The Princess of Chaosby Foal StarChaptersChapter Two: Day Two: Welcome To Sun Butt's Daycare for Gifted YoungstersChapter Three: Night One: Luna's New MoonChapter Four: Day Three: Truth or Dare?Chapter five: The Chaos DuelChapter Six: Night two: A Night to RememberChapter seven: Day four: One long terrible morningChapter eight: Day four part 2: Celestia's daybreakChapter Nine: Day five Celestia and Luna's last day outChapter Ten: Day six Celestia Embraces ChaosChapter eleven: Day seven: Day Breaks and on that day Celestia restedChapter Twelve The Night of the Seventh day: A Date with the Lord of ChaosProlouge: Day 0: A Deal with a Chaos LordChapter One: Day One: How To Use Chaos Magic?Chapter Two: Day Two: Welcome To Sun Butt's Daycare for Gifted YoungstersPrincess Celestia awoke once again to the call of the "motherly maid" she’d unintentionally transformed into an alicorn the previous. And as before, she was still regretting it. "Good morning sweetheart, it's time to raise that sleepy head of yours." It took a moment for the bed to even stir as the princess’s head peeked from under the sheets, still feeling groggy from the previous day. Slowly, she rose up, rubbing a paw over her head as she groaned. “Strange, I’m never usually this tired in the morning.” A fun little perk of being the Pony of the Sun, you’re always up and ready in the morning...or atleast that’s usually how it works. Celestia found herself pondering this change as she rubbed sand from her eyes while struggling to get out of bed, wanting nothing more than to just curl back up in the sheets. “I’m beginning to wonder if this transformation is affecting more than just my magic.” This only earned her a chuckle from the motherly alicorn as she proceeded to take the claw of the princess draconequus to the washroom. Celestia could only yawn again as she was all but dragged from her bed before being seated as her overprotective maid assisted in combing her long, flowing mane and tail, cooing all the while, much to her chagrin. "Oh, I know you don’t feel especially well right now, but I think after a little time up and about, you’ll feel right as rain.” Without even stopping the brush she was currently levitating, Feather effortlessly brought Celestia’s daily schedule over, peering at it with one eye while keeping the other trained on Celestia. “Now then, you have that inspection of the Royal Guard and a meeting with the nobles this morning." Celestia only responded with a loud groan, followed by practically dragging her claw down her face. "As if I wasn’t feeling bad enough as it is. True inspecting the Royal Guard typically isn’t too much trouble but I can barely stand meeting with nobles when I’m my usual self, much less as I am now. At this point, I’d rather fight Sombra again." The motherly alicorn merely offered a comforting smile as she continued to brush. "Be that as it may, I think you're going to do just fine. After all, you’ve managed to lead this entire kingdom all but flawlessly for over 1000 years. I’m sure you can handle things.” Finally putting the brush away, the new alicorn casually opened the nearby closet and started scanning the various outfits within. “So, now we just need to get you something appropriate to wear. Would you like me to pick it out for you?” The draconequus shook her head and snapped, “No, that won’t be necessary. If I’m being honest, I’d rather keep things low key today. No need to dress up.” Finally managing to shake off the last bits of grogginess, the princess quickly brushed her teeth, along with applying a minimal amount of makeup, she gave herself a once over in the mirror. Overall, despite the lack of attention she’d opted to give herself, Celestia was quite stunned at how cute she looked. However, her literal self-reflection was cut short by a shiver running down her spine, thinking about Discord looking her over. Without even snapping her fingers, her eyes shifted colors, now taking on a technicolor appearance as they scanned the entire room, even stretching out of her head and peering behind her, thankfully finding nothing. “At least I can take solace in the fact Discord decided to keep his distance today. Draconequus or not, there’s only so much of his antics I’m able to tolerate.” The princess gave a deep sigh and stared back into the mirror. "Just remember, no matter what happens, you're still the ruler of Equestria, and you have duties to perform." She stepped out of the bathroom and turned her gaze towards her motherly alicorn. "Once again, thank you for your assistance Feather Duster, I truly appreciate it. However, I need to go raise the sun now. Perhaps you could go and tend to Luna. She has developed a bit of a bad habit of not eating before she goes to sleep." Duster offered her usual smile and bowed in response. “Of course, I wouldn’t want poor little Luna to feel left out. Though, would you like some breakfast before you raise the sun? It is the most important meal after all." Celestia chuckled seeing how the alicorn she created out of a maid was staring down at her with those loving, caring eyes, just worrying about her. True, it was more than a little awkward how overly affectionate she could be and she definitely would have to turn her back soon. However, she was enjoying the attention for the moment, it was something she’d missed for...she didn't know how long honestly "Certainly, some breakfast would be nice right about now." The alicorn narrowed her gaze and snapped, "Then, I will go and prepare a healthy breakfast when you return. But you better not turn it into the cake and sweets, your pudgy enough as is." Celestia’s smile immediately shattered like a rock as she had to bite back the yell forming in her mouth, made harder when Feather decided to poke her stomach just to emphasize her point. “Must you constantly bring up my weight? I’ll have you know I’m in excellent shape and I’d appreciate it if you keep comments like that to yourself.” The alicorn scoffed, "Don't you snap at me, young lady!" Celestia prepared to shout back but managed to restrain herself, not wanting to potentially make a scene. “Forget it, it’s not worth the effort. You’re just fortunate I have more important things to worry about right now or I’d change you back to how you were. Goodness knows I could do without the constant hover parenting.” Feather could only look on stunned at the blatant show of rebellion from the transformed ruler. "Such manners and from you of all ponies. You keep this up, you'll be grounded from going to the ball this weekend!" Celestia only responded with a blank stare, before holding up her hand. “You know what, you’ve been working so hard these last few days, why don’t you have a nice, relaxing spa day ...in Ponyville.” Before her overbearing, self-appointed parent could yell a retort, she was gone in a flash, allowing Celestia to finally relax if only for a moment. “Ugh! What was I thinking turning one of my maids into an alicorn ...oh right I wasn’t, it was just a slip of the tongue." Deciding to not dwell on that particular misstep too much she flew out of her room and into the hallway. “Once she returns from her trip, I’ll make sure to change her back and finally put an end to this mishap. For now, I’ll just focus on my day. Here's hoping Luna is at least in a better mood than I am right now." Everypony in Canterlot was nervous and curious, hearing the rumors about what happened yesterday when Celestia raised the sun, with some hoping for a repeat performance. The princess flew out in her draconequus form, shimmering and glowing above them, quickly taking notice of the noticeably larger than usual crowd of ponies. The princess sighed, knowing for well why there was such a large crowd today. “Can’t exactly say I blame them, raising the sun the usual way has gotten a little stale these past few centuries, even I have to admit it’s a little dull.” Almost immediately a lightbulb appeared beside her head as an idea formed, which she was quick to notice. “Is that going to be a common occurrence ...no matter, just as long as I don’t go too overboard this shouldn’t be a problem. Taking out a paw causing everypony's gaze followed it, she snapped, causing a giant frying pan to suddenly appear in the sky. After enjoying the sound of a few surprised gasps from the crowd, she took out a few eggs, cracked them and held the pan above for everypony to see. The citizens watched with a mix of curiosity and anticipation as the princess flipped it up and down with the pan glowing red and the eggs were started sizzling before throwing the big egg into the sky. Like a water balloon against a wall, the Egg splattered across the sky, with the egg continuing to cook until it fully formed into the sun. The crowd below cheered and applauded the display, prompting Celestia to take a bow before flying back off into the palace with a big smile on her face she gave a deep sigh of relief. ”I needed that, and it was a lot easier than I originally thought. Pity that the rest of my schedule won’t exactly allow something so grand scale. Oh, well.” Letting off another sigh, she flew over the castle and landed near the barracks, spotting the new Captain of the Guard waiting for her. The pony in question he was a white-coated pegasus with a blue and gold striped mane with dark blue eyes, clad in the decorate purple armor of his position. He quickly offered a salute to the princess, which she was quick to respond with a bow. "Good morning Princess Celestia, I trust you’re having a pleasant day.” Celestia was mildly impressed that he wasn’t reacting with more shock at her appearance, but compared to Shining Armor, Bronze Helm if she remembered correctly, had a more professional air about him and rarely ever broke his composure. “Indeed, it started a little rough, but I think everything should work out alright.” “Glad to hear it, your highness. Now, shall we commence with the inspection?” The princess looked out among her guards, her lack of enthusiasm barely masked. "Certainly, let’s get this taken care of." She slowly walked among her guards and checked their armor, making sure each was in perfect condition, which thankfully they were, though that only made the task more uneventful. This was ironically one of those instances where you almost hoped something would be out of place just to mix things up a bit. Thankfully, to Celestia’s surprise, and brief excitement, she saw one guard needed help with his armor straps. Without a word, she flew directly in front of him, and with a single quick snap, readjusted the belts leaving the stallion stammering at the direct attention. "Oh,...uh thank you...your majesty." The princess gave the usual smile she’d long practiced to the guard. ”It’s no problem, just make sure you get this fixed before the ball this weekend. We need to make sure all guards are properly equipped." The stallion snapped to attention with a salute and shouted, "Yes, Princess Celestia!" With a nod, Celestia continued on her way, eventually spotting one of the guards whose entire body was shaking, with tears about to leak from his eyes. Her smile shifted from practiced to sympathetic as she approached him and asked, "My dear guardspony, is something troubling you?" The stallion tried his best to maintain his rigid composure, desperately trying to get his tears to recede. “N-no...you’re highness ...everything....is fine.” Celestia only frowned at the obvious lie and got closer to him. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s something I can help you with. After all, if I couldn’t help my own guards with their problems, I won’t be much of a ruler now would I?” The stallion’s rigid posture went slack, leaving him to only cry and whimper as he spoke. "I'm so sorry princess! But...but...I broke up with my mare friend last night!" The other stallions chuckled at the somewhat mundane concern, only to immediately shut up as Celestia’s head literally turned 180 degrees before snapping at them with a glare. “That’ll be enough of that. Even if this is just an inspection I expect all of you to maintain your professional decorum! Is that understood?" All the guards quickly returned to their original position, refusing to so much as blink, more than a little horrified by what they just saw. Satisfied, Celestia turned her head back to the crying guard and quietly offered a comforting paw on his shoulder, causing him to look up and see her, in spite of his water-filled eyes. “I understand this must be such a hard thing to bear right now. But I know, in time things will get better and you’ll move on. Even when we feel at our lowest, we must continue to push forever, lest we remain trapped in the past forever. Try to remember that.” The guard, finally let his tears flow freely from his eyes as he nodded, the princess gave him a brief hug, which he graciously accepted. Sadly, the moment of serenity didn’t last as magic tendrils erupted from Celestia’s back, and quickly wrapped around the guards, starting with the one she holding and eventually catching the rest, even Bronze Helm. Celestia could only watch as her guards started to transform them one by one, their bodies shrinking in size before a single flash of light. Now, where once there was a squad of Canterlot’s elite guard, stood a small herd of young colts, clad in plastic armor, carrying various foam toys. Under any other circumstances, the sight would’ve been fairly adorable, but was immediately drained of any enjoyment as the colts all began to whimper, with some even outright crying. Celestia remained stunned as the various guard colts fell into a mixture of panic and slight glee at their situation. A solid minute passed before Celestia’s mind finally processed what had happened and decided to respond accordingly. "OH DEAR FAUST, NOT AGAIN!!” Looking at her claws she felt the urge to rip her eyes out, growing stronger. “How could I let this happen again? The mishap with Feather Duster was bad enough, but now I’m managed to send most of my guards back to Magic Kindergarten.” Taking a moment to calm herself, even using a breathing exercise Cadence had taught her, Celestia looked back at her claw. “Okay, just calm down Celestia. It’s not like this is something you can’t handle. After all, you could do age spells without Chaos Magic, so it should be a breeze to reverse right.” Turning back to the de-aged battalion of soldiers, Celestia raised her claw and prepared to snap ...only to stop herself before she finished it. “Then again, doing something like an age spell was much easier when I had better control over my magic. If I’m not careful, I might turn them into infants or make them so old they won’t even be able to stand up, much less guard the castle.” Suddenly what little confidence Celestia had immediately burned away as her panic quickly set back in, made worse by the still crying colts and growing louder. Feeling as though her mind was slowly losing its grip the princess let loose a loud, “QUIET,” amplified by the Royal Canterlot Voice. Thankfully that managed to get the colts to stop crying and zero in the princess, having relaxed a little after her outburst. “I apologize for that and for what’s happened to you, this transition has been more difficult than I’d originally thought. While I’d like nothing more than to change you back, I’m not confident in my skill with Chaos Magic to try at the moment. For now, I believe it would be best if you take the day off, while I do what I can to get a better handle on this and hopefully return you to normal.” Some of the de-aged guards attempted to retort, though, possibly as a result of the sharp change in age, now seemed more interested in play fighting with their toy weapons. The sight honestly, would have been possibly the most adorable thing ever were circumstances different. Still, that left Celestia with another problem. “Okay, now I just need to find someplace to leave all these colts until I figure something out.” Thankfully, Celestia didn’t need to concern herself too much about what action to take as another one of the castle's staff with an auburn mane and a dark grey coat named Morning Breeze came over with a blush on her face. "Hello, Princess Celestia. I hope you don’t mind but I was watching what happened and I think I can help if you would like.” Princess Celestia’s smile got so wide that a literal beam of light shot out of it that blinded a nearby pegasus, sending him crashing into a nearby tower. “Oh I don't mind, it wouldn’t be too much trouble?” ”Of course not, some of the maids here have children and we wouldn't mind keeping an eye on them until you managed to figure out how to change them back safely." Celestia’s elation only seemed to increase from the smile the maid offered her. “I don’t know who this pony is, but I’m going to make sure she gets a raise when this is all over.” Offering another nod of thanks the princess turned back to the small band of colts. "Alright my little colts, I’m having you all stay in the main hall today while I finish my meeting. Once I’m done I'll find Discord and have him turn you back to normal. Till then, please stay safe.”l. However, before she could leave another thought entered her mind as she watched the small band continued to grow rowdier. “It probably wouldn’t be a wise idea to just let them run around, even if they are supervised ...Oh I know, I just hope it works!” A plan now ready, she made sure to form a clear picture in her mind of what she wanted to happen before snapping. Thankfully, this effort proved successful as in the middle of the grand hall, a giant play place appeared with a full jungle gym with swings, slides, and tubes in every direction appeared, now sitting on a green plush carpet with rocking horses and seesaws. It looked so out of place compared to the rest of the polished marble and stone of the castle, almost like it literally sprung up out of the ground. Regardless, it did the trick as the colts immediately ran to it and began playing happily. Her efforts successful, Celestia turned to speak to the maid. “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle this? I imagine they will be quite a handful, even with other maids on hand.” Morning Breeze gave Celestia a bright smile and reassured her. "Don't worry your highness, we can handle this. I'll have some make peanut butter jelly sandwiches for the little ones and then we can set up a place for nap time. Trust me I have two youngsters at home, this isn’t anything I haven’t dealt with before." Celestia's arms immediately stretched like rubber around the mare, pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank you so much! Believe me, you'll be well compensated for this." With a final wave and a flick of a claw, Celestia disappeared. Sadly, while Celestia was happy for the brief respite from her latest magic blunder, she was quickly reminded of something she’d forgotten...she HATED dealing with nobles. It hadn’t been but ten minutes since she arrived and already she was bored again, taping a claw on the long conference table among the dozens of nobles, all talking about taxes and laws that they were looking to implement. Was it important, absolutely, did that make it interesting, no! Celestia did what she could to at least pretend to look invested, but she could feel herself barely holding on, and it was about to get worse. For whatever reason and beyond her notice, her magic started to seep out again, and before she could even react, there was another flash of light, resulting in the conference room now being filed with fillies and colts, tangled up in expensive clothes that no longer fit. The sudden jolt snapped Celestia back to reality, part of her feeling like she was about to have a Twilight style freak out, while the other half found the mere sight of the high class, refined elite of Canterlot, reduce to a group of infants now more interested in spinning around in the chairs and the table snacks then taxes. Celestia blinked seeing Fancy Pants was now a small toddler trying to read his notes stumbling on his words and doing a potty dance. It was a sight that while amusing, was quickly ruined when the former stallion raised his hoof and asked, "Uh, I'm done P...Princess Celestia! Can I go, potty please?" The other foals giggled and snickered while the Princess, having already dealt with this situation early, just decided to roll with it and nodded, "Certainly Fancy Pants. We’ll wait here for you. Just don't be gone too long." The little colt quickly rushed off down the hall, leaving his wife, Fleur, to take and look over his notes, picking up where he left off. "So, now that is settled, I'm gonna move onto the next item on the agenda. Do we want to give funding for ta library, museum and other areas of arts and literature." Many of the foals whined, and some cried, "Nah! Libraries are boring! Why dun we put funding in a new Wondewbowt stadium!" One filly, who was now clutching a doll, quickly snapped at the suggestion "I wanna stop taxes on dwessies! I want ta prettiest dresses eva for less money!" One colt scoffed as he took a sippy cup and suckled on it with a smug grin and asked, "So what about suits? I think that it's not fair that dresses get a tax cut and not our fancy suits." Fleur stomped a hoof and whined, "that's not what this meeting is about! We’re gonna discuss all that later! We need to decide on the i..imp...important stuff first!" Fancy Pants finally returned, waddling over to his wife's side and shouted, "My wife is right! Ya all missing the point here!" He slammed a poster of a terribly drawn graph with the arrow going down with silly drawings of faces, rainbows scribbled all over the chart. "This is the trend on what we are spending right now! There's been wots of tax money being spent on stupid stuff we don't need, and it's making everything worse. Sowie but we gots to cut some stuff." The filly with the doll squirmed in her seat and sighed, "Fine, we dun need mowe dwessies or silly stuff like tat." The colt, who mentioned the suits nodded. "Yeah ya, wight! we dun need to put more tax breaks on fancy suits." Fancy Pants nodded as he placed up against a pie chart which was sloppily circle made of marker and cover in hoof paint. "Now ya see this! I divided what we spending the most on and what we can take out. Take a look at the chart and if ya wanna make a change let me know." The foals all struggled to comprehend the chart, while Celestia surprisingly, was able to read it perfectly, even though the spelling was terrible and the hoof writing was nearly impossible to make out. It left her to pose a thought. “Does being a Draconequss also allow me to understand bad grammar and handwriting because of how chaotic it is? Because if so, that...would make perfect sense now that I think about it. I should run that by Discord when I see him again.” Turning back to the graph, focusing in on it, in spite of its obvious juvenile level of quality, she noticed something odd. "So we get rid of some of the spending and stop giving companies tax breaks and things should look good. But, why am I seeing something is missing." Fancy Pants plopped his hooves down onto the table, grabbing everypony's attention as he shouted, "That's right! I think somepony has been embezzling funds! Not only that they've been doing it for years!" Fleur nodded, "Right! We dun think it's any of ya, but he or she has stolen thousands of bits from ta citizens of Equestria. We gots to find ta culprit and take ta money back!" The nobles all nodded in agreement as Celestia's eyes went wide at this apparent revelation "Embezzling funds? How long has this been going on and why didn’t somepony tell me sooner?” Fancy Pants, rather adorably, twirled in his chair to face to Princess. “But princess, I mentioned I was going to bring this up last week. Don’t you remember?” The sound of something breaking like glass could immediately be heard as the Rule of Equestria expression shifted to embarrassment, making it apparent to even the still young ponies that she’d forgotten. “Well, regardless of that, I trust this is a matter we can resolve quickly.” Fancy Pants shook his head and sighed, "Nope. It’s gonna take wots of work and research. Not to mention, my bedtime is at seven, and I need a nap at twelve." “I don’t suppose it would be possible to work around that? If somepony truly is embezzling Canterlot’s funds, I’d prefer to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.” Fancy Pants took a quick sip from his cup as he ran through the information in his head. “Well, if we take out my twelve o’clock nap, we might at least be able to get the bulk of the research done. Is everypony okay with that?” The rest of the assembled group all gave nods before one colt raised a hoof, "Um, can we have a potty break!" Celestia, satisfied that things had atleast been handled for the moment, thought up her next course of action. “Actually, I have a better idea. There is currently a wonderful little play place set up in the castle. Why don’t you all go and relax for a little while before we tackle this. Wouldn’t want you to fall asleep before bedtime after all.” The foals squealed in delight as they ran off down the hall, leaving Celestia to literally melt into her seat, her head being the only somewhat solid thing there, her eyes barely able to take a look at a nearby clock. “Dear Faust, the day isn’t even half over and I’ve already had to correct two disasters of my own making. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” "Oh, don’t be so melodramatic! Frankly, I think you’re doing far better than I originally believed.” Celestia needed to only look up to find Discord, currently seated in a recliner with a bucket of popcorn at his side, looking as smug as always. “If I’m being completely honest I didn’t think you’d make it through the day without turning all of Canterlot into a madhouse. So congrats for that.” Another snap and a colorful banner reading ‘Good Job Celestia’ appeared above him. Celestia upon seeing Discord rolled her eyes, though was content to stay rooted to her chair. "Discord, I’d figured you’d been watching me this entire time." The Lord of Chaos shrugged could only chuckle as he tossed some popcorn down his throat. "I mean, can you blame me? Your antics these last couple of days have been so hysterical, I couldn’t help myself." The princess gave an irritated sigh before responding, "I’m glad I’ve kept you so amused. However, if I ‘ve learned anything today it’s that controlling Chaos Magic is more challenging than I believed. Which is why I’m asking for your help?" Despite maintaining her normal confident tone, Discord could tell she was all but begging for him to step in, which only brought a smile to his. "Oh, you mean with your little foal sitting problem? Not as confident in your ability with ages as you thought I see...Oh, I suppose I could lend you a hand this once, could be good for a laugh...but.” Immediately Discord suddenly changed into a referee, completely with a whistle around his neck, which he was quick to blow, before pulling out a yellow card. “However, you are going to be penalized for needing my help. Though don’t worry too much, I promise it will be just so much fun.”." Celestia gulped feeling that Discord had planned this from the start. But she didn't have a choice she couldn't risk her Chaos Magic causing any more problems...especially since if things kept up, she’d need to turn all of Canterlot Castle into a daycare. “Very well, I accept these terms as part of the original wager. Though, I do hope we’ll keep things relatively low key. I will not allow any of my little ponies to be tormented or embarrassed for your amusement.”." Discord crossed his heart with a claw with a loud huff. "No need to get all defensive, I swear it'll be harmless fun. Trust me you'll love what I have planned." Reaching down his throat, he pulled out a set of tickets and gave them to Celestia. She looked down at them with a suspicious look reading Sun Butt's Daytime Daycare for ages 1-6. "These are enchanted with a spell that'll revert the foals to their normal ages once they’re picked up." Celestia's eye started to twitch. "Picked up? You mean we’re turning the castle into an actual daycare!" Discord crossed his claws and chortled, "Of course. You think I wasn't going to take advantage of the situation and have some more fun! Oh, you naive little pony!" With a snap of a claw Celestia had a pink apron wrapped around her midriff with a big smiling sun on it. Celestia wanted to argue but begrudgingly kept quiet, considering she did ask for this to happen. "So I'm assuming that you gave the families and friends of those regressed a ticket to have them picked up?" The Lord Of Chaos smirked. "Indeed I did. They’ll be here at seven, which means you still have a few hours to entertain those little disasters!" Before Celestia could manage out another word Discord snapped himself out of existence...save for his mouth for a brief moment. “Good Luck.” After being left by Discord to effectively manage the remaining fall out from her earlier actions, Celestia spent the next few hours watching and entertaining the man foals she helped create. Thankfully, true to his word around seven o’clock, the many spouses and family members of the regressed guards and nobles appeared in the grand hall of the palace with their eyes open wide, and their mouths dropped. The grand hall was now a giant play-place with a gargantuan pink and white-colored jungle gym, complete with slides, ball pits and tunnels filled with dozens of foals running around, screaming and laughing. Celestia had also placed a giant pink fence around the entire room with many maids standing by to assist the children in finding bathrooms, giving out food and generally just keeping an eye on the kids. The princess was sitting ata desk, struggling to maintain a fake smile as she waved a claw. "Hello! Welcome to Sun Butt's Daytime Daycare! I see you all came by to pick up your little rascals!" The faces of the family members were a mixture of s slack-jawed shock, along with outright confusion, which lasted for several seconds before one purple coated unicorn mare who couldn’t stop herself from stomping forward and looking at the princess with a surprisingly harsh glare. "What is the meaning of this Princess Celestia. Why exactly is my husband a toddler now!" Celestia shrunk back at the harsh tone, not being used to being called out by somepony, but quickly shifted back to some level of composure. “I’m afraid that was my fault. I didn’t have as firm a grasp on my Chaos Magic as I thought. But, the tickets I gave you to claim your kids have an enchantment on them. Once you claim your foal or foals they'll turn back to normal." The mare didn’t seem wholly satisfied with the answer but opted to simply seek out her husband and spotted him quickly. " Bronze Helm, get back here this instant and give me back my foam sword!" The colt squealed upon seeing his angry wife's glare and squealed, "Uh... L...Lo...Lovely Heart!?" The mare stomped over with her cold gaze stared down her husband. "Indeed, now you’re coming home with me this instant and we’re putting this entire affair behind us." She lifted the colt and began to carry him away, much to the amusement of the other ponies present Bronze Helm could only respond by whining and crying the entire time. "Stop it Lovely! You're embarrassing me in front of my fellow guards!" The other colts came over near the fence and poked their hooves at the captain, quickly laughing loudly at his display. Lovely Heart turned around at the colts and shouted, "Hey! The next colt to laugh at my husband will be in timeout! I’ve had a stressful day and am not in the mood for this. Don't test me!" The colts all shut up immediately as they stood there, quivering and whimpering in fear."O...o..okay." Her husband now in hoof, Lovely Hearts quickly made her way out of the makeshift daycare. "Now then, come we're going to go get some dinner, and then it's straight to bed with you. Hopefully, everything will be back to normal by tomorrow." Bronze Helm could only continue to squirm as he held out a hoof in desperation."Save me!" The other colts just continued to snicker as one by one were picked up and thankfully transformed back into full-grown stallions in a puff of smoke. The process continued for some time until every foal was finally converted back to their original age, save for two. As if on time a unicorn butler slowly walked up to Celestia and asked, "I came here to pick up Ms. Fleur and Mr. Fancy Pants." The draconequss gave a nod as she turned around to see the two toddlers and chirped, "Alright you two, it’s time to go home now!" The two groaned seeing as they’d been playing a fun game of tag but waddled over as Celestia helped them over the fence. "There you go one Fleur and one Fancy Pants." The butler gave a nod and bowed before he took the hooves of the two foals. "Now, come on! We have to get you two back to normal." He gave Celestia his tickets and in a single flash, both Fleur and Fancy Pants were instantly transformed into adults. Both, taking a moment to process all that had happened, were more than a little embarrassed over the whole ordeal, though any Pants was able to pose a question to Celestia, "So...I trust we can continue the discussion about the embezzler later?" Princess Celestia, starting to feel the exhaustion of the day catch up with her, managed to a simple nod "Of course, but you two should go home for now. I’m so sorry about all the trouble my magic caused today." Fancy Pants, ever the gentlecolt, merely waved the apology off. "Oh, it wasn’t too dreadful an experience. Honestly, I rather enjoyed reliving my colt years for a few hours. Still, it is good to be back to normal." Celestia sighed, seeing every foal she regressed, she snapped a claw, causing the entire playground in a puff of smoke., "At last it’s finally over. I think I might just turn in for the night after all that happened now." Sadly, Celestia would have to halt her plans as a very livid Luna stomped over with a glare. "Good evening sister. I hope it was pleasant, I had a rather interesting start to my day Why there I was just enjoying some breakfast when I’d heard about how the nobles and your guards had suddenly become foals and the royal palace was suddenly transformed into a child’s playpen. Is that a correct summation of what’s been happening so?” “Well, I wouldn’t put it in exactly those words….” The Princess of the Night quickly cut her sister off, her anger on full display for all to see. “What were you thinking Celestia? Do you have any idea the potential havoc you could have wrought? Clearly, something must be done as it’s apparent you have no control over your magic.” Celestia, while agreeing with her sister, still felt the need to offer a retort. “Forgive me for being blunt dear sister, but do you think it wise for you of all ponies to lecture me on losing control?” Now it was Luna’s turn to be offended, stomping her hoof loud on the ground, barely keeping herself from reverting to the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Oh, so you think that me becoming Nightmare Moon is the same as you being a draconequus on purpose?” Celestia paused and realized her lapse in how she phrased her retort. "I'm so sorry Luna, I didn't mean it that way." The Princess of the Night’s hostility slowly dropped as she let out a tired sigh. "Sister, you need to end silly contest now, before things get out of hoof!" Celestia however, didn’t seem convinced. “Oh come now, Luna. Isn’t that a bit much? I admit there have been a few accidents as of late but…” Luna immediately broke out into the Royal Canterlot Voice. "ACCIDENTS?! Sister, need I remind you of the alicorn maid who currently thinks she's our mother! How exactly does that qualify as an accident?" Celestia’s eyes began to narrow as she stared down her sister. “That’s hardly a world-ending concern, and I was planning to change her back tomorrow anyway.” “Why are you being so stubborn about this Celestia. Is your pride that important to you? Honestly, when did you start acting like such a child?” That proved to be the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, as Celestia was now positively livid. “A child? If anypony has cause to be called a child, it’s you...in fact.” Before Luna had a chance to say another word, Celestia raised her claw and snapped, shrinking the nightly alicorn till she was reduced to the age of an infant. The tiny blue eyes of the little alicorn widened in shock as she cried out in embarrassment, both at her new size and the fact Celestia had seen fit to place a diaper on her bottom, complete with her cutie mark printed on. She tried to shout at her sister, but only incoherent gibberish poured out of her mouth. Celestia just gave her sister a smirk and picked her up within a bubble of magic. "There, now you can relax for a little while I raise the moon." Luna still angry, cried and shouted, kicking about in the magic sphere to little success. Celestia simply drifted the trapped filly to her room and stuck the baby alicorn in a crib too large for her to climb out of. "There now, you stay put and be a good little filly while I go raise the moon." The little dark blue alicorn stuck her tongue out and shook her head with a loud humpf Celestia just snickered as she walked off with a strut in her step. Author's Note Im sorry this took so long to make Ill do my best to make the next update be out within a month or two. Chapter Three: Night One: Luna's New MoonCelestia looked longingly towards the sun slowly setting in the west with the sky cast in a warm orange glow. The princess was feeling lost and unsure of herself, reflecting on her usage of chaos manage up to this point, and tons of questions of what happened were going through her mind. Why did she transform Luna into a foal? It wasn't like her to suddenly lose control and let her raw emotions take over? The mare knew what she did to Luna was inexcusable, and what she said to her sister was much worse. The princess of the sun groaned just thinking about her actions and feeling a pang of regret as she rubbed a claw down her face and cried out, "I can't believe I turned my sister into a foal what was I thinking?! I must be seriously losing my mind." The princess of the sun then took a bunch of her mane in a claw and pulled at it with frustrated with herself and screamed out. "What's wrong with me! Why can't I control myself!" The princess slowed down and took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself. After regaining her composure. The female draconequus gave one long final deep breath and looked up to the sky catching the last glimpses of her sun setting in the west with a depressed look on her face and gave a deep, exasperated sigh. "The least I can do is raise the moon seeing Luna can't do it now. But it has been a while since I had to do this." The princess then slowly raised a claw, and for some reason, before she snapped her claw, a funny thought entered her mind thinking how ridiculous it would be if her sister's butt rose up from the horizon instead of the moon. Then just as if what she imagined instead of the moon rising over the horizon, it was Luna's giant rump! Celestia gasped in horror as her sister's thick dark blue coated rump slowly rose in the air showing it off to Equestria in its full glory with her sister's big crescent moon cutie marks printed on each side of her "sister's" thighs. Despite the scene being quite embarrassing, it was also quite amusing with the princess of the night's sparkling dark blue tail flowing in the wind. The princess found this so hilarious that she had to place her claws over her mouth, trying to stop herself from bursting out laughing. But, that could hold out for so long seeing her sister's butt jiggling in the sky made the princess start laughing hysterically at sight, and after gaining some composure, she exclaimed. "Oh my Faust! I can't believe I'm actually considering just leaving the moon like this!" After Celestia shook her head at the thought and gave a small chuckle. She realized that leaving the moon like this would embarrass her sister even more than it probably already has and quickly sent a wave of pink tendrils filled with chaos magic straight at the "new moon." However, this only caused the giant rump to start swaying from side to side as if to show off her enormous flank. This only made Celestia place a claw to her face again as another bout of laughter was going to come over her. The princess then sent some more pink tendrils of chaos magic at the large tush. But this only caused the rump to grow plumper with fat. The large tush was now even thicker than usual, and it was still swaying with sass from side to side. Celestia burst into even more laughter, holding her belly and doubling over, unable to contain herself. But chaos magic tendrils then suddenly turned the giant butt back to a typical silver-colored crater filled moon. Celestia gave a big sigh of relief, seeing that the moon was back to normal and whispered meekly to herself. "Oh my Faust that was crazy, I hope nopony actually saw that." "Nice work with raising the moon! But, Luna's rump was nowhere near as big as your tush." Discord commented suddenly as he appeared out of nowhere in a giant puff of smoke with his claws crossed across his chest with a smug grin. Celestia rolled her eyes, recognizing the voice of Discord, knowing the draconequus only came here to mock or mess with her. The princess turned around to face Discord with an unamused look, not really wanting to endure more of the lord of chaos's antics and scoffed out. "Haha, you're hilarious; thanks for the help, but seriously, you're the last pony I wanted to see, I just want to be alone right now alright?" Discord didn't heed Celestia's demands at all, seeing the former alicorn princess looking quite depressed and had a look of loneliness, giving him the feeling that she needs somepony to talk to. The draconequus simply flew over towards Celestia's side anyway and asked, "it looks like to me you need some help controlling your chaos magic. I think that it would be best if I gave you some one on one training." "Does that mean I lose the bet?" Celestia responded in deflated tone, looking down at the ground with an angry look on her face feeling quite bitter for failing to control herself and having to admit defeat to Discord. Discord did feel like gloating a little, seeing he did technically won the bet. But the lord of chaos saw that Celestia was looking quite downtrodden if this were only a few months earlier, he wouldn't have cared. But for some reason, the lord of chaos didn't want to make Celestia feel even more depressed than she was feeling now. The draconequus turned away as he reluctantly replied, "we can put a pin on the bet for now. I'll give you a free day to help you with your chaos magic tomorrow." "You would actually do that for me!" Celestia replied back with a blush glowing on her cheeks, feeling both confused and also grateful for Discord's offer. The lord of chaos was now feeling unsure of how to feel seeing Celestia with her face now a bright red. Discord turned away, attempting to hide his own blush trying to hide his emotions through a demeanor befitting the lord of chaos. "But don't think that you're getting away with just return. We get to have some fun with it deal?" "Sure, that sounds fine with me. I actually need to go out tomorrow and go taste testing some cakes for the gala this weekend." Celestia chirped out, feeling a bit better at the idea of Discord, helping her get control of her chaos magic. Discord clapped his claws together, seeing that this excursion would be excellent to not only teach Celestia about using her chaos magic but to have some fun with the princess as well. It's been over a thousand years since the two were able to actually talk and hang out with each other like this. The draconequus rubbed his claws together and exclaimed, "Excellent! I would love to go do some cake shopping!" "You can meet me outside the castle tomorrow morning after I raise the sun, ok?" Celestia responded with a smile on her face feeling quite happy and excited for hanging out with Discord tomorrow. "Alright! just don't go turning the sun into your giant rump." Discord snickered as he snapped his claws and disappeared in a poof of smoke once again. Just as Celestia gave the dissipating smoke, a glare not trusting the draconequus as she grumbled under her breath. "I wonder what he means by fun? I hope he won't go overboard with his chaos magic." Not long after raising the moon, Celestia returned to her room and found Luna still giving her the stink eye for turning her into a foal. Luna did look quite cute using her stubby hooves to stand (with her clearly struggling) in her pink barred crib, showing off her pudgy body and thick diaper with her cutie mark printed on the padding. Celestia dawwed and then took out a baby bottle filled with formula out of thin air with Luna's cutie mark on it and snickered, "I bet your hungry huh cutie?" Celestia slowly picked the foal up in her pink aura of magic and watched as Luna waved her hooves and flapped her wings angrily, wanting to get back at her sister for turning her into a foal. But the baby alicorn was powerless only able to kick about in her diaper and babble incoherent gibberish. The princess of the sun then slowly laid herself on the bed and let her sister nuzzle into her side. Celestia then plopped the bottle gently into her sister's mouth and watched as she suckled on the bottle methodically. Luna still glared at her older sister despite actually enjoying the sweet and creamy formula going down her throat. The female draconequus chuckled, seeing her sister's cute pout and decided to tease her little sister as she responded in a snarky tone. "Oh, hush, don't act like you don't want this. We haven't been pampered like this in over a thousand years." Luna did like being babied just a little, but she was still angry at her older sister, it didn't take long for the foal's instincts began to take over as she whined and kicked some more. But the warm creamy milk went down her gullet and she couldn't but feel comfortable and relaxed feeling her sister's warm body pressed to her's. Celestia brushed the baby alicorn's mane and sighed, "I'm sorry for doing this to you and even trying to say that me becoming a draconequus and you becoming Nightmare Moon were the same thing. I know we both had a lot of stress on us since we were crowned princesses of Equestria and... I...I'm sorry." Celestia started to tear up, and this caused Luna to start feeling worried as her foalish instincts took over as she whimpered as she began to tear up as well. The female draconequus squeaked, seeing her sister started to get fussy kicking about and wailing. The princess started to rock the baby alicorn foal nestled in her claws and shushed her trying to calm the foal down. When Luna started to settle down, becoming gentle and quiet. Celestia felt a bit guilty for making her sister get so fussy and apologized, whispering under her breath. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to get all fussy." She then removed the bottle with a cute audible pop and gently placed the foal over her shoulder and patted Luna's back until she spat up a little. Celestia giggled, not even phased, but the puke running down her back and slowly placed Luna back down in the crib while tickling the foal's exposed belly with a claw. This made the baby alicorn squirm kicking about in her diaper making it crinkle while giving out an adorable laugh and blowing bubbles from her mouth. "Oh, you're so cute!" Celestia exclaimed out loud, unable to contain her excitement seeing her sister being so giddy as a foal. Then all of a sudden, another mare came through the door. It was Feather Duster, the pink coated alicorn that Celestia turned into from a maid, and she was looking even more beautiful than before. The motherly looking alicorn was wearing a pink colored sparkling apron encrusted with gems, the alicorn's mane flowed around her body like a waterfall, and her horn and hooves sparkled gleamed in the light being perfectly polished and manicured. Feather Duster strolled into the room and went about starting to babble on about her day not unlike a teenager coming back from a date. "Oh, thank you for sending me to the day spa in Ponyville. I met with this lovely mare named Rarity, who was such a lovely spa companion showing me the wonders of being pampered." She gasped upon seeing Luna as a baby kicking about in her fresh and crinkling diaper. The motherly alicorn stomped a hoof and shouted in anger. "Celestia! how could you turn your sister into a foal!" The draconequus was quite surprised and nervous, suddenly feeling like a foal being scolded by her mother as she whimpered nervously. "W..well...I have to say that it was on accident-" "And not tell me! Do you have an idea of how long I've waited to care for a foal!" The motherly alicorn exclaimed as she rushed over to Luna's crib and picked the squirming and blushing foal up and into her magic. Celestia had to hold back her laughter once again as the motherly alicorn nuzzled the filly against her cheek, making the foal kick and whine. This only caused the former maid's maternal emotions to come over her like a wave as she pinched Luna's cheek and cooed. "Oh look how cute and chubby you are! I can't resist pinching those cute chubby cheeks!" Luna gave the motherly alicorn a death glare being entirely unamused by Feather Duster's antics. All the while, Celestia tapped a claw to her chin as an idea was forming in her mind. A thought then suddenly popped into her mind why didn't she just have Feather Duster watch Luna tomorrow. Her little sister could be cared for until she got control of her chaos magic. The princess turned to Feather Duster, nuzzling Luna, with a smirk on her face as she replied, "You know what? How about you take the foal and be her caretaker for the night and tomorrow? I have an important date with Discord, and after he teaches me to control my chaos magic, I'll transform Luna back to normal." "Of course, that sounds amazing!" Feather Duster chirped out in excitement, unable to wait to care for a foal. The mare walked off, lifting up the fussy Luna in her magical aura as she cooed in a sweet motherly tone. "Come on lulu, I can try some new parenting techniques I've been teaching myself." Luna tried to escape flapping her wings and kicking about in frustration but yet again was powerless to escape from Feather Duster's magical grasp. Right after both her sister and Feather Duster were gone Celestia plopped into her bed as she chuckled to herself just thinking of Luna being babied for a full day and turning the moon into a giant butt. "I wonder how Luna is going to feel after I turn her back to normal? Hopefully she won't be mad at me for turning the moon into her butt." Celestia snickered as she snuggled under her blankets and slowly closed her eyes. As the princess drifted off she couldn’t help but to continue to giggle as she thought about her sister's thick rump peering through the night sky. Author's Note So, If you've read my blogs I've been put on a night shift at my job for the past 2 months and its been exhausting making it hard for me to give this story adequate attention. Again, I apologize for the wait and this was actually part of a much bigger chapter but I was hitting around the 8,000 word mark and its going to be a while until the rest of it is edited and polished up so I decided to publish this portion at the very least to show the story has not been abondoned. So, thanks again for all the likes and comments I hope you enjoy the chaos to come. Chapter Four: Day Three: Truth or Dare?The next day eventually came as Celestia slowly woke up, stretching her claws and giving out a loud yawn. The princess lazily rolled from her bed and gradually strolled down the hallway, still feeling the rather foreign sensation of morning exhaustion still trying to get used to her new body. Upon entering the kitchen, she was mildly surprised to see of all ponies, Feather Duster dotting over baby Luna, currently seated in the highchair babbling and blowing out bubbles from her mouth. Despite the surprise of seeing her still transformed pseudo mother again, Celestia couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her now pint-sized sister happily chugging down a baby formula making cute suckling noises to Duster's continued amusement. Though the moment didn't last as Luna quickly took note of her sister's presence turning her smile in a frown, with a glare added for effect. While the act was more adorable than intimidating, it had the added effect of alerting Feather Duster to Celestia's presence. However, if she was angry at all about the previous day, she did an excellent job of not showing it in her facial expression or body language. "Oh, good morning Celestia. I was so busy attending to dear little Woona that I didn't even see you there." She cooed seeming to be loving ever second caring for the baby alicorn. Celestia had to bite back a chuckle at the frankly adorable nickname the pseudo mother had given her sister, the lunar filly's angry babble, only making it harder to hold back her laughter. Of course, she still had more than enough composure to conjure a camera and taking a few snapshots of the scene. Satisfied, she stored the device away for another time as she made her way to the table. "It's no problem Feather, I'm more than familiar with how much of a handful wittle Woona can be." Another loud and possibly profane screech came from the pint-sized princess rippled through the kitchen as Celestia sat down. "By the way, Feather, I hope you aren't upset over yesterday. I admit it was a little harsh on my part, I just felt you were a little...overbearing is all." Celestia paused, expecting the mother mare to descend into a parental tirade. Yet, while her expression did shift slightly, Duster otherwise showed little reaction, at least in the way of anything negative. "Oh, that's alright, dear, the trip was actually quite relaxing. And, if I'm honest, you're right that I was getting a little overzealous. You're an adult, after all, and every parent needs to give their child their space." Celestia felt a twitch come on at Feather, still looking at her as if the princess were her flesh and blood, but at least she was showing more restraint than before. Still, even so… "It's about time I finally reversed this spell and let Feather go back to the pony she was." For a moment, Celestia contemplated just doing the act now and getting it over with, but she was brought to a halt as Feather promptly dropped a plate of food in front of her face. "You should probably eat something, you've got quite a busy day on your claws, and we can't have you falling asleep on the job now can we?" Feather's tone was practically dripping with affection as she laid out some utensils, napkins, and a cup of juice along with the food before turning her attention back to Luna, giving the tiny ruler a warm hug as she pulled the foal from the high chair, much to her giggling delight. "Perhaps I'll leave her like this for one day longer. I do still need some pony to look after Luna, and Duster is more than willing to take the job." Taking a quick bite of her pancake, the princess could only smile at how happy Luna looked compared to earlier, enjoying the parental attention for all it was worth. Perhaps leaving her in Feather's care for a day would do her some good, she had seemed a bit stressed as of late. Her decision made, Celestia decided to speed through breakfast, transforming her mouth to a size comparable to a teenage dragon's and gulping down the food in one sitting. "Alright, Feather, I'm going to leave Luna in your care for today. And Luna, make sure to behave for Feather while I'm gone." The motherly alicorn looked positively delighted at the decision. At the same time, Luna blushed a little feeling more conflicted, but Celestia didn't bother to pay either of them a second glance as she snapped herself outside. Once outside, the princess found a rather broad audience of Canterlot nobles, all waiting for her to raise the sun. Celestia looked up at the still clear terrestrial sky, pondering on how she should raise it this morning, yet at the moment, all her mind seemed intent on focusing on was some of the cake she'd planned to eat today. "What in Equestria is wrong with me. Has raised the sun to become so monotonous that I'm more interested in satisfying my cake cravings than performing my most treasured of duties. As if to answer her, an all too familiar snap sounded, earning a worried flinch from Celestia and a collective gasp from the collection of ponies that surrounded her. Briefly hesitating, Celestia looked upward, finding that once again, her Chaos magic had opted to act up, now replacing her sun was a giant cake, coated in white frosting, with pink icing outlined each layer with her cutie mark decorated in the center. "Part of me what's to say, I'm shocked that this happened, but after these last couple of days, I think I'm just numb to it." If Celestia was completely honest with herself, she wasn't sure if she could call this a bad thing or not. True, the sun was essential to Equestria's survival and was a true masterpiece of nature that commanded respect from all those bathed in its warm glow....the massive cake in the sky looked quite delicious and more a small part of her wanted a slice. "Oh my, turning the sun into a giant cake. I'd figured that would've happened on day one, but no, you made it all the way to day three. Points for subverting my expectations again, little Sunbutt." Floating just above her head Discord hovered once again, a telescope in hand to get a better view of the celestial confection. Celestia tried to speak, only to find her mouth quiet literally zipped shut as Discord was now looming over her like a disappointed parent. "While I do so enjoy our little back and forths, my dear, let's just skip the formality and get right to me fixing yet another of your messes, shall we?" With a casual snap, the sun returned to its shimmering state, allowing the massive pack of political ponies to return to whatever they were doing, leaving Celestia with Discord, her mouth still zipped. "Well then," Discord said while dusting off his hands, "After this little fiasco, I trust you're keen to start your first lesson in Chaos Magic?" He waited for a response only for Celestia to flatly point at her still zipped up mouth, though Discord wasn't so quick to respond, somewhat enjoying the situation. "Maybe we should keep you like that for now, a little incentive always goes a long way in motivating somepony to learn. Plus, it's such a good look for you." That earned him a growl from the muzzled mare, whose entire body seemed to turn progressively redder with each passing second, even causing the nearby temperature to rise. " My, somepony's a little hot under the collar," Discord, now holding a frying pan near the princess's head, using her heat to make popcorn. Another glare and point back to the zipper caused him to finally relent. "Happy now?" "Not exactly, but thank you regardless, Discord," Celestia's body quickly returned to its natural color as she straightened herself out, "I'm ready to learn all you have to teach me. However, I still expect you to maintain a proper level of decorum. No mischief of any kind is that understood?" She looked sternly at her hopeful instructor, who looked ready to gag at the notion. "My goodness, you are such a stick in the mud. But fine," he quickly pulled his left claw off and proceed to cross his heart with it, "I solemnly swear I will not be up to no good. Happy?" His claw quickly poofed back to its original spot, leaving a satisfied looking Celestia. "Yes, thank you, Discord." "Well, now that everypony is happy and all that fun little nonsense, we can start," with another flash the draconequus was now clad in a traditional black instructor robe, complete with glasses and a floating blackboard, "Hello class, I'm Professor Discord, and this is Chaos Magic 101. So let's get started by opening your textbooks to page 22." Another flash and Celestia was seated in an airborne chair and desk before a yellow and black textbook landed right in front of her. A glance immediately brought a look of annoyance at the words CHAOS MAGIC FOR DUMMIES written on the cover, made more anger-inducing by the added, 'specifically Celestia' in small text in the left-hand corner. Discord's knowing smirk only added to her annoyance as the spirit levitated a piece of chalk up to the board and had it start writing. "Now then, today, we will be discussing the most fundamental rule relating to Chaos Magic. Can anypony tell me what that rule is?" In an instance, Celestia found herself surrounded by copies of Discord, all clad in various forms of clothes and school bags, all excitedly waving their raised arms around in an attempt to get their...teacher's attention. Sadly for them, it was clear he only had his eyes on one person in the room. "Celestia, care to take a crack at this problem. Please don't be shy; there are no wrong answers." Celestia felt hesitant, knowingly Discord was more than likely baiting her somehow. Yet, she had asked him for his help, so might as well throw caution to the wind. "I….I suppose it would be learning how to control." "WRONG!" A loud buzzer that threatened to rupture her eardrums howled through the room, with a massive neon sign forming the word Wrong hanging over Discord's head. "Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear, but not only is that answer wrong, but it is also so incorrect of an answer that as punishment, you now need to wear this." Another snap and a big pink dunce cap suddenly appeared atop Celestia's head, earning a mass of laughter from the many Discords sitting around her. Satisfied by the now furious looking Celestia, Discord carried on. "The most crucial and basic thing to know about Chaos magic is that you don't control it. Control goes against everything Chaos magic stands for; it is chaos after all." As if to emphasize his point, Discord casually allowed his lion's paw to shapeshift into an ice cream cone, a dragon's head, a chair leg, a unicorn horn, and...was that Pinkie Pie's head for a moment, before reverting to its original shape. "See that, totally random. Chaos magic will typically do what you want but not if you try to force it. The harder you try to rein it in and the more out of control it will become." As he continued to teach, Celestia, having gotten the cap off, found herself processing every word her instructor was saying, comparing it to everything that's happened to her up to this point. "It does at least seem to match up slightly with my past experiences. Yet that still doesn't offer me much help in regards to avoiding future mishaps like earlier." Deciding to humor Discord, Celestia opted to raise her hoof and play along with the classroom scenario he'd cooked up. "So then, if we can't control our magic, how do we make it work without causing it to just activate randomly?" "Oh, I'm so happy you asked my dear student...oh, bet you never imagined somepony saying that to you." Taking his hand to the chalkboard, he quickly flipped the board to the other side to reveal the words JUST DO IT, leaving Celestia more than a little unsatisfied. "...is this supposed to be some kind of joke Discord?" In response, Discord was now dressed up as a clown in a purple suit with green hair and a painted-on smile. "Well, I don't doubt you could use a good laugh right about now my dear, you're so serious all the time, it's almost painful," He immediately changed back to his normal appearance as he got right in her face. "However, I'm quite serious here. Chaos magic, at its core, is as simple as it gets, you want something to happen, just think about it and do it, that's all there is to it. "It can't possibly be that simple?" "Oh, what exactly were you expecting, some overly elaborate magic equation full of symbols, numbers of text no sane pony would ever try to translate." Another flip of the board showed such an equation, one that would look right at home in Twilight's lab. "Listen, Celestia, it really is that simple. The thing you need to remember above all is that normal magic has rules. Hence it has limits to what it can or can't do. Chaos magic has no rules, the fact you can do literally anything you want without restriction is what makes it chaos. So if you want to do something..." Discord once again shifted, this time being clad in a black t-shirt, jeans, a wristwatch, and a short black beard. "JUST DO IT!" The princess looked slightly unconvinced, staring now at her hands, trying to wrap her head around this new information. "I see you don't believe me quite yet," Discord said, hanging appearing right over her shoulder, smiling all the way, "Well then, the best way to learn is through trial and error, so let's have ourselves a trial filled with all sorts of errors." With another loud snap, the pair found themselves transported to the massive castle kitchen, earning a bit of a jolt from some of the staff whole immediately went back to work, unbothered by the sudden appearance. "Exactly how long is this lesson going to take Discord?" Celestia's eyes couldn't help but drift to a nearby clock, and a literal thought bubble appeared above her head, showing a long piece of paper with the words schedule printed in bold red letters, "I don't feel I need to remind you. I have more pressing matters to attend to today." "Right, important," Discord let out a raspberry as he casually brushed away the thought bubble, "I'm certain all those frankly overdressed and overpaid ponies you're always dealing with can go an hour or two without crying to you over every minor inconvenience they have." "It's not that simple Discord. We're hosting an important banquet tonight, and I need to make sure everything is ready. I can't waste too much time on this." Discord paused, casually stroking his beard as he thought for a moment, "Well, if you're that worried about it, then we can just multitask, something you should be more than familiar with by now." Without even snapping this time, a large table appeared out of nowhere, with a book containing a picture of a cake in the center. "I'd planned for something like this anyway. Might as well start simple, and making cake is about as simple as you can get." "You want me to make a cake with magic?" Celestia asked with a look of uncertainty on her face. "Given earlier this morning, you've already gotten a head start, though try to keep it to the size of this room, please." Discord snickered secretly hoping a cake that size would suddenly explode out from the princess's magic. Celestia looked ready to dismiss the idea outright, still afraid of what might happen. In a way, it was odd that she felt so nervous about the mere idea of doing something so simple. Yet these last few days had shown her just how much trouble she could cause if she wasn't careful. At this point, it was a surprise she hadn't ended up in a near-hysterical state similar to Twilight during the Smartypants debacle. "Get a grip, Celestia, it's just cake. Just think and do it, that's all. Stop hesitating." Without a moment's pause, Celestia formed a picture in her head and immediately snapped, staring down at what she'd created. "Hmm, well it's an improvement over earlier, but…" On the table, there was currently a large white cake covered in pink icing, which wasn't the inherent problem. No, that was the large mouth filled with teeth seemingly made of hardened blue icing and a pair of eyeholes illuminated by candles. All the while, the carnivorous confection growled and bit in every direction, icing leaking from its mouth. Discord took a moment to trap the cake until a large glass cake server, looking over the treat with amusement. "You know, I think serving these would make for a more enjoyable experience then bland old normal cakes. Goodness knows it could get those stuck up ponies to liven up for a change." A quick glance at Celestia revealed her sulking in the corner, a tiny black cloud hanging over her head as she tried to curl into a ball. "Oh, come on, you don't need to be so melodramatic. Compared to this morning, it's an improvement, sure it's a little." another growl and the sound of something smacking against glass interrupted him, "bitter, but you're starting to get the hang of it." Celestia, however, only seemed to curl in further, the cloud getting larger with mini lightning bolts and rain for added effect. At this point, Discord's half-hearted smile fell from his face at the pitiful sight of the usually confident and powerful ruler. Without any prompting, he immediately reached into his face and pulled out a new mouth before smacking the cloud away. "Okay, this has officially stopped being funny. Clearly, you're not in your right head at the moment and need to get a little air. So, we're just going to go out for a little while and get you away from all this negativity." Celestia finally pulled herself out of her state of self-compression, pondering on the notion before nodding. "Perhaps taking some time off would do me some good, but we're only going to be out for a few hours. I still need to test the cakes for the banquet tonight and make sure they are up to the proper standard of quality." "Which I bet are quite high considering your love for cake." Discord chimed in. Celestia reared her head at Discord and snapped back. "These banquets are host to the most prestigious ponies from all across Equestria. As such the food must be up to a certain standard. The fact I just happen to have high standards when it comes to confections is a benefit, if anything." Discord stepped back, seeing how angry his fellow draconequus was getting and replied, "Ah, ah-ah, temper. I'm more than confident in your capability to critique the quality of countless culinary confections, but do remember to keep your emotions in check. One thing Chaos magic has in common with normal magic is that emotions have a big impact on how much power you produce, so try to keep calm." Celestia gave a deep breath and calmed herself. "Right, sorry, let's just head out. There are at least two shops I need to visit, and I'd prefer not to rush." The two floated down the cobblestone streets, eventually making it to a quite extravagant looking bakery. A glance in the front window showed a massive ten layer wedding cake, which even Discord himself had to admit looked quite appetizing. Celestia paused before looking at Discord with a critical eye. "Remember Discord, we're simply here to test the cakes for the banquet; as such, I expect you to be on your best behavior. Discord quickly shifted into an angel outfit, complete with glowing halon and equally glowing smile, earning him a dismissive eye roll from Celestia. The draconequus calmly strolled in, making Celestia squeak out in surprise as she quickly followed suit. Upon entering the bakery, the pair were then hit with an aroma of fresh cake, melted sugar, chocolate, and a lovely looking baker's mare with a cream-colored coat and a warm, loving smile. "Oh, hello there, welcome to Sweet Hearts, one of the finest bakeries in all of Canterlot. My name is Cream Heart, tell me, are you looking to buy a wedding cake?" Celestia's face immediately turned red at the implication, while Discord looked more amused than embarrassed. "Well, while I'll admit my companion here is certainly a catch, especially now, I'm afraid we're here for a much more mundane reason." Celestia, further embarrassed by the veiled compliment, took a few steps away from Discord as she quickly explained, "We're just here to inspect the cake for the banquet this weekend." Sweet Cream, upon taking a closer look at Celestia, immediately recognized the monarch, becoming mildly embarrassed herself. "Oh, Princess Celestia, my apologies, I'd almost forgotten about that! Please, just wait here for a moment, I just baked a fresh cake a few minutes ago, anticipating your arrival." The mare then skipped off quickly, being quite excited to show the princess her best cake yet, leaving the pair in somewhat awkward silence. Discord turned to Celestia and whispered in her ear. "Certainly, I know I said we'd take a little break, but why not take another crack at some Chaos magic I can't exactly imagine you being nearly as stressed out here?" Celestia didn't say anything, seemingly trying to focus on some of the other cakes in the store to avoid speaking to Discord. "Oh, don't tell me you're still bothered by her little misunderstanding? Does the idea of us as a couple bother you that much?" Celestia refused to make eye contact, "Can we please not discuss this." Discord was tempted to press further but decided against it, not willing to risk a possible outburst from the still volatile princess. Thus instead… "Then how about we play a game instead." Celestia's perked at the suggestion, looking warily at her companion. "And what kind of game did you have in mind?" Discord's smile grew, his long fang nearly sliding across his other teeth. "Think of it as a simple practice exercise for your magic. Once the cake comes in, we change it around a little bit to see who can come up with the most...chaotic effect." Celestia immediately prepared to shut the idea down only for Discord to beat her to the punch. "Listen, I'm not asking you to reinvent the wheel here. Just keep to something simple and if worst comes to worst I can fix it in a literal snap. You do want to control your magic, don't you?" Celestia debated for several moments before, reluctantly agreeing to the proposal. Thankfully, the pair didn't have to wait too long before the baker mare came back and presented them with the cake. "Alright, here it is!" The cake was quite beautiful mixed decorated with swirls of pink and blue frosting, which only made it more appetizing to Celestia, almost making her regret agreeing to tamper with it. Yet, they had agreed, and the sight of the cake had caused an idea to form in her head. A mischievous smile across her face, the princess pictured the effect she wanted in her mind and immediately zapped it without taking a moment to question her decision. In a flash, the cake's decorations were now split down the middle, completely blue on one side and pink on the other. While the baker looked shocked, Discord seemed less than impressed. "Well, you managed to not cause a scene, though I was hoping for something a little more impressive than a simple color change." Celestia's smirk quickly grew, earning a curious look from Discord. "Oh, I've done more than change its color. I've added a sort of transformation charm to it. If you eat the blue side, you turn into Shining Armor while the pink sider turns you into Princess Cadence," the now proud princess puffed out her chest with pride at Discord who offered a light clap in response. "Hmm, that's a bit more creative I'll give you. But we still need to check and see if it works." Celestia, however, quickly remembered where exactly they were and turned to the still stunned baker. "I hope you don't mind this, but we're having a bit of a magic competition. If it's too much trouble, we can leave." To her surprise, Cream Heart rapidly shook her head, "oh, it's no trouble at all. If anything it sounds like it could be quite exciting. Please feel free to continue. " Thus with little room to argue, the two then started to eat the cake, with Discord slowly transforming into Cadence, though with a dark brown coat, a long yellow and light brown mane. Meanwhile, Celestia became a Shining Armor clone with a similar white coat, but with a mane comprised of dark and bright pink. They were surprised and laughed as they looked over their new bodies as Celestia looked over herself with a smirk on her face." Well, this is certainly different. Though after being turned into a draconequus, it's nice to be a normal pony again," she paused and took a moment to look at herself in the nearby window. Her face turned bright pink, looking at her reflection, seeing how muscular she looked and responded in a surprised tone, "I must say, I cut quite an impressive figure as a stallion." Cream Heart nodded rapidly, stars visible in her eyes, "Oh yes your highness, if I may be so bold you look very handsome," her eyes shifted to Discord, looking at him equally starstruck, "And Discord, you look positively breathtaking, the picture of eloquence and beauty." Discord offered a half-hearted chuckle, brushing the mane out of her eyes and looking into another window admiring his new body. It was thin and graceful not unlike Cadance's and was quite bashful waving the compliment off with his new hoof. "Oh, stop, you're gonna make me blush." Discord's entire body turned completely red, though it seemed more he was simply humoring her than being done out of actual embarrassment. Celestia eyed Discord, finding the momentary distraction somewhat calming as if the pressure she'd been feeling earlier was lessening. "Well, as enjoyable as this is, it's a tad limited as far as possible challenge options are concerned, so how about a new game Discord." Discord, still in his Cadence form, stretched his ears like rubber right over to Celestia, "I'm all ears, Celestia what did you have in mind?" "Nothing too elaborate, just a simple game of Truth or Dare." Immediately Discord's excitement dropped, "Have you been reading some of Twilight's old books again," Afterwards, he poofed up the book with the title Slumber Party 101, "Because I'm pretty sure we've already visited this particular scenario." Celestia rolled her eyes, "Oh, stop being so negative, it'll be fun," Discord didn't look convinced, prompting Celestia to up the stakes. "Very well, then how about this, as a rule, if you refuse to do either Truth or Dare, then you must eat another piece of the cake. That should make things a little more exciting, don't you think?" Pausing as he weighed the options, Discord offered a shrug, "Well, it's not my usual game, but putting a little chaotic spin on it could make things more exciting. So I'm in, I suppose." Sweet Cream rose a hoof and exclaimed with a big smile on her face. "Oh, I wanna go first!" "Okay, Sweet Cream, you can go first?" Discord scoffed, rolling his eyes, being a bit agitated and wanting to get this game over with. Sweet Cream turned her attention to the princess, blushing, seeing how hot she looked in her stallion body she gulped and stammered, "um..C...Celestia truth or dare?" "Hmm, why not dare?" The princess of the sun responded, wanting to see what this baker had in store. "I want you to kiss Discord!" The mare chirped out, clapping her hooves together. "What!" The princess and Discord squeaked out in surprise with big wide eyes. "Oh, come on! You two are the royal couple I need to at least get a picture of you two kissing!" The two looked at each other with their faces both a bright pink and both considering not going through with the dare. "Look, I'll do this dare only as long as you know we're not actually going to get married." Discord snapped with an embarrassed look on his new face feeling quite conflicted about kissing the princess. "Just shut it, and let's get this over with." Celestia squeaked out feeling just as conflicted. But they slowly move their faces together both sweating a bit and as they puckered their lips the two gave each other a quick peck on the lips. As Sweet Cream snapped a few pictures. "Oh, that was so cute! You should've held it!" Celestia sat back, coughing a bit, and immediately responded, "So, I think I'll go next...Discord truth or dare?" Discord eyed Celestia, stubbornly refusing to play, especially after having to kiss her...but finally after being glared at by his chaotic partner in crime, snapped, "Alright, fine... I'll go with truth I have nothing to hide?" The princess, however, despite requesting the game, didn't seem especially happy, practically looking at him with a harsh glare. "Very well then, tell me? Do you wish I could stay a draconequus forever?" Discord's confidence immediately evaporated as his whole body paled, "Uh...well, that is…" "You have to answer, it's the rules, and you agreed, now answer me." Discord shivered at the force behind her tone, making it clear this wasn't a request but a demand, and he'd be wise to answer. "F-fine, yes, I do wish you'd stay like this." "I'd say that I'm surprised, but I'd be lying. Though, now I'm curious to know more." Discord, however, immediately raised a massive stop sign in response. "Uh uh, I answered my question, so let's give someone else a chance." Celestia huffed angrily at being denied, but an idea quickly formed in her head, and she immediately pulled Sweet Cream to the side, who'd been sitting there simply enjoying the show. Discord tried to hear what the two were whispering about but found himself unable to. His suspicion grew as Sweet Cream seemed to nod excitedly, before focusing her eyes on Discord. "Why do I get the feeling something excruciatingly painful is about to happen?" "Well, I believe it's my turn now," Sweet Cream snickered with a suspicious smile on her face, "And I chose you Discord. Truth or Dare." "Wait a minute, I just went, you can't make me go twice in a…." Celestia immediately cut him off mid-speech. "Technically, when we started, we never established any specific rules outside of asking Truth or Dare along with the cake rule. As such, it's perfectly fine for more than one person to ask somepony twice. Besides, it's more...chaotic this way, and I know you just love that, don't you Discord?" Discord could feel every part of his body twitching angrily as he quickly realized the hole he was currently dug into. Yet, he begrudgingly relented. ".....Fine, I'll pick truth again. Honestly, that seems like the safer option here." Sweet Cream quickly cooed in excitement. "Alright, do, you have feelings for Celestia!?" He squeaked as Celestia blushed, turning towards him. He crossed his claws, "That's not a fair question, ask another?" Celestia scoffed, "According to the rule, you have to answer the question, or you have to eat another piece of cake." The draconequus scoffed, "fine, I'd rather turn back into a male anyways! No insult to you mares, but I prefer being my gender." The mare cooed, "oh? Who said anything about turning back into a stallion? Eat another pink piece of cake." Discord rolled his eyes, seeing little reason to argue as it was not like it made too much of a difference as he ate another piece of cake. He squeaked, feeling a graceful looking wedding dress poof around her body, It was complete being fitted to the waist and the fabric flowed naturally to the floor, along with a white wedding veil flowing down Discord's head. Hearing snickering she turned around with a glare at the pair annoyed. "Really? A wedding dress?" The lord of chaos grumbled under his breath. The two laughed as Cream Heart exclaimed, "My goodness Discord you look great in that dress? Are you sure you don't want a wedding cake!" "Oh Cadance you just look lovely? Maybe we should get married here?" Celestia joked with a smirk on her face feeling good that she was able to make Discord feel embarrassed. The lord of chaos looked away feeling bashful about his new outfit and because how Celestia in Shining Armor's form was staring at him with lustful eyes. Celestia turned to Discord. "Alright, my turn, truth or dare?" Discord snorted through his nostrils. "Is anyone else going to get a turn, or am I the only one being humiliated through this silly game? Cause I feel as though I've more than earned my turn here." Both Celestia and Sweet looked at each other, gave a nod, and turned back to their fellow player. "Very well, Discord, it's your turn." The two chimed in unison. "Finally," The draconequus jumped for joy as he immediately pointed the finger at Sweet Cream. "Alright, baker, I'll start with you. Truth or Dare." "What? You just want to get me back for earlier!?" "That's right!" Discord snickered evilly as he loomed over the helpless baker, "So choose your answer wisely because I promise you won't like what I have in store for you if you choose wrong." The baker panicked, sweat being to pool around her forehead, fearing what horrors awaited her should she make the wrong choice. "....I...I...I CAN'T choose. I'll just try a piece of the cake." She immediately felt regret, as Discord's smile grew dramatically. "Oh, I was so hoping you'd choose that option, and since turn about is fair play, we never established any guidelines about cake consumption. So I want you to eat a slice from each side, at the same time!" She froze, staring down at the cake, wondering what exactly would happen if she tried such a thing. Yet, she knew there was no way she could refuse, especially not after how she'd helped humiliate Discord before. Thus, without pause, she scarfed down both pieces of cake and found herself covered in a magic glow that threatened to blind all those present. In a flash of blue and pink, the baker mare found herself now replaced with a baby, alicorn filly with swirls of pink and light blue for a mane and tail, giant white feathered wings and big wide bright blue eyes babbling incoherently. Discord and Celestia shouted out, "WHAT?" "How on earth did that happen. How does eating something that supposed to make you male and female at the same time turn you into