Twilight and Luna’s banter continuing, a swift decision as to who should have the great honour of entering Rarity’s boutique first was completely forgotten in their friendly competition.

While both Luna and Twilight had tried to lay obvious why the other one should enter first by exchanging platitudes about rank, seniority, and any other nonsensical thing they could think of, Luna finally had enough. Trying to end and settle their friendly debate, she used one of her wings to stealthily shove Twilight along.

Recognizing Luna’s poorly hidden gesture as the attempt it was and genuinely trying to be the gentle mare in this situation at any cost, Twilight instead lit her horn in a last-second attempt to ‘guide’ Luna through the doors of the Carousel-Boutique.

Their combined efforts to show a non-existent audience that their companion was more deserving of the honour to enter first culminated in both somewhat wrestling and getting tangled up in each other's attempt to shove them through the door.

Caught up in their game, both ponies initially failed to realise that they were about to tip over, and before any of them could do anything to stop it, both landed with a resounding thud on the other side of the threshold.

Recovering first, Luna emerged from their kerfuffle on top of her friend by pure chance. Peering down, she couldn’t help but start giggling at the indignant look Twilight gave her as she recovered from her brief disorientation.

Pinned down by Luna’s hooves planted on either side of her head, Twilight looked up at the mare sitting on top of her. The situation altogether just too suggestive, she couldn’t help but blush as Luna started to giggle.

Watching her friend's flustered expression almost reach to her ears, Luna made no attempt at forcing down her laughter nor showed any signs of moving from her newly found perch.

Trying to wiggle free of their involuntary embrace, Twilight’s blush would have only grown if possible as Luna seemed to settle down in contentment on her newly chosen perch.

Grinning smugly down at her fellow princess and keepingTwilight pinned. Since the younger pony didn’t want to push her friend away, she was forced to watch as Luna grinned and leaned closer.

“Well, well, well, my little Dusky, I didn’t know you wanted me that badly,” Luna quietly purred into Twilight’s ear, causing the unicorn to tense up at the thought. “To think, all you would have needed to do was ask,” she continued, quickly and playfully licking the top of Twilight’s nose before eventually getting up and sashaying to the side.

It was almost too much.

Twilight had to remind herself multiple times that right now, Luna was just playing a role. Though as luck would have it, her streak of embarrassment was not going to end, as a very worried Rarity suddenly stepped into her field of view, almost making her “eep” with a sudden feeling of dread.

---

Having been alerted by the commotion downstairs, both Rarity and her employee, Sassy Saddles, had come rushing down the staircase of Rarity’s Canterlot subsidiary in the fear of somepony possibly getting hurt in their store.

However, finding a pair of ponies suggestively entangled with one another in her doorway had not been high on her list of possibilities of what could have happened.

Nevertheless, the brief display of affection had caused both ponies to stop in their rush and made Sassy almost swoon at the romantic display.

Though Rarity, who was made from sterner stuff when it came to romance, quickly found her rhythm again.
Pretending as if everything was normal, she tried to greet their new guests as best as she could, all the while not entirely unable to hide a small blush of her own in her white fur.

Before she could say anything however, the Pegasus mare seemed to briefly licked the nose of her companion with but the tip of her tongue and started to get up to make room for her partner to do the same.

Taken aback and unable to decide if she should be affronted or not by such an intimate display of affection taking place in the midst of her doorway, Rarity paused for a moment.

Not only did the Unicorn struggle to get up, but as soon as she stepped closer, reality seemingly crashed down on the poor filly, and she stiffened up all over with an “eep” resembling the most frightened tones Fluttershy could produce.

Looking at the Unicorn, something seemed off about her. Rarity couldn’t entirely place it, though the pony seemed oddly familiar.
She was sure she didn’t know her, or at least hadn’t seen her before, yet at the same time, she seemed oddly familiar. Something about that mare was familiar, she was sure of that, but she couldn’t put her hoof down on what it was.

Briefly shaking her head and trying to make it seem like a ladylike disapproval of their banter, Rarity did her best to hide her surprise and put on a kind smile.

“Oh, welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique,” she said finally, settling into her role of salespony. “What brings you two darlings into my establishment on this fine day?”

---

Pleased with the outcome of their banter, Luna helped Twilight up with her right wing and tried to make use of the situation as best as she could.

