The Pros and Cons of Being Famous

Chapter Two: Meeting the Elements of Harmony

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When, Twilight Sparkle awoke that morning, she just expected the day to be like any other. Have some breakfast, check To-Do List, double check To-Do list, triple check To-Do List, have some lunch, hang out with her best friends, eat some dinner, brush her teeth, and go to sleep.

What she did NOT expect was her entire schedule to be demolished with a simple invitation for her and her friends to visit Canterlot that afternoon.

After Twilight had some breakfast, she was about to start her daily habits when Spike entered the main room of the Library, clutching a scroll from Princess Celestia.

"This just came for you, Twi," Spike said, holding out the letter for her to read. "I wonder why Princess Celestia would send you a scroll all of the sudden?"

Twilight quickly snatched the letter from the Princess out of his claws. "Oh my Celestia, what if it's something really important?!"

Spike sighed. "Twilight, I'm sure it's nothing serious. Just relax and read the letter already!" He started to become excited. "Hey! What if there's somepony new coming to Ponyville and Princess Celestia wants you to introduce him or her to everypony? Or maybe you're getting a new assignment to work on!"

Twilight did not listen to her #1 Assistant as she slowly read through the letter, not wanting to miss one detail at all, in case there really was something important.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Yesterday, a guard found an orphan alicorn filly outside the castle walls. She is around the age of two of your friends' sisters, and I believe that you and the other Elements of Harmony should come to Canterlot to meet her. After all, it has been a while since I last saw you here! Forgive me for missing your birthday, but the Griffon King can be very stubborn at times. Also, tell your friends that their little sisters are welcome to come with you six if they wish.

Yours Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

P.S.  If your friends Applejack and Rarity would like to bring their little sisters, tell them that it's quite all right!

Twilight read through the letter several times, before handing it over to Spike with excitement.

"Spike! Pack our bags! Princess Celestia has invited us all to Canterlot! Don't waste anytime! I'm going to tell everypony else. I'll be back soon!" Twilight dashed out the door, leaving Spike to grumble about always having to pack their bags when they went somewhere.

////\\

Applejack was working hard in the orchards before Twilight showed up. She, her brother Big Macintosh, and her little sister Applebloom had been up since the sunrise bucking trees. Applebloom, still being a young filly, was not strong enough to properly buck the apple trees, so AJ had her help by carrying the baskets into the storage cellar under the barn.

AJ wiped the sweat off of her brow, as she stood on the hill that overlooked Sweet Apple Acres.

"YEEEE-HAAAH! Oh, how Ah love Apple-bucking Season," she shouted as she ran down the hill to a random tree. Just as she was about to crash into it, she swung around on her front legs and kicked against the tree. She smiled as the apples fell, catching the morning sun on their way to the ground.

She quickly caught them all in her baskets before they hit the ground, causing an unseen Applebloom to cheer for her older sister.

Applejack nearly jumped out of her skin at the loud "whoopee," as she did not see Applebloom. She gazed sternly at a bush a few feet away with a large, pink bow sticking up from it.

"Applebloom! Ah told you that Ah don't like to be startled like that! Now c'mon and help me pick up these dropped apples, you little ragamuffin!"

Applebloom happily helped her older sister, always enjoying doing so. She picked up the Gala apples before suddenly remembering why she had come over to Applejack's side of the orchard in the first place.

"Oh, 'sis! Ah almost forgot why Ah came here in the first place! Ah saw Miss Twilight by the barn and she asked me if Ah could getchya over there! She seemed a might excited!"

Applejack ruffled her little sister's hair, also enjoying their sisterly bonding times. "Wanna race back to the barn, lil 'sis?"

Applebloom nodded vigorously, suddenly becoming serious as she took a starting position, gazing through the many trees to the barely visible barn beyond.

"On yer mark..." Applejack started.

"Get set!" Applebloom continued.

They both paused for a minute before yelling together,

"GO!!!"

The two Apple sisters raced through the trees, Applejack clearly having the advantage with her longer legs and more stamina than the short filly behind her who never really raced. AJ silently thanked Rainbow Dash for having that Ironpony Contest, as she had practiced for a long time to get ready for that.

