private Canterlot Mystery Theater: Exit Trixie, Stage Left.

[Key Gear 6,663]

Link to OOC Topic: http://mlpforums.com/topic/31483-canterlot-mystery-theater-exit-trixie-stage-left-ooc/

Canterlot. Key Gear walked slowly, staring in wonder at the sheer opulence of Canterlot. The city completely dwarfed her. She was only a filly and a little small for her age, so she found herself having to awkwardly angle her neck in order to see anything worthwhile. Canterlot Castle dominated the skyline with its magnificence. The mansions, shops, and other buildings all seemed massive and finely built. The city was steeped in a certain forceful elegance.

 

The stories that she had heard of this place didn't quite do it justice. Everything was immaculately clean - the cobblestone paths, the buildings, even the grass seemed to sparkle. Manehattan had its good areas and it's bad areas, but Canterlot seemed to have only good areas. Canterlot was nothing like Manehattan.

 

Just then, she collided with a very well-dressed stallion. “You should keep your eyes in front of you,” he harrumphed as he looked down disapprovingly. She continued walking without addressing the perturbed stallion. Well, it's almost nothing like Manehattan. She sighed. She had nothing against upper-class ponies, but she did sometimes wish that they had nothing against her.

 

She stopped walking for a moment to peer into a fountain; the water was pristine. As she looked in, her reflection looked back at her - a very tired, very scruffy, very small creature. No wonder the stallion had been so rude, she didn't look at all like she belonged in a place like this. Yet, there she was, and much sooner than she would've ever been able to guess.

 

A couple of weeks ago, she had been trying to gather funds for an expedition into the Frozen North. For her own reasons, she chose to target members of the Canterlot elite for fundraising. She sent out dozens of letters, but she did not receive a single reply until just a few days earlier when she received an unusual invitation. The invitation contained the date, time, and location of some type of party. It also contained the name of the host, somepony named Pearl Necklace.

 

The first thing she did when she received the invitation was to check her mailing list. She thought that perhaps this was a response to one of her letters, but Pearl's name wasn't on it. In fact, Key had never even heard of her before. But, she did know that the address of the event was in a wealthy area of Canterlot and the invitation had been printed on excellent stationary. She purchased a train ticket to travel to Canterlot immediately. Normally she would hesitate before doing such a thing with so little information, but she was desperate.

 

Key smiled at her reflection in the water as she spoke to herself out loud. “It should be right around the corner.” She pulled herself away from her reflection and walked faster. She was going to be just a little early, but she really wanted to meet the host of the party before things became too busy later in the evening. She desperately hoped that she had not made her trip in vain. Whoever is hosting this thing had better be loaded. If they're not… She wasn't able to finish her thoughts, because what she saw when she rounded the corner took her breath away.

 

She saw a mansion. But, this mansion stood apart from all of the others - it was extravagant. It was surrounded by garden that was extensive and expertly coiffed and filled with what looked like hundreds of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. There was a fountain in the garden that was larger and more stately than the one that she had seen while walking through Canterlot earlier. The mansion itself loomed majestically, compellingly in the midst of it all. It was architecturally perfect and it was one of the largest she had seen in Canterlot.

 

Any doubts that she had about the host's financial state were completely erased. Her jaw dropped. She had come to Canterlot expecting to meet a wealthy pony, but she hadn't expected this kind of wealth. Suddenly conscious of her scruffy appearance, she hoped that she wasn't turned away at the door. Slowly, she began walking towards the mansion. With every step, her sense of awe increased. “Sweet Celestia…” She looked around with wide-eyed wonder.

Edited September 12, 2012 by Doggess Arylett

[Opalicious 799]

Water Opal huffed as he drenched his kitchen floor with water. In his little house, a hideous figure among the grand buildings of Canterlot, the ponies around him seemed to be, no, were surrounded by wealth. He had rushed to bake a great cake to bring to the mysterious party he had been invited to, the only info on the small card only displaying the location, time and date. With all the rich ponies in Canterlot, he knew there was no need to bring anything, really, as whatever he had, the pony, a pony named Pearl Necklace, probably also had, only better. Yet he still didn't want to arrive impolite and empty handed, hence the decision to bake a grand cake.

 

Nothing had gone by plan, he forgot ingredients, and he somehow managed to add water into the mix. He had never been able to bake a cake, not even a miniature one, so it really didn't surprise him, and his face showing no expression. He picked up the broom, a simple, red stick with a few strands of hay, and began to mop the giant amount of water, only succeeding into spreading it further, into his living room.

 

Eventually he gave up, turning up the heater before leaving the house. It didn't hurt to turn up early to the party, even if it was as early as it was. The mansion could be seen from his small hut, a gigantic figure, looming above the other buildings on the wide road. Every time he left his house, he found himself breathless, staring at the monstrosity. It was littered with magnificent flowers, all different colors. Even after he had traveled so many parts of Equestria, he couldn't recognize most of them. As he began to move closer, the grand, white and red villa, if it could be called that, showed it's beauty in multiple ways. Beautiful, drawn curtains covered every window in sight, everything that happened in the mansion being kept inside. The double door was around 5 times as tall as him, golden handles, as well as foreign designs engraved across it.

 

Almost afraid, he stopped 10 meters from the gate. His jaw had been wide open the whole journey of 400 meters. He stared at the thing, noting everything, well, almost everything had been gold plated. Gold always showed a pony's wealth, but here, it didn't only show it, and gloated about it. It seemed to have a life of his own, bragging of it's amazing features to all of Canterlot. His mind flashed back to his small hut, and how he had only barely managed to stay in financial conditions to even stay. He eventually began doing other ponies favors, earning money as he did it, but he eventually gave up that route, and now he just lived in his little hut, the small amount of money he had, still staying with him, helping him live.

 

He found himself inching closer, his brain telling him he would have to go in eventually. His mind now on the fact that he had been rightfully invited to enter the place, he gulped slowly before stepping up the a small panel next to the gate. Looking at it, a giant display of buttons showed themselves at the surface. Water Opal stood, baffled, before his hoof slowly touched a small red button, which he hoped to be the doorbell.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Luna Opal

[Klopp 2,050]

One Week Ago.

 

 

Returning home from a lengthy expedition overseas in the land of the Gryphons, Bones was exhausted, as always, and ready for a decent nights sleep in his own bed. The small cot he had been sleeping on for the past 4 months had been murder on his back, and he was more than ready to dive into his bed for a long 12 hour sleep. When he arrived at his modest sized home, he was greeted with his only friend, Sunflower, and the cheerful earth pony was awfully excited about something... something more than the return of her friend.

 

"Ossy! You're back!" She said as she jumped on top of him, gave him a hug, and kissed him gently on the cheek, as she always did when he returned from one of his adventures. "I've got some great news for you!"

 

Bones said to her jokingly, "You know I hate that name! You're just always going to refuse to call me 'Bones', aren't you? Great news you say? Did that lazy Pony Jones finally get around to mailing me that information on the Paleotrictheopod egg fossil? He's been promising me that for far too long!"

 

Sunflower looked confused, as she always did when Bones talked about his unpronounceable fossils, then giggled before speaking, "No, he hasn't said anything about your... 'Pickle-Pod' fossil yet. This is even better news, Look!" She held up a small piece of paper, with fancy embossed lettering and all the trimming of a formal invitation. "You've been invited to a party!"

 

Bones took a glance at the invitation, and make a quick response to Sunflower, "No. I don't like other ponies... No one else understands my work, and they are never interested in hearing of my adventures. I'm terrible with talking to others anyways... except you, of course."

 

"But it will be so much fun! It'll be... like a NEW kind of adventure! You can't be just be a boring old bone-digger all the time! Go out there and make some friends! Please! Do it for me Ossy!" She said as she gave him a horribly cute sad-face, and he hated to see his only friend sad.

 

Bones sighed, and gave in to her demand. "Alright, Sunny, I'll do it for you. But if it turns out to be a disaster, I'm just going to stick with being a boring old bone-digger until I become a fossil myself!"

---

 

Today.

 

 

The date had arrived for the party Bones was invited to. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he was trying to make the best of things. Maybe this was what he needed though. Get to know other ponies, try and make some friends, who knows? Maybe someone at the party would take a liking to his unique knowledge and adventures. That was getting his hopes up too high though. No one had ever taken a liking to anything he enjoyed. He was one-of-a-kind. He stare at himself, straightening up his mane for the upcoming party, wanting to look his best even if he were to never meet the ponies at the party ever again.

 

He would have been content with leaving early for his next destination, back to the Frozen North, where his adventures first began. But no, instead he was reluctantly heading to a party in which he had little interest in, and was honestly a bit scared to attend. What if people hated him for his job? Thought what he did was pointless? Hated his views on Versatile Species Adaptation? Or were possibly jealous of his wealth? These things he had come across so many times in the past, and things that always filled him with terrible pessimism.

 

"Ossy! You're going to be late!" Sunflower said as she burst into his home.

 

Bones responded to her abrupt comment with an abrupt comment of his own, "Sunny! Cool your hooves! I've still got plenty of time."

 

"But don't you want to get there early to make a good impression?"