Excusing themselves and explaining that they were partners who got caught up in their earlier argument, it seemed as if Rarity did not know what to make of them. But as Luna explained to her that they were here because they needed a new set of dresses so that they could attend a few parties in the upper echelons of Canterlots society, their unusual entrance was swiftly forgotten.

Uneasy with the whole situation, Twilight tried to protest at first that she did not need a new dress. During the unfolding discussion, Luna made it look so easy to stay in character, while Twilight struggled and tried her best to argue herself out of the situation and not let on that she knew both Rarity and Ms. Saddles.

Having none of that, Luna opted to ignore Twilight on that matter and managed to drag her deeper into the store after some skillfully placed words and affectionate gestures.

Adding to Twilight's dismay, it did not take long for Rarity, being the skilled salespony she was, and Luna to talk her into trying out one dress to see if it would fit.

And then a second.

And a third.

Paired with Luna’s insistence, Twilight’s admitted half-hearted resolve not to participate had melted away in no time and so she found herself waiting on her in-character marefriend outside the dressing rooms.

Still agitated, she fidgeted somewhat with the dress that Rarity had given her and dutifully awaited Luna's judgement.

If Twilight was asked, she would have said that she thought she could pull that particular dress off quite well, and even toyed with the idea of having it shown to her when she was back in Ponyville without her disguise.

Having to hide who you are in front of one of your best friends was; distracting.

Although it could have also been the dress that was distracting her.

For her to even consider the dress in the long run, she needed accommodations for her wings, and as Twilight found out right now, even though she was disguised as a unicorn, her back and sides were as sensitive as when she had her wings folded to her sides.

It felt like torture.

She didn’t know what annoyed her more: that the loose ends of fabric from where the dress had been fixed in places tickled her, or that she felt hot all over because of the dense cloth restricting her sides where her wings normally were.

The feeling was strange. On one hoof it was oddly comforting being hugged by the garment in such a way, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but dislike it.

Although one thing was for sure, it made her twitch imperceptible all over and she unconsciously tried to wiggle around in the dress, trying to find a better position.

Something the expert seamstress did not miss.

Seeing her clientele slightly dance around in agitation, Rarity lifted a dainty eyebrow and asked, “Is something the matter, Ms. Duskshine?”

Squaring her shoulders and feeling like she might bolt, Twilight tried to hide her discomfort and shook her head. “Oh no, Ms. Rarity, everything is just fine, thank you,” she dismissed.

Seeing right through that lie, her hard trained decorum just barely caught her unconscious raising of one of her eyebrows and Rarity instead smiled politely. Lighting her horn, she brought up her measuring tape over to Twilight’s back, making the disguised alicorn almost step back at her friend’s sudden touch.

Humming to herself, Rarity swiftly removed a few pins from Twilight’s dress designed to keep it form-fit and at Twilight’s almost inaudible sigh of relief, the seamstress regarded her customer with curiosity.

Looking her up and down, Twilight felt as if Rarity was somewhat judging her, but before that sense of unease could settle, Rarity’s usual smile returned onto her lips, “A bit sensitive, are we?” she concluded, her voice knowing.

For a lack of an otherwise appropriate reaction, Twilight simply nodded along with a sheepish smile on her face.

“Well, I don’t want to be too intrusive my dear, but I would suggest you should check over your wardrobe. I can imagine the search for the right saddle can surely be jarring, though if they are too tight such sensitivity will only get worse,” she said, with a slight smile and a sigh, “believe me, I speak with experience.” she added.

Hastily latching on to the given curveball, Twilight sheepishly nodded at the accusation, “Well, yeah, but it is rather hard to find something my size sometimes,” she said, her smile glassy at the lie.

Nodding in understanding, Rarity pursed her lips, “Indeed, and as they say beauty knows no pain,” she concluded with a smile, “Though, if you want, you could bring one or two of them along next time and Miss Saddles or I could give them a once over, maybe making them more accommodating?” she offered, her smile genuine.

Quickly fabricating a relieved smile onto her lips, a skill she was most thankful for right now, Twilight nodded again, “Oh that would be most generous of you. Thank you very much!” she said, her mind still in full out panic at talking to one of her best friends without her overstepping any boundaries given the fact that her character Duskshine did not know her prior in person.

“Of course, my dear, I would be a poor fashionista if I was blind to my customer’s needs,” she said, with a wink.