an alicorn of all things?" Celestia asked as she scooped up the pint-sized princess crawling babbling and cooing in her hooves. "What part of Chaos Magic do you not understand. It's supposed to be random," Discord argued, before going over the alicorn filly with a magnifying glass, "though even as random chaos is, this is a new one. Hmm, maybe this is what Cadence and Shining Armor's child would look like." Celestia immediately looked at Discord like he was completely insane...or more insane than he already was, "That's your explanation for this. How in Equestria did you arrive at that conclusion." Discord started to pull out another blackboard that contained another overly complicated equation only for Celestia to throw the rest of the cake at it, "Never mind. What's important is changing her back to how she was before. Bad enough I turned Feather into an Alicorn, I'd rather not this become a trend." "You sure?" Discord asked, wiping the cake off his blackboard, having returned to his original form, "You still don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to transformations." Celestia, now transformed back to her draconequus form with a snap of a claw. "How was that!? I think I'm getting the hang of this." "You're getting better but do you think you can fix Sweet Cream?" Discord asked eyeing Celestia still being unsure of the princess's capabilites. "Well, I had only a few hours of experience as of right now, so no, not really. But, I still have to at least try to turn her back to normal, leaving Sweet Cream like this would be irresponsible after all." The princess snapped back as she now held the cooing alicorn foal in her claws. The foal was acting quite adorable waving its hooves uncontrollably, flapping her wings and blowing bubbles through her mouth. Celestia stared down at the foal with a worried look on her face as she slowly held out a claw and with a quick snap another burst of light, the pair found that the alicorn filly had been changed...into an older, seemingly teenage version of the same alicorn. Needless to say, Celestia didn't exactly look thrilled at her latest attempt while Discord held up a scorecard with a "4" on it. "Well, you made her older, at least, but she's still an alicorn, so not your best showing dear." Sweet Cream meanwhile seemed to be looking over her transformed state, puzzled at her new giant wings and rubbing her new horn as she asked, "Oh, wow, that was weird!? Huh? Why do I think my name is Flurry Heart?" "Why do I feel so energetic!" She chirped out, bouncing up and down in excitement. Flurry Heart started to flap her wings and fly around, only for an oversized paw to immediately pull her down to ground level and keep her from flying away. "Okay, I think we've met our hijinks quota for this chapter. So let's wrap things up, shall we?" "Let me go! I wanna go fly!" Sweet Cream snapped being quite bratty in her teen form. Celestia stood over the teenager and scolded her. "You stop it right now young lady." "Your not my mom! You can't tell me what to do!" Flurry Heart whined stomping about and shot magic out of her horn at Celestia dodged the blast. With a loud BOOM! one of the cakes in the shop exploded sending pieces of frosting and smashed cakes to splatter all over the walls. Celestia turned to Discord with smashed cake all over her body and shouted in anger. "Are you going to stand there or are you going to help me get her under control!" "Jeez, calm down it's not like were actually her parents." The lord of chaos snapped a claw as Sweet Cream was turned back into her normal self again and the cake being restored, magic free as well. The princess immediately began apologizing to Cream for all that happened, only for the baker to calmly laugh it off. "There's no need for that your highness. Truthfully, it was actually pretty enjoyable, and after everything else that's happened in Canterlot these last few years, being made into an alicorn for a few minutes is just a drop in the bucket!" The baker's mare replied happily as she seemed to secretly want to stay as an alicorn. Celestia simply smiled sadly, still feeling she hadn't been able to have a grip on her new chaos magic. The pair left the shop, Discord having teleported the cake back to the castle (despite not noticing two pieces were missing), as Celestia being too afraid to even attempt such a thing as the two continued on to the next stop on their travels. As the two left the cake shop, Sweet Cream placed the two pieces of enchanted cake away in a cupboard with a crazed look in her eye. "Oh, I can't wait to be an alicorn again!" Chapter five: The Chaos DuelPrincess Celestia was flying next to Discord as they went across the streets of Canterlot, looking rather pleased with herself. Despite some of her initial reservations, finally releasing her chaos magic in the cake shop had proven quite therapeutic, effectively purging much of the stress she’d been feeling up to that point. And as one would expect, she wasn’t ready to stop any time soon. The former alicorn turned her gaze on the Lord of Chaos, seeing how calm he looked as he chatted about how cool she was and how impressive she was using chaos magic. The conversation felt like a blur for the Princess, and she was seemingly impressed by his restraint to cause any unnecessary chaos to be corrupt her. In truth, it was some of the most she’d had in a very long time, and a part of her just wanted to embrace it fully, finally cut loose. Yet, another part held her back, reminding her as it had so many, many times, she couldn’t control her chaos magic, and it was too much of a risk. If she was being honest, the near-constant reminders of her repeated failures to get control of this power had gotten more than a little taxing. Honestly, it still baffled her that for her more than millennia of experience with magic; she couldn’t completely get the hang of this. A part of her had considered that maybe only a truly chaotic individual could understand it correctly. That thought made her look back at her transformed hand, reminding her that while she might be a draconequus in body, her mind was still the same one as before. Then again, perhaps it was truly impossible to control said power, and it was best to just go with the flow, so to speak. So curious... “So, what’s next?” Discord asked, confusion evident on his face at how his companion had suddenly gone silent. “Huh? What was that?” Celestia asked, shaken from her inner quandary and blushing at the realization of what’d just happened. Discord rolled his eyes, getting a bit annoyed. “Ugh, I was just asking where we’re going next? I’m way too pumped from the last cake shop to stop now and wanted you to give your two cents?” Celestia’s cheeks flushed pink, deciding to put her previous concerns on hold for the moment, as she had one shop in mind and responded curtly. “Yes, I do. I’m sure you’ll like it more than the last one.” “Oh?” Discord asked with a smirk, his curiosity peaked. “Please, do tell.” Celestia, however, merely blushed in embarrassment again, almost trying to wave away the question entirely. “Oh, you’ll see soon enough. Now, come on, I think I’ve been stalling long enough.” With a literal stretch of the arm and a fast yank, Discord found himself being dragged through the streets of Canterlot before the pair made a sharp turn at a corner. Once they finally stopped, Discord's eyes widened at the building before them. The establishment in question looked like somethingPinkie Pie would’ve designed if she were ever given the chance. It was bright pink with balloons tied all over while a massive giant birthday cake, topped with numerous with giant pink and white striped candles, sat comfortably on the roof. And situated in the center near the entrance was a massive, flashing neon sign that read, “Mrs. Funnel Cake’s Cake Emporium.” Discord’s mouth was agape, and he had this look of disbelief seeing the building up close, unable to peel his eyes away from how gaudy and pink it looked. The cake overhead looked almost real, with the pink frosting outlining it and the little pink flowers outlining the Cake’s surface. It was probably the only impressive thing about the entire building...not that it helped much. The Lord of Chaos’s head slowly turned like a crank, finding Celestia standing with an enormous grin, that only made him shudder. “Did that incident with those nobles a few days ago cause your mind to regress or something?” The Princess of the sun blushed, feeling so embarrassed at sharing something so private, not even Luna or Twilight knew about it and responded. “Oh, stop! Seriously, this is a secret, ok! I...I like this place and yes some fancy cake shops are what all my advisors would agree is where I should order the pastries for the party. But...thi...this is what I want.” Discord drew he threw his claw and lion paw across his chest with a scowl on his face. “Well, on the one claw, I could certainly understand why they would be a little...conflicted getting pastries for a high-class party from this place. However, what does it matter.? Aren’t you the Princess, after all, you seriously expect me to believe you can’t even order what you want at your parties?” Celestia sighed, shaking her head as she went about trying to explain the subtle and careful art of sucking up to the nobles. And explained, “These parties aren’t for me? Yes, I'm a princess, but that doesn’t mean I need to make those that govern this kingdom happy.” Discord threw his head and laughed, “So, you're letting these nobles walk all over you?” “Of course not!?” Celestia cried out and stomped a foot on the ground. The draconequus pointed at the shop. “Then, we’re going to order your cakes through this shop for the party?.” “No way! This is just something I wanted to show you. There are other cake shops thi-” Discord flew over and snapped, “Listen! The reason your chaos magic was so crazy before is that you're allowing everypony around you to walk over you. You're scared of losing control, huh?” “What?” Celestia snapped, getting all flustered, feeling a bit peeved of all ponies being insulted about her control was none other than the lord of chaos himself. “You seriously think I'm going to be insulted by the draconequus who tried to take over Equestria twice?” “Ok, first, I’ve already long apologized for that, plus you’re deflecting the issue. This isn’t about me; it’s about you,” Discord snapped, pointing at the cake shop. “Come on, just go and do something for yourself for once?” “Fine!” Celestia shouted as she stomped through the doors, too proud to fight back, while Discord snickered as he floated in after her. Upon entering, the duo came upon a rather plump, tan coated unicorn mare with wide pink eyes and wavy pink locks swirling around her head and tail. The pleasantly plump pony turned around, hearing the jingling of the bells as the door opened and gasped, seeing the two draconequus. Thankfully, her look of astonishment changed as she saw that the white-coated/scaled draconequus was none other than Princess Celestia herself. The big mare waved a hoof and exclaimed, “Hello, Princess Celestia! I didn’t expect to see you this week!? And my goodness, I must say, you're quite stunning as a draconequus!” Celestia didn’t know how to take the compliment as she threw her long, light rainbow-colored mane over her head. “Thank you, your compliment is greatly appreciated.” Seeing things were getting a little awkward, mainly with Celestia, Discord decided it was time for him to chime in. “So, we’ve been looking for a bakery to buy some pastries for Celestia’s party this weekend, and the princess has decided to choose your shop to cater to!” Discord exclaimed as he held up his claws in the air as if the chubby baker just won a prize on a game show, a sentiment she seemed to share. The mare’s eyes went wide as she placed a hoof to her chest, trying to keep herself from falling over from a heart attack. “My goodness...me? I know Princess Celestia loves my cakes!?” The baker slowed down, and her hoof in the ground. “But this is well...um something she keeps private.” Discord did finally take a good look around the shop seeing the place; finding the decor was just as pink as the exterior. In the display cases, there were dozens of decorated birthday cakes of all kinds, with streamers hanging all over the store as if Pinkie’s party cannon had just exploded. Discord quickly pulled out some sunglasses to help against the onslaught of bright colors while turning his attention to the windows, wanting to ensure no pony saw Celestia inside. Luckily it was a slow day, and there weren't any ponies in the shop at the time, but even the draconequus was surprised Celestia would come to eat at such a foalish place like this. “I can see why you were so against coming here, Celestia. I doubt anypony over the age of ten would ever be caught dead in her.” Discord whispered, being quite surprised himself. The Princess rolled her eyes, not knowing how many times she stuffed her face with Cake in front of the draconequus a thousand years ago and flew over to Discord. “Then you obviously don’t know anything about me?” “Oh please! I knew you loved cake, but this place screams Pinkie Pie!” The male draconequus ranted. “I mean...I could imagine a thousand years ago you being like her? But not now? I thought all that fun was zapped out of you after your coronation?" Celestia looked more than a little miffed at such an insinuation. “I’ll have you know that I am still perfectly capable of having fun! Mrs. Funnel Cake can vouch for that.” Said pony immediately clopped her hooves together and exclaimed, “Oh yes! Celestia has quite the playful side to her. She had me set this place up like a foal style birthday party for herself!” The Princess hid her face behind a claw as Discord snickered, imagining Celestia sitting down in a little party hat, party blower in her mouth, and a big birthday cake in front of her. “That's just sad. Adorable...but mostly sad.” “Oh, haha! That’s it! Mrs. Funnel Cake, I'm going to hire you to cater for the party and not just that we're going to have a small party here right now.” Celestia demanded now she’s determined, wanting to prove Discord wrong. To the surprise of Discord, said baker seemed positively ecstatic over the rather spontaneous and out of left field request, practically bouncing with joy. “Oh, how wonderful!” She skipped over to the front door and quickly flipped the sign from open to closed, promptly locking to ensure they weren’t disturbed. Discord all the while simply watched, deciding just to let things play out. them “So...how should we go about this?” Celestia responded by holding out one of her claws, which immediately split into ten and went about snatching cakes from the display before placing them on the table. “We should start by sampling the cakes here to see which one would be the best for the party!?” Funnel Cake nodded happily at the idea while Discord, again finding himself playing the straight man of the group...which was becoming an increasingly common trend in this whole endeavor, opted to follow suit. The three quietly sat down, with Celestia, of course being the first to indulge in the pastries, with Funnel Cake and Discord following suit. While Discord seemed to just passive tolerate the Cake, his unique palette being difficult to satisfy, Funnel and Celestia were quickly picking up speed. This rapid consumption continued for some time, with Discord stopping after about 7 minutes while his companions continued with no sign of slowing down. Curiously enough, despite having eaten enough to fill the entire store, the cakes just seemed to reappear without fail, allowing the show of gluttony to continue. At the same time, the two happily chatted away as they ate. The Princess was having such a good time she had no idea that the Cake was starting to cause her body to grow in size to make her bloat up. It wasn’t until she could hear the chair she was sitting in started to loudly creak that she finally took notice of her current state. It caused her eyes to crack from the shock literally. A simple look in the mirror revealed a now much pudgier Celestia, with a bloated belly, stubby legs doubling in size. Her eyes quickly shifted to Funnel Cake, also showing a noticeable weight gain, while Discord, who by now was at best nibbling on the pastries, barely looked any different at all. “Discord!” Celestia yelled as she finally put down her latest pastry, her outburst also stopping Funnel.“Did you enchant these cakes to make us all fat!” “Excuse me, but I'm not fat! I'm big-boned!” Mrs. Funnel Cake snapped as she crossed her hooves, completely ignoring the sight of her arms, actually starting to sink slowly into her bloated abdomen. Discord, instead of making a snarky remark, opted to simply give Celestia a simple smirk and look of mild offense, “My dear Celestia, that was rather rude of you. Don’t you think you should apologize.” Princess’s gaze hardened at the obvious deflection, but quickly gave the shop owner an apologetic bow. “Please, forgive me. That was not the intent of my comment !" Luckily, Funnel Cake seemed to quickly brush off the issue with a wave and another bite of Cake. “Oh don’t worry about it sweetie, you ain’t the first pony to crack about my size, and you won’t be the last. Sides, now you’re in the same boat as me.” Discord snickered as he started lightly poking Celestia’s belly, which slowly sank into the mixture of flesh and fur as though it were a pillow. “She’s right about that. Though keep eating that Cake, and there won’t be a boat big enough to hold either of you!” Celestia mentally found herself deciding whether just to let gravity take hold and crush Discord and save herself the headache. Thankfully for Discord, her reputation and pride wouldn’t allow for such an unsightly act. “Just turn me back normal already!? I’ve already had Luna complaining about my cake consumption, the last thing I want is to give her any kind of validation.” Funnel Cake, completely ignoring the continued weight gain, went about shoving another piece of Cake in her mouth as she scoffed, “Awww, Luna just needs to let go and enjoy herself more.” “While I can agree my sister is still a tad high strung, I doubt I could ever convince her to come to a place like this and indulge herself,” Celestia muttered with a sigh, thinking back to her and her sister’s earlier, more playful years. Discord waved a hoof and snickered, “Maybe she would considering her current state.” The Princess’s eyes went wide, “Oh no, I completely forgot! She’s still a baby! I need to change her back!” “Oh, relax? She can be a baby for a few more hours.” Discord snickered, a thought bubble showing a still infant and visibly annoyed Luna appearing above his head. “Besides considering how bad your chaos magic is, you might make her smaller? Probably best not to take the risk.” Celestia seemed more than a little offended by the comment and immediately leaped to her feet. we're going to have a showdown!” “A showdown?”Discord laughed, immediately pulling a cowboy outfit out of thin air, “You really wanna do this? Right now.” He made sure to emphasize the now as Celestia struggled to stay upright as she hobbled to the other side of the bakery. Celestia stood on the other with her teeth gritted and shouted, “ That’s right, we're going to shoot chaos magic at each other and transform ourselves. Funnel Cake can decide who makes the crazier transformation...within reason, of course. It has to be something fun, nothing gross, disgusting, or perverted.” Discord tapped a hoof to his chin and gave a nod, deciding to toss away the cowboy outfit. “Eh, why now. Mrs. Funnel Cake, would you accept being our judge?” “Why, of course, I would be happy too!” Funnel Cake exclaimed, turning her seat around to watch the showdown. Discord planted his hooves firmly as did Celestia; the chaotic showdown was about to begin. “So, you think you seriously can beat me?” Discord asked, eying his opponent cautiously. “Not at all, this isn’t about winning or losing. I just want to prove to you I’m still in control and that the pony you knew from so long ago is still here..” “Alright, prove it to me!” The master of mischief shouted, bowing his head with his horns glowing. Celestia quickly followed suit, charging up her own horns before the pair blasted magic at each other with a glowing beam of light. The resulting blast was creating a small smoke screen that left the two would-be combatants and their judge blinded. As the Princess blinked as she found herself unable to move, she looked about, waited for the smoke to clear before she saw her reflection in a mirror. Needless to say, what she saw both shocked and, in a small way, delighted her. We're once there was a female draconequus, there now sat a cake with two big blue eyes, made of white frosting with pink icing outlining her form. And to top her off, were what seemed to be over a thousand pink and white striped birthday candles on her head. “A birthday cake?” The now pastry princess Celestia exclaimed, and then squealed at hearing her voice, somehow being able to talk despite not having a mouth. Then again, chaos magic, so it didn’t need to make sense. “I see you have lost your taste for irony Discord, though it would seem you aren’t as creative as you thought.” Celestia said...trying to look smug as she faced her equally transformed opponent. Like herself, Discord was now transformed into an equally delicious looking cake, though this was a double-decker,chocolate cake with little swirls of yellow surrounding each layer, with just as many brown and yellow striped candles on top. “So...I assume this is a tie…” Discord replied in an unsure tone, mildly miffed that his trick had been copied. “Not exactly!” Funnel Cake spoke, getting up from her seat and walking between the pair. “If nothing else, we should see who made the better Cake. It is a contest, after all.” While this sounded fine on paper, that did leave a minor hiccup, which Celestia Cake was quick to pick up on. “Wait, but wouldn’t that me….” “Now, I'm assuming it would be ok if I eat some of you?” The chubby mare asked with a look of worry on her face, completely interrupting the Princess whose cake body was now shivering with dread. Discord snickered as he exclaimed, “I don’t have a problem with it! I eat parts of myself all the time, so what’s the harm here?” “What!? You can’t be serious Discord, even for you that sounds so....weird,” Celestia whimpered, her mind not even being able to quantify the possible implications of letting even a tiny part of her being eaten in this state. “Oh come on, it’s not like she’s going to eat us whole! With our magic fixing, it will be a literal snap, and you did want this challenge anyway. Which reminds me.” The yellow icing on Discord’s cake body quickly slithered across and formed into a single eye focused on Celestia. “I see you decided to add a few more candles to my head, trying to one-up me?” .” “Oh please, between the two of us, we both know you’re older!” As the two continued to snipe at each other, they failed to notice Funnel Cake was drooling at the sight of sentiment cakes in front of her. For a baker and cake lover, it was like a fever dream that suddenly came to life. And sadly, it was one her resolve could not win against. Discord glared at Celestia’s head. “Alright, I'm counting the candles on your head don’t move!” “You don’t move either! I know you're older than me!” Celestia exclaimed. The two went about counting candles, and Celestia finally exclaimed, “ah-ha! You have one thousand five hundred and thirty-five!” “He-he-he sadly, you're at one thousand five hundred and thirty-six.” Discord exclaimed with a smirk on his face seeing he was a year younger. “You're wrong! I’m one thousand five hundred thirty-five and a half! You counted Wrong!” The Princess jeered only to grow stiff at the sound of something being unsheathed immediately. They were so distracted by their little debated neither noticed the chubby baker pulling out a cake slicer and took a piece from both of them. While the two sentient cakes were left to process that a part of themselves had just literally been cut off, the culprit was happily gobbling down both pieces with pure joy on her face. “I have to admit...Celestia...you taste better.” The Princess, seemingly over her initial shock, cheered. “Yes, I w-” “No, I win!” Discord laughed out loud and raised his body and replied, “You said the winner has the best transformation, not the best flavor. Us both turning into Cake was purely coincidental.” “Oh, haha! Very well, if you’re going to be a sore loser, we can go again. After I get my body back, of course,” The Princess cried out. The two stared at each other as the candles started to burn bright before they zapped each other again. In another flash of smoke and light, where there stood two cakes, now were Pinkie Pies or at least the same general look. Celestia had transformed into the same energetic party pony, but with white coat along with the bouncy pink mane and tail. Additionally, her cutie mark was still a sun, though now it looked plastic and blown up like a balloon with a string attached. The sight of this caused Discord to laugh out loud at sight, having successfully returned to his own body. Though he was more than willing to be a good sport and snapped a claw, his magic kicked in. His body turned into a brown coated, party mare with a bouncy, light buttery, yellow mane, and tail with those glowing yellow eyes and red irises. “Oh my goodness, two Pinkie Pies!?” Funnel Cake cried out in surprise and possibly panicked at the idea of two more hyperactive party ponies. Discord scoffed as he touched his new bouncy mane. “This is so frizzy!? Does she ever comb this thing?” To his surprise, his hand started to sink further into the puffy locks, and without even needing to snap his fingers, he started pulling all kinds of objects from his mane. Rubber chickens, party streamers, etc.… Celestia meanwhile was feeling a bit antsy, a growing innate desire to go out, find a bunch of random instruments and start to play them. Though there was still an issue, they needed to resolve. “So, how will we judge this time?” Funnel Cake immediately raised a hoof. “I know fire off your party cannons!? Whoever has the most streamers wins!” Celestia smirked, while probably not the best way to gauge their transformation, it was simple enough. Thus reaching into her mane, she immediately pulled out a party cannon with a color scheme similar to her’s. Discord quickly followed suit with his own and aimed it directly at her. Pulling lighting from her bottomless mane, Celestia lit the end of the top of her cannon, and with a smug grin on her face, she snickered, “You ready?” “Alright at the count of three...one...two...three.” Discord slammed the top of his cannon, and they both shot out a massive explosion of streamers and confetti. But, chaotic party planner’s cannon fired a bountiful barrage of brownies while Celestia’s cannon burst forth a bunch of birthday cakes. It was a complete blitzkrieg of baked goods. Amidst the battle of the ballistic baked goods, Funnel Cake took some of the smashed sweets into her mouth. Her mouth was immediately beset by a barrage of sugar and chocolate that threatened to knock her off her feet. Yet she was able to bear the taste long enough to decide a winner. “Oh, yes! Celestia wins this round! These brownies are so much more delicious than the Cake! An A + effort from you, Princess.” Discord crossed his hooves, currently covered in numerous chunks of chocolate, and scoffed, “Dang it! You know me too well! “Hehe, this was kind of random, but yeah, let's see what happens on our last round!” Celestia shouted as she and Discord then shot out their party cannons at each other, with another burst of smoke and light. Celestia blinked and, to her surprise, saw she was back to saw her old equine self, though with a bit more noticeable weight, particularly in the backside, which caused said Princess to blush. Though that blush quickly turned to shock when she saw that her plump posterior was make out of Cake. Indeed, in place of flesh and fur, was a body of white frosting, a cutie mark made of icing and a tail made of cotton candy. The new appearance caused more than a minor reaction from the Princess. “DISCORD! I thought we agreed not to do anything perverted! And how exactly is this creative anyway outside of a cheap joke?” “Whatever cake butt!” Discord laughed, utterly unbothered by his own transformed state. Unlikely, Celestia’s rather remarkable transformation, Discord was now a royal guard with a typical brown coated, and a buttery yellow mane like before. The most noticeable difference was that his armor was made of cookies, while his spear was a candy cane. By all accounts, it seemed the cackling trickster had managed to win this time, only for his chuckles to turn to coughs as various gumdrops began to fall out of his mouth, earning a small smirk of victory from Celestia. Funnel Cake, still utterly unfazed by what she’d seen, took one of the gumdrops and munched on it along with some of the cookie armor. Naturally, she followed up by preparing to take a bite from Celestia’s sugary backside, only for the Princess to beat her to the punch by quickly removing some of the icings from her back and hand it to the judge. After a few moments of munching and savoring the flavors properly, funnel Cake responded with a blush. "Um...while, Cake is quite good. I’m afraid that the cookie and candy combo is simply too much for me to ignore!” “Alright! I win!” Celestia squealed out in childish delight and laughed out loud as they were transformed back into their draconequus forms. “Oh please, you only win in the most basic sense. If anything, I’m true winner considering this whole day was to finally break you out of your shell,” Discord snapped. Impressively, rather than snap back at her companion Celestia instead flew up to him with a somewhat bashful look on her face. “Perhaps, I suppose I did come away from this experience with more than I thought.” Her admittance was enough to get a small look of pride from the master of chaos, forcing Celestia to turn her attention elsewhere quickly. Namely, the cake shop was covered from wall to wall in smashed, sugary sweets, and pulverized pastries. “...Well, let's get going if um... Mrs. Funnel Cake, I’ll let you know the details and send you a check for all the Cake we ate.” “It's quite alright! Honestly, this is the most fun I’ve had in years! We really should do this again sometime,” Mrs. Funnel Cake exclaimed out loud. As Celestia slowly flew out of the door with Discord happy to see the Princess finally being independent and being herself flying right behind her. Chapter Six: Night two: A Night to RememberIt was now late in the evening as Princess Celestia found herself in her bedchamber, sitting across from her sister with clear regret printed on her face. Said Princess of the Moon currently had a more than harsh scowl on her face, sharply contrasted by the mischievous smirk Discord was currently wearing as he was watching the pair from the comfort of a floating lounge chair. As one could expect, Luna was quite furious with Celestia, her eyes narrowing at her sister as she shouted, "So dear sister, now that you’ve enjoyed indulging in your usual vices, perhaps we can finally address the elephant in the room. Namely how you turned me into an infant and left me as such for an entire day.” The more than harsh tone with which she spoke sent a shiver down Celestia’s spine as she tried to think of what to say to hopefully quell her anger. "Well...to be honest, it hasn't been a full twenty-four hours yet." The Princess of theSun whispered with a blush on her face feeling a bit embarrassed for having her sister be in such a state. Sadly, the pint sized princess was not moved by the deflection,., "That makes what you did any better? Honestly!" Discord looked over at the Princess of the Sun, still leaning back in his chair and eating from a bag of popcorn, as he responded, "Sad to say, little Woona’s got a point little Tia. You really messed up this time." "Oh, don't you even start! You would've encouraged me to turn her into a baby given a chance!" Celestia snapped back at Discord, not feeling like taking advice from a hypocrite. "Hey, don't try to make me the bad guy in this scenario? I mean, what do you take me for?" The lord of chaos responded angrily against Celestia's outburst. Annoyed, Luna angrily turned attention to the Chaos Lord., "Do not think you are off any hooks Discord. ! You're the one who started this whole mess, turning my sister into a draquenous. Honestly, what were you thinking," She shouted, nearly going into her Royal Canterlot Voice. "What, I thought it’d be a nice way to get her to loosen up a bit. I mean come now, even you, her own sister, have to admit she’s far too high strung for her own good," The lord of chaos scoffed with a juvenile pout and his claws across his chest. While the Princess of the Night rolled her eyes at the ancient tricksters immature behavior, she couldn’t exactly deny his claims "Yes, even I must admit that my sister has grown rather...stiff over these last thousand years. Regardless of that, this was hardly the best solution.” Discord prepared to ready another argument only for Celestia to immediately form a large wall of glass between the two "Alright, enough of this!” Celestia quickly turned to her sister. “Can we please just move past all this incessant fighting? This entire debacle was something I agreed to and won’t last much longer, so for now we just need to bear it.” Sadly, Luna didn’t seem satisfied and Celestia could already tell she’d need more persuasion to get her to relent. “Tell me Luna, what would it take to get you to forgive my most recent mistep regarding my Chaos Magic...shy of giving up the entire bet?” Surprisingly prompt in her response, Luna turned to Discord with a devilish grin on her face. "I want her to use her Chaos Magic tonight. However, I get to decide how she uses it!" The Princess of the Sun immediately rose up in protest, knowing full wellLuna would use this as an opportunity to embarrass her and even the score between the two of them. , "No way!” She shouted, her regal composure breaking while her vocab simplified. “There's no way I'm agreeing to this!" “Well actually...” Celestia immediately felt a sense of dread at the sight of Discord, currently clad in a suit and reading glasses, looking over some kind of document. “According to the rules of our most recent wager, which I won as I recall, you currently owe me one. And thus befitting my usual chaotic nature, I’m graciously turning that favor over to Luna. Ergo…” With eyes peering over the page and his smirk literally appearing on its back. “Thus Celestia, you are required as per our own terms to do whatever little Luna wants.” The Princess of the Sun reared up, quite angry at what she heard, and shouted out loud." Ugh seriously! I think I would've preferred we just had a crazy date or something?!" Discord rose up with red cloak draped over his shoulders, a crown on his head and a scepter in his right claw as he proclaimed, "So, I hereby invoke my right as the winner of the bet to have you be Luna's escort this evening and use your magic in whatever way she wishes...within reason of course." Celestia offered her response with a snort before slapping the crown off Discord's head. "At this point I know arguing with you is a pointless endeavour. So I’ll do it." As expected, the pint sized Princess Luna rose with excitement in her eyes, exclaimed, "Huzzah, finally now I get to have some fun for a change. And I think I’ll start with how we raising the moon tonight. Perhaps with some,how do ponies in this age say it..pazazz?”!" Princess Celestia sighed as she slowly drifted over to her sister, feeling peeved and continued in a low grumble. "Well then, come along sister, shall we get started?" Luna daintily rose her hoof up to let Celestia upward as she exclaimed, "We shall!" Discord got up with a smile and waved a claw replied, "Alright, have fun you two! Don't go to sleep too early." Luna scoffed back while her sister decided to be more direct in her annoyance, letting trails of magic hit Discord, making him sport glasses and a handbag. He threw them off, of course, and chuckled at Celestia's little prank seeing his influence was rubbing off on her. Both princesses were about to head out however the motherly alicorn that Celestia created stood in their way, her wings unfurled outward, eyes full of power as she proclaimed, "Luna can stay up all night, but Celestia definitely can not! She needs at least ei-" Before she could finish, the alicorn was slowly transformed as her body morphed and shrank down to that of an ordinary pegasus once again. Celestia gave a deep sigh, partially of regret but also relief. While the situation had provided some amusement it’d gone on for far too long and it was time to finally end it. Still regardless of how relieved she felt, a part of her couldn’t shake her guilt "Please forgive me Feather Duster. I should've turned you back to normal sooner and I apologize for any trouble I might have caused you these past few days." "Right, well..yes… Pr...Princess...C...Celestia I...I should go." The maid bowed and ran off as quickly as possible, leaving Celestia’s sense of guilt to only grow. Luna conversely, possibly a result of her still reduced age, looked more relieved by what’d just transpired "Well, at least that little incident is finally resolved. Though I foresee much therapy in that pony’s future.” Sad to say but Celestia couldn’t disagree with the sentiment, already dreading the inevitable fall out from the whole debacle. “Here’s hoping I can atleast salvage things once this bet is over.” While she’d have preferred to talk to her head maid about everything that'd happened, for now she sadly had other obligations she couldn’t escape from...no matter how much she wanted to. Thus with her sister in tow, Celestia headed off to raise the moon, not looking forward to what will happen later that evening. The two sisters quickly made their way to the top of the castle,staring into the orange and red-tinted sky. Why such a sight would’ve normally be a casual sight to Celestia, tonight it only caused a sense of unease and dread to form. Yet, she had to bite the proverbial bullet. "So sister, do you have any idea of what you want me to do with the moon? Perhaps give it a face or maybe turn it into a massive glowing disco ball perhaps?" Luna’s response was a flat stare at such ridiculous ideas. “Oh please sister, we’re not asking for anything so over the top. All I want is for you to make the moon and sparkle and glow, like a diamond of sorts. Just something to make ponies want to look up at it for a change.” “Huh, that’s actually a pretty benign request,” Celestia said as she casually lowered the sun. Luna in turn quickly ignited her horn and began raising the moon. “Are you so surprised, true we’ve developed more of a playful side since regaining our freedom, but we aren’t so childish we’d cause mayhem purely for the spectacle.” Her response actually merited a genuine smile from Celestia at the maturity her sister was showing...her current body notwithstanding. Thus, Celestia snapped a claw, and the rising moon began to shimmer like a polished gem,reflecting the sun's rays in all directions. The sight of the shining moon brought a great grin to the lunar princess, which only grew at the sounds of awe coming from across Canterlot at the display. Though, the princess was so enamoured by her moment of joy, she failed to notice her sister’s smirk and her claw snapping behind her back. In an instant, countless fireworks exploded into the sky, pictures of Luna posing lite up the sky with a combination of violets and blues. The light in turn was further reflected by the still shining moon, actually causing the light from the fireworks to overtake the night sky completely. Celestia turned to face Luna with a playful smirk on her face and asked, "I trust, you’re satisfied now?" Luna couldn't help but laugh out loud, seeing the night sky filled with vibrant colors as Celestia couldn't help but smile, seeing how wide-eyed and astonished her sister looked. "You said to make a presentation." The Princess of the Night looked up to see her shiny new moon with the explosions of herself filling the air in such vibrant colors and gave a nod of approval. "Indeed sister, you did an amazing job. Now onto the rave!" The smile Celestia had immediately turned completely flat as her mind needed a moment to catch up to what was just said. "A...a rave?" "Yes, a rave with the bat ponies! It's actually in support of your little party later this weekend. Don't forget the bat ponies are also a part of Equestria." Luna explained as she eyed her sister. "I know...and thanks for keeping them happy...many ponies tend to forget they even exist," Celestia responded with a deep sigh as she sat back. Sadly, despite all they had done for the kingdom, the bat ponies had been the black sheep of the pony tribes for centuries, not helped by their connection to Luna after her banishment.. "To be fair, they like to keep it that way. I’ve already been informed how their relationship with the other tribes is...well...shaky at best." "Alright then...what else would you like me to do with my magic," Celestia asked with a concerned tone in her voice. "Just turn us into bat ponies for the night. What better way to show appreciation for the bat ponies then to spend time interacting with them and having a fun time. It certainly couldn’t hurt," Luna responded with big puppy dog eyes. Celestia thought it over for a bit and seeing that the request wasn't too terrible..or completely crazy she shrugged "I guess it's not a bad plan." The Princess of the Sun concentrated on herself and Luna, trying to keep her mind clear while also making sure the magic was flowing freely as it danced around their bodies. Encased in a cocoon of magic, the two slowly regressed in size as their feathery wings dissipated and transformed into leathery bat wings. In a flash the two were free, though not as Bat Ponies...but an actual pair of A screeching bats flapping in the air. And as one can imagine, the blue bat of the two was currently glaring at the white and pink one. "I said Bat Ponies, not actual bats!" "Well I’m sorry! My Chaos Magic likes to do what it wants! We’re lucky it just decided to turn us into bats," Celestia snapped, feeling a bit peeved she was still struggling with her magic. Once againPrincess allowed her around her and Luna's bodies, thankfully growing in size. However, their bodies were now muchshorter and stalkier with pointy teeth and slanted eyes. Celestia looked over her new body with a look of astonishment as she felt her new leathery wings flapping against her body. "Well, I have to say I wasn’t expecting these wings to feel so heavy in comparison to our normal ones." Luna meanwhile, simply laughed as she flapped her wings and flew into the air with a smile on her face before slowly gliding across the night sky. "They feel wonderful! I do believe that I should've been born part Bat pony!" Snorting slightly at her sister’s childlike glee, Celestia shot herself upward to meet her sister in the air, squeaking as she stumbled about getting used to her new leathery bat wings. Eventually getting the hang of it and meeting her sister, who brushed the light rainbow-colored mane from Celestia's face and whispered, "You look good." "Thanks...y...you also look rather stunning as well sister," Celestia whispered, hiding her face behind her hooves, feeling embarrassed for just saying that out loud. Luna took her sister by the hoof, and two flew off together into the night,soaring to the mountains around their castle. As they drew closer Celestia could hear the sounds of loud EDM music and bright lights coming from one of the caves as they both slowly flew inside, finding numerous Bat ponies swarming about dancing with the lights flashing overhead. The intense barrage of bright lights, thumping music and ponies dancing left Celestia feeling well out of her element. This was certainly a far cry from the elegant...and quite stuffy, gala’s she was accustomed to. Thankfully Luna, was there to off a hoof.r "Why are you so nervous? Come on, you're going to miss all the fun!" "You...are you sure?" Celestia responded with an uncertain tone, naturally nervous from all of the external excitement. "There's nothing to be afraid of now, come on and let's join in!" The Princess of the Night cheered with the same excitement in her eyes as all those around them. The two flew to a nearby bar carved into one of the walls, it’s shelves filled with all kinds of fruit. The mixture of sweet and exotic scents actually caused drool to start to form around Celestia’s mouth, finding the smell almost intoxicating. A loud squelching sound broke her trance and diverted her eyes, finding her sister who was sinking her teeth into all kinds of fruit before sucking their juices dry. "You should go on and drink, it's all so juicy and sweet," Luna said, half sucking on a mango without so much as turning her head. Hesitantly grabbing one of the fruits, Celestia sank her new fangs into an orange and sucked out the warm sweet liquid from within. In an instant, she felt her body begin to shake with euphoric bliss unlike anything she’d felt before. With a new found desire she quickly began grabbing one fruit after another, drinking heartily to where juice was dripping down her chin. It didn't take long for the white-coated Bat alicorn to realize that she was losing her balance, swaying about as was becoming quite tipsy. Luna couldn't help but put a hoof to her mouth and giggle, "I forgot to tell you they were soaked in liquor." "Oh really, and you couldn't tell me that before," Celestia more goofily asked then demanded, realizing she was now quiet inebriated. Yet, neither she nor her sister seemed to care, happily laughing with each other amongst the many other patrons. Now properly emboldened by the alcohol, the two made their way to the center of the dance floor and began moving in whatever chaotic manner their bodies could. With colorful lights flashing overhead, it was like a never-ending stream of music and sound with Celestia's heightened senses, making it all the more deafening. With the added mix of fruit and liquor in her belly, the Princess of the Sun quickly lost herself amidst the music, along with losing her sense of time. After a few hours of dancing and sucking on enough spiked fruit to fill several trees, the Bat ponies started heading off. As the dance floor was nearly empty, Luna was about to leave as well as the music had long ceased, and the colorful glowing lights were shut off. The Princess of the Night turned to her sister, still drunkenly stumbling about shouting. "Come on! Who said to stop the party!?" The younger sister shook her head, coming over with a smile and whispered, "Hey, come on, sister; we should get going." After a bit of gentle persuasion, and a promise of some alcohol from the royal wine cellar, Luna was able to lead her drunk sister out into the night skies. As one could expect, the duo stumbled and tumbled about as they flew through the air. Thankfully, the pair quickly descended into an open field with the moon glowing overhead crickets chirping and the soft grass blowing in the wind. Celestia, still very drunk, and feeling emotional turned to her sister and stammered, "Th...This was rather fun. but I have to admit I should've cared for the Bat ponies more than I did when you were banished." Amidst the haze of intoxication, Celestiafelt a wave of emotion thinking of her sister's banishment and started to bawl almost spontaneously. Luna,quite surprised as she hugged her sister close, while whispering, "There, it's alright, you have no reason to feel guilty sister. You provided for the Bat ponies and gave them a new home. I'm proud to see that they have flourished so well while I was gone, and for that I thank you." "Well, to be fair, they see you as their mother, and I banished her for a thousand years," The Princess of the Sun whimpered, still feeling terrible. Luna, managing to stand back up,asked, "Well, to be fair, If Nightmare Moon ruled over them, do you think they would be hosting raves?" Celestia shook her head as even Luna accepted that she had to be banished, yet it was a decision she always regretted, regardless of the outcome. “You have a point...but still...even so” Celestia’s train of thought quickly started to become muddled due to the alcohol kicking back in, though her guilt still remained. Luna, wanting to change the subject,looked up and decided to ask, "Hey, this might be sudden, but can you turn me into something large and majestic?" "Huh?" Celestia asked in a moment of sobriety, utterly baffled by the odd request. The younger of the two sisters in turn twirled a hoof in the air. "I mean, I just want to be like how you feel as a draconequus, though without all the crazy Chaos Magic." Celestia, feeling progressively more clear headed,reared herself up as her bat pony body faded, returning to her draconequus form with a mischievous grin on her face. "Alright, what do you wish to be?" She asked, though a part of her already likely knew the answer. Luna, despite not having the benefit of magic sobriety, thought for a minute before giving her answer, "I don't know...I think that I want to be like a dragon, something large and majestic? I mean, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity after all?" Her lack of a proper response the elder of the pair confounded as to what to do. "So you want to be a dragon then?" Luna paused, weighing her options as best as her still dizzy mind could, before relenting. "Yes, a dragon seems like a proper choice? Please, don’t delay,I'm ready whenever you are?" Celestia, now with a set image in mind, focused her magic into her eyes before firing them at her sister. The resulting flash created a massive burst of smoke that lingered in the air for several seconds, before finally disappearing to reveal Luna...nownow a pudgy, dark violet scaled, baby dragon. Naturally as one could expect, Luna was not especially amused with her new form. Growling under her breath with green flames snorting through her nostrils,she her stomped a foot and shouted, "I said big and majestic!" "Oh, sorry, Spike was the image in my head when you said dragon, and you are big at least" Celestia snickered despite her sister’s glare turning icy. Her fun had, Celestia unleashed another blast of magic upon her sister. This time Luna's body grew giant and bulky as her limbs extended out, growing far more stocky while her eyes now glew bright with power. The now properly majestic violet dragon looked upwards into the sky and sent a green flame in the air. Celestia, now having to stretch her neck up and lean back just to see her sister’s face, immediately was starting to regret her decision.lo "S...So, ho...how do you feel!" "I feel amazing!" Luna bellowed out as her opened her massive wings and gave then a test flap to get a proper feel for them before taking off. Now soaring through the skies, Luna couldn’t help but feel almost overwhelmed by the power of her new body. It was indescribable to the ancient pony, yet she was certain she didn’t need a word to tell her it felt amazing. . After spending a few more moments flying back and forth The Princess, flew close to the ground and hovered within site of her still shocked sister. "Care to join me sister? It’s quite exhilarating!" Seeing little reason to argue, and hoping perhaps the cool air would clear up what remained of the alcohol, Celestia flew into the air with her sister, with the pair quickly soaring in the direction of the Everfree Forest. It was a rather long flight with both just appreciating the cool breeze of the night air before they landed at the remains of the castle they once ruled together so long ago. The sight of their former home now serving only as a lasting reminder of their times together and the moment when they were forced to sever their bond, left the pair all but silent as countless memories of better times flowed back over them. Luna broke the silence turning her reptilian head towards her sister. “It’s been so long since we last came here. Such a shame to see something that was once so grand reduced to such a state.” Celestia nodded, her eyes drifting to what was once the throne room, where she and Luna had that faithful duel that drove them apart. “Indeed, but after what had happened, I couldn’t stay here. It was too painful.” Seeing Celestia’ quickly begin to descend back into depression over the past, Luna quickly thought up a diversion. “Well then, since I’m back why don’t we do something with it. Perhaps make it our own secret hideaway, just think of all the things we could horde away here from everypony in Canterlot. "Oh, somepony is acting like a dragon already?" Celestia responded with a snicker seeing her sister becoming more dragon like Luna lowered her head and nuzzled Celestia as she whispered, "I have this sudden urge to grab you, dear sister, snuggle you, then curl up with you in those ruins and sleep for another thousand years." Despite the rather….odd suggestion, and perhaps it was simply from being exhausted from the nights events, but Celestia willingly lowered herself into Luna's warm embrace in spite of the many hard scales. "It would be nice, but we do have obligations to fulfill like raising the sun and moon, running a kingdom all that." Rather than offer a counter argument, Luna instead simply looked at the countless trees in the Everfree Forest with a smirk. “You think I could burn down these creepy dead trees?” Celestia rolled her eyes at such a notion hoping her younger sister wasn't being serious. "Don't even try or I'll turn you back into a baby dragon." Luna nuzzled her older sister, brushing a claw through her long silky mane. "You know, I could keep you as a pet, seeing that I'm bigger and stronger now." Celestia in turn calmly snapped her claw the and appeared above her sister. "I'm a draconequus now, dear sister, and I have more magic in a single talon than you have in that entire massive scaly body." Luna reared up her nostrils, blaring out green flame and shouted, "Is that a challenge!" The princess raised her large-scaled wings and flew right up into the air to meet her sister, smoke and heat bursting from her nostrils. Celestia rolled her eyes at what could best be described as tantrum and, with a simple snap of a claw, transformed her sister with a poof back into her original alicorn form. "No fair! You barely gave me a chance even to try out my dragon body!" Her sister merely looked at her with a look of smug condescension. , "Perhaps, but I’d rather not try to explain to everyone in Ponyville why the Everfree Forest is suddenly on fire." The violet coated alicorn rose crossed her hooves across her chest with a cute pout on her face, grumbled, "You were antagonizing me! And besides, I thought you wanted to snuggle?" Looking back once more at their old home, Luna finally started to feel the same sense of guilt set in when looking back on her past deeds. "Even though this was our home, this is little more than a monument to pain and mistakes. It’s time we made something special out of it, something that spreads joy, not misery." As the princesses flew back down the forest floor below Celestia felt a grin grow on her face, contemplating her sister’s words . "You know, you’re starting to sound like Pinkie Pie, but I can see where you're coming from." Looking back at the castle, Celestia felt herself struck by inspiration. “Sister, give me a moment. I think I might have an idea.” Luna excited at what was to come, stayed silent, content to let her sister concentrate on whatever idea she was forming. It only took a matter of seconds before Celestia’s hand was out and the snap was made. In mere moments the once ruined castle reformed into a grand palace of purple and white stone with the towers standing overhead bearing two flags with Celestia's and Luna's cutie marks overhead looking like something out of a fairytale. Excited, the two sisters walked inside, seeing the walls now adored with many photographs pictures of Luna and Celestia’s many prior times together The Princess of the Night’s eyes widened and stared to shimmer with tears as she looked over the photographs reflecting her life with Celestia, their time together after her sister's return from her banishment, even those with Twilight and her friends. "So...did, you plan this?" Celestia, feeling a bit unsure of what to say decided to simply be honest , "Not really? This kind of just appeared with Chaos Magic." Shook up by the sudden change, but intrigued to go further, they walked further inwards until they came to the center, which was now a giant ball pit full of plastic balls half purple half yellow. The two blinked in surprise, before Celestia burst into laughter, throwing any sense of grace or majesty to the wind as she jumped into the well of plastic balls, shooting them outward all over the place like a giant wave. It didn’t take long for Luna to join in the fun and jumped in as well, squealing happily asshe flapped her wings, sending many of the small plastic orbs at her sister. The two rulers quickly descended into a childish battle, pelting one another with as many balls as they could grab, though Celestia’s larger body made for an easier target, a fact that filled Luna with a great deal of pride. "I totally won! You couldn't hit a target to save your life." Mildly annoyed, Celestia stood up from the ball pit, shaking countless orbs from her mane, even smacking a claw to the side of her head, spilling countless more from her ear canal. . "Ok, I'll admit it, you win this time,” The Princess sighed in defeat before taking a glance out a nearby window.”It's probably getting late, guess we should head back?" Luna turned her head and replied, "Yes, though this has been enjoyable, we are still the rulers of Equestria. It would be rather undignified of us to shirk our responsibilities after all.”" Exiting the ball pit, the pair continued through the next set of double doors to the back of the castle. However, instead of an exit, they found another room with a massive couch and some strange device attached to a giant screen. Celestia was quite stunned upon seeing the strange object, not knowing how her Chaos Magic could have created something she didn't even know the name of. Her eyes then drifted over to Luna. "Sister is this one of those T.V game things you play?" "Game TV thing! Dear sister, that is the new Game Colt 64!" Luna snapped angrily as she plopped down and raised a controller with her magic. Celestia rolled her eyes as she should've known her sister would get defensive about her game machine. Sadly, she also knew how once she started playing it was impossible to pull her away, thus opted to simply take a seat next to her sister and pick up one of the controllers, which was surprisingly easy with her new hands. "Alright, what are we playing?" The game booted up as a fat earth pony mare in a red hat and overalls in a cart with "Mareio Kart" placed overhead. "Alright, you ready to begin," Luna spoke with a devilish grin on her face, knowing full well that she'll school her sister in any game. "Well, dear sister, I have opposable thumbs now. Even if you have far more experience with these games I'm sure I can stand a chance," Celestia growled under her breath, ready to tackle the game. Sadly despite her boast, it proved to be little more than empty confidence. Despite playing the strange racing game for what seemed like hours, Luna managed to get first in every race while Celestia was perpetually in last place. As another round proceeded Celestia managed to get one of the mystery blocks and asked, " Sister, what do the red shells do again?" Luna was engaged in winning as the computer players were giving her a hard time making her shout, "They hone in on their targets! Just shoot them out!" Sighing at her sister’s intense competitive nature, she complied,shooting one at a reptile creature in front of her despite getting eleventh place. It didn't take long for the weird reptile to shoot a green shell at her and zooming past her. The Princess turned to see her sister was still in first and grumbled under her breath "So...I see you're pretty good at these games." "Oh please, this is nothing, the last Mareio kart was a lot harder!" The Princess shouted with her tongue stick from her mouth, trying to drift the last corner of the stage. Celestia snickered, the sight of r sister so engrossed in the game being quite an adorable sight...atleast when she wasn’t shouting angrily at the screen. However, the knowledge regarding the mystery box caused the Princess to grow a devilish grin on her face as she hit another mystery block. The mare then suddenly was granted a blue shell, shot it out and watched as it zoomed to first place, slamming it into Luna’s character. The Princess of the Night watched as "Mareio" was thrown in the air, flailing her hooves as a few other racers zoomed past, and she had to take fourth place begrudgingly. "Dear sister, you will pay for that." The Princess of the Sun laughed heartily as she took her twelfth place. "I'm already losing dear sister; I can only make you suffer as a result." "Oh, yes, I see." She turned to see Celestia's screen, and cringed to she achieved twelfth place yet again. "Oh, Celestia! I must teach you how to play these games!" "Ugh! Well, fine, we can do that later after the party this weekend if you wish," Celestia sighed as she placed the controller down. Luna followed her as they flew out through the front doors, and when they got high enough they stared back at the newly furnished castle with warm smiles on their faces. "I think we can keep the castle like this, perhaps can even add more rooms...I was thinking of a jacuzzi or even a movie room." Luna whispered as she nuzzled her sister's fluffy white body. Celestia snickered as she pet her sister's mane through her clawed hands and whispered, "Sure...I think that's a good idea…" The royal pair quickly flew back towards Canterlot Castle,Luna landing back in her room, utterly exhausted from the evening’s activities.. "Well, I'm tuckered out. I think I'll get some shut-eye now." "Oh! Are you tired? I just stayed up all night to hang out with you against my will, and now I have to go all day doing my duties," Celestia grumbled under her breath, exhaustion evident from the bags under her eyes. Luna only offered her sister a kiss on the cheek and a light hug. "I know...and I'm sorry, should've got you back sooner to get you a few hours of sleep." Celestia shook her head not wanting to make Luna feel bad for taking her out all night and responded, "No, it's fine... I've managed sleepless nights before and this was quite fun. Hopefully next time, we remember to leave some time for me to sleep." “Agreed, though for now I shall retire for the evening. I hope that your day goes well," Luna responded as she went down to her bed, and Celestia helped tuck her sister under the sheets,watching Luna fall into a peaceful sleep. Despite herself being quite exhausted, she had to admit it was one magical night. "Princess Celestia! The foals at Canterlot Elementary have a photoshoot for a field trip, and the sun isn't up yet." One of her guards shouted, running over with a worried look on his face. Celestia's eyes lit up as she quickly realized just how late her little night of fun had been and immediately sped towards the Palace Gardens as fast as she could to raise the sun. Chapter seven: Day four: One long terrible morningPrincess Celestia was quite tired and exhausted from the night before as she stood in front of a gaggle of ponies, all looking at her with nervous expressions, wondering where she'd been. Despite every part of her body demanding she not, the princess rose up, eyes visibly baggy and her brain feeling like it was on fire. She begrudgingly sighed, not really knowing what to say, yet knew she needed to muster up some kind of response. “Hello, my fellow citizens. I apologize for the late raising of the sun. Due in part to my current state, I had some other matters and other...uh...important duties to deal with last night and...it..um took longer than expected.” With every word she spoke another dull ache echoed through her skull, and it took all her years of discipline to maintain what composure she still had. “At the moment, I feel that it would be best to just skip all the formalities and move on with today’s events.” Sadly, it didn’t seem as though that was enough to satisfy the crowd, some of whom decided to be rather...vocal with their opinions. “What other matters could you have that required your attention last night?” “Nothing serious I assure you and nothing to be concerned with,” Celestia said, trying her best to placate the mob. Though it was with little success. “Forgive us for saying Princess, but it feels like it is serious when it prevents you from raising the sun on time.” Several other ponies nodded and vocally agreed, some louder than others, which only served to make the Princess’s growing headache worse. “Well, I understand I’m a little late. But there’s really no harm in a little misstep.” “Your highness I don’t think you understand the severity of this blunder and, blah blah blah blah blah.” Whatever the latest commenter was saying was little more than noise to the princess at this point. Still tired and frustrated, her blood was quickly coming to a boil as her temper started to spike. As the voices only grew louder and more numerous Celestia felt what little patience she had left disintegrate and something inside her finally snapped. Completely ignoring the continuously complaining crowd, Celestia, with no words or fanfare of any kind, lifted her claw and then snapped, the sun quickly appearing in a blink. “There! See no big deal!? Everything is fine now,” The Princess of the Sun said, her voice hissing angrily at the visibly stunned crowd, shocked by the abrupt show of aggression. Rather than expressions of shock, Celestia was instead met with a fair amount of cries and yells from the population of ponies, as their eyes were suddenly assaulted by a massive surge of intense light. The sight managed to snap Celestia out of her brief moment of anger enough to look at the sky and see what the problem was. The sun was now considerably closer than normal, resulting in it’s already intense rays of light to become practically blinding. However, that wasn’t the only problem. The ponies who weren’t busy trying to keep their retina’s from burning, found themselves practically drowning in their own sweat, as the temperature had suddenly shot up to alarming levels. All around numerous ponies began to collapse, perspiration dripping from every pore, some trying to find some source of water in an effort to cool themselves off. “Oh Faust!” Celestia screamed, her only body already starting to perspire as well as see watched the scene unfold. “Don’t worry I’ll fix it!” The princess quickly raised her claw to the sky and snapped, mercifully causing the sun to quickly retreat back to its original, safe distance. Immediately, she could feel the difference as the temperature returned to normal and the previously blinding light had faded. “There we go. Now see, everything is fine!” Sadly, reality once again decided to be a blunt as a baseball bat as her quick fix only solved one problem. Now instead of ponies screaming and potentially dying of thirst, she now had a court yard full of screaming, sweaty, half blind ponies crashing into each other while also gulping down whatever liquid they could find to avoid severe dehydration. Feeling another painful headache coming on, Celestia groaned as she rubbed a claw down her face. “I seriously need a coffee right now.” Seeing there wasn’t much else she could do, the princess flew off, hoping to give the citizens some time to cool off, pun fully intended. Sadly for the still less than peppey princess, her comfort caffeine would have to wait, as she quickly spotted Bronze Helm heading her way. Celestia immediately blushed as she recognized that he was the same guard she turned into a toddler a few days before. Hopefully, they could go through today without any further embarrassing situations. “Go...good morning Captain. I must apologize for earlier, I had a long night and lost control of my magic for a moment.”” “It's fine your majesty,” Bronze Helm said, with his usual professionalism. “However, for now, I would rather we avoid any more incidents. Perhaps we can postpone the photoshoot after you’ve had a chance to properly rest.” While a small part of Celestia wanted to argue against such an idea, she felt a great sense of relief wash over her. Finally allowed to relax and break whatever facade she was maintaining, her shoulders quickly sag, as her body practically folded over, eyes barely able to stay open. “I would very much appreciate that...however, I still have an obligation to the foals. Still, a short nap probably wouldn’t hurt...after I get a little coffee in my system, if only so I don’t pass out before I make it to my room. I’d rather not have my guards be required to literally carry me to my room.” The guard rolled his eyes, more at the somewhat petty concern, especially since with her magic she could easily teleport to her room. Then again, given her current state and what had just transpired, not using any magic was probably the best option. “I certainly don’t see any harm in that Princess. Though I must insist we make it a short trip and avoid using any magic if at all possible.” Celestia quickly nodded, showing a bit more energy than before, though now she had something to motivate her. Thus the two proceeded onward to the nearest cafe. Ever eager, Celestia went inside and quickly stood in line, though many ponies immediately moved out the way, some even bowing before her. The display quickly made the princess feel more exposed and bashful, yet she proceeded in spite of it. While it was true she didn't like abusing her status,this was one instance she really was glad she was a princess as she walked up to the barista. “Can I have a caramel latte, grande size please.” The barista mare at the front practically turned into a statue at the sight of the princess, but had enough muscle control left to manage a nod. “Certainly, one grande sized caramel latte coming right up.” Celestia quickly fumbled through her purse to get the necessary payment, only for the mare to squeak out , “there’s no need to pay your majesty!” “No, it's fine, how much is it?” Celesita mumbled as she took out a few bits. While she might be willing to use her position in this instance to get ahead in line, she was still going to pay for it at least. “Five bits,” the barista responded. Happy with the answer, Celestia calmly placed the bits down, leaving the barista briefly stunned at the sight of twenty bits, before hesitantly taking five. The Princess however, promptly pushed the remaining bits towards the barista. “There’s no need to be so modest, please, take all the bits.” “Bu...but thats way too much for a coffee.” the barista squeaked out loud feeling so embarrassed about accepting so many bits form the princess “I insist,” Celestia again spoke, her voice growing a little louder as her lack of sleep was starting to catch up with her, causing the poor counter pony to shrink down in fright. The guard smacked a hoof to his face and came over to the barista. “I apologize for the Princess, she was very busy last night and didn’t get any sleep. Please just accept the bits and we’ll be on our way.” With a rapid nod, the barista immediately fled back to make the coffee while Celestia and Bronze Helm took seats at a nearby booth. The second Celestia sat down, her face immediately planted itself on the tabletop, leaving Bronze Helm to stare at his ruler in dismay. “Your Majesty, may I be blunt with you for a moment?” The only response he received was a moan muffled by the table. “Listen, I know you don’t want to hear this but, perhaps it’s time you ended this contest you’ve made with Discord. Between all the mishaps we’ve had with your Chaos Magic, especially this morning, perhaps it would be in everypony’s best interest to just call it quits.” In response to this suggestion, one of Celestia’s eyes actually rose up out of her head like a flower sprouting from the ground. Her other eye and mouth quickly proceeded, while her head remained planted. “I can’t simply give up. Do you have any idea what would happen if I did. I’d have to admit that Discord was right all along and he’d never let me hear the end of it. Do you have any idea what that would be like?” While Bronze Helm might not have been the most creative or imaginative of ponies, he knew enough about Discord to understand the princess’s point. “I understand your concerns princess, but even so this is becoming far too risky. At the very least perhaps it would be a wise idea to postpone the photoshoot for at least a day, that way you can be properly rested.” In a flash the rest of Celestia’s face immediately rose up with her eyes and mouth, which all together looked very distraught at such a suggestion. “I can’t! I would postpone it if I could, but I have to do this today. I know I messed up hanging out with Luna all night last night but I wanted to make up for banishing her to the moon!" Bronze Helm’s composed demeanor started to fracture at the sight of his monarch having a breakdown in the middle of the cafe and quickly tried to deescalate the situation. “Your majesty, please try and calm down. If you aren’t careful, your magic may go off again.” The mention of her magic caused the princess to calm down, at least somewhat, allowing Bronze to relax as well. “Listen princess, while I still believe postponing would be a better option, hopefully as long as you take a nap prior to photoshoot it should be alright. For now, just have your drink and then we’ll head back to the castle.” “Yes,” Celestia managed to say, now a bit more in control of her emotions again. “I believe that would be a fair compromise.” With the matter settled, for the moment, the pair thankfully didn’t have to wait long before Celestia was handed her coffee, which she was quick to start gulping down. It only took a couple of sips before the Princess could feel some degree of energy and pep start to return, almost making her forget her prior exhaustion. “My my, this coffee is quite exceptional,” She paused to take another sip before looking back at the barista, waving to get her attention. “Excuse me, would it be possible for you to make some more coffee?” Sadly, as the universe had for some reason become accustomed, once again Celestia’s chaos magic started to act up. A faint glimmer of energy shot from her claw and struck the barista. Immediately, the poor pony's eyes turned completely blank, before she started pumping out dozens of cups of coffee and lining the bar many ponies watched, producing them with such speed it looked as though she had twenty hooves instead of two. “Free coffee for everypony, come get some!” “Yay!” The ponies cheered as they swarmed the counter, while Bronze Helm saw the frantic scene and immediately turned his gaze to the princess, who was currently looking at her claw, wide eyed. “Not again!” The princess practically shouted at the scene of caffeine based chaos, and immediately made a move to take some kind of action, only for Bronze Helm to immediately grab her claw. “That’s enough princess, more magic isn’t the answer here.” “No, please I can fix this quickly just let me.” Ignoring his further calls, Celestia let loose another burst of magic, which managed to stop the barista’s fast hooves...mainly because in her place was now a large conveyor belt rapidly launching cups of coffee in every direction. By now Bronze Helm, desperately ducking to avoid being hit by one of the projectile beverage was on the verge of losing it. “PRINCESS! PLEASE!” Now frustrated to the point of ignoring logic, Celestia roared as she tried to change it, Bronze Helm immediately smacked her hand down, glaring at her with visible anger all over his face. “Princess, Stop! You’re only managing to make things worse. No more magic, of any kind. We’ll leave it to the Royal Guard to handle this situation. We are leaving, now.” While Celestia wanted to argue, the sight of so many of her subject either being pelted with coffee or being soaked in it, made her decision for her. “Fine..perhaps that’s for the best.” Having escaped from the disastrous coffee house, the two arrived at the schoolhouse, though Bronze Helm was still less than happy about it. “Princess, please. I thought we agreed you would get some rest before the photoshoot. And after what happend at the coffeehouse…” “I’m well aware of my misstep Bronze Helm,” Celestia’s tone now had an edge to it, visibly tense after what had just occurred. “However, at this point I doubt a nap is going to help me. Best to just do the shoot and be done with it. Besides, as long as I don’t use my magic we should be fine.” Bronze Helm again made an attempt to argue only to quiet himself at the sight of the countless young foals outside the school, all of whom seemed to have been waiting for Celestia to arrive. Quicky adopting her usual practice smile, the princess moved over to the foals who all gathered around her, many smiling eagerly. “Hello children, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” “No way Princess.” “We’re just happy you’re here.” “Wow, you look way different from all the other times I’ve seen you princess. Are you sick?” The earnest and honest questioning from the children managed to make the princess’s smile shift into a real one, as she happily patted the head of the one who asked the last question. “No, I’m perfectly fine I promise. This is just a part of a little game I’m playing with a...acquaintance of mine.” Somewhere in the distance she could’ve sworn she’d heard a bizarre sounding sneeze, but opted to pass it off. “Now then children. Let’s take that photo shall we?” To the amazement of both Celestia and Bronze Helm, the photo managed to go off with any major issues. The children cooperated about as well as you would expect a group their age would, though the princess had to endure several sad looks when she had to decline a request to perform some magic. Really if it wasn’t for Bronze Helm’s stern glare she very likely would’ve given into temptation. “Nicely done Princess Celestia. You showed a good amount of restraint out there,” Bronze Helm said, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that they are finally done. Celestia let off a light huff at the comment. “I’m willing to admit my own faults these past few days, I’m still perfectly capable of showing restraint.” Bronze could only chuckle at the comment, though opted to keep any further jabs to himself. “Well, now that the photo is all settled, let’s get you back to the castle so you can rest. I imagine the coffee from earlier will likely be wearing off soon. “Yes,” Celetia muttered, feeling a yawn start to come on along with a desire to finally rest. However, as she prepared to leave, she felt a tug on one of her legs and found one of the foals was the culprit. Bronze Helm seeing there was little harm in letting Celestia handle what was probably a minor issue, decided to give the pair a bit of privacy and walked a short distance away, just out of sight. “Oh, hello there,” Celestia said, quickly putting her professional mask back on. “Is there something else you need?” Despite the fairly simple question, the young foal seemed nervous to ask whatever she wanted. “Well...there is, but I know you’re busy and it’s not that important.” Celestia quickly shifted to the more caring side she often showed Twilight and kneeled down to the young child, softly patting her head to try and put her at ease. “My dear filly, the concerns of my subjects are my concerns, no matter how small they may seem, they are always important to me. So please, what’s wrong.” That seemed to do the trick as the young filly finally relaxed. “Well you see, we were supposed to go on a fieldtrip after the photo, but all the money we saved up was stolen.” Celestia’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “what!? What do you mean stolen? By who?” The filly quickly pointed to an older stallion not far from the school and already Celestia felt ill just looking at him. At a glance he seemed normal enough, with grey fur, light silver mane, blue eyes and a coin shaped cutie mark. However, what started to set her off was his attire, which mainly consisted of an extremely expensive looking purple suit jacket and blue tie, matched with what looked like buttons made of solid silver along with matching cufflinks. And to top it off, was a smile that practically reaked of smug arrogance, one she’d last seen on her nephew, Prince Blueblood. Eyes still trained on the smug stallion, her lips extended downward till they were next to her little informants ears. “Is that the one who stole your field trip money?” The filly quickly nodded. “Yeah, that’s one of our school’s founders, Mr. Silver Dollar. He said the money was needed for “repairs” to the school, but when we asked our teacher he said he didn’t know anything about any repairs. And when we asked the principal about it, she just said the bits had vanished.” While it was likely there was more to the story, Celestia had heard more than enough and looked about ready to go on a warpath. However, the fury quickly turned into an inferno of hatred as Silver’s carriage appeared. The reason being is that the carriage itself looked beyond extravagant, with jewel encrusted wheels, a solid gold frame with high quality wooden walls, what appeared to be silk curtains and an equally gaudy looking gold handle. Needless to say, Celestia now knew exactly what the field trip funds had gone towards. While a part of her would’ve loved nothing more than just to oust the pony right then and there, she felt her inner chaotic spirit start to stir as a mischievous grin formed on her face. “Not to worry my little filly. I’ll make sure to get those bits back for you and teach Mr. Silver Dollar a little lesson about stealing. ” Preparing her claw, she immediately started thinking about what she was planning to do. Granted a small part of her was reminded of her promise to Bronze Helm and the sun incident. Yet, she felt that for once she had a proper grasp on what exactly she wanted and a feeling in the bit of her gut that her magic was on her side this time. Thus she was prepared to risk it. Taking a breath and forming a picture in her mind she snapped, her eyes closing as she waited. It was only a moment before she was rewarded by the loud screams of her target. To her amazement, the once garishly flash carriage made from ill gotten gains had now been replaced with what could best be described as a fancy princess carriage akin to a young fillies’s toy. And as if to add to the enjoyment of the situation, the carriage seemed as though it was alive as it started to shake and buck around quite violently. This finally ended after a few moments when the door opened and spat out Silver Dollar, now clad in a dress so pink, frilly and lacy, it almost reminded her of something Rarity would’ve designed for a fashion show. Regardless of how it looked however, Silver Dollar’s expression only read shock and embarrassment as many other ponies couldn’t help but gawk, smirk and laugh at the display before them. The laughs from the foals were especially boisterous which helped bring a smile to the princess’s face. However, the moment of enjoyment ended when she caught sight of Bronze Helm approaching, a look of disappointment on his face. “I told you not to do it and you do it anyway!” His tone did serve to bring Celestia down from her brief high of enjoyment, though she tried to remain resolute. “I know I promised, but he stole bits from the foals. I couldn’t just let him get away with that.” “I agree.” Bronze nodded, even showing a hint of a smirk at the panicking Silver Dollar. “However, there are less pardon the pun, chaotic, ways to accomplish that and as our ruler you have a duty to hold yourself to a higher standard and not be so quick to act on a whim. Not to mention the possible risk with your magic.” Given recent events Celestia was not in a position to argue with Bronze and it was ultimately thanks to sheer dumb luck that her magic hadn’t gone out of control again. Even so, she couldn’t deny the sense of satisfaction it’d brought her and even Bronze agreed it was justified. Still… “Very well. Make a note to have Silver Dollar investigated regarding embezzling school funds. We should nip this issue as soon as possible.” That actually brought a satisfied smile to Bronze’s face, happy Celestia was finally thinking less with her magic. “I’ll get on it right away, your highness. Though I do think we should still get back to the castle.” Letting off another yawn, Celestia nodded. “Agreed...just one more little thing.” Quickly letting loose another snap, a large, jiggling bag appeared next to the chaotic princess, who happily levitated it over to her little filly friend. “I know it’s not the money you originally raised. However, I think this should more than cover your field trip.” The eager young filly quickly pulled open the bag and found it to be practically brimming with bits, the light reflecting off the coins actually creating enough of a signal light to draw more of the class to the bag. In mere moments, the small group was erupting with cheers of excitement and joy, leaving Celestia looking quite proud and Bronze Helm calmly smiling. “You did it again.” “Yes, yes I did,” Celestia said without even a hint of shame. “And nothing bad happened. Besides, helping a group of sad foals in need of money strikes me as the kind of thing a good ruler should do, right?” Bronze simply sighed, knowing full well he had no kind of argument for such a claim, and decided just to give her that one. “Very well your highness. Now then, shall we go?” Taking one last look at the group of smiling foals, some eagerly waving in her direction which she returned in kind, Celestia nodded, now feeling more at peace. “Yes. I think I’ve tried my luck more than enough for now. Let’s go.” Chapter eight: Day four part 2: Celestia's daybreakCelestia groaned as she slowly woke up later that day, rubbing her head as she slowly got up and saw her sister standing over her with a glare. The Princess of the Night looked equally as disheveled, trying as she could to rub away a possible headache as she glared down at her sister. “Sister, what is wrong with you?!” Celestia got up with bags under her eyes and felt quite irritated as she tried to lift herself up. “I don’t suppose you could be a little more specific?” “What were you thinking, using your magic so flippantly and on a noble no less!” Luna snapped, slamming a hoof down with her eyes glaring down at her sister, looking quite furious. “What!?” Celestia snapped as she got up from her bed, still visibly drained but atleast looking more awake than before. Luna however, didn’t offer any clarification too busy staring her sister down so furiously you’d swear she’d turned back into Nightmare Moon for a moment. “Enough is enough, Celestia this ridiculous contest ends now! In the last few days, not only have you managed to seriously damage your reputation, as well as my own, but you’ve also caused chaos amongst the masses, potentially blinded numerous other ponies and gave a currently incalculable sum of money to a group of foals!? You’ll destroy our economy if you keep doing that!” Celestia, now aware of what she was being chewed out for, lost her recently regained drive and returned attention to her still burning headache from the night before. While she would’ve loved to simply curl up in her bed and sleep until the ponding in her skull faded, she knew Luna would never give her that satisfaction. Kind of difficult to sleep in when your sister can still nag you in your dreams. “Alright then Luna, what exactly would you have me do!?” This somewhat flippant answer only made the Princess of the Moon more enraged, having to actually fight the urge to return to the royal canterlot voice. “Oh no sister, we’re well past you simply doing something. That bridge has well and truly burned along with heaven only knows how many trees from that stunt you pulled last morning.” While the verbal lashing was more than warranted and the catharsis was enjoyable, Luna knew that simply yelling at her sister wasn’t going to accomplish much in the long run. Thus quickly calming herself, she did her best to act as the responsible ruler she was. “The fact of the matter is sister, you’ve been completely irresponsible and dependent on your new found power. So many of the recent disasters you’ve caused could’ve easily been avoided if you’d simply handled them diplomatically instead of falling back on your magic like a crutch.” Despite her sister’s attempts to be civil, Celestia, visibly annoyed, got right into her sister’s face before slamming a hoof on the ground. “Stop acting so patronizing! I’m fine, and I don’t need you to tell me what to do!” Seeing her sister was going to be difficult, Luna immediately shifted back to her prior anger and met her sister, literally face to face. “Oh really!? Will you turn me into a foal again, or maybe something else this time! After all, that’s your solution for everything now isn’t it?” Now fully awake and her eyes actually starting to ignite with flames, Celestia slammed her claw on the ground, shouting loudly as she did. “I have dealt with running this kingdom for a thousand years by myself, a choice I was forced to bear because of your choices. So don’t try to talk to me about being irresponsible.”” Luna sighed, knowing full well arguing would go nowhere and her sister had raised a valid point. Even so, she couldn’t just back down on this. “It is true...my poor decisions forced you to bear a burden we were meant to share for so many moons and I have to live with that mistake. Yet, can’t you see it’s because of that I understand what’s happening now? I only want to help you.” To Luna’s relief it seemed like that had managed to calm her sister down somewhat, the fire faded from her eyes and she seemed to regain her senses. “Forgive me, Luna,” Celestia said, taking a seat at her bed whilst looking at her claws. “After a thousand years ruling alone, I guess I’d forgotten what it was like to have my authority truly challenged. And I can’t think of a wiser pony to listen to on our current situation.” Happy to have her sister finally being civil, Luna took a seat next to her. “Indeed, I too often need to be reminded how long it has been since I walked upon Equestrian soil, and how long you needed to carry the weight of my responsibilities as well as your own. