Twilight grinned happily to herself as she watched Canterlot’s train station draw closer and closer. Though the towers of Canterlot Castle could be seen from miles away, Twilight could now see her former home city was once again brightly decorated. White banners with orange and yellow suns accompanied banners and signs that proclaimed it was Princess Celestia’s birthday. Seemingly every city arch and pair of poles sported a banner. Colorful streamers of light blues, greens, purples, and pinks were hung, wrapped, and strung everywhere, glimmering in the afternoon light much like Celestia’s mane itself did.

The train jolted slightly as the sound of metal grinding against metal was heard, accompanied by a vibrating that shook everything before the train came to a stop. The screeching of metal soon gave way to a loud hiss that filled the air.

Twilight hopped off her seat in the empty train car as her horn glowed purple. A rectangular item perfectly wrapped in teal-colored wrapping paper with a light pink bow floating down from netting above and hovered next to Twilight, surrounded by an aura the same color as the one around her horn.

Cool, fresh air entered the train as the car’s door slid open revealing a gray earth pony stallion with brown muttonchops. In addition to a pair of round spectacles, he wore a train conductors uniform and gave a little bow as Twilight’s eyes met his.

“We’ve arrived at Canterlot station, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight felt her face heat up as she walked towards the door and said a little “Thank you.” to the conductor. She picked up her pace slightly as she made her way past the gray pony, he wouldn’t notice the redness in her cheeks.

Okay… Sure I’m a princess now, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to ponies actually treating me like royalty. Twilight thought to herself as she stepped out of the train car and onto the platform, her wrapped item continuing to float alongside her.

“There’s my little sister!” she heard a feminine voice call out.

Twilight looked up as her face lit up. “Cadance!” she said excitedly as her eyes settled on the light-pink alicorn standing in front of her.

The two mares grinned wide as they galloped up to each other tapping dancing in place, covering their eyes, then tapping hooves before wiggling their flanks at eachother.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”

Both princess erupted into a fit of giggles as other ponies on the platform glanced with happy or baffled looks at the behavior of their royalty.

“It’s so good to see you!” Twilight said with a massive smile.

“You too Twilight!” Cadance said as she returned the grin. “I’ve been really looking forward to spending time with you and again.”

Cadance levitated her own perfectly wrapped gift, an upright rectangular item wrapped with light purple wrapping paper with a light purple bow. Much like Twilight’s item, it floated alongside her as the mares began to trot into the city, their hooves tapping lightly against Canterlot’s cobblestone roads.

Twilight chuckled as the mares trotted along, each glancing at the ponies who ran to-and-fro, continuing to add and check on the massive amount of decorations that seemed to cover the city. “I’m just glad you found an excuse to visit from the Crystal Empire.”

Cadance put on a fake flabbergasted expression. “And miss auntie’s private birthday party? No way!” She chuckled. “The three of us always have so much fun before she has to mingle with all the stuffy nobles.”

Twilight frowned slightly as she remembered wordlessly standing next to Celestia as noble pony after noble pony approached only to bow to Celestia as the ruler simply returned the gesture and welcomed them to the Grand Galloping Gala. Though everyone’s attention revolved around Celestia this day of the year, she was no less tied up with the aristocracy. Twilight’s frown soon gave way to a smile as she remembered the fun and private moments she, Celestia, and Cadance had shared together before the main festivities were held.

The brightness of the sun above was momentarily blocked out as the two passed under a massive white banner that simply bore Princess Celestia’s cutie mark.

“Gee,” Twilight said as she looked up. “Don’tcha think they’re overdoing the decorations a little?”

Cadance giggled. “Princess Luna is handling the preparations. I think she and Celestia have been taking turns trying to one-up one another regarding celebrations ever since Luna’s return.”

Twilight chuckled to herself. “Well, I can think of worse ways a sibling rivalry could unfold.”