Laughing somewhat uneasy, Twilight couldn't help but nod, knowing that no other boutique in Canterlot would make such an offer, instead opting to try to sell her a new pair of saddles and dresses.

But for Rarity, while Miss Duskshine was just another pony, just another customer out of possibly hundreds or more, she still offered such a mundane and cost-inefficient service to a random pony she didn’t even know.

If she would have been herself, Twilight knew she wouldn’t even have batted an eye at such an offer, but since she wasn't supposed to be herself, she needed to show her surprise and gratitude somehow.

But how?

She wasn't supposed to know Rarity, a feat rather hard for her since she was one of her best friends, and while she knew of Rarity's generosity, Miss Duskshine wouldn't.

While Twilight was still debating how she could show that she was unaccustomed to her friend’s generosity, Rarity had turned her head and looked at the curtains Luna was currently behind.

As soon as she did so, the curtains parted, guided by Sassy’s magic, and revealed Luna in yet another dress.

The conversation Twilight was having instantly forgotten and her half constructed sentences died on her tongue, she had to use every bit of self-control not to directly gawk at her friend's look.

While Luna had introduced the two of them as marefriends, a fact which had made Twilight previously almost choke on the spot, Twilight now found herself thankful of that, because as Miss Moonlight’s marefriend, she was not entirely supposed to hide her almost hungry looks at her.

Or at the very least, she would not be judged by staring at her.

Or would she?

Well, at least Luna knew her real identity and would know if Twilight outwardly gawked at her.

She could judge her.

Though Luna wouldn’t have introduced them as marefriends if something like that would bother her? Or would she?

Had she noticed her previous glances? Would Luna be offended if she stared? Or even more headache-inducing, would Luna be offended if she didn’t stare?

And who would be offended, Luna or Moonlight?

Had Luna noticed how she had watched her walk, that she had watched her fur dance in the slight breeze, that she had yearned for being able to touch her, to feel her strong muscles beneath her coat, to feel the silk of her fur and be able to smell the scent of her?

Twilight had to admit, she already had stared, but now?

Now, seeing Luna in that elegant, night-blue dress.

A dress designed to exaggerate her feminine curves, a dress which showed off her well-formed body, a dress that hugged her form so well that it played in the light as if where specifically tailored to her form.

Now, Twilight found herself unable to look away, even though she tried.

As Luna stepped out from behind the curtains, revealing herself in her full glory and sashaying slowly, Twilight couldn’t help but notice that Luna seemed to always have an eye on her.

Twilight tried to look away, tried to look as if Luna was just showing off a new dress, but she couldn't.

Her eyes were almost glued to the form of her friend, to the subtle swaying of her hips as she walked closer and to the almost inviting grin she had on her face.

Neither Rarity nor Sassy Saddles had any place in Twilight’s mind right now, their commenting voices completely drowned out.

The only thing important right now was Luna and the way she came ever closer, the way she flaunted herself in front of her.

Coming to a stop in front of Twilight, Luna eagerly looked down at her, her face sprouting a warm smile and, knowing full well of Twilight’s undivided attention, she slowly spun around in front of her, showing every bit of herself to her friend.

Following Luna showing off in front of her with her gaze, Twilight couldn’t help but let her eyes roam around her friend's body as she did so.

Through the dress she was able to see her friend’s strong muscles dance through her coat even better.

During her long life, Luna had undoubtedly trained and exercised a lot, and Twilight could now see the result of every hour of training invested.

As Luna spun and showed off, Twilight had to admit, even though Luna sprouted strong muscles all along her body, her feminine curves were not diminished because of it. Her Flank was still ample and soft, it seemed as if it would still be able to cushion her when she sat down and did not look as if she was just an athlete.

Twilight remained standing and managed to resist her urge to lift her hoof and touch Luna, but she was unable to stop herself from staring.

The image of Luna, even though she was transformed slightly, burned itself into her mind.

As Twilight found herself starting to feel aroused, she internally cursed that she hadn’t been able to take care of certain things yet and knew with renewed certainty that she most definitely needed to sleep alone tonight.

As Luna concluded another circle only to start another with a slight bounce in her hips, Twilight felt a faint blush spread onto her muzzle, only growing the longer she looked.

She wanted to be able to touch her crush so badly, and seeing her so suggestive right now made Twilight desire Luna even more.