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.” Celestia said nothing as she simply stared at the walls of the castle, giving Luna a glimpse of her eyes and the greater age behind them. Containing untold amounts of memories and experiences she couldn’t even begin to consider. And it was at that moment Luna had a revelation. “This wager, it was never about proving Discord wrong was it? You just wanted a chance to have a little fun didn’t you?” Celestia blinked before sweat started to form on her brow. Her mind immediately tried to formulate a lie, only for a knowing look from her sister to kill that idea. “At first, I did atleast somewhat want to prove Discord wrong, but once I had the power and realized what it meant, what I could do with it. It was too much to resist.” Celestia’s voice dripped with weakness and shame, distraught to be seen so vulnerable and having to admit to such a thing. “For so many years, I’ve had to be the face of Equestria, the people’s perfect ruler. The one who shines like and is as flawless as the sun. Never allowed to step out of line for even a second.” “And you thought with that magic, it’d be the perfect excuse to let yourself loosen up, if only for a little while?” Luna asked, trying to be as delicate as possible, with Celestia returning a nod. “It’s hardly an excuse for what I’ve done, but I just had to do something.” The last words she practically spat out, disgusted she needed to admit to such a thing. “I felt as though if I didn’t use that power just a little bit, I’d lose my mind...when did I become so weak?” And in that moment, Celestia looked more exposed and vulnerable than Luna had ever seen her. Despite her literally being able to command reality with a single snap, you’d swear she’d collapse from a single light breeze. This was something Luna couldn’t allow and knew what she needed to do. “You’re not weak sister,” Luna said, offering her sister a wing. “You simply need a break, both from your duties and magic. I'll handle your duties for the day, while you finally relax for a change.” Celestia looked absolutely stunned by the idea, though more from shock than anticipation. “Luna, while I appreciate the gesture, you don’t need to do that.” The Princess of the Sun immediately found her face magically pulled down to Luna’s, her sister giving her quite the forceful look. “You’re taking the day off and that’s final. Are we clear sister?” Celestia only offered a weak nod, feeling more than a little off put by her sister’s harsh face, which immediately shifted into a smile after her agreement. “Excellent, well then I suppose I should take care of raising the sun first. Enjoy your day off Celestia, and remember, no magic.” With one final look, Luna left her sister’s chambers, prompting Celestia to fall back on her bed and stare up at the ceiling. “My first true day off in over a thousand years....what should I do for the day?” As if the universe sought to answer this question, Celestia heard the door to her room open and was greeted by a familiar and visibly nervous familiar face. “Feather Duster, it's good to see you.” To no surprise, the maid seemed somewhat uncomfortable being in the princess’s presence. Though it was a more awkward kind of discomfort, which Celestia could understand given their recent adventures. “Good morning...princess. I...um...well.”” The poor mares shaking voice practically broke Celestia’s heart as she quickly bowed her head, startling the mare even more. “Feather Duster, you have my most sincere and utmost apologies for what I put you through these last few days. As a monarch especially my actions were beyond inexcusable and I hope you will forgive me for taking advantage of you in such a way.” The maid was left completely shell shocked at the sight of the most powerful pony in the kingdom bowing her head in shame before her. Certainly wasn’t how she expected this encounter to go. “It’s...alright Princess Celestia. Being your mother was different, but I didn’t mind and I know you didn’t mean to do it originally.” The princess gave a long deep sigh, despite her apology being received it didn’t quite seem to put her mind at ease “Are you sure you’re alright? I wouldn’t blame you for being angry at me for what I did. Heaven knows there are probably more than a few who are.” Shaking off some of her discomfort, Feather Duster sat down across from Celestia. “Your highness, I've been working here for some time, I've seen you have your ups and downs, but this is possibly the strangest I’ve ever seen you. And I’m not simply referring to you being a draconequus.” The princess rolled her eyes and grumbled, “Now you’re starting to sound like Luna.” Though in spite of her tone, she truly did appreciate the second opinion, which did confirm without a doubt taking some time off was the smarter decision. “Then perhaps you should start listening to her a bit,” Feather Duster said, her face and tone being eerily similar to her motherly appearance. “You know she’s only doing it because she cares.” With a sigh, Celestia arose from her bed and offered a nod. “I do. She believes I need to relax for a bit and I’m going to do exactly that.” An idea immediately formed in her head as she spoke, which also sent a light chill down Feather’s spine, which only grew when her ruler’s eyes turned to her. “Feather Duster, would you be opposed to taking the day off to accompany me somewhere?” The princess and Feather Duster were now in front of a steaming hot bath, slowly settling down into the hot steaming suds bubbling around them. “Luna was right, I did need this,” Celestia mumbled out, letting her serpent-like body slide further under the surface of the water. “And I hope this isn’t an inconvenience for your Feather. I just wanted a way to properly apologize for all I put you through these last few days.” The maid in question was currently seated amidst several small mountains of suds, a look of pure contentment on her face. “And as I said, I never held a grudge against you for what happened...though I’m certainly not against a day of pampering at the spa.” Once Celestia had been more clear of her intentions, she’d teleported the pair to the Ponyville Day Spa. Naturally, the owners were all too happy to pencil the princess and her guest in for their highest quality treatments and specials, to which the pair decided to simply relax in the bath for a time and wash away the morning fatigue. Feeling a bit refreshed and more awake, Celestia, raised herself out of the way a bit so she could lean against the edge and eyed Feather curiously. “You know, I just realized that for how much we’ve seen of each other, I sadly don’t know much about you.” The sudden spotlight cast on her woke the maid from her state of bliss, causing her to shift back to her usual nervous demeanor. “Well, there’s not much to really say about me, I’m just another maid in the castle after all.” “Nonsense,” Celestia said firmly, while making sure not to shout to avoid ruining the atmosphere. “When I see my subjects, I never look upon them as simply another face in the crowd, but as unique individuals who if I had the time I would hope to get to know each and everyone of them. And I was hoping, especially given past events, I could learn a bit more about you if possible.” “Well…,” Feather paused, being moved by Celestia’s genuine desire to know more about her. As I said, there isn’t much to say. I'm single, became a maid because I like being around..around helping ponies.” Feather Duster stammered as she continued to soak in the hot tub, trying to stem the shaking in her voice. . Despite the answer, Celestia didn’t look satisfied. “Oh, come now Feather. We both know there’s more to you to that and I’m keenly aware why some ponies take up positions by the castle. So please, just be honest with me.” Still on the spot and knowing she couldn’t lie her way out of this, Feather took a breath and spoke how she felt. “Have you ever...you know...taken interest in any of your staff romantically?” Celestia’s eyes instantly shot up, not expecting such a question and tried her best to offer a coherent response. “I...well...to be honest I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t happened. I mean over the past thousand years it’d be odd if I hadn’t taken an interest in some of my staff, but I can’t just say names…” Seeing the princess caught off guard actually made the maid mare chuckle, managing to break a fair amount of tension that had been holding her back. “No, it’s fine. It was just something I was curious about...plus I couldn’t exactly think of something else to ask.” Mildly annoyed, Celestia offered a half hearted glare, but it only lasted a moment before she chuckled with equal mirth. Now able to better relax, Feather Duster moaned loudly as she soaked into the spa with bubbling suds relaxing her body and stiff muscles. “Can I ask something private again?” The alicorn mare's cheeks turned red, still a bit weary about what other things she’d request but obliged. Feather Duster squeaked and asked, “why did you turn me into your mother substitute?” Celestia’s prior embarrassment fizzled out, and her face became stiffer as she laid back, relaxing in the piles of suds as a way to ease out her response. “Well, it was at least in part a complete accident, though I suppose if you’re asking why I didn’t simply reverse it right away...it’s because I don’t remember my mother. I suppose a part of me just wanted to have that feeling, especially given recent events. Sorry again for that.” “Stop apologizing; I told you it’s fine.” Feather Duster responded with a blush on her face, feeling awkward with the princess as she kept apologizing. Not wanting to argue and seemingly finally burying the hatchet on that little issue, Celestia opted to simply continue to enjoy the soothing waters of the bath. After soaking in the hot tub for some time, along with a bit more playful back and forth between the two mares, the duo eventually moved on to their next bit of pampering. Celestia opted to have her wings preened and cleaned, which proved slightly taxing due to the spa ponies having some trouble with her dragon wing. Feather Duster meanwhile opted for a simple hooficure, along with a moisturizing mask, and was currently laying contently in her chair. The two had stopped speaking for a brief period to properly enjoy themselves, yet as she was sitting and letting her mind wander, a question formed in Feather’s mind that she felt compelled to ask. “Princess Celestia. Forgive me for being so bold in asking but...you by chance like Discord?” Her question was loud enough to where the spa ponies immediately halted their work, looking stunned by the question, while Celestia, surprisingly, looked rather composed with just a minor pink dusting on her face. Feather feared for a moment she’d crossed some kind of line, but Celestia quickly put her fears at ease when she finally spoke. “There was once a time when I looked upon him with a small amount of respect. We even shared a few moments together, when he was willing to be civil. Sadly, he let his own chaotic nature get the better of him, eventually forcing my sister and I to act. I’d lost much of what respect I had for him and inspite of how much he has changed, I don’t think I'll ever truly be able to forgive him.” Having not expected to get any kind of response from such a serious question, the maid opted to try and end the matter before it became too awkward.“I see, that’s perfectly understandable.” Things remained relatively quiet for a time, the pair continued to enjoy themselves for another two hours, occasionally talking back and forth, but not quite with the same vigor as before. Feather Duster was now feeling less relaxed, now convinced she’d made things awkward between the pair. Yet, she tried to play dumb regarding the matter, fearing what would happen next. When the pair were finally done with their last session and preparing to leave, did something significant take place. “So Feather Duster do you want to do something fun?” The maid turned around with a surprised look, looking at Celestia with a mixture of confusion, fear and a curiosity as to what exactly fun could mean, especially given her last few antics. “Um...what exactly did you have in mind?” Quickly growing a Discord like smirk as they finally walked out the door, she snapped a claw as pink tendrils of magic twirled around her body. The formerly draconequus slowly shrank to an average, cute pegasus pony, a Prench maid outfit suddenly appearing on her body with a frilly white cap and a frilly white apron tied around her waist. All the while this occured, her maid squeaked as she turned into a perfect copy of Celestia in her normal form, down to the wings, horn and the long flowing, light-colored mane complete with her regalia. The former maid was stunned at her new body, unintentionally extending her wings repeatedly while trying to stay upright as Celestia came forward and bowed. “For today, I'll be the maid, and you can be the princess.” Feather Duster didn’t immediately respond to this idea, still looking over her new body with shock and awe. “Wow, I can’t believe you turned me into you!” “And I am now you.” The princess squeaked, positively beaming about her new pony body. “Alright! Let's get going...maid.” Feather Duster snickered as she led Celestia out of the spa and towards the chariot, deciding to go with the flow on this new little escapade. The now transformed Princess Celestia happily skipped over to the chariot and opened the door with a bow. “Alright, my dear, where do you wish to go?” Feather Duster or Princess Feather Duster in a sense,held out her hoof, and allowed Celestia to lead her into the chariot and placed her down, and then Celestia sat across from her as the chariot set off down the road. The newly transformed princess alicorn was quite confused as she asked, “so do you wish for some tea?” “Of course...Celestia...” The former princess said, before realizing the minor problem they would run into with names. Feather Duster seemed to realize this as well amidst admiring her new form.d, “I think you should have your own maid name...since I’ll be Celestia.” The mare tapped a hoof to her chin, pondering. “This is quite interesting; what should my maid name be…” Celestia gasped as a name suddenly appeared in her head, and raised a hoof. “I should be Clean N’ Shine.” “That’s a lovely name!” Feather Duster/Celestia cheered and clapped her hooves, earning a mock bow from the newly dubbed Clean N’ Shine. . “Now then,” Clean N’ Shine said with a smirk. “I believe there was some mention of tea.” In a flash a tray of tea, cups and even little bonbons appeared in the middle of the chariot. Feather Duster/Celestia stared at the tray of treats for a moment, prompting Clean N’ Shine to explain. “You forget, I'm still a draquennous, this is just a disguise after all.” Satisfied with the answer the former maid squealed as she picked up the cup with her hooves, not wanting to try her luck using her wings. “Well, I guess that means I get to boss you around now.” “That's right.” Clean N Shine meeped, feeling quite excited to be a maid and live the life of an average pony for a change as she hooked herself to the chariot and took off into the skies. The pair remained airborne for only a short time before parking in the town square, with the imposter Celestia being carefully guided out of the chariot. As expected, they drew quite a few stares with ponies all around bowing (some scooting away) as they walked over to a luncheon as the waiter bowed. “Princess Celestia, forgive me, we weren’t prepared for your arrival.” “Um...th..that’s all right; we simply need two seats, please.” Feather Duster stammered as she felt awkward impersonating the Princess. The waiter nodded as the stallion slowly escorted the two mares to their seats, and the waiter turned to the real Celestia. “Are you the princess’s maid, correct?” Celestia was quite surprised at being called a maid, but quickly shook it off and got into character. “Yes, I’m Clean N’ Shine and I was recently appointed Princess Celestia’s personal attendant. I’m simply here should the Princess require any attention.” The waiter didn’t bother to ask further, quickly leaving to bring the pair some water while they simply enjoyed succeeding for the moment in their little deception and moving on to small talk. “My goodness, these uniforms are so comfortable,” Clean N’ Shine said, as she smoothed out the uniform, admiring the rather soft fabrics. “Yes, they are! To be honest, I liked wearing my uniform even after work.” Feather Duster whispered with the mare being quite embarrassed sharing a secret kink she had with another pony, much less her leader. Celestia in her maid disguise threw a hoof as she reassured her maid. “Oh, don’t be so embarrassed, I'm starting to love the feel of the uniform myself and it’s hardly something to be ashamed of.” As the two conversed, The waiter came by and lit his horn, lifted a pen and a notebook. “I apologize princess, but did you and your maid get a chance to look at the menus.” The imposter Celestia smiled as she lifted the menu and read through it. “Yes, give me the biggest, most delicious cake you have and a cappuccino.” As the waiter jotted the order down, Clean N Shine followed suit. “And, I'll have this delicious cake with a cup of wine….if that’s ok princess?” “Oh, that's fine, eat what you want, my loyal Clean N Shine.” Princess Celestia cooed in a joking manner, leaving the waiter mildly confused by their behavior, but opted not to pry as he walked off to get their orders. Alone again, the pair tried to think of some other thing to do to properly enjoy their new situation. The false Celestia eventually decided on something relatively small. “Clean N Shine, would you mind preening my wings just a bit, I want to make sure the spa ponies did a good jobs.” Staying in character Clean N Shine performed a courtesy and nodded. “I would be delighted to.” Quickly getting to work as the Princess fully extended her wings for all to see. This rather odd sight was what welcomed the waiter as he returned, leaving him somewhat perplexed. , “Um...did I come at a bad time?” Clean N Shine squeaked as she plopped down onto her seat with her dress ruffling around her and adjusting her top. “No, we're fine please br-” “Ah, ah ah ah.” Celestia lectured as she turned to the waiter. “Yes, please you can just place our food down and we’ll be fine on our own.” Seeing this situation was well beyond his pay grade, the waiter complied and immediately fled to the nearest table. The princess in disguise looked down at her drink and chuckled, seeing the latte art with the cutie mark of the sun made of foam on top whileClean N Shine sipped her wine and enjoyed her cake, happily munching away. The imposter Celestia smirked watching her “maid” enjoying her meal as she did the same. However, after only taking a single bite, the princess had another idea. “Clean N Shine, I wish for you to feed me.” While the sudden request did surprise the disguised pegasus for a moment, she was still the maid for the moment and was willing to comply with the request. She then took a fork, scooped the cheesecake and began feeding herself, who in turn chomped down on her cake. The action left Clean N Shine feeling slightly awkward given the looks from the other patrons, but complied nonetheless. “I must say, you're quite good at this.” “Hmm, I suppose so, The real princess of the sun said as she forked over another piece of cake. “Then again, after so many years of eating cake myself, I should hope I’d be good at it.” The pair shared a smile and a laugh as Celestia continued to feed her temporary ruler for several minutes, followed by what seemed like an hour’s worth of rather pleasant conversation, before the bill finally arrived and they left. After leaving the restaurant, the pair opted to keep things relatively simple and casual. A quick teleport back to Canterlot had the twosome wandering around the garment district. While the still temporary royal Feather Duster had contemplated simply returning to the castle, Celestia had insisted she get the chance to “live like a royal” if only for a short time. And naturally this led into the pair going from shop to shop, thoroughly enjoying themselves with Feather slowly embraces the indulgences she’d likely only dreamed of. This shopping escapade continued well into the afternoon with the pair finally deciding to head back to the castle, both looking positively gleeful after all that had transpired. It was certainly an improvement over how tense and stiff they’d been earlier in the morning. By now Celestia and Feather Duster had since returned to their normal states, the pair laughing happily with countless bags being carried by Celestia’s magic as they entered the throne room. To greet them was a visibly drained Luna, with far more prominent bags under her eyes then usual, yet she was still able to muster up a smile at the sight of the two. “Well, I’d dare say your day was far more enjoyable than mine?” Celestia’s laughter quickly ceased, though her smile was still present as she greeted her sister. “Oh indeed. You were right Luna, today was some of the most fun I’ve had in awhile. And you’ll be happy to know I didn’t misuse my magic this time around.” That last remark seemed to ease the Princess of the Night more than one would’ve expected, her shoulders dropping as if she could finally relax herself. “That is wonderful to hear, sister. Truth be told, I honestly don’t have the strength to deal with another chaotic catastrophe today.” Luna let out a loud and long yawn, her body struggling somewhat to stay stable. “After a full day of performing both my duties and yours, the only thing I wish to see in the next few hours is my bed.” “Well, you don’t have to worry,” Celestia said reassuringly. “I think I’ve finally got a handle on things and I’m at least confident enough that I can handle raising the sun again.” A rather loud snicker echoed throughout the chamber, directly all eyes to an all too familiar stained glass window, with a familiar face eying them with amusement. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you Lulu, dear Celestia still doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to using her magic and I highly doubt a day of spas and shopping will change that.” Luna prepared to offer a retort, but Celestia dissuaded her with a gesture and a smile. Without a word, she raised her fingers to snap, prompting the Princess of the Night to debate running for cover. Yet to her surprise when the snap echoed across the room, seemingly nothing happened. There were no explosions, nothing in the room suddenly changed in size and no ponies inside the castle or out were screaming. Luna’s eyes and neck were darting in every direction just to make sure there wasn’t something she’d missed. And it was in this frantic search she finally saw what Celestia had done, and it actually caused a grin to break out on her face. “Okay...maybe I spoke too soon.” Discord’s annoyed voice finally broke the silence, as his still stained glass body was currently hovering in front of them as if it’d been pulled straight off the window. Celestia merely looked on her handiwork with a twinge of smug pride, having gotten one over on Discord for a change, with her internally cheering over the small victory. Feather Duster looked equally impressed, and a bit relieved nothing went array. Naturally, the Spirit of Chaos didn’t remain glass for long, his form literally melting to the ground before reshaping itself like clay into his normal state. His face lightly glaring at Celestia. “I wouldn’t get too smug little Sunbutt, the bet is still on after all, plenty of time for you to make another little boo boo like yesterday.” “What helps keeps you feeling secure, Discord,” Celestia said, looking confident for a change. “And while verbally sparring with you is always enjoyable, I do believe my sister is in desperate need of some rest. Meaning, I have an appointment with the sun.” By now completely ignoring Discord much to his annoyance, Celestia turned her attention back to Feather Duster. “I truly had an enjoyable time today with you Feather, and perhaps when everything is back to normal, perhaps we could do it again.” Rather than the normal bow, Feather offered a simple friendly smile and a nod. “I would be honored Princess. Today was more fun than I’ve had in awhile, and I look forward to our next little adventure.” With a quick bow to Luna, Feather retreated from the throne room, leaving the three most powerful beings in Equestria alone. Luna, having finally relaxed after Celestia’s magic display, was barely keeping herself awake now, the weight of the past twenty four hours now weighing firmly down upon her. “Well dear sister, it is wonderful to hear you had an enjoyable day. And I can’t wait to hear about it….tomorrow of course. Honestly, I’m not even sure I can make it to my bedroom at this point.” Her wording caused Celestia’s smile to grow mischievous. “I can help you with that if you’d like?” Her right claw raised to eliminate any ambiguity as to what she was implying. Luna’s body immediately turned slightly green at the idea. “On second thought, the walk could make for some nice light exercise before bed. Anyway, have a good night sister, we can discuss matters tomorrow.” The nightly mare offered her sister a nuzzle, which she returned and made her way to the doors, stopping midway and turning her gaze back to her sister. “And sister, I trust I’ll see the moon as it should be tomorrow?” Celestia actually looked as though she’d been insulted by the accusation. “Sister, you wound me. After yesterday, do you honestly think I would try something like that?” Luna tried to glare at her sister, but the bags and a loud yawn ruined any menace she might’ve invoked, prompting the pony princess to leave. Confident her sister wouldn’t cause any further harm. That just left Discord and Celestia alone once again, the Spirit of Chaos looking at his fellow draconequus perplexed. Unable to process this sudden change. “So, what, a little day of baths, hooficures and a little clothes shopping and suddenly you’re an expert on Chaos Magic,” Discord asked critically, dressed like a detective from an old school noir, grilling a suspect for information. Celestia in turn only offered a simple smile and a shrug. “I just needed some time to relax and clear my head. I won’t lie and say I’m an expert, but I think I have a better grasp on it then before.” To prove her point, with a simple wave of her hand, a large cake suddenly appeared, resting delicately in her palm. In an instant candles suddenly popped up from the top and lite themselves, before the fire itself rose up higher, condensing into a ball resembling a miniature sun. The sun however didn’t last, as the cake suddenly opened like a pair of jaws and engulfed the fire, swallowing it whole. In an instant, the cake shrank down to a small blue cupcake, with a yellow sun made of icing in the center, not unlike the real one that had been in the room not moments ago. Discord looked at the display with such shock, his eyes grew to the size of full length mirrors as Celestia casually removed the cake wrapping before happily devouring the pastry, licking the last bits of icing from her fingertips before looking at Discord with a sense of satisfaction. “Impressed?” Her age old opponent offered no reply, utterly speechless at the display he’d just witnessed. And that was all Celestia needed to see. “Well, I’ve love to stay and chat Discord, but I have a sun to lower and a moon to raise, not to mention I need to prepare for my daily meetings tomorrow. So have a nice night until then.” And with a simple flash she was gone, leaving Discord completely alone, finally regaining his senses and finally coming to grips with what he’d just witnessed. “I can’t believe it, she’s actually pulling it off.” Even as he said those words his mind tried desperately to find some kind answer to this change, knowing full well things were veering very close to him losing the bet. However, before his mind could descend into its own unique form of chaos, something Celestia said suddenly appeared in his mind like a billboard and it caused his smile to grow to Grinch like sizes. “Well, she’s got a handle on her magic, I’ll give her that, but…” By now his grin had grown well beyond the boards of his face and was now the length of a full sized mural. “Let’s see how well she handles it when dealing with the nobles.” Chapter Nine: Day five Celestia and Luna's last day outPrincess Celestia slowly awoke again from another long sleep, this time to see her sister looking down at her, an all too familiar smirk on the dark blue alicorn's face. She bent down to Celestia's ear and whispered, "hey, it's time to wake up." The Princess of the Sun in turn gave a yawn, and lifted herself up from her bed and stretched her limbs. "So dear sister? What do you want to do today with my powers?"" Having fully embraced her mischievous side Luna slowly trotted over with a devilish grin. “Oh, I have so many ideas... but I'll let you know what I'm thinking when we go outside." Letting off a muted chuckle at the possibilities as she drifted off to go take a shower while Luna sat on her sister's bed. Celestia hummed happily as she let the warm water come down over her new scaly body. Without missing a beat several hands appeared on the walls each scrubbing another part of her body, allowing Celestia to simply stand and enjoy the sensation. However, her moment of bliss was interrupted by her sister's voice managing to penetrate the walls and water. "Sister, do you want to go out for a luncheon with the other mares before the big meeting tomorrow!" "Oh, that sounds positively lovely" Celestia exclaimed as she turned off the faucet and burst through the bathroom door. With a flick of a claw, all the moisture disappeared from her body. The result left her mane bright and colorful, falling around her, and she even applied some eyeliner on her eyes. Luna clapped her hooves, seeing her sister all spruced up and seeming ready to shock the world. The Princess of the Night flew over and hugged her sister close to her chest. "Oh, it's so great to see you like this...I have to admit...ever since you became a draquenous, you've been a lot less stuck up." The comment earned a look of mild surprise that quickly shifted to amusement at the comment. ”The implication being that I was stuck up to begin with? I was always under the impression I was quite flexible when around others.” “Be honest sister,” Luna said knowingly, causing Celestia to twitch ever so slightly. “You can be rather rigid at times. Though I will concede you have certainly mellowed out quite these last few centuries. And I imagine I am at least partially to blame for that.” The allusion to their bitter past merited a slight flinch from Celestia, though she was quick to simply wrap her wing around her sister’s shoulders. “I’d hardly call it blame worthy and I’m mature enough to admit I had my rough moments, but I think I’ve softened up over the centuries.” While the intent was meant to be one of comfort, the sight of her sister’s smirk immediately made her realize just what exactly she’d said. “Luna don’t you….” “Oh you’ve most certainly softened up these last few years dear sister.” Celestia was then greeted by a poke in her abdomen, her sister’s hoof actually sinking in as though it were a pillow instead of flesh. “Though I do believe we can attribute that more to your love of pastries then my past misdeeds.” Celestia’s face remained still, under normal circumstances she’d have yelled or possibly been offended by the remark as it was an easy joke to make, especially now. However, the Princess of the Sun opted to take the proverbial high road. “I suppose it’s possible, though with all the work I have to perform each day I’m fairly certain everything is evened out.” This lack of an explosive response had the desired effect as Luna looked positively annoyed at being denied a Celestia overreaction. Naturally being the slightest bit vindictive herself, Celestia would’ve been all too happy to milk this moment for just a bit longer, sadly other events required their attention. “Come now sister, we have much to do today.” Still bothered but ever eager, Luna nodded and the pair headed out to start their day. Setting off down the halls of the castle together as the Princess of the Sun entered the gardens once again for another spectacle of her crazy raising of the sun (many ponies now stood together to watch like before, but this time many had on sunglasses and some even had welders masks on). “Seems everypony decided to come prepared this time around,” Luna whispered to her sister, now red in the face at being reminded of her prior fiasco. “Well, hopefully, it won’t be necessary,” Celestia said as she ascended the podium. “Given what we have planned I’d say that’s more than a safe bet,” Luna spoke looking sly at her word choice. “You do still remember what we agreed upon don’t you sister.” Celestia’s prior embarrassment was replaced with annoyance, grinding her teeth together as she nodded. “I fully remember exactly what you suggested, sister. But is that really necessary, haven’t I humiliated myself enough?” Luna could only respond with a flat expression she’d become quite fond of, "You turned me into an infant for the better part of a day for many to see and forced me to re experience things no pony should have to endure. We are far from equal in terms of humiliation.” By that alone Celestia knew there was no talking her sister down at this point, that bridge had been well and truly burned courtesy of a temporary return to dirty diapers. “Now come on,” Luna gestured with her wing. “The sooner you get it done, the better." Once again defeated by her sister, Celestia grumbled as she slowly levitated the sun. Naturally, apprehensive, many more ponies immediately pulled out sunglasses along with buckets of ice, ready for the possible heatwave to hit. However, to their surprise, that wasn’t what happened. Instead of a blinding fireball, they were instead greeted by the sun acting more akin to a theater screen, projecting a number of less than flattering pictures of their esteemed monarch. Across the normally pristine surface of the sun, were many a picture of Celestia gorging herself on massive amounts of cake, less than graceful falls down the stairs and her far from majestic bedhead. Seeing there was no threat of fiery demise the many ponies in attendance instead started laughing at the spectacle. Some simply chuckled at the spectacle while others went into full blown belly laughs, many others even taking pictures with their cameras to preserve the moments for future enjoyment. "I never expected the sun to look so beautiful." Luna giggled as she wiped her tears from her eyes, while Celestia simply sat, body glowing red from anger with literal steam coming from her ears. Mercifully the slideshow only lasted about two minutes, but each second dragged on for what felt like eons. With the sun now properly raised, the many ponies opted to disperse, both to enjoy their days and potentially avoid dealing with a still angry Celestia. The still steaming sun monarch could only glare furiously at her still smiling sister, looking about ready to explode with rage. "So you want to tell me why you wanted to expose embarrassing pictures of me to the world?" Calm as ever, Luna walked over to Celestia's ear and whispered, "Well, that's because you never really appreciated the moon. Especially when you showed my rump to the world. So now we’re even." Celestia immediately cringed at the memory of that prior stunt. Suddenly the photos didn’t seem nearly as bad. "Sorry about that." "Well, I suppose it wasn’t the worst thing. Some ponies rather liked it, thought it was my way of showing I have a sense of humor. Some even wanted me to do it again," Luna snickered as her sister. Celestia laughed in response at the shift in mood, happy things seemed finally square between the two. “Another time maybe," She said as she nuzzled her sister, before the pair headed in for some breakfast. Arriving in the kitchen, Celestia quickly snapped them up a pair of pancakes and eggs, along with some levitating syrup. The two ate in relative silence, though it only lasted for a few moments before it was broken by many of the castle staff either snickering or talking to each other in hushed whispers. Celestia didn’t need ears to figure out what they were talking about and was all to happy to voice her disapproval. "I hope you are all aware I can hear you quite clearly!" Not wanting to face her wrath, the staff immediately scattered like roaches, leaving the princess to eat her food with far less gusto than before. Hoping to improve her mood, Luna opted to ask a question she’d been pondering for some time."Tell me sister...you only have two days until your return back to being a normal alicorn princess. Correct?" "Indeed, you are correct sister,” Celestia mumbled to herself, waving her hand causing another stack of pancakes to fall on her plate along with a generous helping of whipped cream. “And while I can certainly say it’ll be nice to get back to normal, I will miss having this kind of power at my beck and call.” Popping some pancakes into her mouth before leaning back in her chair, Luna decided to mull over something she’d been wondering about. "It certainly has its perks. Personally, I'm thinking of taking up a similar deal with Discord...you think I would look amazing as a draqquenous?" Perking up quickly, Celestia waved a claw and exclaimed dramatically. "Oh, you would look positively stunning!" The Princess of the Night laughed as she ate her pancakes. "Certainly something to think about. Mmmh, these are so good! You didn't infuse them with Chaos Magic, right?" Celestia snickered as she took a bite of her food. "Nope, they were made by my finest chefs. Sometimes it's best not to use magic...save for using magic to teleport them from the kitchen to here." "Right, I mean, they're probably still mad at you for making their healthy dishes look like something from a little filly's dream," Luna responded with a snicker. Celestia burst into laughter, and then as she finished her coffee."Well, seeing how big your rump is getting, I had to step up my game a bit." "Mmm, you have a long way to go before you can get to my level," Luna said, snapping her tail for emphasis. The pair of Princess had another good laugh as they finished their breakfast before heading to the Grand Hall for Celestia’s court. Luna sat by as her sister sat down on the throne and began her day going over the regular proceedings. As the nobles came by Celestia, it was mostly a long-winded discussion regarding the party tomorrow. As expected there was still more in the way of proceedings that dragged the two well into the afternoon. With the day quickly rolling down, Celestia rose up from her throne and clapped her claws to get the attention of the staff. "Alright, I think we're all good for the day! So why don't I and some of the mares go out and have our luncheon. With seemingly no objections from the others, several noteworthy mares promptly entered the room, greeting the princess as they entered. Among the party included Fleur De Lis, a blue-coated pegasus by the name of Rainbow Quill and a white coated earth pony named Snowflake. With her group assembled Celestia happily snapped her fingers, bringing the group to the gardens and an exquisitely set table adorned with all manner of food for them to enjoy. Once the group had sat down, Rainbow Quill decided to break the proverbial ice. "So, Princess Celestia, we heard you put Silver Dollar in a dress not too long ago. Is that true?" The question earned more than a bit of a glare from Luna, who angrily bit into a sandwich as if trying to tear into. "Yes, and I spent all day yesterday cleaning up after that little stunt." Doing her best to be the more clear headed of the two, Celestia responded, "Yes, I did. It was a spur of the moment action I admit, but the arrogant stallion was stealing from the school. I couldn't just let him get away with it." "Yes, but there were other ways of handling it!" Luna snapped as she brushed aside her mane. "Anyways, I’d rather not talk about work. Can we not simply enjoy today." Her tone quickly shifted, she got out of her chair and moved to the head of the table., "I had an idea actually for us. In fact, I heard about the filly style tea party, and I thought that we can do something similar." Fleur laughed, seemingly all too happy with the idea. "Oh yes, that was rather fun; in fact, what did you have in mind. Perhaps have us revisit our foalhoods?" Luna now had a big smile on her face as she explained, "Well, while that would be appropriate, I’d prefer to stay an age with some degree of maturity. Thus I propose who host a sleepover, where all of us are teenagers again.” Snowflake’s eyes widened excitedly as she clapped her hooves together. "Oh, that sounds like a great idea!" . "I concur,” Rainbow Quill practically squealed.“I think that would be a splendid idea." With consent given from all those in attendance, Fleur rose up and turned towards the white-coated draconequus. "Celestia, will you do the honors?" The Princess of Chaos had been waiting for the signal and immediately snapped a claw. In flash she and the other mares were now wearing socks and looked ten years younger, or in the case of her and her sister, several centuries. Though while the initial change was met with joy, the other mares quickly realized some things had changed beyond their ages. Snowflake was surprised to see herself to now be rather pudgy. She wiggled her rump and gasped. "My goodness! Was I really so plump as a teen?" Over with Rainbow Quill she was busy feeling her teeth and looking in a nearby fountain, finding some new metal additions to her teeth that made her cast a mild glare at Celestia. "You just had to put my braces back on, huh?" Celestia lightly bowed her head in apology. "I’m sorry, but you said you wanted to be teenagers again." While Quill continued to stew over her now metal mouth, the once radiant Fleur, was now a squeaking mess courtesy of a heavily frazzled mane and a face full of pimples. "Ugh!? You had to bring back my acne!" This time it was Luna who offered the retort. “Again, you wanted to be teenagers and that unfortunately includes all the little perils that come with them.” Both Princesses let out short laughs at the mare’s misery, with Snowflake and Rainbow Quill sharing chuckles as well. Fleur in turn scoffed, "Ugh, let's just go and do this before I change my mind." Eagerly excited, Luna guided the group towards the palace and went up to the princess's bedroom. Befitting her royal status, Luna’s chambers were quite spacious, arguably larger than some ponies homes. However, for this day their attention was directed towards an extremely large T.V with a video game system was already set up. Seeing they were still lacking in some party supplies, Celestia used her chaos magic to conjure up some sleeping bags as well as several tables brimming with snacks, fast food and all manner of drinks. In no time at all Snowflake was already on the food, having apparently regained a more ravenous appetite in her younger self. along "Oh, it’s been so long since I had any of this,” She moaned lightly while shoving down several slices of pizza, and enjoying being able to indulge herself again. Rather than follow her friend’s lead, Rainbow Quill opted to check out the gaming system and gasped, "wow!? Is this the new game Colt 64!? It's so cool!" Luna squealed as she trotted over. "You think so? I didn't know you were into gaming." As the two gaming ponies immediately started trading past virtual exploits, Fleur eyed the bathroom after catching her reflection in the TV. "Um, hey...you...you have any acne cream?" Rather than answer, Celestia simply put a claw on the mare's shoulder. "Oh, stop, your face will only be like that for a few hours. Now go have fun with the rest of the mares and enjoy yourself." "Ok…" Fleur whispered as she trotted over, despite some minor apprehension. The group settled down together and opted to play the Mareio racing game, the same as the one before in the Everfree Forest castle. Celestia couldn't help but smile seeing her sister and the other mares playing video games and looking so carefree. She herself had played a round or two but was more content to simply watch the teen mares enjoy their moment back in time. Sadly, Celestia’s time was short as she had other things to do to prepare for the party tomorrow and went over to her sister and whispered, "Sister, I’m afraid I have to leave for the moment as there are still some matters I need to attend to. Will you and the others be okay on your own?”." "Sure," Luna replied as her eyes were glued to the T.V screen with the others equally as entranced. The sight was certainly amusing and made it clear none of them were going anywhere. So with a flap of her wings the Princess left to finish her remaining royal duties, which ended up carrying well into the evening. When Celestia finally drifted back to Luna's bedroom and peeked inside, she was amused to find the mares all knocked out across the room. The sight broke another smile on her face as she used her magic to make the group a bit more comfortable Fleur was given a mud mask on with cucumbers to help with her acne. Snowflake had a giant teddy bear in her hooves now while Rainbow Quill's sleeping bag was now in footed pajamas with pac-men on them. Luna herself now had purple and blue striped socks on her hooves, though the jolt seemed to wake her up. Taking a look at her new attire, she gave her sister a half awake smirk. "Playing some pranks, huh?" “In a sense I suppose, mostly for you and it’s perfectly harmless,” Celestia mused as she floated over her sister’s head. “Besides, I think you look rather adorable in those.” Luna rolled her eyes, stepping around in her socks. "They are rather comfy and a clear sign you’ve gotten a better grasp on your magic. If this was a few days ago, the socks would probably be wearing me." Celestia held her head up in pride as she responded, "Well, with some help from Discord, yes, I'm doing pretty well." The sigh of her sister fill with such childish glee made the more stern of the two Princesses feel more relaxed, happy this little experiment was finally working out for a change. Thank goodness for small miracles. "Well, I’m glad to hear it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it's time for me to raise the moon." Celestia happily nodded as the two went to the palace's rooftops, with the still transformed princess to look at her sister with curiosity. “So, anything you’d like me to do before you raise the moon tonight?” Surprisingly eager, Luna quickly whispered in Celestia's ear, making her squeak. "No! I...I can't do that!" "You already did mine; it's time for you to do yours," Luna nagged back. Unlike before, Celestia didn’t immediately relent, stomping a hoof down in frustration. "Seriously! You already made me show the entire kingdom embarrassing pictures. I believe that makes us square." Undeterred, Luna wagged a hoof in front of Celestia. "Discord said you have to do anything I asked." By now the weight of the day was finally catching up with her and wanting to simply rip the proverbial band-aid off, Celestia finally complied. Thus with a flick of her claw, the moon started to rise, though in this case it was a moon of the other variety, namely Celestia’s pale, white bottom. Naturally, the sight left Luna positively rolling with laughter, kicking her hooves about in every direction while Celestia was simply chuckling at the view. After laughing for several moments Luna slowly got up, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Alright, I admit it, your rump is way bigger than mine." "Of course it is, dear sister. I'm glad we can finally put this debate to bed." Celestia replied as she snapped a claw, returning the moon to its normal state. Luna slowly came over and nudged her sister. "Alright, you should get to bed; you have a big day tomorrow." "You have a point, but...to...tomorrow, I can’t say I’m looking forward to it," The princess of the sun muttered out. It would certainly prove to be a difficult day with her having to deal with Silver Dollar's embezzlement and simply deal with the stallion himself. Seeing how distressed Celestia looked, Luna tried to reassure her sister. "I understand sister, I do, but you must not let that distract you. We also have the party tomorrow where the other nobels will be judging you. You need to be ready and a good night’s sleep is essential . " The princess gave a deep sigh, "All alright, sister... I'll try to get some sleep." Leaving her sister to handle her dream duties, Celestia headed towards her bedroom and found herself greeted by Bronze Helmet ,standing guard at her door. Naturally the sight of the stallion she’d returned to infancy not too long ago proved a bit of a surprise and effectively set her quite off balance for the moment. "Bro...Bronze Helm, you're here early." "Well, I wanted to make sure you have a goodnight's sleep. I hope that's alright." the stallion responded while maintaining his professional posture and demeanor. The concern served to help quell some of the Princess’s worry, and she offered the guard a bow in return. "Thank you Bronze, you have no idea how much that means to me.” As Celestia prepared to head in for the night, she paused, turning once again to Bronze who was all to ready to lend his ear. “It 's not too much trouble, can you stay by my side tomorrow? I ...I fear that things might get out of hoof." Naturally, his response was almost immediate. “Of course, Princess. I will be at your beck and call whenever you need me.” With one more smile, Celestia finally entered her bedroom and immediately plopped on the bed. Snuggling deeply under the covers as she looked upward at the ceiling, she found her mind still full of worries and dread that refused to leave sending her mind spinning in all directions. Thus in a desperate attempt to quell the chaos she centered on a single thought. “I wish I could be with Luna for tonight.” Chapter Ten: Day six Celestia Embraces ChaosCelestia was looking upward as she found herself contemplating the future events upon awakening again. However, this day especially proved to be more concerning than those prior. In truth this the day that she was dreading all week due to her outbursts with her chaos magic. Already sensing her concerns growing, The princess of the sun immediately rose up from her sleep and moved for the door, bypassing her usual delays and general lazy demeanor. Yet, even as she walked through the halls her eyes could only look up at the ceiling with dread. She was not ready for what's to come and that knowledge felt as though gravity itself was pushing her down.. Casually pulling bits of sand from her eyes, the Princess of the Sun glanced out of the windows at the still pitch black sky. The moon was currently bright and clear among the many stars, looking rather beautiful sitting there majestically among the sea of black-spotted with stars. Due to the nature of her position, Celestia always favored the day, yet she’d long learned to appreciate the night her sister worked hard every day to create. Though when you have a thousand years to stare up at the moon out of guilt, it was hard not to develop some degree of admiration for it. Though in this instance her moon gazing stemmed less from a genuine love of its visual majesty and more simply a lazy desire to stay in bed. Yes it was the same song and dance as the last few days, and she’d come to simply accept that lethargy was simply a byproduct of Chaos Magic. After all when you can literally do anything with a snap of your hands, why be motivated to work hard? And yet, she’d at least learned to fight against such an urge, in part to avoid dealing with a naggy Luna, and continued to perform her usual duty despite her body practically demanding otherwise. She slowly came out to the garden, walking beneath the stars, wondering how she'll raise the sun today, possibly even if she’d expend the effort to perform another insane stunt. By this point she’d done so many crazy things that Celestia wasn't sure what else she could pull off. Sadly she didn’t have the same level of chaotic flare that Discord had. Still it’d be a waste if she just raised the sun like she had in the past. Thus, the mare looked upward and decided to do something special, but also rather simple. Reaching down into a pair of portals, she took out a giant paintbrush and a pallet, and like many artists before her, began painting the sun in the sky. In truth, this wasn’t the first time Celestia had put brush to paper….or sky in this case. In the many years of her rule she’d taken up all kinds of hobbies. From mountain climbing, to skydiving, and simple exploring, one could say she’d gone through quite a daredevil phase. Thankfully for most of Equestria, and at the request/pleading of her staff and guards, she opted for some more lowkey pastimes, with painting being one of her favorites. True she wasn’t a master artist whose work was shown in museums, but she was certainly competent enough, even managing to get Sunset into it the few times she would listen to her. And with the day looking so clear, it seemed like a perfect time to get back into her old routine. Though, as she struggled to hold her brush, the princess was quickly reminded of her new appendages and the difficulties that came with them. This resulted in a fair number of sloppy strokes that resulted in a mismatched sky with various lines showing both day and night akin to a patchwork quilt. Thankfully for all those involved, most of the population was still asleep thus Celestia quickly set to putting more focus into her grip and taking things slower. Surprisingly it worked; somehow, and through a bit more trial and error, the sun was now shining brightly across the crystal blue sky, with fluffy clouds everywhere looking absolutely beautiful. True the process had taken nearly all morning, and she saw a horde of ponies looking upward as she gave a smile then waved a claw, most simply accepting the odd display and waving back, while she headed back inside to freshen up for the day. After cleaning up in the shower, Celestia exited her room and met her usual guard with a wave that he happily returned with a glance out the nearby window. "Have to say, it's quite nice to see you paint again your highness. How long has it been?" "Not since Sunset Shimmer I’m afraid, I’d actually forgotten how relaxing it could be.” The guard in question offered a brief glimpse of sympathy, knowing full well how sorted an affair things were with disgraced former protégé. “Well, perhaps now you can take it up again. I recall some of your paintings being rather impressive.” Celestia couldn’t help but giggle lightly at his attempted praise. “I appreciate the compliment but I wouldn’t go that far. Still...” Offering a claw to the soldier’s shoulder, she took a knee and bowed. “I appreciate the compliment.” Half expecting a brief, shocked gasp at the sudden contact, she did not expect a rather loud squeaking sound instead. Looking up, she was shocked to find that where the guard was standing, was now a live sized plush version, complete with soulless plastic eyes. Pulling her hand back as though it were on fire, she was relieved to see the effect reversed returning the guard to his original state. “I’m so sorry,” Celestia immediately reverted to a rapid fire of apologies towards the guard. "It's an ok princess...just keep control of yourself today, ok?" The guard replied sheepishly, while mentally recovering from the sudden out of body experience. "Right, sorry…" Celestia sighed as she quickly continued downstairs while mentally trying to control of her now slightly frayed nerves.. Hoping for some kind of distraction she quickly headed down further to see how the preparations were going. Thankfully for her, it didn’t take long to spot Luna, currently ordering ponies around, setting up tables, and putting decorations up. Honestly, despite some visible bags under her eyes from likely working through the night on top of her usual duties, her younger sister seemed to have quite a handle on things. It honestly made the elder sibling feel a sense of pride seeing her sister come into her own as far as leadership, though it also reminded her of how much responsibility her sister now had to bear given the state of things. The thought prompted her to float over and offer her sister a comforting nuzzle that seemed to relax her somewhat as well as get her attention. "Seems like you're getting things under control." "Yes, and I heard you painted the sun?" Luna replied while scratching her head. “Decided to go with something a little quieter today?” "Oh um yes...that… I was thinking about some things this morning and got a little sidetracked," Celestia replied as she started finishing up preparations with her Chaos Magic then chirped. "Although I think it’s safe to say I’ve got a pretty good handle on my Chaos Magic!" "Try not to jinx yourself dear sister, and I'm hoping you'll behave yourself tonight," Luna replied, eyeing her sister with a suspicious expression on her face that she was honestly getting sick of having to wear. "I will, I promise,” Celestia replied as she went off to fix herself, even though there was still a slight issue she was feeling. Mainly she was just praying that her magic wouldn’t go out of control. “No, no more worrying. I’ve done enough that this week as it is. I’m starting to wonder if this is how Twilight feels all the time.” Deciding to quell her nerves she opted to teleport herself back to the cake shop she’d visited, Mrs. Funnel Cake; she was humming a tune as she was stirring a massive bowl of batter. The mare turned to see Celestia stroll in, and she gave the princess a big smile. "Hello your majesty! How are you doing today!" "Oh, I'm doing wonderful!" The mare exclaimed sarcastically as she strolled over. Her sour mood quickly turned sweet as she spotted an eight-layer cake in the middle of the store. Though, simply calling it a cake would be greatly underselling it, the pastry was a work of art. The massive confection was decorated with a pink trim with suns and moons printed into the sides of the cake. And near the top appeared to be small plastic statues of the two princesses, somewhat mirroring their posture on the countries’s flag. The princess was rather impressed with the giant-sized pastry and she could feel her mouth-watering with some drool coming down her chin. "You like it?" Ms. Funnel Cake asked in her usual sugary sweet tone. "Like it? I love it!" The princess cheered like a school filly opening a Christmas present. Even though she wanted to just throw herself into it and cover herself in cake. “Oh, I just knew you would. Took quite a bit of effort to put together, but I’m quite proud of it. I’m especially fond of the toppers. Made those with a mixture of chocolate fondant and buttercream icing.” The delicious details only served to make the princess’s stomach roar in protest, leading the two to share a quick laugh before Celestia took a step back and sat down, her smile more hollow than before. "Something the matters is your highness?” Funnel Cake asked, offering a comforting hoof.“I can tell that something's bothering you." Seeing no point in lying or changing topics, Celestia simply let loose her concerns. "Ever since I had these powers at first I couldn't control myself, I've done a number of things that I regret and have caused problems to the nobles, as well as the normal citizens. That's not including the rivalry I have with one Silver Dollar." Funnel Cake quietly sat and listened, hanging on each word. "Oh, you sweetheart. I can only imagine what you're going through right now? If anything, maybe you should just cancel the whole party until you're back to normal?" Celestia paused, considering the idea. One one hand it was fairly sound, no party, less chance for any random chaos. Then again, with all the preparations mostly in place, that would be a disaster in itself. Her mind then drifted to the simple answer of asking Discord to turn her back to normal before the party started instead. Yet, sound as that option was, it was one she’d rather avoid. It was true that by this point Celestia may have technically already lost the dare between them, but she can prove that she can control herself. If for nothing she wanted to restore some of her kingdom’s faith in her, that had likely been shaken by her recent exploits. Feeling a sense of purpose to restore her confidence, the Princess stood up, ready to move forward. "Alright! I'll go out and prove to all those stuck-up nobles I can be myself! But afterward, I'm going to have a party for myself, and I want you to join!" She gave Funnel Cake a little pink card making the chubby mare squealed. "Thank you! I most certainly will join you!" "Alright! I still have a few other guests I'll be inviting!" Celestia chirped as she disappeared in a puff of pink smoke. Appearing in another rose color smoke flash, Celestia stood proudly in front of her three friends: Rainbow Quill, Fleur De Lis, and Snowflake, all having a little lunch at a local cafe nearby. Rainbow Quill was the first to wave a hoof and greet her. "Oh, Celestia, it's so good to see you again." Snowflake also waved a hoof and replied with a smile. "Oh, are you going to host another sleepover!?" "Well, something like that!" The princess exclaimed as she flew over to her friends. She sat down and flicked a claw. Giant dandelion sandwiches were then suddenly appeared in front of them. They all squeaked out seeing the food magically appearing almost out of nowhere. Celestia took her’s, opened her mouth to the size of a chariot, then took a giant bite. “Mmm, so good!” The other mares laughed as they took up their new meals and squeaked, as they each found a healthy amount of mustard squirted in their faces. Celestia, looking all too cheeky, gave them all a smile. Happy to see some nobles here weren’t scared of getting messy or a little unconventional. After they finished their rather unexpected meal Celestia continued to explain. "Now, I, of course, am hosting a ball tonight for the rich nobles of Equestria; however, I want to also host a little after-party for my new friends!" Fleur flashed a smile as she bowed. "Of course we’ll join in, that does sound like a lot of fun." "Well alright then! Just stay after the party, and we'll have some fun!" The Princess of the Sun exclaimed, eagerly rubbed her claws together now she had something to look forward to after the boring snob fest.” She then rose up and stretched out her body, “Well I better get going, see you after the party.” Bronze Helm was with the rest of the royal guard going over their assigned duties for the party with his usual professional decorum. Sadly it couldn’t fully mask the unease he was feeling. Naturally, the stallion was deeply disturbed by Celestia and how she’s been acting. Despite knowing full well she was a capable leader and level headed individual, her behavior the last few days was treating to give him panic attacks. By this point he was silently praying Celestia would reign her antics in for the night and soon this whole insane little stunt would be over. Sadly, as he heard the sound of approaching hoofsteps he could already feel things about to get worse. Shift his gaze around he found Feather Duster approaching with a worried look that made his entire body shake. d “Hello Bronze. I’m sorry to interrupt but Celestia wants us in her chambers!” The stallion groaned, only being able to speculate at what she wanted from him. Not like he could refuse anyway, both because she was his ruler and because with her power….he didn’t even want to think about it. “Very well, I suppose we’ll need to see what she wants.” The two slowly walked up the steps towards the princess’s chambers, neither especially excited for what would come next. Ultimately Bronze opted to break the tension by asking something he’d been rather curious about. “So, Feather. What was it like being an Alicorn? Must’ve felt pretty incredible I imagine.” To his surprise, Feather let out an exhausted sigh and looked far from enthused by the memory. “What, you didn’t like it? Most ponies would’ve given just about anything to be an Alicorn.” “Well, they should be grateful they aren’t. It was just so annoying…” Feather’s eye actually started violently twitching as she thought back.I mean being gawked at and having ponies bow at you was rather nice… at first. But you can’t go out in public without being stared at by every pony within earshot. Still, the spa dates with Rarity were fun.” Feather Duster reminisced with a sigh, finding some modicum of enjoyment in the experience. Changing tunes, she turned to Bronze Helm and nudged him. “So, did she turn you into anything?” Bronze Helm cheeks flushed pink, earning a grin from Feather that let him know she wouldn’t drop the issue. “Well she turned me into a foal for a bit then a plushie.” Naturally being a sympathetic pony, Feather tried to hold in her amusement….for approximately three seconds before she burst out laughing, leaving the angry soldier to huff and walk ahead of her. “Wait, wait, I’m sorry. Truly,” She said as she quickly caught up to him. “It hasn’t been easy for any of us to deal with this. I’ve found the best we can do is take it in stride and hope that all the more embarrassing moments are finally behind us.” ” “I hope so,” Bronze Helm grumbled under his breath as they continued to the entrance of Celestia’s room. The two finally reached the Princess’s door and entered, finding their ruler sitting on a loveseat, her left leg crossing over her right with her forearms crossed in front of her chest with a smug grin. Immediately this set off alarm bells as Bronze Helm had only seen Discord a few times wondering about the castle, but in this moment,he Princess of the Sun looked almost exactly like him. His worries about what will happen next started to feel validated. A quick glance to his side showed Feather sharing a similar sentiment as the duo slowly entered. Celestia met the pair with a smile as she willed the doors shut, welcoming them happily. "Bronze Helm, Feather Duster thank you for coming. I wanted to personally thank you for all you’ve done for me this week, especially with regards to putting up with my antics. As such, it's only right that I pay you back.” Bronze Helm turned to see and was rather amazed that Feather Duster was dressed in a beautiful gown and he looked down to see a dapper suit replacing his armor. He looked up to say something but Celestia who held up a claw. "Don’t worry Bronze Helm, I gave your wife an invitation. Trust me, you two aren't dates...and she's invited to my little after-party as well." "Uh...ok, princess…" the royal guard stammered, being somewhat confused about this whole situation, though thankful that his clothes were the only thing changed this time. She then turned her attention to the two. “Now, after the party’s over I’m hosting a little special afterparty as well and I hope you both will join me.” Feather Duster squealed in delight, seemingly forgetting her prior concerns, as she performed a little curtsey. “Of course princess.” Bronze Helm shifted in his suit, still a little nervous as to what might happen, but wasn’t opposed to spending a nice night with his wife. Thus he too offered the princess a bow. “Yes princess, I will also attend the afterparty.” Celestia clapped her claws and chirped, “Excellent! I will be looking forward to you both!” She then disappeared in a puff of pink smoke. Feather Duster blinked looking rather confused as she asked, “So...is it just me or is she acting more like Discord?” The royal guard just shook his head. “I’ve been asking myself that same question a lot lately and don’t know for sure. For now, we’ll have to play things by ear and if anything happens I may need to be the one to reel her in.” It was now late in the afternoon, Princess Celestia was standing at the doorway greeting ponies as they strolled into the party. Things had quickly started to ramp up, thanks to the music and food, though most of the guests were somewhat wary of the draqquenous. They moved out of the way as she finished inviting them in. She rolled her eyes, but it wasn't like they didn't have a reason not to be scared of her after everything she's done this past week, Bronze Helm and Feather Duster included. The princess gave a sigh as she rubbed her head and then turned towards the guests, worry on her face. She had to remain calm, keep her head clear and try to not cause any unnecessary chaos. Eventually, everypony seemed to have arrived and was having a good time, until Silver Dollar stomped through the front doors and eyed the princess angrily, which she quickly returned without a word, though the intent was evident to all watching. Thankfully for the guests, Silver Dollar walked off, seemingly willing to put things aside, let Celestia calm herself at another potential mess avoided. She looked around the ballroom, seeing the nobles dancing and seeming to mostly have a good time. Despite some reservations she’d had, things were going quite well, no chaos of any kind.. A quick glance to the dance floor showed Bronze Helm and his wife enjoying a bit of an energetic dance whileFeather Duster, she was just standing by with the other maids gossiping amongst each other. Satisfied with what she saw, Celestia quickly zeroed in on her sister at a nearby table and flew over to her. "Thank you for this sister. It’s wonderful!" "It's no problem, but I think it's about time you apologized," Luna whispered back, eyes subtly pointing in the direction of some ponies that had been eyeing the pair wearily Her sister nodded as she flew above her guests with a glass of champagne in her claw; she clinked it with a spoon. "Attention! Attention!" Celestia waited patiently for the guests to quiet down before she continued her speech. "Thank you. As I’m sure you’re aware this last week has been rather...odd to say the least. And that I have caused more than a bit of discomfort for many of you. To that end I apologize for my behavior, and I apologize to Silver Dollar for what I did to him." While some ponies were somewhat hesitant to accept the gesture, possibly fearing it to be another prank, many others happily applauded her words, Bronze and Feather included. Celestia, feeling a bit less awkward, continued her speech. "I am also happy to say that we have finally settled the budget for the Kingdom finished for this year, and I hope to see all of you again at the Galloping Gala." The nobles all applauded once more; however, Silver Dollar looked upward and snapped, "Seriously! Why are we pretending we're all fine with this!?" He then turned towards the rest of the guests and continued his rant. "Why are we pretending like Celestia, our ruler, has for the past week acted like an emotionally stunted child and caused heaven only knows how much havoc too so many here. And she thinks she can simply sweep it under the rug with a simple apology? Frankly I feel we should take this week as cause to question whether she’s even fit to rule.” !" Some of Celestia’s supporters began to shout angrily at Silver Dollar, only for Celestia to silence then with her claw. “I freely admit, this past week has hardly been an exemplary showing of my maturity or leadership ability. However, I hardly feel you are wrong to believe you have any more high ground here. After all been taking bits from taxes and money from Canterlot Elementary!" Every noble started to shout and got angry at Silver Dollar, telling him to shut up! He gnashed his teeth and stepped down from his pedestal, and Celestia had a smile on her face. Unfortunately, it seemed like Silver’s outburst gave others the courage to share their own feelings as one noble mare shouted, "He may have, but you've been out of control!" "Yes, we agree,” Another noble shouted in earnest with others following suit. “Your antics have put all of us in danger and have caused enough harm; we actually put together a scroll indicating why we believe you're no longer fit to be our princess, and you must stand down." By this point many ponies were now roaring in anger at Celestia whose composure was slowly starting to slip as she felt her anger continue to fester. All the while this was happening, Luna, Bronze and Feather, felt themselves growing more panicked, knowing Celestia was about to snap. Yet, in that moment, Celestia’s anger dissipated as her mind started to play back all the events from the past week and her anger towards the nobles. As ruler she’d been obligated to follow the rules for ages and pretend that she enjoyed it in some capacity, when oftentimes it left her feeling as she did now. ! She has been stuck like this for so long, and the fact that Silver Dollar was going to get away with his crimes was beyond acceptable to her. The mare may not be able to do much to relieve her anger! But she wanted to at least send a message! And actually, be herself for once; maybe it was time she stopped being a princess! And became what she wanted to be...who she envied! Thus Celestia raised a claw, effectively silencing the mob."Alright then, as of tonight! I quit!" She snapped a claw and then turned all the outfits of the nobility into clown outfits and well-done manes into clown afros, popped big red rubber noses on ponies, their light makeup to thick pasty white clown makeup. The orderves into big plates full of all kinds of pastries from giant cakes, to oversized donuts. As expected, the guests all ran out the door screaming and crying for their lives whileCelestia lifted her claws, causing the castle to break and crack and she rose the entire structure into the sky. Once the structure was well above Canterlot she turned to her friends (who were still in their regular outfits) all looking confused and appalled as the princess exclaimed, "Alright! Now that we got the riff-raff out! Why don't we have an actual party! My retirement party!" She turned the middle of the room into a giant jacuzzi, she snapped her claw and placed a fountain spurting out strawberry milkshake, she continued zapping things turning the fancy decorations into what looks like a five year olds birthday party. Bronze, his wife and Feather couldn’t even process what was happening at this point, stunned or in Bronze’s case, panicking at his greatest fears being realized. Conversely from the others, Luna just stood there, not believing what she saw, namely her older sister effectively acting like the child Silver Dollar said she was. Yet she was no fool, she knew there was more to this than she was seeing and thus needed to act fast. Unfurling her wings and taking to the sky, offering the other trapped guests a brief look of apology as she headed off to find Discord. He may be the only one who could fix this and save Celestia from herself! Chapter eleven: Day seven: Day Breaks and on that day Celestia restedAuthor's Note This story is almost finished after two years of figuring out how this story will go and writing it. I am not sure how to convey how much I enjoy writing fimficiton and how I improved a lot over the years and how this story has become something I've cherished writing . Seeing this story blossom overtime has encouraged me to explore more in my writing. But without a doubt I have to thank my editor The Fan without a Face for helping me make this story better and more enjoyable. Chapter eleven: Day seven: Day Breaks and on that day Celestia rested Celestia woke up the next morning feeling rather groggy, expected after yet another long night of partying and drinking...maybe too much once again. Despite a still pounding hangover, the princess slowly got up and rubbed her head, though that did little to relieve the stabbing ache in her skull. She drank too much...again! As she moved to exit her bed, she had to immediately stabilize herself after nearly tripping on something. Looking down she found what appeared to be a small toy hammer, which she immediately smacked away. Properly jolted awake by the sudden shock she finally noticed that her entire bedroom was covered in cakes from birthday, to cheese, to shortcake, even cupcakes, all smashed on every inch of the room. While some ponies might have found this situation a little odd or in the case of a certain pink pony, either an amazing or horrifying sight, it only brought about annoyance from Celestia. Not even bothering to say a word, she immediately snapped her claw,spawning a broom and dustpan. Amazingly neither cleaning tool seemed to have the kind of level of sentience one would expect given recent events. No they really were just normal cleaning items, which Celestia was quick to put to use. In what likely felt like hours, Celestia went over every last inch of her room until it was completely spotless. A pretty top notch job considering no magic was involved. “There good as new! Now I just need to finish setting everything up in here and figure out what exactly happened last night,” Celestia muttered to herself as she set about properly organizing everything. The first step as it turns out was decorating the room. Rather than the more regal attire she’d been used to, Celestia opted for some colorful yellow and pink striped curtains, along with a giant carpet in the shape of a sun. While not exactly ugly it certainly contradicted her more professional attitude, and it seemed like that was the intended idea. Now that she was retired Celestia couldn’t care less about opinions or public image, she’d let those concerns rule her for the better part of a millenium. Now it was simply a matter of enjoying her freedom at long last. Though with that in mind she found herself pondering things for a moment. “Admittedly it might have been a bit of a rash decision to just suddenly drop on everypony. I imagine the nobles are probably still tripping over themselves on what to do and no doubt the rest of my former subjects are still unaware, though it’s only a matter of time till they learn the truth.” Despite the brief moment of bravado and elation, the sheer weight and impact of what her decision would bring was starting to weigh on Celestia’s mind. . Frustrated Celestia just threw her hooves in the air. “So, it seems as though I most likely probably destroyed any trust I had with the nobility, who are likely panicking with the rest of the populace soon to follow. But, it should be fine, Twilight and Luna can handle the formalities. I trust them. Besides, I'm the Princess of Chaos now? What’s the worst that could happen? Opting to take her mind off the topic she looked outside to see it was still dark with a moon shining down in the sky making her wonder what time it was? Looking across her room to a clock near where her phoenix Philomenia revealed it was currently twelve or rather midnight given the moon was still up. “Ugh!? How did I wake up so early?” Celestia asked out loud, a hint of her more childish and chaotic side coming back out. Now wide awake and obviously not going back to sleep any time soon, she flew down the stairs opting to check the state of the rest of her castle. In truth….it was a disaster. The once pristine and majestic castle like a hurricane had come through, a rather odd hurricane.Suits of armor replaced with ponyquins wearing the goofiest of clothing, portraits of cake, fields of sunflowers, and some embarrassing portraits of herself in her alicorn form and draqquenous form wearing bathing suits. The Princess of the Sun continued to fly through the kitchen, finding various pastries