Glancing behind her, she saw just how far behind Applebloom was. Not wanting to beat her little sister until the competition was fair, she pretended to trip over a stump in the way. She knew how her little sister was. She would focus on what was ahead while running through an orchard filled with appletrees, lest she crash into a tree or trip over something.

Sure enough, Applebloom didn't think to look for Applejack as she raced ahead. AJ counted up to 10 seconds, before starting to run again. She had almost caught up to her little sister when they broke through the tree line, running full on for where Twilight was standing. They both dug their hooves into the dirt as they tried to slow down, causing a large cloud o dust to settle over Twilight.

"Ah'm mighty sorry there, Twi," Applejack said through her laughter, as Twilight starting coughing and using a fan spell to clear away all the dust. She soon saw what AJ was laughing at when she looked down at her coat and tail. They were both covered in dirt and dust, and she assumed that it was the same for her mane. Quickly shaking herself off, she teleported a mirror from her house, and smiled as she saw herself nice and clean once more.

"So, what can Ah do for ya, Twi," AJ asked.

"Oh, it's so exciting!! Apparently Princesses Celestia and Luna found another alicorn yesterday and they want us to meet her! Today! We'll get to go back to Canterlot! I just hope that Rarity doesn't bump into Prince Bluebblood, because then it would be bad news for him," Twilight said very fast.

AJ looked astounded. "Wait, they found ANOTHER alicorn? Good golly, Ah wonder where she came from?"

Twilight shrugged, still looking extremely excited. "I don't know, but I'm excited to meet her! Oh! And the Princess said that if you want, Applebloom could come too."

Applebloom cut in. "Ah'd love to go, Twilight, but Ah can't! We're in Apple-bucking season, and Ah need to help Big Macn'tosh with harvesting the apples!"

AJ suddenly started frowning. "Now wait a minute, squirt. Are you sure you can help your big brother with the apple bucking? 'Cause if you ain't, Ah'm gonna have to stay home and help."

Twilight shook her head. "Honestly, Applejack, if you guys needed help, we could always help you guys like we did last time. It's no big deal! Besides, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity! Pleeeeeeaaassseeeeeee?!" Twilight tried her best cute, pleading face.

Applejack just could not cope with that much cuteness, and finally caved in. "Alright, alright. Ah'll go with you to Canterlot, but only if everypony else comes with us. Deal?" She spat on her right fore hoof and extended it to Twilight.

Twilight made a little face in response to the spitting upon the hoof, and reluctantly did a hoofshake with AJ. "Deal."

With the hoofshaking (and wiping of hooves by Twilight) over, they said goodbye to Applebloom, Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh before heading out towards the edge of the Everfree Forest to go pay Fluttershy a visit and extend the invitation.

////\\

About an hour later, Twilight had found the rest of her friends, all asking if they could come. Naturally, Rarity nearly bowled Pinkie Pie over in an attempt to pack her saddlebags as quickly as possible.

Now, they were at the train station, waiting for the train from Canterlot to arrive. Twilight kept glancing anxiously at the large clock by the ticket counter.

"Twilight, you simply must calm down," said Rairty, checking her many bags one last time to make sure she had everything she would need. "The world will not end just because the train arrives at 10:01 instead of exactly 10 am. You might give yourself stress pimples! Oh, to think that your beautiful face could be scarred by-"

Pinkie Pie suddenly started hopping up and down. "I see the train! I see the train from Canterlot!! Get ready girls!!!"

The train slowly came to a halt at the station. The girls waited patiently as all of the passengers got off, and they started to board as the last pony rushed off. They put away their bags into the Baggage Car, and began to plan what they would do in the capital city.

"I simply MUST get that filly's measurements if I'm to make her a special dress!" Rarity exclaimed for about the tenth time that day.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "I hope that she doesn't like your silly girly dresses, Rarity. I can't teach her all of my flying tricks if she's in a poofy fru-fru dress."

