Of Parties, Planning, and Spacial Distortion
Author's Note
Notes to the reader:
This is chapter 1.
There might be a total of 3 or 4 chapters once the story is done.
Arya may become a recurring character,
This is my first time writing mlp:fim fan-fiction, meaning that critique would definitely be welcome.
Of Parties, Planning, and Spacial Distortion
Written by: Moon Dancer
Thanks to my roommate, Jean, for helping me work out some of the quirks in my concept.
Thanks to BucketHelm, who was willing to help me out with the proofreading process.
Written as a submission for the Fimfiction Editors-R-Us group's writing contest.
"I hope you'll find the room to your satisfaction, Pinkie Pie," the Princess said with a smile, "the servants have worked hard to get it ready in time for your arrival, and I should mention that they were very honored to prepare a room for you, having heard much of you and your friends."
"Oh, it's super duperlicious, your majesty," Pinkie Pie beamed back at the princess while she zipped about the room, depositing her luggage in various places. "You can tell that to the servants as well."
The princess of the sun chuckled to herself as she watched the rambunctious pony jump up and down on what had previously been a very nicely made bed with chocolates laid out on the pillow tops.
"Now, before you get too comfortable, I'll have to have you talk to some of my other servants," Celestia started, lifting a hoof to welcome three finely composed ponies that had entered the room silently while Pinkie had been
exploring the bed.
The first of the three wore a fine vest with a white handkerchief positioned in her breast pocket and had the words 'Royal Amusement Manager' inscribed upon her vest, below said pocket. She pushed a pair of black, steel rimmed glasses back and acknowledged Celestia's presence with a dignified bow, before turning towards Pinkie, who was bashfully climbing down from the bed. The newly-arrived pony's plus-ones were carrying a variety of briefcases and papers, having brought saddlebags for that explicit purpose.
Having overcome her immediate reaction to their appearance, Pinkie promptly dashed towards the trio, hoof outstretched and ready for a hoof-shake, and let loose a figurative waterfall of words, as she is so prone to doing when greeting ponies.
"Oh my gosh, I am so happy to see you guys." She grabbed the first one's hoof and shook it vigorously. "The princess has been telling me all about how good you are at planning things, and at acquiring things, and I just know that we are going to have the best of times working together.” She paused for a breath, beaming her widest grin, her chest heaving rhythmically.
"Yes... quite," the pony managed stiffly, glancing searchingly back towards her companions with raised eyebrows. She retracted her hoof from Pinkie's death grip with quite some effort and turned towards the princess. "I know how busy you must be, your highness. What with the upcoming arrangement, and your royal duties. You may leave now, if you wish, and you can be sure that we will have everything planned out to the most minute of details."
Celestia's horn lit up and a small necklace, a mirror hanging from a brass chain, was conjured into existence. She levitated it towards Pinkie Pie, who was still holding out her hoof as if wanting to re-initiate a hoof-shake, and hung it around her neck silently. Pinkie Pie looked down at it curiously, opening her mouth with a questioning expression etched in her features.
Celestia, though, silenced her with a hoof. "The mirror is a two way communicator, Pinkie Pie. I'll be very busy the next couple of days, but if you need help with anything at all, feel free to contact me through that mirror."
Pinkie Pie closed her mouth again, and nodded in understanding. Only once she had done this, did Celestia turn towards the dressed pony and speak. "You are very right, Arya, I do have duties to attend, but I wanted to mention a few things before we part. I invited Pinkie here to help you plan this year's gala, and I want you to take her involvement in this project very seriously." Celestia punctuated the last words with a slow, deliberate motion of the hoof towards Pinkie Pie, who had at this point started chatting up one of Arya’s companions.
The secretary (because this one was a secretary) looked slightly frightened by the bubbly mare. Arya sighed, and eventually nodded, indicating that she understood. Celestia gave Arya a relieved smile at her consent, almost as if she had expected her to object.
"And try not to plan every detail this year, Arya; I do rather like having a bit of time to myself between events."
With this, the princess sent Pinkie Pie a reassuring smile and left, closing the door as she went.
Pinkie Pie shuffled her hooves for a few seconds, awkwardly retracting herself from the conversation with the secretary. She looked like she was brimming with nervous energy. "Sooo..." she started, "are we going to plan this party, or what?"
Arya sighed and motioned for one of her secretaries to hand her a briefcase. She walked over to a table that looked like it had been hastily installed and laid out an array of papers. "First of all, Pinkie Pie, now that the princess has left, there is something I
need to make absolutely clear. This isn't a party. It is an event."
Pinkie Pie bounced cheerfully in the wake of Arya, and enthusiastically started perusing the documents while she answered: "Boy, is that what you fancy Canterlot ponies call a party? No wonder they’re all so drab." She flipped over one of the pages on the table with her muzzle and looked at it for a few seconds. "The princess said that you needed help with the games," Pinkie Pie said earnestly, still leafing through the compendium.
"Hmm, yes," Arya answered, regarding the enthusiastic mare as she had since she entered, as if sizing her up. "It would seem that despite my rather excellent qualifications, Celestia doesn't trust me to plan this event on my own.
