Setting Plans to Motion:
I opened the door to the dining room to find Tia sitting at the table looking complacent. But knowing her, I analyzed how she actually looked, and what I saw, I didn't quite like.
"Luna, there you are, I was beginning to worry." Tia said with a smile.
"And you show it so well." I teased. "I'm sorry I took so long, I was just having a conversation with Quick Fix."
"Really now? I only asked the staff to fetch you. I had no idea they would send him."
"Sure you didn't." I rolled my eyes. That settled it, her little hidden smile said it all. She defiantly sent Quick Fix. "Anyways, how was the rest of your day Tia?"
"Just the same old stuff. The highlight of my day was really the proposal for your class. Besides that, nothing of any importance happened. So how was your chat with Quick Fix?"
"Oh, we just talked about what we're having tonight and any minor changes to the menu." I waved off as I took my seat across from her. "But are you sure nothing else happened today?"
"Positive. Why?"
"Because your entire being is saying otherwise." I pointed out. "Face it Tia, I can still read you like an open book."
"Just like I can read you, but your right." Tia admitted, a bigger smile breaking out across her face. "But all I'm going to tell you is that you already have a student."
"Really? That quickly?" I said in shock and amazement. I thought it would take at least another day or two before anypony tried for it.
"Yes, that quickly. She signed up as soon as the announcement was done,"
"And you're not going to tell me who it is, are you?"
"You read me." Tia admitted. I sighed, but I was still happy that my ever-growing nights were not going to grow ever boring. This could even be the perfect time to collaborate with the ponies of Equestria on overturning Celestia.
I shook my head violently this time. Where were these thoughts coming from? I loved my sister; I aspired to be like her, I was nowhere near ready to take her place. I needed at least a vast following this time.
I groaned and placed my head down on the table, ceasing all thought.
"Luna, are you all right?" Tia asked, concern obvious to discern. "Do you need me to take over the night tonight?"
"No!" I said, sitting straight up. Tia was taken aback, but I calmed down. "No, I don't think that will be necessary. I'm… I'm just not sure about a pony so eager to face the dark of the night. I know it wasn't easy for me to accept as my duty when I began, and I started this idea out of how timid most ponies are. To have one so eager, I'm just not sure."
"Hm, I can see where you're coming from. It may be true that she is just accepting to be taught by a princess of Equestria, but give her a chance and just see for yourself."
"Are you sure I can be a good judge of character?"
"What happened to the confident sister of mine from this morning? Stick to your plans, but be flexible. Plans ever rarely go as well as they are written."
"Unless you write them."
"Now you know that's not true." Tia laughed. "But I think our food has finally come."
As always, Quick Fix seemed to know his cue, because he came in, pushing the usual dining cart.
"Evening your Majesties. Tonight we have prepared a shredded radish salad with peanut seasonings, along with chopped apples." Quick Fix said as he removed the cover off of the platter on the trolley, reveling a fairly decent sized bowl underneath. But I was puzzled.
"What of the muffins?" I asked. "I thought you said there were going to be muffins Quick Fix."
"My, aren't we pushy today?" Tia smiled. "I never thought you liked the muffins that much."
"Well, uh, you see Princess Luna, with your sudden request, my dad went a bit panicky on the arrangement." Quick Fix admitted. "I'll have them out as soon as I can, I promise." And with that, Quick Fix left the way he came.
"You made a request? That's a first as well." Tia kept smiling as she served herself some of the salad.
"Well, Quick Fix just mentioned the menu and I asked for some butter that's all." I mumbled as I served myself as well.
"My, Luna, I believe this is the most active you've been since you came back." Tia said as she ate one of her apple slices.
"I'm not that antisocial Tia, I just can't seem to catch anypony at a good time."
"You may not be antisocial, but you don't make the effort to talk to anypony either."
"I guess that's all going to change soon, isn't it?"
"Sooner than you think." Tia said, with her ever-growing smile. I knew she was trying to hide something, and she had gotten better at it over the last one thousand years. But before I could inquire further, Quick Fix came back with the promised muffins.
"Honestly, I don't see the point. They're just going to get eaten anyways." I heard the colt mumbling. I cleared my throat, and that seemed to make it dawn upon him that he was again in our presence. "I'm sorry about that delay Your Highnesses. Here are the muffins, as promised."
"Excellent." I said as I grabbed one of the muffins and the bowl of butter in the center. I cracked the top of the muffin off to reveal the strawberry center. I spread the butter around the edge and replaced the top, and took a bite. I relished in the bite a second to long before I realized Tia and Quick Fix were looking at me. I finished my bite and set the muffin down next to the salad. "What is wrong?"
"I think that was also the first time you took something from the platter before me." Tia said.
"And is that so wrong?"
"No, no. Not wrong, just… off." Tia admitted before taking a muffin of her own. She took a bite and smiled. "And they're as good as always."
"Are you sure? I'm sure this batch is better than this mornings." I commented. Quick Fix seemed to be shuffling in place, like he did not know what to do. "Is there something amiss Quick Fix?"
"It's, that, I…um, haven't been dismissed yet." Quick Fix said nervously.
"Oh, if that's all, then you are dismissed Quick Fix. But one thing first." I said as I gestured him to my side. "I think you're right on the unnecessary arrangement. Tell your father not to worry next time."