splattered across the room along with whiskey and wine bottles strewn across the place. Following on into the throne room, there was a banner overhead that read “pool room” and the mare was shocked at what she saw. There was a giant inflatable version of her alicorn form floating in the pool along with maid uniforms, tuxedos floating about with suits of armor sunk to the bottom of the pool. The room itself was full of more wine bottles, streamers and confetti. Near the end of the hall where all her staff who stayed behind for her crazy party were strewn about using various blankets and sheets covering themselves, some even using curtains. Honestly part of her wanted to snicker at the sight, but context and her current stress kept that from happening. As she contemplated what to do about the display before her, the sound of several hooves outside along with other strange sounds turned Celestia’s attention to the doors. Heading to the doors, Celestia finally went outside revealing the night sky and looked down to the ponies running around seeming to be freaking out about something. Some waved signs with “Celestia raise the Sun!” on them. The now retired princess gasped as she slammed a claw to her face as she remembered something somewhat crucial. Namely while both she and her sister could move celestial bodies...that power was limited to their RESPECTIVE celestial bodies. Ergo, Luna could only raise the moon and Celestia, normally, could only raise the sun. True Celestia was able to move both during the thousand years her sister was sealed, but that was only through a lot of trial and error...none of which Luna had been given. This effectively all meant it wasn’t actually midnight, notnoon. Taking off from her castle, Celestia flew into the sky and took out an oversized frying pan,flipping the moon over revealing the sun. The mare gave a sigh of relief, seeing she probably stopped more chaos before things got worse then looked down at the ponies below and squeaked out, “Sorry.” Celestia immediately flew back into the castle and her room, the weight of such a massive misstep bearing down on her...or at least that’s what should’ve been happening. Once she got over the initial embarrassment, Celestia noticed she wasn’t feeling the normal distress she would’ve felt under the same circumstances. No, instead she felt an urge...an urge to do it again, to cause more havoc and distress. Perhaps she may turn the sun into a giant egg again? Or maybe make it rain cake? Or turn the mountains into water balloons. So many possibilities for such much wonderful glorious cha……! As the word started to form in her mind Celestia immediately shook it away. In the entirety of her long life she’d never felt an urge to cause trouble for her citizens, no matter what happened over those many years. And yet, she could still feel a small sense of satisfaction at the sight of them, crying and pleading for her help. It was a distressing thought to have. Hoping to distract herself, Celestia headed off to the kitchen and with a snap of her claw dozens of dust pans, mops and feather dusters appeared. “Alright, time to go and clean while I make some breakfast for my staff!” Celestia exclaimed and with a clap of her paws the cleaning tools flew off to do their master’s bidding. Yet, even as she worked and cleaned, that nagging thought in the back of her mind remained. As if waiting patiently for a moment to break free. Bronze Helm groaned and found himself waking up completely ignorant to where he was and what had happened the previous night. Despite his better judgment telling him not to, he indulged in what alcohol he could amidst Celestia’s celebration. A decision that he was now very much regretting. As his eyes finally began to adjust to what light there was, he found his fellow guards and maids all sleeping soundly and seemingly unaware of the events of last night. Thankfully he wasn’t alone for long as Feather Duster rose up rubbing a hoof over her head, looking over the area and meeting his gaze. “So, what happened? Did we just party all night?” “I believe so,” Bronze Helm said, still processing what happened. “Though I can’t exactly explain why? Given the situation it seemed like a rather odd choice to indulge her so.” “I think I might at least be able to explain that,” Feather said, looking somewhat uncomfortable at what she was thinking. “I believe the Princess may have influenced us with her magic.” Bronze’s eyes widened considerably at this revelation, though that shock immediately turned to anger as it was clear he’d reached his breaking point. “THAT IS IT! THIS FARCE HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH!” He immediately slammed his hooves down in a rage, shaking the remaining staff awake, some already jolted up by his thunderous yell. Bronze sadly didn’t give them time to get over their own hangovers as it was clear he was out of patience. “All of you get up now. We are finding the Princess and putting an end to this nonsense once and for all.” Despite the forceful tone, many of the ponies present looked fully in agreement, Feather Duster especially. “Indeed, I should’ve said something about this days ago and I’m ashamed it’s come to this. But it’s time to put our hoof down.” All the other staff immediately nodded in agreement, though some clearly less enthusiastic about it, yet marched on in solidarity. The staff all stomped into the kitchen ready to confront the princess and finally end this insane game. However there frustration and anger was met byCelestia, tied with an apron around her waist and then went about making breakfast for her staff. Yes, the entire staff found themselves confronted by all kinds of breakfast foods, pancakes, eggs cooked in a variety of ways, french toast, coffee, donuts, ice cream floats, and a few cakes of course. The aurora of the food whiffed through the air seeming to make many of the angry and confused staff to be completely captivated by the food with their mouths drooling. Though Bronze Helm remained unaffected, his expression actually hardened by what he saw. Celestia turned herself over to see the staff and waved a paw, “Hello my fellow subjects. I hope you don’t mind but I thought I’d provide you with an apology breakfast after the scene I made last night. I hope you enjoy it.” Many of the previously determined staff members found their fire snuffed out, both by the food and the gesture itself. Even Feather seemed as though she was going to waiver, luckily for her, Bronze stepped forward and stood firm as always. “The gesture is appreciated Princess, and under normal circumstances all those here would relish such a thing, the fact remains this needs to stop.” Celestia’s previously cheery expression immediately dropped. “Stop? Stop what exactly Bronze Helm?” Her response only seemed to anger Bronze further, what little control he had slipping away. “This, ALL of this! Your majesty, this entire absurd affair needs to end now. I’ve looked the other way on this matter for far longer than I should, and I can no longer stand by and watch this continue.” Despite being more clear with his words, it was clear either Celestia wasn’t understanding him or just ignoring him. And thus, he knew he had no other option but to be as direct as possible. “You must concede this arrangement with Discord, relinquish your Chaos Magic and return to your Alicorn state.” All the remaining staff immediately started to show signs of panic as Celestia’s expression turned neutral, Bronze’s message finally getting through. Thus this brought them to the point of no return and left them all to deal with the fall out that came with it. The silence remained for several seconds, leaving nearly everypony on edge as Bronze waited for his ruler to respond. “Oh come now Bronze, there’s no need for that,” Celestia said, her prior cheer returning in full, as if the last few words hadn’t been spoken. “Now, why don’t all of you take a seat and I’ll get us some…” “ENOUGH!” The sound of countless plates and dishware shattering on the floor echoed through the halls, along with a loud crash. All eyes widened and jaws dropped at the sight before them. Bronze, having finally been brought to the limit of his patience, grabbed the table and in an impressive display of strength flipped it over, sending its contents flying and crashing all across the floor. Once again there was silence for a moment, the only sound being the heavy, angry breathing of Bronze now staring down the stunned princess. “Over this last week I’ve watched and tolerated all the ridiculous whims and desires you’ve asked of me, of all of your subjects. I’d hope that you eventually see reason and finally end these idiotic games, but since you are content to act like an irresponsible child, I will treat you as such.” Stunned Celestia seemed to try and say something, but Bronze beat her to the punch. “BE SILENT!” As if faced with an angry parent, Celestia’s words died as Bronze continued. “Time and again you have recklessly endangered countless ponies with your shameless pranks, all without any thought to the consequences it would bring. You’ve treated your subjects like your personal playthings, manipulating them both mentally and physically for no reason other than amusement and causing disaster after disaster in search of personal gratification. And this most recent stunt only proves my point further.” By now Celestia was looking more and more ashamed of her actions, her body seemingly starting to shrink under Bronze’s harsh gaze. “You have a responsibility to the citizens of Equestria. You swore an oath to help and protect them to the best of your abilities and yet when you were asked to perform those duties, you decided to run away and even now brush it aside. As if the ponies of Equestria don’t matter and you’re content to simply dump all the responsibility on your sister’s shoulders.” That last word earned a look of outrage from Celestia, whose eyes were now glowing red with fury, her body growing and becoming more monstrous, her mane literally turning to fire as she roared like a dragon. All the staff ponies immediately started to panic, some shouting, some running, yet even at this stage, Bronze remained rooted to the ground despite some sweat dripping from his brow. Further enraged, Celestia held out her claw in an all too familiar gesture, making it clear what she was planning to do. And yet...Bronze made no attempt to move, grovel or anything kind of show of surrender. He instead took another step forward, defiance in his eyes. “Very well, if that’s your answer than fine. Go ahead, use magic to run away from your responsibilities. At this point I’d rather face whatever you have planned than continue to see the Princess I once served so proudly fall any further.” The entire group waited with baited breath for whatever action Celestia took, terrified at what came next. Bronze himself stood still, eyes staring right at the still furious looking Celestia, unwavering as he accepted his fate. And then….. Nothing The massive flaming mane on Celestia’s head seemingly blew itself out like a candle, as her form shrunk down to it’s normal size. Her expression was a mixture of horrified and ashamed, looking at her hands as as the full weight of what she just attempted hit her. Tears quickly started to leak from her eyes, as her entire body began to quake and shiver. The staff remained quiet afraid of what to do next, with Feather the only pony making any attempt to move, taking a single step forward. “Princess...are you alright?” Celestia’s only answer was a single glance, before her entire body shattered into glass, shocking all those around. All eyes could only look in horror at what they’d just seen, which only grew further as the pieces seemingly turned into a glimmering pentachromatic dust that quickly flew out the doorway towards the pool room, leaving all those present stunned. Bronze Helm finally broke his composure and dropped on his flank, letting out several breaths he’d been holding during the entire standoff. Feather was quick to rush over to him, seeing sweat dripping heavily from every pore. “Are you alright Bronze?” Feather asked with great concern while the other staff ponies relaxed themselves from the tense situation. Bronze merely offered a weary glance. “I’ve certainly been better. I honestly think part of me was worried she’d act on that threat. But I couldn’t just sit around anymore. Action needed to be taken.” Feather merely nodded. “You’re not wrong, while I’ve never thought the Princess’s actions were truly malicious it’s clear the longer this goes on the more reckless she’ll become. We needed to act.” Both ponies turned their attention to the direction the colorful dust had fled to, Bronze standing himself back up. “Now we just need to make sure the message got through.” Feather nodded and followed him to the Pool Room, while the remaining staff stayed content to remain behind, all silently hoping things would finally resolve themselves. Bronze and Feather slowly entered the Pool Room, met only with the sound of the water’s shifting surface. The room itself was still in a fairly noticeable state of disarray with clothes in every direction, some actually still floating on the surface of the water itself. Most eye-catching though was a rather large inflatable in the shape of a castle not unlike the one in Canterlot. From the one entrance into the mini castle they could hear the sound of someone sobbing and knew what that meant. Feather opted to be the first to step forward, Bronze likely being on shaky ground with the Princess. “Princess Celestia, it’s Feather Duster, might I have a word with you.” The sobbing draquenious seemed to pause for a moment, though no sound followed. Feather thus decided to push a little bit harder this time. “Your majesty please, come out. We understand you’re upset, but you must understand we needed to do something. Your actions were becoming too outrageous for us to ignore and we had to consider the safety of the citizens. Please don’t misconstrue that as thinking we hate you.” Bronze finally decided to speak with the door having been opened for him. “Indeed your highness. Despite what I said, I have been honored to serve under you these many years and would like nothing more than to continue. But, please, this needs to end.” Another choked sob was their initial response, before Celestia’s snake-like head finally appeared out of the castle entrance, her eyes bloodshot and her expression reeking of shame. “I know…” she muttered out, the words clearly painful for her to say, yet her expression showed the sentiment was genuine. “When I started this whole thing I thought it would be a simple game, something maybe distract myself with, just for a short while, take a break from all the pressure and stress. I never imagined things would go this far.” Finally letting her body leave the castle completely, she remained content to simply sit on the air, making no attempt to use her magic in some exaggerated manner. “I was a fool to let things go on as long as they have. I’ve let this magic take me over and I’ve likely destroyed any credibility I have with any pony in Equestria. Even after I change back, it’d likely be better to make my retirement permanent and hand the reins to a truly competent pony.” “And low and behold, the great Celestia is finally humbled. I never thought I’d see the day.” An all too familiar voice echoed through the castle halls, before water from the pool started to rise and snake in a spiral, taking shape, eventually reforming into the familiar form of Discord, with a pocket watch in hand. “And just shy of the deadline too, so close and yet so far. Oh well, a win is a win after all.” With a toss the watch disappeared as he descended down towards Celestia. “Discord, come to gloat?” Princess Celestia grumbled angrily. “Oh absolutely,” Discord’s grin grew giant as he pulled out a megaphone. “Or atleast that was the plan, but after all that’s happened and that expression on your face, who am I to kick a dead….you get the idea.” Turning the megaphone into a large chair, the Spirit of Chaos continued to loom over Celestia all too happy in his victory. “Come now, there’s no need to look so glum, I didn’t force you to agree to this after all.” Celestia immediately fired back angrily. “You were the one who goaded me into this. You said I should relax and have fun for a change.” “Yes,” Discord said with heavy emphasis. ”But I never said to start acting like me. Simply have a little fun like what I do from time to time.” Further angered, Celestia finally rose up to meet Discord’s level. “Is the great Discord lecturing me on constraint? After all the havoc you caused in the past?” “Yes! Keyword there is in the past. I’m reformed in case you forgot!” Discord responded still smug as ever. “True I cause a little havoc here and there, but hardly on the same level as my glory days or the insanity you managed to pull off in the span of a week.” Celestia crossed her claws and growled angrily, “Oh really, you're “reformed” like how you were reformed when you decided to turn Ponyville into your chaotic playground, or when you turned Twilight and her friends against each other! That’s what you call restraint!” That remark actually managed to chip at Discord’s bravado, though only for a moment. “Yes, I’ll concede I was more than a bit over the line back then. However, that was before I decided to truly give the whole friendship and reformation thing a chance and If this were me a thousand years ago I would be up here partying with you while watching Equestria fall under a rain of chocolate milk. But I'm different now...and despite how I might act I never wanted to see you turn into me.” Recalling her earlier moment of chaotic desire, it was hard not to see his point, and he wasn’t wrong as she’d allowed her self restraint to erode. “I can’t believe I’m actually admitting to Discord of all creatures having more self restraint than me.” It was a bitter pill to swallow, and to concede Discord had been proven right, but she had no room to argue. “Yes, I suppose you’re correct Discord. I will concede you’ve won our little wager.” Her response was met with blasts of confetti and a large banner with the words DISCORD WAS RIGHT in bright red letters. Discord himself looking like he was the king of the world for that moment. This only grew at the flat looks from Celestia, Bronze and Feather. “Hey I don’t get to have moments like this very often, excuse me for enjoying myself.” With a snap the decorations disappeared as Discord started to loosen up his claws. “Now then, I suppose it’s time to return you to normal and return everything to the normal, boring status quo.” Both Bronze and Feather looked positively elated at the idea, only for Celestia to shake her head in the negative. “Yes, you can return me to my original state but I'm done serving as ruler. Even if we ignore the mess I’ve made this week I was planning to retire soon anyways, with Twilight becoming my next. This last week has shown me my time has long passed and it’s time to let another, more capable pony take over,” Celestia explained calmly, much to the shock of her subjects and Discord’s own disbelief. “That’s it? The mighty Celestia makes a bit of a mess of things and opts to throw in the towel instead of simply accepting her mistakes?” Discord immediately pulled a calendar out of thin air and scanned it with his eyes. “I’m sorry, is it the opposite day? Because right now I’m being the responsible one here and I don’t care much for it.” “Call it what you will Discord, but it’s my decision,” Celestia said firmly though there was hesitation in her stance. “And if it really bothers you so much, why don’t you try ruling if you’re that concerned.” “Are you kidding me? I would rather get my teeth pulled than rule Equestria!” He took the princess’s crown and placed it squarely on Celestia’s head as he continued, “Listen Celestia, you made mistakes, very humiliating mistakes that’ll likely haunt you for the next few centuries, but who hasn’t screwed up here and there, I know I have. You however, need to suck it up and move on. I don’t doubt little sparkle butt will become a decent ruler in the future, but she still has quite a bit of growing to do. Until then, just use this as a learning experience.” “He’s right your highness, please we still need you,” Feather pleaded heavily with Bronze following suit. “You are a great ruler and these mishaps, while embarrassing, aren’t enough for us to forsake you.” Getting support from her own subjects was expected, but greatly heartwarming, especially given what she’d put the both of them through. But Discord also supportive, in his own way, without any twist or surprise. Maybe it was the opposite day, and that thought finally brought a smile back to Celestia’s face. “Perhaps you’re right. I’ve already made plenty of mistakes in my long life, I shouldn’t let these blunders deter me.” Feeling her confidence restored somewhat, the princess offered Discord a genuine smile. “Thank you Discord, perhaps losing this little contest wasn’t so bad after all.” Discord didn’t respond with much at first, taking in everything without his usual bluster. “Fine, fine, we’re all happy and everything. Now that, let’s get things back in...ugh, order, shall we?” Discord immediately flew outside and began rubbing his claws together, building up numerous magic sparks before extending his hands out. Tendrils of red and pink extended outward and wrapped themselves before slowly lowering it to the ground, fitting it into the earth like a giant puzzle piece. After the deed was finished Celestia was rather astonished that the task didn’t take that long, and the castle looked as if it never left. She stood there hovering in the air as she scratched her head,“Well that was easier than I expected?” Discord shrugged and responded rather nonchalantly, “It’s Chaos Magic and it is my forte after all. Now then, onto the other matter at hand.” Celestia was confused for a moment before looking at her claws and realized what he meant. “Ah, yes that. While I’ll admit having this kind of power was enjoyable, it’s so tempting to just let loose.” She looked at Discord with a new found respect, now understanding just how much restraint he’d been showing in recent months. “How do you do it? Discord snapped his finger and sent a cloud of pink smoke out that quickly surrounded Celestia. “Well, years and years of practice certainly helps. But I suppose I learned that having friends was more important to me than simply having fun all the time.” As he finished speaking, the smoke finally cleared revealing Celestia in her alicorn form once more. Celestially immediately nearly crashed into the ground below, only avoiding it by opening her wings up and flapping in place. “It’s been awhile since I actually used my wings to fly. That’ll take some getting used to.” Discord eyed her carefully with a smirk, while Celestia looked at him with less amusement. “What, disappointed I’m not a draconequus anymore?” Discord’s smirk only grew somewhat. “Not really, truth be told I think this look suits you much more.” That response caused Celestia’s cheeks to burn red, not expecting such a compliment. “Is that so?” Discord’s smirk turned positively giddy as he spoke his next words. “Sure, how else can I tell you’ve been munching on cake unless you can’t use magic to get rid of the extra weight?” Celestia’s face immediately turned red, this time from anger instead of embarrassment. Her horn started to glow furiously as the spirit of chaos mocked her, only to find her horn now covered in bubble wrap. “As much as I’d love to engage in another little sparring session, I do believe you still have some other issues to resolve in Canterlot?” Celestia’s anger quickly burned out as she realized he was right. There was still much to do back in Canterlot and many things she had to set right. “Yes, something for another time. Right now, there are quite a few ponies I owe an extended apology to.” Thankfully Discord freed her horn as Celestia extended her wings out and took off towards Canterlot, leaving the Spirit of Chaos to simply watch her fly onwards, his smirk shifting to a smile.” “Now that’s quite a sight to behold.” Chapter Twelve The Night of the Seventh day: A Date with the Lord of ChaosSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Prolouge: Day 0: A Deal with a Chaos LordIt was a peaceful evening at Canterlot Castle, as both Discord and Celestia sat together in the palace garden. The two former enemies having a surprisingly pleasant evening tea with the stars shining down and the moon out. The evening itself was also rather quiet, as outside of a few royal guards and a single gardener going about their duties, the two immortals were otherwise alone. Though despite the somewhat calming atmosphere, if one were to look at the duo, they could pick up the faintest hint of tension between them, mainly from rainbow maned, alicorn ruler, quietly sipping her tea whilst the Lord of Chaos sat across from her. “I must confess, I was surprised you were so willing to agree to this meeting Discord.” She took another sip of her tea before looking at her guest with a critical eye. “Unless your reformation is simply a ruse and I’ll wake up tomorrow in a clown costume.” The draconequus simply crossed his arms with a smirk. “Well, seeing you in a clown costume would be something to behold.” A large thought bubble appear just above his head, depicting Celestia in especially colorful attire, only to quickly pop just as soon as it fully formed. “But I would rather not turn back into stone, and I would hate to disappoint Fluttershy after she was willing to give me a chance.” Princess Celestia continued to sip her tea, still looking at the draconequus with suspicion. “Yes, well. I’m glad you decided to come around, even if it did take a little more convincing than I’d originally predicted.” Discord eyed her curiously. “You know, that’s something I’ve been wondering for a while now. Why the interest in reforming me?” The chaotic creature quickly pulled a book seemingly out of nowhere and started flipping through it. “I mean in our entire sordid history we’ve never had what you’d call a pleasant relationship.” He flipped the book forward to reveal the moment Celestia and Luna imprisoned him. The Princess looked down at the cup of tea in her hooves. “Yes, that is true, I won’t deny it. However, despite our antagonistic past, I’ve always felt there was at least some good inside of you.” Discord however, didn’t look convinced, if anything he looked more offended than anything else. “Oh, don’t start with that old cliche. If you truly believed that you wouldn’t have left me in stone for over a thousand years.” The image in his book began to repeat the moment of his transformation to stone, before it crumbled away in his hands. Celestia looked up with an angry expression printed on her face. “Hm, well I find it funny that you act as though you’re completely blameless! Do I need to remind you what you did to those poor ponies a thousand years ago! Compared to to the likes of Sombra or Tirek, being turned to stone would be seen as getting off easy.” Discord burst into a fit of laughter, his body almost literally falling to pieces as he bellowed. “What about you! You used to be so much more fun before you decided to become such an uptight princess! I mean honestly, when was the last time you had fun in the last thousand years...you know, besides banishing friends and family.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed with anger as as she struggled to maintain her composure. “Careful Discord, you’re treading on dangerous ground right now.” Discord however, didn’t look intimidated and instead stretched his neck until he was right in the Princess’s face. “I’m supposed to believe you saved me? That little experiment of yours was just another test to see if your faithful student and her gaggle of friends could reform me. And it was one that almost failed. The only reason Equestria hasn’t been returned to it’s frankly more appealing chaotic state is because…” He stopped mid-sentence as Celestia looked up with a knowing smirk and asked, “Because of what? Because of Fluttershy? I had to admit, I suspected she’d be the one to get you to come around, but I was still surprised you cared so much about her.” Discord turned away with a growl as he grumbled, “Don’t be ridiculous. She just reminds me of how you were before you became a princess. And quite honestly, I prefer her to the pony you’ve become.” That got a surprised reaction from Celestia, whose facade continued to crack, replaced with slowly growing anger, her voice containing an almost razor’s edge to it. “And what’s wrong with the pony I am now? I don’t regret the choices I made and I have no regrets!” Discord crossed his claws with an unconvinced smirk on his face. “Oh, really? Funny, I seem to recall whenever we pulled a prank on old Starswirl you were always the one who would try to weasel out halfway through. Truly, behavior befitting of one of royal stature don’t you think?” Celestia’s cheeks flushed with red as she sipped her tea and whispered, “That was a long time ago.” Discord quietly listened as he made the tea flow out of the pot like a small river, before landing it in his cup. “Maybe for you, for me it feels like only twenty years ago.” His face grew a harsh sneer as he started to suck up the steam from the tea, rather than the tea itself. “Of course, considering my extended imprisonment, it pretty much was only twenty years for me.” Celestia finished her tea and gently placed her cup down on the table. “Well, in any case, I’ve grown, and I can’t just go off and do whatever I want anymore.” Discord crossed his arms and scoffed, “Well, if that’s the case tell me. If you could, would you give up being a princess and enjoy having a little chaos? Even if it was only for one day?” Celestia looked up with an angry glare and snapped, “What do you mean? You think I have to give up my position just to have fun?” Discord smirked and sat back as he sipping the color from his cup of tea. “I honestly doubt it. I bet a thousand years living as a boring princess, going to fancy parties and boring meetings, you’ve never had time for yourself.” Celestia paused with a flustered look on her face unsure of what to say or think. ”So what...is this some sort of test? A reverse of what I did to you?” Discord finished his tea and zapped it with magic as he explained. “Normally, I hate being so transparent, but yes, this is a test. And it’s one I bet you're going to fail miserably. You see, I know that despite your stuck up attitude, deep down you want to go back to how things were when we were kids.” Celestia squeaked as Discord teleported behind her and whispered, “Don’t you remember when we replaced Starswirl’s quills with exploding ink pens, or when we had Luna wake up and think the moon disappeared. Wasn’t that just so much fun?” The alicorn princess gave a deep, almost tired sigh as she looked up into the sky, for a moment almost looking as old as she actually was. “We did have a lot of fun, no worries, no stress…” Discord floated back into his chair and asked, “So how about it? Want to go back to those long, lazy days.” The princess stared down the chaos god, as she contemplated what to do. “Well, I suppose after my test this would only be fair. Though what exactly did you have in mind? Are you going to take away my cutie mark, or perhaps turn me into a clown?” Discord poured himself another cup of tea, letting the beverage flow from the spout of the teapot as he snickered. “Oh, as entertaining as either of those options are, and they are quite amusing.” He quickly snapped his fingers, causing a book with the title ‘Future Chaos,’ to appear and open, with a floating pen quickly scribbling her suggestions down before vanishing again. “However, in this case, I think it would be more interesting if I transformed you into draconequus.” Celestia, caught by surprise, quickly started coughing and spitting her tea all across the table at Discord’s suggestion. “Transform me? Into a draconequus? Is that even possible?” Discord gave a nod as he raised a claw, now with seven fingers. “I assure you it’s quite simple. How about for a week? Sound good to you?” The princess shook her head, quickly dismissing the idea.“I cannot. Ignoring the issue of who would maintain Equestria in my absence, the notion of you wishing to turn me into a draconequus seems more than a little suspicious.” .” Discord couldn’t help but smile as he gently sipped his tea. “I don’t see what you’re getting so defensive about. I’m serious when I say there’s no catch. I’ll turn you into a draconequus, and you can do whatever you want. No strings of any kind.” Celestia crossed her hooves and gave him a stern glare making Discord sweat a little as he threw his claws in the air and proclaimed, “Alright, you got me! There’s a catch!” The princess smirked triumphantly and responded curtly, “I knew it.” Discord grumbled lightly into his tea cup. “Try not to fall over with that swelled head of yours.” His tea finished, he snapped his claw and teleported over to Celestia. “It’s just a small matter my dear Celestia. Put simply, I want to make a bet.” Celestia eyed the draconequus as she asked in a suspicious tone, “What kind of bet?” Discord slowly strolled came over and explained, “Well, I’ll leave you as a draconequus for a week. During that time, you’re welcome to use Chaos Magic as you wish, with the condition that no matter how tempted you might be, you’re not allowed to lose control of your magic. No matter what happens?” Celestia continued to eye him curiously, though a look of confidence was quick to emerge on her face. “So, all I have to do is become a draconequus and not abuse Chaos magic like you’ve done in the past?” Hmph, seems simple enough.” Discord crossed his claws and scoffed, “Oh please, with all that power I doubt it. I’d be impressed if you lasted a single day.” Celestia, now intrigued thought to herself for a moment, before her smirk returned. “Very well. Then, if I win, you’ll agree to transform yourself into whatever I want for a week.” Discord played with the small beard that came down his chin as he debated on his answer. “Fine, I’ll accept your terms.” The princess then held out her hoof and chirped, “Then it’s a deal.” Discord gave the hoof a shake as he replied, “Wonderful. Let’s get started shall we?” Celestia and Discord both strolled through the garden to a secluded spot, away from prying eyes. The draconequus couldn’t help admire the alicorn stroll through the garden,her mane glimmering in the starlight. Though he was quick to banish such thoughts from his mind as they moved further inward. Eventually, they found themselves deep in the luxurious castle garden, with the trees towering over, and noises of various animals THAT could be heard in the distance. A location as secluded as one could get on the palace grounds. Celestia turned to Discord, a taking a breath to calm herself as she brought back her smirk. “So, shall we do it here?” The draconequus couldn’t help but snicker. “Well, we’re turning you into a draconequus, so I guess this will do.” He then went over to her hooves. “Now then. First these need to go.” He snapped his claw, and Celestia's hooves slowly turned into paws, though unlike Discord’s lion paw, hers had white fur with black stripes, not unlike a tigers. Celestia was stunned at the change, momentarily flexing her new appendages, only to quickly groan as she felt her body start to elongate, her bones snapping while her muscles popped in each direction. The mare looked down to see that her fur near the bottom half of her body was falling off in clumps, showing a new, soft, tender, tan colored fur that came down over the bottom half of her body, while the top half fluffed up like a griffin’s bosom. Celestia then noticed that on one of her bottom hooves grew out a bit and had an elegant stream of fur coming from below while the other had a light green, ethereal magic flowing around it. She quickly let out another groan as she felt her wings shift in her back, with the bones snapping as they grew outward, whilst her mane slowly turned into a long piece of hair flowing from her head. The sounds of bodily modification continued for several more seconds, before it finally ceased, allowing Celestia could to breath in relief that her ordeal was over. “Was all of that really necessary? Couldn’t you just change me instantly like you do everything else?” Discord merely offered her a half hearted shrug. “Eh, maybe, but you never specified that I had to. Probably should be more clear next…..” His words immediately died in his throat as Celestia finally uncurled herself and stood up straight, the moonlight allowing Discord to get a proper look at her. And needless to say, the sight left, the normally fast talking Spirit of Chaos, speechless. Shaking out some stiffness in her new joints, Celestia finally made eye contact with the draconequus, and found herself puzzled by his lack of a remark. “So, is that all?” Discord gulped as he crossed his hind legs and stammered, ”Ye...yes that’s all...I think we’re done here.” Celestia, now taking a good look at herself, giggled as she twirled about in her new body and squealed, “My, this is certainly a new feeling.” Taking a moment to examine her new features, including her hands and wing, she felt a great sense of giddy excitement. “Oh, this does feel quite wonderful, I can see why you like it so much. I practically feel like a new mare.” Discord, finally shaking away his stupor, held out a claw to calm her down. “Yes, well, I’m glad you can appreciate the wonders of being like me, but you might want to get used to your new body before you do anything drastic.” Celestia however, seemed to ignore him as she flew towards the fountain in the middle of the garden, and she held out a paw. Discord quickly came over and whispered, “Be careful, Chaos Magic is unstable, and it might not always do what you want.” Finally coming down from her excitement high, the princess gulped, uncertain as to what to do. Regardless however, she slowly held her paw out and snapped her fingers, causing a flash of magic to hit the fountain, forcing her to close her eyes. When she reopened her eyes she gasped at the sight before her. Where once there was a large fountain of elegantly carved marble, now stood a giant, pink frosted, three-layered cake. The bulk of the cake itself was painted with white icing around the edges and on the top was a statue of an alicorn wearing a tutu, with a thick, bubbly, liquid pouring out of her mouth and around the edges of the cake. Celestia strolled over, with Discord handing her a small cup he’d created and filled it with some of the liquid, before quickly draining the cup. She smacked her lips and squealed “Oh my goodness! It’s a strawberry milkshake!” Discord burst into fits of laughter. “Hm, not bad for your first try. A little spit and polish, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.” Celestia turned around and smirked, quickly refilling her cup. “Well, wait to pay up in a week because I think I'm going to have some fun!” She then snapped her paws and teleported away in a puff of pink smoke. Discord looked upon it with a wide-eyed expression and brushed back his hair. He could only stare at where Celestia was and whisper to himself. “I think I might’ve made a mistake.” Author's Note I can't believe that my story was Featured. Thank you so much! Chapter One: Day One: How To Use Chaos Magic?Celestia found herself waking the next morning and yawned as she stretched her new arms in the air. The mare groaned as she looked to see the moon lowering outside her window. Muttering out another annoyed grunt, she slowly rolled around in her bed knowing that she was going to have to raise the sun soon. However, her annoyance quickly turned to mirth as she noticed two things. The first being her transformed state, something she’d forgotten in her tired stupor, and two, she noticed how truly odd her limbs felt as she pushed them through her sheets. However, despite the odd sensation, she actually found the appendages rather appealing. “I must admit, I was a little apprehensive of this little affair and going from hooves to arms is certainly an adjustment. However, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to get used to.” Giving her new digits a few quick stretches, she wrapped her new hands around her bedsheets and removed them, taking a moment to marvel at the ease the task was accomplished. “Well, if I can say anything about this change it’s moving things with your hands is far easier than with your mouth. I can only imagine how relieving this would feel for an earth pony.” True, Celestia as an alicorn typically would levitate whatever object or item she needed, but she was no stranger to the somewhat awkward task of having to hold or move something with her mouth on occasion. Yes, ponies had been doing that for centuries, but that didn’t make it any easier. Quietly shaking off her new appreciation for hands, the transformed mare, now out of bed, took a moment to scan her darkened room, finding her to be the only one present, allowing her a momentary sigh of relief. A quick glance at a nearby wall mirror serving to remind her again of how differently she looked. “And now comes the matter of informing everypony about my current state. Hopefully they won’t react too hysterically to this.” Her monologue was interrupted the lights in the room came on, and the princess spotted a pink coated, pegasus maid coming walking into the room, a small pile of sheets obscuring her view and explaining why she wasn’t immediately freaking out at the Princess’s new form. “Forgive me for waking you Princess Celestia, but I felt it was time to change the sheets on your bed.” A slightly mischievous smirk appeared on the Princess’s face as she plotted her next course of action. She was stuck like this anyway, so might as well enjoy it. “Oh, it’s no problem. I was already awake anyway and I wouldn’t mind some fresh sheets. Do you need any help by chance?” Though her face was obscured by the rather large pile of linens, the Princess could still make out shake of refusal from mare, who struggled to keep the pile steady as she shook. “Oh, please don’t trouble yourself your highness. I have everything under con…..AH.” Her words were cut short as she took a step forward and her hoof getting caught on a nearby rug, sending her body falling forward and the sheets flying. She braced to hit the ground, only to hear a loud snap ring throughout the room, and her descent halted. The maid slowly opened her eyes, and finding her jaw slowly drop. Looking down she could clearly see the floor, roughly a foot or so away from her face, yet despite not feeling her hooves on the ground, she wasn’t falling. Looking around she found to her shock, she was seemingly frozen in place, not levitating, but outright frozen. More eye catching however, were the sheets she’d been carrying. The once neatly folded cloth was now open and spread in every direction, not unlike a pair of wings, yet they weren’t fluttering in the open air, they, like her, were frozen in the air. Now utterly confused and more than a little freaked out the maid struggled to let out a word, only to be silenced by the sound of mirthful chuckling echoing throughout the room. “Oh, ahahaha, I do apologize for that. I just couldn’t help myself. Are you alright?” Hearing the Princess’s voice managed to snap her out of her stupor. “Oh, Princess Celestia, I’m fine, but what exactly is….going…..on?” Her words immediately died as she turned to speak to Celestia, and finally getting a proper look at the monarch’s new body. The maid, now completely stunned at the sight of the rather majestic draconequus could only return to stammering as she tried to speak, “Prin...cess C..C...Celestia? What in Equestria happened to you?” Celestia, still smiling at her surprise, tried to regain some of her usual composure to avoid further terrifying the poor mare. “I know this is shocking and I promise you there is a reason for why I’m like this. However, perhaps we should discuss this while only ground level hmm?” With a snap from her paw, the maid found herself gently falling back to the ground, her hooves landing with barely a sound. Another snap sounded and the sheets, which had also regained its momentum, appeared once again in a folded pile next to the maid, as if they hadn’t even been dropped. Celestia’s grin grew brighter as she admired her little display, though she quickly recentered her focus on the matter at hand. “Now than, regarding my current state.” The maid, now able to process what was going on, immediately went into a panic. “Princess! This is serious! We need to inform your sister, or Twilight immediately!” The Princess however, still maintaining her somewhat aloof demeanor, causally floated onto her bed as the maid was now on the cusp of hyperventilating. “Now, now, there’s no need to be concerned. Honestly, you’re starting to sound like my mother?” Without realizing it, Celestia unconsciously snapped her claw, causing tendrils of magic to wrap around the maid. With a bright flash of light the mare started shifting in appearance. Her mane began to flow outward, her horn growing through her forehead while both her body and wings increased in size. The simple pegasus maid was now transformed into a tall, graceful alicorn with a white apron strapped around her midriff as she came over and spoke in a reassuring tone. “Yes, I am your mother. Now tell me what’s happened?” Celestia blinked in surprise, her jaw momentarily opening before blushing in slight embarrassment at her mistake. “Okay, guess I need to be a little more careful with what I say until I get a better grasp on this.” For a moment she debated whether to simply undo the spell she’d just cast, but her mischievous side opted instead to have a little fun with this unique scenario. That was the point of this after all. So, taking a moment to contemplate her response, before finally responding to her mother’s question...in a tone not unlike a young teenage mare. “Oh it was nothing, I just had a wonderful time last night with Discord!” The transformed alicorn chuckled as she lit her horn and began to fix Celestia’s bed. “Oh, that’s lovely to hear dear. I’m guessing he’s the one to thank for your new look?” Celestia rolled her eyes at the mare’s tone, almost sounding like she was being interrogated over a boyfriend she’d just gotten. “Well, I did technically have a bit of a hand in this. I guess you could call it a friendly wager between old acquaintances.” The maid merely continued with her work, fluffing the princess’s pillow while humming a little tune. “Well, as long as it doesn’t keep you from your responsibilities as princess, then it shouldn’t be a problem.” The draconequus quietly brushed off the comment and levitated over to a nearby mirror, getting a more detailed look at herself and realized something. True her new appearance was...eye catching, but it lacked the regality and elegance of her alicorn form. “Hmm, perhaps I should put on something formal before I reveal myself to everypony. Help ease the public into it, if only a little bit.” Drifting off to her closet, again enjoying the benefits of hands, she opened it up and examined her wardrobe, only to immediately remember something vital. None of her current attire would fit seeing they were all designed specifically for alicorns. Feeling a sense of annoyance start to form, she tried to calm herself with a quick breathing exercise. “Okay, so not everything about this is going to as smooth as I’d hoped.” Her eyes shifted from her wardrobe to her paws before a smirk returned to her face. “Well, looks like I’m going to have to change out my wardrobe for the week. Shouldn’t be too difficult.” However, a quick glance at her still transformed maid reminded her of how easily her new powers could work against her. So, taking another breath to focus herself, she held her hand towards the dresses. “Just concentrate Celestia, think of nice gowns that’ll fit me.” The princess gulped, shutting her eyes tight as she snapped her claw. Another snap rang out in the room, though this was followed by an odd, poofing sound. “Oh, that didn’t sound comforting.” Slowly opening her eyes, she almost immediately regretted her decision, finding her rows of once elegant gowns and dresses, designed by some of the finest seamstresses in Equestria….had been turned into a collection of what could only be described as blindly colorful, frilly monstrosities designed by a group of school fillies. Celestia could only pick up her jaw and groan at her latest blunder. “Ugh! How in Equestria does Discord control this and make it look so easy!? I feel like newborn filly just starting her first magic lesson.” Letting out another annoyed groan, the Princess quietly floated in the air, tempted to try and make a chair, though restrained herself out of fear of what would happen. As she continued to sulk in the air, she failed to notice the motherly alicorn slowly walking up behind her. “Oh, stop that now, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. This is just something you need a little time to get used to that’s all. After all, if an oaf like Discord can handle this, you should have no trouble whatsoever.” The Princess’s face softened as a smile returned to her face, enjoying having a supportive shoulder to lean on...even if the circumstances were a little odd when taking context into account. Still, didn’t mean she wouldn’t play along for a little while long. “I appreciate the confidence, but I'm still not especially confident. I’ve only had this magic for a few hours and so far things have been….” Her glance focused on the motherly mare still trying to comfort her. “Unpredictable.” The alicorn mother merely scoffed at Celestia’s reply, using her own magic to bring the Princess back to ground level. “Well, one thing you might want to consider is not relying on it so much. Try to use it in small ways until you get a better handle on it, and with a little practice you’ll have it down pat.” Taking a moment to shift her attention to Celestia’s attempt at fixing her wardrobe, her demeanor became slightly more strained. “As for that little debacle, let’s forget about magic of any kind for now. I’ll contact a tailor to try and salvage what we can so you have some proper attire for the week. However, for now we need to get you prepared to raise the sun.” Celestia couldn’t help but feel a little bit of childish glee at being patronized, having grown so accustomed to everypony speaking to her with reverence, it was quite a refreshing change. “Very well, thank you mother.” Almost immediately she slapped her paw over her mouth, her entire body turning red in embarrassment. “I am so sorry about that, it just slipped out….” The new alicorn, herself equally colored red with embarrassment merely gestured the princess to not speak, trying to process what was said. “It’s fine, after all, this is what you wanted to happen when you used your magic earlier.” “Right….probably should do something about that shouldn’t?” Celestia prepared to snap her fingers again, only for the alicorn to quickly grab the paw and push it down, a strained smile barely holding her face together. ”While the gesture is appreciated, let’s wait until you’ve got a better hold on your magic shall we dear? After all, we don’t know what exactly will happen.” The pair shared another glance at Celestia’s wardrobe before the Princess nodded. “Yes, that probably would be the wisest course of action.” The two stood roughly in silence for a moment as they contemplated what to do next. “Well, I suppose we should just treat this as normal I suppose. Though, what should I call you...other than...you know.” An embarrassed blush came over Celestia’s face as she was reminded again of her little slip of the tongue, only for the alicorn to chuckle in response. “Please, don’t worry about that. Honestly, I don’t mind you calling me that if it makes you comfortable. Though if you prefer you can call me that in private. As for while we’re in public, just call me Feather Duster. That is technically my actual name” Celestia debated the compromise for a moment before offering a slightly hesitant nod. “I suppose that should be alright. After all, it’s only for a week anyway, so we should be fine.” The alicorn giggled as she brushed Celestia’s mane. “Though, if I’m going to be your mother Celestia, than technically that makes me Luna’s mother as well. I don’t suppose we could let her in on the joke as well could well?” After working out the details of the new arrangements Celestia opted to freshen herself up and had just finished exiting the bathroom, only to turn and see Princess Luna, who wasn’t in the best of moods. Beyond the angry scowl on her face, there were some noticeable bags under her eyes, which were also partially red and bloodshot. Add on the shaking and she looked to be somewhere between exploding in anger and passing out. Though for now she seemed to go with the former. “Oh, good morning dear sister. How are you this lovely morning? I’m fine by the way, I just finished lowering the moon an hour ago and have been patiently waiting for you to raise the sun.” Luna, likely due to her half crazed/half awake state had yet to even acknowledge her sister’s new appearance and merely continued on with her rant while her sister listened on. “Oh, and I forgot to mention, several ponies have been oh so kind as to voice some of their concerns with me regarding the sun. It does feel so wonderful to converse with my subjects, I mean normally I’d be sleeping at this time, but really who needs eight hours of sleep anyway?” By this point Celestia could barely keep herself from laughing out loud at Luna’s rather poorly concealed jabs at her, with her eye twitching rapidly all the while. Were she not restraining herself from using Chaos Magic, she could think of all manner of ways to make this situation more amusing. However the fun came to an end when Luna, having finally taken a breath after her little tirade, finally got a long, good look at her sister. “Ce...Celestia? Is that you?” The Princess of the Moon asked, before quickly holding her head and trying to stay on all four hooves. ”I know I was somewhat jesting with my earlier remark, but perhaps I am in need of more sleep than I realized.” Celestia quickly swallowed a laugh that threatened to burst from her mouth as she placed her paw on her sister’s shoulder. “While I agree you do tend to overwork yourself dear sister, I do assure you, this isn’t a dream or a hallucination. I have become a draconequus.” Luna took a moment to rub her eyes clear, just to make certain she wasn’t hallucinating before doing her best to massage away her growing headache. “May I be correct in assuming Discord had a hand in this?” “Yep.” Letting out another sigh, the Princess of the Moon finally sat herself down, too exhausted to yell, scream or freak out. “All right, then dear sister, may I ask why Discord has done this? And explain to me why I shouldn’t immediately be concerned.” “Oh, it’s rather simple. We made a bet is all.” Celestia said, matter of factly, like it was no big deal. Luna however, didn’t seem satisfied, her still bloodshot eyes twitching as she remained seated. “A bet?” Her sister continued to smile, still floating in the air, and now doing a casual backstroke as if she were in a pool. “Mhm. All I have to do is stay like this for a week and not lose control of my magic. Simple enough.” Luna, taking a single glance at the alicorn mare in the room with them, and currently fluffing Celestia’s mane while still airborne, didn’t look convinced. “Really, and I’m assuming she’s an example of you keeping yourself in check?” The alicorn immediately turned her attention towards Luna and was quick to scold her. “Excuse me young lady that was rather rude.” Luna’s jaw immediately dropped, stunned at being talked down to, though she quickly recovered and immediately snapped back. “I beg your pardon! I don’t know what insanity my sister has caused, but I will not be talked to like a child, especially not by some mare who isn’t even my mother!” Feather Duster glared harshly at Luna, making the princess step back, fearing some kind of corporal punishment. Celestia, finally deciding to return to the ground, and formed a barrier between the two with one of her hands, now the size of a small wall. ”Alright, that’s enough from both of you. Luna I know you’re tired and this situation is a lot to take in, but you are still a princess of Equestria and should behave accordingly. As for you... mother, still weird getting used to that, you don’t need to get angry at Wuwu. She’s just cranky is all.” At hearing the nickname, Luna face erupted into a blush, before stomping her hooves not unlike a child and practically whined like one to. “Don’t call me that! You promised you’d never call me that again when we were still children.” “Indeed I did. So just behave and I won’t have to.” Floating over to her still pouting sister, she offered her a few simple pats on the head, which only served to make the princess pout harder. “Now then, you listen to Mother and be a good filly. Now if you’ll excuse me,” she then looked up at the night sky and sighed at her good mood being shattered. “I have a sun to raise.” Luna however, still wasn’t amused, eye twitching and hooves stomping harder into the floor, looking about ready to leave hoof marks in the polished wood. “Stop treating me like a baby.” Celestia simply ignored her and headed towards the balcony, picking up her phoenix, Philomena before flying out the window. This left Luna in the care of Feather Duster, who’d quickly taken her by the hoof and started leading her towards the door. “Well, now that all the excitement has been handled let’s get you something to eat and finally put you to bed. A good day’s sleep is important for a healthy mare and will brighten your spirits in no time” Luna grumbled a little, but for some reason, the princess begrudgingly followed the strange alicorn. With all that happened, she was too exhausted and drained to care anymore, content to just play things by ear for now. “Hopefully once I’m rested I can better deal with this situation. Besides, it’s only one day and Celestia is a responsible mare. How much trouble can she possibly cause in a single day?” While Luna was being babied by her new “mother” Celestia was slowly coming down from the sky and landed before a crowd of ponies all eagerly waiting for her arrival, her pet phoenix by her side. As to be expected, when they saw, not the regal form of their princess but some strange, patchwork creature with Celestia’s head attached to it, there was a share of gasps of surprise and shock….along with a few ponies screaming hysterically and one outright fainting. Celestia looked among her astonished subjects, quickly adopting her more serious royal tone and raised her claw, which thankfully managed to calm them somewhat. “Citizens of Canterlot, I know that this may be strange to all of you. However, rest assured that your eyes do not deceive you, I am Princess Celestia and I am currently a draconequus. Do not be alarmed as this is merely a temporary arrangement I have made with Discord, and I shall return to normal by the end of this week. As such, I would like for things to proceed as they normally would. I’ll still hold court, go about my other engagements, the meeting over the tax deal will be completed still. As will the party at the end of the week which I'll be hosting at the palace. If there are any questions or concerns, I’ll take them one at a time in my throne room.” The mare smirked as she raised her surprised pet phoenix in the air. “For now it is time to raise the sun!” She then took Philomena and raised her in the air, before lifting her claw up and snapping, releasing tendrils of magic that wrapped around the phoenix, who looked more than a little concerned with the strange action. She had but a moment to squawk before blinding flash of light replaced the fiery bird, with...an equally fiery rooster. Everypony looked on in stunned silence at the odd display, though Philomena looked the most stunned, her head twisting and checking every part of her new body. A foul glare quickly appeared in her eyes, directed at Celestia, who only chuckled at her pet’s anger. “Oh please, this is hardly any worse than the way you teased poor Fluttershy back in Ponyville. And it’s only for a little bit. So, stop being all huffy.” The former phoenix remained unamused, but swallowed her pride and turned to the sky. A look of shame appeared on her face, before she reared her head back and let loose a loud.. “Cock a Doodle Do!” As the call echoed across the land, the sun slowly began to rise making everypony around look up with astonishment and confusion at the most bizzare sunrise anypony had likely witnessed in a thousand years...save for when Discord ruled that is. Of course, while the ponies were still distracted by the strange celestial rising, they didn’t notice Celestia practically giggling herself silly, hugging her rooster close to her chest before flying off back to the palace and squealing with laughter. “Haha, that was amazing ! Did you see the look on those stuck up nobles faces!” The former phoenix however, didn’t laugh instead pointing her wing at her face, a deep frown etched into her beak like a piece of marble. “Oh come on, it’s not that bad. I personally think you look lovely Philomena.” The rooster/phoenix immediately started furiously squawking in protest, flapping her wings, trying desperately to fly into her owner’s face with little success. Undaunted, Celestia finally ceased her mirth and offered a pat to her pet’s head. “Yes, yes, alright I’ll change you back. Though, I honestly do think you look quite dashing as you are now.” With a snap of her claw, the rooster immediately burst into a large fireball, before spreading her wings out, dispelling the flames, revealing the again proud and powerful phoenix she was originally. Restored she offered an annoyed squawk to the draconequus ruler, who quietly brushed it off. “Oh, calm down. It was a simple, harmless prank. Stop making such a big deal of it.” The phoenix, again didn’t look convinced, which only served to annoy the Princess further. “Well, fine, be that way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the gardens for breakfast. And I’m rather excited to see what Mother has prepared.” Philomena now perplexed at the mention of a ‘mother’ sadly couldn’t get another sound in as Celestia teleported with a quick snap, leaving the phoenix alone to mull over the trouble her owner was likely to get into. Celestia immediately appeared in the kitchen with a flash, and took a moment to look herself over. “Well, even if I still have trouble with some of the more complex way to use Chaos magic, nice to know teleportation is still relatively simple...now then.” Her expression turned to childish excitement as she turned her attention to the plate that the motherly alicorn made for her. It contained all manner of fruits, including strawberries, oranges and grapefruit along with some scrambled eggs and a simple mug of coffee on the plate. Celestia’s previous look of excitement immediately deflated like a beach ball, practically moaning in disappointment. “Ugh, what an utterly boring, healthy looking breakfast.” Taking a seat and quietly poking the large pile of produce, she groaned loudly. “I suppose I should’ve expected as much. I did essentially turn her into a perfect mother, and keeping her child healthy is probably the most motherly thing she can do. That being said.” With a grin returning to her face as she took a quick scan of the room. “Today, I’m feeling more in the mood for something a bit sweeter.” Hesitating for a moment, she raised her claw and with a clear picture in her mind, she snapped, transforming the large fruit platter into a giant, chocolate covered, fruit cake, adorned with various strawberries and oranges. Her eggs disappeared completely, while her coffee turned into a huge, frothy frappuccino with 2 cinnamon straws, a hefty topping of whip cream and caramel drizzled on top. Celestia squealed at the sight of her new breakfast, clapping her claws eagerly in delight. “Oh this looks just amazing and I did it without any misfire! Good Job Celestia.” After patting herself on the back….literally just for fun, she began to dig into her meal, taking a moment here and there to take a long, cinnamon laced sip of her frappuccino. As Celestia continued to indulge in her favorite vice, Discord saw fit to appear in a flash, eyes literally rolling out of his sockets at the sight of Princess’s sugary banquet. “Well, if this isn’t a lovely image. And here I’d thought you’d have a little more self control than this? At this rate, I’d be impressed if you lasted before half the week was up.” Celestia, taking a moment to wipe away some crumbs from her cheeks and take a more, refined sip of her drink, merely smirked at her adversary’s claims. “Come now Discord, I figured you of all creatures would understand the need to have a little fun with Chaos Magic.” “Oh I do, believe me.” With a snap of his fingers he pulled up a photograph of the earlier sunrise. “And I must say, that little stunt you pulled earlier was a nice showing for a first timer.” He quickly flipped the picture over to reveal a scorecard with an 8.0 on it. “Well then, what seems to be the issue here?” Celestia took another sip of her drink, only to find it empty. So, she quickly snapped her fingers, causing a portal to who knows where, to open above her cup and more coffee to flow into it before she snapped it shut again. She leaned in to take a sip, only for Discord’s claw to pot out of the cinnamon straw and stop her. “That right there is what I mean. You just got your magic yesterday and you’ve practically used it nonstop...and that’s all without me getting into the whole ‘mother’ situation you created for yourself.” Celestia had the decency to blush over her slip up, but refused to back down. “Oh come now Discord. All I’ve done is use my magic in relatively harmless ways. Hardly what one would call, losing control...minus that little mishap this morning.” Discord sighed in annoyance at how stubborn the Princess was being, sliding his hand down his face...and actually peeling it off as he did, planting it on the floor. “Oh sure, you say that now. It starts out small and harmless, but you’ve already seen how easy it is to misuse this magic. And I’d rather hate to see you hurt yourself just because you decided to bite off more than you can chew.” The Princess, having lost interest in her drink, wiped her mouth clean and stood up, quickly snapping the dirty dishes and utensils into the sink. “You’re concern is greatly appreciated Discord. However, despite a few bumps here and there, I’m more than confident I can handle things.” Quietly making her way to door leading to the throne room, she offered the Spirit of Chaos a parting glance. “Now then, I have more than a few important matters to attend to. Though, you’re more than free to stay around the castle as much as you like….I’d hate for you to not be around once I win out little wager after all.” With a smug smile and a flash of light she was gone, leaving Discord alone. “My, my, seems like somepony’s starting to get a little full of themself.” Fishing around inside his ear, the mischievous spirit produced a small hand mirror, the reflection of which showed Celestia now in the throne room. Pulling a lounge chair out of thin air and sneezing out a box of popcorn Discord took his seat. “Might at well enjoy the fireworks while I can, and see just how far she falls.” Celestia slowly wafted into the throne room, mildly perturbed at Discord’s lack of confidence. As she sat on her throne, she looked around and saw that many of the guards and other staff were still somewhat put off by her being a draconequus. She looked around with a sigh as she tried her best to look professional. “Please listen everypony. I understand this is a bit of an adjustment, but as I said, this is only for the week and then I’ll be back to my usual self. So, the best we can do is continue on as normal. Let’s start the day as normal.” The majority of guards only offered few blinks here and there, never breaking their role, while the few attendant ponies offered a hesitant nod or smile, which only earned a frown from the Princess. “Well it’s not like I didn’t anticipate some minor resistance. Hopefully my next few appointments will go a bit smoother.” They didn’t. From dawn to midday, many a number of different ponies, from nobles, to officials to ordinary citizens met with Celestia and each had their own...unique reactions to her change. Sure, at first it was a little amusing, but after it happened for the tenth time or so, it’d already long worn out it’s welcome and the day only continued to drag. The Princess’s most recently appointment was a rather dull grey pony in a standard black suit, mainly interested in discussing various forms of budget information...and it was taking all of Celestia’s willpower not to groan out loud at how painful the entire experience was. “Ugh, he hasn’t stopped talking for the last forty minutes. What I wouldn’t give for a distraction right now. Maybe I’ll get lucky and some monster will pop out of the Everfree Forest and give me an excuse to leave.” She immediately banished that thought for her mind, she shouldn’t be hoping for potential harm to her subjects, just to get out of a meeting. “Still, this wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t so...bland. Do only drab looking ponies take on career paths. A little splash of color wouldn’t kill him that’s for sure.” Immediately an image came to Celestia’s mind...it would be really funny if the stallion was wearing a dress. Without realizing it, she snapped a claw and the suit the stallion was wearing transformed into a flowing, golden gown. The stallion gaped in horror as Celestia squeaked in surprise at what happened. “I...I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for that to happen.” The stallion slowly stepped back with an embarrassed look on his face. “It’s..quite alright your highness. I understand you're still getting used to your new powers and all that... I’m just going to go home and change. We can finish this meeting at another time….preferably when you’re in a less chaotic state.” He’d whispered that last part, but either through some side effect of Chaos Magic or some other force, Celestia was easily able to hear it. Many of the ponies snickered as Celestia scoffed, “Now, now. There’s no need for that. I’m perfectly capable of fixing this minor misstep. If you’ll just hold still for a moment.” She sighed and breathed slowly. “Think about a suit..suit…” She snapped her claws turning and the elegant gown was gone in a flash...now replaced with a red and white striped clown costume complete with big red shoes, an orange bow tie and baggy pants. As the noble stumbled about in his squeaky red shoes. Everypony around burst into even more laughter. Celestia, stunned and embarrassed by her latest magical misfire, quickly held her flaw out again.”Forgive me, let me try again!” Celestia narrowed her gaze on the now panicking and growled, "Come on Chaos Magic, turn it into a normal suit!” She snapped her claws and the clown suit now shifted into a pair of white swim shorts around his waist with Celestia's cutie mark printed all over the fabric. He also had inflatable sun floaties on his arms and a sun styled inflatable ring around his abdomen. As everypony snickered Celestia was now fuming...literally as there was steam coming out of her ears and one of her horns appeared to be on fire, along with her eyes. Looking ready to explode, she readied another snap, only for the stallion to hold both his hooves up, almost like he was trying to surrender. “Your highness. I greatly appreciate your attempts, but it’s unnecessary….I’m perfectly fine with what I’m wearing. I was actually planning to go to the beach later this week anyway.” Celestia could easily tell he was lying to spare her feelings, but gave a long exasperated sigh and nodded in agreement. “Very well, though I do hope you’ll accept my apologies. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” The stallion, with a blush on his face, stepped back and replied, “Oh, there’s no need for that Princess, it’s fine. Now then, if you’ll excuse me I’m needed elsewhere...tata!” The stallion quickly bolted out of the throne room, leaving a visibly exasperated Celestia to slouch in on her throne, a small hand fan appearing to help cool her off. ”Alright, I believe that’s enough meetings for now and I’m sure we could all do with a little lunch break. We’ll reconvene in an hour!” Everypony nodded and quickly dispersed as three fancy looking unicorn mares entered the throne room. One of the mares Celestia recognized Fleur de Lis, who was quick to greet the Princess after offering a customary bow. ”Princess Celestia, a pleasure to see you again. We heard about your predicament and wondered if you were still going to join us for tea in the garden.” Celestia gave a smile, seeing an opportunity to relax a little chirped excitedly, “Of course I am! After everything that’s happened so far today, aa relaxing lunch in the garden sounds positively heavenly.” Celestia sat with her fellow mares drinking tea together in the garden. Things were relatively silent as the mares occasionally gave Celestia odd looks. The princess, trying to enjoy the peace sighed as she lowered her cup.”Well I know my appearance is something to adjust to, I’d like to try and enjoy our time together, so can we shift focus to something else?” Fleur offered a quick nod while the two other mares silently mumbled into their cups, who Celestia turned her attention to..” “So, I know who Fleur but I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of either of your company? May I have your names?” One of the two, a blue coated pegasus with glasses blushed at being called out, but managed to whisper a response. “My name is Rainbow Quill and I’m the head librarian at Canterlot’s Royal Library. My friends just all me Quill for short.” The second mare, a white coated earth pony and clearly the move confident of the two, offered a smirk and head bow to the princess. “And my name is Snowflake, I’m a curator for Canterlot’s Grand Gallery.” Celestia bowed her head in turn, a smile on her face. “Well, it’s wonderful to meet you two. Actually, I was discussing the fact that many ponies think we should have decreased funding for the gallery and library, though I’m hesitant to do so. Though, if you could get your individual reports on the matter to me by Friday, I should be able to work out the details and hopefully convince the other nobles to continue funding these endeavours.” Snowflake gave a nod, taking a bite of one of the crumpets on the table before replying. “Rightly so, thank you for your cooperation Princess Celestia. My report has been finalized and is ready for review.” Quill also bowed and replied, “Yes, that goes for me as well. My review is complete and is ready for your approval.” Celestia blinked and burst into laughter. “Well, if that’s all the business we need to discuss what are we going to do for the rest of our lunch break?” The three mares all blushed and gave each other embarrassed looks. Fleur then turned around towards the princess and whispered, “Well..to be honest we actually rather enjoyed your little performance when you raised the sun this morning.” Snowflake actually started chuckling and needed to take a sip of tea to keep from choking on one of the pastries she’d been eating. ”Oh yes, it was amazing. Though, the three of us were wondering, if it’s not too much trouble. Could you perhaps use your Chaos Magic to fulfill a little fantasy of ours.” Celestia eyed them cautiously, noting that Fleur and Quill were equally invested in this idea. “I’m not sure, I’m still getting the hang of it and I’m worried about what might happen. What is this request? Quill quietly looked down at the grass below, but still managed to eek out a response. “Um...could you turn us into fillies for an hour?” Celestia blinked in surprise as Fleur nodded eagerly “Yes, please! It would be a dream to relive our foalhoods for a little bit. We always had tea parties when we were young and they were so much fun. Sadly, it's not the same when you're an adult.” The elegant mare looked at the Princess with glistening and pleading eyes, practically begging without saying a word. “Will you do it. please?” Celestia sighed as she explained solemnly, “Look… while I would love to grant such a request and it’s well within my power, my Chaos Magic isn't the most stable at the moment and I’m afraid of what might happen.” Snowflake’s previous enthusiasm dried up instantly., “Oh, well that’s alright. It was stupid idea. Besides we don’t need magic to have fun right?” Fleur and Quill offered half hearted nods, but even a blind pony could tell they were just a hair's breadth from devastated. Celestia felt her resolve immediately crumble.”Oh, what’s the harm. It’s not like age spells are something I couldn’t do before. So it should be fine, right?” “Fine, I'll try, but if something goes wrong please understand that it was an accident and not intentional.” The trio, though excited, gulped nervously as Celestia raised a claw and slowly whispered, "Think of little fillies, come on a little filly tea party.” She snapped a claw sending a burst of energy through the area,transforming the table, making a small tea fountain appear where the pot was. The porcelain cups turned a bright pink while the plates of small sandwiches turned massive, filled with all manner of delicious looking pastries. The mares sitting there had tendrils of magic slowly wrap around them, before a flash of light revealed them to be transformed into little fillies, each wearing light blue dresses, white bonnets tied around their heads, with white stockings and black mary jane shoes placed on each hoof. Celestia couldn’t help but giggle as the fillies looked down at their dresses with blushes growing on all their faces. The princess cooed, “Oh just look at you little fillies, now go on and play tea party. When your ready to turn back into adults just let me know.” All three fillies squealed, “Okay!” Seeing things going smoothly the princess fell back into her chair, sighing happily in relief. “Oh, thank goodness it actually worked this time!” Her moment of relief only last a second before she felt someone tapped her on the shoulder, and she then turned around, only to squeaked surprise upon seeing one of the servant ponies now dressed as a giant bunny in a waistcoat. She barely was able to react to the odd occurrence before he spoke. “Princess, I’m sorry to interrupt but I must say I’m feeling a little strange right now and I feel that I’m late for an important date. Please tell me, am I?” Celestia groaned and dragged a claw down her face, but then she quickly formed an idea. “Yes you’re late for our tea party. Can you stay here and watch the fillies while I go?” The butler bunny took a paw and saluted. “Of course princess! I will perform my duties with honor!” The big bunny then hopped over to little tea party and started to serve the little fillies, much to their delight. Celestia sat back and smiled watching the fillies giggle, talking about embarrassing facts about their husbands as the princess sighed. “Well I almost got it...a little misfire here but not as bad as I thought. Now that just leaves the question of whether I can turn them back without incident.” Later that afternoon, Celestia, having been pulled away from the fillies due an apparently urgent matter, had to wait until the day was practically over before she could return to the transformed fillies, now in her room along with the alicorn mother and rabbit butler. Feather Duster turned around and asked, “So are these three fillies staying for the night?” Celestia sighed as the fillies sat quietly, no longer enjoying their self imposed youth. “No, I'm going to try to turn them back to normal. But...I’m still a little concerned over what might happen. Everytime I try to do something even a little complex it almost always goes wrong.” Her musings were interrupted as she felt Snowflake tugging at one of her legs. ”Please hurry, if you don't mind. As fun as this was I do have a meeting tomorrow with some famous artists.” Both Quill and Fleur eagerly nodded, wanting to get back to normal promptly, only adding to Celestia’s concern. Seeing no choice, she took a deep breath and concentrated, “Alright, calm myself and think about what I want.” She raised her arm towards the fillies. “Mares, think of them as grown mares.” She snapped a claw and they were all transformed back into mares….extremely elder mares currently sitting in rocking chairs. Celestia groaned in frustration, glaring at her paw angrily. “Come on Chaos Magic, just work!” As Celestia contemplated getting a new arm, Discord poofed into the room, snickering loudly at the frantic and frustrated princess who could only scoff at the trickster. “Ah, Discord. I was wondering when you’d show up. What are you doing here?” Discord smirked. “Well, enjoying the show for one. You’re ceaselessly entertaining to watch.” A snap of his fingers revealed a large projector, which turned on a played a highlight reel of every mistake Celestia made over the course of the day, much to her annoyance. Angry now, Celestia immediately snapped her own hand, causing the projector to explode in the Chaos Gods face, though he was quick to shake the soot off. Celestia’s glare returned to her paw. “Oh, so now you decide to work.” “You're concentrating too hard my dear princess.” Discord, now clad in a professor’s attire, snapped a chalkboard into existence along with a pointer he was quick to use. “Chaos Magic is all about freedom and unpredictability. The more you try to control it the more chaotic it's going to be. Understand?” Celestia scoffed as Discord returned to his usual look.”So, how exactly does that help me? I’m just supposed to snap my claws without thinking, and everything will turn back to normal?” Discord only offered a half nod. “Eh, either that or it might turn everything into cotton candy, pillows and acid spewing wombats. It is unpredictable after all.” Now more nervous than ever, Celestia closed her eyes and did her best to empty her mind, trying not to think about anything at all. “Don’t think, just do it. Don’t think about anything. Just clear my mind and...” A loud snap echoed through the room, and Celestia hesitated for a moment before finally opening her eyes. To her amazement the old mares had finally been transformed back to their normal ages, much to the trio’s great joy. “Thank you, Celestia!” “Yes, that was fun...in spite of everything.” “Indeed, we should maybe do it again….or not.” The three quickly ran out of the room as Discord clapped his claws together, while another pair of arms held up a scorecard with a 10 on it. “Well done Celestia! Bravo! Bravo!” Discord then turned to the big bunny thumping his foot on the ground and smirked, “Oh, looks like you missed one.” The scorecard quickly changed to a 9.0 She sighed and casually snapped a paw turning the rabbit into a penguin with a bow tie. Discord burst into laughter as Celestia rolled her eyes and snapped a claw, finally turning him back to his normal pony form. Finally back to normal he nervously bowed. ”Um...thank you Princess. If you need anything else please don’t hesitate to call...somepony else.” The butler then quickly ran off as Discord came over landed next to Celestia. “Well, that was quite the day you had. A little bumpy near the end but hey, now that you have the hang of it I'll leave you alone and watch from a distance.” Celestia turned towards, visibly drained, but a small smile on her face. “Well, don’t get too comfortable. When this week ends, you’re mine.” Discord smirked as he snapped his claw and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Celestia, finally able to relax, immediately fell back on her bed, moaning in exhaustion as if she’d just teleported all across Equestria. “I thought this was going to be easy. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thank Equestria the day is finally over.” A soft cough caused her eyes to open and her to sit up, spotting Feather Duster not too far away. “Oh, right, sorry about that. I’m guessing you’d like me to turn you back to normal as well?” The mare merely shook her head in the negative. “I had originally, but after seeing how much stress you were under today, I think it would be in everypony’s best interest if you had somepony to lean on during this whole affair. Plus, it’s only for the week so I don’t mind.” The motherly smile she offered the tired Princess almost caused her to weep with joy, recalling memories of long ago of her own mother for a moment before returning the smile. “Thank you.” “It’s honestly not a problem. Now, why don’t you get ready for bed. I have to find Luna and make sure she’s ready to raise the moon.” Celestia couldn’t help but giggle and nod as she made her way to the bathroom, feeling the smallest bit better despite all that had happened today.
