Princess Celestia, royalty of all that is Equestrian, Princess of the Sun, Diarch of the nation of Equestria, crept along the castle walls, ducking from shadow to shadow. Every so often she would freeze and peer about with frantic eyes at a shifting shape or the distant sounds of hoof-steps that echoed around the stone hallways at night. Spotting her target window she eased herself up to the ledge and pushed herself out into the brisk, cold air of the slumbering form of Canterlot.

Wings unfurled for balance, she found herself edging along the ledge, keeping a careful eye on patrolling pegasi guards. It would not do for anyone to know what she had been up to. One hoof after the other, she clambered along, wary that a small slip would give her away.

A whistle pierced the night startling her almost off the ledge but she relaxed as she spotted the royal gardener simply tending to the roses, on his day off. She silently tittered. Old Mr. Greenhooves needed a firm talking to about getting a real vacation.

Continuing along the ledge she eventually reached the intersection between the ledge and the balcony of Luna’s room. Swinging herself onto the balcony, she made sure her landing was quiet, so as not to upset any magical alarms triggered to noise. The last infiltration had been a complete disaster and besides, who said an old pony couldn’t learn new tricks?

The double doors to the balcony held only a simple magical alarm but was protected by a tricky fifteen counter-lock anti-magical hexa-centrical ward. Celestia could feel her tongue slightly poking out as she concentrated on disarming the ward. She heard a satisfying click–and no alarm–so she relaxed slightly.

Trotting with small hoof-steps she crept towards the bed.

Things were going well.

Celestia narrowed her eyes.

Almost too well.

Casting her gaze around the room she found exactly what she was looking for. A small, almost invisible tripwire had been set up at random intervals across the room, crisscrossing the air in a wild, random pattern. Celestia bit her lip. She was so close!

She carefully navigated through the maze of wires, gently using her wings to balance herself in a series of often-precarious position. The wires lead her from one side of the room to the other but she kept the objective of her visit foremost in her mind. It was sitting there on Luna’s bed, just out of reach.

Eventually, Celestia found herself in front of the object of her desires, a small white tiger plushie with midnight blue stripes. The brilliant piercing blue eyes of the doll was intricately scored with sapphire for the irises, obsidian for the pupils and coated in glass to give a brilliant sheen. The fur was made from the softest materials and contained real tiger hair and down from a duck, various preservation spells had kept it in excellent condition and it looked exactly the same as it had the day she had last laid hooves on it.

The doll was simply a work of art but Celestia did not covet it due to the exquisite craftsponyship of the doll. No, this envy ran deeper than that. It had moved mountains, caused hardship for both sisters and nearly tore two nations into war. The doll was part of their game, a game played for over a thousand years.

Celestia giggled softly, it was hers now!

She reached forward to snatch the doll from the bed. Too late she saw the tell tale flash of magic that signalled a ward. It had been an almost invisible spell wrapped around the frame of the tiger.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she admonished herself finding herself frozen against her will. She saw in her peripherals another brilliant flash that left spots in her vision. She already knew who it would be.

A midnight blue coated hoof entered her view, the exact same colour that matched the doll’s stripes. The hoof slowly, deliberately and with taunting lethargy, brought the tiger plushie in front of Celestia’s muzzle teasingly, before being wrapped within two hooves and hugged tightly to the chest of none other than the Princess of the Night.

“Oh, so close Tia,” she grinned, sticking a tongue out. Celestia fumed silently.

“If only you had checked for spells before so rashly trying to pick up my beloved,” Luna gloated, pacing around Celestia. She had banished the tripwires, there were no need for them now.

“As promised, dear sister, I shall celebrate yet another year with my favourite bedtime partner.”

Celestia screamed internally for the freeze spell hadn’t expired yet.

Luna trotted arrogantly to her bed and flopped down upon it crossing her hooves in front of her and positioning the doll in plain sight so that Celestia could see it clearly. As soon as the spell wore off Celestia slumped. The bitterness of defeat lingered in her mouth and locked up her speech.

“Oh come now, dear Tia, you have tried hard enough, did you not think I would forget our thousand-year accord?”

Celestia’s eyes took on a rounded pleading look and watered slightly.

Luna burst out laughing.

“That is my ploy! You may not use it so! You clearly do not possess the aptitude for such a petition,” she chortled, wiping away tears in her own eyes.

Celestia huffed and turned her head away.

Luna’s eyes grew demanding and she pointed a hoof imperiously to the ground.

Celestia’s eyes widened, she knew what was coming but was unable to do anything about it. Sighing in resignation she prostrated and mumbled some barely audible words.

“Oh dear sister, I do believe I am getting hard of hearing, would you not mind repeating that phrase again?” Luna asked with a positively infuriating grin plastered on her face.

Celestia mumbled something only a couple decibels louder.

Luna held a hoof to her ear and theatrically leaned in further.

“I said,” began Celestia through gritted teeth. “You win. You are the pony of this year.”

Luna nodded, satisfied. She cradled the doll.

“I will get it next year, mark my words, dear Luna,” Celestia growled, heading for the door.

Luna only reply with an excitable grin that said, Bring everything you have, Tia. I will still win.

Celestia slammed the doors behind her, stamping a hoof in frustration.

Next year! she brooded.

Next year will be different.

Author's Notes:

I loved writing about ninja-Celestia (oh this should totally be a thing). The present really sets the tone of the whole (mis)adventures of the two sisters. Next chapter, we whip back into the past where Luna and Celestia were diarchs after the defeat of discord and before Nightmare Moon.

As always, thanks for reading!