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Luna's Story 3: Long Live the Night

by Aegis Shield

Chapter 10: Epilogue

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Luna’s Story 3: Long Live the Night
Part 10: Epilogue



One Month Later…

Canterlot was crawling with ponies like so many pastel-colored ants. They’d cleared out all the rubble, and were most of the way through knocking down the buildings that could not be repaired. Bits were changing hooves like crazy and literally thousands of jobs had been created that would last for months on end. Ponies came from all over Equestria to get a chance to help rebuild the capital.

In the end, the battle with the Celestial Beast was another feather in Canterlot’s hat. They’d faced the great wars, and Discord, and a Changling invasion, why not one more thing? The population as a whole was surprised the city hadn’t ever been wreck before, to be honest. But, the chance to rebuild was also a chance to get rid of anything old or rickety, so there was plenty to do. Cartload after cartload of rock, rubble, and refuse was carted all the way out of the city and into the valleys beyond. Artists searched the wreckage for free giant chunks of marble and stone, while woodcarvers jumped at the chance to carve something that had once been a part of ‘Old Canterlot’. So, even in the wreckage that had been taken out of the city, progress and new things were being made.

Princess Celestia was among the workers, and to be quite frank, she had not stopped to sleep in over four weeks. As an alicorn, she could power her body with all the force of the sun, and as such she never halted in her efforts. She was in there with even the most unimportant worker. She moved piles of rubble into carts, mended cracks, pulled carts, and even helped feed everypony when the time came. The workers and builders had seriously high morale, seeing their Princess get her hooves dirty with the rest of them. She loved her city very much, they all said, of course she was out there helping. Only a selfish Princess would stay on a fluffy pillow somewhere and watch. Celestia was starting to worry a few ponies though, none could ever recall her resting. Didn’t she need to at least pause for a little bit, now and then?

Word about Celestia reached Princess Luna, who was busy planning a Lunar Stallion academy and training grounds. Using her personal coffers, she’d bought a balcony neighborhood that had been destroyed. It had been run down and disused anyway, being one of the older, lower tiers. With the money she would repair it, and then build the academy from the ruins for the next wave of Lunar Stallions that was to come. When she heard about Celestia, though, Luna gave pause and frowned over the message. “What is it, Princess?” Aegis Shield asked, looking up from the table holding all the blueprints.

“Our sister is still not resting. She still harbors a little bit of guilt for what happened.” Luna said.

“She shouldn’t. It wasn’t her doing all those horrible things.” Stalwart Hide cocked his head with a frown. “Everypony knows that. She’s gonna make herself sick at this rate.”

“I agree.” Luna said, rolling up the scroll. “Tiz time to take things into our own hooves, I think.”

“What do you have in mind, Princess?” Aegis asked, leaning over the table.

“Mischief, Aegis Shield. Of course, mischief.” A slow smile worked its way across her muzzle. Both Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide knew that look. Luna knew exactly what to do.

=-=-=-=

“A little higher Princess. A little higher!” A pegasus mare was coaxing Celestia to help mount a new statue in the middle of a fountain. The Princess was leaning forward, squinting at the precision work with her horn lit up. The statue of three frolicking foals would look perfect in the new plaza. One of each pony species in various dancing poses, the highest one spouting water from her muzzle, it was pretty charming. “Liiiiittle to the left. Little more. Now towards you some… okay Drippy! Connect the pipe!” she called. A stallion rushed forward with a wrench and connector, working under the statue while Celestia held it. When he was done and gave the signal, the mare nodded. The Princess set the statue down. “Turn it on!” she shouted from her perch on the roof, opening her wings to come down. Somepony twisted the valve open, and the uppermost foal started spraying cool, refreshing water. The Princess smiled, watching the fountain begin to rapidly fill up and cycle itself so the water would keep going. “Perfect, Princess! Thanks!” she cantered and stuck her hoof in the water, nodding with approval. Celestia leaned over the lip of the fountain, smiling faintly at her reflection.

