Canterlot Castle lay still in the twilight hours just before dawn. The silence broken only by the occasional clank of armour on armour of patrolling guard and the hushed patter of the maids about their duty. 

The front door opened with a bang. “Hellooo Canterlot!” Princess Luna exclaimed, striding through the doors. She was wearing a broad grin and a shirt that read ‘Blame my Sister’. “It is so [i]good[/i] to be back.” 

“Luna, ponies are trying to sleep.” Celestia followed her, a small flotilla of bags, suitcases and a still lit tiki lamp held aloft in her magic. 

“Don’t be such a stick in the mud, Tia.” Luna stuck her tongue out at her. “One of the best parts of a vacation is returning home. Well, that and reminiscing. Tell me that stallion you had your eye on, what was her name again?” 

Celestia glowered, sweeping past Luna. “We are never mentioning that again.” 

“That’s what you think.” 

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight appeared at the top of the grand staircase, wearing her full regalia and her mane blazing like the aurora. “You made it.” 

“And Princess Luna too,” Luna muttered, as Twilight spread her wings and glided over to her mentor. 

“Yes, Twilight. It turns out the sleeper train is a wonderful invention, as you suggested.” Celestia smiled. “And how has Canterlot been in our absence?” 

“Oh wonderful, just wonderful.” Twilight gave a sheepish grin. “Well... I suppose there were a few teething problems, but I think I got them sorted out by the end.” 

“Wednesday did seem a little over-long, but I don’t think we were complaining.” 

“Nor was Wind Whisper,” Luna cut in. Celestia glowered at her. “Umm... I’ll go put our cases away, shall I?” 

“You do that. Twilight and I have to raise the sun.” Luna beat a hasty retreat. Celestia turned back to Twilight and the pair set off at a trot through the castle. “So, the nobility were no trouble?” 

“Oh no. Not at all,” Twilight said, her smile never fading. “I may have had to hand out a few remedial friendship lessons but I think they stuck this time.” 

Celestia laughed, picturing Twilight in full lecture mode before the court. Blueblood would be insufferable for months “We can only hope. All fine with the sun and moon? I’m sure the early mornings came to you as a shock.” 

“Funny you should mention those... Tell me, are you familiar with the work of Clopernicus?” 

“Passingly.” Celestia frowned. “A stallion of great intellect and the most prolific writer of pornography of the modern era.” 

Twilight went bright red. “Umm, I was referring to his scientific work. He has a fascinating model where the sun forms the centre of the solar system, not Equestria.” 

“Oh? I was under the impression he was making a dig at my weight.” 

“He may have been doing two things,” Twilight admitted. “Anyway, cross referencing against the work of Palomino Palominei and his observations on distant stars I had a wonderful idea.” 

The pair stepped out onto one of the castle’s many broad balconies. Far across Equestria the sun was just rising over the horizon, spilling golden light across the scattered farms and villages. 

Celestia frowned, glancing at Twilight whose horn was devoid of magic. She felt her stomach drop. “Twilight, what have you done?” 

Twilight beamed “I fixed the sun! See, it was running out of fuel and far smaller than it should have been. That’s why you’ve had to keep raising it every morning. I topped it back up with a few of the lower visibility stars that Luna was keeping around and put it back to a safe distance.” 

“Twilight, are you telling me–” 

“Yes! We’re now orbiting the sun,” Twilight continued in an excited rush. “It’s going to save so much time. No more sun raising, no more early morning starts for you and if I’ve done my calculations correctly we’ll even be able to have the seasons change on their own.” 

Celestia just stared in open mouthed horror. “Have you... told anypony about this?” she began, picking her words with great care. Perhaps the situation could still be salvaged. 

“I made an announcement in the papers this morning.” Twilight frowned. “Is that a problem?” 

“Sister!” Luna bellowed, landing hard next to the pair. “The peasants have massed before the gates chanting, ‘down with the former sun-tyrant’. Have you seen my mace?” 

“Ooh, now I get it.”

Celestia facehooved. This was why she didn’t take vacations.