“True,” Cadance agreed. She discreetly nodded her head upwards at a white pegasus stallion guardspony in golden armor who directed a small and colorful group of pegasai in affixing yet another banner to a set of polls. “Though I think each sister is also assigning the others most devoted erm… followers… to overseeing the decorations as well. It makes for some… unexpected scenes.”

Twilight paused. “What do you mean?”

“Just watch,” Cadance said softly as she continued to gaze upwards.

Twilight watched as group expertly synchronized tying both ends of the banner to the polls.

“Yes, perfect!” the guardspony proclaimed. He seemed to gaze longingly at Celestia’s cutie mark on the banner “Our Princess is a wondrous being. Like a magnificent mother. If only I could be so grossly incandescent!”

Cadance gave Twilight a wry grin as Twilight looked back with a slightly confused expression.

“He says that every time!” Cadance informed.

“I see…” Twilight said simply as the mares continued their walk.

Cadance giggled once more. “Watching him made waiting for the train far less boring, that’s for sure.”

Twilight’s smile returned. “Well, if we can avoid being bored for the remainder of the day, I’m sure Celestia will be happy.”

Cadance and Twilight’s hooves tapped lightly against the red carpet of Canterlot Castle as they continued to talk amongst themselves. Their pair of perfectly wrapped presents floated alongside them as they cheerfully chatted away, trotting through the big, bright and empty hallway of the massive structure.

“So what did you get her?” Cadance asked.
Twilight turned and smiled, but Cadence quickly continued before Twilight could get a word in.

“No wait, let me guess…” Cadence said with a grin. “A book.”

“Hey!” Twilight protested as she narrowed her eyes slightly as her smile turned playful. “It’s not just a book!” She scrunched her lips to the side of her face. “It’s a special book…” she said with just a hint of indignity in her tone.

Cadence chuckled to herself. “Well… Does this special book have a name?”

“Maaaaaaybe…” Twilight replied with a coy smile. “But maybe I want everypony to be surprised when I bring it out.”

Cadance rolled her eyes but also maintained her playful smile.

“So what did you get Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked.

Cadance smirked. “A plant.”

It was Twilight’s turn to roll her eyes while smiling. “I see… Just ‘a plant’, huh?”

Cadance closed her eyes and lifted her muzzle into the air as she put on a fake snobbish look. “It’s a special plant.”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Well, I’m sure Celestia will love it.”

Cadance frowned slightly. “I hope so… I mean… What do you get for the mare who has everything?”

Twilight chuckled. “I know what you mean… I think I lucked out this birthday for a change…” She frowned and her eyes went distant. “However previous birthday’s…” Twilight shook her head and exhaled. “Lots of pictures made out of glue, glitter, and macaroni…”

Cadance lifted a foreleg up just enough to elbow Twilight. “I know… I helped you make them…”

Twilight teetered to herself. “Oh yeah…” Twilight grinned. “Now that you mention it. I seem to remember both of us giving our pictures to Celestia for her Birthday.”

Cadance giggled. “Do you think she has them pinned up on a royal fridge somewhere?”

Twilight and Cadance laughed as they passed through a large golden arch, entering a massive open room with tapestry covered walls. The red carpet continued in front of them, splitting out to the left and the right at a golden eight-point star on the carpet and continuing up a flight of stairs to a raised platform.

To Cadance’s and Twilight’s great surprise, it was not Princess Celestia who stood atop the platform, but Princess Luna.

“Princess Cadance, Princess Twilight, thank you both for coming on such short notice,” Luna said in a somewhat somber tone.

“Uh… Of course, Princess Luna,” Twilight said as she gave Luna a somewhat unsure smile. “Like I’d ever miss Princess Celestia’s birthday.”

“Is… Is something the matter?” Cadance asked. “I mean… This is just a simple birthday get-together amongst us princesses before the big festivities, right?”

Luna pursed her lips slightly. “Sister has been acting a bit… peculiar today…”

Twilight and Cadance looked at each other and begin giggling to themselves.