Turning, the white alicorn made to find another group that needed help. But, she was halted by a group of armored guards. She blink-blinked. Three Solar Guards and three Lunar Stallions. Sandwiched between them was a white-coated doctor. “Princess Celestia.” He said, coming forward as the guards fanned out to make a loose circle. “I’m hereby placing you under medical arrest.” He thrust out a slip of paper to her.

The alicorn blinked at him, eyebrows shooting up. “Uh… arrest?” she asked, taking the slip of paper and frowning at it a little. “Extreme exhaustion, mood swings, lack of appetite… home arrest!?” she said with a little squeak. “I’m sorry, doctor, but I must refuse.” She pushed the slip back to him with a little chuckle. “Besides, I’m a princess, I’m afraid my authority trumps yours.” She turned her nose up a little regally, and began to canter away. The guards, both solar and lunar, closed ranks around her to block her path.

“A-Actually your majesty, mine trumps yours at this point.” said the doctor a little hesitantly, bowing his apology. “According to eyewitnesses you have not retired to bed, nor had a decent meal in over four weeks. You have worked greater than sixty hours per week. By Equestrian law 430-3B-0, Article 2, Paragraph 3, that means that you may be legally declared overworked and be forced by law to stop for a twenty-four hour period.” He said, showing her another slip of paper. Celestia took it, squinting at the fine print. Why, she'd written this law! Ages ago! It prevented ponies from overextending themselves and simply dropping dead of exhaustion, but that was back in the dark ages. Who would’ve known to pull such an obscure law? “Now, your Majesty, these six guards will escort you to your room in the palace.” said the doctor, scribbling on a little notepad and ripping it off, giving it to her. Celestia glanced down at the prescription. One meal, eight hours sleep minimum. She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it, then opened it again. She’d… just been arrested, by her own guards. Nothing so outrageous had ever happened before, in the entire history of her rule. She mentally kicked herself for always reminding her little ponies that not even the Princesses were above the law. “Guards?” the doctor said, bowing and standing to one side. “Take her away.” There was a liiiittle too much smugness in his voice for her liking, but she knew that the young doctor would be telling his grand foals about this so she had to chuckle just a little bit.

“This way, Princess.” One of the Solar Guards said, bowing her head and steering Celestia’s shoulder towards the palace. The palace was still mostly in ruin, as both Princesses had demanded that it be the last thing in Canterlot to be restored. Of course their little ponies thought all the more highly of them. So humble, their Princesses were, letting their own home be last in the grand project to rebuild all of Canterlot! Celestia was led down familiar hallways, past dusty avenues and through ashy bits of corridor where there was nothing at all to draw the eye. “We’ll be watching your balcony in case you try to fly away, Princess. Please stay in your room for the next twenty-four hours.” said the guard mare when they’d arrived at her door. She was being serious! Celestia almost scoffed a little, but had long since given in. Whoever wanted her to go rest had been perfectly serious about it. Well, it had been a month of nonstop work, and she was getting a little achy. Despite switching her body over to being completely solar powered, she did miss eating too.

“If anypony needs me--” Celestia said, but all six of the guards scowled at her. Wilting a little and feeling a little wounded at their mean-ness, the alicorn slunk into her room with droopy wings. The door shut behind her and she heaved a long, deep sigh. “House arrest.” She mumbled. “Well, worse may have happened to me, if the circumstances were different.” She folded her wings a little, crossing the room and lighting a lamp. She let out a startled shriek, for there was somepony else there too! Standing in the corner, pressed into shadow, a stallion stared at her. She held her breast to calm her beating heart. “Oh! Oh! Forgive me.” Celestia chuckled a little. “I didn’t see you there. You must be here to make sure I don’t leave, hm?” she peered at him, opening her wings to reflect a bit of the light his way.

“Eeyup.” A barrel-chested stallion stepped out of shadow, nodding slowly.

“Big Macintosh!” Celestia was shocked, then she got a good look at him and her face went scarlet. “Wh… what’re you wearing?!” she looked him up and down. Her ears flicked back when she heard a chuckle behind her door, and the lock clicked into place. “Who’s there?” Celestia turned and put her eye to the keyhole, but couldn’t see anypony. She turned back around to survey the stallion again.

