"Left or right?"

Luna stared first at one door, then at the other, before fixing a steely gaze on her Celestia, who stood between them with her wings outstretched. Her sister's eyes were wide and solemn, held in the soft but distant expression she would often adopt when pronouncing on matters of court and judgement. Perhaps by this measure she thought to add weight to the nigh preposterous idea that Luna should choose the door by which they might enter the royal dining room, though the smug little smirk tweaking at the corners of her mouth did somewhat ruin the illusion.

"They are each alike, dear sister," Luna said, glancing again at one and then the other door. "Wherefore this insistence that I choose twixt the pair?"

Celestia's quiet mirth faded just a little, but again she twitched one wing and then the other. "Come now Luna, would I ask such a question if I didn't feel your answer was worthwhile?"

"T'is a silly question and I am hungry," Luna shot back. She glared at the door to her left. "Each door is the same as the other. What matter demands I must make the choice this day?"

"Sometimes it's nice to let someone else make the decisions." Celestia lowered her wings, her usual warm smile back in its rightful place once again. She moved to the door on the right. "Last chance."

"Very well, if you must persist in this farce..." Luna eyed Celestia, then the door before her. Perhaps it wasn't just some idea she'd got in her head. Perhaps it was a ruse. Yes! A prank, one predicated on Celestia's belief that Luna was prideful and stubborn. A smile flickered to Luna's face; she stepped smartly to the left. "This one."

She turned a triumphant grin on Celestia, only for it to fade beneath her sister's curious gaze.

"Really?" Celestia raised a hoof to the door, readying to open it, then glanced at Luna again. "I mean, if that's what you want."

"Why would I not? Is my choice incorrect?"

"No!" Celestia lowered her hoof and smiled at Luna. "It's just that I've always been on the right. I thought—"

"I made my choice freely," Luna replied. She flicked her tail and tapped a hoof against the marble-tiled floor. "Are questioning my decision? Did my choice not fit within the requirements of your little scheme, dear sister?"

"My—Luna, I don't know what you think is going on—"

"It matters not!" Luna turned to glare at her door and waited for Celestia's response, yet after a few moments of silence she grew less certain of her own stance. "Unless you wished me to take the other door for some reason?"

"What? No, absolutely not Luna, I'm glad that you're confident enough to choose the same door by which you've always entered our dining room." Celestia's smile was brighter yet when Luna looked toward her again, though there was an unaccustomed glassiness to her eyes. "I find your willingness to retain the continuity of even such a small tradition quite touching."

Luna raised her eyebrow. She could see Celestia's ear quivering. Even a thousand years had not quite given her the ability to master her tells so completely, and the tale this one supplied was more than enough. Celestia wanted her to use the door on the left  desperately – and Luna had so very nearly fallen for it. Now she thought back she could detect the subtle manipulations in Celestia's acts and words.

But Luna was no fool. Compressing the sly smile that threatened to slide upon her lips, Luna sidestepped slowly toward Celestia. "I have changed my mind," she said, raising her nose. "I choose the right."

Celestia raised her eyebrow now, before moving reluctantly aside so that Luna might take her place. Luna couldn't hide her grin then.

"I suppose we should enter," Celestia said. Her smile still shone, but tighter now. Without speaking Luna pushed through the door into the dining room, turning to see what would befall Celestia as she—

Icy water crashed over her, followed shortly by the clong of a bucket hitting the floor at her side and shocking a vicious screech out of Luna that echoed from the far walls and shook the windows. At the sound of Celestia's raucous laughter she turned, panting and shuddering, with her fiercest glare ready.

Water dripped from Celestia's mane. She tipped back the bucket on her head and grinned at Luna.

"Gotcha."