Beauty of an Illusion

[Spitfire]

        I tense up my shoulders and twist my head into a heroic position. The mirror in front of me reveals I look as good as I always do. Admiring my own yellow coat and my fiery mane.

        The left side of my upper chest is filled with six rows of various pins. There are three in each row, each depicting a series of colors -some images- that correspond with an award I have been granted for my time in service.

        Below the pins, three medals hung from my jacket. My Wonderbolt medal, my Captains Medal, and my Leadership medal.

        The Wonderbolt was shaped as its namesake. The Captains looks like a carbon-copy of the Wonderbolt’s logo. A thunderbolt with wings. Lastly, Leadership is a solid oval. The front of the oval is imprinted with a depiction of General Firefly. The leader of the first Wonderbolts. Each medal is covered in a silvery sheen.

        I step back from my mirror and head towards my room’s desk. The room I was assigned had two rooms, the bathroom and the main room. The main room contained a queen-sized bed, a small wooden desk, and a tall mirror attached to the wall.

        I snatched up a survival knife from atop my desk. I never leave without my knife in case of an emergency. I had to learn that the hard way. The royal wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain Armor was invaded by changelings and the majority of attendees, including myself, were unarmed against the insectoid creatures.

        We were lucky the changelings were using non-lethal methods against everyone at the wedding. It would have been a massacre otherwise. Being the ever paranoid soldier I am, I also carry a small box with hydrogen peroxide and a roll of bandages around for a first-aid situation.

        I checked my uniform once more, assuring that every award was in the correct order and the buttons vertically lining the center of my uniform. Pleased with it, I left the main room and closed the door behind me.

        The hallway I was now in stretched in two directions. One end led to more rooms for various guests. The other path led to the main hall. For this year’s Gala, it was decided to be held in the Royal Canterlot Castle for the second year in a row.

        I trotted half-way down to the main hall when Soarin popped out of a door and took a place to my right. He was clad in almost-identical class As with the exception of few medals.

        “Yo, Spitfire, you heading to the event?” Soarin asked in his usually overly-happy tone.

        I kept walking forwards, but I tilted my head in his direction. “Yes I am. Where’s the missus?”

        Soarin’s ears perked up. “How do you know about Cloudchaser?”

        “You weren’t  exactly subtle about it last night,” I chuckled.

        In the corner of my eyes I watched as flames spread across his cheeks.

        We walked the rest of the hallway in silence. As we approached the main door, Soarin stopped.

        “It was nice seeing you, but I gotta go find CC. Bye!” Soarin stated as he trotted through the door at a quickened pace.

        I stepped through the door and looked around. Ponies of every color stood in groups around the hall. At one end laid the ‘nobles’, the stuck-up half of Canterlot. The opposite corner held what the nobles dubbed the ‘peasants’.

        I made my way through the hall and towards tables full of various hors d’oeuvres. The tables were neutral territory between the two sides. I picked up a small plate located at the end of one table and started selecting different appetizers. I filled my plate after receiving glares from some of the nobles for grabbing so much food at once. I heard mutterings of ‘uncouth’ and ‘pleb’ as I passed by some of their circles.

        I ignored the insults and made my way to the better side of the hall.

[Rarity]

        I step down from the platform and onto the cobblestone. I turn around and look at the little purple dragon following me. He wore a black tuxedo and a small red bow.

        “Spike, dear, can you get my bags?”

        “Of course Rarity!”

        Spike ran back inside the train car we just left. He reappeared pulling along a trolley piled high with brightly colored bags of every shape and size.

        “Thank you Spike,” I said as I trotted towards the gates of Canterlot.

        Twilight hopped out from the train car. She was clad in a lavender dress adorned with her cutie mark on both sides. Both Applejack and Fluttershy followed closely behind. The two of them wore green gowns. Applejack’s was lined with apples and Fluttershy’s was decorated with flowers.  The three of them trotted away from the train and passed Spike to take their places besides me.

        Twilight stopped and scanned the boarding station.

        “Where is Rainbow and Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

        “Oh, the two of them ran ahead. Something about a party,” Spike spoke up.

        Content, Twilight caught up to our group and said, “Girls, is everypony ready for the Gala?”

        “I guess so.” Fluttershy shrank as she spoke up.

        “Ah’m good.” Applejack lifted her chin up.

        As I opened my mouth to reply, I was met with the smell of apple pie and the sound of a gasp from another kind of apple.

