Nopony can deny the fact that Princess Luna is a nightwalker while her sister, Celestia is an early bird that avoids staying up late. Both sisters do not have much time to spend together and that is why Celestia suggested that they could do something together at nigthfalls and at dawns. Luna happily agreed on the idea but...
“What do you want us and you do together?” Luna asked her sister.
“Oh, some usual stuff two average sisters do. Like gosspining about other girls, making each other make-ups and so on,” Celestia answered.
“Um, dear sister, aren’t we too old for such things?” Luna was confused by Celestia’s proposal.
“Oh!” Celestia giggled. “Forgive me Luna. I always forget you are no longer the same adorable little filly you used to be.”
“I’ve never been a filly,” Luna remarked coldly.
"You obviously were a filly. Yes, I know you’ve always been tall and shapely but filly is a state of mind,” Celestia explained.
Luna frowned. This was not the first time she was subtly insulted by her sister so she was able to rmeain silent. She knew she was not good with retorts. Every time she had tried to return a sharp answer, Celestia’s retort stung her even harder.
“Well, Luna. We can play some game for such intelligent and wise mares as we are.”
“Whatever,” Luna said indifferently.
“Great. Let’s play the old and noble game of chess!” Celestia exclaimed and put a chessboard on a table.
“Chess? Oh, Celestia. Give me a break. You know we are not good at this game,” Luna moaned resignedly.
“Luna, please! That’s just a game! And I’m not that good at this either. Just a bit better than you maybe,” Celestia said and encoureged her sister to take a sit.
“Why do I have to play with black pawns?” Luna whined.
“Because you are the Princces of Night. The night is black so the color really matches you and your personality,” Celestia explained.
“You want me to play with black pawns because you try to make me a bad character.”
Celestia laughed. “You don’t need my help to do that, Nightmare Moon!”
The blue alicorn bit her lips but didn’t answer. Still laughing, Celestia moved her pawn and said: “Your turn.”
Luna sighed.
Celestia was indeed better at chess than Luna, who didn’t even care abouth the game. She hoped to spend some time with her sister but instead she served as a training dummy for her. After tenth lost game, Luna said she had enough.
“Oh, come one! We have just warmed up,” Celestia said grinning.
“But we are bored. And I really need some sleep. It’s 11 a.m.!” Luna was visibly tired.
“You just cannot stand losing. I can understand that,” Celestia said triumphantly.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“So, see you in the evening. We are going to have a rematch!”
“I don’t want to live in this castle anymore...” Luna murmured and went to her apartment.
The evening seemed to be pretty similar to the morning, save for the fact that Luna was horribly sleepy after a sleepless day. She had a terrible day because she couldn’t stop thinking about her relationship with Celestia. Her sister was arrogant and sometimes really nasty, and she didn’t even have the guts to stand up for herself. She knew that she had to put stop to this once and for all, and she knew that somepony needs to help her and she even knew who can that be.
But, before the revenge – another several games of chess.
“Can we agree that I will lose ten times? That would be easier and much less sad for me,” Luna asked her sister, pleading with the largest and poutiest eyes she could muster.
“No way, Luna. You agreed on my proposition that we spend time together and, because I’m the superior Princess, that is I who decides what we do!” Celestia said coldly.
Luna rolled her eyes and moved her pawn.
After a crushing defeat, Luna thought to herself, If we cannot beat our sister, we shall find someone who can! With that, she quickly exited from the room and, in a flash of blue, was gone.
***
Twilight was reading a book when Luna suddenly appeared in her house.
“Oh, Princess Luna! What, what are you doing here?” Twilight was startled by the blue alicorn.
“Welcome, Twilight. We are glad to see you and even more glad that we have not awaken you. We think that everypony should stay up late,” Luna greeted Twilight, who gave her an uneasy smile. “We do not disturb you?” Luna asked.
“No, not at all. I’m also glad to see you.” Twilight was somewhat confused. She had no idea why the Princess would visit her during night. Well, the part about night was pretty obvious but the visit was really surprising.
“We need your help Twilight,” Luna said softly and then suddenly switched to the Royal Canterlot Voice: “WE WANT YOU TO DEFEAT CELESTIA!”
“Excuse me?” Twilight thought she heard ‘Celestia’ but it couldn’t be that.
“Oh, forgive us. Bad habit. We want you to kick Celestia’s ass,” Luna explained.
“Say what!?”
Luna realized what it sounded like and added quickly: “In chess of course.” She laughed nervously. “You know, the game. We heard you are a clever pony and we believe you can defeat her. Defeat her so meany times she would cry!”
“Excuse me, Princess but I’m not sure this is a good idea. Princess would think that I want to humiliate her or something,” Twilight tried to excuse herself from Luna’s plan.
“And this is exactly what we want you to do. Celestia shall finally cry!” Luna exclaimed and laughed sinisterly.
“Can I know why you want to do that?” Twilight asked
“She makes fun of us all the time. But it is payback time. We will not stand her behaviour anymore! We have had enough of this stupid game! I want my sister back! If you defeat her, she will not want to play chess anymore!”
“Have you tried talking to her about that, Princess?” Twilight asked curiously.
Luna thought for a moment. “No, we came straight to you.”
“Okay... But what if Celestia doesn’t want to play against me?” Twilight asked.