Restraining herself, Twilight shook her head to try to clear some of the cobwebs that had settled over her mind, but outside of making her look ridiculous it had no effect.

As Luna finished another of her spins, the older pony grinned fiendishly and leaned closer, something Twilight didn’t seem to notice.

Slowly and carefully, so as to not startle her friend away, Luna softly planted a small peck on Twilight’s cheek, agonisingly close to Twilight’s lips, almost making the young pony turn her head in a trance to correct this slight error.

“Hmmm, like what you see?” Luna purred only for Twilight to hear, her voice dimmed and slurred slightly, only adding to her friends trance and making the younger pony shudder and humm in affirmation.

After a bit of contemplation, Luna leaned even closer, her mouth briefly grazing one of Twilight’s ears, “You know, you look rather fetching yourself,” she hummed, her voice almost turned into a whisper and with more air than needed, making Twilight’s ear flick subconsciously.

Gulping dryly, Twilight had to pin her ears to her head and all but stumbled one step back, “W-well… thank you…” she said, her voice unsteady and with her gaze forced to the ground.

Unfurling one of her wings, Luna slowly guided the tip of her feathers below Twilight’s chin and made the young pony look up and into the night princesses eyes .

Seeing the glistening adoration from her friend almost radiating off of her in waves, Luna briefly considered to finally truly peck her friend onto her lips, but restrained herself at the last second. Instead, she playfully licked the top of Twilight's nose with her tongue, making Twilight go cross-eyed instead and visibly shudder because of her teasing.

Luna was almost sure that, if she continued, Twilight would either snap right here and now, or start to flee from her presence.

Not willing to risk the latter, she slowly let go of Twilight’s chin and lowered her wing, but not before swiftly stroking a primary over her cheek in affection and finally folded her feathery appendage back at her side.

Smiling one last smile at her friend, Luna turned her gaze away from Twilight and looked over to Rarity and her assistant, who both had remained silent throughout most of their intimate moment.

“Well, I believe my companion seems to appreciate thy garment,” Luna said, a slight smile tugging on her lips as she took one step back, bringing slightly more distance between herself and Twilight.

Her head almost imperceptibly following, Twilight couldn’t help but agree, while feeling a pang of regret spike through her heart at knowing Luna only played her role.

Why did everything have to be so hard?

You could have it easier, you know?

---

Looking up from the documents held in her magical grip, Celestia smiled. “So far I like your plans, Ms. Tusk,” she said, nodding to the Diamond Dog and her two assistants.

“That is wonderful to hear, Princess,” Elos Tusk said, bowing deeply, with one of her clawed paws swinging out to the side, “but I have not come here just to show off what my engineers have come up with, but to ask for funds to help start production,” she added.

“I see. Then tell me, what would you and your company need for these air filtration devices to be produced?” Celestia asked, nodding to her scribe to switch from transcribing to noting down every word spoken.

“Ah, wonderful, I have had one of my assistants prepare the numbers for you”, she said, nodding to her unicorn assistance who swiftly replaced the current chart on the display stand with one that was filled with a balance sheet and some projections.

“As you can see, princess, our company would require a finance injection of about eight hundred thousand bits which together with the investors we already have would amount to a total of one and a half million bits to allot land, buy the necessary equipment, ethically source the resources and start production within a three-year period,” the white stallion said, using his magic to point to the various columns named.

Nodding, Celestia looked over the number sheet quickly. “If I may, what do you mean by ethically sourced?” she asked, putting the notes she had been handed into the hoofs of her assistance.

“Well, we would need to get the required carbon for the filtration systems out of coal mines from the Griffin Kingdoms,” the pegasus assistance spoke up seamlessly, handing Celestia another piece of paper, “raw material for the metal could be found in the badlands, where we also can have it locally be mined, refined, and molded into train moveable pieces. While the necessary leather can be imported from Yakyakistan and should be the easiest to source, the required rubber and other small parts can be found mostly spread between the Kirin forests and Baltimare where a small Pony-Kirin community has started exporting these in respectable quantities a few decades ago and could most likely provide the necessary quantities within the allotted construction time of the main factory,” she explained.

“I see,” Celestia mused, “I will have a closer look into the details gentle-creatures, but I can already say that I am intrigued.”