“Well, that’s no big surprise,” Cadance said. “She always gets a bit antsy before her big birthday celebrations.”

“I know, right?” Twilight said. “I don’t think she likes being reminded of how old she is…”

Cadance smiled wide. “I always suspected she allowed these huge celebrations if only because she gets a giant cake every year.”

The two mares shared more happy laughter as Luna furrowed her brow and glared at them. She began to bellow at a supernaturally loud volume. “DO YOU NOT THINK WE WOULD NOT NOTICE IF SISTER WAS ACTING STRANGER THAN USUAL ON HER BIRTHDAY?! THOUGH WE HAD BEEN ABSENT FOR SOME TIME, WE HAVE ALSO CELEBRATED THIS SPECIAL DAY WIT HER!”

Twilight and Cadance leaned back slightly and looked up at Luna with large, somewhat frightened eyes.

“Sa… Sorry Princess Luna…” Cadance said. “We didn’t mean to suggest—”

Luna sighed, lowered her head, and shook it. She returning to a normal speaking voice. “No, it is I who should apologize… I should not have snapped at you two like that…” Luna looked up with an apologetic expression. “I am just… concerned for my sister…” Luna frowned deeply. “Her strange actions aside, something about her doesn’t feel right.

Twilight smiled warmly and began to trot up the steps, Cadance followed.

“Well, what has she done that makes you think there’s cause for concern?” Twilight asked.

Luna descended a few steps to meet Twilight halfway. “She refused to review any of the preparations for her celebration,” she said.

Cadance eyed Luna cautiously as she trotted up to the other princesses. She began to reply in a somewhat calculated sounding tone. “Well, she does seem to prefer to dwell as little on her birthday as possible… I mean, she certainly considers most the day’s festivities more a celebration for her subjects then herself…”

Luna nodded. “Yes, but she dismissed both her assistant and our royal butler with little more than a few words this morning… She even elected to skip breakfast with me…”

Twilight frowned slightly. “Maybe she’s just feeling particularly reclusive this year... ”

Luna shook her head. “I do not think so, Twilight Sparkle. While she often shows little to no interest in the celebration at large, it is rare for her to not take every opportunity to spend time with those that she cares about most on her birthdays…” she said in a slightly sad tone as her ears flopped down around her head.

Twilight and Cadance exchanged knowing smiles.

Twilight spoke up, “I’m sure Celestia is just feeling a little… grumpier about today than usual.”

Cadance nodded in agreement.

Luna sighed. “Sister did get increasingly moody on her birthdays as the years went on… Maybe you’re right…” Luna said in a tone that made it clear she was trying to convince herself as much as anything.

“Don’t worry about it,” Cadance said warmly. “Once Celestia sees the three of us, she’ll perk right up! You’ll see.”

“Hmmmm…” Luna hummed thoughtfully as she turned and began trotting back up the steps motioning with her head slightly for the other two to follow. “I do hope you are right, Princess Cadance.”

The trio made their way down another hallway then up a staircase, trotting in silence as the light jovial mood had thickened into something far denser and tense. After a lengthy, silent journey through the castle, the trio arrived at a large white door with a golden frame that bared Celestia’s golden orange-and-yellow cutie mark.

Luna raised her hoof and rapped on the massive ornate door. “Sister? The other princess have arrived. May we enter?”

The trio paused as silence was the only answer.

Twilight stared at the door in concern. In stark contrast, a massive grin spread across Cadance’s face.

“Hey auntie!” Cadance called out. “Twily and I are here to play.”

Luna turned with a look of shock as Twilight did her best to stifle a giggle.

“Sorry, Princess Luna,” Cadance said. “This is how we always greet Princess Celestia on her birthday… I think she likes remembering us as foals.”

‘Creeeeek…’

Luna and Twilight jumped slightly as the white door slowly opened.

