The Apology

"I'm so sorry big sister, but I have something to tell you."

Princess Luna stared into her own eyes via the reflection of the mirror. She'd been practising what she was going to say for approximately two and a half hours. Ever since... it happened.

"I'm so sorry..." She stopped and frowned. "Hmm. Perhaps a more... cheery... approach?" she murmured to herself, suddenly pricking her ears up and forcing a smile out. "Hey, big sister. Listen, I've got something to tell you and I'm really sorry about it. See, the thing is..."

Her ears drooped once more, however, when she realized that wouldn't do.

"Oh come on, Luna! Think of something. You can't just live your life in her shadow all the time, and you should be able to do this, no matter what. You're a grown mare for Mother's sake."

She turned away from the mirror, partially disgusted with herself for what she did and partially sick of constantly living under her own sister's hoof.

Knock

Knock

Knock

"Who is it?" she called, suddenly fearful and suspicious, tensing up and getting ready to dive out the window, just in case it was-

"It's me, your highness," came a timid voice.

Luna flapped over to the large door and pulled it open. "Good. Did you get it?" she asked as she ushered the lavender mare in.

Twilight Sparkle looked around the room and shuffled nervously. "Actually... I couldn't. They were all out. I'm... I'm sorry, princess," she winced.

The princess's eyes grew wide. "But.. but if they don't have anymore... what am I going to do?"

The unicorn shrugged apologetically. "I really don't know, princess."

"But you're close to her! Surely you can talk to her?!" The princess was beginning to get frantic, puffing her cheeks out and getting closer to her sister's apprentice.

Twilight squeaked and stepped back. "I'm not as close as you, princess. You're her sister, I'm sure she'll understand."

"Pah!"

Luna spat the word out and turned away, letting the semi-terrified Twilight Sparkle relax. For now.

"My sister cares for one thing and one thing only, and I just... just... it doesn't matter what I did, what matters is that we replace it. Fast," she snapped.

The unicorn sighed and turned to the door. "Actually, princess, I won't be able to help. I've got to go back to Ponyville, Spike's sick at the moment, and the library needs cleaning." She glanced over her shoulder at the princess's horror-stricken face and winced. "I wish I could help but..."

The princess shook herself back to reality and closed her mouth. "No, no. I... understand. I'll just sit here and wallow in self pity and loathing..." she pathetically replied and walked over to her bed. She plopped down and buried her face in her hooves, making sniffling noises and occasionally peeking out to see if Twilight was going to take back what she said.

She didn't. "Guilt tripping me won't help, princess. I'll see you as soon as I can though, OK?"

Luna removed the hooves from her face and sat upright. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll... see you soon, then. I hope."

The lavender unicorn quickly left, leaving the princess alone with her thoughts again. Luna fell back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, practising what she was going to say again.

"Hello Tia. How are you today? Good. I'm fine too. There's something I need to tell you and I'm not sure how to say it, so here goes. I kind of-"

*Ding

Dong*

The bells of Canterlot rang out, interrupting her thoughts. In a moment of blind panic she fumbled around herself and fell off the bed, clunking her head on the floor.

"Ow," she muttered as she lay there. Then, her inner filly took over for a moment as she spotted some of her old toys hiding under the bed. "Now there's an idea," she murmured as she examined the space beneath her bed. "I could just hide in here until this whole thing blows over..."

"Luna what are you doing?" a terrifyingly calm voice asked, making the princess shriek and scurry outwards.

"Uhh, Tia! Hi. I didn't hear you come in," she sputtered, feeling the clearly visible sweat trickle down her face.

Celestia arched an eyebrow skywards. "I see. Why were  you hiding under the bed?"

"I wasn't hiding under the bed," Luna said defensively, flicking a speck of dust off of her royal shoulder and nonchalantly avoiding all eye contact with her sister.

The white alicorn stood motionless, her magenta eyes not revealing a solitary thing about what she was thinking. "If you say so, Luna. So what was the thing that you were going to hide in there until it blows over?"

The younger sister's knees quivered. "Um..." she gulped. "I... meant that... uhhh..." Tears welled up in her eyes as she threw herself forwards. "I'm so sorry! Sorrysorrysorrysorry, I'M SORRY!" she wailed as she clutched at her sister's hooves.

Celestia was quite taken aback at this. "Luna, please, calm yourself. What are you sorry for?" she asked as she attempted to maintain control of her own hooves.

"Everything! I'm sorry, I... I... I'm sorry!" Luna repeated, still trying to clutch onto her sister. When the latter stepped back out of confusion, the former resorted to latching onto her like a limpet.

And there they stood. One tall, majestic alicorn with a dark blue bundle clutching onto her front, wrapping it's hooves around her neck and whimpering softly.

"Luna. Please get off."

Luna jumped off and fell to the ground again. "I'm s-"

"Don't."

The Night Princess's ears went back at the warning tone.

Celestia arched her back and flexed her wings. "Tell me what's happened," she said quietly. "Calmly."

Luna took deep breaths and paced herself. "I... sort of..." She fell silent again and began trembling. Her elder sister instinctively reached a wing out and brought her into a hug.

"Easy, Luna. Just nice and slow. In your own time."

"Thank you... Tia," Luna whispered as she nuzzled against the white coat.

A moment of peaceful silence fell upon them as they nuzzled against each other. After what felt like an eternity of peace, Luna broke the silence and serenity of the moment. "I stole and ate the last of the cakes."

Celestia twisted her head down at the words. "Sorry?" she asked.

Luna pulled away and hung her head shamefully. "I ate the last of your cakes. I feel so disgusted with myself for a momentary loss of control. I'm so sorry, I even had Twilight Sparkle search for one of those cakes in Ponyville before asking her to visit me. Alas, she could not, and I was placed in my original position of wallowing in self pity and disgust..." she trailed off at her sister's vacant expression.

Their wings fell limp together. The Moon Goddess nervously twitched and moved away slowly.

Celestia closed her eyes and took deep breaths. "You..." she murmured, just above audible volume.

Luna winced and squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could just crawl under her bed and live there for the remainder of her eternal life.

"You had me worried sick!" Celestia said, raising her voice a little and making her sister flinch as she suddenly moved forwards. "So what if you ate the last of the cakes? Luna, you're my baby sister and I love you, but you are so STUPID sometimes!" she cried, giggling away to herself and falling over backwards.

Luna blinked once. Twice. "You... aren't upset?"

The laughing alicorn sat up and took on a serious expression. "Yes, Luna. Yes I am.  What on Equestria, no, what in the universe made you think I would be upset you got hungry and ate one of my cakes? They are delicious after all." Her face broke out into a wide grin as she raised a hoof to her sister's bewildered face.

"You... but I... What?" the younger sibling cried. "But you love them! You said, if anypony touches your cakes, a thousand year vacation to the Moon!"

Celestia waved a hoof. "Oh that. That was a joke, Luna. Mother's breath, I swear it's like living with a mule sometimes," she chuckled. "You said you even got Twilight to help you?"

Luna, still recovering from the danger's sudden disappearance, nodded dumbly.

"And you asked her to get one of those cakes for me?"

"To replace the one I ate, yes."

"Well then. That's very kind of her. You must remember to thank her the next time you see her."

Luna smiled. Her first genuine smile since the ''incident''. "Alright then. I will."

"Good. Now come along. I believe there is another set of cakes that need eating. Race you."

"That sounds fun," Luna replied, still beaming. She had successfully regained her sister's trust (not that she ever lost it mind you) and gotten away with one of the most prized possessions on Equa: one of Celestia's delicious cakes. With cream filling. Topped with cherries.

"That sounds very fun," she added with a smirk.

End