Chapter Two: Day Two: Welcome To Sun Butt's Daycare for Gifted YoungstersPrincess Celestia awoke once again to the call of the "motherly maid" she’d unintentionally transformed into an alicorn the previous. And as before, she was still regretting it. "Good morning sweetheart, it's time to raise that sleepy head of yours." It took a moment for the bed to even stir as the princess’s head peeked from under the sheets, still feeling groggy from the previous day. Slowly, she rose up, rubbing a paw over her head as she groaned. “Strange, I’m never usually this tired in the morning.” A fun little perk of being the Pony of the Sun, you’re always up and ready in the morning...or atleast that’s usually how it works. Celestia found herself pondering this change as she rubbed sand from her eyes while struggling to get out of bed, wanting nothing more than to just curl back up in the sheets. “I’m beginning to wonder if this transformation is affecting more than just my magic.” This only earned her a chuckle from the motherly alicorn as she proceeded to take the claw of the princess draconequus to the washroom. Celestia could only yawn again as she was all but dragged from her bed before being seated as her overprotective maid assisted in combing her long, flowing mane and tail, cooing all the while, much to her chagrin. "Oh, I know you don’t feel especially well right now, but I think after a little time up and about, you’ll feel right as rain.” Without even stopping the brush she was currently levitating, Feather effortlessly brought Celestia’s daily schedule over, peering at it with one eye while keeping the other trained on Celestia. “Now then, you have that inspection of the Royal Guard and a meeting with the nobles this morning." Celestia only responded with a loud groan, followed by practically dragging her claw down her face. "As if I wasn’t feeling bad enough as it is. True inspecting the Royal Guard typically isn’t too much trouble but I can barely stand meeting with nobles when I’m my usual self, much less as I am now. At this point, I’d rather fight Sombra again." The motherly alicorn merely offered a comforting smile as she continued to brush. "Be that as it may, I think you're going to do just fine. After all, you’ve managed to lead this entire kingdom all but flawlessly for over 1000 years. I’m sure you can handle things.” Finally putting the brush away, the new alicorn casually opened the nearby closet and started scanning the various outfits within. “So, now we just need to get you something appropriate to wear. Would you like me to pick it out for you?” The draconequus shook her head and snapped, “No, that won’t be necessary. If I’m being honest, I’d rather keep things low key today. No need to dress up.” Finally managing to shake off the last bits of grogginess, the princess quickly brushed her teeth, along with applying a minimal amount of makeup, she gave herself a once over in the mirror. Overall, despite the lack of attention she’d opted to give herself, Celestia was quite stunned at how cute she looked. However, her literal self-reflection was cut short by a shiver running down her spine, thinking about Discord looking her over. Without even snapping her fingers, her eyes shifted colors, now taking on a technicolor appearance as they scanned the entire room, even stretching out of her head and peering behind her, thankfully finding nothing. “At least I can take solace in the fact Discord decided to keep his distance today. Draconequus or not, there’s only so much of his antics I’m able to tolerate.” The princess gave a deep sigh and stared back into the mirror. "Just remember, no matter what happens, you're still the ruler of Equestria, and you have duties to perform." She stepped out of the bathroom and turned her gaze towards her motherly alicorn. "Once again, thank you for your assistance Feather Duster, I truly appreciate it. However, I need to go raise the sun now. Perhaps you could go and tend to Luna. She has developed a bit of a bad habit of not eating before she goes to sleep." Duster offered her usual smile and bowed in response. “Of course, I wouldn’t want poor little Luna to feel left out. Though, would you like some breakfast before you raise the sun? It is the most important meal after all." Celestia chuckled seeing how the alicorn she created out of a maid was staring down at her with those loving, caring eyes, just worrying about her. True, it was more than a little awkward how overly affectionate she could be and she definitely would have to turn her back soon. However, she was enjoying the attention for the moment, it was something she’d missed for...she didn't know how long honestly "Certainly, some breakfast would be nice right about now." The alicorn narrowed her gaze and snapped, "Then, I will go and prepare a healthy breakfast when you return. But you better not turn it into the cake and sweets, your pudgy enough as is." Celestia’s smile immediately shattered like a rock as she had to bite back the yell forming in her mouth, made harder when Feather decided to poke her stomach just to emphasize her point. “Must you constantly bring up my weight? I’ll have you know I’m in excellent shape and I’d appreciate it if you keep comments like that to yourself.” The alicorn scoffed, "Don't you snap at me, young lady!" Celestia prepared to shout back but managed to restrain herself, not wanting to potentially make a scene. “Forget it, it’s not worth the effort. You’re just fortunate I have more important things to worry about right now or I’d change you back to how you were. Goodness knows I could do without the constant hover parenting.” Feather could only look on stunned at the blatant show of rebellion from the transformed ruler. "Such manners and from you of all ponies. You keep this up, you'll be grounded from going to the ball this weekend!" Celestia only responded with a blank stare, before holding up her hand. “You know what, you’ve been working so hard these last few days, why don’t you have a nice, relaxing spa day ...in Ponyville.” Before her overbearing, self-appointed parent could yell a retort, she was gone in a flash, allowing Celestia to finally relax if only for a moment. “Ugh! What was I thinking turning one of my maids into an alicorn ...oh right I wasn’t, it was just a slip of the tongue." Deciding to not dwell on that particular misstep too much she flew out of her room and into the hallway. “Once she returns from her trip, I’ll make sure to change her back and finally put an end to this mishap. For now, I’ll just focus on my day. Here's hoping Luna is at least in a better mood than I am right now." Everypony in Canterlot was nervous and curious, hearing the rumors about what happened yesterday when Celestia raised the sun, with some hoping for a repeat performance. The princess flew out in her draconequus form, shimmering and glowing above them, quickly taking notice of the noticeably larger than usual crowd of ponies. The princess sighed, knowing for well why there was such a large crowd today. “Can’t exactly say I blame them, raising the sun the usual way has gotten a little stale these past few centuries, even I have to admit it’s a little dull.” Almost immediately a lightbulb appeared beside her head as an idea formed, which she was quick to notice. “Is that going to be a common occurrence ...no matter, just as long as I don’t go too overboard this shouldn’t be a problem. Taking out a paw causing everypony's gaze followed it, she snapped, causing a giant frying pan to suddenly appear in the sky. After enjoying the sound of a few surprised gasps from the crowd, she took out a few eggs, cracked them and held the pan above for everypony to see. The citizens watched with a mix of curiosity and anticipation as the princess flipped it up and down with the pan glowing red and the eggs were started sizzling before throwing the big egg into the sky. Like a water balloon against a wall, the Egg splattered across the sky, with the egg continuing to cook until it fully formed into the sun. The crowd below cheered and applauded the display, prompting Celestia to take a bow before flying back off into the palace with a big smile on her face she gave a deep sigh of relief. ”I needed that, and it was a lot easier than I originally thought. Pity that the rest of my schedule won’t exactly allow something so grand scale. Oh, well.” Letting off another sigh, she flew over the castle and landed near the barracks, spotting the new Captain of the Guard waiting for her. The pony in question he was a white-coated pegasus with a blue and gold striped mane with dark blue eyes, clad in the decorate purple armor of his position. He quickly offered a salute to the princess, which she was quick to respond with a bow. "Good morning Princess Celestia, I trust you’re having a pleasant day.” Celestia was mildly impressed that he wasn’t reacting with more shock at her appearance, but compared to Shining Armor, Bronze Helm if she remembered correctly, had a more professional air about him and rarely ever broke his composure. “Indeed, it started a little rough, but I think everything should work out alright.” “Glad to hear it, your highness. Now, shall we commence with the inspection?” The princess looked out among her guards, her lack of enthusiasm barely masked. "Certainly, let’s get this taken care of." She slowly walked among her guards and checked their armor, making sure each was in perfect condition, which thankfully they were, though that only made the task more uneventful. This was ironically one of those instances where you almost hoped something would be out of place just to mix things up a bit. Thankfully, to Celestia’s surprise, and brief excitement, she saw one guard needed help with his armor straps. Without a word, she flew directly in front of him, and with a single quick snap, readjusted the belts leaving the stallion stammering at the direct attention. "Oh,...uh thank you...your majesty." The princess gave the usual smile she’d long practiced to the guard. ”It’s no problem, just make sure you get this fixed before the ball this weekend. We need to make sure all guards are properly equipped." The stallion snapped to attention with a salute and shouted, "Yes, Princess Celestia!" With a nod, Celestia continued on her way, eventually spotting one of the guards whose entire body was shaking, with tears about to leak from his eyes. Her smile shifted from practiced to sympathetic as she approached him and asked, "My dear guardspony, is something troubling you?" The stallion tried his best to maintain his rigid composure, desperately trying to get his tears to recede. “N-no...you’re highness ...everything....is fine.” Celestia only frowned at the obvious lie and got closer to him. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s something I can help you with. After all, if I couldn’t help my own guards with their problems, I won’t be much of a ruler now would I?” The stallion’s rigid posture went slack, leaving him to only cry and whimper as he spoke. "I'm so sorry princess! But...but...I broke up with my mare friend last night!" The other stallions chuckled at the somewhat mundane concern, only to immediately shut up as Celestia’s head literally turned 180 degrees before snapping at them with a glare. “That’ll be enough of that. Even if this is just an inspection I expect all of you to maintain your professional decorum! Is that understood?" All the guards quickly returned to their original position, refusing to so much as blink, more than a little horrified by what they just saw. Satisfied, Celestia turned her head back to the crying guard and quietly offered a comforting paw on his shoulder, causing him to look up and see her, in spite of his water-filled eyes. “I understand this must be such a hard thing to bear right now. But I know, in time things will get better and you’ll move on. Even when we feel at our lowest, we must continue to push forever, lest we remain trapped in the past forever. Try to remember that.” The guard, finally let his tears flow freely from his eyes as he nodded, the princess gave him a brief hug, which he graciously accepted. Sadly, the moment of serenity didn’t last as magic tendrils erupted from Celestia’s back, and quickly wrapped around the guards, starting with the one she holding and eventually catching the rest, even Bronze Helm. Celestia could only watch as her guards started to transform them one by one, their bodies shrinking in size before a single flash of light. Now, where once there was a squad of Canterlot’s elite guard, stood a small herd of young colts, clad in plastic armor, carrying various foam toys. Under any other circumstances, the sight would’ve been fairly adorable, but was immediately drained of any enjoyment as the colts all began to whimper, with some even outright crying. Celestia remained stunned as the various guard colts fell into a mixture of panic and slight glee at their situation. A solid minute passed before Celestia’s mind finally processed what had happened and decided to respond accordingly. "OH DEAR FAUST, NOT AGAIN!!” Looking at her claws she felt the urge to rip her eyes out, growing stronger. “How could I let this happen again? The mishap with Feather Duster was bad enough, but now I’m managed to send most of my guards back to Magic Kindergarten.” Taking a moment to calm herself, even using a breathing exercise Cadence had taught her, Celestia looked back at her claw. “Okay, just calm down Celestia. It’s not like this is something you can’t handle. After all, you could do age spells without Chaos Magic, so it should be a breeze to reverse right.” Turning back to the de-aged battalion of soldiers, Celestia raised her claw and prepared to snap ...only to stop herself before she finished it. “Then again, doing something like an age spell was much easier when I had better control over my magic. If I’m not careful, I might turn them into infants or make them so old they won’t even be able to stand up, much less guard the castle.” Suddenly what little confidence Celestia had immediately burned away as her panic quickly set back in, made worse by the still crying colts and growing louder. Feeling as though her mind was slowly losing its grip the princess let loose a loud, “QUIET,” amplified by the Royal Canterlot Voice. Thankfully that managed to get the colts to stop crying and zero in the princess, having relaxed a little after her outburst. “I apologize for that and for what’s happened to you, this transition has been more difficult than I’d originally thought. While I’d like nothing more than to change you back, I’m not confident in my skill with Chaos Magic to try at the moment. For now, I believe it would be best if you take the day off, while I do what I can to get a better handle on this and hopefully return you to normal.” Some of the de-aged guards attempted to retort, though, possibly as a result of the sharp change in age, now seemed more interested in play fighting with their toy weapons. The sight honestly, would have been possibly the most adorable thing ever were circumstances different. Still, that left Celestia with another problem. “Okay, now I just need to find someplace to leave all these colts until I figure something out.” Thankfully, Celestia didn’t need to concern herself too much about what action to take as another one of the castle's staff with an auburn mane and a dark grey coat named Morning Breeze came over with a blush on her face. "Hello, Princess Celestia. I hope you don’t mind but I was watching what happened and I think I can help if you would like.” Princess Celestia’s smile got so wide that a literal beam of light shot out of it that blinded a nearby pegasus, sending him crashing into a nearby tower. “Oh I don't mind, it wouldn’t be too much trouble?” ”Of course not, some of the maids here have children and we wouldn't mind keeping an eye on them until you managed to figure out how to change them back safely." Celestia’s elation only seemed to increase from the smile the maid offered her. “I don’t know who this pony is, but I’m going to make sure she gets a raise when this is all over.” Offering another nod of thanks the princess turned back to the small band of colts. "Alright my little colts, I’m having you all stay in the main hall today while I finish my meeting. Once I’m done I'll find Discord and have him turn you back to normal. Till then, please stay safe.”l. However, before she could leave another thought entered her mind as she watched the small band continued to grow rowdier. “It probably wouldn’t be a wise idea to just let them run around, even if they are supervised ...Oh I know, I just hope it works!” A plan now ready, she made sure to form a clear picture in her mind of what she wanted to happen before snapping. Thankfully, this effort proved successful as in the middle of the grand hall, a giant play place appeared with a full jungle gym with swings, slides, and tubes in every direction appeared, now sitting on a green plush carpet with rocking horses and seesaws. It looked so out of place compared to the rest of the polished marble and stone of the castle, almost like it literally sprung up out of the ground. Regardless, it did the trick as the colts immediately ran to it and began playing happily. Her efforts successful, Celestia turned to speak to the maid. “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle this? I imagine they will be quite a handful, even with other maids on hand.” Morning Breeze gave Celestia a bright smile and reassured her. "Don't worry your highness, we can handle this. I'll have some make peanut butter jelly sandwiches for the little ones and then we can set up a place for nap time. Trust me I have two youngsters at home, this isn’t anything I haven’t dealt with before." Celestia's arms immediately stretched like rubber around the mare, pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank you so much! Believe me, you'll be well compensated for this." With a final wave and a flick of a claw, Celestia disappeared. Sadly, while Celestia was happy for the brief respite from her latest magic blunder, she was quickly reminded of something she’d forgotten...she HATED dealing with nobles. It hadn’t been but ten minutes since she arrived and already she was bored again, taping a claw on the long conference table among the dozens of nobles, all talking about taxes and laws that they were looking to implement. Was it important, absolutely, did that make it interesting, no! Celestia did what she could to at least pretend to look invested, but she could feel herself barely holding on, and it was about to get worse. For whatever reason and beyond her notice, her magic started to seep out again, and before she could even react, there was another flash of light, resulting in the conference room now being filed with fillies and colts, tangled up in expensive clothes that no longer fit. The sudden jolt snapped Celestia back to reality, part of her feeling like she was about to have a Twilight style freak out, while the other half found the mere sight of the high class, refined elite of Canterlot, reduce to a group of infants now more interested in spinning around in the chairs and the table snacks then taxes. Celestia blinked seeing Fancy Pants was now a small toddler trying to read his notes stumbling on his words and doing a potty dance. It was a sight that while amusing, was quickly ruined when the former stallion raised his hoof and asked, "Uh, I'm done P...Princess Celestia! Can I go, potty please?" The other foals giggled and snickered while the Princess, having already dealt with this situation early, just decided to roll with it and nodded, "Certainly Fancy Pants. We’ll wait here for you. Just don't be gone too long." The little colt quickly rushed off down the hall, leaving his wife, Fleur, to take and look over his notes, picking up where he left off. "So, now that is settled, I'm gonna move onto the next item on the agenda. Do we want to give funding for ta library, museum and other areas of arts and literature." Many of the foals whined, and some cried, "Nah! Libraries are boring! Why dun we put funding in a new Wondewbowt stadium!" One filly, who was now clutching a doll, quickly snapped at the suggestion "I wanna stop taxes on dwessies! I want ta prettiest dresses eva for less money!" One colt scoffed as he took a sippy cup and suckled on it with a smug grin and asked, "So what about suits? I think that it's not fair that dresses get a tax cut and not our fancy suits." Fleur stomped a hoof and whined, "that's not what this meeting is about! We’re gonna discuss all that later! We need to decide on the i..imp...important stuff first!" Fancy Pants finally returned, waddling over to his wife's side and shouted, "My wife is right! Ya all missing the point here!" He slammed a poster of a terribly drawn graph with the arrow going down with silly drawings of faces, rainbows scribbled all over the chart. "This is the trend on what we are spending right now! There's been wots of tax money being spent on stupid stuff we don't need, and it's making everything worse. Sowie but we gots to cut some stuff." The filly with the doll squirmed in her seat and sighed, "Fine, we dun need mowe dwessies or silly stuff like tat." The colt, who mentioned the suits nodded. "Yeah ya, wight! we dun need to put more tax breaks on fancy suits." Fancy Pants nodded as he placed up against a pie chart which was sloppily circle made of marker and cover in hoof paint. "Now ya see this! I divided what we spending the most on and what we can take out. Take a look at the chart and if ya wanna make a change let me know." The foals all struggled to comprehend the chart, while Celestia surprisingly, was able to read it perfectly, even though the spelling was terrible and the hoof writing was nearly impossible to make out. It left her to pose a thought. “Does being a Draconequss also allow me to understand bad grammar and handwriting because of how chaotic it is? Because if so, that...would make perfect sense now that I think about it. I should run that by Discord when I see him again.” Turning back to the graph, focusing in on it, in spite of its obvious juvenile level of quality, she noticed something odd. "So we get rid of some of the spending and stop giving companies tax breaks and things should look good. But, why am I seeing something is missing." Fancy Pants plopped his hooves down onto the table, grabbing everypony's attention as he shouted, "That's right! I think somepony has been embezzling funds! Not only that they've been doing it for years!" Fleur nodded, "Right! We dun think it's any of ya, but he or she has stolen thousands of bits from ta citizens of Equestria. We gots to find ta culprit and take ta money back!" The nobles all nodded in agreement as Celestia's eyes went wide at this apparent revelation "Embezzling funds? How long has this been going on and why didn’t somepony tell me sooner?” Fancy Pants, rather adorably, twirled in his chair to face to Princess. “But princess, I mentioned I was going to bring this up last week. Don’t you remember?” The sound of something breaking like glass could immediately be heard as the Rule of Equestria expression shifted to embarrassment, making it apparent to even the still young ponies that she’d forgotten. “Well, regardless of that, I trust this is a matter we can resolve quickly.” Fancy Pants shook his head and sighed, "Nope. It’s gonna take wots of work and research. Not to mention, my bedtime is at seven, and I need a nap at twelve." “I don’t suppose it would be possible to work around that? If somepony truly is embezzling Canterlot’s funds, I’d prefer to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.” Fancy Pants took a quick sip from his cup as he ran through the information in his head. “Well, if we take out my twelve o’clock nap, we might at least be able to get the bulk of the research done. Is everypony okay with that?” The rest of the assembled group all gave nods before one colt raised a hoof, "Um, can we have a potty break!" Celestia, satisfied that things had atleast been handled for the moment, thought up her next course of action. “Actually, I have a better idea. There is currently a wonderful little play place set up in the castle. Why don’t you all go and relax for a little while before we tackle this. Wouldn’t want you to fall asleep before bedtime after all.” The foals squealed in delight as they ran off down the hall, leaving Celestia to literally melt into her seat, her head being the only somewhat solid thing there, her eyes barely able to take a look at a nearby clock. “Dear Faust, the day isn’t even half over and I’ve already had to correct two disasters of my own making. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” "Oh, don’t be so melodramatic! Frankly, I think you’re doing far better than I originally believed.” Celestia needed to only look up to find Discord, currently seated in a recliner with a bucket of popcorn at his side, looking as smug as always. “If I’m being completely honest I didn’t think you’d make it through the day without turning all of Canterlot into a madhouse. So congrats for that.” Another snap and a colorful banner reading ‘Good Job Celestia’ appeared above him. Celestia upon seeing Discord rolled her eyes, though was content to stay rooted to her chair. "Discord, I’d figured you’d been watching me this entire time." The Lord of Chaos shrugged could only chuckle as he tossed some popcorn down his throat. "I mean, can you blame me? Your antics these last couple of days have been so hysterical, I couldn’t help myself." The princess gave an irritated sigh before responding, "I’m glad I’ve kept you so amused. However, if I ‘ve learned anything today it’s that controlling Chaos Magic is more challenging than I believed. Which is why I’m asking for your help?" Despite maintaining her normal confident tone, Discord could tell she was all but begging for him to step in, which only brought a smile to his. "Oh, you mean with your little foal sitting problem? Not as confident in your ability with ages as you thought I see...Oh, I suppose I could lend you a hand this once, could be good for a laugh...but.” Immediately Discord suddenly changed into a referee, completely with a whistle around his neck, which he was quick to blow, before pulling out a yellow card. “However, you are going to be penalized for needing my help. Though don’t worry too much, I promise it will be just so much fun.”." Celestia gulped feeling that Discord had planned this from the start. But she didn't have a choice she couldn't risk her Chaos Magic causing any more problems...especially since if things kept up, she’d need to turn all of Canterlot Castle into a daycare. “Very well, I accept these terms as part of the original wager. Though, I do hope we’ll keep things relatively low key. I will not allow any of my little ponies to be tormented or embarrassed for your amusement.”." Discord crossed his heart with a claw with a loud huff. "No need to get all defensive, I swear it'll be harmless fun. Trust me you'll love what I have planned." Reaching down his throat, he pulled out a set of tickets and gave them to Celestia. She looked down at them with a suspicious look reading Sun Butt's Daytime Daycare for ages 1-6. "These are enchanted with a spell that'll revert the foals to their normal ages once they’re picked up." Celestia's eye started to twitch. "Picked up? You mean we’re turning the castle into an actual daycare!" Discord crossed his claws and chortled, "Of course. You think I wasn't going to take advantage of the situation and have some more fun! Oh, you naive little pony!" With a snap of a claw Celestia had a pink apron wrapped around her midriff with a big smiling sun on it. Celestia wanted to argue but begrudgingly kept quiet, considering she did ask for this to happen. "So I'm assuming that you gave the families and friends of those regressed a ticket to have them picked up?" The Lord Of Chaos smirked. "Indeed I did. They’ll be here at seven, which means you still have a few hours to entertain those little disasters!" Before Celestia could manage out another word Discord snapped himself out of existence...save for his mouth for a brief moment. “Good Luck.” After being left by Discord to effectively manage the remaining fall out from her earlier actions, Celestia spent the next few hours watching and entertaining the man foals she helped create. Thankfully, true to his word around seven o’clock, the many spouses and family members of the regressed guards and nobles appeared in the grand hall of the palace with their eyes open wide, and their mouths dropped. The grand hall was now a giant play-place with a gargantuan pink and white-colored jungle gym, complete with slides, ball pits and tunnels filled with dozens of foals running around, screaming and laughing. Celestia had also placed a giant pink fence around the entire room with many maids standing by to assist the children in finding bathrooms, giving out food and generally just keeping an eye on the kids. The princess was sitting ata desk, struggling to maintain a fake smile as she waved a claw. "Hello! Welcome to Sun Butt's Daytime Daycare! I see you all came by to pick up your little rascals!" The faces of the family members were a mixture of s slack-jawed shock, along with outright confusion, which lasted for several seconds before one purple coated unicorn mare who couldn’t stop herself from stomping forward and looking at the princess with a surprisingly harsh glare. "What is the meaning of this Princess Celestia. Why exactly is my husband a toddler now!" Celestia shrunk back at the harsh tone, not being used to being called out by somepony, but quickly shifted back to some level of composure. “I’m afraid that was my fault. I didn’t have as firm a grasp on my Chaos Magic as I thought. But, the tickets I gave you to claim your kids have an enchantment on them. Once you claim your foal or foals they'll turn back to normal." The mare didn’t seem wholly satisfied with the answer but opted to simply seek out her husband and spotted him quickly. " Bronze Helm, get back here this instant and give me back my foam sword!" The colt squealed upon seeing his angry wife's glare and squealed, "Uh... L...Lo...Lovely Heart!?" The mare stomped over with her cold gaze stared down her husband. "Indeed, now you’re coming home with me this instant and we’re putting this entire affair behind us." She lifted the colt and began to carry him away, much to the amusement of the other ponies present Bronze Helm could only respond by whining and crying the entire time. "Stop it Lovely! You're embarrassing me in front of my fellow guards!" The other colts came over near the fence and poked their hooves at the captain, quickly laughing loudly at his display. Lovely Heart turned around at the colts and shouted, "Hey! The next colt to laugh at my husband will be in timeout! I’ve had a stressful day and am not in the mood for this. Don't test me!" The colts all shut up immediately as they stood there, quivering and whimpering in fear."O...o..okay." Her husband now in hoof, Lovely Hearts quickly made her way out of the makeshift daycare. "Now then, come we're going to go get some dinner, and then it's straight to bed with you. Hopefully, everything will be back to normal by tomorrow." Bronze Helm could only continue to squirm as he held out a hoof in desperation."Save me!" The other colts just continued to snicker as one by one were picked up and thankfully transformed back into full-grown stallions in a puff of smoke. The process continued for some time until every foal was finally converted back to their original age, save for two. As if on time a unicorn butler slowly walked up to Celestia and asked, "I came here to pick up Ms. Fleur and Mr. Fancy Pants." The draconequss gave a nod as she turned around to see the two toddlers and chirped, "Alright you two, it’s time to go home now!" The two groaned seeing as they’d been playing a fun game of tag but waddled over as Celestia helped them over the fence. "There you go one Fleur and one Fancy Pants." The butler gave a nod and bowed before he took the hooves of the two foals. "Now, come on! We have to get you two back to normal." He gave Celestia his tickets and in a single flash, both Fleur and Fancy Pants were instantly transformed into adults. Both, taking a moment to process all that had happened, were more than a little embarrassed over the whole ordeal, though any Pants was able to pose a question to Celestia, "So...I trust we can continue the discussion about the embezzler later?" Princess Celestia, starting to feel the exhaustion of the day catch up with her, managed to a simple nod "Of course, but you two should go home for now. I’m so sorry about all the trouble my magic caused today." Fancy Pants, ever the gentlecolt, merely waved the apology off. "Oh, it wasn’t too dreadful an experience. Honestly, I rather enjoyed reliving my colt years for a few hours. Still, it is good to be back to normal." Celestia sighed, seeing every foal she regressed, she snapped a claw, causing the entire playground in a puff of smoke., "At last it’s finally over. I think I might just turn in for the night after all that happened now." Sadly, Celestia would have to halt her plans as a very livid Luna stomped over with a glare. "Good evening sister. I hope it was pleasant, I had a rather interesting start to my day Why there I was just enjoying some breakfast when I’d heard about how the nobles and your guards had suddenly become foals and the royal palace was suddenly transformed into a child’s playpen. Is that a correct summation of what’s been happening so?” “Well, I wouldn’t put it in exactly those words….” The Princess of the Night quickly cut her sister off, her anger on full display for all to see. “What were you thinking Celestia? Do you have any idea the potential havoc you could have wrought? Clearly, something must be done as it’s apparent you have no control over your magic.” Celestia, while agreeing with her sister, still felt the need to offer a retort. “Forgive me for being blunt dear sister, but do you think it wise for you of all ponies to lecture me on losing control?” Now it was Luna’s turn to be offended, stomping her hoof loud on the ground, barely keeping herself from reverting to the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Oh, so you think that me becoming Nightmare Moon is the same as you being a draconequus on purpose?” Celestia paused and realized her lapse in how she phrased her retort. "I'm so sorry Luna, I didn't mean it that way." The Princess of the Night’s hostility slowly dropped as she let out a tired sigh. "Sister, you need to end silly contest now, before things get out of hoof!" Celestia however, didn’t seem convinced. “Oh come now, Luna. Isn’t that a bit much? I admit there have been a few accidents as of late but…” Luna immediately broke out into the Royal Canterlot Voice. "ACCIDENTS?! Sister, need I remind you of the alicorn maid who currently thinks she's our mother! How exactly does that qualify as an accident?" Celestia’s eyes began to narrow as she stared down her sister. “That’s hardly a world-ending concern, and I was planning to change her back tomorrow anyway.” “Why are you being so stubborn about this Celestia. Is your pride that important to you? Honestly, when did you start acting like such a child?” That proved to be the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, as Celestia was now positively livid. “A child? If anypony has cause to be called a child, it’s you...in fact.” Before Luna had a chance to say another word, Celestia raised her claw and snapped, shrinking the nightly alicorn till she was reduced to the age of an infant. The tiny blue eyes of the little alicorn widened in shock as she cried out in embarrassment, both at her new size and the fact Celestia had seen fit to place a diaper on her bottom, complete with her cutie mark printed on. She tried to shout at her sister, but only incoherent gibberish poured out of her mouth. Celestia just gave her sister a smirk and picked her up within a bubble of magic. "There, now you can relax for a little while I raise the moon." Luna still angry, cried and shouted, kicking about in the magic sphere to little success. Celestia simply drifted the trapped filly to her room and stuck the baby alicorn in a crib too large for her to climb out of. "There now, you stay put and be a good little filly while I go raise the moon." The little dark blue alicorn stuck her tongue out and shook her head with a loud humpf Celestia just snickered as she walked off with a strut in her step. Author's Note Im sorry this took so long to make Ill do my best to make the next update be out within a month or two.
Chapter Three: Night One: Luna's New MoonCelestia looked longingly towards the sun slowly setting in the west with the sky cast in a warm orange glow. The princess was feeling lost and unsure of herself, reflecting on her usage of chaos manage up to this point, and tons of questions of what happened were going through her mind. Why did she transform Luna into a foal? It wasn't like her to suddenly lose control and let her raw emotions take over? The mare knew what she did to Luna was inexcusable, and what she said to her sister was much worse. The princess of the sun groaned just thinking about her actions and feeling a pang of regret as she rubbed a claw down her face and cried out, "I can't believe I turned my sister into a foal what was I thinking?! I must be seriously losing my mind." The princess of the sun then took a bunch of her mane in a claw and pulled at it with frustrated with herself and screamed out. "What's wrong with me! Why can't I control myself!" The princess slowed down and took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself. After regaining her composure. The female draconequus gave one long final deep breath and looked up to the sky catching the last glimpses of her sun setting in the west with a depressed look on her face and gave a deep, exasperated sigh. "The least I can do is raise the moon seeing Luna can't do it now. But it has been a while since I had to do this." The princess then slowly raised a claw, and for some reason, before she snapped her claw, a funny thought entered her mind thinking how ridiculous it would be if her sister's butt rose up from the horizon instead of the moon. Then just as if what she imagined instead of the moon rising over the horizon, it was Luna's giant rump! Celestia gasped in horror as her sister's thick dark blue coated rump slowly rose in the air showing it off to Equestria in its full glory with her sister's big crescent moon cutie marks printed on each side of her "sister's" thighs. Despite the scene being quite embarrassing, it was also quite amusing with the princess of the night's sparkling dark blue tail flowing in the wind. The princess found this so hilarious that she had to place her claws over her mouth, trying to stop herself from bursting out laughing. But, that could hold out for so long seeing her sister's butt jiggling in the sky made the princess start laughing hysterically at sight, and after gaining some composure, she exclaimed. "Oh my Faust! I can't believe I'm actually considering just leaving the moon like this!" After Celestia shook her head at the thought and gave a small chuckle. She realized that leaving the moon like this would embarrass her sister even more than it probably already has and quickly sent a wave of pink tendrils filled with chaos magic straight at the "new moon." However, this only caused the giant rump to start swaying from side to side as if to show off her enormous flank. This only made Celestia place a claw to her face again as another bout of laughter was going to come over her. The princess then sent some more pink tendrils of chaos magic at the large tush. But this only caused the rump to grow plumper with fat. The large tush was now even thicker than usual, and it was still swaying with sass from side to side. Celestia burst into even more laughter, holding her belly and doubling over, unable to contain herself. But chaos magic tendrils then suddenly turned the giant butt back to a typical silver-colored crater filled moon. Celestia gave a big sigh of relief, seeing that the moon was back to normal and whispered meekly to herself. "Oh my Faust that was crazy, I hope nopony actually saw that." "Nice work with raising the moon! But, Luna's rump was nowhere near as big as your tush." Discord commented suddenly as he appeared out of nowhere in a giant puff of smoke with his claws crossed across his chest with a smug grin. Celestia rolled her eyes, recognizing the voice of Discord, knowing the draconequus only came here to mock or mess with her. The princess turned around to face Discord with an unamused look, not really wanting to endure more of the lord of chaos's antics and scoffed out. "Haha, you're hilarious; thanks for the help, but seriously, you're the last pony I wanted to see, I just want to be alone right now alright?" Discord didn't heed Celestia's demands at all, seeing the former alicorn princess looking quite depressed and had a look of loneliness, giving him the feeling that she needs somepony to talk to. The draconequus simply flew over towards Celestia's side anyway and asked, "it looks like to me you need some help controlling your chaos magic. I think that it would be best if I gave you some one on one training." "Does that mean I lose the bet?" Celestia responded in deflated tone, looking down at the ground with an angry look on her face feeling quite bitter for failing to control herself and having to admit defeat to Discord. Discord did feel like gloating a little, seeing he did technically won the bet. But the lord of chaos saw that Celestia was looking quite downtrodden if this were only a few months earlier, he wouldn't have cared. But for some reason, the lord of chaos didn't want to make Celestia feel even more depressed than she was feeling now. The draconequus turned away as he reluctantly replied, "we can put a pin on the bet for now. I'll give you a free day to help you with your chaos magic tomorrow." "You would actually do that for me!" Celestia replied back with a blush glowing on her cheeks, feeling both confused and also grateful for Discord's offer. The lord of chaos was now feeling unsure of how to feel seeing Celestia with her face now a bright red. Discord turned away, attempting to hide his own blush trying to hide his emotions through a demeanor befitting the lord of chaos. "But don't think that you're getting away with just return. We get to have some fun with it deal?" "Sure, that sounds fine with me. I actually need to go out tomorrow and go taste testing some cakes for the gala this weekend." Celestia chirped out, feeling a bit better at the idea of Discord, helping her get control of her chaos magic. Discord clapped his claws together, seeing that this excursion would be excellent to not only teach Celestia about using her chaos magic but to have some fun with the princess as well. It's been over a thousand years since the two were able to actually talk and hang out with each other like this. The draconequus rubbed his claws together and exclaimed, "Excellent! I would love to go do some cake shopping!" "You can meet me outside the castle tomorrow morning after I raise the sun, ok?" Celestia responded with a smile on her face feeling quite happy and excited for hanging out with Discord tomorrow. "Alright! just don't go turning the sun into your giant rump." Discord snickered as he snapped his claws and disappeared in a poof of smoke once again. Just as Celestia gave the dissipating smoke, a glare not trusting the draconequus as she grumbled under her breath. "I wonder what he means by fun? I hope he won't go overboard with his chaos magic." Not long after raising the moon, Celestia returned to her room and found Luna still giving her the stink eye for turning her into a foal. Luna did look quite cute using her stubby hooves to stand (with her clearly struggling) in her pink barred crib, showing off her pudgy body and thick diaper with her cutie mark printed on the padding. Celestia dawwed and then took out a baby bottle filled with formula out of thin air with Luna's cutie mark on it and snickered, "I bet your hungry huh cutie?" Celestia slowly picked the foal up in her pink aura of magic and watched as Luna waved her hooves and flapped her wings angrily, wanting to get back at her sister for turning her into a foal. But the baby alicorn was powerless only able to kick about in her diaper and babble incoherent gibberish. The princess of the sun then slowly laid herself on the bed and let her sister nuzzle into her side. Celestia then plopped the bottle gently into her sister's mouth and watched as she suckled on the bottle methodically. Luna still glared at her older sister despite actually enjoying the sweet and creamy formula going down her throat. The female draconequus chuckled, seeing her sister's cute pout and decided to tease her little sister as she responded in a snarky tone. "Oh, hush, don't act like you don't want this. We haven't been pampered like this in over a thousand years." Luna did like being babied just a little, but she was still angry at her older sister, it didn't take long for the foal's instincts began to take over as she whined and kicked some more. But the warm creamy milk went down her gullet and she couldn't but feel comfortable and relaxed feeling her sister's warm body pressed to her's. Celestia brushed the baby alicorn's mane and sighed, "I'm sorry for doing this to you and even trying to say that me becoming a draconequus and you becoming Nightmare Moon were the same thing. I know we both had a lot of stress on us since we were crowned princesses of Equestria and... I...I'm sorry." Celestia started to tear up, and this caused Luna to start feeling worried as her foalish instincts took over as she whimpered as she began to tear up as well. The female draconequus squeaked, seeing her sister started to get fussy kicking about and wailing. The princess started to rock the baby alicorn foal nestled in her claws and shushed her trying to calm the foal down. When Luna started to settle down, becoming gentle and quiet. Celestia felt a bit guilty for making her sister get so fussy and apologized, whispering under her breath. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to get all fussy." She then removed the bottle with a cute audible pop and gently placed the foal over her shoulder and patted Luna's back until she spat up a little. Celestia giggled, not even phased, but the puke running down her back and slowly placed Luna back down in the crib while tickling the foal's exposed belly with a claw. This made the baby alicorn squirm kicking about in her diaper making it crinkle while giving out an adorable laugh and blowing bubbles from her mouth. "Oh, you're so cute!" Celestia exclaimed out loud, unable to contain her excitement seeing her sister being so giddy as a foal. Then all of a sudden, another mare came through the door. It was Feather Duster, the pink coated alicorn that Celestia turned into from a maid, and she was looking even more beautiful than before. The motherly looking alicorn was wearing a pink colored sparkling apron encrusted with gems, the alicorn's mane flowed around her body like a waterfall, and her horn and hooves sparkled gleamed in the light being perfectly polished and manicured. Feather Duster strolled into the room and went about starting to babble on about her day not unlike a teenager coming back from a date. "Oh, thank you for sending me to the day spa in Ponyville. I met with this lovely mare named Rarity, who was such a lovely spa companion showing me the wonders of being pampered." She gasped upon seeing Luna as a baby kicking about in her fresh and crinkling diaper. The motherly alicorn stomped a hoof and shouted in anger. "Celestia! how could you turn your sister into a foal!" The draconequus was quite surprised and nervous, suddenly feeling like a foal being scolded by her mother as she whimpered nervously. "W..well...I have to say that it was on accident-" "And not tell me! Do you have an idea of how long I've waited to care for a foal!" The motherly alicorn exclaimed as she rushed over to Luna's crib and picked the squirming and blushing foal up and into her magic. Celestia had to hold back her laughter once again as the motherly alicorn nuzzled the filly against her cheek, making the foal kick and whine. This only caused the former maid's maternal emotions to come over her like a wave as she pinched Luna's cheek and cooed. "Oh look how cute and chubby you are! I can't resist pinching those cute chubby cheeks!" Luna gave the motherly alicorn a death glare being entirely unamused by Feather Duster's antics. All the while, Celestia tapped a claw to her chin as an idea was forming in her mind. A thought then suddenly popped into her mind why didn't she just have Feather Duster watch Luna tomorrow. Her little sister could be cared for until she got control of her chaos magic. The princess turned to Feather Duster, nuzzling Luna, with a smirk on her face as she replied, "You know what? How about you take the foal and be her caretaker for the night and tomorrow? I have an important date with Discord, and after he teaches me to control my chaos magic, I'll transform Luna back to normal." "Of course, that sounds amazing!" Feather Duster chirped out in excitement, unable to wait to care for a foal. The mare walked off, lifting up the fussy Luna in her magical aura as she cooed in a sweet motherly tone. "Come on lulu, I can try some new parenting techniques I've been teaching myself." Luna tried to escape flapping her wings and kicking about in frustration but yet again was powerless to escape from Feather Duster's magical grasp. Right after both her sister and Feather Duster were gone Celestia plopped into her bed as she chuckled to herself just thinking of Luna being babied for a full day and turning the moon into a giant butt. "I wonder how Luna is going to feel after I turn her back to normal? Hopefully she won't be mad at me for turning the moon into her butt." Celestia snickered as she snuggled under her blankets and slowly closed her eyes. As the princess drifted off she couldn’t help but to continue to giggle as she thought about her sister's thick rump peering through the night sky. Author's Note So, If you've read my blogs I've been put on a night shift at my job for the past 2 months and its been exhausting making it hard for me to give this story adequate attention. Again, I apologize for the wait and this was actually part of a much bigger chapter but I was hitting around the 8,000 word mark and its going to be a while until the rest of it is edited and polished up so I decided to publish this portion at the very least to show the story has not been abondoned. So, thanks again for all the likes and comments I hope you enjoy the chaos to come.
Chapter Four: Day Three: Truth or Dare?The next day eventually came as Celestia slowly woke up, stretching her claws and giving out a loud yawn. The princess lazily rolled from her bed and gradually strolled down the hallway, still feeling the rather foreign sensation of morning exhaustion still trying to get used to her new body. Upon entering the kitchen, she was mildly surprised to see of all ponies, Feather Duster dotting over baby Luna, currently seated in the highchair babbling and blowing out bubbles from her mouth. Despite the surprise of seeing her still transformed pseudo mother again, Celestia couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her now pint-sized sister happily chugging down a baby formula making cute suckling noises to Duster's continued amusement. Though the moment didn't last as Luna quickly took note of her sister's presence turning her smile in a frown, with a glare added for effect. While the act was more adorable than intimidating, it had the added effect of alerting Feather Duster to Celestia's presence. However, if she was angry at all about the previous day, she did an excellent job of not showing it in her facial expression or body language. "Oh, good morning Celestia. I was so busy attending to dear little Woona that I didn't even see you there." She cooed seeming to be loving ever second caring for the baby alicorn. Celestia had to bite back a chuckle at the frankly adorable nickname the pseudo mother had given her sister, the lunar filly's angry babble, only making it harder to hold back her laughter. Of course, she still had more than enough composure to conjure a camera and taking a few snapshots of the scene. Satisfied, she stored the device away for another time as she made her way to the table. "It's no problem Feather, I'm more than familiar with how much of a handful wittle Woona can be." Another loud and possibly profane screech came from the pint-sized princess rippled through the kitchen as Celestia sat down. "By the way, Feather, I hope you aren't upset over yesterday. I admit it was a little harsh on my part, I just felt you were a little...overbearing is all." Celestia paused, expecting the mother mare to descend into a parental tirade. Yet, while her expression did shift slightly, Duster otherwise showed little reaction, at least in the way of anything negative. "Oh, that's alright, dear, the trip was actually quite relaxing. And, if I'm honest, you're right that I was getting a little overzealous. You're an adult, after all, and every parent needs to give their child their space." Celestia felt a twitch come on at Feather, still looking at her as if the princess were her flesh and blood, but at least she was showing more restraint than before. Still, even so… "It's about time I finally reversed this spell and let Feather go back to the pony she was." For a moment, Celestia contemplated just doing the act now and getting it over with, but she was brought to a halt as Feather promptly dropped a plate of food in front of her face. "You should probably eat something, you've got quite a busy day on your claws, and we can't have you falling asleep on the job now can we?" Feather's tone was practically dripping with affection as she laid out some utensils, napkins, and a cup of juice along with the food before turning her attention back to Luna, giving the tiny ruler a warm hug as she pulled the foal from the high chair, much to her giggling delight. "Perhaps I'll leave her like this for one day longer. I do still need some pony to look after Luna, and Duster is more than willing to take the job." Taking a quick bite of her pancake, the princess could only smile at how happy Luna looked compared to earlier, enjoying the parental attention for all it was worth. Perhaps leaving her in Feather's care for a day would do her some good, she had seemed a bit stressed as of late. Her decision made, Celestia decided to speed through breakfast, transforming her mouth to a size comparable to a teenage dragon's and gulping down the food in one sitting. "Alright, Feather, I'm going to leave Luna in your care for today. And Luna, make sure to behave for Feather while I'm gone." The motherly alicorn looked positively delighted at the decision. At the same time, Luna blushed a little feeling more conflicted, but Celestia didn't bother to pay either of them a second glance as she snapped herself outside. Once outside, the princess found a rather broad audience of Canterlot nobles, all waiting for her to raise the sun. Celestia looked up at the still clear terrestrial sky, pondering on how she should raise it this morning, yet at the moment, all her mind seemed intent on focusing on was some of the cake she'd planned to eat today. "What in Equestria is wrong with me. Has raised the sun to become so monotonous that I'm more interested in satisfying my cake cravings than performing my most treasured of duties. As if to answer her, an all too familiar snap sounded, earning a worried flinch from Celestia and a collective gasp from the collection of ponies that surrounded her. Briefly hesitating, Celestia looked upward, finding that once again, her Chaos magic had opted to act up, now replacing her sun was a giant cake, coated in white frosting, with pink icing outlined each layer with her cutie mark decorated in the center. "Part of me what's to say, I'm shocked that this happened, but after these last couple of days, I think I'm just numb to it." If Celestia was completely honest with herself, she wasn't sure if she could call this a bad thing or not. True, the sun was essential to Equestria's survival and was a true masterpiece of nature that commanded respect from all those bathed in its warm glow....the massive cake in the sky looked quite delicious and more a small part of her wanted a slice. "Oh my, turning the sun into a giant cake. I'd figured that would've happened on day one, but no, you made it all the way to day three. Points for subverting my expectations again, little Sunbutt." Floating just above her head Discord hovered once again, a telescope in hand to get a better view of the celestial confection. Celestia tried to speak, only to find her mouth quiet literally zipped shut as Discord was now looming over her like a disappointed parent. "While I do so enjoy our little back and forths, my dear, let's just skip the formality and get right to me fixing yet another of your messes, shall we?" With a casual snap, the sun returned to its shimmering state, allowing the massive pack of political ponies to return to whatever they were doing, leaving Celestia with Discord, her mouth still zipped. "Well then," Discord said while dusting off his hands, "After this little fiasco, I trust you're keen to start your first lesson in Chaos Magic?" He waited for a response only for Celestia to flatly point at her still zipped up mouth, though Discord wasn't so quick to respond, somewhat enjoying the situation. "Maybe we should keep you like that for now, a little incentive always goes a long way in motivating somepony to learn. Plus, it's such a good look for you." That earned him a growl from the muzzled mare, whose entire body seemed to turn progressively redder with each passing second, even causing the nearby temperature to rise. " My, somepony's a little hot under the collar," Discord, now holding a frying pan near the princess's head, using her heat to make popcorn. Another glare and point back to the zipper caused him to finally relent. "Happy now?" "Not exactly, but thank you regardless, Discord," Celestia's body quickly returned to its natural color as she straightened herself out, "I'm ready to learn all you have to teach me. However, I still expect you to maintain a proper level of decorum. No mischief of any kind is that understood?" She looked sternly at her hopeful instructor, who looked ready to gag at the notion. "My goodness, you are such a stick in the mud. But fine," he quickly pulled his left claw off and proceed to cross his heart with it, "I solemnly swear I will not be up to no good. Happy?" His claw quickly poofed back to its original spot, leaving a satisfied looking Celestia. "Yes, thank you, Discord." "Well, now that everypony is happy and all that fun little nonsense, we can start," with another flash the draconequus was now clad in a traditional black instructor robe, complete with glasses and a floating blackboard, "Hello class, I'm Professor Discord, and this is Chaos Magic 101. So let's get started by opening your textbooks to page 22." Another flash and Celestia was seated in an airborne chair and desk before a yellow and black textbook landed right in front of her. A glance immediately brought a look of annoyance at the words CHAOS MAGIC FOR DUMMIES written on the cover, made more anger-inducing by the added, 'specifically Celestia' in small text in the left-hand corner. Discord's knowing smirk only added to her annoyance as the spirit levitated a piece of chalk up to the board and had it start writing. "Now then, today, we will be discussing the most fundamental rule relating to Chaos Magic. Can anypony tell me what that rule is?" In an instance, Celestia found herself surrounded by copies of Discord, all clad in various forms of clothes and school bags, all excitedly waving their raised arms around in an attempt to get their...teacher's attention. Sadly for them, it was clear he only had his eyes on one person in the room. "Celestia, care to take a crack at this problem. Please don't be shy; there are no wrong answers." Celestia felt hesitant, knowingly Discord was more than likely baiting her somehow. Yet, she had asked him for his help, so might as well throw caution to the wind. "I….I suppose it would be learning how to control." "WRONG!" A loud buzzer that threatened to rupture her eardrums howled through the room, with a massive neon sign forming the word Wrong hanging over Discord's head. "Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear, but not only is that answer wrong, but it is also so incorrect of an answer that as punishment, you now need to wear this." Another snap and a big pink dunce cap suddenly appeared atop Celestia's head, earning a mass of laughter from the many Discords sitting around her. Satisfied by the now furious looking Celestia, Discord carried on. "The most crucial and basic thing to know about Chaos magic is that you don't control it. Control goes against everything Chaos magic stands for; it is chaos after all." As if to emphasize his point, Discord casually allowed his lion's paw to shapeshift into an ice cream cone, a dragon's head, a chair leg, a unicorn horn, and...was that Pinkie Pie's head for a moment, before reverting to its original shape. "See that, totally random. Chaos magic will typically do what you want but not if you try to force it. The harder you try to rein it in and the more out of control it will become." As he continued to teach, Celestia, having gotten the cap off, found herself processing every word her instructor was saying, comparing it to everything that's happened to her up to this point. "It does at least seem to match up slightly with my past experiences. Yet that still doesn't offer me much help in regards to avoiding future mishaps like earlier." Deciding to humor Discord, Celestia opted to raise her hoof and play along with the classroom scenario he'd cooked up. "So then, if we can't control our magic, how do we make it work without causing it to just activate randomly?" "Oh, I'm so happy you asked my dear student...oh, bet you never imagined somepony saying that to you." Taking his hand to the chalkboard, he quickly flipped the board to the other side to reveal the words JUST DO IT, leaving Celestia more than a little unsatisfied. "...is this supposed to be some kind of joke Discord?" In response, Discord was now dressed up as a clown in a purple suit with green hair and a painted-on smile. "Well, I don't doubt you could use a good laugh right about now my dear, you're so serious all the time, it's almost painful," He immediately changed back to his normal appearance as he got right in her face. "However, I'm quite serious here. Chaos magic, at its core, is as simple as it gets, you want something to happen, just think about it and do it, that's all there is to it. "It can't possibly be that simple?" "Oh, what exactly were you expecting, some overly elaborate magic equation full of symbols, numbers of text no sane pony would ever try to translate." Another flip of the board showed such an equation, one that would look right at home in Twilight's lab. "Listen, Celestia, it really is that simple. The thing you need to remember above all is that normal magic has rules. Hence it has limits to what it can or can't do. Chaos magic has no rules, the fact you can do literally anything you want without restriction is what makes it chaos. So if you want to do something..." Discord once again shifted, this time being clad in a black t-shirt, jeans, a wristwatch, and a short black beard. "JUST DO IT!" The princess looked slightly unconvinced, staring now at her hands, trying to wrap her head around this new information. "I see you don't believe me quite yet," Discord said, hanging appearing right over her shoulder, smiling all the way, "Well then, the best way to learn is through trial and error, so let's have ourselves a trial filled with all sorts of errors." With another loud snap, the pair found themselves transported to the massive castle kitchen, earning a bit of a jolt from some of the staff whole immediately went back to work, unbothered by the sudden appearance. "Exactly how long is this lesson going to take Discord?" Celestia's eyes couldn't help but drift to a nearby clock, and a literal thought bubble appeared above her head, showing a long piece of paper with the words schedule printed in bold red letters, "I don't feel I need to remind you. I have more pressing matters to attend to today." "Right, important," Discord let out a raspberry as he casually brushed away the thought bubble, "I'm certain all those frankly overdressed and overpaid ponies you're always dealing with can go an hour or two without crying to you over every minor inconvenience they have." "It's not that simple Discord. We're hosting an important banquet tonight, and I need to make sure everything is ready. I can't waste too much time on this." Discord paused, casually stroking his beard as he thought for a moment, "Well, if you're that worried about it, then we can just multitask, something you should be more than familiar with by now." Without even snapping this time, a large table appeared out of nowhere, with a book containing a picture of a cake in the center. "I'd planned for something like this anyway. Might as well start simple, and making cake is about as simple as you can get." "You want me to make a cake with magic?" Celestia asked with a look of uncertainty on her face. "Given earlier this morning, you've already gotten a head start, though try to keep it to the size of this room, please." Discord snickered secretly hoping a cake that size would suddenly explode out from the princess's magic. Celestia looked ready to dismiss the idea outright, still afraid of what might happen. In a way, it was odd that she felt so nervous about the mere idea of doing something so simple. Yet these last few days had shown her just how much trouble she could cause if she wasn't careful. At this point, it was a surprise she hadn't ended up in a near-hysterical state similar to Twilight during the Smartypants debacle. "Get a grip, Celestia, it's just cake. Just think and do it, that's all. Stop hesitating." Without a moment's pause, Celestia formed a picture in her head and immediately snapped, staring down at what she'd created. "Hmm, well it's an improvement over earlier, but…" On the table, there was currently a large white cake covered in pink icing, which wasn't the inherent problem. No, that was the large mouth filled with teeth seemingly made of hardened blue icing and a pair of eyeholes illuminated by candles. All the while, the carnivorous confection growled and bit in every direction, icing leaking from its mouth. Discord took a moment to trap the cake until a large glass cake server, looking over the treat with amusement. "You know, I think serving these would make for a more enjoyable experience then bland old normal cakes. Goodness knows it could get those stuck up ponies to liven up for a change." A quick glance at Celestia revealed her sulking in the corner, a tiny black cloud hanging over her head as she tried to curl into a ball. "Oh, come on, you don't need to be so melodramatic. Compared to this morning, it's an improvement, sure it's a little." another growl and the sound of something smacking against glass interrupted him, "bitter, but you're starting to get the hang of it." Celestia, however, only seemed to curl in further, the cloud getting larger with mini lightning bolts and rain for added effect. At this point, Discord's half-hearted smile fell from his face at the pitiful sight of the usually confident and powerful ruler. Without any prompting, he immediately reached into his face and pulled out a new mouth before smacking the cloud away. "Okay, this has officially stopped being funny. Clearly, you're not in your right head at the moment and need to get a little air. So, we're just going to go out for a little while and get you away from all this negativity." Celestia finally pulled herself out of her state of self-compression, pondering on the notion before nodding. "Perhaps taking some time off would do me some good, but we're only going to be out for a few hours. I still need to test the cakes for the banquet tonight and make sure they are up to the proper standard of quality." "Which I bet are quite high considering your love for cake." Discord chimed in. Celestia reared her head at Discord and snapped back. "These banquets are host to the most prestigious ponies from all across Equestria. As such the food must be up to a certain standard. The fact I just happen to have high standards when it comes to confections is a benefit, if anything." Discord stepped back, seeing how angry his fellow draconequus was getting and replied, "Ah, ah-ah, temper. I'm more than confident in your capability to critique the quality of countless culinary confections, but do remember to keep your emotions in check. One thing Chaos magic has in common with normal magic is that emotions have a big impact on how much power you produce, so try to keep calm." Celestia gave a deep breath and calmed herself. "Right, sorry, let's just head out. There are at least two shops I need to visit, and I'd prefer not to rush." The two floated down the cobblestone streets, eventually making it to a quite extravagant looking bakery. A glance in the front window showed a massive ten layer wedding cake, which even Discord himself had to admit looked quite appetizing. Celestia paused before looking at Discord with a critical eye. "Remember Discord, we're simply here to test the cakes for the banquet; as such, I expect you to be on your best behavior. Discord quickly shifted into an angel outfit, complete with glowing halon and equally glowing smile, earning him a dismissive eye roll from Celestia. The draconequus calmly strolled in, making Celestia squeak out in surprise as she quickly followed suit. Upon entering the bakery, the pair were then hit with an aroma of fresh cake, melted sugar, chocolate, and a lovely looking baker's mare with a cream-colored coat and a warm, loving smile. "Oh, hello there, welcome to Sweet Hearts, one of the finest bakeries in all of Canterlot. My name is Cream Heart, tell me, are you looking to buy a wedding cake?" Celestia's face immediately turned red at the implication, while Discord looked more amused than embarrassed. "Well, while I'll admit my companion here is certainly a catch, especially now, I'm afraid we're here for a much more mundane reason." Celestia, further embarrassed by the veiled compliment, took a few steps away from Discord as she quickly explained, "We're just here to inspect the cake for the banquet this weekend." Sweet Cream, upon taking a closer look at Celestia, immediately recognized the monarch, becoming mildly embarrassed herself. "Oh, Princess Celestia, my apologies, I'd almost forgotten about that! Please, just wait here for a moment, I just baked a fresh cake a few minutes ago, anticipating your arrival." The mare then skipped off quickly, being quite excited to show the princess her best cake yet, leaving the pair in somewhat awkward silence. Discord turned to Celestia and whispered in her ear. "Certainly, I know I said we'd take a little break, but why not take another crack at some Chaos magic I can't exactly imagine you being nearly as stressed out here?" Celestia didn't say anything, seemingly trying to focus on some of the other cakes in the store to avoid speaking to Discord. "Oh, don't tell me you're still bothered by her little misunderstanding? Does the idea of us as a couple bother you that much?" Celestia refused to make eye contact, "Can we please not discuss this." Discord was tempted to press further but decided against it, not willing to risk a possible outburst from the still volatile princess. Thus instead… "Then how about we play a game instead." Celestia's perked at the suggestion, looking warily at her companion. "And what kind of game did you have in mind?" Discord's smile grew, his long fang nearly sliding across his other teeth. "Think of it as a simple practice exercise for your magic. Once the cake comes in, we change it around a little bit to see who can come up with the most...chaotic effect." Celestia immediately prepared to shut the idea down only for Discord to beat her to the punch. "Listen, I'm not asking you to reinvent the wheel here. Just keep to something simple and if worst comes to worst I can fix it in a literal snap. You do want to control your magic, don't you?" Celestia debated for several moments before, reluctantly agreeing to the proposal. Thankfully, the pair didn't have to wait too long before the baker mare came back and presented them with the cake. "Alright, here it is!" The cake was quite beautiful mixed decorated with swirls of pink and blue frosting, which only made it more appetizing to Celestia, almost making her regret agreeing to tamper with it. Yet, they had agreed, and the sight of the cake had caused an idea to form in her head. A mischievous smile across her face, the princess pictured the effect she wanted in her mind and immediately zapped it without taking a moment to question her decision. In a flash, the cake's decorations were now split down the middle, completely blue on one side and pink on the other. While the baker looked shocked, Discord seemed less than impressed. "Well, you managed to not cause a scene, though I was hoping for something a little more impressive than a simple color change." Celestia's smirk quickly grew, earning a curious look from Discord. "Oh, I've done more than change its color. I've added a sort of transformation charm to it. If you eat the blue side, you turn into Shining Armor while the pink sider turns you into Princess Cadence," the now proud princess puffed out her chest with pride at Discord who offered a light clap in response. "Hmm, that's a bit more creative I'll give you. But we still need to check and see if it works." Celestia, however, quickly remembered where exactly they were and turned to the still stunned baker. "I hope you don't mind this, but we're having a bit of a magic competition. If it's too much trouble, we can leave." To her surprise, Cream Heart rapidly shook her head, "oh, it's no trouble at all. If anything it sounds like it could be quite exciting. Please feel free to continue. " Thus with little room to argue, the two then started to eat the cake, with Discord slowly transforming into Cadence, though with a dark brown coat, a long yellow and light brown mane. Meanwhile, Celestia became a Shining Armor clone with a similar white coat, but with a mane comprised of dark and bright pink. They were surprised and laughed as they looked over their new bodies as Celestia looked over herself with a smirk on her face." Well, this is certainly different. Though after being turned into a draconequus, it's nice to be a normal pony again," she paused and took a moment to look at herself in the nearby window. Her face turned bright pink, looking at her reflection, seeing how muscular she looked and responded in a surprised tone, "I must say, I cut quite an impressive figure as a stallion." Cream Heart nodded rapidly, stars visible in her eyes, "Oh yes your highness, if I may be so bold you look very handsome," her eyes shifted to Discord, looking at him equally starstruck, "And Discord, you look positively breathtaking, the picture of eloquence and beauty." Discord offered a half-hearted chuckle, brushing the mane out of her eyes and looking into another window admiring his new body. It was thin and graceful not unlike Cadance's and was quite bashful waving the compliment off with his new hoof. "Oh, stop, you're gonna make me blush." Discord's entire body turned completely red, though it seemed more he was simply humoring her than being done out of actual embarrassment. Celestia eyed Discord, finding the momentary distraction somewhat calming as if the pressure she'd been feeling earlier was lessening. "Well, as enjoyable as this is, it's a tad limited as far as possible challenge options are concerned, so how about a new game Discord." Discord, still in his Cadence form, stretched his ears like rubber right over to Celestia, "I'm all ears, Celestia what did you have in mind?" "Nothing too elaborate, just a simple game of Truth or Dare." Immediately Discord's excitement dropped, "Have you been reading some of Twilight's old books again," Afterwards, he poofed up the book with the title Slumber Party 101, "Because I'm pretty sure we've already visited this particular scenario." Celestia rolled her eyes, "Oh, stop being so negative, it'll be fun," Discord didn't look convinced, prompting Celestia to up the stakes. "Very well, then how about this, as a rule, if you refuse to do either Truth or Dare, then you must eat another piece of the cake. That should make things a little more exciting, don't you think?" Pausing as he weighed the options, Discord offered a shrug, "Well, it's not my usual game, but putting a little chaotic spin on it could make things more exciting. So I'm in, I suppose." Sweet Cream rose a hoof and exclaimed with a big smile on her face. "Oh, I wanna go first!" "Okay, Sweet Cream, you can go first?" Discord scoffed, rolling his eyes, being a bit agitated and wanting to get this game over with. Sweet Cream turned her attention to the princess, blushing, seeing how hot she looked in her stallion body she gulped and stammered, "um..C...Celestia truth or dare?" "Hmm, why not dare?" The princess of the sun responded, wanting to see what this baker had in store. "I want you to kiss Discord!" The mare chirped out, clapping her hooves together. "What!" The princess and Discord squeaked out in surprise with big wide eyes. "Oh, come on! You two are the royal couple I need to at least get a picture of you two kissing!" The two looked at each other with their faces both a bright pink and both considering not going through with the dare. "Look, I'll do this dare only as long as you know we're not actually going to get married." Discord snapped with an embarrassed look on his new face feeling quite conflicted about kissing the princess. "Just shut it, and let's get this over with." Celestia squeaked out feeling just as conflicted. But they slowly move their faces together both sweating a bit and as they puckered their lips the two gave each other a quick peck on the lips. As Sweet Cream snapped a few pictures. "Oh, that was so cute! You should've held it!" Celestia sat back, coughing a bit, and immediately responded, "So, I think I'll go next...Discord truth or dare?" Discord eyed Celestia, stubbornly refusing to play, especially after having to kiss her...but finally after being glared at by his chaotic partner in crime, snapped, "Alright, fine... I'll go with truth I have nothing to hide?" The princess, however, despite requesting the game, didn't seem especially happy, practically looking at him with a harsh glare. "Very well then, tell me? Do you wish I could stay a draconequus forever?" Discord's confidence immediately evaporated as his whole body paled, "Uh...well, that is…" "You have to answer, it's the rules, and you agreed, now answer me." Discord shivered at the force behind her tone, making it clear this wasn't a request but a demand, and he'd be wise to answer. "F-fine, yes, I do wish you'd stay like this." "I'd say that I'm surprised, but I'd be lying. Though, now I'm curious to know more." Discord, however, immediately raised a massive stop sign in response. "Uh uh, I answered my question, so let's give someone else a chance." Celestia huffed angrily at being denied, but an idea quickly formed in her head, and she immediately pulled Sweet Cream to the side, who'd been sitting there simply enjoying the show. Discord tried to hear what the two were whispering about but found himself unable to. His suspicion grew as Sweet Cream seemed to nod excitedly, before focusing her eyes on Discord. "Why do I get the feeling something excruciatingly painful is about to happen?" "Well, I believe it's my turn now," Sweet Cream snickered with a suspicious smile on her face, "And I chose you Discord. Truth or Dare." "Wait a minute, I just went, you can't make me go twice in a…." Celestia immediately cut him off mid-speech. "Technically, when we started, we never established any specific rules outside of asking Truth or Dare along with the cake rule. As such, it's perfectly fine for more than one person to ask somepony twice. Besides, it's more...chaotic this way, and I know you just love that, don't you Discord?" Discord could feel every part of his body twitching angrily as he quickly realized the hole he was currently dug into. Yet, he begrudgingly relented. ".....Fine, I'll pick truth again. Honestly, that seems like the safer option here." Sweet Cream quickly cooed in excitement. "Alright, do, you have feelings for Celestia!?" He squeaked as Celestia blushed, turning towards him. He crossed his claws, "That's not a fair question, ask another?" Celestia scoffed, "According to the rule, you have to answer the question, or you have to eat another piece of cake." The draconequus scoffed, "fine, I'd rather turn back into a male anyways! No insult to you mares, but I prefer being my gender." The mare cooed, "oh? Who said anything about turning back into a stallion? Eat another pink piece of cake." Discord rolled his eyes, seeing little reason to argue as it was not like it made too much of a difference as he ate another piece of cake. He squeaked, feeling a graceful looking wedding dress poof around her body, It was complete being fitted to the waist and the fabric flowed naturally to the floor, along with a white wedding veil flowing down Discord's head. Hearing snickering she turned around with a glare at the pair annoyed. "Really? A wedding dress?" The lord of chaos grumbled under his breath. The two laughed as Cream Heart exclaimed, "My goodness Discord you look great in that dress? Are you sure you don't want a wedding cake!" "Oh Cadance you just look lovely? Maybe we should get married here?" Celestia joked with a smirk on her face feeling good that she was able to make Discord feel embarrassed. The lord of chaos looked away feeling bashful about his new outfit and because how Celestia in Shining Armor's form was staring at him with lustful eyes. Celestia turned to Discord. "Alright, my turn, truth or dare?" Discord snorted through his nostrils. "Is anyone else going to get a turn, or am I the only one being humiliated through this silly game? Cause I feel as though I've more than earned my turn here." Both Celestia and Sweet looked at each other, gave a nod, and turned back to their fellow player. "Very well, Discord, it's your turn." The two chimed in unison. "Finally," The draconequus jumped for joy as he immediately pointed the finger at Sweet Cream. "Alright, baker, I'll start with you. Truth or Dare." "What? You just want to get me back for earlier!?" "That's right!" Discord snickered evilly as he loomed over the helpless baker, "So choose your answer wisely because I promise you won't like what I have in store for you if you choose wrong." The baker panicked, sweat being to pool around her forehead, fearing what horrors awaited her should she make the wrong choice. "....I...I...I CAN'T choose. I'll just try a piece of the cake." She immediately felt regret, as Discord's smile grew dramatically. "Oh, I was so hoping you'd choose that option, and since turn about is fair play, we never established any guidelines about cake consumption. So I want you to eat a slice from each side, at the same time!" She froze, staring down at the cake, wondering what exactly would happen if she tried such a thing. Yet, she knew there was no way she could refuse, especially not after how she'd helped humiliate Discord before. Thus, without pause, she scarfed down both pieces of cake and found herself covered in a magic glow that threatened to blind all those present. In a flash of blue and pink, the baker mare found herself now replaced with a baby, alicorn filly with swirls of pink and light blue for a mane and tail, giant white feathered wings and big wide bright blue eyes babbling incoherently. Discord and Celestia shouted out, "WHAT?" "How on earth did that happen. How does eating something that supposed to make you male and female at the same time turn you into an alicorn of all things?" Celestia asked as she scooped up the pint-sized princess crawling babbling and cooing in her hooves. "What part of Chaos Magic do you not understand. It's supposed to be random," Discord argued, before going over the alicorn filly with a magnifying glass, "though even as random chaos is, this is a new one. Hmm, maybe this is what Cadence and Shining Armor's child would look like." Celestia immediately looked at Discord like he was completely insane...or more insane than he already was, "That's your explanation for this. How in Equestria did you arrive at that conclusion." Discord started to pull out another blackboard that contained another overly complicated equation only for Celestia to throw the rest of the cake at it, "Never mind. What's important is changing her back to how she was before. Bad enough I turned Feather into an Alicorn, I'd rather not this become a trend." "You sure?" Discord asked, wiping the cake off his blackboard, having returned to his original form, "You still don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to transformations." Celestia, now transformed back to her draconequus form with a snap of a claw. "How was that!? I think I'm getting the hang of this." "You're getting better but do you think you can fix Sweet Cream?" Discord asked eyeing Celestia still being unsure of the princess's capabilites. "Well, I had only a few hours of experience as of right now, so no, not really. But, I still have to at least try to turn her back to normal, leaving Sweet Cream like this would be irresponsible after all." The princess snapped back as she now held the cooing alicorn foal in her claws. The foal was acting quite adorable waving its hooves uncontrollably, flapping her wings and blowing bubbles through her mouth. Celestia stared down at the foal with a worried look on her face as she slowly held out a claw and with a quick snap another burst of light, the pair found that the alicorn filly had been changed...into an older, seemingly teenage version of the same alicorn. Needless to say, Celestia didn't exactly look thrilled at her latest attempt while Discord held up a scorecard with a "4" on it. "Well, you made her older, at least, but she's still an alicorn, so not your best showing dear." Sweet Cream meanwhile seemed to be looking over her transformed state, puzzled at her new giant wings and rubbing her new horn as she asked, "Oh, wow, that was weird!? Huh? Why do I think my name is Flurry Heart?" "Why do I feel so energetic!" She chirped out, bouncing up and down in excitement. Flurry Heart started to flap her wings and fly around, only for an oversized paw to immediately pull her down to ground level and keep her from flying away. "Okay, I think we've met our hijinks quota for this chapter. So let's wrap things up, shall we?" "Let me go! I wanna go fly!" Sweet Cream snapped being quite bratty in her teen form. Celestia stood over the teenager and scolded her. "You stop it right now young lady." "Your not my mom! You can't tell me what to do!" Flurry Heart whined stomping about and shot magic out of her horn at Celestia dodged the blast. With a loud BOOM! one of the cakes in the shop exploded sending pieces of frosting and smashed cakes to splatter all over the walls. Celestia turned to Discord with smashed cake all over her body and shouted in anger. "Are you going to stand there or are you going to help me get her under control!" "Jeez, calm down it's not like were actually her parents." The lord of chaos snapped a claw as Sweet Cream was turned back into her normal self again and the cake being restored, magic free as well. The princess immediately began apologizing to Cream for all that happened, only for the baker to calmly laugh it off. "There's no need for that your highness. Truthfully, it was actually pretty enjoyable, and after everything else that's happened in Canterlot these last few years, being made into an alicorn for a few minutes is just a drop in the bucket!" The baker's mare replied happily as she seemed to secretly want to stay as an alicorn. Celestia simply smiled sadly, still feeling she hadn't been able to have a grip on her new chaos magic. The pair left the shop, Discord having teleported the cake back to the castle (despite not noticing two pieces were missing), as Celestia being too afraid to even attempt such a thing as the two continued on to the next stop on their travels. As the two left the cake shop, Sweet Cream placed the two pieces of enchanted cake away in a cupboard with a crazed look in her eye. "Oh, I can't wait to be an alicorn again!"
