"Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in that."
~ Benjamin Flanklin, Fillydelphia
As much as it was the hottest it would ever of been in Equestria, not even Ponyville was spared from it, for it was practically steaming with the aura of a warm summers day. As noon progressed, many of the ponies had already taken shelter within their cottages while others trotted casually along trying to stay as much as possible out of the sun and catch as many shady places as could be done.
As for the vibrant rainbow-maned equine, Rainbow Dash repeatedly nagged about the weather, while sitting underneath her umbrella and waving a fan across her face.
"This sun! Could it get any hotter?"
"My, my, my. Is it too much for you, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity cheerily chirped underneath her fashionably wide-brimmed straw hat that kept her face protected from the sun.
"It can't be this hot. It just can't!" Rainbow moaned flapping her wings vigorously in order to keep her cool. "There must be something wrong with the weather. The Wonderbolts had to cancel training practice today because it was too much practicing in the heat."
"Well, don't you know exercise in such weather is practically dangerous, let alone precocious. What pony would have the sense enough to do such a thing?"
Just then, Applejack with her straw-colored pony tail wiping away the profuse amount of perspiration slipping down her forehead in beads emerged from Sweet Apple Acres; having harvested the last of the apples she had been bucking for three straight days.
"Pshew-wee! It sure's bin the hawtest ever on record! Aw ain't experienced this much heat since ay was a lil' filleh! Oowwee! This here'sa real cook out!"
"Ooooo! And what are we gonna have, huh? Salisbury steak with a baked potato--mmm yum yum yum!"
Pinkie, as was her usual hyper-frenetic custom bounced around the ponies sitting beneath a large umbrella; Rarity lounging upon a chez lounge, Rainbow sitting underneath the umbrella reading "Daring Doo: The Curse of the Black Saddle"
"And where's Twilight?" said Applejack.
"Over at the library lookin' over a few maps and stuff."
"On such a hot day as this?"
"She said it was important. You know how what an egghead she it."
"And what about Fluttershy?"
"Fluttershy? She--"
Rainbow looked around.
"Heh, that's funny. She was just here a few minutes ago."
"Oh, I think I saw her go tend to some poor widdle wood-land critters in the forest who needed a nice widdle cool shady place to stay."
Pinkie, bored with bouncing around, had now leapt onto the very tip of the top of Dashes umbrella and gleefully began bending it back and forth.
"Hey! Pinkie! Cut it out!"
"Whoooooooo! Look at me! Look at me! I'm a rooster! BA-GAWK!"
"Pinkie." Rarity quite blatantly began, "I do wish you'd stop exerting yourself in such a most un-fashionable manner. Besides, why would any pony even so much as lift a hoof in such fine weather. Go ahead and relax!"
The commotion was interrupted suddenly by the sound of quick hoof beats. It was Twilight Sparkle.
"Hey girls!" she said quite pleasantly yet with a sense of it being forced.
"Why, hawdy there Twilight!"
"Where's Fluttershy?"
"She ain't been around fer a while. Pinkie says she's been busy tendin to the needs of the woodland critters. Anyways, what gives?"
"The mayor is hosting a celebration down by the Ponyville Dam and has requested our immediate presence. Princess Celestia sent me a reminder. It's important that we all be there on time."
"Really? On such a hot day as this?" Rarity perturbedly objected. "I'm quite comfortable here, giving my absolutely dull coat a perfect tan."
"Seriously Twilight, why the falls?" Rainbow groaned.
"You'll see when we get there."
After a considerable time getting everything together, the five equines, soon to be accompanied by Fluttershy trotted off towards the Dam. Luckily, by the time they arrived it had gradually cooled off to some extent which greatly relieved their sun-weary bodies from the overbearingness of the heat.
And yet, it was there that the discovery was made. Tethered to the dock and bobbing gracefully above the crystal waves was a great white yacht.
"Look at that!" Applejack was speechless. Indeed, it must of been a massive sight; something like a quadruple decker boat, decked in a pure coat of be-speckling white, with a red line circumferencing the lower portion. It carried upon it's prow a rather regal touch.
"Oww, oww! Some one catch me, I'm about to faint!" Rarity egregiously fanfared.
"It looks so tasty!" Pinkie drooled.
"It's so--coool!" Dashie breathed as her wings gave out and she dropped to the ground.
While amongst this stupor, none of them seemed to notice Fluttershy as she nudged her way through the group.
"I'm sorry I was late. It was just that angel was being such a naughty bunny."
Just then, Rarity, having satiated as much as her eyes could handle of the magnificent vessel suddenly keeled over.
"Oh, my. Did I miss anything?"
Before anypony could of said anything in reply, there issued the sound of the trumpet blast followed by the magnified voice of Mayor Mare.
"Hear-ye, hear-ye! Fillies and Gentlecolts!"
It was that down by the river docks, a considerable crowd had gathered before the yacht while the mayor stood proudly alongside the gangway.
"Come on, hurry!" Twilight urged, snapping herself out of her enamored trance.
"I am pleased and humbly grateful to be witness to the crowning of Ponyville's greatest honor. May I give to you the Canterlot Rose."
"Rose?" croaked a familiar voice. "Isn't that supposed to mean red? It's as white as the smoke I puff out my nose when I'm the middle of my gem-hoarding dreams."
"Spike!" Twilight whispered, trying to attract her scaly-assistants attention while she and the rest of the ponies carefully pushed their way through the crowd who met their attempts with vocal resistance.
"Hey!"
"Look out!"
"Be quiet!"
"Sorry." Twilight apologized profusely as she made her way towards the front.
"Hey Twi!" said Spike, "Thought you wouldn't make it. Say, is it me or is that--."
"Ssssshhhhhh!"
"Eghh-eghmm!" came the sound of Mayor Mare clearing her throat. Twilight beamed scarlet.
"As I was saying. The mayor of Manehatten was pleased enough to join me in the royal ribbon cutting ceremony symbolizing our grand token of filly-al mutuality." To which that towns mayor, carrying a pair of very large shears in her mouth placed them before a long stream of tinsel tied from one end of the hatchway to the other, and with some difficulty and with a great hurrah, cut it .
"Hurray!" Exclaimed the jubilant crowd.
"Let the celebrations commence!" proclaimed the mayor. "May everyone step inside to be the first to receive a grand tour of the Canterlot Rose!"
"Dude, it's white!" Spike soundly objected to which Twilight patted him gently on the shoulder.
"There, there now Spike."
"There's cake, and punch inside!" exclaimed Mr. Cake peaking his head out one of the many portholes.
"Well then," Pinkie began "Come on, everypony! Let's get this party started!"