 

"No, I want to arrive late and sneak in unnoticed so I can talk to as few ponies as possible. By the way... Are you sure you don't want to come with me? It would make things easier for me if you could."

 

Sunflower shook her head and told him why not, "This is your new adventure. You gotta learn to make friends on your own! Now get going, go make some friends!"

 

She gave him no time to respond and shoved him outside without hesitation, and he was out the door and the wooden slab slammed behind him before he even knew what happened. Only thing for him to do at this point was make his way to the party.

 

Bones walked to the given address, and once he arrived looked at the fabulous mansion in awe for a moment, before spotting a small young Persian blue earth pony walking towards the place. She must have been invited as well, but rather than speak with her, which he would have hated to even attempt, he kept a safe distance and followed behind her, hoping she would not notice his presence. The last think he needed was for her to strike up a conversation. Or maybe it was precisely what he did need. The stallion couldn't make up his mind on the matter, and just continued to follow her up to the mansion.

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

It was time to begin.

 

Pearl "Gemsalot" Necklace shuffled about her massive mansion with a tiny little grin upon her silvery face, dictating commands to all of her servants to double-check on the preparations. Everything seemed in-order and ready, though there was one final matter to attend to...

 

"Entertainment! Do you have the entertainment booked that Midnight Salsa recommended?" She asked a nearby pegasus butler who had folded his hoof around a scroll, holding it up and gazing down upon it with ridiculously tiny glasses that she questioned how he could even read with them considering they were several times smaller than his eyes.

 

"Mm'yes... one... ah... 'The Great and Powerful Trixie...' will be arriving shortly after the party's beginning. At 6 PM."

 

The ivory-coated mare vaguely wondered if Salsa had been playing some sort of prank on her. A name like that sounded so silly. But her friend had assured her that this entertainer would make things quite interesting. If Salsa said it would, then she was probably right. Even as a prank, things would be sure to be quite amusing. The looks on her guests' faces if it had been a trick would've been priceless.

 

"Okay, very good job. Thank you for your service," She said rather automatically as she tossed a few bits into a small sack around the butler's neck. He nodded solemnly, before she called a different servant to her side. Her exquisite mansion was still bustling with them, and she feared, would be rather messy for the guests. Everything needed to appear immaculate!

 

"Now, read off the guest list to me."

 

"Here's what we've got, sir-"

 

"You know, you really don't have to call me 'sir.'"

 

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm just used to it from my military training... madam, I mean. Anyway, the guests you invited will be...

• Keygear, a young filly whose parents were famous explorers.

• Electrobolt, quite interesting, he won a contest for those newfangled things called "video games."

• Lapis Lazuli, heir to the prestigious Ore legacy!

• Rose... a flower? Was there some sort of typo here? Perhaps it means pony?

• Water Opal, a renowned researcher of water magic.

• Osseous, paleontology who made it to the Frozen North.

• Alex Night, one of Canterlot's very own weather patrollers."

Pearl nodded her head as she heard the names read off, confirming that all of the invitations had gotten to the right ponies... except for the flower. How did a flower get an in-

 

"Doorbell! I'll get it myself. It seems our guests have arrived. Make them feel welcome when they come in. We're dealing with some very charming ponies here."

 

The servants, used to Pearl's odd desire (or at least, it was considered odd amongst very wealthy ponies like her who never had to life a hoof) to answer the door, merely shuffled about to their positions and various tasks, several getting out trays of hors d'oeurvers.

 

She opened the door with a hoof to find who she had presumed to be Water Opal standing there, a mixture of unease and astonishment upon his face. The prestigious mare gave him a very friendly smile and extended her hoof for him to shake.

 

"Why hello there! You must be Water Opal. I know, I know... the place is a bit messy, but the servants and I haven't really had time to clean up. I'm sorry. Please do come in," Having been used to the rather scrutinizing eyes of the wealthy, she was not initially aware that some of these ponies might find her house overly extravagant, and expected for them to spot the flaws. Pearl motioned towards the inside of her home, before she stepped outside excitedly to spot two more guests approaching her rather decadent mansion. Before even giving Water Opal time to shake her hoof back, she trotted briskly (and rather eagerly) in the direction of the other guests. She noticed that one of them had been standing an inordinate distance from the only filly she had invited.

 

"Ah, Key Gear! It's so good to meet you!" She smiled once more with the indiscriminate good-natured grace of a lady who had been practiced in these events. "I've heard of the exploits of your parents, and I've been looking forward to hearing some of the stories you might have to tell. But I'm sure you want some time to relax after your long journey from Manehattan. Do come in, my humble home and all of its facilities are yours," the host of the party motioned once more towards her own mansion with a hoof, before she noticed a dashing and well-kept stallion who seemed keen to put some distance between himself and Key Gear. This could not do.

 

"Hello there," she uttered in a very friendly tone, not wanting to scare him away. His body language and facial expressions, like Water Opal, indicated that he was uncomfortable. Though she could sense he was uncomfortable in a different way. "I believe... you have to be... Osseous? The famous and daring adventurer who went to the Frozen North! No need to be so scared, you've faced certainly more horrors than I have. Especially to get this relic... yes... yes... I've heard the stories. Quite astonishing." In her overexcitement, Pearl had forgotten his discomfort and had without his permission grabbed the pendant of his relic in her hoof, feeling its soft and sleek texture... aaah. The sense of touch was one that was quite glorious to her. It felt just as she had imagined.

 

"But more than that, I've heard your theory on Versatile Species Adaption, was it? I think I've heard somepony call that 'evolution'... well, I'd be more than excited to hear more! But I'm being rather rude. Haven't even given you a chance to settle in. Come on in, make yourself at home," As she motioned a third time to her mansion, she stood there in the same spot, ready and eager to greet anymore guests. And hopefully, the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was looking forward to seeing what it was that Salsa had in mind.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Doggess Arylett

[Electrobolt 2,069]

Trains are a commonly used means of getting from one place to another. Some use trains as a means to get away from it all, go on vacation. Others use a train as a means to get into it all, going on business trips to seal the deal and such. There are even some who use trains as a means to journey across the world and see all the locations. But for one young colt, he was taking the train down to Canterlot, after having been invited to a party that he had no idea about, or why he was invited.

 

As Electrobolt looked out the window of his cabin, he saw the majestic Canterlot Castle in the distance. It hasn't been all that long since he last saw that sight, having gone down for the Canterlot Video Game Tournament only four days ago, and now he was on his way back to attend this party. As he turned away from the window and approached one of the seats, he recalled his last trip down, and his experience there. It was the very first time he participated in the tournament, and he was nervous about how he would hold his own. But whether it was skills that he didn't realize he had, or just dumb luck, he won the tournament and made a new friend. To think, this all started the day after the tournament...

 

***********

Electrobolt was sitting in his room, polishing his newly-won trophy, still having not gotten over the shock that he had just won his first ever tournament. After cleaning it enough so that he can see his own reflection in it, he smiled as he stood up again, about to leave his room. Just then, his mother called out, "Electrobolt, dear, could you check the mail?" Chuckling, he responded, "Alright, mom. I'm on my way." He doesn't know how she does it, but she always seems to call for him just as he's about to leave his room. As he left his room, and then the house to check the mail, he noticed something was sticking halfway out of the mailbox. Curious, he walked closer and pulled it out, before looking at it.

 

What he saw surprised him, it was an invitation to a party of sorts. Who sent him this invitation, and why was it him who received it? Shaking his head, he looked over the whole thing to make sure it isn't a prank of sorts, or if it was just a wrong address. But as he looked it over, he saw no signs of this really being a prank, and the address is not wrong. But still, why did he get the invitation? Shaking his head, he took the invite, and the mail that was inside the mailbox, into the house. Having shown his parents the invitation, they were pretty surprised too, but they allowed him to go.

 

Not one to decline an invite so easily, he decided to get himself all cleaned up and ready for the party as best as he could. Although he'd normally go to parties casually, he noticed the party location was set for Canterlot, so he did his best to get all cleaned up, spending twice as much time in the bath and washing his mane twice. He also brushed his coat after every bath, so that it would look more presentable. He did this again on the next night, then early in the morning, he got up to clean himself up once again. He also, as opposed to spiking his mane up, combed it down and used styling gel on it to keep it flat and slick. Afterwards, his parents walked with him to the train station to see him off before he left. After boarding the train and getting to his cabin, he looked out the window and, once the train started moving, waved to his parents.

 

***********

As he returned his attention to the window, he no longer noticed the castle as he looked confused. How long had he been lost in thought? Just then, the speakers called out, "Now arriving, Canterlot Station. Repeat, now arriving, Canterlot Station. Shaking his head, he looked over to the windowsill, noticing the invite that he left there. Getting up and approaching the window to grab the invite, he then approached the cabin door. As he felt the train slow down to a stop, he knew they were at the station now. So he left the train and the train station, invite in hoof, as he began to look for the location of the party.