“Thank you, your highness,” Ms. Tusk spoke up again, “we will stay in the city for another week and hope to have another audience with you this coming Friday, before we depart,” she inquired.

“Most certainly,” Celestia said, nodding to her assistance, who quietly started to hush out the date and time for another audience with Ms. Tusks assistances.

“Then I thank you for your time, your Highness!” Ms. Tusk bowed low again.

“Of course. The crown gladly helps inventors and entrepreneurs who are in it for the betterment of all creatures,” Celestia said, smiling. “I shall have my assistants look over your proposal until…?”, she looked over to her assistance.

“If your Highness is alright with it, Friday half past two in the afternoon seems to suit all parties just fine,” Raven said briskly.

“Friday half past two in the afternoon,” Celestia finished her sentence, smiling back at the Diamond Dog.

“Gladly, your highness.” Ms. Tusk said, starting to help her assistances break down the presentation gear they had brought with them.

Waiting for all three of them to make their way out of the throne room, Celestia stood up and stretched briefly.

Looking at the stack of papers Ms. Tusk and her entourage have left behind, Celestia smiled. Addressing the last attendance of hers standing at the ready, she quickly sent the mare off to have both her treasurers and her financial advisors take a look at the proposal, before the sight of Cadance entering the throne room from the back entrance distracted her.

“A good session, I take it?” Cadance asked, as she came inside.

“Of course,” Celestia said, nodding. “An engineering team from Manehattan has come up with a wonderful invention for which they are looking to source funds,” she added.

“A new invention?” Cadance asked, cocking her head, “what is it?”

Grabbing a piece of paper from the stack for her own perusal later that day, Celestia held up a schematics page. “A device that is supposed to help ponies and other creatures’ breath and keep their lungs free of dust and debris in dusty environments like mines and the like.”

“Interesting…”

“Very much so,” Celestia said, nodding, “according to their prototypes and already conducted tests, it seems that it reduces health related injuries in those work fields and hopefully improves the working conditions too.”

“Very interesting,” Cadance said, looking thoughtful. “Then I am not interrupting anything, am I?” she asked.

“Of course not, you could never.” Celestia said, smiling.

“Well, then I have here someone who would like to see her aunt,” Cadance said, smiling and turning to the side where Celestia could see a happy alicorn filly standing on her mother’s back.

“Flurry!” Celestia burst out, ecstatic, quickly levitating the young filly into her arms. “I thought you left her with your staff in the Crystal Empire,” she wondered aloud.

“Yes, we did, but after we realised that there was no more immediate battle or uncontrollable danger, I sent a missive for Sunburst to come to Canterlot and bring her so we could be together while we stayed here,” Cadance added.

“Ah, wonderful.” Celestia said, her hoof gently tickling the young foal's belly, which made Flurry giggle. “If I may ask, how long do you plan to stay then?”

“We plan to stay here until Thursday so Shining can have enough time for his interrogations, and so we’re not away from the Crystal Empire for too long.” Cadance answered.

“I see,” Celestia nodded. Teleporting a piece of chocolate from her personal stash into her hoof and handing it to Flurry.

“Oh come on, you are spoiling her,” Cadance chuckled.

“Of course I am. I am her great aunt after all,” Celestia defended her action.

“Well good to know who is going to be responsible if she develops a wicked sweet tooth.” Cadance chuckled bemused.

“I surely can’t be worse than Luna or Twilight,” Celestia said defensively. “Do you hear that, Flurry? Your mother is a big meanypants who thinks such a sweet little foal like you doesn't deserve treats from her aunty Celestia,” she said, making Flurry giggle with youthful mirth.

“I did not say that! Besides, if all three of you are that bad, then I am always going to be the evil sweets denying mother, and you know I cant say no to her.” Cadance pouted.

Sticking her tongue out at Cadance, Celestia placed Flurry on her back. “But I assume you are not coming to my throne room just for a social visit.” Celestia guessed at Cadance’s burdened posture.

“Well, not exactly,” Cadance answered, starting to follow as Celestia walked to the exit.

Nodding knowingly, Celestia’s visage turned a bit more serious. “Then, what’s on your mind? Having trouble in the Crystal Empire and need some advice?”

Shaking her head, Cadance sighed, “No, not really. I am just… concerned, that’s all.”

“Concerned?”

“Yes, you know… about Twilight. She seemed… a bit strange, during lunch.”