        Applejack’s eyes pinpointed to a bakery we just passed.

        “Ah smell some good apple treats. I’ll catch up with y’all later,” Applejack trotted towards the shop.

        The remaining members of our group walked in silence through Canterlot for several blocks.

        “I’ll catch up with you girls later,” Fluttershy softly spoke.

        Twilight turned to look at her, “Where are you going Fluttershy?”

        Fluttershy pointed a hoof at a building.“I’m going to visit the animals at the shelter.”

        “Alright, just don’t take too long.” Twilight nodded a good-bye.

        “Have fun darling!” I said as I turned to look at her.

        “Bye Fluttershy.” Spike stopped to take a break from pulling Rarity’s luggage.

        Fluttershy slunked away from us and walked to the front door of the shelter. She opened it and stepped inside. We turned our attention back to the road and continued our walk to the castle.

        Above the castle, a prismatic trail streaked across the sky. At the front of the trail was a blue and pink blur. I watched Rainbow Dash carry Pinkie Pie as the two of them circled the Canterlot castle.

        As we passed through the castle gate, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie flew down to meet us at the doors of the castle. Rainbow held Pinkie by holding onto her forelegs. Rainbow wore a rainbow-colored dress with gold trim. Pinkie wore a pink gown decorated with balloons, confetti, and various candies.

        Dash dropped Pinkie and Pinkie hopped in place.

“That was sofunandweshoulddoitagain!”

        Rainbow stared at Pinkie with a blank face. “Uh- Yah. Anyways,”- Dash took off to the air and did a backflip -“that was awesome!”

        Twilight smiled at the two. “I am glad you two had fun, but it is time for the Gala.”

        “Ooh! I gotta go find the Wonderbolts! So lets hurry up!” Rainbow enthusiastically said.

        Rainbow Dash flew through the open doors of the castle. The rest of us followed closely behind Rainbow Dash.

        Spike approached a guard that stood by. “Buddy, can you take this to room-”

        Spike turned to face me. “Rarity what room are you staying in?”

        “I am staying in room twenty-six.”

        He turned back to the guard and pointed a claw at Rarity. “You heard her, room twenty-six.”

        The guard nodded and collected the luggage from Spike and pulled it down a hallway.

        We crossed through the entrance of the castle and into the main hall. The hall was filled with ponies on either side. The middle of the hall had ponies sparsely gathered, but at the exact center of the hall laid a long table covered with various foods.

        Twilight turned to our group. “I have to go find the princesses! Bye girls! Oh, and come on Spike. Celestia told me she wants to see you” She trotted away with Spike in tow.

        I scanned the crowds of ponies to find someone of interest to chat with. On the right side of the hall most of the ponies seemed to be relaxing and having fun. Most wore simple dresses and suits.

        However, on the left side of the hall, ponies wore extravagant attire for even my standards. I spotted Hoity Toity.

He has to see my dress! What if he loves it? I could become his personal designer! Oh I just have to show him my work!

        I stopped as I realised I was staring and a drop of saliva had dripped onto the floor. I quickly reacted and looked around to confirm sure no one saw was just happened. I was out of luck as Rainbow was flying upside down in front of me cackling like a madpony.

        “Hahahaha! You should have seen the look on your face!”- Rainbow caught her breath in between words -”What exactly were you looking at?”

        I donned a small nervous smile and replied, “Nothing, nothing at all dear.”

        She flicked a hoof towards me. “Sure Rarity, anyways I am off to find the Wonderbolts. I just have to show them my new moves!”

        Rainbow Dash flew away, leaving only me and Pin- Wait. Where’s Pinkie?

I searched for the eccentric mare, but could not see her anywhere around me.

        “Oh well,” I sighed.

        I walked up to the small group gathered around Hoity Toity.

        “-and that’s when I said, ‘That is not how you eat a crumpet!’” Hoity guffawed at his own joke alongside the rest of his posse.

He spotted me approaching and stated, “How lovely it is to see you again Lady Rarity! Tell us about how you have been.”

“I’ve been doing wonderful Sir Hoity Toity, thank you for asking,” I replied, trying to sound as smoothly as possible.

“That’s splen-” Hoity pointed a hoof towards a yellow fiery-maned mare stacking food onto a small plate. “- what exactly is that plebeian doing?”

Hoity’s posse all turned towards the mare and started to make snide comments.