 

After some looking around, he finally found the location: a giant mansion that looked rather amazing. As he looked at the mansion, he noticed there were some ponies were already at the door. *Am I early?* he thought, seeing them still outside the door. *Am I on time? Are they here for the party, or something else? Is this even the right address?* Shaking his head at the last question, he recalled the invite. His other questions were answered, however, as soon as he noticed the door open, he saw this white pony come out, greeting them all. *It looks like they are here for the party... Well, here we go...* With that, he slowly began to walk closer to the other ponies that were there.

[Key Gear 6,663]

Key walked slowly towards the entrance of the mansion. From the street, it had seemed large, but as she grew closer to it, it seemed unbelievably massive. Further ahead of her, she could see a rather posh looking blue unicorn at the door of the mansion. The unicorn was hesitating before ringing the doorbell. He looked infinitely more polished than she did, but he seemed as though he was just as taken aback by his surroundings as she was.

 

A small distance behind her, Key could hear the steps of another pony. From her time living in the streets of Manehattan, Key had developed a very strong sense of spatial awareness. For her, being able to know when she was being followed had often meant the difference between life, death, and unfortunate experiences. Without betraying any awareness of the stranger behind her, she listened carefully. The steps were tentative, measured. She thought to herself, probably another party guest staring around, in awe of this place.

 

Overcoming his hesitation, the blue unicorn at the door finally rang the doorbell. Key suddenly found herself wondering. What kind of pony would live in a place like this? What kind of pony would throw a random party and invite polished unicorns and scruffy earth pony fillies? Her walk slowed down as she considered the questions, and, as she considered the questions, she found herself looking forward to the party considerably less.

 

Who would live in a house like this? Definitely a unicorn. Probably royalty. With all these trimmings, nothing else makes any sense. And, I bet that she is fat, gaudy, and lazy. No need to do any work if you're this rich, particularly if you're also royalty. The only reason I was invited is because she probably saw my parents' names in some old article and sent me an invitation based on that. She probably doesn't know anything about my parents or about me. She probably thinks I'm older than I really am too. I'm probably going to get turned away at the door and never even meet this Pearl.

 

Key's characteristic frown grew deeper. Just then, the door to the mansion swung open energetically, and, for the second time that day, Key found herself staring open mouthed. Standing in the doorway was one of the tallest, most athletic, and friendliest looking earth ponies that she had ever seen. Is this the host? Key thought to herself. Then she noticed the amazing necklace of pearls around the pony's neck. SHE IS THE HOST! Key was stunned. Pearl was overflowing with energy. She greeted the blue unicorn at the door and then trotted out to meet Key without missing a beat.

 

"Ah, Key Gear! It's so good to meet you!" She smiled once more with the indiscriminate good-natured grace of a lady who had been practiced in these events. "I've heard of the exploits of your parents, and I've been looking forward to hearing some of the stories you might have to tell. But I'm sure you want some time to relax after your long journey from Manehattan. Do come in, my humble home and all of its facilities are yours," the host of the party motioned once more towards her own mansion with a hoof, before she noticed a dashing and well-kept stallion who seemed keen to put some distance between himself and Key Gear. This could not do.

Key's eyes went wide. She hadn't expected Pearl to be anything like this at all. Key was completely and totally in shock. Somehow, she managed to stutter out a short response. "H-h-hello. N-n-nice to meet you. T-t-thanks!" Pearl's voice didn't have the slightest trace of snobbishness. Pearl showed no reaction to Key's scruffy appearance or youth. And, most importantly for Key, Pearl wanted to hear some of Key's adventure stories… It seemed too good to be true, and Key was feeling just a little overwhelmed. She debated whether to talk with Pearl or walk towards the mansion.

 

"Hello there," she uttered in a very friendly tone, not wanting to scare him away. His body language and facial expressions, like Water Opal, indicated that he was uncomfortable. Though she could sense he was uncomfortable in a different way. "I believe... you have to be... Osseous? The famous and daring adventurer who went to the Frozen North! No need to be so scared, you've faced certainly more horrors than I have. Especially to get this relic... yes... yes... I've heard the stories. Quite astonishing."

Osseous? The famous and daring frozen North adventurer? Here? At this party? Key whirled around. Though she had never seen the pony, she was certainly familiar with the relic. There it was, which could only mean one thing… The one and only Osseous is here… At a random party… For real. Suddenly, the party took on a much higher level of importance to Key. Here, in this one location, she had a chance to get both the funding and the expertise for her upcoming expedition. Without any further thought, she quickly trotted out to Osseous and Pearl. She thought, this really does seem to be too good to be true…

[Opalicious 799]

Water Opal was surprised by the hostess' hyper attitude. Perhaps this was how wealthy ponies always acted. Heading into the building, he looked, amazed, at the astonishing design. The lobby was floored delicately, the lush, leather couches seemingly bragging of their fantastic design. Artwork hung from the walls, a variety of artists displayed on it. Even the ceiling proved its dignity, the curved shape and the paint on the surface of it proving that everything in the mansion was flawless.

 

Not sure what to do, he simply stood there, looked after Pearl Necklace, the eager pony, now rushing to meet the next guests. She first went to a rather scruffy looking pony, before continuing to another pony who looked familiar to him, but he could quite remember where. Probably another famous pony, by the amount of them there was in Canterlot. The variety of ponies she had invited seemed to be random. The probability that a pony as rich as Pearl Necklace would know a small filly, who he didn't think didn't come from anywhere in Canterlot. As for the other pony, who he had yet to identify, he seemed uncomfortable and unsure if he should be there, just how he had been when he had arrived.

 

A look of surprise and admiration appeared on the younger filly's face, and at first, it seemed logical to Water Opal that she was looking at Pearl Necklace, but he soon realized that she was looking the other pony, a white unicorn with a symbol on his necklace. His eyes narrowed, focusing intently on the circle like thing. Realization and amazement finally dawned him as he remembered why he had been so familiar. This was the famous adventurist Osseous, who had traveled to the Frozen North, where he found a necklace with a relic, which he now wore, and the relic was also no engraved into Osseous' flank as a cutie mark. What an honor to have him here, at this relatively random party. Water Opal hoped he would have time to meet the famous unicorn later, but he deemed it unlikely.

[Alex Night 870]

12 hours before the party...

 

Alex had decided that he needed to get a nice suit for the party, considering that this was a Canterlot party. That meant that he had to make a visit to Rarity's Boutique over in Ponyville to get a suit. Alex grabbed his bag of bits and jumped out of his window into a dive. Feeling the wind blowing around him always gave him the ultimate rush. "I just wish I could figure out how Rainbow Dash could perform the Sonic Rainboom. If I could just learn how to do it, maybe she'll finally take notice of me." Alex thought. He extended his wings and flapped his wings as fast as he could to increase his speed in an attempt to break the sound barrier. The wind blowing in him so hard that his eyes were starting to water forcing him to squint. He was close now; about two thousand feet from the ground. He was moving much faster now closing in on the location of Rarity's Boutique. Alex decided that it wasn't worth it as he spread out his wings to slow down. Slowing down to a hover, he landed softly in front of the door.

 

He opened the door as the bell above the door rang. "Welcome to Rarity's Carousal Boutique! How may I assist you, young man?" a lovely voice called out. Alex looked ahead and saw the owner of the shop, Rarity. "Boy, does she fit her name all right." Alex thought. She was a white coated unicorn with a violet mane and stood in a very ladylike demeanor. This was a unicorn who takes pride in her appearance. "I certainly hope so, Ms. Rarity. I need a suit for a Canterlot party." Alex addressed with a smile. "You do? What kind of Canterlot party?" Rarity asked. Alex showed her the invitation who take hold of it with her magic. Rarity gasped when she finished reading it. "I can't believe it! You're not going to just any Canterlot party! You are going to a Canterlot party hosted by a well-known hostess named Pearl Necklace, one of the most wealthy Earth ponies in Canterlot! Do you know what this means for you, my dear colt? You don't need just a suit, you need a very ornate suit, which I'll be more than happy to make for you for only four bits!" Rarity told him with excitement in her voice. Alex was shocked at her generosity, but proceeded with a thank you.

 

9 hours before the party...

 

When she was done with the suit, she motioned Alex to try it on. It was truly a suit worthy for a Cantorlot party. The suit bore a jet black appearance with golden fisticuffs encrusted with a aquamarine jewel for each. The white dress bore buttons along the center with the same aquamarine jewels for each button. She also went through the trouble of grooming his mane with her magic to bear a healthy appearance. When she brought Alex to a mirror, she spoke with much pride in her voice. "There! Now, you will look stunning for Pearl's party tonight. Every mare will want to meet with you and every colt will want to be you." Alex looked at himself and was stunned by his appearance. He now looks more than appropriate for a Canterlot party, especially for one who is said to be very wealthy. Alex gave her four bits, but felt slightly ashamed for having a wonderful suit and paying so little for it. "Gosh, thank you so much, Miss Rarity. I couldn't possibly just pay for something so little as four bits for this..." Alex told her with a slight embarrassment in his voice. "Don't be silly, my dear. It would be my pleasure to help you be the bell of the ball at this party. Now, run along before you are late. It wouldn't look too good for you if you are." Said Rarity. Alex knew that she wasn't going to budge and she was right, he had to make it before he was too late. Alex stepped out the door as Rarity called out saying "Have a wonderful evening!" Alex looked at the clock tower by Ponyville and he had 8 hours left before the party started. "It looks like I will have to fly to make it on time. Gotta make sure to fly casually so I won't mess up my appearance. Alex went off into a hover and went off on his way.