Fluttershy merely smiled, saying, "I want to visit the Royal Gardens again. I hope that the animals have forgiven me after what happened at the Grand Galloping Gala." She giggled, remembering how she had flown into a fit of rage over something as simple as a few animals running away from her.

"Oh-oh-oh!! Me next! I need to throw her a BIG welcome party!!! You can't introduce yourself to somepony new without a big, exciting welcome party!" Pinkie Pie was bouncing all over the place, receiving more than one look from another small group of ponies in their car.

Applejack didn't really have any special reason for going, so she only said, "Heck, Ah always love to meet somepony new. You never know when just saying, 'Howdy!' can make a difference in a pony's life."

Twilight grinned broadly. "I always love an excuse to go to Canterlot and see the Princesses and my family. Ever since I moved to Ponyville, I haven't had much time to make visits to my parents. It's hard to believe that a year and a half ago I didn't have any friends, and now I have five BEST friends!"

////Earlier That Morning\\

As Lily Note awoke, she stayed in her bed for about a minute before realizing something.

"Wait a minute..." she said aloud to herself, "Wasn't I in the Princess' bed last night...?" She quickly shook her head, clearing her jumbled thoughts. Don't be ridiculous, she thought, why would I be in Princess Luna's royal chambers? Must have been a dream, or something.

She lay in bed for a few more minutes, and then got out of bed. She looked around the room once more, and then did a double take. What had happened to the big tapestry of Nightmare Moon? She was sure it had been there last night, when she went to bed. But now, it was gone. Lily stared for a few seconds at the dull, blank wall, shrugged her shoulders, and trotted into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Her teeth now white and clean, Lily started out the door before completely forgetting where the dining hall was. Was it down to the left, or to the right?

Left?

Or right?

Left...

Right...

Lily thought it over for a few minutes, before choosing right because it seemed like the best choice. She trotted down the hall for what seemed like forever before she was startled by loud gongs coming from the bell/clock tower. She counted the tolling of the bells, and assumed that it was eight in the morning.

She quickened her pace a bit, having heard Princess Celestia say something last night about breakfast being served around this time. In her panic to get to the dining room on time, she nearly missed the large double doors, skidding to a halt and ending by nearly falling flat on her face.

Embarrassed, Lily felt extremely lucky that the doors were closed. Lighting up her horn with a levitation spell, she pulled on one of the large, golden handles and entered the Royal Dining Hall. Having forgotten how big it was, she stood in awe of the high ceiling and the long wooden table draped in a white silk sheet. The dining table was set for three, but she seemed to be the only pony there. She took the chair on the left, where she had sat last night, and patiently waited for the Royal Sisters to arrive majestically for their breakfast.

Needless to say, she was a tad surprised when they entered the room idly chatting. Lily, having heard tales of their wise judgement and merciful ruling, had almost expected a fanfare of trumpets, and a clashing of cymbals. But these two princesses walked into the Hall as if they were normal ponies heading out for breakfast!

"Ah, Lily Note," said Princess Celestia, breaking her conversation with Princess Luna. "I didn't expect you to be here yet!"

Lily smiled politely. "We were always served around 7:30 am. I adjusted my sleep schedule so that I could always get to our cafeteria first and pick a good place to sit. pardon me for asking, but when will breakfast be served?"

Luna smiled back. "The kitchen staff usually serves us a few minutes after we arrive. I believe that we are having a salad, pancakes, hay bacon, and fried eggs."

Sure enough, a chef walked out of the kitchens a few minutes later, levitating large helpings of their breakfast. Lily was a somewhat surprised at just how many pancakes there were, but she soon found out why. She glanced over to Celestia, shocked to see her loading her plate with at least five pancakes! She had always assumed that the Princesses, and all royalty in general, ate very little so as to keep their body at an ideal skinnyness.

Lily glanced over at Luna, who only had two pancakes, some eggs, and a few strips of hay bacon. The princess winked at her, implying that her sister did this every time she saw pancakes. Luna picked up some maple syrup and butter, only to have it snatched out of her grasp by Celestia.

"Sister, remember that we must keep our composure around others," Luna mockingly scolded, earning a stern look from Celestia. Smiling, Luna turned to Lily. "Are you not going to eat? Perhaps you want a slimmer body than my elder sister?"

