The Picnic Gathering
Spot of Lemonade
Twilight Sparkle stretched out her legs. She reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a series of dinner plates. Twilight used her magic and spread out the plates across the checkered blanket already laid out on the ground. "One, Two, Three... Seven. Perfect."
Twilight heard the rustling sound of some pony trampling through the autumn leaves. She glanced towards the sound and spotted Rainbow Dash happily bouncing her head back and forth with her eyes closed. "Well, hey Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash stopped short of the picnic basket. She glared at the wrapped foil covering over its contents. "Hey Ms. Sparkle. Tell me. What did you bring this time?"
Twilight reached for a delicate tea pot inside the wooden basket. "I decided to make some lemonade. You want some?"
Rainbow Dash plunged out a couple of white cups that laid next to the wrapped container. "I'll take some, but what's in the container?"
Twilight cheerfully smiled. "The main course. I brought some watermelon."
Rainbow Dash dropped the cups onto the blanket and slowly lifted the foil. "Watermelon! Awesome! Just what I-"
Twilight slapped Rainbow Dash's leg. "Hooves off! Wait until every pony arrives."
Rainbow Dash plopped down and pouted. "Aw."
Rainbow Dash felt a presence behind her. She turned and noticed Rarity carrying a small container on her back. "Oh, what's in the box?"
Rarity slapped Rainbow Dash as she attempted to lift the top of the box. "I transported a rectangular package full of delicious candy treats, and I'm not about to see you spoil them."
In response to Rarity's voice, Twilight glanced up and noticed her enormous yellow hat. Her eyes twitched as she pointed to it. "Uh, Rarity?"
"Yes, darlin'?"
Twilight responded, "Your hat... it is so... big."
Rarity tilted her head and patted the side of her face as she batted her eyes. "Do you like?"
Rarity's hat stretched outward and upward several feet. Large balls of cotton were stitched on remote portions around the hat. Twilight was surprised to see it hold together when it flapped around to even the smallest breeze. Rainbow Dash didn't pay any heed to it.
"How about you set that hat aside?" Twilight intrinsically asked.
Rarity lifted her chin up and looked away. "Fine." She carefully picked off her hat and placed it by one of the plates. Rarity then pulled the box and planted it by the picnic basket.
Applejack arrived shortly after Rarity. "Hey every pony."
Rainbow Dash lowered her wings. "Well hey... you. How are you doing this awesome day?"
Applejack tilted her head. "I'm fine, Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash keenly pulled her head back. Something rippled down the back of her spine as Applejack neared next to her. She cautiously pulled away allowing Applejack some personal space.
As Rarity played with her mane, Twilight initiated a conversation. "Applejack, please. Sit. So how are things going back on the farm?"
Applejack sat down and reached for the tea pot. "Pretty good. Big Macintosh and I loaded up a good amount of apples just early this morning. How about you? Find anything interesting to read?" Applejack poured some lemonade into her cup and passed the pot to Twilight.
"There is an interesting piece I'm working on right now. Touches on the history of Equestria and how Discord was eventually stopped by the Elements of Harmony." Twilight poured some lemonade for herself and took a sip. "What about you Rainbow Dash? Do anything interesting?"
Rainbow Dash gazed at Applejack. "No, nothing at all."
Applejack laid down her cup. "Oh come now. You tellin' me the awesome Rainbow Dash doesn't have at least one great story to tell?"
Rainbow Dash froze for a couple of seconds before discerning Twilight holding the tea pot out to pour for her. "Oh, um." She quickly lifted up her cup allowing Twilight to gently pour a little lemonade into it. "I used my magic and levitated a couple of things."
Applejack knocked her head back and grinned. "And how were you able to do that, being a pegasus and all?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "I mean I... I used the magic of my wings. Yeah. Moved a couple of clouds, awesomely."
Applejack gazed at Rainbow Dash. "Uh huh."
Twilight extended the pot out. "How about you Rarity? Do anything fascinating lately?"
Rarity observed the bottom of her hoof. "I designed a beautiful piece of fabric just this last week. All the ponies flaunted over it."
Applejack asked, "Then why haven't I heard of it?"
Rarity looked at Applejack and batted her eyelids. "Why... it is just too sophisticated for your tastes."
