sighed in relief and began making their way towards it.

But as they did so, Celestia could still feel the shameful, tantalizing, phantom feeling of Luna's lips against hers.