Luna suddenly ducked, as a crouton from Celestia's salad came hurtling towards her. Lily giggled, helping herself to a generous amount of breakfast, though not as big as Celestia's breakfast. The rest of breakfast went pleasantly, with the two sisters talking to Lily, occasionally teasing each other about their weight and food consumption.

After breakfast, Celestia cleared her throat. Luna, who had been idly writing something on a bit of parchment, put down her quill and ink, listening to her sister.

"Lily," she began, "I have invited my student Twilight Sparkle and her friends to Canterlot for the afternoon. Would you like to come with us to the train station later when they arrive?"

Lily's face instantly lit up. "I can really go to meet them?"

Luna chimed in. "Of course you may go! Why in Equestria would we not allow you to meet Twilight and her friends? They are very lovely ponies, and I simply must ask Rarity to make me a dress for this year's Grand Galloping Gala."

Lily, not knowing who Rarity was, was surprised at all of the new things she was learning about the Princesses. They talked not as royalty, but as normal ponies? They (Celestia) ate semi-greedily like normal ponies? And they got dresses designed, not by famous dress-makers such as Prim Hemline, but by normal ponies from Ponyville?

Of course, Rarity, Twilight, and her friends were more than just normal ponies, but Lily did not know that. All she could think of was how else Celestia and Luna were like normal ponies. She also wondered about how this 'Twilight Sparkle' was going to be like, and if she and her friends would like her.

////Back on the Train\\

"This is your Conductor speaking. We will arrive in Canterlot Station at 10:30 am. Passengers leaving for Canterlot Station, please prepare to exit the train. I repeat, we will arrive..."

Twilight Sparkle sat down on her comfy train chair, slightly anxious about seeing the Princesses. The fact that Pinkie Pie was nearly bouncing off the walls, and her friends talking excitedly, did not help to sooth her extremely frazzled nerves. She had a habit of always over-reacting to small details, and freaked out over deadlines and due dates. Although she knew this about herself already, she hated it when her friends reminded her about it.

"Twilight? Twilight!"

She was suddenly jerked from her thoughts as Pinkie Pie waved one of her hooves in front of Twilight's face.

"Hey Twilight, weren't you listening? We're about one minute away from the train station! You have GOT to see the awesome view from up here!" Pinkie Pie, still excited, ran back and forth between two windows on either side of the train. Twilight glanced at the rest of their group. Rarity was tying one of her many scarves around her neck, while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were talking excitedly, checking their saddlebags last minute to check that they had everything. Applejack nonchalantly ate one of the many apples she had packed in her bags.

"We have arrived at Canterlot Station. All passengers for Canterlot, please exit in an orderly fashion. Have a splendid day, and we hope to see you again on Equestria Rails."

////\\

Lily Note stood on the train platform with the two princesses, trying to ignore the stares of the Canterlot citizens. For the sake of sparing the filly uncomfortable stares, Luna had cast a small allusion spell upon Lily's wings so that she would look like a normal unicorn. Only a powerful unicorn could see through the spell. Although she knew they were staring at them because Celestia and Luna were princesses, she felt as if they were looking at her. She wished that they would stop looking and pay attention to the train approaching the platform.

"I think I see Pinkie Pie sticking her head out of the window," Celestia said, giggling. Sure enough, Lily saw a pink Earth Pony with a poofy, magenta mane sticking her head out and waving excitedly. Suddenly, a cyan hoof came from inside the train car and pulled her back, snapping the window shut.

The train arrived, the wheels screeching as they stopped. The doors opened, and Lily waited with bated breath as ponies got off of the train. Finally, a group of six mares and one baby dragon disembarked. There was Pinkie Pie, another Earth Pony who was   orange and yellow wearing a Stetson hat, a white unicorn with a fabulously styled mane and tail, two pegasi  - one who was butter yellow and had long pink hair, the other cyan with a rainbow colored mane and tail, and a lavender unicorn with a dark purple mane and tail accented by purple and magenta. The baby dragon was also lavender, with a green belly and green spikes.