“See!” Cadance said as she turned and walked into the room. “Nothing to worry about. She’s just playing with us.”

Twilight chuckled and trotted after Cadance. “Sounds about right.”

Luna merely pursed her lips in annoyance and followed.

The trio of princess soon found they had gone from alone in the hallway, to alone in Celestia’s welcoming room. A well-lit, spacious room full of comfortable looking chairs, but devoid of any signs of Celestia herself.

“Sister! Show yourself!” Luna said in a slightly demanding tone.

Twilight frowned. “She’s not here.”

“DO YOU THINK WE ARE BLIND, TWILIGHT SPARKLE?!”

Twilight shrunk away from Luna’s bellow, her ears flopping around her head as she took several steps away from the lunar princess.

Luna hung her head. “Sorry, Twilight Sparkle… That was… that was uncalled for. But if this is a game, I wish my sister weren’t so good at setting an atmosphere.”

Cadance mustered a giggle. “Auntie does know how to lure in ponies and go for the kill.” Cadance turned to Twilight. “Remember the Nightmare Night when she personally invited us to the castle?”

Luna’s ears perked up with interest.

“Ugh… How can I forget?” Twilight said as her expression softened and her ears perked up right again. “She managed to get just the two of us to walk halfway through an empty, dark castle by ourselves before jumping out! I can’t even remember how much candy she had to give me to get me to stop crying and swear I wouldn’t say a word to my parents.”

Cadance shook her head. “I think the pile was bigger than me by the time you finally stopped sniffling.”

Twilight smirked. “I seem to recall a certain pony screaming just as loud as me when Celestia finally showed herself.”

Cadance gave wrinkled her brow as she continued to smile at Twilight. “She had prepared red flame jets and a black and red costume complete with a realistic demon mask! Cut me some sla—”

‘Creeeek…’

The girls turned as another door opened inside the welcome room

“Celestia’s study?” Twilight uttered.

Cadance chuckled and trotted up to the open door.

“Cadance?” Twilight called out in a concerned tone.

“Don’t worry…” Cadance said in a hushed tone. “Remember the year when Celestia threw herself a reverse surprise party? That was fun and not nearly as mentally scaring as Nightmare Night.”

Twilight’s expression softened. “Oh yeah… I was pretty little still, though…” Twilight said as she followed Cadance.

“Hehe. That’s probably why auntie settled for just jumping out and shouting ‘surprise’!”

Twilight twittered as Luna scowled grumpily and trotted behind the other girls.

“Haha!” Cadance cried happily as she walked through the door. “There you are! You had…” Cadance’s eyes widened as she sniffed the air. “Wha… No…” she uttered as the gift she had so carefully carried all this way fell to the ground with the heavy sound of something shattering inside.

“Cadance!” Twilight cried as she and Luna galloped up to the stunned mare. “What…” Twilight’s eyes traced Cadances to what she was staring at. “Celestia!” Twilight cried out in alarm as she let her own present fall to the ground.

“Sister!” Luna exclaimed in a tone that echoed Twilights.

The two mares galloped past Cadance and up to Celestia. The princess stood motionless in the center of her study, standing straight with her eyes opened wide and staring far off into empty space. A yellow hue and shimmering orb surrounded her from the top of her horn down to her neck. Inside the shimmer, the yellow shifted ever so slightly like a heavy mist being blown by the light currents of Celestia’s breathing. Around her neck was a purple pouch with a pink heart shaped jewel on the front. A twisted green strap held the pouch partially closed and circled Celestia’s neck from one side to the other like a twisted vine.

“What is this?!” Twilight cried as she stared at pouch around Celestia’s neck.

“I do not know, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said. “But we should attempt to remove it from my sister at once.

“No argument here!” Twilight cried.

Luna’s horn began to glow a brilliant azure color as she stared intensely at the item around her sister’s neck.

“Luna stop!” Cadance quickly called out. “Don’t disrupt that field! It could be deadly for all of us.

