Princess Luna let out a small groan as sunlight snuck through the curtains. Her horn started glowing as she closed them without even raising her head. She muttered something unintelligible about Celestia, night and the sun as she shut the curtains, making sure that the sunlight wouldn't be able to escape from them again. The tiredness soon took its hold on her again and she fell back to the sweet release of dreamland.

“Princess Luna?”

Why? Why was she being disturbed? This was her time of rest!

“We are not to be disturbed!” She said, or rather yelled in the Royal Canterlot Voice. But still she managed to watch her volume in case she shouted the doors off. Again.

“I apologize, but I was told by Celestia herself to come and wake you,” The servant said behind the closed doors.

Luna let out another flood of unintelligible words. Why couldn't her sister wait until the evening? Then again, this wasn't the first time she had been awakened in the morning to join her sister for breakfast. But she usually had planned things from the start so Luna could avoid these kinds of mornings.

“Tell my sister I would love to join her for breakfast, but I'm going to decline her offer.” Luna was about to drift off into the sweet bliss of her dreams when her room doors were suddenly slammed open. The loud sound echoed through the castle and had Luna flinging herself out of her bed.

Luna proceeded to give the insolent servant a nasty glare, but the pony didn't even flinch. This was new. “Well, now that you are fully awake your majesty, I suggest you fix your mane and get dressed properly,” the servant said as she entered Luna's room. “Princess Celestia is waiting in the gardens.”

"In the gardens?" Luna thought confusedly. That was new. Usually she enjoyed her breakfast in her private chambers right next to the throne room. "I guess she just wants to try something different..." Luna mused as she levitated her garments to her while brushing her mane.

And before she knew it, she was ready, her mane now back to its magical form. With her Royal Garments on, she was ready to leave. “I'll just clean up the mess...” the servant muttered as the Princess of the Night left her with a rather messy-looking bed and room.

The trip to the gardens was rather quick, but Luna soon found herself in a small problem. She didn't know which part of the gardens Celestia wanted to meet her. She had already walked through the familiar section of the gardens and was right next to the labyrinth, still unsure. Suddenly, she heard hoofsteps coming from behind her.

“Your highness,” one of the unicorn guards said, “If you would kindly follow us.” He wore the all too familiar expressionless face like any other guard. “Your sister told us that you might not know your way in.”

"I bet she planned this..." Luna thought, holding her facial expression so she wouldn't reveal her displeasure. “Very well. Lead the way,” she said casually.

Thankfully, the walk was short and she soon found herself before a small table with Canterlot's finest food. A familiar alicorn was sitting right behind it with the predictably sweet smile on her face. “Luna, it's good to see that you've finally decided to join me,” Celestia said happily. She then turned her eyes to guards. “Thank you for escorting my sister, sirs,” she ordered, “But I would like you to leave us alone.” The guards saluted and departed.

As the guards left, Luna looked over the gardens a bit more. She was sure that she hadn't seen this part of the gardens after she had returned to Canterlot, but it looked familiar. A little too familiar...

“Please Luna, sit down,” Celestia asked calmly, cutting Luna away from her train of thought.”I think you might prefer eating you breakfast while sitting,” she added, a small amount of humor evident in her voice.

“Yes...” Luna muttered as she seated herself. Once again looking around the gardens, it seemed round and circular, like someone’s personal area. She then recognized familiar sculptures made out of both leaves and rocks, and a large fountain right in the middle.

“Luna?” Celestia asked worriedly, “Is everything alright?”

“Ah... yes. Yes, I am!” Luna stuttered a bit as her train of thought was interrupted again.

“Are you sure?” Celestia asked, small amount of suspicion creeping into her face. “You look like there’s something that’s troubling you.”

This time Luna didn't answer. She didn't even meet Celestia to eye to eye, instead staring at the table before her, beginning to feel memories of old flooding her mind.

“Luna?” Celestia asked, now her voice full of worry. “Please Luna. Say something.” And still nothing. The Night Princess stayed quiet with her older sister, looking at the table and its contents.

“Why...” Luna then muttered. Celestia looked at Luna with puzzling look. “Why call me out here, out of all places...?” Suddenly Luna got up. “Or better yet... why is this place here?” she asked, her voice quivering a bit.

Celestia watched her younger sister with a calm, but still worried look. She knew what Luna had meant, and she had hoped for a slightly different reaction. “It was supposed to be a surprise for you,” Celestia calmly answered, waiting for her sister’s reply. She didn't want to make this any more worse for Luna.