Chapter five: The Chaos DuelPrincess Celestia was flying next to Discord as they went across the streets of Canterlot, looking rather pleased with herself. Despite some of her initial reservations, finally releasing her chaos magic in the cake shop had proven quite therapeutic, effectively purging much of the stress she’d been feeling up to that point. And as one would expect, she wasn’t ready to stop any time soon. The former alicorn turned her gaze on the Lord of Chaos, seeing how calm he looked as he chatted about how cool she was and how impressive she was using chaos magic. The conversation felt like a blur for the Princess, and she was seemingly impressed by his restraint to cause any unnecessary chaos to be corrupt her. In truth, it was some of the most she’d had in a very long time, and a part of her just wanted to embrace it fully, finally cut loose. Yet, another part held her back, reminding her as it had so many, many times, she couldn’t control her chaos magic, and it was too much of a risk. If she was being honest, the near-constant reminders of her repeated failures to get control of this power had gotten more than a little taxing. Honestly, it still baffled her that for her more than millennia of experience with magic; she couldn’t completely get the hang of this. A part of her had considered that maybe only a truly chaotic individual could understand it correctly. That thought made her look back at her transformed hand, reminding her that while she might be a draconequus in body, her mind was still the same one as before. Then again, perhaps it was truly impossible to control said power, and it was best to just go with the flow, so to speak. So curious... “So, what’s next?” Discord asked, confusion evident on his face at how his companion had suddenly gone silent. “Huh? What was that?” Celestia asked, shaken from her inner quandary and blushing at the realization of what’d just happened. Discord rolled his eyes, getting a bit annoyed. “Ugh, I was just asking where we’re going next? I’m way too pumped from the last cake shop to stop now and wanted you to give your two cents?” Celestia’s cheeks flushed pink, deciding to put her previous concerns on hold for the moment, as she had one shop in mind and responded curtly. “Yes, I do. I’m sure you’ll like it more than the last one.” “Oh?” Discord asked with a smirk, his curiosity peaked. “Please, do tell.” Celestia, however, merely blushed in embarrassment again, almost trying to wave away the question entirely. “Oh, you’ll see soon enough. Now, come on, I think I’ve been stalling long enough.” With a literal stretch of the arm and a fast yank, Discord found himself being dragged through the streets of Canterlot before the pair made a sharp turn at a corner. Once they finally stopped, Discord's eyes widened at the building before them. The establishment in question looked like somethingPinkie Pie would’ve designed if she were ever given the chance. It was bright pink with balloons tied all over while a massive giant birthday cake, topped with numerous with giant pink and white striped candles, sat comfortably on the roof. And situated in the center near the entrance was a massive, flashing neon sign that read, “Mrs. Funnel Cake’s Cake Emporium.” Discord’s mouth was agape, and he had this look of disbelief seeing the building up close, unable to peel his eyes away from how gaudy and pink it looked. The cake overhead looked almost real, with the pink frosting outlining it and the little pink flowers outlining the Cake’s surface. It was probably the only impressive thing about the entire building...not that it helped much. The Lord of Chaos’s head slowly turned like a crank, finding Celestia standing with an enormous grin, that only made him shudder. “Did that incident with those nobles a few days ago cause your mind to regress or something?” The Princess of the sun blushed, feeling so embarrassed at sharing something so private, not even Luna or Twilight knew about it and responded. “Oh, stop! Seriously, this is a secret, ok! I...I like this place and yes some fancy cake shops are what all my advisors would agree is where I should order the pastries for the party. But...thi...this is what I want.” Discord drew he threw his claw and lion paw across his chest with a scowl on his face. “Well, on the one claw, I could certainly understand why they would be a little...conflicted getting pastries for a high-class party from this place. However, what does it matter.? Aren’t you the Princess, after all, you seriously expect me to believe you can’t even order what you want at your parties?” Celestia sighed, shaking her head as she went about trying to explain the subtle and careful art of sucking up to the nobles. And explained, “These parties aren’t for me? Yes, I'm a princess, but that doesn’t mean I need to make those that govern this kingdom happy.” Discord threw his head and laughed, “So, you're letting these nobles walk all over you?” “Of course not!?” Celestia cried out and stomped a foot on the ground. The draconequus pointed at the shop. “Then, we’re going to order your cakes through this shop for the party?.” “No way! This is just something I wanted to show you. There are other cake shops thi-” Discord flew over and snapped, “Listen! The reason your chaos magic was so crazy before is that you're allowing everypony around you to walk over you. You're scared of losing control, huh?” “What?” Celestia snapped, getting all flustered, feeling a bit peeved of all ponies being insulted about her control was none other than the lord of chaos himself. “You seriously think I'm going to be insulted by the draconequus who tried to take over Equestria twice?” “Ok, first, I’ve already long apologized for that, plus you’re deflecting the issue. This isn’t about me; it’s about you,” Discord snapped, pointing at the cake shop. “Come on, just go and do something for yourself for once?” “Fine!” Celestia shouted as she stomped through the doors, too proud to fight back, while Discord snickered as he floated in after her. Upon entering, the duo came upon a rather plump, tan coated unicorn mare with wide pink eyes and wavy pink locks swirling around her head and tail. The pleasantly plump pony turned around, hearing the jingling of the bells as the door opened and gasped, seeing the two draconequus. Thankfully, her look of astonishment changed as she saw that the white-coated/scaled draconequus was none other than Princess Celestia herself. The big mare waved a hoof and exclaimed, “Hello, Princess Celestia! I didn’t expect to see you this week!? And my goodness, I must say, you're quite stunning as a draconequus!” Celestia didn’t know how to take the compliment as she threw her long, light rainbow-colored mane over her head. “Thank you, your compliment is greatly appreciated.” Seeing things were getting a little awkward, mainly with Celestia, Discord decided it was time for him to chime in. “So, we’ve been looking for a bakery to buy some pastries for Celestia’s party this weekend, and the princess has decided to choose your shop to cater to!” Discord exclaimed as he held up his claws in the air as if the chubby baker just won a prize on a game show, a sentiment she seemed to share. The mare’s eyes went wide as she placed a hoof to her chest, trying to keep herself from falling over from a heart attack. “My goodness...me? I know Princess Celestia loves my cakes!?” The baker slowed down, and her hoof in the ground. “But this is well...um something she keeps private.” Discord did finally take a good look around the shop seeing the place; finding the decor was just as pink as the exterior. In the display cases, there were dozens of decorated birthday cakes of all kinds, with streamers hanging all over the store as if Pinkie’s party cannon had just exploded. Discord quickly pulled out some sunglasses to help against the onslaught of bright colors while turning his attention to the windows, wanting to ensure no pony saw Celestia inside. Luckily it was a slow day, and there weren't any ponies in the shop at the time, but even the draconequus was surprised Celestia would come to eat at such a foalish place like this. “I can see why you were so against coming here, Celestia. I doubt anypony over the age of ten would ever be caught dead in her.” Discord whispered, being quite surprised himself. The Princess rolled her eyes, not knowing how many times she stuffed her face with Cake in front of the draconequus a thousand years ago and flew over to Discord. “Then you obviously don’t know anything about me?” “Oh please! I knew you loved cake, but this place screams Pinkie Pie!” The male draconequus ranted. “I mean...I could imagine a thousand years ago you being like her? But not now? I thought all that fun was zapped out of you after your coronation?" Celestia looked more than a little miffed at such an insinuation. “I’ll have you know that I am still perfectly capable of having fun! Mrs. Funnel Cake can vouch for that.” Said pony immediately clopped her hooves together and exclaimed, “Oh yes! Celestia has quite the playful side to her. She had me set this place up like a foal style birthday party for herself!” The Princess hid her face behind a claw as Discord snickered, imagining Celestia sitting down in a little party hat, party blower in her mouth, and a big birthday cake in front of her. “That's just sad. Adorable...but mostly sad.” “Oh, haha! That’s it! Mrs. Funnel Cake, I'm going to hire you to cater for the party and not just that we're going to have a small party here right now.” Celestia demanded now she’s determined, wanting to prove Discord wrong. To the surprise of Discord, said baker seemed positively ecstatic over the rather spontaneous and out of left field request, practically bouncing with joy. “Oh, how wonderful!” She skipped over to the front door and quickly flipped the sign from open to closed, promptly locking to ensure they weren’t disturbed. Discord all the while simply watched, deciding just to let things play out. them “So...how should we go about this?” Celestia responded by holding out one of her claws, which immediately split into ten and went about snatching cakes from the display before placing them on the table. “We should start by sampling the cakes here to see which one would be the best for the party!?” Funnel Cake nodded happily at the idea while Discord, again finding himself playing the straight man of the group...which was becoming an increasingly common trend in this whole endeavor, opted to follow suit. The three quietly sat down, with Celestia, of course being the first to indulge in the pastries, with Funnel Cake and Discord following suit. While Discord seemed to just passive tolerate the Cake, his unique palette being difficult to satisfy, Funnel and Celestia were quickly picking up speed. This rapid consumption continued for some time, with Discord stopping after about 7 minutes while his companions continued with no sign of slowing down. Curiously enough, despite having eaten enough to fill the entire store, the cakes just seemed to reappear without fail, allowing the show of gluttony to continue. At the same time, the two happily chatted away as they ate. The Princess was having such a good time she had no idea that the Cake was starting to cause her body to grow in size to make her bloat up. It wasn’t until she could hear the chair she was sitting in started to loudly creak that she finally took notice of her current state. It caused her eyes to crack from the shock literally. A simple look in the mirror revealed a now much pudgier Celestia, with a bloated belly, stubby legs doubling in size. Her eyes quickly shifted to Funnel Cake, also showing a noticeable weight gain, while Discord, who by now was at best nibbling on the pastries, barely looked any different at all. “Discord!” Celestia yelled as she finally put down her latest pastry, her outburst also stopping Funnel.“Did you enchant these cakes to make us all fat!” “Excuse me, but I'm not fat! I'm big-boned!” Mrs. Funnel Cake snapped as she crossed her hooves, completely ignoring the sight of her arms, actually starting to sink slowly into her bloated abdomen. Discord, instead of making a snarky remark, opted to simply give Celestia a simple smirk and look of mild offense, “My dear Celestia, that was rather rude of you. Don’t you think you should apologize.” Princess’s gaze hardened at the obvious deflection, but quickly gave the shop owner an apologetic bow. “Please, forgive me. That was not the intent of my comment !" Luckily, Funnel Cake seemed to quickly brush off the issue with a wave and another bite of Cake. “Oh don’t worry about it sweetie, you ain’t the first pony to crack about my size, and you won’t be the last. Sides, now you’re in the same boat as me.” Discord snickered as he started lightly poking Celestia’s belly, which slowly sank into the mixture of flesh and fur as though it were a pillow. “She’s right about that. Though keep eating that Cake, and there won’t be a boat big enough to hold either of you!” Celestia mentally found herself deciding whether just to let gravity take hold and crush Discord and save herself the headache. Thankfully for Discord, her reputation and pride wouldn’t allow for such an unsightly act. “Just turn me back normal already!? I’ve already had Luna complaining about my cake consumption, the last thing I want is to give her any kind of validation.” Funnel Cake, completely ignoring the continued weight gain, went about shoving another piece of Cake in her mouth as she scoffed, “Awww, Luna just needs to let go and enjoy herself more.” “While I can agree my sister is still a tad high strung, I doubt I could ever convince her to come to a place like this and indulge herself,” Celestia muttered with a sigh, thinking back to her and her sister’s earlier, more playful years. Discord waved a hoof and snickered, “Maybe she would considering her current state.” The Princess’s eyes went wide, “Oh no, I completely forgot! She’s still a baby! I need to change her back!” “Oh, relax? She can be a baby for a few more hours.” Discord snickered, a thought bubble showing a still infant and visibly annoyed Luna appearing above his head. “Besides considering how bad your chaos magic is, you might make her smaller? Probably best not to take the risk.” Celestia seemed more than a little offended by the comment and immediately leaped to her feet. we're going to have a showdown!” “A showdown?”Discord laughed, immediately pulling a cowboy outfit out of thin air, “You really wanna do this? Right now.” He made sure to emphasize the now as Celestia struggled to stay upright as she hobbled to the other side of the bakery. Celestia stood on the other with her teeth gritted and shouted, “ That’s right, we're going to shoot chaos magic at each other and transform ourselves. Funnel Cake can decide who makes the crazier transformation...within reason, of course. It has to be something fun, nothing gross, disgusting, or perverted.” Discord tapped a hoof to his chin and gave a nod, deciding to toss away the cowboy outfit. “Eh, why now. Mrs. Funnel Cake, would you accept being our judge?” “Why, of course, I would be happy too!” Funnel Cake exclaimed, turning her seat around to watch the showdown. Discord planted his hooves firmly as did Celestia; the chaotic showdown was about to begin. “So, you think you seriously can beat me?” Discord asked, eying his opponent cautiously. “Not at all, this isn’t about winning or losing. I just want to prove to you I’m still in control and that the pony you knew from so long ago is still here..” “Alright, prove it to me!” The master of mischief shouted, bowing his head with his horns glowing. Celestia quickly followed suit, charging up her own horns before the pair blasted magic at each other with a glowing beam of light. The resulting blast was creating a small smoke screen that left the two would-be combatants and their judge blinded. As the Princess blinked as she found herself unable to move, she looked about, waited for the smoke to clear before she saw her reflection in a mirror. Needless to say, what she saw both shocked and, in a small way, delighted her. We're once there was a female draconequus, there now sat a cake with two big blue eyes, made of white frosting with pink icing outlining her form. And to top her off, were what seemed to be over a thousand pink and white striped birthday candles on her head. “A birthday cake?” The now pastry princess Celestia exclaimed, and then squealed at hearing her voice, somehow being able to talk despite not having a mouth. Then again, chaos magic, so it didn’t need to make sense. “I see you have lost your taste for irony Discord, though it would seem you aren’t as creative as you thought.” Celestia said...trying to look smug as she faced her equally transformed opponent. Like herself, Discord was now transformed into an equally delicious looking cake, though this was a double-decker,chocolate cake with little swirls of yellow surrounding each layer, with just as many brown and yellow striped candles on top. “So...I assume this is a tie…” Discord replied in an unsure tone, mildly miffed that his trick had been copied. “Not exactly!” Funnel Cake spoke, getting up from her seat and walking between the pair. “If nothing else, we should see who made the better Cake. It is a contest, after all.” While this sounded fine on paper, that did leave a minor hiccup, which Celestia Cake was quick to pick up on. “Wait, but wouldn’t that me….” “Now, I'm assuming it would be ok if I eat some of you?” The chubby mare asked with a look of worry on her face, completely interrupting the Princess whose cake body was now shivering with dread. Discord snickered as he exclaimed, “I don’t have a problem with it! I eat parts of myself all the time, so what’s the harm here?” “What!? You can’t be serious Discord, even for you that sounds so....weird,” Celestia whimpered, her mind not even being able to quantify the possible implications of letting even a tiny part of her being eaten in this state. “Oh come on, it’s not like she’s going to eat us whole! With our magic fixing, it will be a literal snap, and you did want this challenge anyway. Which reminds me.” The yellow icing on Discord’s cake body quickly slithered across and formed into a single eye focused on Celestia. “I see you decided to add a few more candles to my head, trying to one-up me?” .” “Oh please, between the two of us, we both know you’re older!” As the two continued to snipe at each other, they failed to notice Funnel Cake was drooling at the sight of sentiment cakes in front of her. For a baker and cake lover, it was like a fever dream that suddenly came to life. And sadly, it was one her resolve could not win against. Discord glared at Celestia’s head. “Alright, I'm counting the candles on your head don’t move!” “You don’t move either! I know you're older than me!” Celestia exclaimed. The two went about counting candles, and Celestia finally exclaimed, “ah-ha! You have one thousand five hundred and thirty-five!” “He-he-he sadly, you're at one thousand five hundred and thirty-six.” Discord exclaimed with a smirk on his face seeing he was a year younger. “You're wrong! I’m one thousand five hundred thirty-five and a half! You counted Wrong!” The Princess jeered only to grow stiff at the sound of something being unsheathed immediately. They were so distracted by their little debated neither noticed the chubby baker pulling out a cake slicer and took a piece from both of them. While the two sentient cakes were left to process that a part of themselves had just literally been cut off, the culprit was happily gobbling down both pieces with pure joy on her face. “I have to admit...Celestia...you taste better.” The Princess, seemingly over her initial shock, cheered. “Yes, I w-” “No, I win!” Discord laughed out loud and raised his body and replied, “You said the winner has the best transformation, not the best flavor. Us both turning into Cake was purely coincidental.” “Oh, haha! Very well, if you’re going to be a sore loser, we can go again. After I get my body back, of course,” The Princess cried out. The two stared at each other as the candles started to burn bright before they zapped each other again. In another flash of smoke and light, where there stood two cakes, now were Pinkie Pies or at least the same general look. Celestia had transformed into the same energetic party pony, but with white coat along with the bouncy pink mane and tail. Additionally, her cutie mark was still a sun, though now it looked plastic and blown up like a balloon with a string attached. The sight of this caused Discord to laugh out loud at sight, having successfully returned to his own body. Though he was more than willing to be a good sport and snapped a claw, his magic kicked in. His body turned into a brown coated, party mare with a bouncy, light buttery, yellow mane, and tail with those glowing yellow eyes and red irises. “Oh my goodness, two Pinkie Pies!?” Funnel Cake cried out in surprise and possibly panicked at the idea of two more hyperactive party ponies. Discord scoffed as he touched his new bouncy mane. “This is so frizzy!? Does she ever comb this thing?” To his surprise, his hand started to sink further into the puffy locks, and without even needing to snap his fingers, he started pulling all kinds of objects from his mane. Rubber chickens, party streamers, etc.… Celestia meanwhile was feeling a bit antsy, a growing innate desire to go out, find a bunch of random instruments and start to play them. Though there was still an issue, they needed to resolve. “So, how will we judge this time?” Funnel Cake immediately raised a hoof. “I know fire off your party cannons!? Whoever has the most streamers wins!” Celestia smirked, while probably not the best way to gauge their transformation, it was simple enough. Thus reaching into her mane, she immediately pulled out a party cannon with a color scheme similar to her’s. Discord quickly followed suit with his own and aimed it directly at her. Pulling lighting from her bottomless mane, Celestia lit the end of the top of her cannon, and with a smug grin on her face, she snickered, “You ready?” “Alright at the count of three...one...two...three.” Discord slammed the top of his cannon, and they both shot out a massive explosion of streamers and confetti. But, chaotic party planner’s cannon fired a bountiful barrage of brownies while Celestia’s cannon burst forth a bunch of birthday cakes. It was a complete blitzkrieg of baked goods. Amidst the battle of the ballistic baked goods, Funnel Cake took some of the smashed sweets into her mouth. Her mouth was immediately beset by a barrage of sugar and chocolate that threatened to knock her off her feet. Yet she was able to bear the taste long enough to decide a winner. “Oh, yes! Celestia wins this round! These brownies are so much more delicious than the Cake! An A + effort from you, Princess.” Discord crossed his hooves, currently covered in numerous chunks of chocolate, and scoffed, “Dang it! You know me too well! “Hehe, this was kind of random, but yeah, let's see what happens on our last round!” Celestia shouted as she and Discord then shot out their party cannons at each other, with another burst of smoke and light. Celestia blinked and, to her surprise, saw she was back to saw her old equine self, though with a bit more noticeable weight, particularly in the backside, which caused said Princess to blush. Though that blush quickly turned to shock when she saw that her plump posterior was make out of Cake. Indeed, in place of flesh and fur, was a body of white frosting, a cutie mark made of icing and a tail made of cotton candy. The new appearance caused more than a minor reaction from the Princess. “DISCORD! I thought we agreed not to do anything perverted! And how exactly is this creative anyway outside of a cheap joke?” “Whatever cake butt!” Discord laughed, utterly unbothered by his own transformed state. Unlikely, Celestia’s rather remarkable transformation, Discord was now a royal guard with a typical brown coated, and a buttery yellow mane like before. The most noticeable difference was that his armor was made of cookies, while his spear was a candy cane. By all accounts, it seemed the cackling trickster had managed to win this time, only for his chuckles to turn to coughs as various gumdrops began to fall out of his mouth, earning a small smirk of victory from Celestia. Funnel Cake, still utterly unfazed by what she’d seen, took one of the gumdrops and munched on it along with some of the cookie armor. Naturally, she followed up by preparing to take a bite from Celestia’s sugary backside, only for the Princess to beat her to the punch by quickly removing some of the icings from her back and hand it to the judge. After a few moments of munching and savoring the flavors properly, funnel Cake responded with a blush. "Um...while, Cake is quite good. I’m afraid that the cookie and candy combo is simply too much for me to ignore!” “Alright! I win!” Celestia squealed out in childish delight and laughed out loud as they were transformed back into their draconequus forms. “Oh please, you only win in the most basic sense. If anything, I’m true winner considering this whole day was to finally break you out of your shell,” Discord snapped. Impressively, rather than snap back at her companion Celestia instead flew up to him with a somewhat bashful look on her face. “Perhaps, I suppose I did come away from this experience with more than I thought.” Her admittance was enough to get a small look of pride from the master of chaos, forcing Celestia to turn her attention elsewhere quickly. Namely, the cake shop was covered from wall to wall in smashed, sugary sweets, and pulverized pastries. “...Well, let's get going if um... Mrs. Funnel Cake, I’ll let you know the details and send you a check for all the Cake we ate.” “It's quite alright! Honestly, this is the most fun I’ve had in years! We really should do this again sometime,” Mrs. Funnel Cake exclaimed out loud. As Celestia slowly flew out of the door with Discord happy to see the Princess finally being independent and being herself flying right behind her.
Chapter Six: Night two: A Night to RememberIt was now late in the evening as Princess Celestia found herself in her bedchamber, sitting across from her sister with clear regret printed on her face. Said Princess of the Moon currently had a more than harsh scowl on her face, sharply contrasted by the mischievous smirk Discord was currently wearing as he was watching the pair from the comfort of a floating lounge chair. As one could expect, Luna was quite furious with Celestia, her eyes narrowing at her sister as she shouted, "So dear sister, now that you’ve enjoyed indulging in your usual vices, perhaps we can finally address the elephant in the room. Namely how you turned me into an infant and left me as such for an entire day.” The more than harsh tone with which she spoke sent a shiver down Celestia’s spine as she tried to think of what to say to hopefully quell her anger. "Well...to be honest, it hasn't been a full twenty-four hours yet." The Princess of theSun whispered with a blush on her face feeling a bit embarrassed for having her sister be in such a state. Sadly, the pint sized princess was not moved by the deflection,., "That makes what you did any better? Honestly!" Discord looked over at the Princess of the Sun, still leaning back in his chair and eating from a bag of popcorn, as he responded, "Sad to say, little Woona’s got a point little Tia. You really messed up this time." "Oh, don't you even start! You would've encouraged me to turn her into a baby given a chance!" Celestia snapped back at Discord, not feeling like taking advice from a hypocrite. "Hey, don't try to make me the bad guy in this scenario? I mean, what do you take me for?" The lord of chaos responded angrily against Celestia's outburst. Annoyed, Luna angrily turned attention to the Chaos Lord., "Do not think you are off any hooks Discord. ! You're the one who started this whole mess, turning my sister into a draquenous. Honestly, what were you thinking," She shouted, nearly going into her Royal Canterlot Voice. "What, I thought it’d be a nice way to get her to loosen up a bit. I mean come now, even you, her own sister, have to admit she’s far too high strung for her own good," The lord of chaos scoffed with a juvenile pout and his claws across his chest. While the Princess of the Night rolled her eyes at the ancient tricksters immature behavior, she couldn’t exactly deny his claims "Yes, even I must admit that my sister has grown rather...stiff over these last thousand years. Regardless of that, this was hardly the best solution.” Discord prepared to ready another argument only for Celestia to immediately form a large wall of glass between the two "Alright, enough of this!” Celestia quickly turned to her sister. “Can we please just move past all this incessant fighting? This entire debacle was something I agreed to and won’t last much longer, so for now we just need to bear it.” Sadly, Luna didn’t seem satisfied and Celestia could already tell she’d need more persuasion to get her to relent. “Tell me Luna, what would it take to get you to forgive my most recent mistep regarding my Chaos Magic...shy of giving up the entire bet?” Surprisingly prompt in her response, Luna turned to Discord with a devilish grin on her face. "I want her to use her Chaos Magic tonight. However, I get to decide how she uses it!" The Princess of the Sun immediately rose up in protest, knowing full wellLuna would use this as an opportunity to embarrass her and even the score between the two of them. , "No way!” She shouted, her regal composure breaking while her vocab simplified. “There's no way I'm agreeing to this!" “Well actually...” Celestia immediately felt a sense of dread at the sight of Discord, currently clad in a suit and reading glasses, looking over some kind of document. “According to the rules of our most recent wager, which I won as I recall, you currently owe me one. And thus befitting my usual chaotic nature, I’m graciously turning that favor over to Luna. Ergo…” With eyes peering over the page and his smirk literally appearing on its back. “Thus Celestia, you are required as per our own terms to do whatever little Luna wants.” The Princess of the Sun reared up, quite angry at what she heard, and shouted out loud." Ugh seriously! I think I would've preferred we just had a crazy date or something?!" Discord rose up with red cloak draped over his shoulders, a crown on his head and a scepter in his right claw as he proclaimed, "So, I hereby invoke my right as the winner of the bet to have you be Luna's escort this evening and use your magic in whatever way she wishes...within reason of course." Celestia offered her response with a snort before slapping the crown off Discord's head. "At this point I know arguing with you is a pointless endeavour. So I’ll do it." As expected, the pint sized Princess Luna rose with excitement in her eyes, exclaimed, "Huzzah, finally now I get to have some fun for a change. And I think I’ll start with how we raising the moon tonight. Perhaps with some,how do ponies in this age say it..pazazz?”!" Princess Celestia sighed as she slowly drifted over to her sister, feeling peeved and continued in a low grumble. "Well then, come along sister, shall we get started?" Luna daintily rose her hoof up to let Celestia upward as she exclaimed, "We shall!" Discord got up with a smile and waved a claw replied, "Alright, have fun you two! Don't go to sleep too early." Luna scoffed back while her sister decided to be more direct in her annoyance, letting trails of magic hit Discord, making him sport glasses and a handbag. He threw them off, of course, and chuckled at Celestia's little prank seeing his influence was rubbing off on her. Both princesses were about to head out however the motherly alicorn that Celestia created stood in their way, her wings unfurled outward, eyes full of power as she proclaimed, "Luna can stay up all night, but Celestia definitely can not! She needs at least ei-" Before she could finish, the alicorn was slowly transformed as her body morphed and shrank down to that of an ordinary pegasus once again. Celestia gave a deep sigh, partially of regret but also relief. While the situation had provided some amusement it’d gone on for far too long and it was time to finally end it. Still regardless of how relieved she felt, a part of her couldn’t shake her guilt "Please forgive me Feather Duster. I should've turned you back to normal sooner and I apologize for any trouble I might have caused you these past few days." "Right, well..yes… Pr...Princess...C...Celestia I...I should go." The maid bowed and ran off as quickly as possible, leaving Celestia’s sense of guilt to only grow. Luna conversely, possibly a result of her still reduced age, looked more relieved by what’d just transpired "Well, at least that little incident is finally resolved. Though I foresee much therapy in that pony’s future.” Sad to say but Celestia couldn’t disagree with the sentiment, already dreading the inevitable fall out from the whole debacle. “Here’s hoping I can atleast salvage things once this bet is over.” While she’d have preferred to talk to her head maid about everything that'd happened, for now she sadly had other obligations she couldn’t escape from...no matter how much she wanted to. Thus with her sister in tow, Celestia headed off to raise the moon, not looking forward to what will happen later that evening. The two sisters quickly made their way to the top of the castle,staring into the orange and red-tinted sky. Why such a sight would’ve normally be a casual sight to Celestia, tonight it only caused a sense of unease and dread to form. Yet, she had to bite the proverbial bullet. "So sister, do you have any idea of what you want me to do with the moon? Perhaps give it a face or maybe turn it into a massive glowing disco ball perhaps?" Luna’s response was a flat stare at such ridiculous ideas. “Oh please sister, we’re not asking for anything so over the top. All I want is for you to make the moon and sparkle and glow, like a diamond of sorts. Just something to make ponies want to look up at it for a change.” “Huh, that’s actually a pretty benign request,” Celestia said as she casually lowered the sun. Luna in turn quickly ignited her horn and began raising the moon. “Are you so surprised, true we’ve developed more of a playful side since regaining our freedom, but we aren’t so childish we’d cause mayhem purely for the spectacle.” Her response actually merited a genuine smile from Celestia at the maturity her sister was showing...her current body notwithstanding. Thus, Celestia snapped a claw, and the rising moon began to shimmer like a polished gem,reflecting the sun's rays in all directions. The sight of the shining moon brought a great grin to the lunar princess, which only grew at the sounds of awe coming from across Canterlot at the display. Though, the princess was so enamoured by her moment of joy, she failed to notice her sister’s smirk and her claw snapping behind her back. In an instant, countless fireworks exploded into the sky, pictures of Luna posing lite up the sky with a combination of violets and blues. The light in turn was further reflected by the still shining moon, actually causing the light from the fireworks to overtake the night sky completely. Celestia turned to face Luna with a playful smirk on her face and asked, "I trust, you’re satisfied now?" Luna couldn't help but laugh out loud, seeing the night sky filled with vibrant colors as Celestia couldn't help but smile, seeing how wide-eyed and astonished her sister looked. "You said to make a presentation." The Princess of the Night looked up to see her shiny new moon with the explosions of herself filling the air in such vibrant colors and gave a nod of approval. "Indeed sister, you did an amazing job. Now onto the rave!" The smile Celestia had immediately turned completely flat as her mind needed a moment to catch up to what was just said. "A...a rave?" "Yes, a rave with the bat ponies! It's actually in support of your little party later this weekend. Don't forget the bat ponies are also a part of Equestria." Luna explained as she eyed her sister. "I know...and thanks for keeping them happy...many ponies tend to forget they even exist," Celestia responded with a deep sigh as she sat back. Sadly, despite all they had done for the kingdom, the bat ponies had been the black sheep of the pony tribes for centuries, not helped by their connection to Luna after her banishment.. "To be fair, they like to keep it that way. I’ve already been informed how their relationship with the other tribes is...well...shaky at best." "Alright then...what else would you like me to do with my magic," Celestia asked with a concerned tone in her voice. "Just turn us into bat ponies for the night. What better way to show appreciation for the bat ponies then to spend time interacting with them and having a fun time. It certainly couldn’t hurt," Luna responded with big puppy dog eyes. Celestia thought it over for a bit and seeing that the request wasn't too terrible..or completely crazy she shrugged "I guess it's not a bad plan." The Princess of the Sun concentrated on herself and Luna, trying to keep her mind clear while also making sure the magic was flowing freely as it danced around their bodies. Encased in a cocoon of magic, the two slowly regressed in size as their feathery wings dissipated and transformed into leathery bat wings. In a flash the two were free, though not as Bat Ponies...but an actual pair of A screeching bats flapping in the air. And as one can imagine, the blue bat of the two was currently glaring at the white and pink one. "I said Bat Ponies, not actual bats!" "Well I’m sorry! My Chaos Magic likes to do what it wants! We’re lucky it just decided to turn us into bats," Celestia snapped, feeling a bit peeved she was still struggling with her magic. Once againPrincess allowed her around her and Luna's bodies, thankfully growing in size. However, their bodies were now muchshorter and stalkier with pointy teeth and slanted eyes. Celestia looked over her new body with a look of astonishment as she felt her new leathery wings flapping against her body. "Well, I have to say I wasn’t expecting these wings to feel so heavy in comparison to our normal ones." Luna meanwhile, simply laughed as she flapped her wings and flew into the air with a smile on her face before slowly gliding across the night sky. "They feel wonderful! I do believe that I should've been born part Bat pony!" Snorting slightly at her sister’s childlike glee, Celestia shot herself upward to meet her sister in the air, squeaking as she stumbled about getting used to her new leathery bat wings. Eventually getting the hang of it and meeting her sister, who brushed the light rainbow-colored mane from Celestia's face and whispered, "You look good." "Thanks...y...you also look rather stunning as well sister," Celestia whispered, hiding her face behind her hooves, feeling embarrassed for just saying that out loud. Luna took her sister by the hoof, and two flew off together into the night,soaring to the mountains around their castle. As they drew closer Celestia could hear the sounds of loud EDM music and bright lights coming from one of the caves as they both slowly flew inside, finding numerous Bat ponies swarming about dancing with the lights flashing overhead. The intense barrage of bright lights, thumping music and ponies dancing left Celestia feeling well out of her element. This was certainly a far cry from the elegant...and quite stuffy, gala’s she was accustomed to. Thankfully Luna, was there to off a hoof.r "Why are you so nervous? Come on, you're going to miss all the fun!" "You...are you sure?" Celestia responded with an uncertain tone, naturally nervous from all of the external excitement. "There's nothing to be afraid of now, come on and let's join in!" The Princess of the Night cheered with the same excitement in her eyes as all those around them. The two flew to a nearby bar carved into one of the walls, it’s shelves filled with all kinds of fruit. The mixture of sweet and exotic scents actually caused drool to start to form around Celestia’s mouth, finding the smell almost intoxicating. A loud squelching sound broke her trance and diverted her eyes, finding her sister who was sinking her teeth into all kinds of fruit before sucking their juices dry. "You should go on and drink, it's all so juicy and sweet," Luna said, half sucking on a mango without so much as turning her head. Hesitantly grabbing one of the fruits, Celestia sank her new fangs into an orange and sucked out the warm sweet liquid from within. In an instant, she felt her body begin to shake with euphoric bliss unlike anything she’d felt before. With a new found desire she quickly began grabbing one fruit after another, drinking heartily to where juice was dripping down her chin. It didn't take long for the white-coated Bat alicorn to realize that she was losing her balance, swaying about as was becoming quite tipsy. Luna couldn't help but put a hoof to her mouth and giggle, "I forgot to tell you they were soaked in liquor." "Oh really, and you couldn't tell me that before," Celestia more goofily asked then demanded, realizing she was now quiet inebriated. Yet, neither she nor her sister seemed to care, happily laughing with each other amongst the many other patrons. Now properly emboldened by the alcohol, the two made their way to the center of the dance floor and began moving in whatever chaotic manner their bodies could. With colorful lights flashing overhead, it was like a never-ending stream of music and sound with Celestia's heightened senses, making it all the more deafening. With the added mix of fruit and liquor in her belly, the Princess of the Sun quickly lost herself amidst the music, along with losing her sense of time. After a few hours of dancing and sucking on enough spiked fruit to fill several trees, the Bat ponies started heading off. As the dance floor was nearly empty, Luna was about to leave as well as the music had long ceased, and the colorful glowing lights were shut off. The Princess of the Night turned to her sister, still drunkenly stumbling about shouting. "Come on! Who said to stop the party!?" The younger sister shook her head, coming over with a smile and whispered, "Hey, come on, sister; we should get going." After a bit of gentle persuasion, and a promise of some alcohol from the royal wine cellar, Luna was able to lead her drunk sister out into the night skies. As one could expect, the duo stumbled and tumbled about as they flew through the air. Thankfully, the pair quickly descended into an open field with the moon glowing overhead crickets chirping and the soft grass blowing in the wind. Celestia, still very drunk, and feeling emotional turned to her sister and stammered, "Th...This was rather fun. but I have to admit I should've cared for the Bat ponies more than I did when you were banished." Amidst the haze of intoxication, Celestiafelt a wave of emotion thinking of her sister's banishment and started to bawl almost spontaneously. Luna,quite surprised as she hugged her sister close, while whispering, "There, it's alright, you have no reason to feel guilty sister. You provided for the Bat ponies and gave them a new home. I'm proud to see that they have flourished so well while I was gone, and for that I thank you." "Well, to be fair, they see you as their mother, and I banished her for a thousand years," The Princess of the Sun whimpered, still feeling terrible. Luna, managing to stand back up,asked, "Well, to be fair, If Nightmare Moon ruled over them, do you think they would be hosting raves?" Celestia shook her head as even Luna accepted that she had to be banished, yet it was a decision she always regretted, regardless of the outcome. “You have a point...but still...even so” Celestia’s train of thought quickly started to become muddled due to the alcohol kicking back in, though her guilt still remained. Luna, wanting to change the subject,looked up and decided to ask, "Hey, this might be sudden, but can you turn me into something large and majestic?" "Huh?" Celestia asked in a moment of sobriety, utterly baffled by the odd request. The younger of the two sisters in turn twirled a hoof in the air. "I mean, I just want to be like how you feel as a draconequus, though without all the crazy Chaos Magic." Celestia, feeling progressively more clear headed,reared herself up as her bat pony body faded, returning to her draconequus form with a mischievous grin on her face. "Alright, what do you wish to be?" She asked, though a part of her already likely knew the answer. Luna, despite not having the benefit of magic sobriety, thought for a minute before giving her answer, "I don't know...I think that I want to be like a dragon, something large and majestic? I mean, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity after all?" Her lack of a proper response the elder of the pair confounded as to what to do. "So you want to be a dragon then?" Luna paused, weighing her options as best as her still dizzy mind could, before relenting. "Yes, a dragon seems like a proper choice? Please, don’t delay,I'm ready whenever you are?" Celestia, now with a set image in mind, focused her magic into her eyes before firing them at her sister. The resulting flash created a massive burst of smoke that lingered in the air for several seconds, before finally disappearing to reveal Luna...nownow a pudgy, dark violet scaled, baby dragon. Naturally as one could expect, Luna was not especially amused with her new form. Growling under her breath with green flames snorting through her nostrils,she her stomped a foot and shouted, "I said big and majestic!" "Oh, sorry, Spike was the image in my head when you said dragon, and you are big at least" Celestia snickered despite her sister’s glare turning icy. Her fun had, Celestia unleashed another blast of magic upon her sister. This time Luna's body grew giant and bulky as her limbs extended out, growing far more stocky while her eyes now glew bright with power. The now properly majestic violet dragon looked upwards into the sky and sent a green flame in the air. Celestia, now having to stretch her neck up and lean back just to see her sister’s face, immediately was starting to regret her decision.lo "S...So, ho...how do you feel!" "I feel amazing!" Luna bellowed out as her opened her massive wings and gave then a test flap to get a proper feel for them before taking off. Now soaring through the skies, Luna couldn’t help but feel almost overwhelmed by the power of her new body. It was indescribable to the ancient pony, yet she was certain she didn’t need a word to tell her it felt amazing. . After spending a few more moments flying back and forth The Princess, flew close to the ground and hovered within site of her still shocked sister. "Care to join me sister? It’s quite exhilarating!" Seeing little reason to argue, and hoping perhaps the cool air would clear up what remained of the alcohol, Celestia flew into the air with her sister, with the pair quickly soaring in the direction of the Everfree Forest. It was a rather long flight with both just appreciating the cool breeze of the night air before they landed at the remains of the castle they once ruled together so long ago. The sight of their former home now serving only as a lasting reminder of their times together and the moment when they were forced to sever their bond, left the pair all but silent as countless memories of better times flowed back over them. Luna broke the silence turning her reptilian head towards her sister. “It’s been so long since we last came here. Such a shame to see something that was once so grand reduced to such a state.” Celestia nodded, her eyes drifting to what was once the throne room, where she and Luna had that faithful duel that drove them apart. “Indeed, but after what had happened, I couldn’t stay here. It was too painful.” Seeing Celestia’ quickly begin to descend back into depression over the past, Luna quickly thought up a diversion. “Well then, since I’m back why don’t we do something with it. Perhaps make it our own secret hideaway, just think of all the things we could horde away here from everypony in Canterlot. "Oh, somepony is acting like a dragon already?" Celestia responded with a snicker seeing her sister becoming more dragon like Luna lowered her head and nuzzled Celestia as she whispered, "I have this sudden urge to grab you, dear sister, snuggle you, then curl up with you in those ruins and sleep for another thousand years." Despite the rather….odd suggestion, and perhaps it was simply from being exhausted from the nights events, but Celestia willingly lowered herself into Luna's warm embrace in spite of the many hard scales. "It would be nice, but we do have obligations to fulfill like raising the sun and moon, running a kingdom all that." Rather than offer a counter argument, Luna instead simply looked at the countless trees in the Everfree Forest with a smirk. “You think I could burn down these creepy dead trees?” Celestia rolled her eyes at such a notion hoping her younger sister wasn't being serious. "Don't even try or I'll turn you back into a baby dragon." Luna nuzzled her older sister, brushing a claw through her long silky mane. "You know, I could keep you as a pet, seeing that I'm bigger and stronger now." Celestia in turn calmly snapped her claw the and appeared above her sister. "I'm a draconequus now, dear sister, and I have more magic in a single talon than you have in that entire massive scaly body." Luna reared up her nostrils, blaring out green flame and shouted, "Is that a challenge!" The princess raised her large-scaled wings and flew right up into the air to meet her sister, smoke and heat bursting from her nostrils. Celestia rolled her eyes at what could best be described as tantrum and, with a simple snap of a claw, transformed her sister with a poof back into her original alicorn form. "No fair! You barely gave me a chance even to try out my dragon body!" Her sister merely looked at her with a look of smug condescension. , "Perhaps, but I’d rather not try to explain to everyone in Ponyville why the Everfree Forest is suddenly on fire." The violet coated alicorn rose crossed her hooves across her chest with a cute pout on her face, grumbled, "You were antagonizing me! And besides, I thought you wanted to snuggle?" Looking back once more at their old home, Luna finally started to feel the same sense of guilt set in when looking back on her past deeds. "Even though this was our home, this is little more than a monument to pain and mistakes. It’s time we made something special out of it, something that spreads joy, not misery." As the princesses flew back down the forest floor below Celestia felt a grin grow on her face, contemplating her sister’s words . "You know, you’re starting to sound like Pinkie Pie, but I can see where you're coming from." Looking back at the castle, Celestia felt herself struck by inspiration. “Sister, give me a moment. I think I might have an idea.” Luna excited at what was to come, stayed silent, content to let her sister concentrate on whatever idea she was forming. It only took a matter of seconds before Celestia’s hand was out and the snap was made. In mere moments the once ruined castle reformed into a grand palace of purple and white stone with the towers standing overhead bearing two flags with Celestia's and Luna's cutie marks overhead looking like something out of a fairytale. Excited, the two sisters walked inside, seeing the walls now adored with many photographs pictures of Luna and Celestia’s many prior times together The Princess of the Night’s eyes widened and stared to shimmer with tears as she looked over the photographs reflecting her life with Celestia, their time together after her sister's return from her banishment, even those with Twilight and her friends. "So...did, you plan this?" Celestia, feeling a bit unsure of what to say decided to simply be honest , "Not really? This kind of just appeared with Chaos Magic." Shook up by the sudden change, but intrigued to go further, they walked further inwards until they came to the center, which was now a giant ball pit full of plastic balls half purple half yellow. The two blinked in surprise, before Celestia burst into laughter, throwing any sense of grace or majesty to the wind as she jumped into the well of plastic balls, shooting them outward all over the place like a giant wave. It didn’t take long for Luna to join in the fun and jumped in as well, squealing happily asshe flapped her wings, sending many of the small plastic orbs at her sister. The two rulers quickly descended into a childish battle, pelting one another with as many balls as they could grab, though Celestia’s larger body made for an easier target, a fact that filled Luna with a great deal of pride. "I totally won! You couldn't hit a target to save your life." Mildly annoyed, Celestia stood up from the ball pit, shaking countless orbs from her mane, even smacking a claw to the side of her head, spilling countless more from her ear canal. . "Ok, I'll admit it, you win this time,” The Princess sighed in defeat before taking a glance out a nearby window.”It's probably getting late, guess we should head back?" Luna turned her head and replied, "Yes, though this has been enjoyable, we are still the rulers of Equestria. It would be rather undignified of us to shirk our responsibilities after all.”" Exiting the ball pit, the pair continued through the next set of double doors to the back of the castle. However, instead of an exit, they found another room with a massive couch and some strange device attached to a giant screen. Celestia was quite stunned upon seeing the strange object, not knowing how her Chaos Magic could have created something she didn't even know the name of. Her eyes then drifted over to Luna. "Sister is this one of those T.V game things you play?" "Game TV thing! Dear sister, that is the new Game Colt 64!" Luna snapped angrily as she plopped down and raised a controller with her magic. Celestia rolled her eyes as she should've known her sister would get defensive about her game machine. Sadly, she also knew how once she started playing it was impossible to pull her away, thus opted to simply take a seat next to her sister and pick up one of the controllers, which was surprisingly easy with her new hands. "Alright, what are we playing?" The game booted up as a fat earth pony mare in a red hat and overalls in a cart with "Mareio Kart" placed overhead. "Alright, you ready to begin," Luna spoke with a devilish grin on her face, knowing full well that she'll school her sister in any game. "Well, dear sister, I have opposable thumbs now. Even if you have far more experience with these games I'm sure I can stand a chance," Celestia growled under her breath, ready to tackle the game. Sadly despite her boast, it proved to be little more than empty confidence. Despite playing the strange racing game for what seemed like hours, Luna managed to get first in every race while Celestia was perpetually in last place. As another round proceeded Celestia managed to get one of the mystery blocks and asked, " Sister, what do the red shells do again?" Luna was engaged in winning as the computer players were giving her a hard time making her shout, "They hone in on their targets! Just shoot them out!" Sighing at her sister’s intense competitive nature, she complied,shooting one at a reptile creature in front of her despite getting eleventh place. It didn't take long for the weird reptile to shoot a green shell at her and zooming past her. The Princess turned to see her sister was still in first and grumbled under her breath "So...I see you're pretty good at these games." "Oh please, this is nothing, the last Mareio kart was a lot harder!" The Princess shouted with her tongue stick from her mouth, trying to drift the last corner of the stage. Celestia snickered, the sight of r sister so engrossed in the game being quite an adorable sight...atleast when she wasn’t shouting angrily at the screen. However, the knowledge regarding the mystery box caused the Princess to grow a devilish grin on her face as she hit another mystery block. The mare then suddenly was granted a blue shell, shot it out and watched as it zoomed to first place, slamming it into Luna’s character. The Princess of the Night watched as "Mareio" was thrown in the air, flailing her hooves as a few other racers zoomed past, and she had to take fourth place begrudgingly. "Dear sister, you will pay for that." The Princess of the Sun laughed heartily as she took her twelfth place. "I'm already losing dear sister; I can only make you suffer as a result." "Oh, yes, I see." She turned to see Celestia's screen, and cringed to she achieved twelfth place yet again. "Oh, Celestia! I must teach you how to play these games!" "Ugh! Well, fine, we can do that later after the party this weekend if you wish," Celestia sighed as she placed the controller down. Luna followed her as they flew out through the front doors, and when they got high enough they stared back at the newly furnished castle with warm smiles on their faces. "I think we can keep the castle like this, perhaps can even add more rooms...I was thinking of a jacuzzi or even a movie room." Luna whispered as she nuzzled her sister's fluffy white body. Celestia snickered as she pet her sister's mane through her clawed hands and whispered, "Sure...I think that's a good idea…" The royal pair quickly flew back towards Canterlot Castle,Luna landing back in her room, utterly exhausted from the evening’s activities.. "Well, I'm tuckered out. I think I'll get some shut-eye now." "Oh! Are you tired? I just stayed up all night to hang out with you against my will, and now I have to go all day doing my duties," Celestia grumbled under her breath, exhaustion evident from the bags under her eyes. Luna only offered her sister a kiss on the cheek and a light hug. "I know...and I'm sorry, should've got you back sooner to get you a few hours of sleep." Celestia shook her head not wanting to make Luna feel bad for taking her out all night and responded, "No, it's fine... I've managed sleepless nights before and this was quite fun. Hopefully next time, we remember to leave some time for me to sleep." “Agreed, though for now I shall retire for the evening. I hope that your day goes well," Luna responded as she went down to her bed, and Celestia helped tuck her sister under the sheets,watching Luna fall into a peaceful sleep. Despite herself being quite exhausted, she had to admit it was one magical night. "Princess Celestia! The foals at Canterlot Elementary have a photoshoot for a field trip, and the sun isn't up yet." One of her guards shouted, running over with a worried look on his face. Celestia's eyes lit up as she quickly realized just how late her little night of fun had been and immediately sped towards the Palace Gardens as fast as she could to raise the sun.
Chapter seven: Day four: One long terrible morningPrincess Celestia was quite tired and exhausted from the night before as she stood in front of a gaggle of ponies, all looking at her with nervous expressions, wondering where she'd been. Despite every part of her body demanding she not, the princess rose up, eyes visibly baggy and her brain feeling like it was on fire. She begrudgingly sighed, not really knowing what to say, yet knew she needed to muster up some kind of response. “Hello, my fellow citizens. I apologize for the late raising of the sun. Due in part to my current state, I had some other matters and other...uh...important duties to deal with last night and...it..um took longer than expected.” With every word she spoke another dull ache echoed through her skull, and it took all her years of discipline to maintain what composure she still had. “At the moment, I feel that it would be best to just skip all the formalities and move on with today’s events.” Sadly, it didn’t seem as though that was enough to satisfy the crowd, some of whom decided to be rather...vocal with their opinions. “What other matters could you have that required your attention last night?” “Nothing serious I assure you and nothing to be concerned with,” Celestia said, trying her best to placate the mob. Though it was with little success. “Forgive us for saying Princess, but it feels like it is serious when it prevents you from raising the sun on time.” Several other ponies nodded and vocally agreed, some louder than others, which only served to make the Princess’s growing headache worse. “Well, I understand I’m a little late. But there’s really no harm in a little misstep.” “Your highness I don’t think you understand the severity of this blunder and, blah blah blah blah blah.” Whatever the latest commenter was saying was little more than noise to the princess at this point. Still tired and frustrated, her blood was quickly coming to a boil as her temper started to spike. As the voices only grew louder and more numerous Celestia felt what little patience she had left disintegrate and something inside her finally snapped. Completely ignoring the continuously complaining crowd, Celestia, with no words or fanfare of any kind, lifted her claw and then snapped, the sun quickly appearing in a blink. “There! See no big deal!? Everything is fine now,” The Princess of the Sun said, her voice hissing angrily at the visibly stunned crowd, shocked by the abrupt show of aggression. Rather than expressions of shock, Celestia was instead met with a fair amount of cries and yells from the population of ponies, as their eyes were suddenly assaulted by a massive surge of intense light. The sight managed to snap Celestia out of her brief moment of anger enough to look at the sky and see what the problem was. The sun was now considerably closer than normal, resulting in it’s already intense rays of light to become practically blinding. However, that wasn’t the only problem. The ponies who weren’t busy trying to keep their retina’s from burning, found themselves practically drowning in their own sweat, as the temperature had suddenly shot up to alarming levels. All around numerous ponies began to collapse, perspiration dripping from every pore, some trying to find some source of water in an effort to cool themselves off. “Oh Faust!” Celestia screamed, her only body already starting to perspire as well as see watched the scene unfold. “Don’t worry I’ll fix it!” The princess quickly raised her claw to the sky and snapped, mercifully causing the sun to quickly retreat back to its original, safe distance. Immediately, she could feel the difference as the temperature returned to normal and the previously blinding light had faded. “There we go. Now see, everything is fine!” Sadly, reality once again decided to be a blunt as a baseball bat as her quick fix only solved one problem. Now instead of ponies screaming and potentially dying of thirst, she now had a court yard full of screaming, sweaty, half blind ponies crashing into each other while also gulping down whatever liquid they could find to avoid severe dehydration. Feeling another painful headache coming on, Celestia groaned as she rubbed a claw down her face. “I seriously need a coffee right now.” Seeing there wasn’t much else she could do, the princess flew off, hoping to give the citizens some time to cool off, pun fully intended. Sadly for the still less than peppey princess, her comfort caffeine would have to wait, as she quickly spotted Bronze Helm heading her way. Celestia immediately blushed as she recognized that he was the same guard she turned into a toddler a few days before. Hopefully, they could go through today without any further embarrassing situations. “Go...good morning Captain. I must apologize for earlier, I had a long night and lost control of my magic for a moment.”” “It's fine your majesty,” Bronze Helm said, with his usual professionalism. “However, for now, I would rather we avoid any more incidents. Perhaps we can postpone the photoshoot after you’ve had a chance to properly rest.” While a small part of Celestia wanted to argue against such an idea, she felt a great sense of relief wash over her. Finally allowed to relax and break whatever facade she was maintaining, her shoulders quickly sag, as her body practically folded over, eyes barely able to stay open. “I would very much appreciate that...however, I still have an obligation to the foals. Still, a short nap probably wouldn’t hurt...after I get a little coffee in my system, if only so I don’t pass out before I make it to my room. I’d rather not have my guards be required to literally carry me to my room.” The guard rolled his eyes, more at the somewhat petty concern, especially since with her magic she could easily teleport to her room. Then again, given her current state and what had just transpired, not using any magic was probably the best option. “I certainly don’t see any harm in that Princess. Though I must insist we make it a short trip and avoid using any magic if at all possible.” Celestia quickly nodded, showing a bit more energy than before, though now she had something to motivate her. Thus the two proceeded onward to the nearest cafe. Ever eager, Celestia went inside and quickly stood in line, though many ponies immediately moved out the way, some even bowing before her. The display quickly made the princess feel more exposed and bashful, yet she proceeded in spite of it. While it was true she didn't like abusing her status,this was one instance she really was glad she was a princess as she walked up to the barista. “Can I have a caramel latte, grande size please.” The barista mare at the front practically turned into a statue at the sight of the princess, but had enough muscle control left to manage a nod. “Certainly, one grande sized caramel latte coming right up.” Celestia quickly fumbled through her purse to get the necessary payment, only for the mare to squeak out , “there’s no need to pay your majesty!” “No, it's fine, how much is it?” Celesita mumbled as she took out a few bits. While she might be willing to use her position in this instance to get ahead in line, she was still going to pay for it at least. “Five bits,” the barista responded. Happy with the answer, Celestia calmly placed the bits down, leaving the barista briefly stunned at the sight of twenty bits, before hesitantly taking five. The Princess however, promptly pushed the remaining bits towards the barista. “There’s no need to be so modest, please, take all the bits.” “Bu...but thats way too much for a coffee.” the barista squeaked out loud feeling so embarrassed about accepting so many bits form the princess “I insist,” Celestia again spoke, her voice growing a little louder as her lack of sleep was starting to catch up with her, causing the poor counter pony to shrink down in fright. The guard smacked a hoof to his face and came over to the barista. “I apologize for the Princess, she was very busy last night and didn’t get any sleep. Please just accept the bits and we’ll be on our way.” With a rapid nod, the barista immediately fled back to make the coffee while Celestia and Bronze Helm took seats at a nearby booth. The second Celestia sat down, her face immediately planted itself on the tabletop, leaving Bronze Helm to stare at his ruler in dismay. “Your Majesty, may I be blunt with you for a moment?” The only response he received was a moan muffled by the table. “Listen, I know you don’t want to hear this but, perhaps it’s time you ended this contest you’ve made with Discord. Between all the mishaps we’ve had with your Chaos Magic, especially this morning, perhaps it would be in everypony’s best interest to just call it quits.” In response to this suggestion, one of Celestia’s eyes actually rose up out of her head like a flower sprouting from the ground. Her other eye and mouth quickly proceeded, while her head remained planted. “I can’t simply give up. Do you have any idea what would happen if I did. I’d have to admit that Discord was right all along and he’d never let me hear the end of it. Do you have any idea what that would be like?” While Bronze Helm might not have been the most creative or imaginative of ponies, he knew enough about Discord to understand the princess’s point. “I understand your concerns princess, but even so this is becoming far too risky. At the very least perhaps it would be a wise idea to postpone the photoshoot for at least a day, that way you can be properly rested.” In a flash the rest of Celestia’s face immediately rose up with her eyes and mouth, which all together looked very distraught at such a suggestion. “I can’t! I would postpone it if I could, but I have to do this today. I know I messed up hanging out with Luna all night last night but I wanted to make up for banishing her to the moon!" Bronze Helm’s composed demeanor started to fracture at the sight of his monarch having a breakdown in the middle of the cafe and quickly tried to deescalate the situation. “Your majesty, please try and calm down. If you aren’t careful, your magic may go off again.” The mention of her magic caused the princess to calm down, at least somewhat, allowing Bronze to relax as well. “Listen princess, while I still believe postponing would be a better option, hopefully as long as you take a nap prior to photoshoot it should be alright. For now, just have your drink and then we’ll head back to the castle.” “Yes,” Celestia managed to say, now a bit more in control of her emotions again. “I believe that would be a fair compromise.” With the matter settled, for the moment, the pair thankfully didn’t have to wait long before Celestia was handed her coffee, which she was quick to start gulping down. It only took a couple of sips before the Princess could feel some degree of energy and pep start to return, almost making her forget her prior exhaustion. “My my, this coffee is quite exceptional,” She paused to take another sip before looking back at the barista, waving to get her attention. “Excuse me, would it be possible for you to make some more coffee?” Sadly, as the universe had for some reason become accustomed, once again Celestia’s chaos magic started to act up. A faint glimmer of energy shot from her claw and struck the barista. Immediately, the poor pony's eyes turned completely blank, before she started pumping out dozens of cups of coffee and lining the bar many ponies watched, producing them with such speed it looked as though she had twenty hooves instead of two. “Free coffee for everypony, come get some!” “Yay!” The ponies cheered as they swarmed the counter, while Bronze Helm saw the frantic scene and immediately turned his gaze to the princess, who was currently looking at her claw, wide eyed. “Not again!” The princess practically shouted at the scene of caffeine based chaos, and immediately made a move to take some kind of action, only for Bronze Helm to immediately grab her claw. “That’s enough princess, more magic isn’t the answer here.” “No, please I can fix this quickly just let me.” Ignoring his further calls, Celestia let loose another burst of magic, which managed to stop the barista’s fast hooves...mainly because in her place was now a large conveyor belt rapidly launching cups of coffee in every direction. By now Bronze Helm, desperately ducking to avoid being hit by one of the projectile beverage was on the verge of losing it. “PRINCESS! PLEASE!” Now frustrated to the point of ignoring logic, Celestia roared as she tried to change it, Bronze Helm immediately smacked her hand down, glaring at her with visible anger all over his face. “Princess, Stop! You’re only managing to make things worse. No more magic, of any kind. We’ll leave it to the Royal Guard to handle this situation. We are leaving, now.” While Celestia wanted to argue, the sight of so many of her subject either being pelted with coffee or being soaked in it, made her decision for her. “Fine..perhaps that’s for the best.” Having escaped from the disastrous coffee house, the two arrived at the schoolhouse, though Bronze Helm was still less than happy about it. “Princess, please. I thought we agreed you would get some rest before the photoshoot. And after what happend at the coffeehouse…” “I’m well aware of my misstep Bronze Helm,” Celestia’s tone now had an edge to it, visibly tense after what had just occurred. “However, at this point I doubt a nap is going to help me. Best to just do the shoot and be done with it. Besides, as long as I don’t use my magic we should be fine.” Bronze Helm again made an attempt to argue only to quiet himself at the sight of the countless young foals outside the school, all of whom seemed to have been waiting for Celestia to arrive. Quicky adopting her usual practice smile, the princess moved over to the foals who all gathered around her, many smiling eagerly. “Hello children, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” “No way Princess.” “We’re just happy you’re here.” “Wow, you look way different from all the other times I’ve seen you princess. Are you sick?” The earnest and honest questioning from the children managed to make the princess’s smile shift into a real one, as she happily patted the head of the one who asked the last question. “No, I’m perfectly fine I promise. This is just a part of a little game I’m playing with a...acquaintance of mine.” Somewhere in the distance she could’ve sworn she’d heard a bizarre sounding sneeze, but opted to pass it off. “Now then children. Let’s take that photo shall we?” To the amazement of both Celestia and Bronze Helm, the photo managed to go off with any major issues. The children cooperated about as well as you would expect a group their age would, though the princess had to endure several sad looks when she had to decline a request to perform some magic. Really if it wasn’t for Bronze Helm’s stern glare she very likely would’ve given into temptation. “Nicely done Princess Celestia. You showed a good amount of restraint out there,” Bronze Helm said, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that they are finally done. Celestia let off a light huff at the comment. “I’m willing to admit my own faults these past few days, I’m still perfectly capable of showing restraint.” Bronze could only chuckle at the comment, though opted to keep any further jabs to himself. “Well, now that the photo is all settled, let’s get you back to the castle so you can rest. I imagine the coffee from earlier will likely be wearing off soon. “Yes,” Celetia muttered, feeling a yawn start to come on along with a desire to finally rest. However, as she prepared to leave, she felt a tug on one of her legs and found one of the foals was the culprit. Bronze Helm seeing there was little harm in letting Celestia handle what was probably a minor issue, decided to give the pair a bit of privacy and walked a short distance away, just out of sight. “Oh, hello there,” Celestia said, quickly putting her professional mask back on. “Is there something else you need?” Despite the fairly simple question, the young foal seemed nervous to ask whatever she wanted. “Well...there is, but I know you’re busy and it’s not that important.” Celestia quickly shifted to the more caring side she often showed Twilight and kneeled down to the young child, softly patting her head to try and put her at ease. “My dear filly, the concerns of my subjects are my concerns, no matter how small they may seem, they are always important to me. So please, what’s wrong.” That seemed to do the trick as the young filly finally relaxed. “Well you see, we were supposed to go on a fieldtrip after the photo, but all the money we saved up was stolen.” Celestia’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “what!? What do you mean stolen? By who?” The filly quickly pointed to an older stallion not far from the school and already Celestia felt ill just looking at him. At a glance he seemed normal enough, with grey fur, light silver mane, blue eyes and a coin shaped cutie mark. However, what started to set her off was his attire, which mainly consisted of an extremely expensive looking purple suit jacket and blue tie, matched with what looked like buttons made of solid silver along with matching cufflinks. And to top it off, was a smile that practically reaked of smug arrogance, one she’d last seen on her nephew, Prince Blueblood. Eyes still trained on the smug stallion, her lips extended downward till they were next to her little informants ears. “Is that the one who stole your field trip money?” The filly quickly nodded. “Yeah, that’s one of our school’s founders, Mr. Silver Dollar. He said the money was needed for “repairs” to the school, but when we asked our teacher he said he didn’t know anything about any repairs. And when we asked the principal about it, she just said the bits had vanished.” While it was likely there was more to the story, Celestia had heard more than enough and looked about ready to go on a warpath. However, the fury quickly turned into an inferno of hatred as Silver’s carriage appeared. The reason being is that the carriage itself looked beyond extravagant, with jewel encrusted wheels, a solid gold frame with high quality wooden walls, what appeared to be silk curtains and an equally gaudy looking gold handle. Needless to say, Celestia now knew exactly what the field trip funds had gone towards. While a part of her would’ve loved nothing more than just to oust the pony right then and there, she felt her inner chaotic spirit start to stir as a mischievous grin formed on her face. “Not to worry my little filly. I’ll make sure to get those bits back for you and teach Mr. Silver Dollar a little lesson about stealing. ” Preparing her claw, she immediately started thinking about what she was planning to do. Granted a small part of her was reminded of her promise to Bronze Helm and the sun incident. Yet, she felt that for once she had a proper grasp on what exactly she wanted and a feeling in the bit of her gut that her magic was on her side this time. Thus she was prepared to risk it. Taking a breath and forming a picture in her mind she snapped, her eyes closing as she waited. It was only a moment before she was rewarded by the loud screams of her target. To her amazement, the once garishly flash carriage made from ill gotten gains had now been replaced with what could best be described as a fancy princess carriage akin to a young fillies’s toy. And as if to add to the enjoyment of the situation, the carriage seemed as though it was alive as it started to shake and buck around quite violently. This finally ended after a few moments when the door opened and spat out Silver Dollar, now clad in a dress so pink, frilly and lacy, it almost reminded her of something Rarity would’ve designed for a fashion show. Regardless of how it looked however, Silver Dollar’s expression only read shock and embarrassment as many other ponies couldn’t help but gawk, smirk and laugh at the display before them. The laughs from the foals were especially boisterous which helped bring a smile to the princess’s face. However, the moment of enjoyment ended when she caught sight of Bronze Helm approaching, a look of disappointment on his face. “I told you not to do it and you do it anyway!” His tone did serve to bring Celestia down from her brief high of enjoyment, though she tried to remain resolute. “I know I promised, but he stole bits from the foals. I couldn’t just let him get away with that.” “I agree.” Bronze nodded, even showing a hint of a smirk at the panicking Silver Dollar. “However, there are less pardon the pun, chaotic, ways to accomplish that and as our ruler you have a duty to hold yourself to a higher standard and not be so quick to act on a whim. Not to mention the possible risk with your magic.” Given recent events Celestia was not in a position to argue with Bronze and it was ultimately thanks to sheer dumb luck that her magic hadn’t gone out of control again. Even so, she couldn’t deny the sense of satisfaction it’d brought her and even Bronze agreed it was justified. Still… “Very well. Make a note to have Silver Dollar investigated regarding embezzling school funds. We should nip this issue as soon as possible.” That actually brought a satisfied smile to Bronze’s face, happy Celestia was finally thinking less with her magic. “I’ll get on it right away, your highness. Though I do think we should still get back to the castle.” Letting off another yawn, Celestia nodded. “Agreed...just one more little thing.” Quickly letting loose another snap, a large, jiggling bag appeared next to the chaotic princess, who happily levitated it over to her little filly friend. “I know it’s not the money you originally raised. However, I think this should more than cover your field trip.” The eager young filly quickly pulled open the bag and found it to be practically brimming with bits, the light reflecting off the coins actually creating enough of a signal light to draw more of the class to the bag. In mere moments, the small group was erupting with cheers of excitement and joy, leaving Celestia looking quite proud and Bronze Helm calmly smiling. “You did it again.” “Yes, yes I did,” Celestia said without even a hint of shame. “And nothing bad happened. Besides, helping a group of sad foals in need of money strikes me as the kind of thing a good ruler should do, right?” Bronze simply sighed, knowing full well he had no kind of argument for such a claim, and decided just to give her that one. “Very well your highness. Now then, shall we go?” Taking one last look at the group of smiling foals, some eagerly waving in her direction which she returned in kind, Celestia nodded, now feeling more at peace. “Yes. I think I’ve tried my luck more than enough for now. Let’s go.”