“Do not worry about this. We have found a spell that would surely help you in the task. She might not want to play against you but she will surely play against me!” Luna explained and cast the spell. Dark gloom filled the room. After a while, two Princesses Lunas were standing in the middle of the room.
“Oh... I feel taller,” said one of the Princessess.
“You look great, Twilight,” the second Princess said.
“I feel weird...” Twilight moved her new long neck. “What is going on. Do I have... wings!?” Twilight was astonished. “I got wings! I got wings! I’ve always wanted to fly!”
“Calm down, Twilight. These are just for your appearance. You do not possess pegasus’ magical ability to fly,” Luna said coldly.
Twilight saddened. She walked up to the mirror and looked at her image. She looked great. Well, she was the Princess after all. At least it looked like she was.
“We will teleport you now to Canterlot. In the morning you shall meet Celestia. Try not to interact with guards or they might see through the illusion,” Luna instructed Twilight.
“I understand Princess. You can count on me!”
“Oh, and do not go to sleep. We are the Princess of the night. We do not sleep at nights.”
“But I’m tired, Princess.”
“Do your best!” Luna said and cast the teleportation spell. After Twilight disappeared, Luna looked around and smiled. “Where is her little servant?” She spotted him sleeping in his basket. “He will surely freak out when he sees me in the morning in Twilight’s bed.” Luna giggled and lay on Twilght’s bed.
Twilight appeared in Luna’s apartment. It was dark and cosy because after a millenium she spent on the Moon, she preferred smaller premises.
“So that’s where Princess Luna lives,” Twilight thought. “I think I’m gonna stay here until dawn.” She yawned. “I should really have some sleep.” Princess Twilight lay on the bed and quickly fell asleep.
“Luna! What are you doing! Wake up!” a bitter voice awoke Twilight.
“Where am I?” she moaned.
“You are in Canterlot. And you are late!” Celestia said coldly and added cheerily “You are late for our game of chess!”
“Of course...” Twilight got up and fell.
“Are you all right?” Celestia asked.
“Yes. I just, um, I just dreamt that I was a midget pony,” Twilight lied and grinned.
“Right... Bounce back and let’s play.”
Twilight followed Celestia as they walked down the longest corrider she had seen in her entire life. It was good for Twilight she went behind her mentor because she had visible problems with walking on such long legs but she managed not to fall again. They finally went into room with the chessboard.
“Can I play with white pawns?” Twilight asked. She enjoyed the game but nopony ever wanted to play against her because she could beat anypony in several moves.
“Luna, how many times shall I... Wait, did you just use the I pronoun?”
“Oh, yes, looks like I, we, got rid of the royal we.” Twilight laughed nervously.
“Better late than never,” Celestia said indifferently. “Let the game commence!”
So the game began. Celestia was surprised by the fact that Luna was actually focusing on the chessboard. Usually, she just looked indifferently at the wall.
“So, Luna. You are pretty determined to win today, aren’t you?” Celestia asked.
“Oh, no, no, no, no. I just enjoy the game with my ment..., um, sister,” Twilight answered and grinned.
Celestia frowned but didn’t say a word. Twilight actually played and this was going to be a long game, unlike others.
“Oh my, you are actually using some strategy!” Celestia tried to distract Luna with her comments.
“Yes! I used my favorite Sveshneighkov defense and now I am two moves from an inevitable checkmate!” Twilight answered excitedly.
“What!?” Celestia was shocked. “You... You win...”
“Yes, I do!”
“Okay, who are you and what have you done to Luna?” Celestia frowned.
“Oops.”
Celestia cast some spell. After a flash of light struck Twilight, the illusion slowly faded and revealed the terrified lavender unicorn.
“Twilight Sparkle. I can’t believe,” Celestia said grimly.
“Please, don’t banish me!” Twilight cried.
“I can’t believe Luna cheated!” she shouted angrily. Twilight looked puzzled.
“Princess?”
“She’s been always doing this! She never could play fair!”
“She wanted to beat you in chess because this way you would never want to play again and she could spend some time with you!” Twilight shouted and cover her head with her hooves.
“What? Twilight Sparkle. Did she tell you that?”
“Yes! Please, forgive me!”
“Oh, what have I done... You know, Twilight. I think I was a terrible sister recently,” Celestia said sadly.
“Looks like you were, Princess,” Twilight interjected but bit her tongue at Celestia’s angry look.
“It was nice to play against you Twilight but I need to save my relationship with Luna and it would be better if we did it without other ponies’ interference. I will teleport you back to Ponyville now,” Celestia said.
Twilight grinned. “Will you write a friendship report to me, Princess?”
Celestia looked abashed by this question. “Yes, maybe.” She quickly cast the teleportation spell and Twilight was gone. Shortly after that, Luna appeared in front of Celestia.
“I’m sorry, sister,” Celestia spoke. “I should have been more sensitive and pay more attention to you not to the stupid game. Will you ever forgive me?”
Luna smiled. “Of course we forgive you!”
Both sisters hugged.
“Oh, Twilight asked me to remind you about the friendship report” Luna said.
Celestia frowned. Something definetely was not right with that.
THE END
“Spike! Wake up!” Twilight shouted at his assistant, who was lying unconscious on the floor.
Spike opened his eyes and looked nervously around. “Twilight! I had a really weird dream! I dreamt that I woke up and you were Princess Luna!”
Twilight giggled. “What a ridiculous idea, Spike!”