Applejack abruptly stood up. "Excuse me?"
Rarity jitterly responded, "I mean... from Ponyville standards. Yeah. I meant all the Canterlot ponies. You know them. Always wearing something fancy. That's why you haven't heard of it."
Applejack sat back down and picked up her cup. Her eyeslids swooned halfway down. "That's better."
Rarity relaxed her muscles and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Without blinking, she glanced over to Rainbow Dash as she held the cup inches away from her mouth.
Twilight caught glimpse of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy coming out of a passageway through the trees. They struggled in carrying an enormous strawberry cake on top of a large cardboard slab over their backs. She suddenly leaned the teapot against the picnic basket and bolted towards them. "Oh, Pinkie."
As Twilight rushed by their side, Fluttershy and Pinkie momentarily stopped. Pinkie raised her hoof and repelled Twilight from coming any closer. "I got it. Don't worry."
As they continued proceeding to the site, Twilight responded, "Pinkie, I told you to bring something light to the gathering."
"This is light!" Pinkie exclaimed with a smug look on her face.
Twilight stared at the cake. "That's light?" She glanced between Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy expecting an answer from either pony. Pinkie Pie pressed forward without responding, and Fluttershy quickly smiled and stooped her head lower to the ground. As they approached the other ponies, Twilight nudged her head to the side and said, "Well, just place it down somewhere."
Rainbow Dash rubbed her hooves together and licked the top of her lips in sight of the cake. "Alright Pinkie!"
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy slanted their backs forward. The wooden board slid onto the edge of the picnic blanket, stopping just shy of the basket. Rarity's eyes followed from the base of the cake, up to the very top of the frosting. Applejack squeezed her face and opened her mouth at the astonishment of how elaborate Pinkie Pie's cake filled one side of the picnic area.
Pinkie Pie's estatic hair fluffed out as she plopped down on the ground. She crossed her front legs as her mouth shrunk. She stared directly in the middle of the blanket, paying no welcome to the other ponies.
Applejack leaned forward with all her weight bearing down on one leg. "Pinkie?"
Pinkie glanced up at Applejack and rolled her eyes. She responded in a monotone, "I'm Pinkie. Woho. I'm so happy I could bake this cake for you all."
Applejack rocked back in her spot and lifted up her cup. She sluggishly sipped the last bit of lemonade and placed the cup back onto the saucer.
Twilight scanned the ponies, the food, and around the picnic site. She digged into the basket and pulled out a large watermelon. Twilight underestimated the weight and accidently dropped it onto her cup and plate. The delicate cup broke into pieces. "Oops!" She rolled the watermelon in front of Applejack and gracefully brushed the pieces together. "It was much heavier than I expected."
Applejack tapped her knee against the large watermelon. "Sounds like a good one to me."
Using her plate, Twilight carefully placed the broken pieces into the basket. After elegantly wrapping them with a piece of aluminum foil, she extracted a large cutting knife. "Now who wants to cut it?"
Pinkie lunged forward with one leg on the watermelon and the other flapping in the air at Twilight. "Oh! Oh! Let me!"
"What we say, Pinkie?" Twilight playfully asked.
"Please!"
Twilight gave over the knife. Pinkie positioned herself directly in front of the watermelon and closed her eyes. After a brief moment of silence, she opened her eyes and sliced six clean cuts completely through. The watermelon sections rolled outward onto the blanket. Fluttershy applauded at Pinkie's skill. Pinkie kindly bowed and set the blade down by the tea pot.
Each of the ponies pulled a piece of the watermelon in front of them. Twilight lifted up her slice and nibbled at the core. In an attempt in finding the best angle to chew, Fluttershy intricately rotated her piece on the blanket. In a haste to tasting the strawberry cake resting in front of her, Rainbow Dash spent no time biting down upon her slice. Rarity never bothered touching her portion while Pinkie Pie and Applejack paced themselves in eating their chunks.
As Rainbow Dash neared the end of the red flesh inside the watermelon, she looked over at Rarity and wiped her mouth. After swallowing, Rainbow Dash slowly rested the shell onto the blanket and pointed at the box Rarity brought to the gathering. "Does this mean we can finally have some of that candy?"