“She is just simply uncouth!” one stallion remarked.

“I can’t believe the princesses would stand to have peasants attending an event not meant for their kind,” a uptight mare stated with a grinding of her teeth.

I stared at the yellow mare. She finished collecting various hors d’oeuvres and started walking towards the opposite side of the hall from Hoity’s group. She seemed oblivious to the ponies mocking her.

This is not right, how can ponies be so rude to another? I shouldn’t associate myself with these ponies.

I stepped back a step. “It was nice meeting you all, but I have some ponies to meet.”

“Sorry to hear that. It was nice speaking to you Rarity, have a fabulous night,” Hoity replied.

A few of the other ponies in Hoity’s group murmured good-byes as I walked away from them and towards the mare. Nopony else was near her and she was strolling towards a group of similarly-clad ponies.

        The mare in question stopped mid-step and turned to face me as I approached.

        “Are you here to call me a-”

        I held up a hoof to silence her. I looked around and found satisfaction in knowing none of the nobles were close enough to hear me.

        “No, I came to apologize on behalf of all respectable ponies. My name is Rarity, you?”

        The mare scanned my face in suspicion but quickly answered, “Spitfire.”

        “It has been nice meeting you Spitfire, even if the circumstances were… unkind.”

        A shrill voice yelled, “Is everypony ready to party!”

        Spitfire and I turned to owner of the voice, which happened to be located right next to us.

The voice in question belonged to the one, the only, Pinkie Pie.

 Pinkie Pie stood balanced on her back hooves on top of her party cannon which was aimed to the ceiling.

[Derpy]

        I soared through the Canterlot skies. Pegasi mail carriers are limited in Canterlot during events like today. The majority of the population are unicorns with a small minority of pegasi and earth ponies. Also today the Gala is being held. Last-minute priority mail is delivered by both the pegasi mail carriers of Canterlot and surrounding towns to accommodate the influx of mail.

        In Ponyville, Dinky was staying with Doctor Whooves until I get back from the mail rush. When I left I grabbed my saddlebag. It is a worn brown satchel with Doctor Whoove’s cutie mark on the front. I keep all of my traveling necessities and the mail for the day inside.

        He had given me the satchel for our six-month anniversary. Before he gave it to me, I would have to get a new saddlebag every other week because they would always fall apart after my constant accidents. This satchel is the most durable so far, it has lasted me for around three months now.

        He watches Dinky for me when work takes me far from home. She loves being around him and he is a great father figure for her. She is used to seeing him every day anyways.

The three of us are going to be baking muffins when I get back. My little Dinky loves her chocolate chip muffins! I promised her I’ll be back first thing once my route is done.

One last letter to deliver an- Oh what’s going on in there?

        I was passing the Canterlot castle to reach the edge of the city, but a sight caught my eye from the other side of one of the clear-glass windows. A pink mare was standing on her back hooves atop a large blue cannon with pink wheels painted to look like flowers.

        I changed course and started to fly closer to the window for a better look. I misjudged the distance between the window and myself, causing me to fly straight through it. Unluckily, head first.

        Shards of glass rained upon ponies beneath the window. Pain sprouted from my head after smashing into the glass and I felt something trickle down my left wing.

        I spiraled downwards towards the now shell-shocked pink mare. I smacked into the cannon and rolled into a pair of ponies. My body stopped and I was laying on my back.

        Yellow feathers entrenched my sight from above my head which I assume is from one of the ponies I collided with. I looked to my right and saw the other pony of the pair sprawled out next to me. The white unicorn was trying to get back on to her hooves.

        I turned my head to see what happened to the cannon and the pink mare.

        The pink mare was on her back beside the cannon. She looked pretty surprised.

         Then I noticed the cannon was pointed directly towards me. I saw the sparking of a lit fuse atop the cannon.

Uh oh.

A loud bang blasted my ears. Confetti filled my sight and rainbows swirled around me. Everything around me was enveloped into a transparent prismatic vortex which slowly opaqued until nothing but colors consumed my vision.

[Derpy]

        Warmth radiated off of my feathers. I rolled over and yawned.

This bed is really coarse. Also why does it feel like I am sleeping in sand?

I brought my hooves to my eyes and rubbed them. I lifted myself up and looked around me.

        Sand. Just sand in all directions.

Well, sand and two mares. That white unicorn with the purple mane that was beside me when the cannon went off and a yellow pegasus with a mane that resembled flames.