"You heard that?" Quick Fix said, a bit shocked as he backed away.
"You would be amazed how sharp your hearing becomes in the quiet of night." I grinned.
"W-Well, thank you Princess Luna. I'll be sure to tell him." Quick Fix said hastily as he backed away for a second time.
"What was all that about?" Tia asked, looking genuinely confused.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a few words of wisdom. I do have those, you know." I smiled as I went back to my muffin.
…
After our meal, Tia and I said our goodnights and headed our separate ways. She to her room, I to the raising grounds. I could tell that the season was changing now more than ever because there were more and more ponies walking the hallways as I was. For the majority of the time I had been here, there had only been an occasional pony or two as well as the patrols.
Yet now there seemed to be activity going on as well. Most of it faint and of ponies turning in for the night, but I was able to say my farewells, even trying to pick up a few names here and there as I passed by half open doors and groups of ponies. I figured knowing all of the ponies of Canterlot was as small a goal as I was going to get to learn these ponies names and personalities.
I was so preoccupied with my thoughts; I almost bumped into the white unicorn ahead of me at the Raising Grounds.
"Oh, excuse me." I said out of instinct.
"No, excuse me Princess Luna." Shining Armor said in return as he backed out of my way.
"Shining Armor? Why are you here again?" I asked as I approached the stage.
"No reason really, I guess." He sighed.
"And I can tell that you're lying. A captain shouldn't do that." I said as I turned to him.
"No, really it's nothing. I don't even know why I'm here. I really should just leave." Shining Armor said as he turned to leave.
"Oh no you're not." I said as I jumped in front of the colt. "You have something on your mind and you need someone to talk to. You're staying right here until I'm done raising the night. Am I understood?"
"Yes Ma'am!" Shining Armor gave a sharp salute.
"Good. Now, excuse me for a moment." With that, I proceeded with the regular procedures, raising the moon, making sure the stars were in alignment, and that nothing catastrophic had happened since yesterday.
"All right, my job is done, now, let us hear of your problem." I said as I came down to the awaiting unicorn.
"Um, sure, I guess." Shining Armor looked around anxiously.
"Would a change a scenery help your nerves Shining Armor?"
"I believe they would." He confirmed.
"Would the garden be appropriate enough?" I suggested.
"I think that will be fine." Shining Armor said absently. I think I now know how Quick Fix felt today before dinner. I sighed in frustration and levitated the unicorn, and in comparison with the moon, he was nothing.
"Whoa! Princess, what are you doing?" Shining Armor asked in a panic.
"I am getting your attention and getting us to the garden." I stated as I spread my wings and took off from the Raising Grounds. Not a minute later, I placed Shining Armor in the Garden as I set down next to him.
"Some warning would be appreciated next time."
"And your focus would be appreciated now. Now, what is bothering you so much?"
"Well, I did as you suggested and I made some time to get a mirror-to-mirror contact spell working so that I could talk to Twily, and I explained how Cadence had been acting."
"I see no problem so far."
"The problem was, was that Twilight called spike to call her friends to be ready for another changeling invasion. And before I could calm her down, her side became unstable and cut off."
"Oh dear, and I was only kidding." I mumbled.
"What was that Princess?"
"Nothing, nothing. Have you talked to Cadence about it?"
"That's kind of why I was just wandering. Cadence came into our room as Twilight started to list her newest 'Anti-Changeling Plans', and she took offence and decided to not talk to me by kicking me out of the room."
"Honestly, that child." I sighed. "Alright. I think I can see where this is a problem. No doubt Twilight Sparkle has already sent a letter to our sister explaining the 'situation'. Whether she has read it or not is a bit out of our hooves. When would you be expecting your sister Shining Armor?"
"Probably no more than a day. If she honestly thinks I'm in trouble, I don't doubt she'd be here in a second. I know I would do the same for her."
"Unless otherwise brainwashed." I smiled.
"Yeah, or something like that." He chuckled uncomfortably. "Say, Princess Luna? Would you tell me if I'm being mind controlled again?"
"You can't be serious!" I said, aghast.
"I don't know, I defended the queen changeling and thought everything was normal, what if it's happening again?"
"If it were happening again, don't you think the thought of mind control would be wiped from you?"
Shining Armor began to respond, but stopped. He than began to chuckle in a normal fashion. "I guess you're right Princess. I don't think anypony would leave rebellious thoughts like that."
"Which just leads back to your sporadic wife." I pointed out. "Do you think anything's wrong with her?"
"I don't know. She might just be in a mood, being mind controlled herself. Or maybe she's pre-" And just as Shining Armor was speaking, the sound of rapid hoof beats down the halls. The urgency of the sound caught both the captain's and my own attention. We trotted over to the nearest hall, just to see a light blue pony dash by. The hoof beats suddenly stopped and came back toward us.
As the mare came back to the entrance to the garden, her silver mane seemed to have a flow as a soft breeze was passing through it. I also noticed her cutie mark to be a five point star wand with a lighter blue wisp flowing behind it in a crescent shape. I just stared at the new pony.
This was one pony I did know, and it was thanks to Twilight Sparkle.
"There you are Princess Luna, I thought I saw you fly off this way." Trixie said. "I, Trixie, am here to be your willing and loyal pupil."