Twilight took a few cautious steps away from the alicorn sisters and turned to Cadance with a frightened look.

With a look of reluctance, Luna turned to face Cadance, the bright glow from her horn subsiding until it returned to its regular midnight blue color.

“I… I think I know what the item is around Celestia,” Cadance said in a tentative tone.

Twilight swallowed as she stared at Cadance. Cadance’s constant upbeat attitude had vanished and the mare had the look as if she was staring at death itself.

Luna flashed Cadance a dark look. “If that item is a danger to my sister, it should be removed at once!”

“That would be bad for all four of us,” Cadance said in a serious tone.

“Cadance?” Twilight uttered. “What do you mean?”

“That’s a containment field around Celestia” Cadance said as she nodded towards the yellowish orb around Celestia’s head. “I think it’s not completely airtight just to keep Celestia from suffocating, but…” Cadance sniffed the air. “There’s a faint smell of heart’s desire pollen in the air. If pollen is collected from multiple flowers it can put a pony into a fugue like state where they dream of their hearts greatest desire.” She frowned heavily. “It’s incredible dangerous in such a great amount. The longer a pony remains in that state, the more… agitated they are when they leave and have to face reality.” Cadance swallowed heavily. “And some ponies don’t wake up at all.”

Twilight and Luna sniffed the air and gave Cadance a careful look.

“I smell nothing,” Luna said.

Twilight nodded and looked at Cadance. “How can you tell?” she asked.

Cadance turned and waggled her flank slightly, drawing attention to her heart-shaped cutie mark. “Believe me, I know heart’s desire when I smell it, and judging by the color of the air around Celestia, that pouch was full of it.”

“Then we haven’t a second to lose!” Luna declared. “We must remove this offending item from my sister before it’s too late.”

Cadance nodded. “Agreed, but we have to be careful. It won’t do Celestia any good if we all fall under its spell.” Cadance peered at the yellow hue inside the shimmering field carefully. “And it looks like there’s enough pollen in there to affect everypony in the castle if it gets out.”

“Well, what do we do?!” Twilight cried. “We can’t just leave her like this!”

Cadance pursed her lips. “Well… if we can remove the bag and jewel while leaving the containment shield intact, maybe we can destroy the pollen from the inside before it spreads. It should only be dangerous in its raw state.”

Luna nodded. “Very well. How do we proceed?”

“Er…” Cadance gave Luna a sheepish look. “I’m not certain how that jewel is making the field. We’ll need to figure that out first.”

Luna turned to give one of Celestia’s bookshelves a very agitated glare.

Cautiously, Twilight approached Celestia and eyed the shimmer carefully, her eyes wandering up to the very tip of Celestia’s horn. “No…” Twilight said in a whisper. “I don’t believe it…”

“Twilight Sparkle?” Luna said her ears perking up. “What have you found?”

“This jewel… It certainly looks like something that could cast and maintain something as simple as a containment field… but it’s inactive.”

Cadance shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense! Then how could…” Cadance’s eyes widened as realization set in. “No…” she murmured.

“The… the co-containment field,” Twilight stuttered as she stared at glowing tip of Celestia’s horn. “Celestia is maintaining that herself.”

“What?!” Luna boomed. “No that can’t be! Sister would never—”

“Wait!” Twilight called out. “Maybe Celestia put up the field to protect everypony… Maybe she somehow knew the pollen would affect others as the field the jewel created waned and instinctively used her own magic to keep the pollen from spreading.”

Luna frowned. “I suppose that’s possible… If she somehow was aware of what was going on enough to user her own magic…”

Cadance took a few steps forward. “It’s also possible she subconsciously wants the effects of the pollen to last…”

Silence once again descended upon the trio like a heavy fog.

“Hehehe. My goodness!”

This time all three princess jumped as the sound of a familiar laugh filled the air.