 

3 hours before the party...

 

Alex flew around Canterlot for awhile as he looked for the place. After a long search, he found the location. He dropped down slowly to the ground to get a better look at the mansion. Alex stood at the gate taking in the sight. It was a magnificent place with a sprawling garden in the front and a fountain as well. The curtains were beautifully drawn and were covering the inside of the mansion. Or was it called a manor he wondered. He brushed that thought as he trotted closer to the entrance seeing other ponies already having arrived. There was a white coated unicorn with a yellow mane, a Persian blue Earth pony with a gray mane, a green coated Earth pony with a blue mane, and a silvery white Earth pony with a dark gray mane. Alex noticed that the silvery white Earth pony was wearing pearls around her neck and her flank, which led Alex to believe that she must be the host. "Well, this is it. Time for the greatest party ever! Ah, maybe Rainbow Dash or the Wonderbolts are here as well!" Alex thought to himself as he walked closer to the group of ponies. "Hello, everypony." Alex said aloud to the group.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Alex_Night

[Klopp 2,050]

Not too far from the mansions main entrance, the door swung open and out came a beautiful and slender white mare with a fantastic silver mane, wearing pearls around her neck. This must be the host, Pearl Necklace. She seems far more eccentric than I expected. He froze in place and watched her great the other two ponies ahead of him, and he knew that he was going to be next. The stallion just stood there awkwardly hoping she wouldn't yet address him. His luck failed him, and she was headed straight this way and immediately began speaking to him whilst admiring his famed relic. He didn't know what to do with someone so close to him like this... He just stood there and let her feel his necklace, and averted his eyes as if nothing was even happening.

 

@,

 

"Yes... I... I am Osseous. But... I would, um... prefer if you called me 'Bones'."

 

As if his luck weren't bad enough, it appeared the blue earth pony he was following took a sudden interest in him. She whirled around quickly at the mention of his name. Perhaps she had heard of him before? She was just a young filly, but she looked awfully familiar to bones. Probably just a coincidence, but perhaps he knew her from somewhere before. That wasn't important though, what was important right now was Pearl... She mentioned Versatile Species Adaption, mentioning hearing of it as "Evolution", which completely surprised Bones. Could it be that she was actually interested in his work? Surely she must if she had known of these things.

 

"Y-you know about... my work? That... is strange. No one usually cares about what I do."

 

By this time the young filly had trotted up to them, and she also seemed to be interested in Bones. Oh great, another one wanting to talk to me... I hope this doesn't last long. Bones, having had a close look at her, was almost convinced that he knew her from somewhere. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew she must have been an acquaintance of sorts. But before he had a chance to speak, a Pegasus came from behind and greeted them.

 

"Hello, everypony." Alex said aloud to the group.

And great... now a third pony had shown up. Bones felt extremely uncomfortable with all this attention on him, but he did not want to be rude and ignore anyone. Turning his attention toward the Pegasus, he responded to his greeting as best as he could manage.

 

"Hello? My name is... is Bones. Glad to meet you... "

 

It was clear to anyone around him that he was unreasonably uncomfortable about this situation. His face turning red to match the jewel within his relic, his eyes never making contact with another and constantly turning his head away to seemingly admire the gorgeous landscape and garden. His anti-social behavior turned out to be far worse than he expected, but he never thought he would conjure up so much attention so quickly. Maybe it was just his necklace... maybe he should have taken it off today. No, he couldn't do that... Him and his relic were completely inseparable.

[Aureity 3,055]

As the other guests introduced themselves to the eager host, all seeming equally amazed at the sheer size and grandeur of the house, one guest in particular seemed unmoved by such impressiveness. In fact, that guest seemed particularly unmoved by anything, in a literal sense as well. For as the others trickled into the breathtaking mansion, their eyes popping with delight, a small white rose potted into an unimpressive clay pot sat immobile by the window, a startling contrast to the splendor of everything else around it. This flower, if any of the guests had bothered to take a curious glance at it, would in all indication seem like any other garden flower, and indeed, it was, a beautiful but otherwise unremarkable - and boring - addition to a house already filled to the brim with stunning tapestries, gilded statues and splendid fountains.

 

 

Inside the flower, however, the scene was anything but peaceful.

 