Chapter eight: Day four part 2: Celestia's daybreakCelestia groaned as she slowly woke up later that day, rubbing her head as she slowly got up and saw her sister standing over her with a glare. The Princess of the Night looked equally as disheveled, trying as she could to rub away a possible headache as she glared down at her sister. “Sister, what is wrong with you?!” Celestia got up with bags under her eyes and felt quite irritated as she tried to lift herself up. “I don’t suppose you could be a little more specific?” “What were you thinking, using your magic so flippantly and on a noble no less!” Luna snapped, slamming a hoof down with her eyes glaring down at her sister, looking quite furious. “What!?” Celestia snapped as she got up from her bed, still visibly drained but atleast looking more awake than before. Luna however, didn’t offer any clarification too busy staring her sister down so furiously you’d swear she’d turned back into Nightmare Moon for a moment. “Enough is enough, Celestia this ridiculous contest ends now! In the last few days, not only have you managed to seriously damage your reputation, as well as my own, but you’ve also caused chaos amongst the masses, potentially blinded numerous other ponies and gave a currently incalculable sum of money to a group of foals!? You’ll destroy our economy if you keep doing that!” Celestia, now aware of what she was being chewed out for, lost her recently regained drive and returned attention to her still burning headache from the night before. While she would’ve loved to simply curl up in her bed and sleep until the ponding in her skull faded, she knew Luna would never give her that satisfaction. Kind of difficult to sleep in when your sister can still nag you in your dreams. “Alright then Luna, what exactly would you have me do!?” This somewhat flippant answer only made the Princess of the Moon more enraged, having to actually fight the urge to return to the royal canterlot voice. “Oh no sister, we’re well past you simply doing something. That bridge has well and truly burned along with heaven only knows how many trees from that stunt you pulled last morning.” While the verbal lashing was more than warranted and the catharsis was enjoyable, Luna knew that simply yelling at her sister wasn’t going to accomplish much in the long run. Thus quickly calming herself, she did her best to act as the responsible ruler she was. “The fact of the matter is sister, you’ve been completely irresponsible and dependent on your new found power. So many of the recent disasters you’ve caused could’ve easily been avoided if you’d simply handled them diplomatically instead of falling back on your magic like a crutch.” Despite her sister’s attempts to be civil, Celestia, visibly annoyed, got right into her sister’s face before slamming a hoof on the ground. “Stop acting so patronizing! I’m fine, and I don’t need you to tell me what to do!” Seeing her sister was going to be difficult, Luna immediately shifted back to her prior anger and met her sister, literally face to face. “Oh really!? Will you turn me into a foal again, or maybe something else this time! After all, that’s your solution for everything now isn’t it?” Now fully awake and her eyes actually starting to ignite with flames, Celestia slammed her claw on the ground, shouting loudly as she did. “I have dealt with running this kingdom for a thousand years by myself, a choice I was forced to bear because of your choices. So don’t try to talk to me about being irresponsible.”” Luna sighed, knowing full well arguing would go nowhere and her sister had raised a valid point. Even so, she couldn’t just back down on this. “It is true...my poor decisions forced you to bear a burden we were meant to share for so many moons and I have to live with that mistake. Yet, can’t you see it’s because of that I understand what’s happening now? I only want to help you.” To Luna’s relief it seemed like that had managed to calm her sister down somewhat, the fire faded from her eyes and she seemed to regain her senses. “Forgive me, Luna,” Celestia said, taking a seat at her bed whilst looking at her claws. “After a thousand years ruling alone, I guess I’d forgotten what it was like to have my authority truly challenged. And I can’t think of a wiser pony to listen to on our current situation.” Happy to have her sister finally being civil, Luna took a seat next to her. “Indeed, I too often need to be reminded how long it has been since I walked upon Equestrian soil, and how long you needed to carry the weight of my responsibilities as well as your own. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.” Celestia said nothing as she simply stared at the walls of the castle, giving Luna a glimpse of her eyes and the greater age behind them. Containing untold amounts of memories and experiences she couldn’t even begin to consider. And it was at that moment Luna had a revelation. “This wager, it was never about proving Discord wrong was it? You just wanted a chance to have a little fun didn’t you?” Celestia blinked before sweat started to form on her brow. Her mind immediately tried to formulate a lie, only for a knowing look from her sister to kill that idea. “At first, I did atleast somewhat want to prove Discord wrong, but once I had the power and realized what it meant, what I could do with it. It was too much to resist.” Celestia’s voice dripped with weakness and shame, distraught to be seen so vulnerable and having to admit to such a thing. “For so many years, I’ve had to be the face of Equestria, the people’s perfect ruler. The one who shines like and is as flawless as the sun. Never allowed to step out of line for even a second.” “And you thought with that magic, it’d be the perfect excuse to let yourself loosen up, if only for a little while?” Luna asked, trying to be as delicate as possible, with Celestia returning a nod. “It’s hardly an excuse for what I’ve done, but I just had to do something.” The last words she practically spat out, disgusted she needed to admit to such a thing. “I felt as though if I didn’t use that power just a little bit, I’d lose my mind...when did I become so weak?” And in that moment, Celestia looked more exposed and vulnerable than Luna had ever seen her. Despite her literally being able to command reality with a single snap, you’d swear she’d collapse from a single light breeze. This was something Luna couldn’t allow and knew what she needed to do. “You’re not weak sister,” Luna said, offering her sister a wing. “You simply need a break, both from your duties and magic. I'll handle your duties for the day, while you finally relax for a change.” Celestia looked absolutely stunned by the idea, though more from shock than anticipation. “Luna, while I appreciate the gesture, you don’t need to do that.” The Princess of the Sun immediately found her face magically pulled down to Luna’s, her sister giving her quite the forceful look. “You’re taking the day off and that’s final. Are we clear sister?” Celestia only offered a weak nod, feeling more than a little off put by her sister’s harsh face, which immediately shifted into a smile after her agreement. “Excellent, well then I suppose I should take care of raising the sun first. Enjoy your day off Celestia, and remember, no magic.” With one final look, Luna left her sister’s chambers, prompting Celestia to fall back on her bed and stare up at the ceiling. “My first true day off in over a thousand years....what should I do for the day?” As if the universe sought to answer this question, Celestia heard the door to her room open and was greeted by a familiar and visibly nervous familiar face. “Feather Duster, it's good to see you.” To no surprise, the maid seemed somewhat uncomfortable being in the princess’s presence. Though it was a more awkward kind of discomfort, which Celestia could understand given their recent adventures. “Good morning...princess. I...um...well.”” The poor mares shaking voice practically broke Celestia’s heart as she quickly bowed her head, startling the mare even more. “Feather Duster, you have my most sincere and utmost apologies for what I put you through these last few days. As a monarch especially my actions were beyond inexcusable and I hope you will forgive me for taking advantage of you in such a way.” The maid was left completely shell shocked at the sight of the most powerful pony in the kingdom bowing her head in shame before her. Certainly wasn’t how she expected this encounter to go. “It’s...alright Princess Celestia. Being your mother was different, but I didn’t mind and I know you didn’t mean to do it originally.” The princess gave a long deep sigh, despite her apology being received it didn’t quite seem to put her mind at ease “Are you sure you’re alright? I wouldn’t blame you for being angry at me for what I did. Heaven knows there are probably more than a few who are.” Shaking off some of her discomfort, Feather Duster sat down across from Celestia. “Your highness, I've been working here for some time, I've seen you have your ups and downs, but this is possibly the strangest I’ve ever seen you. And I’m not simply referring to you being a draconequus.” The princess rolled her eyes and grumbled, “Now you’re starting to sound like Luna.” Though in spite of her tone, she truly did appreciate the second opinion, which did confirm without a doubt taking some time off was the smarter decision. “Then perhaps you should start listening to her a bit,” Feather Duster said, her face and tone being eerily similar to her motherly appearance. “You know she’s only doing it because she cares.” With a sigh, Celestia arose from her bed and offered a nod. “I do. She believes I need to relax for a bit and I’m going to do exactly that.” An idea immediately formed in her head as she spoke, which also sent a light chill down Feather’s spine, which only grew when her ruler’s eyes turned to her. “Feather Duster, would you be opposed to taking the day off to accompany me somewhere?” The princess and Feather Duster were now in front of a steaming hot bath, slowly settling down into the hot steaming suds bubbling around them. “Luna was right, I did need this,” Celestia mumbled out, letting her serpent-like body slide further under the surface of the water. “And I hope this isn’t an inconvenience for your Feather. I just wanted a way to properly apologize for all I put you through these last few days.” The maid in question was currently seated amidst several small mountains of suds, a look of pure contentment on her face. “And as I said, I never held a grudge against you for what happened...though I’m certainly not against a day of pampering at the spa.” Once Celestia had been more clear of her intentions, she’d teleported the pair to the Ponyville Day Spa. Naturally, the owners were all too happy to pencil the princess and her guest in for their highest quality treatments and specials, to which the pair decided to simply relax in the bath for a time and wash away the morning fatigue. Feeling a bit refreshed and more awake, Celestia, raised herself out of the way a bit so she could lean against the edge and eyed Feather curiously. “You know, I just realized that for how much we’ve seen of each other, I sadly don’t know much about you.” The sudden spotlight cast on her woke the maid from her state of bliss, causing her to shift back to her usual nervous demeanor. “Well, there’s not much to really say about me, I’m just another maid in the castle after all.” “Nonsense,” Celestia said firmly, while making sure not to shout to avoid ruining the atmosphere. “When I see my subjects, I never look upon them as simply another face in the crowd, but as unique individuals who if I had the time I would hope to get to know each and everyone of them. And I was hoping, especially given past events, I could learn a bit more about you if possible.” “Well…,” Feather paused, being moved by Celestia’s genuine desire to know more about her. As I said, there isn’t much to say. I'm single, became a maid because I like being around..around helping ponies.” Feather Duster stammered as she continued to soak in the hot tub, trying to stem the shaking in her voice. . Despite the answer, Celestia didn’t look satisfied. “Oh, come now Feather. We both know there’s more to you to that and I’m keenly aware why some ponies take up positions by the castle. So please, just be honest with me.” Still on the spot and knowing she couldn’t lie her way out of this, Feather took a breath and spoke how she felt. “Have you ever...you know...taken interest in any of your staff romantically?” Celestia’s eyes instantly shot up, not expecting such a question and tried her best to offer a coherent response. “I...well...to be honest I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t happened. I mean over the past thousand years it’d be odd if I hadn’t taken an interest in some of my staff, but I can’t just say names…” Seeing the princess caught off guard actually made the maid mare chuckle, managing to break a fair amount of tension that had been holding her back. “No, it’s fine. It was just something I was curious about...plus I couldn’t exactly think of something else to ask.” Mildly annoyed, Celestia offered a half hearted glare, but it only lasted a moment before she chuckled with equal mirth. Now able to better relax, Feather Duster moaned loudly as she soaked into the spa with bubbling suds relaxing her body and stiff muscles. “Can I ask something private again?” The alicorn mare's cheeks turned red, still a bit weary about what other things she’d request but obliged. Feather Duster squeaked and asked, “why did you turn me into your mother substitute?” Celestia’s prior embarrassment fizzled out, and her face became stiffer as she laid back, relaxing in the piles of suds as a way to ease out her response. “Well, it was at least in part a complete accident, though I suppose if you’re asking why I didn’t simply reverse it right away...it’s because I don’t remember my mother. I suppose a part of me just wanted to have that feeling, especially given recent events. Sorry again for that.” “Stop apologizing; I told you it’s fine.” Feather Duster responded with a blush on her face, feeling awkward with the princess as she kept apologizing. Not wanting to argue and seemingly finally burying the hatchet on that little issue, Celestia opted to simply continue to enjoy the soothing waters of the bath. After soaking in the hot tub for some time, along with a bit more playful back and forth between the two mares, the duo eventually moved on to their next bit of pampering. Celestia opted to have her wings preened and cleaned, which proved slightly taxing due to the spa ponies having some trouble with her dragon wing. Feather Duster meanwhile opted for a simple hooficure, along with a moisturizing mask, and was currently laying contently in her chair. The two had stopped speaking for a brief period to properly enjoy themselves, yet as she was sitting and letting her mind wander, a question formed in Feather’s mind that she felt compelled to ask. “Princess Celestia. Forgive me for being so bold in asking but...you by chance like Discord?” Her question was loud enough to where the spa ponies immediately halted their work, looking stunned by the question, while Celestia, surprisingly, looked rather composed with just a minor pink dusting on her face. Feather feared for a moment she’d crossed some kind of line, but Celestia quickly put her fears at ease when she finally spoke. “There was once a time when I looked upon him with a small amount of respect. We even shared a few moments together, when he was willing to be civil. Sadly, he let his own chaotic nature get the better of him, eventually forcing my sister and I to act. I’d lost much of what respect I had for him and inspite of how much he has changed, I don’t think I'll ever truly be able to forgive him.” Having not expected to get any kind of response from such a serious question, the maid opted to try and end the matter before it became too awkward.“I see, that’s perfectly understandable.” Things remained relatively quiet for a time, the pair continued to enjoy themselves for another two hours, occasionally talking back and forth, but not quite with the same vigor as before. Feather Duster was now feeling less relaxed, now convinced she’d made things awkward between the pair. Yet, she tried to play dumb regarding the matter, fearing what would happen next. When the pair were finally done with their last session and preparing to leave, did something significant take place. “So Feather Duster do you want to do something fun?” The maid turned around with a surprised look, looking at Celestia with a mixture of confusion, fear and a curiosity as to what exactly fun could mean, especially given her last few antics. “Um...what exactly did you have in mind?” Quickly growing a Discord like smirk as they finally walked out the door, she snapped a claw as pink tendrils of magic twirled around her body. The formerly draconequus slowly shrank to an average, cute pegasus pony, a Prench maid outfit suddenly appearing on her body with a frilly white cap and a frilly white apron tied around her waist. All the while this occured, her maid squeaked as she turned into a perfect copy of Celestia in her normal form, down to the wings, horn and the long flowing, light-colored mane complete with her regalia. The former maid was stunned at her new body, unintentionally extending her wings repeatedly while trying to stay upright as Celestia came forward and bowed. “For today, I'll be the maid, and you can be the princess.” Feather Duster didn’t immediately respond to this idea, still looking over her new body with shock and awe. “Wow, I can’t believe you turned me into you!” “And I am now you.” The princess squeaked, positively beaming about her new pony body. “Alright! Let's get going...maid.” Feather Duster snickered as she led Celestia out of the spa and towards the chariot, deciding to go with the flow on this new little escapade. The now transformed Princess Celestia happily skipped over to the chariot and opened the door with a bow. “Alright, my dear, where do you wish to go?” Feather Duster or Princess Feather Duster in a sense,held out her hoof, and allowed Celestia to lead her into the chariot and placed her down, and then Celestia sat across from her as the chariot set off down the road. The newly transformed princess alicorn was quite confused as she asked, “so do you wish for some tea?” “Of course...Celestia...” The former princess said, before realizing the minor problem they would run into with names. Feather Duster seemed to realize this as well amidst admiring her new form.d, “I think you should have your own maid name...since I’ll be Celestia.” The mare tapped a hoof to her chin, pondering. “This is quite interesting; what should my maid name be…” Celestia gasped as a name suddenly appeared in her head, and raised a hoof. “I should be Clean N’ Shine.” “That’s a lovely name!” Feather Duster/Celestia cheered and clapped her hooves, earning a mock bow from the newly dubbed Clean N’ Shine. . “Now then,” Clean N’ Shine said with a smirk. “I believe there was some mention of tea.” In a flash a tray of tea, cups and even little bonbons appeared in the middle of the chariot. Feather Duster/Celestia stared at the tray of treats for a moment, prompting Clean N’ Shine to explain. “You forget, I'm still a draquennous, this is just a disguise after all.” Satisfied with the answer the former maid squealed as she picked up the cup with her hooves, not wanting to try her luck using her wings. “Well, I guess that means I get to boss you around now.” “That's right.” Clean N Shine meeped, feeling quite excited to be a maid and live the life of an average pony for a change as she hooked herself to the chariot and took off into the skies. The pair remained airborne for only a short time before parking in the town square, with the imposter Celestia being carefully guided out of the chariot. As expected, they drew quite a few stares with ponies all around bowing (some scooting away) as they walked over to a luncheon as the waiter bowed. “Princess Celestia, forgive me, we weren’t prepared for your arrival.” “Um...th..that’s all right; we simply need two seats, please.” Feather Duster stammered as she felt awkward impersonating the Princess. The waiter nodded as the stallion slowly escorted the two mares to their seats, and the waiter turned to the real Celestia. “Are you the princess’s maid, correct?” Celestia was quite surprised at being called a maid, but quickly shook it off and got into character. “Yes, I’m Clean N’ Shine and I was recently appointed Princess Celestia’s personal attendant. I’m simply here should the Princess require any attention.” The waiter didn’t bother to ask further, quickly leaving to bring the pair some water while they simply enjoyed succeeding for the moment in their little deception and moving on to small talk. “My goodness, these uniforms are so comfortable,” Clean N’ Shine said, as she smoothed out the uniform, admiring the rather soft fabrics. “Yes, they are! To be honest, I liked wearing my uniform even after work.” Feather Duster whispered with the mare being quite embarrassed sharing a secret kink she had with another pony, much less her leader. Celestia in her maid disguise threw a hoof as she reassured her maid. “Oh, don’t be so embarrassed, I'm starting to love the feel of the uniform myself and it’s hardly something to be ashamed of.” As the two conversed, The waiter came by and lit his horn, lifted a pen and a notebook. “I apologize princess, but did you and your maid get a chance to look at the menus.” The imposter Celestia smiled as she lifted the menu and read through it. “Yes, give me the biggest, most delicious cake you have and a cappuccino.” As the waiter jotted the order down, Clean N Shine followed suit. “And, I'll have this delicious cake with a cup of wine….if that’s ok princess?” “Oh, that's fine, eat what you want, my loyal Clean N Shine.” Princess Celestia cooed in a joking manner, leaving the waiter mildly confused by their behavior, but opted not to pry as he walked off to get their orders. Alone again, the pair tried to think of some other thing to do to properly enjoy their new situation. The false Celestia eventually decided on something relatively small. “Clean N Shine, would you mind preening my wings just a bit, I want to make sure the spa ponies did a good jobs.” Staying in character Clean N Shine performed a courtesy and nodded. “I would be delighted to.” Quickly getting to work as the Princess fully extended her wings for all to see. This rather odd sight was what welcomed the waiter as he returned, leaving him somewhat perplexed. , “Um...did I come at a bad time?” Clean N Shine squeaked as she plopped down onto her seat with her dress ruffling around her and adjusting her top. “No, we're fine please br-” “Ah, ah ah ah.” Celestia lectured as she turned to the waiter. “Yes, please you can just place our food down and we’ll be fine on our own.” Seeing this situation was well beyond his pay grade, the waiter complied and immediately fled to the nearest table. The princess in disguise looked down at her drink and chuckled, seeing the latte art with the cutie mark of the sun made of foam on top whileClean N Shine sipped her wine and enjoyed her cake, happily munching away. The imposter Celestia smirked watching her “maid” enjoying her meal as she did the same. However, after only taking a single bite, the princess had another idea. “Clean N Shine, I wish for you to feed me.” While the sudden request did surprise the disguised pegasus for a moment, she was still the maid for the moment and was willing to comply with the request. She then took a fork, scooped the cheesecake and began feeding herself, who in turn chomped down on her cake. The action left Clean N Shine feeling slightly awkward given the looks from the other patrons, but complied nonetheless. “I must say, you're quite good at this.” “Hmm, I suppose so, The real princess of the sun said as she forked over another piece of cake. “Then again, after so many years of eating cake myself, I should hope I’d be good at it.” The pair shared a smile and a laugh as Celestia continued to feed her temporary ruler for several minutes, followed by what seemed like an hour’s worth of rather pleasant conversation, before the bill finally arrived and they left. After leaving the restaurant, the pair opted to keep things relatively simple and casual. A quick teleport back to Canterlot had the twosome wandering around the garment district. While the still temporary royal Feather Duster had contemplated simply returning to the castle, Celestia had insisted she get the chance to “live like a royal” if only for a short time. And naturally this led into the pair going from shop to shop, thoroughly enjoying themselves with Feather slowly embraces the indulgences she’d likely only dreamed of. This shopping escapade continued well into the afternoon with the pair finally deciding to head back to the castle, both looking positively gleeful after all that had transpired. It was certainly an improvement over how tense and stiff they’d been earlier in the morning. By now Celestia and Feather Duster had since returned to their normal states, the pair laughing happily with countless bags being carried by Celestia’s magic as they entered the throne room. To greet them was a visibly drained Luna, with far more prominent bags under her eyes then usual, yet she was still able to muster up a smile at the sight of the two. “Well, I’d dare say your day was far more enjoyable than mine?” Celestia’s laughter quickly ceased, though her smile was still present as she greeted her sister. “Oh indeed. You were right Luna, today was some of the most fun I’ve had in awhile. And you’ll be happy to know I didn’t misuse my magic this time around.” That last remark seemed to ease the Princess of the Night more than one would’ve expected, her shoulders dropping as if she could finally relax herself. “That is wonderful to hear, sister. Truth be told, I honestly don’t have the strength to deal with another chaotic catastrophe today.” Luna let out a loud and long yawn, her body struggling somewhat to stay stable. “After a full day of performing both my duties and yours, the only thing I wish to see in the next few hours is my bed.” “Well, you don’t have to worry,” Celestia said reassuringly. “I think I’ve finally got a handle on things and I’m at least confident enough that I can handle raising the sun again.” A rather loud snicker echoed throughout the chamber, directly all eyes to an all too familiar stained glass window, with a familiar face eying them with amusement. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you Lulu, dear Celestia still doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to using her magic and I highly doubt a day of spas and shopping will change that.” Luna prepared to offer a retort, but Celestia dissuaded her with a gesture and a smile. Without a word, she raised her fingers to snap, prompting the Princess of the Night to debate running for cover. Yet to her surprise when the snap echoed across the room, seemingly nothing happened. There were no explosions, nothing in the room suddenly changed in size and no ponies inside the castle or out were screaming. Luna’s eyes and neck were darting in every direction just to make sure there wasn’t something she’d missed. And it was in this frantic search she finally saw what Celestia had done, and it actually caused a grin to break out on her face. “Okay...maybe I spoke too soon.” Discord’s annoyed voice finally broke the silence, as his still stained glass body was currently hovering in front of them as if it’d been pulled straight off the window. Celestia merely looked on her handiwork with a twinge of smug pride, having gotten one over on Discord for a change, with her internally cheering over the small victory. Feather Duster looked equally impressed, and a bit relieved nothing went array. Naturally, the Spirit of Chaos didn’t remain glass for long, his form literally melting to the ground before reshaping itself like clay into his normal state. His face lightly glaring at Celestia. “I wouldn’t get too smug little Sunbutt, the bet is still on after all, plenty of time for you to make another little boo boo like yesterday.” “What helps keeps you feeling secure, Discord,” Celestia said, looking confident for a change. “And while verbally sparring with you is always enjoyable, I do believe my sister is in desperate need of some rest. Meaning, I have an appointment with the sun.” By now completely ignoring Discord much to his annoyance, Celestia turned her attention back to Feather Duster. “I truly had an enjoyable time today with you Feather, and perhaps when everything is back to normal, perhaps we could do it again.” Rather than the normal bow, Feather offered a simple friendly smile and a nod. “I would be honored Princess. Today was more fun than I’ve had in awhile, and I look forward to our next little adventure.” With a quick bow to Luna, Feather retreated from the throne room, leaving the three most powerful beings in Equestria alone. Luna, having finally relaxed after Celestia’s magic display, was barely keeping herself awake now, the weight of the past twenty four hours now weighing firmly down upon her. “Well dear sister, it is wonderful to hear you had an enjoyable day. And I can’t wait to hear about it….tomorrow of course. Honestly, I’m not even sure I can make it to my bedroom at this point.” Her wording caused Celestia’s smile to grow mischievous. “I can help you with that if you’d like?” Her right claw raised to eliminate any ambiguity as to what she was implying. Luna’s body immediately turned slightly green at the idea. “On second thought, the walk could make for some nice light exercise before bed. Anyway, have a good night sister, we can discuss matters tomorrow.” The nightly mare offered her sister a nuzzle, which she returned and made her way to the doors, stopping midway and turning her gaze back to her sister. “And sister, I trust I’ll see the moon as it should be tomorrow?” Celestia actually looked as though she’d been insulted by the accusation. “Sister, you wound me. After yesterday, do you honestly think I would try something like that?” Luna tried to glare at her sister, but the bags and a loud yawn ruined any menace she might’ve invoked, prompting the pony princess to leave. Confident her sister wouldn’t cause any further harm. That just left Discord and Celestia alone once again, the Spirit of Chaos looking at his fellow draconequus perplexed. Unable to process this sudden change. “So, what, a little day of baths, hooficures and a little clothes shopping and suddenly you’re an expert on Chaos Magic,” Discord asked critically, dressed like a detective from an old school noir, grilling a suspect for information. Celestia in turn only offered a simple smile and a shrug. “I just needed some time to relax and clear my head. I won’t lie and say I’m an expert, but I think I have a better grasp on it then before.” To prove her point, with a simple wave of her hand, a large cake suddenly appeared, resting delicately in her palm. In an instant candles suddenly popped up from the top and lite themselves, before the fire itself rose up higher, condensing into a ball resembling a miniature sun. The sun however didn’t last, as the cake suddenly opened like a pair of jaws and engulfed the fire, swallowing it whole. In an instant, the cake shrank down to a small blue cupcake, with a yellow sun made of icing in the center, not unlike the real one that had been in the room not moments ago. Discord looked at the display with such shock, his eyes grew to the size of full length mirrors as Celestia casually removed the cake wrapping before happily devouring the pastry, licking the last bits of icing from her fingertips before looking at Discord with a sense of satisfaction. “Impressed?” Her age old opponent offered no reply, utterly speechless at the display he’d just witnessed. And that was all Celestia needed to see. “Well, I’ve love to stay and chat Discord, but I have a sun to lower and a moon to raise, not to mention I need to prepare for my daily meetings tomorrow. So have a nice night until then.” And with a simple flash she was gone, leaving Discord completely alone, finally regaining his senses and finally coming to grips with what he’d just witnessed. “I can’t believe it, she’s actually pulling it off.” Even as he said those words his mind tried desperately to find some kind answer to this change, knowing full well things were veering very close to him losing the bet. However, before his mind could descend into its own unique form of chaos, something Celestia said suddenly appeared in his mind like a billboard and it caused his smile to grow to Grinch like sizes. “Well, she’s got a handle on her magic, I’ll give her that, but…” By now his grin had grown well beyond the boards of his face and was now the length of a full sized mural. “Let’s see how well she handles it when dealing with the nobles.”
Chapter Nine: Day five Celestia and Luna's last day outPrincess Celestia slowly awoke again from another long sleep, this time to see her sister looking down at her, an all too familiar smirk on the dark blue alicorn's face. She bent down to Celestia's ear and whispered, "hey, it's time to wake up." The Princess of the Sun in turn gave a yawn, and lifted herself up from her bed and stretched her limbs. "So dear sister? What do you want to do today with my powers?"" Having fully embraced her mischievous side Luna slowly trotted over with a devilish grin. “Oh, I have so many ideas... but I'll let you know what I'm thinking when we go outside." Letting off a muted chuckle at the possibilities as she drifted off to go take a shower while Luna sat on her sister's bed. Celestia hummed happily as she let the warm water come down over her new scaly body. Without missing a beat several hands appeared on the walls each scrubbing another part of her body, allowing Celestia to simply stand and enjoy the sensation. However, her moment of bliss was interrupted by her sister's voice managing to penetrate the walls and water. "Sister, do you want to go out for a luncheon with the other mares before the big meeting tomorrow!" "Oh, that sounds positively lovely" Celestia exclaimed as she turned off the faucet and burst through the bathroom door. With a flick of a claw, all the moisture disappeared from her body. The result left her mane bright and colorful, falling around her, and she even applied some eyeliner on her eyes. Luna clapped her hooves, seeing her sister all spruced up and seeming ready to shock the world. The Princess of the Night flew over and hugged her sister close to her chest. "Oh, it's so great to see you like this...I have to admit...ever since you became a draquenous, you've been a lot less stuck up." The comment earned a look of mild surprise that quickly shifted to amusement at the comment. ”The implication being that I was stuck up to begin with? I was always under the impression I was quite flexible when around others.” “Be honest sister,” Luna said knowingly, causing Celestia to twitch ever so slightly. “You can be rather rigid at times. Though I will concede you have certainly mellowed out quite these last few centuries. And I imagine I am at least partially to blame for that.” The allusion to their bitter past merited a slight flinch from Celestia, though she was quick to simply wrap her wing around her sister’s shoulders. “I’d hardly call it blame worthy and I’m mature enough to admit I had my rough moments, but I think I’ve softened up over the centuries.” While the intent was meant to be one of comfort, the sight of her sister’s smirk immediately made her realize just what exactly she’d said. “Luna don’t you….” “Oh you’ve most certainly softened up these last few years dear sister.” Celestia was then greeted by a poke in her abdomen, her sister’s hoof actually sinking in as though it were a pillow instead of flesh. “Though I do believe we can attribute that more to your love of pastries then my past misdeeds.” Celestia’s face remained still, under normal circumstances she’d have yelled or possibly been offended by the remark as it was an easy joke to make, especially now. However, the Princess of the Sun opted to take the proverbial high road. “I suppose it’s possible, though with all the work I have to perform each day I’m fairly certain everything is evened out.” This lack of an explosive response had the desired effect as Luna looked positively annoyed at being denied a Celestia overreaction. Naturally being the slightest bit vindictive herself, Celestia would’ve been all too happy to milk this moment for just a bit longer, sadly other events required their attention. “Come now sister, we have much to do today.” Still bothered but ever eager, Luna nodded and the pair headed out to start their day. Setting off down the halls of the castle together as the Princess of the Sun entered the gardens once again for another spectacle of her crazy raising of the sun (many ponies now stood together to watch like before, but this time many had on sunglasses and some even had welders masks on). “Seems everypony decided to come prepared this time around,” Luna whispered to her sister, now red in the face at being reminded of her prior fiasco. “Well, hopefully, it won’t be necessary,” Celestia said as she ascended the podium. “Given what we have planned I’d say that’s more than a safe bet,” Luna spoke looking sly at her word choice. “You do still remember what we agreed upon don’t you sister.” Celestia’s prior embarrassment was replaced with annoyance, grinding her teeth together as she nodded. “I fully remember exactly what you suggested, sister. But is that really necessary, haven’t I humiliated myself enough?” Luna could only respond with a flat expression she’d become quite fond of, "You turned me into an infant for the better part of a day for many to see and forced me to re experience things no pony should have to endure. We are far from equal in terms of humiliation.” By that alone Celestia knew there was no talking her sister down at this point, that bridge had been well and truly burned courtesy of a temporary return to dirty diapers. “Now come on,” Luna gestured with her wing. “The sooner you get it done, the better." Once again defeated by her sister, Celestia grumbled as she slowly levitated the sun. Naturally, apprehensive, many more ponies immediately pulled out sunglasses along with buckets of ice, ready for the possible heatwave to hit. However, to their surprise, that wasn’t what happened. Instead of a blinding fireball, they were instead greeted by the sun acting more akin to a theater screen, projecting a number of less than flattering pictures of their esteemed monarch. Across the normally pristine surface of the sun, were many a picture of Celestia gorging herself on massive amounts of cake, less than graceful falls down the stairs and her far from majestic bedhead. Seeing there was no threat of fiery demise the many ponies in attendance instead started laughing at the spectacle. Some simply chuckled at the spectacle while others went into full blown belly laughs, many others even taking pictures with their cameras to preserve the moments for future enjoyment. "I never expected the sun to look so beautiful." Luna giggled as she wiped her tears from her eyes, while Celestia simply sat, body glowing red from anger with literal steam coming from her ears. Mercifully the slideshow only lasted about two minutes, but each second dragged on for what felt like eons. With the sun now properly raised, the many ponies opted to disperse, both to enjoy their days and potentially avoid dealing with a still angry Celestia. The still steaming sun monarch could only glare furiously at her still smiling sister, looking about ready to explode with rage. "So you want to tell me why you wanted to expose embarrassing pictures of me to the world?" Calm as ever, Luna walked over to Celestia's ear and whispered, "Well, that's because you never really appreciated the moon. Especially when you showed my rump to the world. So now we’re even." Celestia immediately cringed at the memory of that prior stunt. Suddenly the photos didn’t seem nearly as bad. "Sorry about that." "Well, I suppose it wasn’t the worst thing. Some ponies rather liked it, thought it was my way of showing I have a sense of humor. Some even wanted me to do it again," Luna snickered as her sister. Celestia laughed in response at the shift in mood, happy things seemed finally square between the two. “Another time maybe," She said as she nuzzled her sister, before the pair headed in for some breakfast. Arriving in the kitchen, Celestia quickly snapped them up a pair of pancakes and eggs, along with some levitating syrup. The two ate in relative silence, though it only lasted for a few moments before it was broken by many of the castle staff either snickering or talking to each other in hushed whispers. Celestia didn’t need ears to figure out what they were talking about and was all to happy to voice her disapproval. "I hope you are all aware I can hear you quite clearly!" Not wanting to face her wrath, the staff immediately scattered like roaches, leaving the princess to eat her food with far less gusto than before. Hoping to improve her mood, Luna opted to ask a question she’d been pondering for some time."Tell me sister...you only have two days until your return back to being a normal alicorn princess. Correct?" "Indeed, you are correct sister,” Celestia mumbled to herself, waving her hand causing another stack of pancakes to fall on her plate along with a generous helping of whipped cream. “And while I can certainly say it’ll be nice to get back to normal, I will miss having this kind of power at my beck and call.” Popping some pancakes into her mouth before leaning back in her chair, Luna decided to mull over something she’d been wondering about. "It certainly has its perks. Personally, I'm thinking of taking up a similar deal with Discord...you think I would look amazing as a draqquenous?" Perking up quickly, Celestia waved a claw and exclaimed dramatically. "Oh, you would look positively stunning!" The Princess of the Night laughed as she ate her pancakes. "Certainly something to think about. Mmmh, these are so good! You didn't infuse them with Chaos Magic, right?" Celestia snickered as she took a bite of her food. "Nope, they were made by my finest chefs. Sometimes it's best not to use magic...save for using magic to teleport them from the kitchen to here." "Right, I mean, they're probably still mad at you for making their healthy dishes look like something from a little filly's dream," Luna responded with a snicker. Celestia burst into laughter, and then as she finished her coffee."Well, seeing how big your rump is getting, I had to step up my game a bit." "Mmm, you have a long way to go before you can get to my level," Luna said, snapping her tail for emphasis. The pair of Princess had another good laugh as they finished their breakfast before heading to the Grand Hall for Celestia’s court. Luna sat by as her sister sat down on the throne and began her day going over the regular proceedings. As the nobles came by Celestia, it was mostly a long-winded discussion regarding the party tomorrow. As expected there was still more in the way of proceedings that dragged the two well into the afternoon. With the day quickly rolling down, Celestia rose up from her throne and clapped her claws to get the attention of the staff. "Alright, I think we're all good for the day! So why don't I and some of the mares go out and have our luncheon. With seemingly no objections from the others, several noteworthy mares promptly entered the room, greeting the princess as they entered. Among the party included Fleur De Lis, a blue-coated pegasus by the name of Rainbow Quill and a white coated earth pony named Snowflake. With her group assembled Celestia happily snapped her fingers, bringing the group to the gardens and an exquisitely set table adorned with all manner of food for them to enjoy. Once the group had sat down, Rainbow Quill decided to break the proverbial ice. "So, Princess Celestia, we heard you put Silver Dollar in a dress not too long ago. Is that true?" The question earned more than a bit of a glare from Luna, who angrily bit into a sandwich as if trying to tear into. "Yes, and I spent all day yesterday cleaning up after that little stunt." Doing her best to be the more clear headed of the two, Celestia responded, "Yes, I did. It was a spur of the moment action I admit, but the arrogant stallion was stealing from the school. I couldn't just let him get away with it." "Yes, but there were other ways of handling it!" Luna snapped as she brushed aside her mane. "Anyways, I’d rather not talk about work. Can we not simply enjoy today." Her tone quickly shifted, she got out of her chair and moved to the head of the table., "I had an idea actually for us. In fact, I heard about the filly style tea party, and I thought that we can do something similar." Fleur laughed, seemingly all too happy with the idea. "Oh yes, that was rather fun; in fact, what did you have in mind. Perhaps have us revisit our foalhoods?" Luna now had a big smile on her face as she explained, "Well, while that would be appropriate, I’d prefer to stay an age with some degree of maturity. Thus I propose who host a sleepover, where all of us are teenagers again.” Snowflake’s eyes widened excitedly as she clapped her hooves together. "Oh, that sounds like a great idea!" . "I concur,” Rainbow Quill practically squealed.“I think that would be a splendid idea." With consent given from all those in attendance, Fleur rose up and turned towards the white-coated draconequus. "Celestia, will you do the honors?" The Princess of Chaos had been waiting for the signal and immediately snapped a claw. In flash she and the other mares were now wearing socks and looked ten years younger, or in the case of her and her sister, several centuries. Though while the initial change was met with joy, the other mares quickly realized some things had changed beyond their ages. Snowflake was surprised to see herself to now be rather pudgy. She wiggled her rump and gasped. "My goodness! Was I really so plump as a teen?" Over with Rainbow Quill she was busy feeling her teeth and looking in a nearby fountain, finding some new metal additions to her teeth that made her cast a mild glare at Celestia. "You just had to put my braces back on, huh?" Celestia lightly bowed her head in apology. "I’m sorry, but you said you wanted to be teenagers again." While Quill continued to stew over her now metal mouth, the once radiant Fleur, was now a squeaking mess courtesy of a heavily frazzled mane and a face full of pimples. "Ugh!? You had to bring back my acne!" This time it was Luna who offered the retort. “Again, you wanted to be teenagers and that unfortunately includes all the little perils that come with them.” Both Princesses let out short laughs at the mare’s misery, with Snowflake and Rainbow Quill sharing chuckles as well. Fleur in turn scoffed, "Ugh, let's just go and do this before I change my mind." Eagerly excited, Luna guided the group towards the palace and went up to the princess's bedroom. Befitting her royal status, Luna’s chambers were quite spacious, arguably larger than some ponies homes. However, for this day their attention was directed towards an extremely large T.V with a video game system was already set up. Seeing they were still lacking in some party supplies, Celestia used her chaos magic to conjure up some sleeping bags as well as several tables brimming with snacks, fast food and all manner of drinks. In no time at all Snowflake was already on the food, having apparently regained a more ravenous appetite in her younger self. along "Oh, it’s been so long since I had any of this,” She moaned lightly while shoving down several slices of pizza, and enjoying being able to indulge herself again. Rather than follow her friend’s lead, Rainbow Quill opted to check out the gaming system and gasped, "wow!? Is this the new game Colt 64!? It's so cool!" Luna squealed as she trotted over. "You think so? I didn't know you were into gaming." As the two gaming ponies immediately started trading past virtual exploits, Fleur eyed the bathroom after catching her reflection in the TV. "Um, hey...you...you have any acne cream?" Rather than answer, Celestia simply put a claw on the mare's shoulder. "Oh, stop, your face will only be like that for a few hours. Now go have fun with the rest of the mares and enjoy yourself." "Ok…" Fleur whispered as she trotted over, despite some minor apprehension. The group settled down together and opted to play the Mareio racing game, the same as the one before in the Everfree Forest castle. Celestia couldn't help but smile seeing her sister and the other mares playing video games and looking so carefree. She herself had played a round or two but was more content to simply watch the teen mares enjoy their moment back in time. Sadly, Celestia’s time was short as she had other things to do to prepare for the party tomorrow and went over to her sister and whispered, "Sister, I’m afraid I have to leave for the moment as there are still some matters I need to attend to. Will you and the others be okay on your own?”." "Sure," Luna replied as her eyes were glued to the T.V screen with the others equally as entranced. The sight was certainly amusing and made it clear none of them were going anywhere. So with a flap of her wings the Princess left to finish her remaining royal duties, which ended up carrying well into the evening. When Celestia finally drifted back to Luna's bedroom and peeked inside, she was amused to find the mares all knocked out across the room. The sight broke another smile on her face as she used her magic to make the group a bit more comfortable Fleur was given a mud mask on with cucumbers to help with her acne. Snowflake had a giant teddy bear in her hooves now while Rainbow Quill's sleeping bag was now in footed pajamas with pac-men on them. Luna herself now had purple and blue striped socks on her hooves, though the jolt seemed to wake her up. Taking a look at her new attire, she gave her sister a half awake smirk. "Playing some pranks, huh?" “In a sense I suppose, mostly for you and it’s perfectly harmless,” Celestia mused as she floated over her sister’s head. “Besides, I think you look rather adorable in those.” Luna rolled her eyes, stepping around in her socks. "They are rather comfy and a clear sign you’ve gotten a better grasp on your magic. If this was a few days ago, the socks would probably be wearing me." Celestia held her head up in pride as she responded, "Well, with some help from Discord, yes, I'm doing pretty well." The sigh of her sister fill with such childish glee made the more stern of the two Princesses feel more relaxed, happy this little experiment was finally working out for a change. Thank goodness for small miracles. "Well, I’m glad to hear it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it's time for me to raise the moon." Celestia happily nodded as the two went to the palace's rooftops, with the still transformed princess to look at her sister with curiosity. “So, anything you’d like me to do before you raise the moon tonight?” Surprisingly eager, Luna quickly whispered in Celestia's ear, making her squeak. "No! I...I can't do that!" "You already did mine; it's time for you to do yours," Luna nagged back. Unlike before, Celestia didn’t immediately relent, stomping a hoof down in frustration. "Seriously! You already made me show the entire kingdom embarrassing pictures. I believe that makes us square." Undeterred, Luna wagged a hoof in front of Celestia. "Discord said you have to do anything I asked." By now the weight of the day was finally catching up with her and wanting to simply rip the proverbial band-aid off, Celestia finally complied. Thus with a flick of her claw, the moon started to rise, though in this case it was a moon of the other variety, namely Celestia’s pale, white bottom. Naturally, the sight left Luna positively rolling with laughter, kicking her hooves about in every direction while Celestia was simply chuckling at the view. After laughing for several moments Luna slowly got up, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Alright, I admit it, your rump is way bigger than mine." "Of course it is, dear sister. I'm glad we can finally put this debate to bed." Celestia replied as she snapped a claw, returning the moon to its normal state. Luna slowly came over and nudged her sister. "Alright, you should get to bed; you have a big day tomorrow." "You have a point, but...to...tomorrow, I can’t say I’m looking forward to it," The princess of the sun muttered out. It would certainly prove to be a difficult day with her having to deal with Silver Dollar's embezzlement and simply deal with the stallion himself. Seeing how distressed Celestia looked, Luna tried to reassure her sister. "I understand sister, I do, but you must not let that distract you. We also have the party tomorrow where the other nobels will be judging you. You need to be ready and a good night’s sleep is essential . " The princess gave a deep sigh, "All alright, sister... I'll try to get some sleep." Leaving her sister to handle her dream duties, Celestia headed towards her bedroom and found herself greeted by Bronze Helmet ,standing guard at her door. Naturally the sight of the stallion she’d returned to infancy not too long ago proved a bit of a surprise and effectively set her quite off balance for the moment. "Bro...Bronze Helm, you're here early." "Well, I wanted to make sure you have a goodnight's sleep. I hope that's alright." the stallion responded while maintaining his professional posture and demeanor. The concern served to help quell some of the Princess’s worry, and she offered the guard a bow in return. "Thank you Bronze, you have no idea how much that means to me.” As Celestia prepared to head in for the night, she paused, turning once again to Bronze who was all to ready to lend his ear. “It 's not too much trouble, can you stay by my side tomorrow? I ...I fear that things might get out of hoof." Naturally, his response was almost immediate. “Of course, Princess. I will be at your beck and call whenever you need me.” With one more smile, Celestia finally entered her bedroom and immediately plopped on the bed. Snuggling deeply under the covers as she looked upward at the ceiling, she found her mind still full of worries and dread that refused to leave sending her mind spinning in all directions. Thus in a desperate attempt to quell the chaos she centered on a single thought. “I wish I could be with Luna for tonight.”
Chapter Ten: Day six Celestia Embraces ChaosCelestia was looking upward as she found herself contemplating the future events upon awakening again. However, this day especially proved to be more concerning than those prior. In truth this the day that she was dreading all week due to her outbursts with her chaos magic. Already sensing her concerns growing, The princess of the sun immediately rose up from her sleep and moved for the door, bypassing her usual delays and general lazy demeanor. Yet, even as she walked through the halls her eyes could only look up at the ceiling with dread. She was not ready for what's to come and that knowledge felt as though gravity itself was pushing her down.. Casually pulling bits of sand from her eyes, the Princess of the Sun glanced out of the windows at the still pitch black sky. The moon was currently bright and clear among the many stars, looking rather beautiful sitting there majestically among the sea of black-spotted with stars. Due to the nature of her position, Celestia always favored the day, yet she’d long learned to appreciate the night her sister worked hard every day to create. Though when you have a thousand years to stare up at the moon out of guilt, it was hard not to develop some degree of admiration for it. Though in this instance her moon gazing stemmed less from a genuine love of its visual majesty and more simply a lazy desire to stay in bed. Yes it was the same song and dance as the last few days, and she’d come to simply accept that lethargy was simply a byproduct of Chaos Magic. After all when you can literally do anything with a snap of your hands, why be motivated to work hard? And yet, she’d at least learned to fight against such an urge, in part to avoid dealing with a naggy Luna, and continued to perform her usual duty despite her body practically demanding otherwise. She slowly came out to the garden, walking beneath the stars, wondering how she'll raise the sun today, possibly even if she’d expend the effort to perform another insane stunt. By this point she’d done so many crazy things that Celestia wasn't sure what else she could pull off. Sadly she didn’t have the same level of chaotic flare that Discord had. Still it’d be a waste if she just raised the sun like she had in the past. Thus, the mare looked upward and decided to do something special, but also rather simple. Reaching down into a pair of portals, she took out a giant paintbrush and a pallet, and like many artists before her, began painting the sun in the sky. In truth, this wasn’t the first time Celestia had put brush to paper….or sky in this case. In the many years of her rule she’d taken up all kinds of hobbies. From mountain climbing, to skydiving, and simple exploring, one could say she’d gone through quite a daredevil phase. Thankfully for most of Equestria, and at the request/pleading of her staff and guards, she opted for some more lowkey pastimes, with painting being one of her favorites. True she wasn’t a master artist whose work was shown in museums, but she was certainly competent enough, even managing to get Sunset into it the few times she would listen to her. And with the day looking so clear, it seemed like a perfect time to get back into her old routine. Though, as she struggled to hold her brush, the princess was quickly reminded of her new appendages and the difficulties that came with them. This resulted in a fair number of sloppy strokes that resulted in a mismatched sky with various lines showing both day and night akin to a patchwork quilt. Thankfully for all those involved, most of the population was still asleep thus Celestia quickly set to putting more focus into her grip and taking things slower. Surprisingly it worked; somehow, and through a bit more trial and error, the sun was now shining brightly across the crystal blue sky, with fluffy clouds everywhere looking absolutely beautiful. True the process had taken nearly all morning, and she saw a horde of ponies looking upward as she gave a smile then waved a claw, most simply accepting the odd display and waving back, while she headed back inside to freshen up for the day. After cleaning up in the shower, Celestia exited her room and met her usual guard with a wave that he happily returned with a glance out the nearby window. "Have to say, it's quite nice to see you paint again your highness. How long has it been?" "Not since Sunset Shimmer I’m afraid, I’d actually forgotten how relaxing it could be.” The guard in question offered a brief glimpse of sympathy, knowing full well how sorted an affair things were with disgraced former protégé. “Well, perhaps now you can take it up again. I recall some of your paintings being rather impressive.” Celestia couldn’t help but giggle lightly at his attempted praise. “I appreciate the compliment but I wouldn’t go that far. Still...” Offering a claw to the soldier’s shoulder, she took a knee and bowed. “I appreciate the compliment.” Half expecting a brief, shocked gasp at the sudden contact, she did not expect a rather loud squeaking sound instead. Looking up, she was shocked to find that where the guard was standing, was now a live sized plush version, complete with soulless plastic eyes. Pulling her hand back as though it were on fire, she was relieved to see the effect reversed returning the guard to his original state. “I’m so sorry,” Celestia immediately reverted to a rapid fire of apologies towards the guard. "It's an ok princess...just keep control of yourself today, ok?" The guard replied sheepishly, while mentally recovering from the sudden out of body experience. "Right, sorry…" Celestia sighed as she quickly continued downstairs while mentally trying to control of her now slightly frayed nerves.. Hoping for some kind of distraction she quickly headed down further to see how the preparations were going. Thankfully for her, it didn’t take long to spot Luna, currently ordering ponies around, setting up tables, and putting decorations up. Honestly, despite some visible bags under her eyes from likely working through the night on top of her usual duties, her younger sister seemed to have quite a handle on things. It honestly made the elder sibling feel a sense of pride seeing her sister come into her own as far as leadership, though it also reminded her of how much responsibility her sister now had to bear given the state of things. The thought prompted her to float over and offer her sister a comforting nuzzle that seemed to relax her somewhat as well as get her attention. "Seems like you're getting things under control." "Yes, and I heard you painted the sun?" Luna replied while scratching her head. “Decided to go with something a little quieter today?” "Oh um yes...that… I was thinking about some things this morning and got a little sidetracked," Celestia replied as she started finishing up preparations with her Chaos Magic then chirped. "Although I think it’s safe to say I’ve got a pretty good handle on my Chaos Magic!" "Try not to jinx yourself dear sister, and I'm hoping you'll behave yourself tonight," Luna replied, eyeing her sister with a suspicious expression on her face that she was honestly getting sick of having to wear. "I will, I promise,” Celestia replied as she went off to fix herself, even though there was still a slight issue she was feeling. Mainly she was just praying that her magic wouldn’t go out of control. “No, no more worrying. I’ve done enough that this week as it is. I’m starting to wonder if this is how Twilight feels all the time.” Deciding to quell her nerves she opted to teleport herself back to the cake shop she’d visited, Mrs. Funnel Cake; she was humming a tune as she was stirring a massive bowl of batter. The mare turned to see Celestia stroll in, and she gave the princess a big smile. "Hello your majesty! How are you doing today!" "Oh, I'm doing wonderful!" The mare exclaimed sarcastically as she strolled over. Her sour mood quickly turned sweet as she spotted an eight-layer cake in the middle of the store. Though, simply calling it a cake would be greatly underselling it, the pastry was a work of art. The massive confection was decorated with a pink trim with suns and moons printed into the sides of the cake. And near the top appeared to be small plastic statues of the two princesses, somewhat mirroring their posture on the countries’s flag. The princess was rather impressed with the giant-sized pastry and she could feel her mouth-watering with some drool coming down her chin. "You like it?" Ms. Funnel Cake asked in her usual sugary sweet tone. "Like it? I love it!" The princess cheered like a school filly opening a Christmas present. Even though she wanted to just throw herself into it and cover herself in cake. “Oh, I just knew you would. Took quite a bit of effort to put together, but I’m quite proud of it. I’m especially fond of the toppers. Made those with a mixture of chocolate fondant and buttercream icing.” The delicious details only served to make the princess’s stomach roar in protest, leading the two to share a quick laugh before Celestia took a step back and sat down, her smile more hollow than before. "Something the matters is your highness?” Funnel Cake asked, offering a comforting hoof.“I can tell that something's bothering you." Seeing no point in lying or changing topics, Celestia simply let loose her concerns. "Ever since I had these powers at first I couldn't control myself, I've done a number of things that I regret and have caused problems to the nobles, as well as the normal citizens. That's not including the rivalry I have with one Silver Dollar." Funnel Cake quietly sat and listened, hanging on each word. "Oh, you sweetheart. I can only imagine what you're going through right now? If anything, maybe you should just cancel the whole party until you're back to normal?" Celestia paused, considering the idea. One one hand it was fairly sound, no party, less chance for any random chaos. Then again, with all the preparations mostly in place, that would be a disaster in itself. Her mind then drifted to the simple answer of asking Discord to turn her back to normal before the party started instead. Yet, sound as that option was, it was one she’d rather avoid. It was true that by this point Celestia may have technically already lost the dare between them, but she can prove that she can control herself. If for nothing she wanted to restore some of her kingdom’s faith in her, that had likely been shaken by her recent exploits. Feeling a sense of purpose to restore her confidence, the Princess stood up, ready to move forward. "Alright! I'll go out and prove to all those stuck-up nobles I can be myself! But afterward, I'm going to have a party for myself, and I want you to join!" She gave Funnel Cake a little pink card making the chubby mare squealed. "Thank you! I most certainly will join you!" "Alright! I still have a few other guests I'll be inviting!" Celestia chirped as she disappeared in a puff of pink smoke. Appearing in another rose color smoke flash, Celestia stood proudly in front of her three friends: Rainbow Quill, Fleur De Lis, and Snowflake, all having a little lunch at a local cafe nearby. Rainbow Quill was the first to wave a hoof and greet her. "Oh, Celestia, it's so good to see you again." Snowflake also waved a hoof and replied with a smile. "Oh, are you going to host another sleepover!?" "Well, something like that!" The princess exclaimed as she flew over to her friends. She sat down and flicked a claw. Giant dandelion sandwiches were then suddenly appeared in front of them. They all squeaked out seeing the food magically appearing almost out of nowhere. Celestia took her’s, opened her mouth to the size of a chariot, then took a giant bite. “Mmm, so good!” The other mares laughed as they took up their new meals and squeaked, as they each found a healthy amount of mustard squirted in their faces. Celestia, looking all too cheeky, gave them all a smile. Happy to see some nobles here weren’t scared of getting messy or a little unconventional. After they finished their rather unexpected meal Celestia continued to explain. "Now, I, of course, am hosting a ball tonight for the rich nobles of Equestria; however, I want to also host a little after-party for my new friends!" Fleur flashed a smile as she bowed. "Of course we’ll join in, that does sound like a lot of fun." "Well alright then! Just stay after the party, and we'll have some fun!" The Princess of the Sun exclaimed, eagerly rubbed her claws together now she had something to look forward to after the boring snob fest.” She then rose up and stretched out her body, “Well I better get going, see you after the party.” Bronze Helm was with the rest of the royal guard going over their assigned duties for the party with his usual professional decorum. Sadly it couldn’t fully mask the unease he was feeling. Naturally, the stallion was deeply disturbed by Celestia and how she’s been acting. Despite knowing full well she was a capable leader and level headed individual, her behavior the last few days was treating to give him panic attacks. By this point he was silently praying Celestia would reign her antics in for the night and soon this whole insane little stunt would be over. Sadly, as he heard the sound of approaching hoofsteps he could already feel things about to get worse. Shift his gaze around he found Feather Duster approaching with a worried look that made his entire body shake. d “Hello Bronze. I’m sorry to interrupt but Celestia wants us in her chambers!” The stallion groaned, only being able to speculate at what she wanted from him. Not like he could refuse anyway, both because she was his ruler and because with her power….he didn’t even want to think about it. “Very well, I suppose we’ll need to see what she wants.” The two slowly walked up the steps towards the princess’s chambers, neither especially excited for what would come next. Ultimately Bronze opted to break the tension by asking something he’d been rather curious about. “So, Feather. What was it like being an Alicorn? Must’ve felt pretty incredible I imagine.” To his surprise, Feather let out an exhausted sigh and looked far from enthused by the memory. “What, you didn’t like it? Most ponies would’ve given just about anything to be an Alicorn.” “Well, they should be grateful they aren’t. It was just so annoying…” Feather’s eye actually started violently twitching as she thought back.I mean being gawked at and having ponies bow at you was rather nice… at first. But you can’t go out in public without being stared at by every pony within earshot. Still, the spa dates with Rarity were fun.” Feather Duster reminisced with a sigh, finding some modicum of enjoyment in the experience. Changing tunes, she turned to Bronze Helm and nudged him. “So, did she turn you into anything?” Bronze Helm cheeks flushed pink, earning a grin from Feather that let him know she wouldn’t drop the issue. “Well she turned me into a foal for a bit then a plushie.” Naturally being a sympathetic pony, Feather tried to hold in her amusement….for approximately three seconds before she burst out laughing, leaving the angry soldier to huff and walk ahead of her. “Wait, wait, I’m sorry. Truly,” She said as she quickly caught up to him. “It hasn’t been easy for any of us to deal with this. I’ve found the best we can do is take it in stride and hope that all the more embarrassing moments are finally behind us.” ” “I hope so,” Bronze Helm grumbled under his breath as they continued to the entrance of Celestia’s room. The two finally reached the Princess’s door and entered, finding their ruler sitting on a loveseat, her left leg crossing over her right with her forearms crossed in front of her chest with a smug grin. Immediately this set off alarm bells as Bronze Helm had only seen Discord a few times wondering about the castle, but in this moment,he Princess of the Sun looked almost exactly like him. His worries about what will happen next started to feel validated. A quick glance to his side showed Feather sharing a similar sentiment as the duo slowly entered. Celestia met the pair with a smile as she willed the doors shut, welcoming them happily. "Bronze Helm, Feather Duster thank you for coming. I wanted to personally thank you for all you’ve done for me this week, especially with regards to putting up with my antics. As such, it's only right that I pay you back.” Bronze Helm turned to see and was rather amazed that Feather Duster was dressed in a beautiful gown and he looked down to see a dapper suit replacing his armor. He looked up to say something but Celestia who held up a claw. "Don’t worry Bronze Helm, I gave your wife an invitation. Trust me, you two aren't dates...and she's invited to my little after-party as well." "Uh...ok, princess…" the royal guard stammered, being somewhat confused about this whole situation, though thankful that his clothes were the only thing changed this time. She then turned her attention to the two. “Now, after the party’s over I’m hosting a little special afterparty as well and I hope you both will join me.” Feather Duster squealed in delight, seemingly forgetting her prior concerns, as she performed a little curtsey. “Of course princess.” Bronze Helm shifted in his suit, still a little nervous as to what might happen, but wasn’t opposed to spending a nice night with his wife. Thus he too offered the princess a bow. “Yes princess, I will also attend the afterparty.” Celestia clapped her claws and chirped, “Excellent! I will be looking forward to you both!” She then disappeared in a puff of pink smoke. Feather Duster blinked looking rather confused as she asked, “So...is it just me or is she acting more like Discord?” The royal guard just shook his head. “I’ve been asking myself that same question a lot lately and don’t know for sure. For now, we’ll have to play things by ear and if anything happens I may need to be the one to reel her in.” It was now late in the afternoon, Princess Celestia was standing at the doorway greeting ponies as they strolled into the party. Things had quickly started to ramp up, thanks to the music and food, though most of the guests were somewhat wary of the draqquenous. They moved out of the way as she finished inviting them in. She rolled her eyes, but it wasn't like they didn't have a reason not to be scared of her after everything she's done this past week, Bronze Helm and Feather Duster included. The princess gave a sigh as she rubbed her head and then turned towards the guests, worry on her face. She had to remain calm, keep her head clear and try to not cause any unnecessary chaos. Eventually, everypony seemed to have arrived and was having a good time, until Silver Dollar stomped through the front doors and eyed the princess angrily, which she quickly returned without a word, though the intent was evident to all watching. Thankfully for the guests, Silver Dollar walked off, seemingly willing to put things aside, let Celestia calm herself at another potential mess avoided. She looked around the ballroom, seeing the nobles dancing and seeming to mostly have a good time. Despite some reservations she’d had, things were going quite well, no chaos of any kind.. A quick glance to the dance floor showed Bronze Helm and his wife enjoying a bit of an energetic dance whileFeather Duster, she was just standing by with the other maids gossiping amongst each other. Satisfied with what she saw, Celestia quickly zeroed in on her sister at a nearby table and flew over to her. "Thank you for this sister. It’s wonderful!" "It's no problem, but I think it's about time you apologized," Luna whispered back, eyes subtly pointing in the direction of some ponies that had been eyeing the pair wearily Her sister nodded as she flew above her guests with a glass of champagne in her claw; she clinked it with a spoon. "Attention! Attention!" Celestia waited patiently for the guests to quiet down before she continued her speech. "Thank you. As I’m sure you’re aware this last week has been rather...odd to say the least. And that I have caused more than a bit of discomfort for many of you. To that end I apologize for my behavior, and I apologize to Silver Dollar for what I did to him." While some ponies were somewhat hesitant to accept the gesture, possibly fearing it to be another prank, many others happily applauded her words, Bronze and Feather included. Celestia, feeling a bit less awkward, continued her speech. "I am also happy to say that we have finally settled the budget for the Kingdom finished for this year, and I hope to see all of you again at the Galloping Gala." The nobles all applauded once more; however, Silver Dollar looked upward and snapped, "Seriously! Why are we pretending we're all fine with this!?" He then turned towards the rest of the guests and continued his rant. "Why are we pretending like Celestia, our ruler, has for the past week acted like an emotionally stunted child and caused heaven only knows how much havoc too so many here. And she thinks she can simply sweep it under the rug with a simple apology? Frankly I feel we should take this week as cause to question whether she’s even fit to rule.” !" Some of Celestia’s supporters began to shout angrily at Silver Dollar, only for Celestia to silence then with her claw. “I freely admit, this past week has hardly been an exemplary showing of my maturity or leadership ability. However, I hardly feel you are wrong to believe you have any more high ground here. After all been taking bits from taxes and money from Canterlot Elementary!" Every noble started to shout and got angry at Silver Dollar, telling him to shut up! He gnashed his teeth and stepped down from his pedestal, and Celestia had a smile on her face. Unfortunately, it seemed like Silver’s outburst gave others the courage to share their own feelings as one noble mare shouted, "He may have, but you've been out of control!" "Yes, we agree,” Another noble shouted in earnest with others following suit. “Your antics have put all of us in danger and have caused enough harm; we actually put together a scroll indicating why we believe you're no longer fit to be our princess, and you must stand down." By this point many ponies were now roaring in anger at Celestia whose composure was slowly starting to slip as she felt her anger continue to fester. All the while this was happening, Luna, Bronze and Feather, felt themselves growing more panicked, knowing Celestia was about to snap. Yet, in that moment, Celestia’s anger dissipated as her mind started to play back all the events from the past week and her anger towards the nobles. As ruler she’d been obligated to follow the rules for ages and pretend that she enjoyed it in some capacity, when oftentimes it left her feeling as she did now. ! She has been stuck like this for so long, and the fact that Silver Dollar was going to get away with his crimes was beyond acceptable to her. The mare may not be able to do much to relieve her anger! But she wanted to at least send a message! And actually, be herself for once; maybe it was time she stopped being a princess! And became what she wanted to be...who she envied! Thus Celestia raised a claw, effectively silencing the mob."Alright then, as of tonight! I quit!" She snapped a claw and then turned all the outfits of the nobility into clown outfits and well-done manes into clown afros, popped big red rubber noses on ponies, their light makeup to thick pasty white clown makeup. The orderves into big plates full of all kinds of pastries from giant cakes, to oversized donuts. As expected, the guests all ran out the door screaming and crying for their lives whileCelestia lifted her claws, causing the castle to break and crack and she rose the entire structure into the sky. Once the structure was well above Canterlot she turned to her friends (who were still in their regular outfits) all looking confused and appalled as the princess exclaimed, "Alright! Now that we got the riff-raff out! Why don't we have an actual party! My retirement party!" She turned the middle of the room into a giant jacuzzi, she snapped her claw and placed a fountain spurting out strawberry milkshake, she continued zapping things turning the fancy decorations into what looks like a five year olds birthday party. Bronze, his wife and Feather couldn’t even process what was happening at this point, stunned or in Bronze’s case, panicking at his greatest fears being realized. Conversely from the others, Luna just stood there, not believing what she saw, namely her older sister effectively acting like the child Silver Dollar said she was. Yet she was no fool, she knew there was more to this than she was seeing and thus needed to act fast. Unfurling her wings and taking to the sky, offering the other trapped guests a brief look of apology as she headed off to find Discord. He may be the only one who could fix this and save Celestia from herself!