When the group saw the Princesses, they bowed in respect to their rulers. Celestia chuckled slightly, saying "Now, now, there's no need for such formality."

Pinkie Pie started jumping excitedly. "Ooo-ooo-ooo! Does that mean I can fire the party cannon?!" Out of nowhere, she pulled a light blue cannon towards her, and waited for an answer.

"Pinkie!" The lavender unicorn blushed as she tried to get Pinkie Pie to put away the canon. Lily giggled and she suddenly found herself as the center of the mares' attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," said the purple unicorn. "My name is Twilight Sparkle! What's yours?" Twilight politely held out her hoof for a hoofshake. Lily, surprised that Twilight hadn't asked where the 'other alicorn' was, stuck out her hoof as well and shook Twilight's.

"I'm Lily Note. It's a pleasure to meet you." Lily gained more confidence from the smile Twilight had given her, and she was introduced to Twilight's friends.

"Pardon me for askin'" said the orange Earth Pony (Applejack, Lily thought to herself) in a Southern drawl, "but where is this 'other alicorn' Twi told us about?" The other mares of the group nodded in agreement, except for Pinkie Pie. She glanced at where Lily's wings would have been, widened her eyes, and winked conspiratorially at Lily.

"We will explain when we get to the castle," Luna replied. She turned around to return to the castle, Lily following her. Celestia smiled at Twilight and her friends.

"I take this as our cue to go. Don't worry about your bags," she added as they started to go to the luggage car. "I already told some of our staff to take your things to where you'll be sleeping tonight." As Celestia walked away towards her sister, she heard them talking excitedly about staying in the large and luxurious castle.

////\\

As the girls walked behind Celestia, their conversation turned to that of the grey unicorn with braided white hair who had been with the Princesses.

"Well, whoever she was," Rarity spoke up, "she had such beautiful eyes! And her hair looked positively silken!"

Fluttershy chimed in, "She was very polite, too."

"But why was she with the Princesses?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight. "She's probably really important or something to be seen in public with them like that."

Twilight frowned. "She could have been a student from Princess Celestia's school, but she would have said something if she had chosen her new protégée. Maybe she didn't want to draw attention to her?"

"Maybe," Rarity agreed. "However, I'm simply dying to meet the new alicorn. I wonder what princesses Celestia and Luna will do with her? Perhaps teach her how to rule a kingdom?" She, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie excitedly chatted about this new alicorn, wondering what she would look like and how she would act, etc.

"I'll bet she won't be as beautiful and graceful as Rarity," said Spike. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight all giggled as they began to talk about what they would do if they were alicorn princesses like Celestia and Luna.

////\\

Back at the castle, Luna and Lily Note were in a side chamber of the Throne Room. having lifted the allusion off of Lily's wings, Luna coached her one last time on what Lily would say to the girls when it was revealed that she was the alicorn Celestia had told them about.

"What will you say if asked what you'll rule?" Luna fired at Lily.

"I say, 'I'm only a filly, and there is no reason for me to rule anything now.'" Lily answered immediately. Luna smiled, fixing her hair with a quick spell, and leaving Lily in the chamber to prepare for the introductions.

////\\

"We thank you for coming here on such short notice," Luna concluded as she addressed the six mares. "She has much to learn, and we think you could help her for the day on what she needs to know about trusting ponies around her age and making friends with them."

Twilight, confused, asked, "What do you mean by 'ponies around her age?'"

Celestia held up a hoof to ask for silence. "We will explain in due time. Luna," she added to her sister, "give the signal." Luna nodded, her horn glowing as she tapped the floor with her hoof.

The girls turned to the right as the door to the side chamber door opened, and a small figure with her wings unfolded slowly walked out. She wore not one piece of jewelry, not even a crown or tiara! Twilight shifted her gaze at the mare's flank to see her cutie mark, but was astonished to see that she was a blank flank.

The girls gasped collectively (except for Pinkie, of course) as they recognized the alicorn as the grey filly they had met on the train station platform. Lily Note smiled confidently.

"Hello, everypony. I am Lily Note, the newest alicorn in Equestria."