Celestia frowned. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Well…” Cadance trailed off, only for her to not continue her sentence for quite a bit. “Well… she seems reclusive,” she finally said.

“Reclusive?” Celestia asked, her head cocking to the side.

“It’s just… you know, I have a feeling she’s… unwell?” Cadance continued. “I can’t really describe it. But I could read her very well when she was younger,” she added, “for her to be so... unreadable now, makes me worry something might be wrong,” Cadance said, her gaze turning to Celestia. “I mean, more wrong than the obvious, something… deeper.”

Briefly considering her answer, Celestia imperceptibly glanced around to check for potential listeners. Satisfied with there being none, she sighed and let her head hang slightly.

Flurry, who had up to this point happily played with the feathers and wing tips from Celestia, stopped what she was doing and cocked her small head to the side. Carefully treading forward, Flurry poked at Celestia's neck with her small nose, trying to cheer up the weary bigger pony.

Smiling back at her niece for her attempt to cheer her up, Celestia hoped a small smile would make the young filly reassured and have her continue to be the merry foal she was just mere moments ago.

To her dismay though, Flurry was still able to sense something was wrong, and laid herself down onto her back, her head continuously nuzzling into the back of her neck.

Sighing and considering how she was usually able to hold her poker face and public images so well, Celestia couldn’t help but be disappointed in herself for being so bad at hiding things from her immediate family.

“Well, you’re not wrong. Cadance.” Celestia said, her head returning to an upright position.“I… we have noticed it as well. And I, or again we, have a theory,” she explained.

“A theory?”

“Yes, well, you see, Twilight is not exactly talking about it to us either, but… you remember us watching over her yesterday as she slept?” Celestia asked, waiting for Cadance to nod, she continued, “Well, we told you that we visited her dreams yesterday and… in there… we have seen something that I am not entirely sure how to take or how to deal with.”

“What is it then?”

“I am sorry, dear Cadance, but I cannot tell. I could never go so far behind Twilight’s back and I even promised Luna I would never tell anyone,” Celestia said, shaking her head. “But, in her dreams, we have seen something that we both believe is the cause of her… strange behaviour.”

Nodding, Cadance listened. “We are going to take measured steps to aid her, but we can’t just go to Twilight and talk to her about it…”

“I see, so is there something I can help?” Cadance asked.

“Well… if you can, you can maybe get her to talk to you about it… it would fit in your domain after all…” Celestia said, deep in thought.

“Ah, a matter of the heart then?” Cadance asked.

Wincing, Celestia nodded, “Well, yes, but I believe I already said too much as is.”

“So, you think she is in love?” Cadance deduced.

“Well, yes, but… I really can’t say any more on the subject Cadance,” Celestia said, guiltily.

“Aw come on, you know I would never tell anypony, besides, maybe I can help!” Cadance said, fluffing her wings, “You know, I am the Princess of Love after all! The more I know, the more I can help!” she added, her voice almost giddy

Sighing, Celestia mulled it over before frowning, “Cadance, I already said too much. I can’t tell you anymore. I am sorry.”

“For someone not willing to talk about it, you talk about it a lot.” Cadance said, poking Celestia into the side. “Come on, I know you want to talk about it, maybe I can help…”

“Cadance!”

“Fine, fine. You’re right, I’m sorry,” Cadance finally conceded, going quiet.

As both Alicorns walked down the corridor, Flurry’s adorable nuzzling attempts, the clacks of their hooves and the rustling of their wings were the only noises they could hear. The silence between them grew.

“Well, if you decide you want to talk about it, or need advice, feel free to drop by.” Cadance finally broke the silence. “You know where to find me,” she added and smiled.

“Of course, I… I think at some point I will pick you up on that offer, but I have to come to terms with it myself first.” Celestia nodded.

Nodding along, Cadance looked at Flurry, “Ah, by the way, would you mind keeping an eye on Flurry for a while? I have ordered Sunburst to take the day off but I’d like to track Shiny down and I have the feeling bringing her along might not be a smart idea.” Cadance said, giving Flurry an affectionate nuzzle.

Smiling, Celestia looked back at the young pony on her back, which seemed to have cheered up as they switched the topic. “Of course, I gladly watch over her for as long as you need,” she said.

“Wonderful, thank you!”

“Always,” Celestia nodded.