 

~~~

 

 

"We've got it," one of them breathed, staring upwards at the sky. "Get ready, soldiers. For once in your lazy lives, you'll be doing some work."

 

 

"Aye, general," the dotted line of green answered him, before shifting back into position, their eyes not once leaving their post. For a single moment, they held their breaths, and the air around them was completely silent...deathly so. Their attention was focused on one thing and one thing only as they waited patiently, like stone sentinels. The sun. And then...it happened. A single ray of light, a beacon of hope, shone on the desperate line of green, illuminating the entire row and casting their determined faces in a startling contrast. The entire line stiffened, waiting for the order.

 

 

"NOW!" the commander yelled, casting his voice to the heavens above. "Move, chloroplasts, move! On the double!"

 

 

"Aye!" came the determined shout of each cell in response, a perfect unison of sound that nearly drowned out the commander's own voice. Immediately hordes of vibrant green chloroplasts erupted from the battle formation, each cell releasing the soldiers under its command. Screaming their battle cries, the rush of green chloroplasts charged forward, an unstoppable wall of organelles sweeping towards the unsuspecting ray of light, malice in their hearts and minds. The commander's orders were inaudible over the cacophony of war as the first wave of tiny green chloroplasts made contact with their enemy.

 

 

Scattered explosions of light erupted all over the battlefield, entire divisions of chloroplasts blinded by the furious glare of a dying enemy. The ray of light recoiled, scattering in panic in all different directions like a fragmenting snake, and littering the cellular battlefield with their dead. The cells watched the carnage unfold impassively, packed tightly as they were in an insurmountable, semi-permeable shield wall, an unstoppable show of force that stole the hope of any light particles still hoping to resist the molecular massacre. The screams and shouts were unbearable, and for a split moment each cell thanked Celestia that the plant itself did not have ears.

 

 

But gradually, the clamor began to die, and the commander's voice was audible once more, a low growl to stand down. Some reluctantly, and others wearily, the chloroplasts began trudging back towards the cell wall, a few stumbling as they went, as the commander calmly stepped towards the front of the line to examine the carnage.

 

 

There were bodies, everywhere. Too many to count. The commander found himself gulping, gasping and shuddering for breath, horror overtaking him as he surveyed the scene of death. W-was it worth it? he wondered, even as tears of anguish slid down his cheeks. It...it had to be done. But has it worked? He bowed his head and was silent as the row of cells behind him glanced at each other, bewildered, some seeming lost, the lack of noise somehow even more unbearable than the symphony of disharmony that had resounded throughout the battlefield only moments earlier. The question on each of their minds was obvious. What now?

 

 

"Sir!" The voice of a lone gray molecule shattered the silence, and all eyes turned, surprised, as the molecule tumbled to the ground, gasping for air before lurching unsteadily to his feet. The commander found himself walking towards the molecule, not daring to hope. Not daring to think.

 

 

The messenger took another hurried breath as the commander loomed above him, waiting anxiously for his report.

 

 

"Sir..." the messenger repeated, in a hoarse voice, his face impassive. "Sir...it's worked."

 

 

The commander blinked. Surely he had heard wrong.

 

 

"It's worked!" repeated the messenger, as if unable to believe himself. "Factories are at full production, sir! The workforce is back in order!" His voice grew steadily higher pitched as excitement overtook him. "And, and sir! The factories, they are once again producing..." he stopped, the radiant joy on his face preventing him from any further talk. Instead, he dug into his pocket, and handed the commander a small, hastily-wrapped package.

 

 

The commander weighed it impassively in his hand, his face set in stony silence. He hesitated only for a split second before he carefully tore off the wrapping of the package, the attention of each of his cells focused on him.

 

 

A dull brown box emerged from the torn wrapping, and the commander held his breath as he held it up to his field of vision, not daring to believe...

 

 

C₆H₁₂O₆, read the battered label.

 

 

The commander turned his eyes back towards the messenger, who gave a slight nod as of in confirmation, but the commander's mouth was already splitting open into a wide grin, his eyes flashing in triumph and pure, unbridled joy filling his heart. Nothing else mattered. The battle was won - and so was the flower. Behind him, the cells remained silent, still unsure. The commander turned, joy written all over his face as he flourished the package at his waiting soldiers, and now they had finally, finally realized the contents of the small brown box.

 

 

A single cell dropped to the ground, his arms bent in thankful prayer. Beside him, another cell let out a cry of joy, clasping his comrade in happiness, and now all of the cells were laughing and cheering, slowly at first, then building up to a monumental crescendo, dropping their shields to the ground, pumping their fists, and celebrating. The volume was a million times louder than anything that had been experienced during the battle, as each organelle in the system began screaming in ecstasy, their voices blending across the sky in a single roar of approval.

 

 

The commander unsheathed his saber with a metallic clink, triumph etched all over his weary face. Even above the clamor, his powerful voice carried over the field.

 

 

"My friends, my comrades! The sacrifice of our brethren has not been in vain! For although they fell, they fought for a purpose. A purpose that, today, has finally been realized! They fought...for photosynthesis!" He brandished his blade above his head, and this time the new clamor of joy surged forward, drowning out even his own voice as the millions, billions, trillions of cells inside of the flower celebrated - their one sweet taste of victory.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Aureity

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

@@Electrobolt,

 

Oooh! Another guest!

 

Her eyes glanced up and down this admirably colored and youthful colt, eager with interest. Obviously, he wasn't the Great and Powerful Trixie. One look at his cutie mark revealed that he was Electrobolt, the winner of these "video games" that Pearl didn't really know heads or tails about.

 

"Ah! Welcome, welcome, welcome!" The mare forcibly grabbed his hoof, noticing that he was not as awkward as the others. Though he seemed a bit uncertain about something. She hoped that her friendliness would aid this. Pearl was well-aware of how random and unexpected her invitations were, and that's the way she liked it! Invite a bunch of ponies who have little in common, then see what happens! Much better than a typical soiree of wealthy ponies who all agree with each other rather boringly.

 

"You must be Electrobolt, winner of that video games contest thing! Very good, very good. I must admit I know little about video games, but it is an astonishing concept! Now, come on right in. As my good friend, Midnight Salsa would say, 'mi casa es tu casa.'"

 

@,

 

Before responding to Key Gear, she took notice of another guest and waltzed rather energetically to his direction. It was the weather patrol, the only pegasus at the party. It was true that pegasi usually didn't make it to fancy parties, due to not really having as high positions as unicorns or earth ponies. But she wished to defy that. This party would have to be unique, unusual, and entertaining. So forward was he too, she had noticed. He had approached first to greet them.

 

"Hello, hello to you too! You must be Alex Night. Yes... yes... I'm sure you have many stories to tell us about the weather patrol. I'm happy to have you, and be sure to have some of my very own Cream Puff's cakes. They are simply put, quite awesome."

 

Like the others, she motioned him into the mansion. And began to trot inside herself when she realized that this was the entire guest list...

 

...Except for one more thing.

 

@@Aureity,

 

Noticing a flower on the window sill in a pot, Pearl felt herself suddenly starved for earthy delights. Whilst all of that divine and fancily made food was delicious, every now and then, this pony simply liked life's simplicities...

 

She took a massive chomp out of the rose, devouring all of its petals and feeling a sort of photosynthesisy goodness within her mouth. Mmm, that really hit the spot. Something about this rose made her full of fighting spirit, like a bunch of soldiers scrambling to complete the accomplishment of life-giving nourishment!

 

@,

 

"Surprised?" She grinned, noticing Key Gear's reaction. It was a reaction that was not uncommon, as she had skirted the expectations of a snobbish wealthy pony. "I hope it's a pleasant one."

 

@,

 

Turning her attention back to Osseous, or rather, "Bones." Something about his extremely awkward response captured her attention. His face had turned as crimson as the gloriously beautiful gem around his neck. She was now determined to make him feel comfortable and entertained at this party. Giving him another broad smile in which she showed her pearly whites (which were just as silvery and bright as the pearls around her neck), she addressed him in a kind tone.

 

"I'm sorry. Bones then. Yes, I've heard of it. I hear all sorts of talk But I only know the basic theory... and how much it is opposed. But really, it sounds rational to me. Don't you think? Where else would we all come from? Why, I think that some others just want to deny it because they're ashamed to admit they came from lesser creatures. Snobbish unicorns, all over the place!" The entire time in which she spoke, she was standing rather close to him and chattering a bit excitedly. That rose she had eaten gave her a fair deal of energy. "Perhaps... you could provide me with a more detailed explanation!" In another excited attempt to make him more comfortable, she wrapped her left foreleg around his neck and pulled him closer to her in a friendly manner, as she led them all into her mansion.

[Klopp 2,050]

@,

 

Bones just stood around watching as Pearl excitedly welcomed all the ponies as they arrived. She seemed to be interested in all of them, and wasn't at all nervous just babbling away at them. An admirable trait that he wished he possessed. Luckily she was taking away all the attention for herself, and the white pegasus was easing up a bit from the tension he had earlier. He let out a sigh of relief, when Pearl came up to him again, and seemed genuinely interested in evolution, before throwing her foreleg 'round his neck and pulled him in and remained that way as they head up to the mansion.

 

"Perhaps... you could provide me with a more detailed explanation!"

"You... really want to hear more? No one is ever interested in Evolution..."

 

He was unsure what to do, but rather than getting nervous, he got fairly excited at the chance to speak openly about something he loved. It was a strange feeling, but he always wanted to have someone to chat about his passion with, and he seized this moment to do so.

 

"Well, the basic idea is that each time any species procreates, changes are always made. Sometimes large, sometimes small, but they are always there. Over time these changes become so drastic that they create lifeforms that are vastly different from each other. We are actually a good example of some of the smaller changes. Whereas I am a unicorn, you are an Earth Pony, but we are both still ponies because our genetic coding is different. Now, as for an example of a much greater change, just take a look at dragons. They are nothing like us at all, but I know we must have a common ancestor with them somewhere in the past. My current goal is to find that ancestor, and that is why I will soon be leaving for the Frozen North again, as my last expedition has given me some clues that dragons and ponies may have coexisted in the wintery desert very long ago."

 