“A surprise?” Luna said, like Celestia had told her a bad joke. Once again her eyes were exploring the gardens, trying to find if everything was there as it once was. “You don't say?” Celestia let a small, tired sigh. This might be bit harder than she thought.

“Do you know what kind of memories this place brings?” Luna asked, her voice shaking a bit more. This time her eyes were gathering moisture around them. “Do you remember what happened in this place!?” Luna exploded, her voice now getting angrier. “Why did you want to recreate a place so full of bad memories and nightmares!” Tears were now rolling down Luna's eyes and she started sobbing. “Why bring me to a place that is supposed to be a place of the past and bring it back!?”

Celestia watched as Luna took deep breaths between her sobs, leaving the white alicorn's side. Walking right to the fountain, she sat right up to the edge, looking at the watery portrait of herself. As she watched her reflection, her mind started wandering. A time when this garden was in a different region and she and her sister weren't as close as they were now.

While watching her own reflection, Luna's mind once again threw her into the past. One thousand years ago. The time when she had named herself as Nightmare Moon and proclaimed to bring forth the Eternal Night. It was in this garden where she and Celestia had faced each other.

While dwelling in her memories, Luna failed to notice Celestia getting up from her seat and walking towards her.

Luna remembered the pleas her sister gave her, begging her to stop the madness and return with her, even forgiving her for what had transpired. But Luna... Nightmare Moon had ignored her sisters pleas. Instead, she had attacked with pure malice and killing intent. And in these same gardens, that was now reconstructed, the two sisters fought.

In the aftermath, the gardens had been lost. The castle laid in ruins. The entire landscape around the castle, which was now home of Everfree Forest, had turned into a battle zone. But still, the two sisters had stood. Both tired and out of breath, but neither wanting wanting to give.

Still deep in her thought, Luna was oblivious when Celestia seated herself next to her younger sister, giving her worried look. She received no answer. “Luna?” she asked, trying to reach for her sister. Luna ignored her, still lost in the past.

She remembered as the two mares stood there, looking at each other. One looked with nothing but hate, loath and angered sorrow, while the other looked with pleading and sad, despaired look. The older mare still continued begging her sister to return to her, to give up the mad quest of hers that could doom the whole world. But the younger sister gave her nothing but spite.

Nightmare Moon claimed that the world would no longer hinder her glorious night, so as to love and adore it more than her sisters day. The younger sister then attacked the older sister, trying to strike her down again. But she had forced the older sisters hoof, and she summoned forth the Elements.

She remembered the tears of sadness and the look the older sister gave her. The look of disappointment. But not towards the younger one, but to herself; the older sister, who couldn't help her younger sister when she had the chance.

“I'm sorry,” Celestia said. The younger sister roared in rage.

“You are not my sister!” were the last words she said before the Elements took full hold of her and banished her; and then... darkness.

“Luna!” somepony suddenly almost yelled at her. Luna let out a small yelp as she jumped a bit. She turned to look at a worried Celestia.

“My apologies...” Luna muttered when she realized what had happened. “I was lost in my thoughts...”

Celestia let out another sigh, suddenly embracing her younger sister with her wing. “Luna, I never intended to bring those memories up,” Celestia began, “I know it all too well. When you were gone, I wanted to create a place where I could keep the memories of you alive.”

Luna turned to look at her older sister with puzzling look. “'Keep the memories of me alive?'” Luna repeated Celestia's words like they were something foreign to her; like she didn't expect that kind of answer.

“Yes,” Celestia answered. “The time before your banishment. Before Nightmare Moon. Before our rise to power.” As Celestia went on, she slowly removed her wing from Luna's back, who had quickly started to miss her sisters close and warm comfort.

“Don't you remember any of those times?” Celestia asked Luna, hoping for the answer that she was thinking.

Luna was once again drowned in her thoughts. For a moment, nothing came to her. But then she remembered the laughter, the warm sun and green fields, the light of the moon and the beautiful view of Equestria. “I... I believe so...” Luna muttered.

She then remembered two really young fillies running, jumping and even rolling all over a familiar looking garden. Their happiness, something that only a child could create. No care of the world. No heavy burdens. Enjoyment of being... free.

“This... this place...” Luna then raised her head, looking around the gardens. “This was our playground once. Wasn't it?”

“Yes it was,” she heard Celestia saying, and Luna could hear small amusement in her voice.