Big Mac was clad in criss-crossing black leather on his chest. A black-with-silver-lining saddle was on his back. The virgin sterling silver snaps held on in only certain hidden places. “Suh-less-tia.” He bowed, gracing her with his wonderful twanging voice.

“O-oh… my.” She said, backing up a little. How had he known? How had he KNOWN she had a secret thing for black leather? She hadn’t told anypony for hundreds of years! Then, she remembered. Her other self, the Celestial Beast, had indulged in the fantasy without thinking about it. The white alicorn smiled embarrassedly at him as he came forward. Smiling lazily, he took her shoulder and led her across the room to a longtable covered with a cloth. He pulled it to reveal several exquisite dishes and a long, bent sofa. The sort that one laid down on during therapy. “It does look delicious.” She said, leaning over it all.

Kuh-WHAP!

Celestia let out a very real yelp, jumping and grabbing her left flank. Big Macintosh had a crop in his teeth suddenly, and used it to point to the sofa. Heart beating fast, the white alicorn moved slowly and sat on it. Stuffing the crop away and out of sight, Big Mac’s chest began to inflate a few times, bigger than normal. Her heart skipped a beat. He only did that when he was about to speak more than a few words. “Somepony sez that ya’ll aren’t takin’ care of yerself.” He said a little sternly, his country twang mezmerizing her. She nodded dumbly, feeling a little guilty that it had come to the point where Big Mac had had to speak. “So yer gonna lay right there an’ rest while ah feed you proper-like-- Then we’ll go from there.” He came forward, done speaking, and nosed her down until she was on her back. She stretched out on the sofa, crossing her legs and daintily folding her wings. The Princess flushed, not used to being fussed over so forcefully. It was kind of exciting, really. She was always in charge of everything, but no, not right now. The red, barrel-chested stallion was in control, and she was gonna lay on the damn couch when he said so. It made her shudder with a rather guilty delight.

Leaning over the table, Big Mac inspected the delicacies. He frowned. What they hay was all this crap? There were so many colors, light crèmes and fancy cheeses he didn’t even know what ninety percent of it was. Rolling his eyes, he leaned and inspected the Princess’ chest and belly. No wonder she was so skinny, they didn’t feed the poor thing for a hill’a’beans. Rolling his eyes, he went and stuck his head under Princess Celestia’s bed. Pulling out his saddlebag, he flipped it open and got her some real food. Chilled apple delights, crisp cold celery, an assortment of berries and grapes, along with a staple of cornbread. Dragging it over, he decided she would have his lunch, rather than feed her the royal garbage on the table. Sidling up next to the couch, he smiled kindly down at her and draped grapes over her.

Celestia smiled shyly, leaning up and plucking one from the bunch with her teeth. Then another, then another. Big Mac was very patient, very stoic as he fed her every last bit of what was in the saddlebag. He became more and more impressed as time went on. He’d never known a mare that could put so much away without getting sick. Then again, she was a big pony like he was, so her stomach was probably big too. It made him smile when she pawed at her lips a little, trying to get rid of the cornbread bits on her face. The stallion leaned over her with an approving, lazy smile and then kissed her on the lips. She flinched a little in surprise, but then cupped his face with one hoof.

Out, beyond the balcony, a Lunar Stallion swooped away.

Big Macintosh nuzzled her strongly, then stuck his muzzle rudely under her side and hefted the entire alicorn onto his back. “Hey!” she yelped, giggling like a spring-time mare. His fur was barely brushed, and had a certain ruggedness to it you could never find in Canterlot. The Princess of the Day blushed despite herself, and hung down over either side of him like a sack of potatoes. With no trouble at all he carted her to the bed, and bucked her right off. She landed on her back and her mane bannered wildly out. She smiled shyly up at him, curling to one side and then over onto her belly. The stallion mounted the bed, clambering up behind her. It didn’t take long for his massive hooves to find her spine. “Auhhh-hugghhh!?” she cried out when his hooves found achy bones and made them crackle like the world was ending. “Ooohhh-ACK!” it was very un-princess-like, but she no longer cared.