Bones just lost control of himself and kept on babbling until he realized he was actually talking to somepony. He looked at Pearl, and she was... uncomfortably close. Had she been this close the whole time? Well, that awkward feeling he had before came back, and his face practically melted as the heat in his cheeks began to rise, turning his face back to a brilliant shade of red.

 

"So... Yeah, that's, um... That's how Evolution works."

 

Bones grinned awkwardly at Pearl, and was kinda hoping she would step just a little bit further away from him before the rush of blood to his head caused it to explode.

[Electrobolt 2,069]

"Ah! Welcome, welcome, welcome!" The mare forcibly grabbed his hoof, noticing that he was not as awkward as the others. Though he seemed a bit uncertain about something. She hoped that her friendliness would aid this. Pearl was well-aware of how random and unexpected her invitations were, and that's the way she liked it! Invite a bunch of ponies who have little in common, then see what happens! Much better than a typical soiree of wealthy ponies who all agree with each other rather boringly.

 

Once the mare approached him and shook his hoof, Electrobolt was startled, to say the least. He wasn't quite expecting this so suddenly, but he shook it off as he returned the hoofshake. "Heh, that's quite the welcome you're giving everypony," he responded after the hoofshaking was finished. As he looked at her, he recognized that she was wearing a necklace made of pearls, and that she had a cutie mark of the very same item. *She must be the host of the party then...* he mused in his mind, before she began to speak once more.

 

"You must be Electrobolt, winner of that video games contest thing! Very good, very good. I must admit I know little about video games, but it is an astonishing concept! Now, come on right in. As my good friend, Midnight Salsa would say, 'mi casa es tu casa.'"

 

*Yep, she's the host of the party, alright,* Electrobolt thought, mentally chuckling at himself. Upon hearing the saying, he had a confused look on his face. *Mi casa es tu casa? What does that even mean...?* Shrugging off his confusion and taking it as a sort of greeting, he replaced the confused look with a smile, before nodding. "Um, thanks. And about the video games, they can be real fun!" he started, before seeing the hostess trot off to greet the next guest. *Heh... She must not want her guests to feel left out... I like that about her.* he thought, before realizing that he had been invited into her mansion. Seeing as she was starting to go into the mansion, with her forehoof wrapped around another guest's neck, he decided to follow suit and proceed to enter.

[Alex Night 870]

"Hello, hello to you too! You must be Alex Night. Yes... yes... I'm sure you have many stories to tell us about the weather patrol. I'm happy to have you, and be sure to have some of my very own Cream Puff's cakes. They are simply put, quite awesome." Like the others, she motioned him into the mansion. And began to trot inside herself when she realized that this was the entire guest list...

Alex looked on to the Earth Pony that just greeted him. Greeting him with excitement solidified his answer to her being the host known as Pearl Necklace, thanks to the tip he got from Rarity before arriving. She obviously seemed very excited to hear about the work he does for the weather patrol, which only made him feel more at ease. Now that he thinks of it, her speech and body language didn't come as very stuck up or anything, but rather lady-like and respectful just like Rarity. "No way this is happening." Alex thought in excitement for the moment. "Well, they are interesting stories, to say the least. Some of them involving the Wonderbolts in action. Thank you for the invitation, Miss Necklace." Alex told her before she walked off back to the huge manor. (yeah, it had to be a manor!) Alex also saw her take a huge bite out of a rose before proceeding to the ivory unicorn named Bones Alex saw that the others were on their way inside as well. Alex resisted the urge to gallop inside to absorb himself in the beautiful home and instead, proceeded to the door. He could see a ivory uncorn being escorted very closely by the hostess very friendly-like. "He said that his name was Bones... I have never heard of that name." Alex thought. He looked to the green Earth pony and instantly recognized him as Electrobolt, the recent champion of the Canterlot Video Game Tournament. "Hi there. You're the recent video game champ, Electrobolt, right? I sure would like to see how good you really are sometime." Alex told Electrobolt. After introducing himself to Electrobolt, his eyes fell upon the Persian-blue Earth pony. This pony, he was sure that he had seen before, or at least somepony that held a resemblance to her. "Guess I'll find out when the meet n' greet begins." Alex thought as he entered through the massive double doors in front of the manor.

[Key Gear 6,663]

To most ponies, Osseous would have appeared to be a slightly eccentric pony with an unusual cutie mark, but to Key, he was a hero and a living legend. Osseous… Or Bones, as he preferred to be called, was not just one of the few ponies that had been able to lead a successful expedition into the Frozen North. He was also a scientist that had written a respectable number of papers and books on a variety of subjects. Key had read everything that he had written…

 

"Yes... I... I am Osseous. But... I would, um... prefer if you called me 'Bones'."

Bones… That is… So awesome… I can call him Bones! Her normally tired eyes beamed with happiness. She fully intended to pepper him with questions about the Frozen North and his expedition as soon as she could. Which, she figured would have to wait a few moments. Bones seemed to be overwhelmed by all of the sudden attention. His face was flushing a crimson color that matched his relic. He looked like he was trying to find a trapdoor. Out of respect for the explorer, Key took a few steps back.

 

She took a massive chomp out of the rose, devouring all of its petals and feeling a sort of photosynthesisy goodness within her mouth.

Key was shocked. This was the first time in her life that she had ever seen a wealthy and aristocratic pony munch a pretty flower as a snack. That was completely random. This is probably the strangest pony that I have ever met. Key wondered whether that made it more or less likely that Pearl would fund an expedition into hostile territory.

 

"Surprised?" She grinned, noticing Key Gear's reaction. It was a reaction that was not uncommon, as she had skirted the expectations of a snobbish wealthy pony. "I hope it's a pleasant one."

Key blinked. It was as if Pearl had read her mind. This was another thing that separated this tall earth pony from any other wealthy pony that Key had ever met. Most wealthy ponies were completely oblivious to those around them, but Pearl seemed to be in tune with the thoughts and emotions of all of her guests. She wondered what kind of party Pearl had planned exactly…

 

"Perhaps... you could provide me with a more detailed explanation!"

That was too much for Key. She went wild eyed. A wealthy, aristocratic pony that was actually interested in hearing about Bones's species adaption theory? Key's imagination went wild. She's an imposter! There is just no way. This whole thing is too good to be true. It's some kind of setup. But… A setup for what??? Key scrunched up her nose and wore a quizzical expression as she explored the possibilities.

 

She's tall and athletic. She's good at reading thoughts and emotions of other ponies. She eats flowers. She's probably an assassin sent here to kill Bones with her bare hooves. She probably has a contract to take amount. She was probably sent here by one of the ponies that opposed his controversial theories. This party is probably some kind of elaborate ruse.

 

Bones just lost control of himself and kept on babbling until he realized he was actually talking to somepony. He looked at Pearl, and she was... uncomfortably close. Had she been this close the whole time? Well, that awkward feeling he had before came back, and his face practically melted as the heat in his cheeks began to rise, turning his face back to a brilliant shade of red.

She had heard Bones's theory enough to know it by heart. Still, she listened to his explanation while warily watching Pearl edge herself closer to Bones. Well, if she was an assassin of some type, the she would've already taken him out. Why wait? Assassins aren't paid by the hour. So that's one theory that I can discard… Wait… Could it be that she actually likes him? Yep, she's definitely an imposter. Key nodded her head with a sense of self-satisfaction.

 

I'lll have to keep an eye on this host. If she is an imposter, then she probably won't be much good for investing, but at least I'll be able to keep Bones out of trouble. As Key followed Pearl and Bones into the mansion, she took note of a few new arrivals that she had missed completely while focusing her attention elsewhere - a green earth pony and a blue pegasus with a shield cutie mark. If I find out more about the other guests, then maybe I can find out more about this host.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Scootacool

[Electrobolt 2,069]

As Electrobolt looked around, he noticed that it was only a few ponies around, not really much of a party group. *Must be a rather small party...* he thought, before looking back at the mansion. It seemed rather enormous, and very fitting for a wealthy Canterlot pony. Just then, he heard somepony speak up to him.

 

He looked to the green Earth pony and instantly recognized him as Electrobolt, the recent champion of the Canterlot Video Game Tournament. "Hi there. You're the recent video game champ, Electrobolt, right? I sure would like to see how good you really are sometime." Alex told Electrobolt.

 

After hearing the pony speak up to him, he turned around as he looked at the one whom addressed him. In front of him is a blue pegasus with a brown mane, and his flank bore a cutie mark that looked like a shield. Although he was curious about the meaning behind his cutie mark, he decided that could wait for later. But it seemed as if he was pretty much known by this pony, considering that he knew he won the video game tournament.

 

"Yeah, I'm Electrobolt," he responded, not wanting to leave this pegasus unanswered. "I take it you were around to watch the tournament, then? I admit, I was kind of nervous when I first entered..." He looked over towards Canterlot Castle for a moment, before returning his full attention to the pony in front of him. "But, I guess when I held that controller in my hooves, I felt comfortable... I can't explain why, but it felt like the crowd just vanished... Like it was just me, my opponent, and the game we were playing in."

 

As he heard him say that he'd like to see how good he really is, Electrobolt chuckled. "Is that a challenge you're throwing out there? Well, we'll have to meet up one day and play, then!" With a smile, he saw this pony walking towards the mansion, and he walked alongside him. "Oh yeah," he began, remembering that although this pony knew his name, the blue pegasus didn't give out his. "I didn't quite get your name... What may I call you?"

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

@,

 

She listened intently to his explanation, and nodded her head as he cheeks became more and more delightfully crimson. It was almost adorable, and quite bemusing to her. What an awkward pony! She simply felt only more determined to yank him out of his shell. Wrapping her front leg more tightly around him, she gave him another one of her dazzling smiles... and nearly tripped over her own hooves as she didn't notice one of her servants put down their duster for a split second.

 

"Wh-whoa! Hey, Klip... watch it!"

 

"Sorry Pearl! I was just finishing up prep- aaah, are THESE the guests? So sorry, so sorry! How rude of me!" The servant bowed and quickly bustled off for a split second, returning with a large tray... being held in her rather dexterous wings above her head. It had many rather strange and delectable-looking hors oeuvres, topped prettily with flowers even better-looking than the white rose she had devoured. Though she always preferred the simple taste of nature to overly prepared food.

 

