Celestia’s heart beat loudly in her chest.

It was still following her. She who had defeated Discord (with some help), she who banished Nightmare Moon, and she who had turned the tide of wars with a simple glare… nothing she could throw at the monster behind her slowed it down.

A haunting melody filled the airs around Canterlot Castle.

Celestia darted through the open door, trying to give the monster the slip. There was little in the room aside from an old armoire. She desperately scrambled across the room, and closed herself inside the old cabinet, pleading that her pursuer would pass her by.

“Round and round the castle she runs,” the monster chanted as she dragged something metallic along the marble floor. “When she stops we’ll have some fun!”

Celestia dared to peek through a crack in the armoire door. The monster walked slowly by the open door of the room, dragging a large metal blade behind her.

“Pink and red, black and blue,” the monster sang as she continued her chant, “That’s what’ll happen when I catch you!”

The scraping metal sound echoing through the halls was getting further and further away. Celestia thanked her lucky stars that she could still be stealthy despite her size.

“Flicky fetlock, itchy tail,” the chant continued, “turn around and make her wail. Try to give Pinkie the slip… get a grip! Sorry, Celly, but you fail!”

Celestia lost all pretense of stealth, and galloped down the empty hall, screaming.

Luna’s heart beat heavily in her chest.

Tonight was the first official date night Twilight and Luna were to share. Despite certain sibling-related-setbacks, Twilight had managed to recover and organise a wonderful meal for the two of them to share.

Even though the castle chefs were the ones who had done the bulk of the work, Twilight had certainly helped set the mood and atmosphere. The room was barely lit, only by the faintest of candlelight, magically enchanted as to not be affected by the breeze. She had chosen one of the western tea rooms for their meal, and while Luna would normally have protested (a tea room is for tea, and a dining hall is for dining!) she understood the younger alicorn’s intentions.

The high arched balcony doors were open, letting the cool night air flow through. From this side of the castle, the breeze carried the faintest smell of rain, as well as scented flowers from the royal gardens.

Visible, in all its splendor, was her beloved night.

“I didn’t want to spoil the view,” Twilight said, motioning the candles.

Luna was amazed that Twilight was such the romantic.

“I mean, not that you aren’t beautiful in the light,” Twilight stammered. “Or that I prefer seeing you in the dark, I mean—”

Twilight ‘eeped’ as Luna wrapped a wing around her shoulder.

“Stars. Moon. Night.” Twilight whispered, pointing a hoof towards the open door.

“We knew what thee meant, dearest Twilight,” Luna said with a chuckle. “Shall we get started?”

Celestia’s pulse pounded in her ears, making it harder to listen for the pink monster.

“Where in tartarus are all the guards?” Celestia whispered to herself as she crept across the courtyard to the guard house. “They could at least slow her down a little.”

She opened the door to the oddly-quiet guard house, fearing what she might find inside.

Celestia gasped in horror. Every one of her guards were laid face down in a pool of their own—Levitating a small dollop of the viscous red fluid, she took a tentative sniff—cranberry sauce. With a trace of chloroform.

Every.

Single.

Guard.

She could hear the mare calling out to her in the courtyard.

“Tia, Tia, wouldn’t wanna be ya!” the mare chortled. “Cut you up and make sangria!”

Celestia lit her horn, praying she could teleport before the mare made it through the doors. The sound of that blade scraping against stone suggested she didn’t have long.

“There was a little princess who once told a lie,” the song echoed out. “When I catch her she’s going to d—”

A flash of light filled the guard house, and Celestia was gone.

Twilight’s heart beat heavily in her chest. The heady perfume Luna wore filled her nostrils. Twilight buried her muzzle in Luna’s mane.

“We have waited long for thee, dearest Twilight.”

Twilight didn’t care if it sounded strange, or that Luna’s mannerisms were somewhat anachronistic with old Equestrian. Coming from those beautiful lips, it was like the sweetest poetry.

Twilight crawled across Luna’s bed. The silk sheets brushed lightly against her coat, sending shivers down her spine.