Big Macintosh knew he was big. He had big muscles, pulled a big load on the farm, and knew about everything that came with knowing about his big-ness. How to be careful around foals with his massive hooves. How to not put all his strength into apple-bucking, or he’d take out the tree entirely. How to play chiropractor with an ailing mare. Granny Smith and even Apple Jack had asked for his help many a time in the past, and Celestia was certainly no exception. She was still a pony, and her bones were all where everypony else’s were. His powerful pressure really did show off to her how strong he was. And when it came to a stallion whose gruffness came from working on a farm, Celestia could ask for no better. He knew where the muscles were, and how much abuse they could really take while flirting between real pain and healing pain. Crackle! She groaned out again, shifting until her legs were splayed out behind her.

Panting a little, she finally looked back over her shoulder at him. His massive hooves were working as furiously as they did when they usually did this. Smiling and eyeing his rather raunchy attire, she caught his gaze. “Big Mac?” she whispered.

“Yup?” he asked, pausing for a moment to look down at her.

“I know we’ve never gone beyond anything like kissing or… this…” she said softly, blushing. “But perhaps… today…?” the Princess trailed off a little, so very embarrassed.

“Yup.” He said, mounting her Majesty without warning. Dear Faust and all the heavens was that his---!?

(Yup. Yup it was.)

=-=-=-=

Outside, things were going very well. A table had been set up for Luna, her captains, and a couple of architects to conference and exchange ideas over. Princess Luna loomed over complex plans and blueprints. Making very precise mathematical calculations, she’d put on her half-moon glasses and was squinting over a particular area. Using a pencil with her magic, she traced a few lines while Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide watched. She back up, looking at the new line in comparison to the whole picture. The new Lunar Stallion academy was going to be a complex thing, to say the least. Housing two hundred candidates and graduating forty-six was going to be grueling. Very suddenly, her messenger appeared. “Report.” She told the Lunar Stallion.

“Everything is in order, your Majesty, just as you planned.” He bowed low, spreading his wings upon the ground and smiling. Luna nodded her approval, dismissing him.

“Excellent. While Celestia is tied up for the next day or so, maybe we can make some headway on choosing the proper layout for the buildings of the academy.” Luna gestured for Aegis Shield to come close. He did, leaning over several design choices. “What do you think, Captain?” she asked, spreading them out so he could see them all at once.

“YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAS!”

Canterlot ROCKED on its foundations. Pegasi fell out of the sky. Stained glass windows in different wings of the palace imploded with all the violence of a hurricane. Workers rushed to hold onto things that might tump over or break. Very suddenly a wild piece of furniture fell from the sky, blasting apart into a million pieces right next to Stalwart Hide! He flung himself under the table in a panic. “What the buck was that?!” he roared. “Are we under attack?!”

S’nothing.” Aegis said a little thickly, face-hoofing and leaning closer over the plans. His face was scarlet.

“Don’t worry about it, Stalwart Hide.” Luna nodded, smirking. “Nature is... running its course elsewhere, we must focus on the task at hoof.” A bed sheet fluttered slowly through the air from on high and landed right on Stalwart Hide’s head. The sunburst design was a bit of a giveaway. He fought back and forth, trying to get it off of him. Luna vanished it with a flick of magic. “Pay attention, Captain.” She scolded playfully. Stalwart Hide moaned, face-hoofing a little and coming to stand and peer at the plans too. The Princess knew best, he supposed.

“Seriously, what was that?” Stalwart whispered to Aegis.

“Don’t. Ask.” Aegis Shield said. “You don’t wanna know.”

“I do.”

“No. No you don’t.”

Luna snorted with laughter, but shook her head. She knew that the mighty Celestia would sleep like the DEAD that night. Whether she wanted to or not she’d be relaxing for awhile. If she could walk properly the next morning, that is. Luna grinned with mischief in her eyes.

END OF EPILOGUE

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