"Dig in, everypony. As for you, Bones... I think the theory makes perfect sense. It's just what I thought. Personally, I'd love to go on an expedition like that! Sounds like an adventure. Maybe if you need the funding, or a partner... I'd be more than happy to help. I have some knowledge on excavating and playing around in the dirt," as she cooed on with her words, she gave him a little playful wink that she was sure would make his blush intensify tenfold, and then finally relinquished him from her grip as she turned to the other guests and gazed at them with interested gold eyes. The clock was marked 5:50. Trixie wasn't here yet... she sure was cutting it close.

 

@, @, @@Electrobolt, @,

 

"I hope our entertainment comes soon... do any of you know of a Great and Powerful Trixie? An apparently amazing unicorn with all sorts of feats and magistry to demonstrate for us. I've invited her on a recommendation of a friend of mine. According to her, she's sure to be entertaining. I've not heard much talk of her myself. Except for one occasion where she visited Ponyville."

Edited September 17, 2012 by Doggess Arylett

[Opalicious 799]

The servant, apparently named Klip, burst away from where they stood and almost immediately came back with a tasty looking dish, topped with delectable flowers. They seemed well watered, but he preferred wet vegetables, and he secretly moistened the food.

 

Looking to Pearl as he chewed quietly on a red and white flower, his ears perked up as she mentioned The Great and Powerful Trixie coming as a guest. He'd heard much of her, and even saw her perform in Las Pegasus, and he was quite impressed by her skills. He edged closer as she finished her sentence.

 

Swallowing, he took a second before asking, "When will Trixie come? Is she already here, perhaps hiding somewhere?" His eyes began to dart around the room, looking for any sign of the great, blue unicorn. He looked from object to object, curtains, ceiling, in the direction of other rooms, but he knew that he wouldn't find her. She was a magician after all, a master to, even after the incident in Ponyville, a very famous one indeed.

[Clarity 3,094]

4 hours before the party

 

The sound of a quill stroke cut through the silence of the small office. Clarity levitated the writing tool back and forth from the ink bottle, in deep concentration. This was the first request in at least four weeks, for usually nopony requested art in Ponyville, and she wouldn't ruin it by letting anything - anything - break her focus. The quill went back on the sheet of paper and drew the black pupil of the eye. The eye is the most important, and absolutely nothing can distract her to make this perfect. The quill went back to the bottle of ink.

 

Knock knock!

 

Clarity's magic immediantly tilted the writing tool sideways, bumping the ink bottle and spilling its contents all over the paper, fulling covering the carefully drawn face, covering almost the entire table with an oozing mess.

 

Gasping, she tried to remove the spill with her magic, even though the mess was all over the picture. A pile of ink was levitated up, but underneath is another layer that had already stuck to the ear of the drawing, already indistinguishable from its original shape. Giving up, she slammed the quill down on her working table and opened her office door - or tried to, but it wouldn't budge, for she had locked it to prevent interruption. Clarity fairly twisted the knob so hard with her magic it fell off, and she opened - slammed - it open. "What do you - "

 

A brown Earth pony stood in the doorway, with a blue mailcolt's hat and bag, stuffed with thousands of white envelopes. Clarity quickly morphed her expression to something that might represent a smile, because there were almost no visitors to her office other than her only friend in Ponyville, and she wanted to look polite. The mailcolt bowed - Unbelievable, Clarity thought - and she saw the bagful of mail. One caught Clarity's eye; it seemed to be jewels instead of envelopes. The mailcolt nodded to the bright envelope that she was looking at. "For you, miss."

 

Clarity took the piece of mail, the blue magical aura making it sparkle more brightly. She took one look at it, and almost laughed out loud. Whoever would waste time placing decorations on an envelope? It was as if the sender wanted to dress it up as if its a pony. She flipped the top and took out the piece of paper. An invitation, from the look of it. To...

 

Canterlot. Canterlot.

 

All of the disastrous morning was forgotten in the instant she read the word.

 

Clarity could imagine it now. The beautiful city, the royal castle where the princess resided, and the ponies strutting down the street, dignified looking with an air of importance. It was only through ear that Clarity had heard about the most regal city of all, even more than Manehatten, her hometown; and Manehatten was still the best place for arts, for all the sparkling buildings have inspired many a spark in her mind.

 

The dignified unicorn wanted that moment to leap into the air and shout with joy, and possibly dance in her office, only catching herself just in time. She wouldn't want to look like an immature Ponyvillain on her very first Canterlot party.

 

Trying to hold her excitement back, she quickly scanned the letter. The sender was a pony called Pearl Necklace, whom she never heard of before - possibly a high-class pony - and it was an invitation to a party in her Canterlot mansion. The time was -

 

"I'm going to be late!" Clarity exclaimed, no longer caring about looking undignified. "Late for my very first Canterlot Party! This is a disaster!"

 

---

3 hours before the party

"Where's my quill...where's my quill?"

 

After the quickest brush through her mane in her whole life, she had packed books - books on Canterlot, on parties, even one on the revelation of decorating an envelope. She also packed dozens of writing quills and pencils - she never went anywhere without a writing tool - plus a whole stack of paper.

 

Storing them in a bag, Clarity heaved it onto her back, which immediantely pushed her down, but she didn't notice. Already dashing out of the door faster than a rabbit, she ran as fast as her weak legs could take her to the train station.

 

The ticket was enclosed in the envelope. Clarity took it out and showed it to the pony at the counter. He wore a surprised look as he read it over.

 

"My, my...you must be famous to afford a private car on a train to Canterlot," he remarked. "Go right in!"

 

Clarity went in through the doorway, and pausing for a second to remove the heavy bag, she collapsed on the seats.

 

----

5 minutes after the start of the party

 

"I'm...here...Canterlot...!"

 

The train pulled into a slow stop as Clarity jumped up and lifted her bag. Though at one of the back cars, she was the first to get out of the train, her excitement causing her to run faster.

 

"I think that's it!"

 

She knew this was Canterlot. All ponies were wealthy; nopony, and absolutely nopony, was on the streets begging for food. She knew that money and fame was something to be expected here. But this beautiful city...was much more.

 

Clarity stopped in awe. She felt frozen in place, and couldn't move, couldn't speak.

 

Dong!

 

Even the clock was fancy. Though the gold dong donged eight times, Clarity didn't even notice until the ninth dong.

 

"I'm late! Already late!"

 

She quickly ran through the streets of busy high-class ponies, saying a quick "sorry" to passerbys she bumped into. The route in Canterlot was quite confusing, and she knew that if she stopped by to gaze at the magnificent city, she would be more than one hour late.

 

This must be it!

 

Clarity ran faster than she knew she could, barging straight through a dirty garden and through the royal looking double doors.

 

(OOC: My first roleplaying! I hope I did fine? )

[Magicon 468]

4 Days before the Party

 

“Magicon, I’m heading out for the night,” called Archie as he neared the exit to the museum archives.

 

“Alright, good night,” replied Magicon with a simple wave of his hoof, his head buried in various scrolls around his desk.

 

“You’re not coming?”

 

“I’m much too busy.”

 

“You really should clear your mind and take a break,” suggested Archie as he walked towards Magicon and put a hoof on his shoulder.

 

Magicon quickly shrugged it off and looked over at Archie, a serious look in his eyes. “If I took a break, how would I discover ancient spells and history?”

 

Archie couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle much to Magicon’s disapproval. “Look, Magicon, the great thing about history is that…it’ll always be there. It’s not getting any younger!”

 

He let out a full laugh as Magicon glared at him and shook his head.

 

“Come on, Magicon, call in for a night and head home. These texts can wait.”

 

“No, I’m really close and I don’t want to leave yet.” He turned his attention back to the scrolls, trying to ignore Archie’s presence and continued persistence.

 

“It’s about…her, isn’t it?”

 

Magicon paused and slowly turned around to face his partner. His eyes were heavy and his breathing was slow.

 

“Yes, it is.”

 

“Magicon, you gotta stop worrying about her. It happened so long ago and nothing you can do will change that.”

 

“You know how many times you’ve told me that?”

 

“You know how many times you’ve listened?”

 

“Touché”

 

Magicon turned back to the scrolls as Archie sighed. Seeing no chance of victory, he slowly turned back towards the exit and left Magicon with a heavy heart.

 

Present Day

 

Magicon too felt the weight on his heart as he made his way towards the mansion. He had received the invitation only a few days ago and Archie had urged him to go. He accepted, for unknown reasons. Perhaps it was his way of compensating for all those late nights that drove him to accept. Perhaps it was his desire to help himself live a little more. Perhaps it was the thrill of visiting Canterlot. Magicon didn’t know the real answer nor did he really care. His mind was solely focused on getting to the mansion. He had cleaned his cape and he walked down the streets of Canterlot, admiring the cleanliness of the streets and buildings.

 

‘Maybe there’ll be some other curators or at least donators to Canterlot museums. Maybe I’ll be able to discuss history and even magic with them. That’d be really nice,’ he thought as he walked along.

 

When he finally reached the gates to the mansion, Magicon’s jaw dropped at the size of it. It was indeed a massive mansion and Magicon knew massive from seeing old paintings and some of the mansions outside of Manehattan. But this was on a scale all its own. Magicon didn’t how anypony could afford to build something like this and maintain it.

 

‘Dear, Celestia! This must cost a fortune to run! I can’t wait to see what it looks like on the inside.’

 

He strode up the drive, past the manicured grounds and gardens and up to the huge wooden door. Light emulated out from the nearby windows and Magicon hoped he wasn’t late, or at least too late. He knocked on the door several times, hoping that he would enjoy the night.

[Key Gear 6,663]

Trixie frowned as she strode imperiously through the streets of Canterlot. At the current rate, she would arrive at the party almost 15 minutes late for her appearance, but she had no intentions of rushing. As far as she was concerned, her tardiness was justified by all of the inconveniences that the host of the party had put her through. The host had treated her like some lowly street performer.

 

Trixie normally required all of her appearances to be booked at least six weeks in advance, but the host of this event had only seen fit to book an appearance a mere two weeks early. “Completely inconsiderate. How could anyone value Trixie's time so little.” Trixie fumed to herself. She was a traveling stage magician, so she always required early notice to give her time to reach an event. Of course, she had already been in Canterlot when she received the invitation, but it was a matter of principle.

 

Trixie normally required a detailed description of the venue, but she had received virtually no information at all. She knew the name of the host, the location of the event, and the time to appear. She also knew that the event was supposed to be some type of party. Other than that, she knew nothing, and, to make matters worse, she had heard very little of the host - Pearl Necklace. Most likely, an arrogant snob. Trixie thought to herself as she continued to fume.

 