Chapter eleven: Day seven: Day Breaks and on that day Celestia restedAuthor's Note This story is almost finished after two years of figuring out how this story will go and writing it. I am not sure how to convey how much I enjoy writing fimficiton and how I improved a lot over the years and how this story has become something I've cherished writing . Seeing this story blossom overtime has encouraged me to explore more in my writing. But without a doubt I have to thank my editor The Fan without a Face for helping me make this story better and more enjoyable. Chapter eleven: Day seven: Day Breaks and on that day Celestia rested Celestia woke up the next morning feeling rather groggy, expected after yet another long night of partying and drinking...maybe too much once again. Despite a still pounding hangover, the princess slowly got up and rubbed her head, though that did little to relieve the stabbing ache in her skull. She drank too much...again! As she moved to exit her bed, she had to immediately stabilize herself after nearly tripping on something. Looking down she found what appeared to be a small toy hammer, which she immediately smacked away. Properly jolted awake by the sudden shock she finally noticed that her entire bedroom was covered in cakes from birthday, to cheese, to shortcake, even cupcakes, all smashed on every inch of the room. While some ponies might have found this situation a little odd or in the case of a certain pink pony, either an amazing or horrifying sight, it only brought about annoyance from Celestia. Not even bothering to say a word, she immediately snapped her claw,spawning a broom and dustpan. Amazingly neither cleaning tool seemed to have the kind of level of sentience one would expect given recent events. No they really were just normal cleaning items, which Celestia was quick to put to use. In what likely felt like hours, Celestia went over every last inch of her room until it was completely spotless. A pretty top notch job considering no magic was involved. “There good as new! Now I just need to finish setting everything up in here and figure out what exactly happened last night,” Celestia muttered to herself as she set about properly organizing everything. The first step as it turns out was decorating the room. Rather than the more regal attire she’d been used to, Celestia opted for some colorful yellow and pink striped curtains, along with a giant carpet in the shape of a sun. While not exactly ugly it certainly contradicted her more professional attitude, and it seemed like that was the intended idea. Now that she was retired Celestia couldn’t care less about opinions or public image, she’d let those concerns rule her for the better part of a millenium. Now it was simply a matter of enjoying her freedom at long last. Though with that in mind she found herself pondering things for a moment. “Admittedly it might have been a bit of a rash decision to just suddenly drop on everypony. I imagine the nobles are probably still tripping over themselves on what to do and no doubt the rest of my former subjects are still unaware, though it’s only a matter of time till they learn the truth.” Despite the brief moment of bravado and elation, the sheer weight and impact of what her decision would bring was starting to weigh on Celestia’s mind. . Frustrated Celestia just threw her hooves in the air. “So, it seems as though I most likely probably destroyed any trust I had with the nobility, who are likely panicking with the rest of the populace soon to follow. But, it should be fine, Twilight and Luna can handle the formalities. I trust them. Besides, I'm the Princess of Chaos now? What’s the worst that could happen? Opting to take her mind off the topic she looked outside to see it was still dark with a moon shining down in the sky making her wonder what time it was? Looking across her room to a clock near where her phoenix Philomenia revealed it was currently twelve or rather midnight given the moon was still up. “Ugh!? How did I wake up so early?” Celestia asked out loud, a hint of her more childish and chaotic side coming back out. Now wide awake and obviously not going back to sleep any time soon, she flew down the stairs opting to check the state of the rest of her castle. In truth….it was a disaster. The once pristine and majestic castle like a hurricane had come through, a rather odd hurricane.Suits of armor replaced with ponyquins wearing the goofiest of clothing, portraits of cake, fields of sunflowers, and some embarrassing portraits of herself in her alicorn form and draqquenous form wearing bathing suits. The Princess of the Sun continued to fly through the kitchen, finding various pastries splattered across the room along with whiskey and wine bottles strewn across the place. Following on into the throne room, there was a banner overhead that read “pool room” and the mare was shocked at what she saw. There was a giant inflatable version of her alicorn form floating in the pool along with maid uniforms, tuxedos floating about with suits of armor sunk to the bottom of the pool. The room itself was full of more wine bottles, streamers and confetti. Near the end of the hall where all her staff who stayed behind for her crazy party were strewn about using various blankets and sheets covering themselves, some even using curtains. Honestly part of her wanted to snicker at the sight, but context and her current stress kept that from happening. As she contemplated what to do about the display before her, the sound of several hooves outside along with other strange sounds turned Celestia’s attention to the doors. Heading to the doors, Celestia finally went outside revealing the night sky and looked down to the ponies running around seeming to be freaking out about something. Some waved signs with “Celestia raise the Sun!” on them. The now retired princess gasped as she slammed a claw to her face as she remembered something somewhat crucial. Namely while both she and her sister could move celestial bodies...that power was limited to their RESPECTIVE celestial bodies. Ergo, Luna could only raise the moon and Celestia, normally, could only raise the sun. True Celestia was able to move both during the thousand years her sister was sealed, but that was only through a lot of trial and error...none of which Luna had been given. This effectively all meant it wasn’t actually midnight, notnoon. Taking off from her castle, Celestia flew into the sky and took out an oversized frying pan,flipping the moon over revealing the sun. The mare gave a sigh of relief, seeing she probably stopped more chaos before things got worse then looked down at the ponies below and squeaked out, “Sorry.” Celestia immediately flew back into the castle and her room, the weight of such a massive misstep bearing down on her...or at least that’s what should’ve been happening. Once she got over the initial embarrassment, Celestia noticed she wasn’t feeling the normal distress she would’ve felt under the same circumstances. No, instead she felt an urge...an urge to do it again, to cause more havoc and distress. Perhaps she may turn the sun into a giant egg again? Or maybe make it rain cake? Or turn the mountains into water balloons. So many possibilities for such much wonderful glorious cha……! As the word started to form in her mind Celestia immediately shook it away. In the entirety of her long life she’d never felt an urge to cause trouble for her citizens, no matter what happened over those many years. And yet, she could still feel a small sense of satisfaction at the sight of them, crying and pleading for her help. It was a distressing thought to have. Hoping to distract herself, Celestia headed off to the kitchen and with a snap of her claw dozens of dust pans, mops and feather dusters appeared. “Alright, time to go and clean while I make some breakfast for my staff!” Celestia exclaimed and with a clap of her paws the cleaning tools flew off to do their master’s bidding. Yet, even as she worked and cleaned, that nagging thought in the back of her mind remained. As if waiting patiently for a moment to break free. Bronze Helm groaned and found himself waking up completely ignorant to where he was and what had happened the previous night. Despite his better judgment telling him not to, he indulged in what alcohol he could amidst Celestia’s celebration. A decision that he was now very much regretting. As his eyes finally began to adjust to what light there was, he found his fellow guards and maids all sleeping soundly and seemingly unaware of the events of last night. Thankfully he wasn’t alone for long as Feather Duster rose up rubbing a hoof over her head, looking over the area and meeting his gaze. “So, what happened? Did we just party all night?” “I believe so,” Bronze Helm said, still processing what happened. “Though I can’t exactly explain why? Given the situation it seemed like a rather odd choice to indulge her so.” “I think I might at least be able to explain that,” Feather said, looking somewhat uncomfortable at what she was thinking. “I believe the Princess may have influenced us with her magic.” Bronze’s eyes widened considerably at this revelation, though that shock immediately turned to anger as it was clear he’d reached his breaking point. “THAT IS IT! THIS FARCE HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH!” He immediately slammed his hooves down in a rage, shaking the remaining staff awake, some already jolted up by his thunderous yell. Bronze sadly didn’t give them time to get over their own hangovers as it was clear he was out of patience. “All of you get up now. We are finding the Princess and putting an end to this nonsense once and for all.” Despite the forceful tone, many of the ponies present looked fully in agreement, Feather Duster especially. “Indeed, I should’ve said something about this days ago and I’m ashamed it’s come to this. But it’s time to put our hoof down.” All the other staff immediately nodded in agreement, though some clearly less enthusiastic about it, yet marched on in solidarity. The staff all stomped into the kitchen ready to confront the princess and finally end this insane game. However there frustration and anger was met byCelestia, tied with an apron around her waist and then went about making breakfast for her staff. Yes, the entire staff found themselves confronted by all kinds of breakfast foods, pancakes, eggs cooked in a variety of ways, french toast, coffee, donuts, ice cream floats, and a few cakes of course. The aurora of the food whiffed through the air seeming to make many of the angry and confused staff to be completely captivated by the food with their mouths drooling. Though Bronze Helm remained unaffected, his expression actually hardened by what he saw. Celestia turned herself over to see the staff and waved a paw, “Hello my fellow subjects. I hope you don’t mind but I thought I’d provide you with an apology breakfast after the scene I made last night. I hope you enjoy it.” Many of the previously determined staff members found their fire snuffed out, both by the food and the gesture itself. Even Feather seemed as though she was going to waiver, luckily for her, Bronze stepped forward and stood firm as always. “The gesture is appreciated Princess, and under normal circumstances all those here would relish such a thing, the fact remains this needs to stop.” Celestia’s previously cheery expression immediately dropped. “Stop? Stop what exactly Bronze Helm?” Her response only seemed to anger Bronze further, what little control he had slipping away. “This, ALL of this! Your majesty, this entire absurd affair needs to end now. I’ve looked the other way on this matter for far longer than I should, and I can no longer stand by and watch this continue.” Despite being more clear with his words, it was clear either Celestia wasn’t understanding him or just ignoring him. And thus, he knew he had no other option but to be as direct as possible. “You must concede this arrangement with Discord, relinquish your Chaos Magic and return to your Alicorn state.” All the remaining staff immediately started to show signs of panic as Celestia’s expression turned neutral, Bronze’s message finally getting through. Thus this brought them to the point of no return and left them all to deal with the fall out that came with it. The silence remained for several seconds, leaving nearly everypony on edge as Bronze waited for his ruler to respond. “Oh come now Bronze, there’s no need for that,” Celestia said, her prior cheer returning in full, as if the last few words hadn’t been spoken. “Now, why don’t all of you take a seat and I’ll get us some…” “ENOUGH!” The sound of countless plates and dishware shattering on the floor echoed through the halls, along with a loud crash. All eyes widened and jaws dropped at the sight before them. Bronze, having finally been brought to the limit of his patience, grabbed the table and in an impressive display of strength flipped it over, sending its contents flying and crashing all across the floor. Once again there was silence for a moment, the only sound being the heavy, angry breathing of Bronze now staring down the stunned princess. “Over this last week I’ve watched and tolerated all the ridiculous whims and desires you’ve asked of me, of all of your subjects. I’d hope that you eventually see reason and finally end these idiotic games, but since you are content to act like an irresponsible child, I will treat you as such.” Stunned Celestia seemed to try and say something, but Bronze beat her to the punch. “BE SILENT!” As if faced with an angry parent, Celestia’s words died as Bronze continued. “Time and again you have recklessly endangered countless ponies with your shameless pranks, all without any thought to the consequences it would bring. You’ve treated your subjects like your personal playthings, manipulating them both mentally and physically for no reason other than amusement and causing disaster after disaster in search of personal gratification. And this most recent stunt only proves my point further.” By now Celestia was looking more and more ashamed of her actions, her body seemingly starting to shrink under Bronze’s harsh gaze. “You have a responsibility to the citizens of Equestria. You swore an oath to help and protect them to the best of your abilities and yet when you were asked to perform those duties, you decided to run away and even now brush it aside. As if the ponies of Equestria don’t matter and you’re content to simply dump all the responsibility on your sister’s shoulders.” That last word earned a look of outrage from Celestia, whose eyes were now glowing red with fury, her body growing and becoming more monstrous, her mane literally turning to fire as she roared like a dragon. All the staff ponies immediately started to panic, some shouting, some running, yet even at this stage, Bronze remained rooted to the ground despite some sweat dripping from his brow. Further enraged, Celestia held out her claw in an all too familiar gesture, making it clear what she was planning to do. And yet...Bronze made no attempt to move, grovel or anything kind of show of surrender. He instead took another step forward, defiance in his eyes. “Very well, if that’s your answer than fine. Go ahead, use magic to run away from your responsibilities. At this point I’d rather face whatever you have planned than continue to see the Princess I once served so proudly fall any further.” The entire group waited with baited breath for whatever action Celestia took, terrified at what came next. Bronze himself stood still, eyes staring right at the still furious looking Celestia, unwavering as he accepted his fate. And then….. Nothing The massive flaming mane on Celestia’s head seemingly blew itself out like a candle, as her form shrunk down to it’s normal size. Her expression was a mixture of horrified and ashamed, looking at her hands as as the full weight of what she just attempted hit her. Tears quickly started to leak from her eyes, as her entire body began to quake and shiver. The staff remained quiet afraid of what to do next, with Feather the only pony making any attempt to move, taking a single step forward. “Princess...are you alright?” Celestia’s only answer was a single glance, before her entire body shattered into glass, shocking all those around. All eyes could only look in horror at what they’d just seen, which only grew further as the pieces seemingly turned into a glimmering pentachromatic dust that quickly flew out the doorway towards the pool room, leaving all those present stunned. Bronze Helm finally broke his composure and dropped on his flank, letting out several breaths he’d been holding during the entire standoff. Feather was quick to rush over to him, seeing sweat dripping heavily from every pore. “Are you alright Bronze?” Feather asked with great concern while the other staff ponies relaxed themselves from the tense situation. Bronze merely offered a weary glance. “I’ve certainly been better. I honestly think part of me was worried she’d act on that threat. But I couldn’t just sit around anymore. Action needed to be taken.” Feather merely nodded. “You’re not wrong, while I’ve never thought the Princess’s actions were truly malicious it’s clear the longer this goes on the more reckless she’ll become. We needed to act.” Both ponies turned their attention to the direction the colorful dust had fled to, Bronze standing himself back up. “Now we just need to make sure the message got through.” Feather nodded and followed him to the Pool Room, while the remaining staff stayed content to remain behind, all silently hoping things would finally resolve themselves. Bronze and Feather slowly entered the Pool Room, met only with the sound of the water’s shifting surface. The room itself was still in a fairly noticeable state of disarray with clothes in every direction, some actually still floating on the surface of the water itself. Most eye-catching though was a rather large inflatable in the shape of a castle not unlike the one in Canterlot. From the one entrance into the mini castle they could hear the sound of someone sobbing and knew what that meant. Feather opted to be the first to step forward, Bronze likely being on shaky ground with the Princess. “Princess Celestia, it’s Feather Duster, might I have a word with you.” The sobbing draquenious seemed to pause for a moment, though no sound followed. Feather thus decided to push a little bit harder this time. “Your majesty please, come out. We understand you’re upset, but you must understand we needed to do something. Your actions were becoming too outrageous for us to ignore and we had to consider the safety of the citizens. Please don’t misconstrue that as thinking we hate you.” Bronze finally decided to speak with the door having been opened for him. “Indeed your highness. Despite what I said, I have been honored to serve under you these many years and would like nothing more than to continue. But, please, this needs to end.” Another choked sob was their initial response, before Celestia’s snake-like head finally appeared out of the castle entrance, her eyes bloodshot and her expression reeking of shame. “I know…” she muttered out, the words clearly painful for her to say, yet her expression showed the sentiment was genuine. “When I started this whole thing I thought it would be a simple game, something maybe distract myself with, just for a short while, take a break from all the pressure and stress. I never imagined things would go this far.” Finally letting her body leave the castle completely, she remained content to simply sit on the air, making no attempt to use her magic in some exaggerated manner. “I was a fool to let things go on as long as they have. I’ve let this magic take me over and I’ve likely destroyed any credibility I have with any pony in Equestria. Even after I change back, it’d likely be better to make my retirement permanent and hand the reins to a truly competent pony.” “And low and behold, the great Celestia is finally humbled. I never thought I’d see the day.” An all too familiar voice echoed through the castle halls, before water from the pool started to rise and snake in a spiral, taking shape, eventually reforming into the familiar form of Discord, with a pocket watch in hand. “And just shy of the deadline too, so close and yet so far. Oh well, a win is a win after all.” With a toss the watch disappeared as he descended down towards Celestia. “Discord, come to gloat?” Princess Celestia grumbled angrily. “Oh absolutely,” Discord’s grin grew giant as he pulled out a megaphone. “Or atleast that was the plan, but after all that’s happened and that expression on your face, who am I to kick a dead….you get the idea.” Turning the megaphone into a large chair, the Spirit of Chaos continued to loom over Celestia all too happy in his victory. “Come now, there’s no need to look so glum, I didn’t force you to agree to this after all.” Celestia immediately fired back angrily. “You were the one who goaded me into this. You said I should relax and have fun for a change.” “Yes,” Discord said with heavy emphasis. ”But I never said to start acting like me. Simply have a little fun like what I do from time to time.” Further angered, Celestia finally rose up to meet Discord’s level. “Is the great Discord lecturing me on constraint? After all the havoc you caused in the past?” “Yes! Keyword there is in the past. I’m reformed in case you forgot!” Discord responded still smug as ever. “True I cause a little havoc here and there, but hardly on the same level as my glory days or the insanity you managed to pull off in the span of a week.” Celestia crossed her claws and growled angrily, “Oh really, you're “reformed” like how you were reformed when you decided to turn Ponyville into your chaotic playground, or when you turned Twilight and her friends against each other! That’s what you call restraint!” That remark actually managed to chip at Discord’s bravado, though only for a moment. “Yes, I’ll concede I was more than a bit over the line back then. However, that was before I decided to truly give the whole friendship and reformation thing a chance and If this were me a thousand years ago I would be up here partying with you while watching Equestria fall under a rain of chocolate milk. But I'm different now...and despite how I might act I never wanted to see you turn into me.” Recalling her earlier moment of chaotic desire, it was hard not to see his point, and he wasn’t wrong as she’d allowed her self restraint to erode. “I can’t believe I’m actually admitting to Discord of all creatures having more self restraint than me.” It was a bitter pill to swallow, and to concede Discord had been proven right, but she had no room to argue. “Yes, I suppose you’re correct Discord. I will concede you’ve won our little wager.” Her response was met with blasts of confetti and a large banner with the words DISCORD WAS RIGHT in bright red letters. Discord himself looking like he was the king of the world for that moment. This only grew at the flat looks from Celestia, Bronze and Feather. “Hey I don’t get to have moments like this very often, excuse me for enjoying myself.” With a snap the decorations disappeared as Discord started to loosen up his claws. “Now then, I suppose it’s time to return you to normal and return everything to the normal, boring status quo.” Both Bronze and Feather looked positively elated at the idea, only for Celestia to shake her head in the negative. “Yes, you can return me to my original state but I'm done serving as ruler. Even if we ignore the mess I’ve made this week I was planning to retire soon anyways, with Twilight becoming my next. This last week has shown me my time has long passed and it’s time to let another, more capable pony take over,” Celestia explained calmly, much to the shock of her subjects and Discord’s own disbelief. “That’s it? The mighty Celestia makes a bit of a mess of things and opts to throw in the towel instead of simply accepting her mistakes?” Discord immediately pulled a calendar out of thin air and scanned it with his eyes. “I’m sorry, is it the opposite day? Because right now I’m being the responsible one here and I don’t care much for it.” “Call it what you will Discord, but it’s my decision,” Celestia said firmly though there was hesitation in her stance. “And if it really bothers you so much, why don’t you try ruling if you’re that concerned.” “Are you kidding me? I would rather get my teeth pulled than rule Equestria!” He took the princess’s crown and placed it squarely on Celestia’s head as he continued, “Listen Celestia, you made mistakes, very humiliating mistakes that’ll likely haunt you for the next few centuries, but who hasn’t screwed up here and there, I know I have. You however, need to suck it up and move on. I don’t doubt little sparkle butt will become a decent ruler in the future, but she still has quite a bit of growing to do. Until then, just use this as a learning experience.” “He’s right your highness, please we still need you,” Feather pleaded heavily with Bronze following suit. “You are a great ruler and these mishaps, while embarrassing, aren’t enough for us to forsake you.” Getting support from her own subjects was expected, but greatly heartwarming, especially given what she’d put the both of them through. But Discord also supportive, in his own way, without any twist or surprise. Maybe it was the opposite day, and that thought finally brought a smile back to Celestia’s face. “Perhaps you’re right. I’ve already made plenty of mistakes in my long life, I shouldn’t let these blunders deter me.” Feeling her confidence restored somewhat, the princess offered Discord a genuine smile. “Thank you Discord, perhaps losing this little contest wasn’t so bad after all.” Discord didn’t respond with much at first, taking in everything without his usual bluster. “Fine, fine, we’re all happy and everything. Now that, let’s get things back in...ugh, order, shall we?” Discord immediately flew outside and began rubbing his claws together, building up numerous magic sparks before extending his hands out. Tendrils of red and pink extended outward and wrapped themselves before slowly lowering it to the ground, fitting it into the earth like a giant puzzle piece. After the deed was finished Celestia was rather astonished that the task didn’t take that long, and the castle looked as if it never left. She stood there hovering in the air as she scratched her head,“Well that was easier than I expected?” Discord shrugged and responded rather nonchalantly, “It’s Chaos Magic and it is my forte after all. Now then, onto the other matter at hand.” Celestia was confused for a moment before looking at her claws and realized what he meant. “Ah, yes that. While I’ll admit having this kind of power was enjoyable, it’s so tempting to just let loose.” She looked at Discord with a new found respect, now understanding just how much restraint he’d been showing in recent months. “How do you do it? Discord snapped his finger and sent a cloud of pink smoke out that quickly surrounded Celestia. “Well, years and years of practice certainly helps. But I suppose I learned that having friends was more important to me than simply having fun all the time.” As he finished speaking, the smoke finally cleared revealing Celestia in her alicorn form once more. Celestially immediately nearly crashed into the ground below, only avoiding it by opening her wings up and flapping in place. “It’s been awhile since I actually used my wings to fly. That’ll take some getting used to.” Discord eyed her carefully with a smirk, while Celestia looked at him with less amusement. “What, disappointed I’m not a draconequus anymore?” Discord’s smirk only grew somewhat. “Not really, truth be told I think this look suits you much more.” That response caused Celestia’s cheeks to burn red, not expecting such a compliment. “Is that so?” Discord’s smirk turned positively giddy as he spoke his next words. “Sure, how else can I tell you’ve been munching on cake unless you can’t use magic to get rid of the extra weight?” Celestia’s face immediately turned red, this time from anger instead of embarrassment. Her horn started to glow furiously as the spirit of chaos mocked her, only to find her horn now covered in bubble wrap. “As much as I’d love to engage in another little sparring session, I do believe you still have some other issues to resolve in Canterlot?” Celestia’s anger quickly burned out as she realized he was right. There was still much to do back in Canterlot and many things she had to set right. “Yes, something for another time. Right now, there are quite a few ponies I owe an extended apology to.” Thankfully Discord freed her horn as Celestia extended her wings out and took off towards Canterlot, leaving the Spirit of Chaos to simply watch her fly onwards, his smirk shifting to a smile.” “Now that’s quite a sight to behold.”
Chapter Twelve The Night of the Seventh day: A Date with the Lord of ChaosSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Prolouge: Day 0: A Deal with a Chaos LordIt was a peaceful evening at Canterlot Castle, as both Discord and Celestia sat together in the palace garden. The two former enemies having a surprisingly pleasant evening tea with the stars shining down and the moon out. The evening itself was also rather quiet, as outside of a few royal guards and a single gardener going about their duties, the two immortals were otherwise alone. Though despite the somewhat calming atmosphere, if one were to look at the duo, they could pick up the faintest hint of tension between them, mainly from rainbow maned, alicorn ruler, quietly sipping her tea whilst the Lord of Chaos sat across from her. “I must confess, I was surprised you were so willing to agree to this meeting Discord.” She took another sip of her tea before looking at her guest with a critical eye. “Unless your reformation is simply a ruse and I’ll wake up tomorrow in a clown costume.” The draconequus simply crossed his arms with a smirk. “Well, seeing you in a clown costume would be something to behold.” A large thought bubble appear just above his head, depicting Celestia in especially colorful attire, only to quickly pop just as soon as it fully formed. “But I would rather not turn back into stone, and I would hate to disappoint Fluttershy after she was willing to give me a chance.” Princess Celestia continued to sip her tea, still looking at the draconequus with suspicion. “Yes, well. I’m glad you decided to come around, even if it did take a little more convincing than I’d originally predicted.” Discord eyed her curiously. “You know, that’s something I’ve been wondering for a while now. Why the interest in reforming me?” The chaotic creature quickly pulled a book seemingly out of nowhere and started flipping through it. “I mean in our entire sordid history we’ve never had what you’d call a pleasant relationship.” He flipped the book forward to reveal the moment Celestia and Luna imprisoned him. The Princess looked down at the cup of tea in her hooves. “Yes, that is true, I won’t deny it. However, despite our antagonistic past, I’ve always felt there was at least some good inside of you.” Discord however, didn’t look convinced, if anything he looked more offended than anything else. “Oh, don’t start with that old cliche. If you truly believed that you wouldn’t have left me in stone for over a thousand years.” The image in his book began to repeat the moment of his transformation to stone, before it crumbled away in his hands. Celestia looked up with an angry expression printed on her face. “Hm, well I find it funny that you act as though you’re completely blameless! Do I need to remind you what you did to those poor ponies a thousand years ago! Compared to to the likes of Sombra or Tirek, being turned to stone would be seen as getting off easy.” Discord burst into a fit of laughter, his body almost literally falling to pieces as he bellowed. “What about you! You used to be so much more fun before you decided to become such an uptight princess! I mean honestly, when was the last time you had fun in the last thousand years...you know, besides banishing friends and family.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed with anger as as she struggled to maintain her composure. “Careful Discord, you’re treading on dangerous ground right now.” Discord however, didn’t look intimidated and instead stretched his neck until he was right in the Princess’s face. “I’m supposed to believe you saved me? That little experiment of yours was just another test to see if your faithful student and her gaggle of friends could reform me. And it was one that almost failed. The only reason Equestria hasn’t been returned to it’s frankly more appealing chaotic state is because…” He stopped mid-sentence as Celestia looked up with a knowing smirk and asked, “Because of what? Because of Fluttershy? I had to admit, I suspected she’d be the one to get you to come around, but I was still surprised you cared so much about her.” Discord turned away with a growl as he grumbled, “Don’t be ridiculous. She just reminds me of how you were before you became a princess. And quite honestly, I prefer her to the pony you’ve become.” That got a surprised reaction from Celestia, whose facade continued to crack, replaced with slowly growing anger, her voice containing an almost razor’s edge to it. “And what’s wrong with the pony I am now? I don’t regret the choices I made and I have no regrets!” Discord crossed his claws with an unconvinced smirk on his face. “Oh, really? Funny, I seem to recall whenever we pulled a prank on old Starswirl you were always the one who would try to weasel out halfway through. Truly, behavior befitting of one of royal stature don’t you think?” Celestia’s cheeks flushed with red as she sipped her tea and whispered, “That was a long time ago.” Discord quietly listened as he made the tea flow out of the pot like a small river, before landing it in his cup. “Maybe for you, for me it feels like only twenty years ago.” His face grew a harsh sneer as he started to suck up the steam from the tea, rather than the tea itself. “Of course, considering my extended imprisonment, it pretty much was only twenty years for me.” Celestia finished her tea and gently placed her cup down on the table. “Well, in any case, I’ve grown, and I can’t just go off and do whatever I want anymore.” Discord crossed his arms and scoffed, “Well, if that’s the case tell me. If you could, would you give up being a princess and enjoy having a little chaos? Even if it was only for one day?” Celestia looked up with an angry glare and snapped, “What do you mean? You think I have to give up my position just to have fun?” Discord smirked and sat back as he sipping the color from his cup of tea. “I honestly doubt it. I bet a thousand years living as a boring princess, going to fancy parties and boring meetings, you’ve never had time for yourself.” Celestia paused with a flustered look on her face unsure of what to say or think. ”So what...is this some sort of test? A reverse of what I did to you?” Discord finished his tea and zapped it with magic as he explained. “Normally, I hate being so transparent, but yes, this is a test. And it’s one I bet you're going to fail miserably. You see, I know that despite your stuck up attitude, deep down you want to go back to how things were when we were kids.” Celestia squeaked as Discord teleported behind her and whispered, “Don’t you remember when we replaced Starswirl’s quills with exploding ink pens, or when we had Luna wake up and think the moon disappeared. Wasn’t that just so much fun?” The alicorn princess gave a deep, almost tired sigh as she looked up into the sky, for a moment almost looking as old as she actually was. “We did have a lot of fun, no worries, no stress…” Discord floated back into his chair and asked, “So how about it? Want to go back to those long, lazy days.” The princess stared down the chaos god, as she contemplated what to do. “Well, I suppose after my test this would only be fair. Though what exactly did you have in mind? Are you going to take away my cutie mark, or perhaps turn me into a clown?” Discord poured himself another cup of tea, letting the beverage flow from the spout of the teapot as he snickered. “Oh, as entertaining as either of those options are, and they are quite amusing.” He quickly snapped his fingers, causing a book with the title ‘Future Chaos,’ to appear and open, with a floating pen quickly scribbling her suggestions down before vanishing again. “However, in this case, I think it would be more interesting if I transformed you into draconequus.” Celestia, caught by surprise, quickly started coughing and spitting her tea all across the table at Discord’s suggestion. “Transform me? Into a draconequus? Is that even possible?” Discord gave a nod as he raised a claw, now with seven fingers. “I assure you it’s quite simple. How about for a week? Sound good to you?” The princess shook her head, quickly dismissing the idea.“I cannot. Ignoring the issue of who would maintain Equestria in my absence, the notion of you wishing to turn me into a draconequus seems more than a little suspicious.” .” Discord couldn’t help but smile as he gently sipped his tea. “I don’t see what you’re getting so defensive about. I’m serious when I say there’s no catch. I’ll turn you into a draconequus, and you can do whatever you want. No strings of any kind.” Celestia crossed her hooves and gave him a stern glare making Discord sweat a little as he threw his claws in the air and proclaimed, “Alright, you got me! There’s a catch!” The princess smirked triumphantly and responded curtly, “I knew it.” Discord grumbled lightly into his tea cup. “Try not to fall over with that swelled head of yours.” His tea finished, he snapped his claw and teleported over to Celestia. “It’s just a small matter my dear Celestia. Put simply, I want to make a bet.” Celestia eyed the draconequus as she asked in a suspicious tone, “What kind of bet?” Discord slowly strolled came over and explained, “Well, I’ll leave you as a draconequus for a week. During that time, you’re welcome to use Chaos Magic as you wish, with the condition that no matter how tempted you might be, you’re not allowed to lose control of your magic. No matter what happens?” Celestia continued to eye him curiously, though a look of confidence was quick to emerge on her face. “So, all I have to do is become a draconequus and not abuse Chaos magic like you’ve done in the past?” Hmph, seems simple enough.” Discord crossed his claws and scoffed, “Oh please, with all that power I doubt it. I’d be impressed if you lasted a single day.” Celestia, now intrigued thought to herself for a moment, before her smirk returned. “Very well. Then, if I win, you’ll agree to transform yourself into whatever I want for a week.” Discord played with the small beard that came down his chin as he debated on his answer. “Fine, I’ll accept your terms.” The princess then held out her hoof and chirped, “Then it’s a deal.” Discord gave the hoof a shake as he replied, “Wonderful. Let’s get started shall we?” Celestia and Discord both strolled through the garden to a secluded spot, away from prying eyes. The draconequus couldn’t help admire the alicorn stroll through the garden,her mane glimmering in the starlight. Though he was quick to banish such thoughts from his mind as they moved further inward. Eventually, they found themselves deep in the luxurious castle garden, with the trees towering over, and noises of various animals THAT could be heard in the distance. A location as secluded as one could get on the palace grounds. Celestia turned to Discord, a taking a breath to calm herself as she brought back her smirk. “So, shall we do it here?” The draconequus couldn’t help but snicker. “Well, we’re turning you into a draconequus, so I guess this will do.” He then went over to her hooves. “Now then. First these need to go.” He snapped his claw, and Celestia's hooves slowly turned into paws, though unlike Discord’s lion paw, hers had white fur with black stripes, not unlike a tigers. Celestia was stunned at the change, momentarily flexing her new appendages, only to quickly groan as she felt her body start to elongate, her bones snapping while her muscles popped in each direction. The mare looked down to see that her fur near the bottom half of her body was falling off in clumps, showing a new, soft, tender, tan colored fur that came down over the bottom half of her body, while the top half fluffed up like a griffin’s bosom. Celestia then noticed that on one of her bottom hooves grew out a bit and had an elegant stream of fur coming from below while the other had a light green, ethereal magic flowing around it. She quickly let out another groan as she felt her wings shift in her back, with the bones snapping as they grew outward, whilst her mane slowly turned into a long piece of hair flowing from her head. The sounds of bodily modification continued for several more seconds, before it finally ceased, allowing Celestia could to breath in relief that her ordeal was over. “Was all of that really necessary? Couldn’t you just change me instantly like you do everything else?” Discord merely offered her a half hearted shrug. “Eh, maybe, but you never specified that I had to. Probably should be more clear next…..” His words immediately died in his throat as Celestia finally uncurled herself and stood up straight, the moonlight allowing Discord to get a proper look at her. And needless to say, the sight left, the normally fast talking Spirit of Chaos, speechless. Shaking out some stiffness in her new joints, Celestia finally made eye contact with the draconequus, and found herself puzzled by his lack of a remark. “So, is that all?” Discord gulped as he crossed his hind legs and stammered, ”Ye...yes that’s all...I think we’re done here.” Celestia, now taking a good look at herself, giggled as she twirled about in her new body and squealed, “My, this is certainly a new feeling.” Taking a moment to examine her new features, including her hands and wing, she felt a great sense of giddy excitement. “Oh, this does feel quite wonderful, I can see why you like it so much. I practically feel like a new mare.” Discord, finally shaking away his stupor, held out a claw to calm her down. “Yes, well, I’m glad you can appreciate the wonders of being like me, but you might want to get used to your new body before you do anything drastic.” Celestia however, seemed to ignore him as she flew towards the fountain in the middle of the garden, and she held out a paw. Discord quickly came over and whispered, “Be careful, Chaos Magic is unstable, and it might not always do what you want.” Finally coming down from her excitement high, the princess gulped, uncertain as to what to do. Regardless however, she slowly held her paw out and snapped her fingers, causing a flash of magic to hit the fountain, forcing her to close her eyes. When she reopened her eyes she gasped at the sight before her. Where once there was a large fountain of elegantly carved marble, now stood a giant, pink frosted, three-layered cake. The bulk of the cake itself was painted with white icing around the edges and on the top was a statue of an alicorn wearing a tutu, with a thick, bubbly, liquid pouring out of her mouth and around the edges of the cake. Celestia strolled over, with Discord handing her a small cup he’d created and filled it with some of the liquid, before quickly draining the cup. She smacked her lips and squealed “Oh my goodness! It’s a strawberry milkshake!” Discord burst into fits of laughter. “Hm, not bad for your first try. A little spit and polish, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.” Celestia turned around and smirked, quickly refilling her cup. “Well, wait to pay up in a week because I think I'm going to have some fun!” She then snapped her paws and teleported away in a puff of pink smoke. Discord looked upon it with a wide-eyed expression and brushed back his hair. He could only stare at where Celestia was and whisper to himself. “I think I might’ve made a mistake.” Author's Note I can't believe that my story was Featured. Thank you so much!
Chapter One: Day One: How To Use Chaos Magic?Celestia found herself waking the next morning and yawned as she stretched her new arms in the air. The mare groaned as she looked to see the moon lowering outside her window. Muttering out another annoyed grunt, she slowly rolled around in her bed knowing that she was going to have to raise the sun soon. However, her annoyance quickly turned to mirth as she noticed two things. The first being her transformed state, something she’d forgotten in her tired stupor, and two, she noticed how truly odd her limbs felt as she pushed them through her sheets. However, despite the odd sensation, she actually found the appendages rather appealing. “I must admit, I was a little apprehensive of this little affair and going from hooves to arms is certainly an adjustment. However, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to get used to.” Giving her new digits a few quick stretches, she wrapped her new hands around her bedsheets and removed them, taking a moment to marvel at the ease the task was accomplished. “Well, if I can say anything about this change it’s moving things with your hands is far easier than with your mouth. I can only imagine how relieving this would feel for an earth pony.” True, Celestia as an alicorn typically would levitate whatever object or item she needed, but she was no stranger to the somewhat awkward task of having to hold or move something with her mouth on occasion. Yes, ponies had been doing that for centuries, but that didn’t make it any easier. Quietly shaking off her new appreciation for hands, the transformed mare, now out of bed, took a moment to scan her darkened room, finding her to be the only one present, allowing her a momentary sigh of relief. A quick glance at a nearby wall mirror serving to remind her again of how differently she looked. “And now comes the matter of informing everypony about my current state. Hopefully they won’t react too hysterically to this.” Her monologue was interrupted the lights in the room came on, and the princess spotted a pink coated, pegasus maid coming walking into the room, a small pile of sheets obscuring her view and explaining why she wasn’t immediately freaking out at the Princess’s new form. “Forgive me for waking you Princess Celestia, but I felt it was time to change the sheets on your bed.” A slightly mischievous smirk appeared on the Princess’s face as she plotted her next course of action. She was stuck like this anyway, so might as well enjoy it. “Oh, it’s no problem. I was already awake anyway and I wouldn’t mind some fresh sheets. Do you need any help by chance?” Though her face was obscured by the rather large pile of linens, the Princess could still make out shake of refusal from mare, who struggled to keep the pile steady as she shook. “Oh, please don’t trouble yourself your highness. I have everything under con…..AH.” Her words were cut short as she took a step forward and her hoof getting caught on a nearby rug, sending her body falling forward and the sheets flying. She braced to hit the ground, only to hear a loud snap ring throughout the room, and her descent halted. The maid slowly opened her eyes, and finding her jaw slowly drop. Looking down she could clearly see the floor, roughly a foot or so away from her face, yet despite not feeling her hooves on the ground, she wasn’t falling. Looking around she found to her shock, she was seemingly frozen in place, not levitating, but outright frozen. More eye catching however, were the sheets she’d been carrying. The once neatly folded cloth was now open and spread in every direction, not unlike a pair of wings, yet they weren’t fluttering in the open air, they, like her, were frozen in the air. Now utterly confused and more than a little freaked out the maid struggled to let out a word, only to be silenced by the sound of mirthful chuckling echoing throughout the room. “Oh, ahahaha, I do apologize for that. I just couldn’t help myself. Are you alright?” Hearing the Princess’s voice managed to snap her out of her stupor. “Oh, Princess Celestia, I’m fine, but what exactly is….going…..on?” Her words immediately died as she turned to speak to Celestia, and finally getting a proper look at the monarch’s new body. The maid, now completely stunned at the sight of the rather majestic draconequus could only return to stammering as she tried to speak, “Prin...cess C..C...Celestia? What in Equestria happened to you?” Celestia, still smiling at her surprise, tried to regain some of her usual composure to avoid further terrifying the poor mare. “I know this is shocking and I promise you there is a reason for why I’m like this. However, perhaps we should discuss this while only ground level hmm?” With a snap from her paw, the maid found herself gently falling back to the ground, her hooves landing with barely a sound. Another snap sounded and the sheets, which had also regained its momentum, appeared once again in a folded pile next to the maid, as if they hadn’t even been dropped. Celestia’s grin grew brighter as she admired her little display, though she quickly recentered her focus on the matter at hand. “Now than, regarding my current state.” The maid, now able to process what was going on, immediately went into a panic. “Princess! This is serious! We need to inform your sister, or Twilight immediately!” The Princess however, still maintaining her somewhat aloof demeanor, causally floated onto her bed as the maid was now on the cusp of hyperventilating. “Now, now, there’s no need to be concerned. Honestly, you’re starting to sound like my mother?” Without realizing it, Celestia unconsciously snapped her claw, causing tendrils of magic to wrap around the maid. With a bright flash of light the mare started shifting in appearance. Her mane began to flow outward, her horn growing through her forehead while both her body and wings increased in size. The simple pegasus maid was now transformed into a tall, graceful alicorn with a white apron strapped around her midriff as she came over and spoke in a reassuring tone. “Yes, I am your mother. Now tell me what’s happened?” Celestia blinked in surprise, her jaw momentarily opening before blushing in slight embarrassment at her mistake. “Okay, guess I need to be a little more careful with what I say until I get a better grasp on this.” For a moment she debated whether to simply undo the spell she’d just cast, but her mischievous side opted instead to have a little fun with this unique scenario. That was the point of this after all. So, taking a moment to contemplate her response, before finally responding to her mother’s question...in a tone not unlike a young teenage mare. “Oh it was nothing, I just had a wonderful time last night with Discord!” The transformed alicorn chuckled as she lit her horn and began to fix Celestia’s bed. “Oh, that’s lovely to hear dear. I’m guessing he’s the one to thank for your new look?” Celestia rolled her eyes at the mare’s tone, almost sounding like she was being interrogated over a boyfriend she’d just gotten. “Well, I did technically have a bit of a hand in this. I guess you could call it a friendly wager between old acquaintances.” The maid merely continued with her work, fluffing the princess’s pillow while humming a little tune. “Well, as long as it doesn’t keep you from your responsibilities as princess, then it shouldn’t be a problem.” The draconequus quietly brushed off the comment and levitated over to a nearby mirror, getting a more detailed look at herself and realized something. True her new appearance was...eye catching, but it lacked the regality and elegance of her alicorn form. “Hmm, perhaps I should put on something formal before I reveal myself to everypony. Help ease the public into it, if only a little bit.” Drifting off to her closet, again enjoying the benefits of hands, she opened it up and examined her wardrobe, only to immediately remember something vital. None of her current attire would fit seeing they were all designed specifically for alicorns. Feeling a sense of annoyance start to form, she tried to calm herself with a quick breathing exercise. “Okay, so not everything about this is going to as smooth as I’d hoped.” Her eyes shifted from her wardrobe to her paws before a smirk returned to her face. “Well, looks like I’m going to have to change out my wardrobe for the week. Shouldn’t be too difficult.” However, a quick glance at her still transformed maid reminded her of how easily her new powers could work against her. So, taking another breath to focus herself, she held her hand towards the dresses. “Just concentrate Celestia, think of nice gowns that’ll fit me.” The princess gulped, shutting her eyes tight as she snapped her claw. Another snap rang out in the room, though this was followed by an odd, poofing sound. “Oh, that didn’t sound comforting.” Slowly opening her eyes, she almost immediately regretted her decision, finding her rows of once elegant gowns and dresses, designed by some of the finest seamstresses in Equestria….had been turned into a collection of what could only be described as blindly colorful, frilly monstrosities designed by a group of school fillies. Celestia could only pick up her jaw and groan at her latest blunder. “Ugh! How in Equestria does Discord control this and make it look so easy!? I feel like newborn filly just starting her first magic lesson.” Letting out another annoyed groan, the Princess quietly floated in the air, tempted to try and make a chair, though restrained herself out of fear of what would happen. As she continued to sulk in the air, she failed to notice the motherly alicorn slowly walking up behind her. “Oh, stop that now, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. This is just something you need a little time to get used to that’s all. After all, if an oaf like Discord can handle this, you should have no trouble whatsoever.” The Princess’s face softened as a smile returned to her face, enjoying having a supportive shoulder to lean on...even if the circumstances were a little odd when taking context into account. Still, didn’t mean she wouldn’t play along for a little while long. “I appreciate the confidence, but I'm still not especially confident. I’ve only had this magic for a few hours and so far things have been….” Her glance focused on the motherly mare still trying to comfort her. “Unpredictable.” The alicorn mother merely scoffed at Celestia’s reply, using her own magic to bring the Princess back to ground level. “Well, one thing you might want to consider is not relying on it so much. Try to use it in small ways until you get a better handle on it, and with a little practice you’ll have it down pat.” Taking a moment to shift her attention to Celestia’s attempt at fixing her wardrobe, her demeanor became slightly more strained. “As for that little debacle, let’s forget about magic of any kind for now. I’ll contact a tailor to try and salvage what we can so you have some proper attire for the week. However, for now we need to get you prepared to raise the sun.” Celestia couldn’t help but feel a little bit of childish glee at being patronized, having grown so accustomed to everypony speaking to her with reverence, it was quite a refreshing change. “Very well, thank you mother.” Almost immediately she slapped her paw over her mouth, her entire body turning red in embarrassment. “I am so sorry about that, it just slipped out….” The new alicorn, herself equally colored red with embarrassment merely gestured the princess to not speak, trying to process what was said. “It’s fine, after all, this is what you wanted to happen when you used your magic earlier.” “Right….probably should do something about that shouldn’t?” Celestia prepared to snap her fingers again, only for the alicorn to quickly grab the paw and push it down, a strained smile barely holding her face together. ”While the gesture is appreciated, let’s wait until you’ve got a better hold on your magic shall we dear? After all, we don’t know what exactly will happen.” The pair shared another glance at Celestia’s wardrobe before the Princess nodded. “Yes, that probably would be the wisest course of action.” The two stood roughly in silence for a moment as they contemplated what to do next. “Well, I suppose we should just treat this as normal I suppose. Though, what should I call you...other than...you know.” An embarrassed blush came over Celestia’s face as she was reminded again of her little slip of the tongue, only for the alicorn to chuckle in response. “Please, don’t worry about that. Honestly, I don’t mind you calling me that if it makes you comfortable. Though if you prefer you can call me that in private. As for while we’re in public, just call me Feather Duster. That is technically my actual name” Celestia debated the compromise for a moment before offering a slightly hesitant nod. “I suppose that should be alright. After all, it’s only for a week anyway, so we should be fine.” The alicorn giggled as she brushed Celestia’s mane. “Though, if I’m going to be your mother Celestia, than technically that makes me Luna’s mother as well. I don’t suppose we could let her in on the joke as well could well?” After working out the details of the new arrangements Celestia opted to freshen herself up and had just finished exiting the bathroom, only to turn and see Princess Luna, who wasn’t in the best of moods. Beyond the angry scowl on her face, there were some noticeable bags under her eyes, which were also partially red and bloodshot. Add on the shaking and she looked to be somewhere between exploding in anger and passing out. Though for now she seemed to go with the former. “Oh, good morning dear sister. How are you this lovely morning? I’m fine by the way, I just finished lowering the moon an hour ago and have been patiently waiting for you to raise the sun.” Luna, likely due to her half crazed/half awake state had yet to even acknowledge her sister’s new appearance and merely continued on with her rant while her sister listened on. “Oh, and I forgot to mention, several ponies have been oh so kind as to voice some of their concerns with me regarding the sun. It does feel so wonderful to converse with my subjects, I mean normally I’d be sleeping at this time, but really who needs eight hours of sleep anyway?” By this point Celestia could barely keep herself from laughing out loud at Luna’s rather poorly concealed jabs at her, with her eye twitching rapidly all the while. Were she not restraining herself from using Chaos Magic, she could think of all manner of ways to make this situation more amusing. However the fun came to an end when Luna, having finally taken a breath after her little tirade, finally got a long, good look at her sister. “Ce...Celestia? Is that you?” The Princess of the Moon asked, before quickly holding her head and trying to stay on all four hooves. ”I know I was somewhat jesting with my earlier remark, but perhaps I am in need of more sleep than I realized.” Celestia quickly swallowed a laugh that threatened to burst from her mouth as she placed her paw on her sister’s shoulder. “While I agree you do tend to overwork yourself dear sister, I do assure you, this isn’t a dream or a hallucination. I have become a draconequus.” Luna took a moment to rub her eyes clear, just to make certain she wasn’t hallucinating before doing her best to massage away her growing headache. “May I be correct in assuming Discord had a hand in this?” “Yep.” Letting out another sigh, the Princess of the Moon finally sat herself down, too exhausted to yell, scream or freak out. “All right, then dear sister, may I ask why Discord has done this? And explain to me why I shouldn’t immediately be concerned.” “Oh, it’s rather simple. We made a bet is all.” Celestia said, matter of factly, like it was no big deal. Luna however, didn’t seem satisfied, her still bloodshot eyes twitching as she remained seated. “A bet?” Her sister continued to smile, still floating in the air, and now doing a casual backstroke as if she were in a pool. “Mhm. All I have to do is stay like this for a week and not lose control of my magic. Simple enough.” Luna, taking a single glance at the alicorn mare in the room with them, and currently fluffing Celestia’s mane while still airborne, didn’t look convinced. “Really, and I’m assuming she’s an example of you keeping yourself in check?” The alicorn immediately turned her attention towards Luna and was quick to scold her. “Excuse me young lady that was rather rude.” Luna’s jaw immediately dropped, stunned at being talked down to, though she quickly recovered and immediately snapped back. “I beg your pardon! I don’t know what insanity my sister has caused, but I will not be talked to like a child, especially not by some mare who isn’t even my mother!” Feather Duster glared harshly at Luna, making the princess step back, fearing some kind of corporal punishment. Celestia, finally deciding to return to the ground, and formed a barrier between the two with one of her hands, now the size of a small wall. ”Alright, that’s enough from both of you. Luna I know you’re tired and this situation is a lot to take in, but you are still a princess of Equestria and should behave accordingly. As for you... mother, still weird getting used to that, you don’t need to get angry at Wuwu. She’s just cranky is all.” At hearing the nickname, Luna face erupted into a blush, before stomping her hooves not unlike a child and practically whined like one to. “Don’t call me that! You promised you’d never call me that again when we were still children.” “Indeed I did. So just behave and I won’t have to.” Floating over to her still pouting sister, she offered her a few simple pats on the head, which only served to make the princess pout harder. “Now then, you listen to Mother and be a good filly. Now if you’ll excuse me,” she then looked up at the night sky and sighed at her good mood being shattered. “I have a sun to raise.” Luna however, still wasn’t amused, eye twitching and hooves stomping harder into the floor, looking about ready to leave hoof marks in the polished wood. “Stop treating me like a baby.” Celestia simply ignored her and headed towards the balcony, picking up her phoenix, Philomena before flying out the window. This left Luna in the care of Feather Duster, who’d quickly taken her by the hoof and started leading her towards the door. “Well, now that all the excitement has been handled let’s get you something to eat and finally put you to bed. A good day’s sleep is important for a healthy mare and will brighten your spirits in no time” Luna grumbled a little, but for some reason, the princess begrudgingly followed the strange alicorn. With all that happened, she was too exhausted and drained to care anymore, content to just play things by ear for now. “Hopefully once I’m rested I can better deal with this situation. Besides, it’s only one day and Celestia is a responsible mare. How much trouble can she possibly cause in a single day?” While Luna was being babied by her new “mother” Celestia was slowly coming down from the sky and landed before a crowd of ponies all eagerly waiting for her arrival, her pet phoenix by her side. As to be expected, when they saw, not the regal form of their princess but some strange, patchwork creature with Celestia’s head attached to it, there was a share of gasps of surprise and shock….along with a few ponies screaming hysterically and one outright fainting. Celestia looked among her astonished subjects, quickly adopting her more serious royal tone and raised her claw, which thankfully managed to calm them somewhat. “Citizens of Canterlot, I know that this may be strange to all of you. However, rest assured that your eyes do not deceive you, I am Princess Celestia and I am currently a draconequus. Do not be alarmed as this is merely a temporary arrangement I have made with Discord, and I shall return to normal by the end of this week. As such, I would like for things to proceed as they normally would. I’ll still hold court, go about my other engagements, the meeting over the tax deal will be completed still. As will the party at the end of the week which I'll be hosting at the palace. If there are any questions or concerns, I’ll take them one at a time in my throne room.” The mare smirked as she raised her surprised pet phoenix in the air. “For now it is time to raise the sun!” She then took Philomena and raised her in the air, before lifting her claw up and snapping, releasing tendrils of magic that wrapped around the phoenix, who looked more than a little concerned with the strange action. She had but a moment to squawk before blinding flash of light replaced the fiery bird, with...an equally fiery rooster. Everypony looked on in stunned silence at the odd display, though Philomena looked the most stunned, her head twisting and checking every part of her new body. A foul glare quickly appeared in her eyes, directed at Celestia, who only chuckled at her pet’s anger. “Oh please, this is hardly any worse than the way you teased poor Fluttershy back in Ponyville. And it’s only for a little bit. So, stop being all huffy.” The former phoenix remained unamused, but swallowed her pride and turned to the sky. A look of shame appeared on her face, before she reared her head back and let loose a loud.. “Cock a Doodle Do!” As the call echoed across the land, the sun slowly began to rise making everypony around look up with astonishment and confusion at the most bizzare sunrise anypony had likely witnessed in a thousand years...save for when Discord ruled that is. Of course, while the ponies were still distracted by the strange celestial rising, they didn’t notice Celestia practically giggling herself silly, hugging her rooster close to her chest before flying off back to the palace and squealing with laughter. “Haha, that was amazing ! Did you see the look on those stuck up nobles faces!” The former phoenix however, didn’t laugh instead pointing her wing at her face, a deep frown etched into her beak like a piece of marble. “Oh come on, it’s not that bad. I personally think you look lovely Philomena.” The rooster/phoenix immediately started furiously squawking in protest, flapping her wings, trying desperately to fly into her owner’s face with little success. Undaunted, Celestia finally ceased her mirth and offered a pat to her pet’s head. “Yes, yes, alright I’ll change you back. Though, I honestly do think you look quite dashing as you are now.” With a snap of her claw, the rooster immediately burst into a large fireball, before spreading her wings out, dispelling the flames, revealing the again proud and powerful phoenix she was originally. Restored she offered an annoyed squawk to the draconequus ruler, who quietly brushed it off. “Oh, calm down. It was a simple, harmless prank. Stop making such a big deal of it.” The phoenix, again didn’t look convinced, which only served to annoy the Princess further. “Well, fine, be that way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the gardens for breakfast. And I’m rather excited to see what Mother has prepared.” Philomena now perplexed at the mention of a ‘mother’ sadly couldn’t get another sound in as Celestia teleported with a quick snap, leaving the phoenix alone to mull over the trouble her owner was likely to get into. Celestia immediately appeared in the kitchen with a flash, and took a moment to look herself over. “Well, even if I still have trouble with some of the more complex way to use Chaos magic, nice to know teleportation is still relatively simple...now then.” Her expression turned to childish excitement as she turned her attention to the plate that the motherly alicorn made for her. It contained all manner of fruits, including strawberries, oranges and grapefruit along with some scrambled eggs and a simple mug of coffee on the plate. Celestia’s previous look of excitement immediately deflated like a beach ball, practically moaning in disappointment. “Ugh, what an utterly boring, healthy looking breakfast.” Taking a seat and quietly poking the large pile of produce, she groaned loudly. “I suppose I should’ve expected as much. I did essentially turn her into a perfect mother, and keeping her child healthy is probably the most motherly thing she can do. That being said.” With a grin returning to her face as she took a quick scan of the room. “Today, I’m feeling more in the mood for something a bit sweeter.” Hesitating for a moment, she raised her claw and with a clear picture in her mind, she snapped, transforming the large fruit platter into a giant, chocolate covered, fruit cake, adorned with various strawberries and oranges. Her eggs disappeared completely, while her coffee turned into a huge, frothy frappuccino with 2 cinnamon straws, a hefty topping of whip cream and caramel drizzled on top. Celestia squealed at the sight of her new breakfast, clapping her claws eagerly in delight. “Oh this looks just amazing and I did it without any misfire! Good Job Celestia.” After patting herself on the back….literally just for fun, she began to dig into her meal, taking a moment here and there to take a long, cinnamon laced sip of her frappuccino. As Celestia continued to indulge in her favorite vice, Discord saw fit to appear in a flash, eyes literally rolling out of his sockets at the sight of Princess’s sugary banquet. “Well, if this isn’t a lovely image. And here I’d thought you’d have a little more self control than this? At this rate, I’d be impressed if you lasted before half the week was up.” Celestia, taking a moment to wipe away some crumbs from her cheeks and take a more, refined sip of her drink, merely smirked at her adversary’s claims. “Come now Discord, I figured you of all creatures would understand the need to have a little fun with Chaos Magic.” “Oh I do, believe me.” With a snap of his fingers he pulled up a photograph of the earlier sunrise. “And I must say, that little stunt you pulled earlier was a nice showing for a first timer.” He quickly flipped the picture over to reveal a scorecard with an 8.0 on it. “Well then, what seems to be the issue here?” Celestia took another sip of her drink, only to find it empty. So, she quickly snapped her fingers, causing a portal to who knows where, to open above her cup and more coffee to flow into it before she snapped it shut again. She leaned in to take a sip, only for Discord’s claw to pot out of the cinnamon straw and stop her. “That right there is what I mean. You just got your magic yesterday and you’ve practically used it nonstop...and that’s all without me getting into the whole ‘mother’ situation you created for yourself.” Celestia had the decency to blush over her slip up, but refused to back down. “Oh come now Discord. All I’ve done is use my magic in relatively harmless ways. Hardly what one would call, losing control...minus that little mishap this morning.” Discord sighed in annoyance at how stubborn the Princess was being, sliding his hand down his face...and actually peeling it off as he did, planting it on the floor. “Oh sure, you say that now. It starts out small and harmless, but you’ve already seen how easy it is to misuse this magic. And I’d rather hate to see you hurt yourself just because you decided to bite off more than you can chew.” The Princess, having lost interest in her drink, wiped her mouth clean and stood up, quickly snapping the dirty dishes and utensils into the sink. “You’re concern is greatly appreciated Discord. However, despite a few bumps here and there, I’m more than confident I can handle things.” Quietly making her way to door leading to the throne room, she offered the Spirit of Chaos a parting glance. “Now then, I have more than a few important matters to attend to. Though, you’re more than free to stay around the castle as much as you like….I’d hate for you to not be around once I win out little wager after all.” With a smug smile and a flash of light she was gone, leaving Discord alone. “My, my, seems like somepony’s starting to get a little full of themself.” Fishing around inside his ear, the mischievous spirit produced a small hand mirror, the reflection of which showed Celestia now in the throne room. Pulling a lounge chair out of thin air and sneezing out a box of popcorn Discord took his seat. “Might at well enjoy the fireworks while I can, and see just how far she falls.” Celestia slowly wafted into the throne room, mildly perturbed at Discord’s lack of confidence. As she sat on her throne, she looked around and saw that many of the guards and other staff were still somewhat put off by her being a draconequus. She looked around with a sigh as she tried her best to look professional. “Please listen everypony. I understand this is a bit of an adjustment, but as I said, this is only for the week and then I’ll be back to my usual self. So, the best we can do is continue on as normal. Let’s start the day as normal.” The majority of guards only offered few blinks here and there, never breaking their role, while the few attendant ponies offered a hesitant nod or smile, which only earned a frown from the Princess. “Well it’s not like I didn’t anticipate some minor resistance. Hopefully my next few appointments will go a bit smoother.” They didn’t. From dawn to midday, many a number of different ponies, from nobles, to officials to ordinary citizens met with Celestia and each had their own...unique reactions to her change. Sure, at first it was a little amusing, but after it happened for the tenth time or so, it’d already long worn out it’s welcome and the day only continued to drag. The Princess’s most recently appointment was a rather dull grey pony in a standard black suit, mainly interested in discussing various forms of budget information...and it was taking all of Celestia’s willpower not to groan out loud at how painful the entire experience was. “Ugh, he hasn’t stopped talking for the last forty minutes. What I wouldn’t give for a distraction right now. Maybe I’ll get lucky and some monster will pop out of the Everfree Forest and give me an excuse to leave.” She immediately banished that thought for her mind, she shouldn’t be hoping for potential harm to her subjects, just to get out of a meeting. “Still, this wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t so...bland. Do only drab looking ponies take on career paths. A little splash of color wouldn’t kill him that’s for sure.” Immediately an image came to Celestia’s mind...it would be really funny if the stallion was wearing a dress. Without realizing it, she snapped a claw and the suit the stallion was wearing transformed into a flowing, golden gown. The stallion gaped in horror as Celestia squeaked in surprise at what happened. “I...I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for that to happen.” The stallion slowly stepped back with an embarrassed look on his face. “It’s..quite alright your highness. I understand you're still getting used to your new powers and all that... I’m just going to go home and change. We can finish this meeting at another time….preferably when you’re in a less chaotic state.” He’d whispered that last part, but either through some side effect of Chaos Magic or some other force, Celestia was easily able to hear it. Many of the ponies snickered as Celestia scoffed, “Now, now. There’s no need for that. I’m perfectly capable of fixing this minor misstep. If you’ll just hold still for a moment.” She sighed and breathed slowly. “Think about a suit..suit…” She snapped her claws turning and the elegant gown was gone in a flash...now replaced with a red and white striped clown costume complete with big red shoes, an orange bow tie and baggy pants. As the noble stumbled about in his squeaky red shoes. Everypony around burst into even more laughter. Celestia, stunned and embarrassed by her latest magical misfire, quickly held her flaw out again.”Forgive me, let me try again!” Celestia narrowed her gaze on the now panicking and growled, "Come on Chaos Magic, turn it into a normal suit!” She snapped her claws and the clown suit now shifted into a pair of white swim shorts around his waist with Celestia's cutie mark printed all over the fabric. He also had inflatable sun floaties on his arms and a sun styled inflatable ring around his abdomen. As everypony snickered Celestia was now fuming...literally as there was steam coming out of her ears and one of her horns appeared to be on fire, along with her eyes. Looking ready to explode, she readied another snap, only for the stallion to hold both his hooves up, almost like he was trying to surrender. “Your highness. I greatly appreciate your attempts, but it’s unnecessary….I’m perfectly fine with what I’m wearing. I was actually planning to go to the beach later this week anyway.” Celestia could easily tell he was lying to spare her feelings, but gave a long exasperated sigh and nodded in agreement. “Very well, though I do hope you’ll accept my apologies. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” The stallion, with a blush on his face, stepped back and replied, “Oh, there’s no need for that Princess, it’s fine. Now then, if you’ll excuse me I’m needed elsewhere...tata!” The stallion quickly bolted out of the throne room, leaving a visibly exasperated Celestia to slouch in on her throne, a small hand fan appearing to help cool her off. ”Alright, I believe that’s enough meetings for now and I’m sure we could all do with a little lunch break. We’ll reconvene in an hour!” Everypony nodded and quickly dispersed as three fancy looking unicorn mares entered the throne room. One of the mares Celestia recognized Fleur de Lis, who was quick to greet the Princess after offering a customary bow. ”Princess Celestia, a pleasure to see you again. We heard about your predicament and wondered if you were still going to join us for tea in the garden.” Celestia gave a smile, seeing an opportunity to relax a little chirped excitedly, “Of course I am! After everything that’s happened so far today, aa relaxing lunch in the garden sounds positively heavenly.” Celestia sat with her fellow mares drinking tea together in the garden. Things were relatively silent as the mares occasionally gave Celestia odd looks. The princess, trying to enjoy the peace sighed as she lowered her cup.”Well I know my appearance is something to adjust to, I’d like to try and enjoy our time together, so can we shift focus to something else?” Fleur offered a quick nod while the two other mares silently mumbled into their cups, who Celestia turned her attention to..” “So, I know who Fleur but I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of either of your company? May I have your names?” One of the two, a blue coated pegasus with glasses blushed at being called out, but managed to whisper a response. “My name is Rainbow Quill and I’m the head librarian at Canterlot’s Royal Library. My friends just all me Quill for short.” The second mare, a white coated earth pony and clearly the move confident of the two, offered a smirk and head bow to the princess. “And my name is Snowflake, I’m a curator for Canterlot’s Grand Gallery.” Celestia bowed her head in turn, a smile on her face. “Well, it’s wonderful to meet you two. Actually, I was discussing the fact that many ponies think we should have decreased funding for the gallery and library, though I’m hesitant to do so. Though, if you could get your individual reports on the matter to me by Friday, I should be able to work out the details and hopefully convince the other nobles to continue funding these endeavours.” Snowflake gave a nod, taking a bite of one of the crumpets on the table before replying. “Rightly so, thank you for your cooperation Princess Celestia. My report has been finalized and is ready for review.” Quill also bowed and replied, “Yes, that goes for me as well. My review is complete and is ready for your approval.” Celestia blinked and burst into laughter. “Well, if that’s all the business we need to discuss what are we going to do for the rest of our lunch break?” The three mares all blushed and gave each other embarrassed looks. Fleur then turned around towards the princess and whispered, “Well..to be honest we actually rather enjoyed your little performance when you raised the sun this morning.” Snowflake actually started chuckling and needed to take a sip of tea to keep from choking on one of the pastries she’d been eating. ”Oh yes, it was amazing. Though, the three of us were wondering, if it’s not too much trouble. Could you perhaps use your Chaos Magic to fulfill a little fantasy of ours.” Celestia eyed them cautiously, noting that Fleur and Quill were equally invested in this idea. “I’m not sure, I’m still getting the hang of it and I’m worried about what might happen. What is this request? Quill quietly looked down at the grass below, but still managed to eek out a response. “Um...could you turn us into fillies for an hour?” Celestia blinked in surprise as Fleur nodded eagerly “Yes, please! It would be a dream to relive our foalhoods for a little bit. We always had tea parties when we were young and they were so much fun. Sadly, it's not the same when you're an adult.” The elegant mare looked at the Princess with glistening and pleading eyes, practically begging without saying a word. “Will you do it. please?” Celestia sighed as she explained solemnly, “Look… while I would love to grant such a request and it’s well within my power, my Chaos Magic isn't the most stable at the moment and I’m afraid of what might happen.” Snowflake’s previous enthusiasm dried up instantly., “Oh, well that’s alright. It was stupid idea. Besides we don’t need magic to have fun right?” Fleur and Quill offered half hearted nods, but even a blind pony could tell they were just a hair's breadth from devastated. Celestia felt her resolve immediately crumble.”Oh, what’s the harm. It’s not like age spells are something I couldn’t do before. So it should be fine, right?” “Fine, I'll try, but if something goes wrong please understand that it was an accident and not intentional.” The trio, though excited, gulped nervously as Celestia raised a claw and slowly whispered, "Think of little fillies, come on a little filly tea party.” She snapped a claw sending a burst of energy through the area,transforming the table, making a small tea fountain appear where the pot was. The porcelain cups turned a bright pink while the plates of small sandwiches turned massive, filled with all manner of delicious looking pastries. The mares sitting there had tendrils of magic slowly wrap around them, before a flash of light revealed them to be transformed into little fillies, each wearing light blue dresses, white bonnets tied around their heads, with white stockings and black mary jane shoes placed on each hoof. Celestia couldn’t help but giggle as the fillies looked down at their dresses with blushes growing on all their faces. The princess cooed, “Oh just look at you little fillies, now go on and play tea party. When your ready to turn back into adults just let me know.” All three fillies squealed, “Okay!” Seeing things going smoothly the princess fell back into her chair, sighing happily in relief. “Oh, thank goodness it actually worked this time!” Her moment of relief only last a second before she felt someone tapped her on the shoulder, and she then turned around, only to squeaked surprise upon seeing one of the servant ponies now dressed as a giant bunny in a waistcoat. She barely was able to react to the odd occurrence before he spoke. “Princess, I’m sorry to interrupt but I must say I’m feeling a little strange right now and I feel that I’m late for an important date. Please tell me, am I?” Celestia groaned and dragged a claw down her face, but then she quickly formed an idea. “Yes you’re late for our tea party. Can you stay here and watch the fillies while I go?” The butler bunny took a paw and saluted. “Of course princess! I will perform my duties with honor!” The big bunny then hopped over to little tea party and started to serve the little fillies, much to their delight. Celestia sat back and smiled watching the fillies giggle, talking about embarrassing facts about their husbands as the princess sighed. “Well I almost got it...a little misfire here but not as bad as I thought. Now that just leaves the question of whether I can turn them back without incident.” Later that afternoon, Celestia, having been pulled away from the fillies due an apparently urgent matter, had to wait until the day was practically over before she could return to the transformed fillies, now in her room along with the alicorn mother and rabbit butler. Feather Duster turned around and asked, “So are these three fillies staying for the night?” Celestia sighed as the fillies sat quietly, no longer enjoying their self imposed youth. “No, I'm going to try to turn them back to normal. But...I’m still a little concerned over what might happen. Everytime I try to do something even a little complex it almost always goes wrong.” Her musings were interrupted as she felt Snowflake tugging at one of her legs. ”Please hurry, if you don't mind. As fun as this was I do have a meeting tomorrow with some famous artists.” Both Quill and Fleur eagerly nodded, wanting to get back to normal promptly, only adding to Celestia’s concern. Seeing no choice, she took a deep breath and concentrated, “Alright, calm myself and think about what I want.” She raised her arm towards the fillies. “Mares, think of them as grown mares.” She snapped a claw and they were all transformed back into mares….extremely elder mares currently sitting in rocking chairs. Celestia groaned in frustration, glaring at her paw angrily. “Come on Chaos Magic, just work!” As Celestia contemplated getting a new arm, Discord poofed into the room, snickering loudly at the frantic and frustrated princess who could only scoff at the trickster. “Ah, Discord. I was wondering when you’d show up. What are you doing here?” Discord smirked. “Well, enjoying the show for one. You’re ceaselessly entertaining to watch.” A snap of his fingers revealed a large projector, which turned on a played a highlight reel of every mistake Celestia made over the course of the day, much to her annoyance. Angry now, Celestia immediately snapped her own hand, causing the projector to explode in the Chaos Gods face, though he was quick to shake the soot off. Celestia’s glare returned to her paw. “Oh, so now you decide to work.” “You're concentrating too hard my dear princess.” Discord, now clad in a professor’s attire, snapped a chalkboard into existence along with a pointer he was quick to use. “Chaos Magic is all about freedom and unpredictability. The more you try to control it the more chaotic it's going to be. Understand?” Celestia scoffed as Discord returned to his usual look.”So, how exactly does that help me? I’m just supposed to snap my claws without thinking, and everything will turn back to normal?” Discord only offered a half nod. “Eh, either that or it might turn everything into cotton candy, pillows and acid spewing wombats. It is unpredictable after all.” Now more nervous than ever, Celestia closed her eyes and did her best to empty her mind, trying not to think about anything at all. “Don’t think, just do it. Don’t think about anything. Just clear my mind and...” A loud snap echoed through the room, and Celestia hesitated for a moment before finally opening her eyes. To her amazement the old mares had finally been transformed back to their normal ages, much to the trio’s great joy. “Thank you, Celestia!” “Yes, that was fun...in spite of everything.” “Indeed, we should maybe do it again….or not.” The three quickly ran out of the room as Discord clapped his claws together, while another pair of arms held up a scorecard with a 10 on it. “Well done Celestia! Bravo! Bravo!” Discord then turned to the big bunny thumping his foot on the ground and smirked, “Oh, looks like you missed one.” The scorecard quickly changed to a 9.0 She sighed and casually snapped a paw turning the rabbit into a penguin with a bow tie. Discord burst into laughter as Celestia rolled her eyes and snapped a claw, finally turning him back to his normal pony form. Finally back to normal he nervously bowed. ”Um...thank you Princess. If you need anything else please don’t hesitate to call...somepony else.” The butler then quickly ran off as Discord came over landed next to Celestia. “Well, that was quite the day you had. A little bumpy near the end but hey, now that you have the hang of it I'll leave you alone and watch from a distance.” Celestia turned towards, visibly drained, but a small smile on her face. “Well, don’t get too comfortable. When this week ends, you’re mine.” Discord smirked as he snapped his claw and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Celestia, finally able to relax, immediately fell back on her bed, moaning in exhaustion as if she’d just teleported all across Equestria. “I thought this was going to be easy. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thank Equestria the day is finally over.” A soft cough caused her eyes to open and her to sit up, spotting Feather Duster not too far away. “Oh, right, sorry about that. I’m guessing you’d like me to turn you back to normal as well?” The mare merely shook her head in the negative. “I had originally, but after seeing how much stress you were under today, I think it would be in everypony’s best interest if you had somepony to lean on during this whole affair. Plus, it’s only for the week so I don’t mind.” The motherly smile she offered the tired Princess almost caused her to weep with joy, recalling memories of long ago of her own mother for a moment before returning the smile. “Thank you.” “It’s honestly not a problem. Now, why don’t you get ready for bed. I have to find Luna and make sure she’s ready to raise the moon.” Celestia couldn’t help but giggle and nod as she made her way to the bathroom, feeling the smallest bit better despite all that had happened today.