Rarity sighed and nudged the container across the blanket. The other ponies watched as Rainbow Dash lifted up the cover. Inside laid small square chocolate-covered pieces wrapped with tiny straps of paper. Hollowed-out slots divided the candy into sections. One section had torn straps of paper with small smudges of chocolate.
"Hey wait a second," Rainbow Dash intruded, "This side is missing some!"
Applejack asked, "Rarity, did you eat some of these on the way over?"
Rarity fluffed the curl in her mane. "Maybe." After observing Applejack's demeanor, she quickly added, "Ok, so I got hungry on the way over."
Rainbow Dash grabbed two chocolate pieces. She tossed one piece into her mouth and offered Pinkie the other piece. "You want one?"
Before taking another bite into the watermelon, Pinkie replied, "No thanks, Rainbow Dash. I don't like chocolate."
"Suit yourself," Rainbow Dash said while munching onto the candy's soft interrior.
Noticing how Rarity was uninterested in the group's affairs, Applejack decided to ask her a question. "So Rarity, how is Sweetie Belle?"
Rarity's posture completely changed. She widened her eyes and tucked her front legs into the blanket. She stared across at Twilight and cracked a smile. "Sweetie Belle? Oh, you know. Fiesty as usual. I can never get her to settle down. Always just laying around."
Pinkie snickered. Twilight shook her head. Rainbow Dash grabbed another piece of chocolate and held it out in front of her.
"Uh huh." Applejack tilted her head at Rarity and leaned it against her hoof. "And what about Opal?"
Rarity broke into a sweat. "Opal? Fine. Fine. She's such a doll. Always trying to do stuff with me when she isn't at school."
Pinkie laughed so hard that she accidently spat a couple bits of watermelon out of her mouth. Twilight slapped herself in the forehead with her hoof. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth and stared at Rarity.
Applejack looked away from Rarity and asked, "And how about your pet, Rainbow Dash?"
"I have a pet?"
Not a solitary piece of laughter came from Pinkie Pie's mouth. Instead, she banged her hoof onto her hind leg and knocked herself backwards.
Applejack gazed at the racket Pinkie Pie had been causing. "Alright! How's-"
Pinkie immediately rocked herself forward and accordingly propped herself up. "Gummy? Fine."
"Fluttershy, how's things going with you?" Applejack asked.
Fluttershy's wings folded into her body. She hesitated in making a response. Fluttershy rapidly leaned forward and chomped open the biggest piece of watermelon she could fit in her mouth. With her cheeks puffed out and a grin on her face, she replied with a quick nod.
Applejack veered away from conversing Fluttershy any further. Instead, she lifted up her cup and asked, "Twilight, may I have some more of that wonderful lemonade?"
Twilight reached for the pot and poured some lemonade for Applejack. "Here you go."
"May I have some too," a voice called out from behind Twilight.
Twilight Sparkle rose from the ground and exclaimed, "Princess Celestia! So glad you could make it!"
"How goes my favorite student's tea party?"
Twilight gritted her teeth as she grudgingly replied, "Great. Everything is great."
Princess Celestia used her magic and lifted up the unattended cup on the spare plate. "I see every pony could make it. Even you, Pinkie Pie."
Pinkie Pie scratched the back of her mane. She twisted part of the blanket with part of her hoof as she replied, "Yeah. You know me. I wouldn't be Pinkie Pie if I missed out on a party."
All the ponies appeared nervous around Princess Celestia as she knelt down onto the blanket. Their eyes gazed at Celestia's every move. They attentively watched their actions in front of her presence.
"So," Princess Celestia stated, "What have you all been up to?"
"Nothing, your majesty," Rainbow Dash replied.
Celestia cleared her throat as she lifted the cup close to her mouth. "Come now, my little ponies. You all are such good friends. You must have learned something." When none of the ponies said a word, she lowered her eyelids and became flustered. She finished sipping the lemonade in her cup and asked, "Applejack, what have you learned?"
Applejack raised her left leg and pointed it at amongst the group. "That we could all spend a little more time together."
"And why is that?" Celestia asked.
"Because..." Applejack paused to consider her words carefully. Before she could utter another word, she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash.
"Because we don't know much about each other!"
"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity exclaimed, "I'm surprised at you! We know each other very well."