She normally required that the terms of payment be negotiated and agreed on at the time of booking, but she had actually already received payment for this event. The host of the event, or at least someone representing her, had actually included payment with the booking. The payment was actually more than twice as much as her normal fee for appearances. On top of that, a note had specified that she would receive payment in full upon completion of the event.

 

Payment in full… This Pearl Necklace obviously has more money than brains… Trixie shook her head and her frown was replaced by more somber expression. She hadn't made this kind of money on a single appearance since the Ponyville fiasco. Her business was good, but it was nowhere near as good as it had been before that disaster happened. What was supposed to have been yet another performance had turned into a complete disaster. Her reputation as the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria had been nearly completely destroyed.

 

---

 

Immediately after Ponyville, requests for her to appear at events almost completely dried up. She tried using her savings to arrange a few events of her own, but they all ended disastrously - no one showed up. After several months, bookings began to trickle in again, but everywhere she went, she was plagued by hecklers and any mention of the Ursa Major would get her booed off the stage. At that point, things looked bleak, but she never let the neighsayers stop her.

 

Trixie knew that she was the most powerful unicorn in Equestria. There was nothing that anyone could tell her and nothing that anyone could do that could convince her to doubt herself. After all, she had been at the top of her class throughout her time in magic school. Her classmates had even voted for her as the student that was most likely to succeed in life. Her success was written in the stars. All of the mockery and disdain that she received only served to further her resolve.

 

She kept performing and her confidence never wavered. Eventually, her reputation as a performer began to recover. Bookings started to recover and hecklers moved on to other targets. Finally, it seemed that the damage had been undone. Unfortunately, she only had a few moments to enjoy her comeback. While she had been attempting to rebuild her reputation, a small handful of opportunists had arisen in various corners of Equestria. None of them were nearly as good as she was, but they were decent enough at mimicking her act.

 

At first, these pitiful doppelgängers remained obscure and their acts were limited to a mere handful of observers. However, a number of the more clever ones decided to transform their act into a comedy routine. They made a mockery of her. They turned her glorious story of vanquishing the Ursa Major into a punchline. Ponies that were familiar with the events in Ponyville began to flock to these events. Now, some of the doppelgängers were doing quite well for themselves. Trixie was furious.

 

It was one thing to have hecklers in an audience, but to be mocked by an inferior stage magician was too much for Trixie to bear. She decided to take drastic measures. It was time for Trixie to completely renovate her act. She would silence the mockery once and for all by showing everyone just how powerful she was. For months, she worked tirelessly in the Canterlot Library. She pored over ancient texts in search of magic tricks that had never been seen before…

 

---

 

The results of her studies in the Canterlot Library had been phenomenal. She had discovered an entirely new level of power. Now, she would put Ponyville behind her once and for all. Trixie smiled and held her head up high. This performance would be her first time unleashing her new magical abilities in front of a crowd. In the weeks leading up to the event, she had practiced meticulously. Regardless of the faults of the host, she intended to make this night a night to remember.

 

Trixie looked around. She had almost reached the location of the party. She hoped that the venue would be worth her time. She had originally intended to demonstrate her new act at a grand and dramatic location, but she had decided to take a chance on this party because of the exorbitant payment that had been included with the booking. Trixie rounded the corner and stopped to take in the sight of Pearl's mansion. Trixie's smile broadened and her eyes sparkled. This venue was perfect. “I am the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, and, after this performance, no one will ever doubt my glory.”

 

Trixie strode confidently towards the entrance of the mansion. Some ponies had stage fright, but others thrived in the moments leading up to the performance. Trixie was one of the latter; with every step, she could feel the old, familiar strength coming back. It was showtime.

 

@@Magicon,

 

Up ahead, Trixie could see a red unicorn standing at the door of the mansion. She waited until she was just a few steps behind him and then spoke loudly, “The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived!” From various places in the garden, birds scrambled to get into the air and away from the source of the noise.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Scootacool

[Opalicious 799]

Water Opal's eyes flicked in the direction of the giant door, which had closed after the unicorn had rushed in. He couldn't quite understand why they had still been open, but that didn't matter much.

 

There were a few rapid knocks, only a mild sound as it traveled through the thick doors. He continued to look at the door, the knocks ceasing as whoever was outside slowly stopped knocking. It was logical for somepony to open the door, but if he moved forward to open it, it was likely that Pearl Necklace would insist on one of the servants opening it.

 

Many moments later, a loud voice boomed from outside, a proud voice, a sound that sounded like it knew where it belonged. There was no doubt of who it belonged to. She hadn't been hiding, she had done something completely mortal, she was late. However, that was beyond the point, she as here. The best magician in Equestria, even if others said otherwise, The Great and Powerful Trixie had arrived. That was pretty much exactly what she had said.

 

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived!" All other sounds were inaudible as birds scrambled to get away, the tone unbearable for their tiny ears. Water Opal himself cringed as he attempted to cover his ears without making it to noticeable. This may be one of the most important unicorns in all of Equestria, but she didn't have to hurt them for it.

[Magicon 468]

Magicon jumped at the sound of Trixie's booming voice, practically jumping into the air. He whirled around and came face to face with Trixie, a smile on her face. Magicon let out on a long sigh of relief once he saw where the voice had emulated from.

 

"Dear Celestia!You completely startled me!

 

Though he had never met Trixie personally, he knew who she was thanks to her self-promotion and failure in Ponyville.

He had never seen a single show, nor was he inclined to see one. Magicon was never into show magic, believing it was a complete scam. He also believed that powerful unicorns don't need to show off their magical skills; true power and talent lies in silence and cunning resourcefulness.

 

'This is going to be completely embarrassing,' he thought. 'Walking in alongside to a party where I don't know anypony late and with rixie of all ponies? Celestia help me! Well, might as well be at least partially nice, no reason not to be.'

 

"So, umm...Trixie, is it? We're you invited here too?"

[Clarity 3,094]

It had been only a few minutes since Clarity had barged in suddenly through the double doors. The others didn't even glance her way, despite her rough look. She felt relieved that she didn't look like a total snob. Setting her heavy bag down, she brought the wine glass bottle to her lips, when suddenly a loud call echoed through her ears.

 

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived!"

 

Clarity gave a start and the wine bottle crashed onto the floor. Quickly taking a napkin from the nearby table, she wiped off the glass and spilled wine.

 

She was not a little surprised. Clarity had heard of the Great and Powerful Trixie from her friend in Ponyville, Leaf Shade. According to the pegasus, Trixie was a well respected traveling magician, but apparently, ever since her arrival in Ponyville, her reputation had lowered considerably.

 

"Just like me," Clarity had said. It was true; ever since her departure from Manehatten, almost nopony stopped by to buy her art.

 

Leaf shrugged. "Well, apparently somepony named Twilight Sparkle had shunned her down, and since then she hasn't come back."

 

"The librarian?"

 

"Well, yes," Leaf replied. "But I still think Trixie's magic was amazing! She made all those fireworks pop up, and..."

 

Fireworks? Clarity was immediantly interested. Fireworks were a big boon in her arts, always enhancing up any scene. I should meet this Trixie fellow someday.

 

And now, here she was. Clarity ran up to the blue unicorn, standing there proudly in a cape - amazing fashion, Clarity thought - and smiled her best welcoming smile.

[Alex Night 870]

@@Electrobolt, As Alex was walking with Electrobolt, he was taking in the scenery of the place. The whole manor was decked out to show how well Pearl Necklace was doing with her life's work. Alex went on listening to Electrobolt as he described how he locked tightly in the final round of the tournament. "Yeah, it must have been intense, considering you were facing against Lyra in the final round for the trophy." Alex said to Electrobolt. He saw that Electrobolt was grinning slightly when he asked if I was offering a challenge. "You know it. I always love looking for a challenge. There ain't no other way to live in life if it was all too easy." Alex told the green Earth pony with a smile. As Alex walked into the foyer, his jaw dropped at the sight of it all. The walls were in excellent decor complementing each feature of the foyer and the chandelier above him was spectacular. Alex looked behind him to see Electrobolt running up to him asking for his name. "Oh, I'm sorry about that." Alex said while turning to Electrobolt. "The name's Alex Night, one of Canterlot's finest weather patrols." Alex said with a very confident tone to coincide with his confident stance. "But, just call me Alex. Everyone in Cloudsdale does." Alex said to the green Earth pony.

 

Alex looked around the foyer at all of the guests. He saw the Persian blue earth pony that seemed familiar to Alex, but still didn't know where. He also saw a blue unicorn from across next to the love-seat to the left, and the somewhat skittish white unicorn with a blonde mane being wrapped around still by Pearl. It looked like all of the guests had arrived, but he was unsure of what to do next. Alex felt like talking to the Persian blue earth pony to see who she is. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Electrobolt. I'm gonna mingle a bit." Alex said to Electrobolt before walking off to the Persian blue Earth pony. He wasn't able to get a word out until he heard the door slam open and a loud voice boomed throughout the foyer. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived!" Alex looked on to see that there was a blue unicorn wearing magician's attire and recognized this pony as Trixie. "Trixie?! She was invited here too?..." Alex thought to himself. Alex had heard of "The Great and Powerful Trixie" before from the incident with a Ursa Minor in Ponyville which was thwarted by Twilight Sparkle herself. (Whom Alex had a big crush on, by the way...) It made Alex wonder why she was here of all places. At this moment, he saw two other ponies he had never seen before. A dark unicorn who seemed almost as skittish as the blonde-maned white unicorn. Alex also saw another unicorn having a deep interest with Trixie and he couldn't help but think she was very pretty to Alex. Alex looked towards Trixie and spoke to her. "Wow, this is certainly a surprise. Never expected "The Great and Powerful Trixie" to arrive here of all places." Alex told her in a somewhat flattering tone. He didn't know anything about Trixie, but it couldn't hurt to be nice to her.