“Aww, don’t be such a frownie wrownie, Arya,” Pinkie Pie said, looking up at her and smiling. “I don’t think Celestia would let me plan this on my own either." She bounced a little on the spot, grinning widely. “Which is great, because I know we are just going to have such a fun time planning this together.”
...
A few hours later, Pinkie Pie stubbornly smashed her hoof against the hardwood surface of the table, sending a few papers flying. The assistant ponies silently shuffled throughout the room, picking them up while Pinkie Pie ranted on, unperturbed: “No way, Arya. That is not how parties work! The guests need to have some form of entertainment that isn't curling or wine tasting.” She pronounced the words curling and wine tasting with particular distaste, as if they were concepts that only an insane pony would
have considered.
Arya frowned at Pinkie Pie and calmly gave her answer: “I don’t think you quite understand how things work here, Miss Pie.” She meandered over to the awning window that the room had come equipped with and opened it up to gesture at the streets below. “These ponies do not want pin the tail on the pony, or funny party pranks. My career would never recover if I hosted a party with the suggestions that you came with just now.
Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice dangerously. “No, Arya, I think you are the one who doesn’t understand. This party... is a Pinkie Pie Party, and if my guests don’t have fun out there, I'll have failed them. Can't you see?”
Arya rolled her eyes and walked back to the table, leaving the window open. “Well, let’s assume that we have room enough for all four activities then. We’ve been arguing for well over an hour and you haven’t budged an inch, Miss Pie, so I suppose if you must bring this compromise upon us-“
Pinkie Pie gave a loud ‘hrrmph’. “It takes two ponies to tango, Arya,” She said.
“Perhaps,” Arya muttered sullenly, “but I would like to think that some ponies are more apt at leading their partners than they are at being led.”
There was a pause in the conversation where Pinkie Pie drummed idly with her hoof while staring the portly pony down.
Finally, Arya coughed, possibly realizing that there was no reasoning to be had with this pony, and started talking again: “So, as I was saying: Assuming that we have the space and that you can acquire the necessary articles for your end of the entertainment – I frankly don’t know where I would find snakes in a can – then we shouldn't have any problems providing both services.” Arya paused for a second. The intimidated expression that she had been wearing had been slowly fading towards a smug, confident expression
as she spoke. “Though I daresay that the bouquet of my famous Prance ‘Pinot Gris’ wine will draw more visitors alone, than the sad excuse for entertainment that your ‘pin the tail on the pony’ game is.
There was a short silence. The tension in the air was thick enough that it could have been bottled and sold as an adhesive.
“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie blurted, immediately slipping back into a natural, carefree state of being. “I’m glad we could get that worked out.”
Arya gave a relieved sigh and sat down on the floor, exhaustion painted across her face. "Yes, it is nice to get that out of the way," she agreed.
Pinkie Pie flipped the pages of one of the compendium on the table. “Now, about the decorations...?”
Arya stared dumbstruck at Pinkie Pie, obviously trying to formulate words, but nothing came for a few seconds.
"Pinkie Pie..." She started, but just as they had come to her, the words left once more.
Pinkie Pie stood patiently waiting for Aryas answer, a rhythmic bounce in her stature. You could almost feel the tune that was running through her mind from the way her hooves would periodically drum against the floor and in the way her ears twisted and turned to some unseen source.
Arya seemed lost in thought for a moment, or perhaps hypnotized by the pink mare’s energy. After a little while longer, Arya shook her head and blinked deliberately a few times.
"...We've been working for 4 hours straight now... doesn't that make you feel tired?"
"Nope," came the answer promptly, "I just want to get this planning phase over with so that I can go get my supplies. Pinkie beamed at Arya.
"Alright," said Arya, clearly shaken, but not ready to give up yet. "Where were we? The decorations...?"
...
Somewhere downtown, a pink pony burst into a party supply store and screamed at the top of her lungs: "I need streamers! Stat!
...
And I suppose you'll want to talk about the food as well...?
...
In the eastern Canterlot, a pink pony was whistling a cheery tune while dragging behind her a cart filled to the brim with candied apples, cake, candy floss, and numerous other goods.
...
And then I also suppose - oh goodness me, I didn't mean to yawn, it's just that - Oh Celestia am I tired. What was it? Oh yes, do you have anything you would like to change about the musical lineup?
...
In the western part of Canterlot, in the Canterlot Opera house, several musicians were being recruited by a pink pony that moved so fast that bystanders would later claim to have seen at least two or three ponies dashing around inside.
Meanwhile, in a seedy underground disco-joint, a white mare with electric blue hair and purple sunglasses was being offered the opportunity to attend the party of a lifetime, with free alcohol and DJ'ing equipment included in the mix, provided that they would be able to rock the metaphorical house. The offer was delivered by a pink mare.
...
Arya nearly unhinged her jaws when she gave a particularly large yawn. "I think that is the fastest I have ever planned a Gala. I can't believe we really managed that in one sitting. I'll just collect my papers and be on my way if that is alright by you Pinkie," Arya slurred as she made her way towards the work table.
