Princess Luna was beyond tired. Her body ached. Her head ached. Each leg, joint, and muscle on the alicorn somehow felt both solid as a rock and yet gooey-like as if she were standing on a trampoline. It was easy to understand why, though.
This was Luna’s first night back from her banishment.
Her first night back from over one thousand years spent trapped on the moon.
As well as directly following one or two intense battles with the Elements of Harmony, she mused sleepily. But those more serious thoughts could wait. Right now, she had only one target in mind: her lavish queen-sized bed.
Floop!
Luna merely faceplanted into it, stretching out all four legs in all directions in order to cover as much of it as possible. She wanted to drown in that bed just then. Marry it, if she could. It was nice of her sister to keep her old room in such a nice, clean state over the years—bed, pillow, and covers included. She’d have to thank her in the morning…
One very long time from now…
After many hours of beautiful black sleep…
With no interruptions whatso—
“My dear sister!” a voice near the entrance to the room whispered most loudly—clearly that of Princess Celestia. “Glass of water before bed?”
Luna rolled over on the bed and found an even comfier spot. “I only require sleep at this very moment, Tia. It has been a rather long and taxing day to say the least. Thank you anyways.”
“Oh, right. Yes, of course.”
The door closed. Then immediately opened again.
“Maybe a snack, instead? I do not recall if grilled cheese had been invented when you were last around, but I can attest firsthoof that it is beyond delicious! So good, it should probably be illegal, truth be told. One of the royal chefs could—”
Luna shut her eyes even harder. “I shall have to take your word for it. How about instead of enjoying one right now, I dream about one? There! A perfect solution found! Goodnight, Celestia.”
She thought of hurling one of her pillows toward the door to get her point across, but the notion of opening her eyes to locate her sister would only pull her away from the yummy-nummy notion of being sound asleep any second now.
“Okay, then,” Celestia replied. “Maybe I’ll leave one outside the door if you change your mind?”
“Thank you, but no thank you.”
Still the door to Luna’s room remained open.
“How’s the temperature in here? Want it adjusted a tad?”
“It is perfect, Celestia. Far warmer than the moon, most certainly.”
“Want a window open? A soft breeze always helps lull myself to sleep.”
As does complete and utter silence, Luna thought, but dared not speak. Once again she rolled herself over, dragging her bedsheets along with her. Soon she looked more like an alicorn burrito than a peacefully sleeping pony. Regardless, she was far comfier than she’d been in millennia.
“I feel like I’m rambling,” Celestia blurted out. “Am I rambling? I’m so sorry, Luna. It’s just… it’s just been so long since I’ve seen you. Back in Canterlot. Back in your old room.” She paused before adding, “Back to your old wonderful, adorable self.”
Luna was next to certain her sister wanted a hug at that moment. Sadly, Luna also wanted a hug at that particular moment. A very long hug, in fact. From her pillow. Maybe Celestia would enjoy one from a pillow as well.
Fwomp!
Luna’s pillow had found its mark with relative ease. It sounded as though it had pierced through Celestia’s horn. “I think I’m starting to get the picture here,” Celestia said evenly.
“That is good,” Luna replied. “Tomorrow we can talk as much as you’d like, but for now—”
It seemed as if Celestia’s picture did not quite match Luna’s, as dozens upon dozens of random pillows suddenly fell overtop the peacefully laying Luna. Where Celestia retrieved so many pillows on such short notice was anypony’s guess. Had she stashed them outside the door from the very start? Summoned them at will? Ordered her guards to fling them inside the room when told to?
Those questions could clearly wait until tomorrow. Because for now…
“Celestia… you do realize this only makes my quest for immediate slumber easier, correct?” Luna asked from under the six-feet or so of soft, fluffy pillows enveloping her.
“How about a game before bed, then?” Celestia asked cheerfully. She’d clearly left the safety of the doorway to venture inside Luna’s room. “I made sure to keep all your favorites around. Monopony, perhaps?”
“Takes too long.”
“Hungry-hungry Alicorns?”
“I always feel self-conscious after playing that one. How about something shorter?”
“Tic-tac-toe?”
“Even shorter. Why not hoof-claw-parchment?”
“Umm…”
“Ready? Go! And look at that. You won, Tia. Claw always beats parchment. Congratulations. That sure was fun. Must do it again sometime! Say… anytime that is not now. Good night!”
“But… I didn’t even… never mind…”
Celestia lingered near the doorway again, door creaking halfway between open and shut.
“One last thing before I depart, Luna. Have you seen it?”
“Seen what?” Luna asked, deep within her wonderfully warm pillow fort.
“I lost it before, but I think I’ve found it again. I’m just sure of it.”
“Lost what? What do you mean? Can you not search for it later?”
“I’m sure I saw it around here somewhere…”
Luna felt a few pillows overtop her drop to the floor.
“I’m sure it’s close by…”
Then a few more pillows. And even more. Then finally the blanket covering Luna’s face.
“There it is!”
“There is what?” Painfully, Luna opened her tired eyes to view her sister properly.
Even in the gloom of the dimly lit room, Luna could see Celestia’s eyes shimmering. “My sweet, sweet sister,” Celestia finished quietly. “I’m sorry to keep bugging you, but… it’s just been so long since I’ve seen you!”
Without warning, Celestia wrapped her sister in a loving embrace, nearly knocking the air out of her. In return, Luna softly pated her sister on the back, more to get her to loosen up than anything.
“I am more than… h-happy to see… you t-too, Tia!” Luna wheezed.
Once apart again, Celestia made no motion to leave. Her eyes went in all directions but Luna’s face.
Luna sighed. “You wish to spend the night in here, is that what is happening?”
Celestia played it coy. “Only for tonight… just to make sure nothing bad happens to you or anything. You wouldn’t believe the rampant ninja problem Canterlot has currently.”
Luna smiled daintily. “Of course, of course. Fine. As long as we are both sound asleep within the next five minutes.”
“Agreed.”
A few minutes later, with the lights off and the bedspread remade, Celestia told her sister, currently held tight to her chest, “Thank you for this, Luna.”
Luna barely had enough room to nod. “You are very welcome, Tia. With that said… I am also very sleepy right now. I shall give you ten more words this evening.”
Another sisterly squeeze. “I’m just happy you’re back, little sister.”
“You have three more words.”
A thoughtful pause.
“Pancakes for breakfast?”
Author's Note
Some days you just need to write something short and sweet.
Btw, if someone knows the artist's name, please let me know so I can give them credit. Thanks!