“We did spend lot of time here, didn't we?” Luna asked, as if trying to tell herself that her mind wasn't lying to her. But truth to be told, she did somewhat remember that she was once a foal and had a foalhood. But it was so, so long ago that it was almost hard to remember.

“You could say that...” Celestia said, suddenly adding bit mysterious amusement in her tone.

“What do you mean by that?” Luna asked, turning to her sister. “Is there something that I don't know?” she demanded.

“Well, you could say that you were a little more... tense and might have taken things a bit more seriously.” Celestia said, bearing big smirk on her face.

Luna gave Celestia an unconvinced look. “I don't think I quite follow...” Luna said, with bit distrustful tone. She didn't like the sudden mischievous look that her older sister gave her, remembering that her sister had been quite a prankster. And no doubt still was.

“Well, most of the time I had to convince you to join me to have something interesting called... fun.” Luna gave her sister a small warning glare, telling her not to remind her about her time at Ponyville. She had made a little bit of a foal of herself.

“And it took me a lot of convincing back then...” Celestia chuckled. She really enjoyed this, teasing Luna just like she had a long time ago.

“Well, you should know, dear sister, that I've matured a lot since then,” Luna retorted, adding a touch of pride in her voice. She was trying to sound responsible. “And your petty childish acts won't-”

*SPLASH!*

Before Luna had been able to finish her sentence, a large ball of water had emerged from the fountain and collided with her face, her mane losing its flow. For a while, no words were shared between them. Well, except for small sounds which were emanating from Celestia, who was poorly trying to suppress her giggles. But that soon changed as Celestia started laughing loudly.

Slowly, Luna reached with her hoof to move her sopping mane away from her eyes. “Might I ask what that was for?” she asked, sounding very annoyed. She shot Celestia a displeased look.

“I told you. You needed lot of convincing, and this was always best solution!” Celestia laughed. “And you fell for it every time!”

“I don’t think-”

*SPLASH!*

This time Luna growled angrily. Never had she been annoyed by Celestia this much. Well, maybe in their foalhood that is. And as she once again tried to wipe her mane from her eyes, she started to remember the times when Celestia had thrown such liquid projectiles at her, “Water Bullets” as she used to call them.

“Please Celestia, I think we both might be too old for something such as this.” Luna said, trying to keep her voice as calm as she could. But that was easier said than done, as the only reply she got was more water.

Now Celestia was laughing even louder, which was akin to a howling laughter. No doubt half of Canterlot Castle must have heard it.

“You’ve done it now, sister.” Luna snarled. Again wiping her mane out of her eyes.

Celestia was laughing so hard that she failed to notice or even respond to Luna’s own watery attack, soon finding her view to be obscured by her own mane. But she could clearly hear Luna’s amused laugh. “You should take a look of yourself sister!”

“Oh Luna, you are so on!” Celestia said in challenging tone, while adding a little bit of amusement in her tone. With her horn flaring up, this time three watery orbs launched from the fountain right at the Princess of the Night, who on the other hoof had quickly created a large wall of water that defended her from Celestia’s attack.

“Ha!” Luna exclaimed self-assuredly. “It takes more than that to beat-!”

*SPLASH! SPLASH!*

“You were saying little sister?” Celestia giggled, smirking.

“It. Is. On!” Luna thought loudly and charged at her laughing older sister before she could react.

They both fell into the fountain, splashing more water all over. “How do you like that!” Luna exclaimed, as if she had overcome something great. But that wasn’t the case when Celestia used her hooves to splash more water at Luna’s face, to which Luna of course retaliated.

Soon the two Princesses were jumping and splashing water all over themselves, trying to get the other even more wet than before. As the two continued their little “fight,” anypony that walked through the garden side of the castle could see the two Princesses jumping and leaping on the fountain, all the while laughing heart-warningly.

Some of the castle’s staff, nobles and even guards stared on at this, a few with interest and some even with a warm smile. Meanwhile, most of them looked at this sight with utter shock, and even with some horror as this was most un-princess-like behavior from both of them. Some even tried to stop them, but were stopped by either the guards or the staff, who were all too aware of not interrupt them. Especially at this kind of time.

The water fight seemed to last forever. So long that it was almost Celestia’s time to lower the sun, so that Luna’s Moon and Night could take over once again. Soon, Luna found herself in Celestia’s private chamber.