With her daughter placed in care for now, Cadance bowed her head once more in thanks before briskly trodding off at the next intersection into the general directions of the holding cells. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she said as her parting words.

Snorting in amusement, Celestia looked at her quickly vanishing niece with a smile.

As soon as Cadance turned the next corner and was gone, the small filly on her back stood up and leaned her head around to look at Celestia’s left.

“Well, with your mother gone,” Celestia said, her gaze turning from the hallway to the young filly, “I believe you and I should get some quality family time in, don’t you think?” she asked the young filly, which made her giggle. “Then, come now, I am sure we can find something to do in my garden, don’t you think?”

---

Watching Rarity pack Luna’s and her new dresses into a bag, Twilight wondered silently how she could have let the situation derail this much and have Luna talk her into actually buying a dress here. The moment she would drop her disguise, she was pretty sure it would not fit her anyway and was missing wing slots.

But Luna had insisted, and now, she had a dress she was sure she could never wear again, because Rarity would instantly recognise and to add insult to injury, she was not even allowed to pay for her own mess, but had Luna insist that she would handle it.

While Twilight was sure that Luna was probably not short on bits by any stretch of the imagination, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

“And here you go darlings,” Rarity said, levitating the bag to Luna.

“Thank you,” Luna acknowledged, "thou may keep the change", she added with a wink.

Frowning, Rarity looked down to check the amount she had been handed and gasped, “Oh no, that is way too much,” she protested.

“It is not, thou hath been quite generous with thy time and have helped us quite a bit.” Luna insisted.

“But darlings, that is almost double…”

“I hath said keep the change,” Luna reinforced gently, already turning around and making her way towards the door.

“Well, then… Thank you, your highne…” Rarity started, only to clamp her mouth shut.

Twilight froze.

Did she know?

Was this just a coincidence?

Had she figured it out?

As Twilight’s face grew more and more frightened by the second, Luna couldn’t help but start to grin.

“Oh well, as the young ponies these days would say, I guess the cat is out of the bag, is it not?” Luna laughed.

“Well, I am sorry darlings, but it was rather obvious,” Rarity admitted, her face at least portraining a faint amount of sheepishness.

“You knew the whole time?” Twilight gasped, with a tremble in her voice.

“Well, not the whole time, my dear, but it quickly became obvious,” Rarity admitted, “ah, before I forget, don’t forget to come by when you’re in Ponyville and I will adjust the dress so you fit into it a bit better,” she added, “not saying that you are fat, but… you know… wings and such.”

“RARITY?” Twilight gasped, her face instantly glowing red.

“What? You really thought I did not recognise my best friend?”

“Well, no… but I at least hoped that…” Twilight stammered.

“Shush, dear, you are Duskshine now, so you and Ms. Moonlight can enjoy a day without getting harassed by paparazzi, I’ve already understood, so hush hush and enjoy your day, we shall talk later, shall we not?”

“But… Rarity, I…”

“Hush, or does your marefriend have to drag you out the same way she dragged you in?” Rarity added, bemused.

“But…”

“Ms. Rarity is right, my dear, I think we’ve already used up quite a lot of her time today, don’t you think?”

“I can’t believe you two, I… I am sorry Rarity but I…” Twilight instantly was silenced as Luna pecked her cheek.

“My dear, we got what we came for, don’t we?” Luna asked suggestively, “how about we take our leave and… have some more fun,” she added the last part with an even more suggestive undertone.

Her brain instantly going numb, Twilight could not help but nod along, the feeling of Luna’s lips on her cheek still fresh in her mind.

As Twilight was still pliable, Luna gently guided her in character marefriend out the door, and before Twilight could utter any more words of protest, she found herself back in the middle of the street, and the silhouette of Rarity waving cheerfully through the front window of her shop making her stomach drop.

The almost maniacal smile on her friend's face was unmistakable, even through the sun lit window.

She knew, the moment she stepped a hoof into Ponyville, she had to brace herself for a most definitely not relaxing spa visit, or… even worse, a picnic with Rarity and Fluttershy.

Twilight gulped, but the wing on her back, which she only now noticed, guided her along the street, away from her maniacal friend and even deeper into the market, deeper into ponies and towards even more potential witnesses if she flipped right now.

Next Chapter: To shield away the pain - Part 3/3 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 3 Minutes