Princess Celestia drank all the lemonade in her cup. She listened discreetly as she asked Twilight for the tea pot. Fluttershy finished chewing the last bit of watermelon she stuffed inside her mouth. Pinkie Pie glanced between Rainbow Dash and Rarity as they conversed.
Rainbow Dash pounced up on her legs. "Do you even know where I live?"
Rarity banged the cup onto her plate and stood up. "Somewhere in the clouds, right?"
"And you call that a hat?" Rainbow Dash asked while pointing at the catastrophe resting beside Rarity.
Rarity grabbed hold of her creation and tightly hugged it. "I worked hard on this thing."
Twilight leaned forward and politely asked, "Girls! Don't be like this!"
Rarity and Rainbow Dash pointed at each other and in unison said, "She started it!"
As Celestia poured herself the last drop of lemonade into her cup, she gently placed the cup down and aggressively threw the tea pot at the cake. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie rolled to their sides to avoid being toppled by the frosting. "I am disappointed in all of you."
Twilight graveled in front of Celestia. "We are doing our best!"
Applejack wrapped her legs around Celestia's. "Please! It isn't their fault!"
Princess Celestia retracted from Applejack's grip and stomped on the picnic blanket. "I've been watching you, all of you, this entire time. Ponies aren't supposed to act like this."
"Like what, princess?" Pinkie Pie asked.
Celestia's eyes slanted upward. Her voice softened. "Rarity, you weren't engaging with your friends."
"You told me to be sophisticated."
"I told you to be professional," Celestia replied, "Canterlot ponies live with high standards, but they rely on every pony else. You must gain their trust, if you want their trust in return."
"What about me?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Princess Celestia pointed at Rainbow Dash. "You should know better."
Rainbow Dash nervously tapped her hooves together. "I was being friendly!"
Princess Celestia shook her head. "That takes a lot more than simple words. Being friendly is one thing. Being a friend is something completely different. If you want your friends to help you, you must find out more about them. Gain their interest. Make it sound like you care."
When Princess Celestia glanced across from Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie mockingly replied, "I know. I know."
Princess Celestia walked over to Pinkie Pie and casted her shadow over her. "You just need to know when to stop. Don't overstay your welcome. Make the best of any situation, no matter how much you despise being there." She sampled a bit of the fallen cake and twitched her nose. "And... stick with cupcakes next time."
She trampled over a layer of the cake and peered at Fluttershy. "And you!"
Fluttershy fell on her back and scooted away from Princess Celestia. Her hair picked up strands of grass as she nudged herself away from the group. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack rushed over to Fluttershy's side. Rainbow Dash grabbed another piece of chocolate and followed behind Princess Celestia.
Twilight Sparkle grabbed the remains of her watermelon and slammed it onto the plate. The noise grabbed Princess Celestia's attention. "Don't hurt her! She isn't very good talking with others yet."
Celestia replied, "That is why I set this thing up three weeks in advance. You had three weeks to prepare!"
Fluttershy smacked her eyes shut and responded in a deep voice, "It's not my fault Chrysalis!"
The ponies huddled together. Their bodies trembled. Fluttershy covered her mouth with both her hooves. Their eyes glued at Princess Celestia.
"Never! And I mean never..." Princess Celestia's body changed. Her figure ripped apart as black encompassed over her body and wings sprouted from behind her back. The image of the princess vanished as Queen Chrysalis appeared. "...call me by my real name." She turned around and walked towards the box of chocolates. "Cherades over! You can all go!"
The ponies transformed themselves into changelings. They revealed hidden wings and horns that were masked behind their exterior.
The changeling that once reflected Applejack said, "We're sorry, my queen. Thrash and I did our best in testing the new recruits. They just weren't ready for this type of thing."
Chrysalis picked up a piece of chocolate. "You two were supposed to make this believable. I gathered photos, intelligence, and equipment. Those six ponies are my ticket in."
The changeling that once imitated Rarity asked, "What will you do now?"
Chrysalis replied, "If you have to do something, you have to do it yourself. Stand by outside Canterlot's walls. I have another plan involving a certain unicorn in Canterlot." She threw the chocolate in her mouth and crumbled it in her teeth. "Clean this place up! Leave the chocolate."