“I don’t remember when I’ve had so much fun!” Celestia laughed while cleaning and drying herself. She really couldn’t recall when she had been like this. Maybe when she was just a filly.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Luna replied. Her mane was already dry, returning to its original, flowing form. While drying herself, she thought about the day’s events. What she had felt, was something she couldn’t describe. It felt much different from when she was saved by the Elements of Harmony and with Celestia agreeing on forgiving her for her past actions.

Even more different when Twilight Sparkle had promised to help her to “fit in” in Ponyville. Or when in the end, the entire town had accepted her. This was a different feeling, like she had been missing it this whole time. The closeness of her sister. Of Celestia. She couldn’t remember when she had last time felt so... free like today. And that was no doubt long ago. When they weren’t rulers of Equestria just yet.

And now she had to leave this all and return back to the old schedule, away from the loving feeling to know that Celestia, her big sister, still cared for her. “Listen, sister...” Luna started, moving her now wet towel away, “I can’t say enough how much of a fun day I had.” She looked away. “And, I was hoping that if we could... do this sometime again...” Luna muttered. “... for old times sake at least...”

“Oh, Luna.” Celestia smiled, walking over to her sister. “There is nothing wrong with that. Of course we can spent some time together in the future. You have no idea how much I missed this...” she muttered, suddenly nuzzling Luna’s cheek with her snout.

“I know all too well...” Luna whispered, returning the gesture.

They departed, knowing that they didn’t much time as the sun needed to be set and moon to be risen. “Thank you for all of this, Celestia,” Luna smiled, putting extra warmth into the pronunciation of her sister’s name.

“You’re welcome, Luna,” Celestia smiled back. “I’m so lucky to have someone like you as my sister.”

“You have no idea how much those words mean to me,” Luna said, as she and Celestia started walking towards the highest tower in Canterlot castle. It was there where Celestia would lower the sun as Luna raised the moon.

“You know, this reminds me of a letter that one of Twilight’s friends and her little sister sent me,” Celestia suddenly began.

“One of the Bearers of the Elements?” Luna queried. Celestia nodded at her answer. Luna never had any time, or any interest to read any of the letters her sister received from Twilight and her friends. But now, she suddenly had a small curiosity to read them. “What did it say then?” Luna asked, while trying her best not to sound too interested.

Celestia chuckled lightly, seeing through Luna’s poor attempt of hiding her enthusiasm. “Well, it went something like this: Having a sister is just about the best-est thing in the world,” the alicorn started with a small chuckle, “But it sure it isn’t the easiest. It takes lot of teamwork.” Celestia could see that she had already peaked Luna’s interest.

“Sometimes it’s about compromising. Sometimes it’s about accepting each other’s differences. But mostly, it’s about having fun together,” Celestia finished. For a while, Luna just stared at her, pondering. Soon, however, she opened her mouth.

“That’s it?” she asked, feeling that Celestia left something out.

“Well, there was also mentioning of ‘even if it means getting your hooves a little bit dirty’.” Celestia giggled. Luna answered with her own laughter, knowing who might have said those words. But her expression quickly replaced some of her humor with her usual seriousness.

“I can see what they meant by it,” she said, “I haven’t been the best-est younger sister...”

“Neither of us have been, dear Luna,” Celestia said, trying to cheer her up.

“But after what happened today, I now know that I’m also the luckiest young sister in the whole of Equestria.” Luna smiled at her. “And I’m glad to have someone as you, as my older sister.”

“You don’t have say something like that to me, Luna,” Celestia said with a warm smile. “I know, and I’m happy to be your older sister, and I’m forever glad that I too can have somepony like you as my little sister.” Celestia continued, giving Luna another short nuzzle to her cheek. “Come now, we must make haste,” The Princess quickened her pace when she separated from Luna, “For we need to make way for the night and a new day.”

The two sisters hurried to the tower to fulfill their duty, but with much more lighter spirits, both knowing that they could count on each other at any time.

Author's Notes:

Well it has been a while since I made this fic. To all you who didn't know, this was actually made for "Hearth's Warming Eve Care Package" contest. Although I haven't really heard anything related to this story if it won anything. But I asked and they said that it was OK to release it now. So yeah. Still waiting...

And I would once again thanks to Mister Morden and Habanc for proof-reading this. And especially Habanc who, while agreed on Proof-reading Star Dust also agreeing on Proof-reading this as well.

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this little one-shot of mine. And don't forget to comment!
Till next time, THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!!!