"Ha ha! What loot have I acquired, Dungeon Master?" Princess Luna decried as she beamed over to Shining Armor.

He ruffled through his sheets and several dice were rolled before he paled slightly, if it was possible. Looking to his wife, Cadance, and his former-boss Princess Celestia, he squeaked out as non-threateningly as possible, "You search the orc titan and find two unidentified items. One is a magic-class pair of wingblades, and the other..." He swallowed nervously. "The other is a legendary-class tower shield."

Luna practically glowed with excitement. "Another legendary item? That makes five tonight!" She looked over to her sister and niece, to see Cadance seething with rage.

She wasn't the first to speak up, Celestia's wings flaring wide as she beat Cady to the punch. "Seriously? Another legendary?" Shining Armor was left as the target of her righteous fury.

Not only for herself, but Cadance as well, Celestia's seemingly infinite patience had run out, and her rant had begun.

"Seriously, Shining?" Her ears perked and her eyes narrowed. "In the last three sessions, Luna's gotten twelve unidentified legendaries." An angry groan escaped Cadance as they both attempted to stare him into submission. "While Cadance and myself combined have only four. That we only have because we found and bought them in the marketplace!"

Luna attempted to defend him, "Sister, niece, please calm down. It seems luck favors me again tonig-"

That only drew Cadance's voice calmly, "Aunt Luna, please, do not get into this mess. It's been several sessions coming, now."

Shining was no longer visible behind his divider as Celestia's pitch increased. "Any unidentified legendaries we found were, when identified, not actually legendary. One of mine was a damned uncommon for Harmony's sake. The rest were all useless rares that our current equipment eclipsed!"

Cadance tapped Celestia's wing with one of her own. That seemed to shock Celestia from her rant. Her head fell and her ears splayed back. Shocked at her own outburst, she apologized, "I-I am sorry about that. I know you're trying this new 'randomized loot system', but I cannot help but feel cheated with this insanity. I'm sure it will even out eventually, but Cady and I are barely keeping up here!" She muttered the rest of her statement too low for anypony but Cadance to hear. "Disallowing trading and sharing also seems like kind of a stupid thing, too." A small thump sounded as Celestia's rump hit the floor. "At least I'm nearing the end of an epic weapon quest. Just a few more shards of light and I can forge Skoll."

Shining peeked over his divider to see Celestia and Cadance looking especially tired. Timidly he said, "I'm definitely going to work on this system. I still think it's a good base, though."

Author's Notes:

Remember when I uploaded stuff in a timely manner? Yeah, me neither.

Ball by TheLandgrave

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Celestia peeked around the privacy screen at her sister. The small array of ribbons over Luna's left breast were a lone island of color on her navy-blue uniform. Single breasted, a line of silver buttons ran up the jacket to her high, stiff collar. A half-cape hid her right arm completely, leaving her left and the longsword at her side exposed. She would have been the picture of a composed officer if not for the white-knuckle grip on the sword's pommel.

"No," Celestia said with a sigh before slipping back to finish dressing. "No, it likely isn't a good idea. If you have a better one, I am all ears."

The sharp click of Luna's boots pacing across the marble floor were her only response.

"It is going to come out sooner or later, and I would rather we had control of when rather than reading it in the newspaper the next day. I would expect you, of all people, to agree with the tactic."

"It's not that I don't agree; I do. That does not make it any easier."

Celestia smoothed down her dress one last time before stepping out. "Well?"

Luna froze halfway through an about face, her eyes locked onto Celestia.

Where Luna's uniform downplayed her sinuous curves, only making those it showed all the more enticing, Celestia's played them up. The dress was white save for the gold embroidery up the sleeves and around her steep neckline, framing her ample cleavage, with ruffles down the front. Preforming a short twirl to show off her mostly bare back, the skirt flared out only to twist around her ankles as she stopped.

"Ah, so your plan is to give everyone a heart-attack."

Despite her flippant remark, Celestia could see the naked lust in her eyes. "I take it you approve?"

Stepping up to Celestia and falling to a knee, Luna offered up her left hand, displaying the golden sunburst engraved ring it bore. Celestia accepted it with her own, the silver crescent moon etched ring shining on her own finger. Luna kissed it, saying, "You are more beautiful as the rising sun. Will you grant me the great joy of breaking the hearts of every man in Equestria?"

"And you as all the stars in the sky," Celestia replied, urging Luna to stand. Holding her sister's chin between her thumb and first knuckle, she continued, "Only if you will do the same for every woman."

Bending down even as Luna rose up to meet her, they shared a short, but passionate kiss.

"This will be a Gala to remember," Luna said as they broke apart.