She wanted this, Luna wanted this. Celestia had given them her blessing, so there was nothing to stop them now.

Twilight breathed a long breath out as Luna nipped at Twilight’s ear. The midnight princess trailed her muzzle teasingly down the side of Twilight’s cheek, down her neck and barrel.

Luna slowed, whispering into the soft fur of Twilight’s belly. “Art thou sure thou wishes to—”

“Yes, Luna, yes!” Twilight moaned. “I want this more than anything else in the world!”

Immortal goddess aside, Celestia was certain her heart had actually stopped beating.

She had come to Luna for help, but had forgotten the cardinal rule of siblings. One she had recently only reminded herself of.

She had forgotten to knock before teleporting inside.

Now she wished she had.

“S-Sister?” Luna asked, sheepishly squirming across her bed, away from a catatonic Twilight Sparkle. “‘Tis… ‘tis not what it looks like!”

“L-Luna…” Celestia couldn’t help but stare, a wild blush crossing her face. “P-Please cover your… Twilight. Please cover Twilight.”

“Oh, yes…” Luna quickly pulled a midnight blue silk bedsheet across the exposed mare.

“W-What are you doing here?” Luna hissed, her embarrassment quickly turning to anger. “And why didst thou not knock?”

“I’m sorry, Lulu, I—”

A loud banging on the doors behind her quickly reminded Celestia why she had barged in.

“That!” Celestia screamed. “Hide me!”

Celestia dove across the room, hiding behind her sister and the thankfully covered Twilight.

Luna jumped as a large blade smashed through her door. Luna readied her magic, prepared to face what ever had come to hurt her sister.

The intruder continued to hack at the door until there was a sizeable hole. It finally poked its head through.

“Heeeeeeere’s Pinkie!”

Luna could barely recognise the mare that stuck her head through the hole in the door. She watched in horror, as the earth pony twisted and contorted her body, squeezing through the opening, and it seemed to Luna, pouring herself into the room.

It would have been more disturbing if Discord wasn’t a frequent visitor to the castle these days.

“Celly, Celly, cakes in belly,” Pinkie sung as she lifted herself from the floor. “Grind her up and make royal jell—” Pinkie’s straightened mane bounced back to its normal, poofy self. She grinned wildly, none of the former mare visible anymore. “Oh, hiya, Princess Luna! Just looking for your sister. Have you seen her?”

“Pinkie!” Twilight screamed, finally out of her stupor. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Twilight. Enjoying your date so far?” When Twilight didn’t respond, Pinkie Pie continued. “Princess Celestia broke a Pinkie Promise today, so, you know what that means…”

Twilight suppressed a shudder, before leveling a glare at her friend. “Nothing permanent, understand?”

“But Twilight…” Pinkie looked to Twilight with her most soulful eyes. Twilight silently hoped said souls were actually Pinkie’s.

“No buts!” Twilight snapped. “Pinkie Promise me you won’t do permanent damage.”

Pinkie Pie kicked at the ground with a frown on her face. She finally wilted, relenting under Twilight’s glare. “Fine! Cross my heart on hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Neither Luna nor Twilight even flinched as Pinkie procured said cupcake from nowhere and smooshed it into her eye.

Pinkie Pie skipped across the room, bounding over the bed in a single leap, and clamping her jaw down on Celestia’s tail.

“Pwinfeff?” she asked. “How doowable are pwinfeffevs?”

“That one?” Luna asked, looking down at her sister, who was silently pleading for help.

Celestia’s eyes burned with white hot fury, her mane blazed like the surface of the sun.

Luna backed away as fast as she could, but the audible click of the locks to her room made certain she would not get far.

“Twilight Sparkle is very dear to me, Sister…”

“Very durable,” Luna replied.

Pinkie Pie skipped merrily out of the room, dragging Celestia behind her.

“How could you?” Celestia cried. “Your own sist—”

The door slammed behind Celestia, the handle still glowing in Luna’s aura.

“Now,” Luna said, turning back to her darling. “Where were we?”