Pinkie Just stared with an interested expression at the mare. When she reached the table, her head fell on one of the briefcases, knocking a ribbon out of her mane and letting it flow freely over the papers that had been spread out there. A few seconds later Pinkie heard her snoring.
She calmly walked towards the door, prodding one of the sleeping secretaries on her way out. As she carefully closed the door, she was barely able to make out the sound of him getting up and stretching. Hopefully, he would have the sense to wake up the other secretary and Arya, and to get the room cleaned up before she returned tomorrow.
Pinkie Pie shook her head and regarded the moon with a content smile. "What a lightweight," She chuckled to herself as she made her way down the spiraling staircase. She had a lot of locations to visit that night, and she wasn't about to take any breaks.
Of Loaded Carts, Slinking Nobles, and Very Fast Movements.
Written by: Moon Dancer
Intermission chapter
The pink mare's hooves fell heavily upon the rocky pavement, chipping it in some places from the sheer weight that was laid behind her steps. Though the tune she hummed was a cheerful one, and despite the fact that she looked not the least bit burdened by the cart she was pulling's contents, It should be made apparent that its load was not a light one.
"All you have to do is take a cup of flour..." the pink mare sang happily to herself, timing her hoof-steps to match the beat of the song. She hummed a little, glancing absentmindedly at a watch latched to her left fore-hoof. Upon seeing the time, she gasped loudly enough to be audible to a group of younger ponies staggering along drunkenly a few 100 yards away. They were quite startled by the loud intake of breath, as they had thought themselves alone beneath the stars.
Quickening the pace of her step and tone, the pink mare, and the cart with her, started accelerating forwards at a quite extreme speed (...a bit of salt, just a...), causing a veritable cacophony of sound to echo throughout the street as the cart with baked goods swore and screeched beneath the new strain placed upon it.
The pony, and cart with her, was barely a blur as it passed by an elderly noble-pony by the name of Lord Frugal (...such a sinch. Add a teaspoon...). Frugal spun, and was forced to the ground by the wall of wind that the cart left in its wake as it passed him by. He sputtered loudly, glancing after the departed vehicle with apparent disgust painted all over his face, only to find that the cart had already traversed the entirety of the street he had been walking on, and had entered the Royal Gardens, passing through a large gated entrance to get there. Thoroughly disgruntled, the Lord followed the cart and it's driver into the garden, intent on delivering a harsh verbal scolding about how elderly citizens(especially those of lordship) wouldn't stand to be disrespected like this. He stopped, however, in his tracks, when he witnessed something so peculiar; such an utterly singular event, that his mind took a few seconds to properly comprehend it.
The pink pony was unloading the carts contents onto the grassy plane of the garden at a truly alarming rate. For each second that passed, 5 or so boxes of confectionery- and decorational supplies were emptied from the cart and stacked orderly on the plane. Frugal gasped to himself, transfixed by the sight before him. 2 pink mares (and Frugal would later swear to his friends when they went out for a drink that weekend, that they had been identical down to the cutie mark) were zipping around and making preparations, in a truly alarming fashion. The strangeness of their motion, and the odd symmetry with which they performed their labor, sent a shiver down the unfortunate lord's spine. He quickly made to hide in a nearby bush, not far from the entrance to the garden, in order to properly observe the event from afar.
Suddenly, as if on cue, the two mares stopped unloading, though independent of outside instruction, in perfect unison. Pink mare number 1 turned to pink mare number 2, and pointed towards the entrance of the garden, giving her a few instructions that, though the Lord strained his ear to make them out out, were carried quickly away by an evening breeze.
Pink mare number 2 nodded, as if understanding, and bounced merrily towards the entrance. At this point, Lord Frugal was somewhat distraught. His reputation could not afford that he be caught peeping on a female at this hour of night, so he made quickly to hide deeper within the shrubbery that he had taken refuge in. He immediately regretted his action however, as his hoof struck a stray branch, shaking the shrubbery and sending a few birds fluttering and cawing into the night air.
Frugal gave a startled hiccup, and quickly scurried away from the stricken branch, before he remembered to check whether the pink pony had noticed him. Curiously enough, she was now standing completely still, her head following the crows's flight, and her ears shriveling around, as if she expected someone to make themselves apparent with another sound. Frugal, however, kept completely quiet, so it wasn't long before the pink pony shook her head, and walked past the bush. She quickly closed the gate to the Canterlot Garden, making sure that it made no sound, and locked the gate with a sturdy looking padlock, before she bounced merrily towards her companion, who was still unloading the cart.
It was only a couple of minutes later that the lord remembered that he had the power of teleportation, and though it took him a few seconds to execute the spell, as it was a long while since he had need of it, he managed to make it out of the garden without being spotted by the doublet of pink ponies. Scolding himself for his cowardly and shifty behavior, the lord made his way back to his mansion.
Author's Note
This will probably not be read. As such, I have the freedom to put whatever I want down here. Today, that will be...
...
A HAIKU POEM!
Tomorrow is near;
Follows after midnight snack.
I want to kill it.
