Canterlot Castle was battered after the fight, but everypony worked hard to make it look presentable for the celebration. Tapestries hung over any holes in the walls. Tables covered any craters in the floor. Floodlights shone into the night sky, complementing Luna’s glorious full moon, and drawing the eye away from any broken greenery in the gardens.
As always, the Canterlot crowd did their best to rise to the occasion. Nobles and foreign dignitaries dressed in their finery and mingled. Guards and attendants paraded in their dress uniforms and did their duty to make sure the guests were safe and well served. After the earlier chaos, the pomp and order of a royal event brought a return to normalcy in the capital city.
A great red carpet ran from the circle where coaches dropped off guests, through the entrance of the Grand Hall, and up to the foot of the dais. The carpet was empty for now. All the attendees were standing to each side of the hall, awaiting the arrival of the guests of honor.
Upon the dais at the far end of the Grand Hall, three royal friends made small talk and waited for the celebration to begin.
Luna nodded her head. “Good evening, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Hello, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia,” Twilight replied.
Celestia grinned. “Good evening... Princess Twilight.”
“You caught me… Celestia.” Twilight blushed lightly.
Celestia nodded. “You look splendid in your regalia, Twilight. You should wear it more often.”
“Thank you. It’s starting to feel a little more comfortable.”
Luna said, “The royal armorers can adjust those to make them fit better.”
“That’s not what I… Oh, look, they’re announcing the girls.”
“Welcome the saviors of Equestria! The bearers of the Elements of Harmony!”
The girls arrived in an ornate flying white carriage, decorated with golden filigree, and pulled by four white Royal Guard pegasi. They exited the carriage, and strode line abreast up the red carpet toward the Grand Hall.
The crowd cheered. The girls looked back and forth at each other and smiled broadly.
“The bearer of the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy!”
“Fluttershy looks quite fetching in that green dress with the butterfly accents,” Luna said.
“Fluttershy looks good in everything,” Twilight responded.
“Very true,” Celestia observed. “That may be why she was in such demand when she was a model.”
“The bearer of the Element of Honesty, Applejack!”
“I didn't realize a Stetson counted as formalwear,” Celestia said.
“Tis country formal, like a string tie,” Luna replied.
“The bearer of the Element of Laughter, Pinky Pie!”
“How doth the pink one jump so high?”
“She's Pinkie Pie.” Celestia smiled.
“You’re learning.” Twilight smiled back. “Listen, the girls are starting their song and dance number.”
This Is Our Big Night
This is our big night
We're getting ready
And we're doing it up right
“The bearer of the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash!”
“Rainbow Dash is a most energetic dancer,” Luna said.
“She hopes to be a Wonderbolt someday,” Twilight replied.
“Aerial moves like that should certainly help her chances.” Celestia noted.
This is our big night
Friendship survived,
Now we'll start it out right
“The choreography is most impressive on such short notice,” Luna observed.
“It's a variant of our dance from our first Gala.” Twilight said.
“They’ve done a nice job adapting it to the new song,” Celestia replied.
The time's right, gonna make it last 'cause it's the first night
That we're ever gonna start to just have fun together
“The bearer of the Element of Generosity, Rarity!”
“Rarity’s gowns are always just this side of having too many gems.” Twilight grinned.
“But she does stay on the right side of the line.” Celestia nodded approvingly. “That is a beautiful gown.”
“Your colorings are similar sister, but I do not think Rarity’s gown would work for you.” Luna smirked. “Your flank looks big enough without such embellishment.”
We're so glad, so happy we could never be mad
Did it right now, this is our big night now
“How doth they get formalwear so soon after dispatching a world threatening menace?” Luna asked.
“Rarity didn't have time to make new dresses for all the girls, so she only made one from scratch,” Twilight said. “The rest are modified from what the girls wore to our first Grand Galloping Gala. Rarity just changed the accessories.”
“They’re still a very impressive group,” Celestia said.
“They’re my girls.”
Six friends on the way up now
Six friends here to show you how
“Do you wish you were down there with your friends, Twilight? I know how much bearing your element meant to you.” Celestia asked.
“No. Harmony has to evolve as circumstances change. Besides, I've sung this song before.” Twilight sighed.
“True, your achievements have earned you many accolades here at Canterlot Castle,” Luna observed.
“I mean, I've actually sung this specific song before.” Twilight let out a great breath. “When I went through the Portal Mirror the first time, I sung it with the girls there. They must've taught it to Sunset Shimmer. And she must've taught it to the girls here.”
This is our big night
We're getting ready
And we're doing it up right
This is our big night
We made it happen
Now let's party all night
“Former personal student of Princess Celestia. The new bearer of the Element of Magic, Sunset Shimmer!”
“Maybe this is a step in Sunset Shimmer achieving her destiny,” Twilight said.
“Or maybe there is no destiny, just an honor, well-earned,” Luna replied.
“Only time will tell if the alicorn Sunset Shimmer saw in the Portal Mirror was prophecy or wish fulfillment,” Celestia said with a sigh. “Either way, I hope she finds happiness in her life.”
We're here now and we worked so hard to make it come around
To tonight so let's try to make it last forever
The song continued, and the crowd cheered every verse. The girls all danced and smiled. Sunset Shimmer practically glowed. She didn’t know that the song, the dance, and the dresses had all been used for the former bearer of the Element of Magic. For her, it was all new and part of a childhood dream come true.
Princess Twilight surveyed the Grand Hall from the dais. She smiled down at her friends, all six of the Element Bearers. Twilight was proud of the great things they had been able to do with their friendship. And it warmed her heart to see them get such a honors from the Canterlot crowd. After all the turmoil and danger the girls faced, they deserved every accolade.
The rhythm of the music caught Twilight’s ear. She found her muzzle bouncing lightly to the beat. Twilight preferred mandolins for ballads. But, she also liked rock music; this song in particular. And the song seemed to fit Sunset Shimmer’s personality; Sunset didn’t seem like a mandolin kind of girl.
Twilight sighed, “Maybe it's better for everypony if the heroes that save the day aren’t always princesses.”
Princess Celestia turned and smiled warmly, “It's very important that our ponies do not become overly dependent on us, Twilight. I have been proud of you many times, but perhaps never more so than right now. With insights like that, you will make a fine princess.”
Princess Luna nodded, “Aye, it took us many centuries to learn that lesson. Ultimately, Equestria does not belong to us, it belongs to our ponies.”
Princess Twilight shook her head and looked back at her friends. “Centuries? That’s a lot of song and dance numbers.”
This is our big night
This is our big night
This is our big night
This is our big night