A radiant glowing mane of light pink, purple, green, and blue shimmered as Celestia entered the room with a smile bright enough to match her perpetually sparkling mane. “You’ve all looked like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Sister?” Luna said as she eyed the new arrival suspiciously. She motioned to the Celestia which stood motionless in the center of the room. “If this is an elaborate ruse, then I’m afraid I fail to see—”

Twilight’s face lit up. “Celestia!” she cried excitedly as she broke into a gallop straight towards her former mentor.

“TWILIGHT!” Cadance cried. “GET AWAY FROM HER! THAT’S NOT—”

‘SCHOORCHCH!’

Cadance and Luna watched in horror as a fiery green bolt of energy flickered from Celestia’s horn in into Twilight. Twilight was blown across the room, coming to a hard, fast, and loud stop with a heavy ‘thunk!’ as she crashed into Celestia’s heavy wooden desk.

“Twilight!” Cadance cried as she galloped up to the fallen mare.

Twilight moaned softly from the floor.

“Like lambs to the slaughter…” Celestia said as her voice deepened.

Luna’s horn began to glow bright azure again as she shot a look burning with rage at Twilight’s attacker. “Who are you?!”

‘Celestia’s’ lilac colored eyes suddenly glowed as bright green flames seemed to consume them, leaving emerald irises and black slits for pupils in their wake. “Just someone out to deliver well-deserved revenge.”

Celestia’s eyes fluttered open as the first rays of sunlight eked past the thick purple curtains and into her spacious bedroom. A smile slowly crept across her face as she sat up. She somehow couldn’t help but smile wider as the sun’s rays caught her pink mane which began to shimmer and change color. Soon her mane was billowing in the breezeless room, light green, blue, and purple joining the formerly dull pink hue.

A large lump under the white covers next to Celestia moaned in a deep, masculine tone as a gray foreleg shot out to claim one of the pillows Celestia had been resting on just moments ago. The hoof flicked upwards, momentarily forcing the pillow upright before it fell across from Celestia in a ‘puff’.

“Tell your sister to put the sun back down,” the lump said. “Tell her she raised it too early.”

Mirthful laughter poured from Celestia’s mouth that filled the room. “I think she’s heard that a few too many times from me as it is. Maybe you should try telling her.”

The pillow shifted revealing a square grey muzzle and single kind-looking if slightly agitated emerald eye. “She never listens to me. You’ll have better luck.”

Celestia grinned. “And you won’t have to get out of bed?”

“That too.” The green eye drifted upwards. “Also, please turn your mane off if you would.”

Celestia chuckled. “You know it just does that in the sunlight. It’s not like I have any control over it.”

The eye and muzzle retreated under the pillow once more. “Remind me to double up on the curtains.”

Celestia paused as her ears perked up, picking up the faint, but familiar sound of tiny hooves excitedly tapping against the floor outside the bedroom. “I think what’s outside is the least of your concerns when it comes to sleeping in.”

“... Tell the kids ‘auntie made a mistake and the sun isn’t supposed to be up for another ten minutes… hour…’”

“Ha!” Celestia exclaimed as the tapping of hooves grew louder. “Well you know they never listen to me!”

“... Tell them that the best birthday present they can give you is the gift of silence… Also happ—”

‘SLAM!’

The lump sighed heavily as the sound of the bedroom door flying open and colliding with the wall crushed any chance it had at remaining a lump in the bed as opposed to an adult stallion.

Celestia simply focused her smiling face towards the now open door.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!” an orange unicorn filly with red-and-yellow mane exclaimed from the very center of the open doorway.

From behind the filly, a smaller purple unicorn filly with a straight purple mane forcefully pushed her way past the orange filly. The two girls had exchanged sour looks for only a moment before the the purple filly turned to Celestia and smiled wide. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMA!”

A pair of dazzling smiles flashed out from the fillies in front of her and somehow, against all odds, Celestia felt her smile widen. She couldn’t imagine any other place she’d want to be rather than right here.

Not even for a moment.