The More Things Change

by The Crane

Because waking up is hard to do...

The tall white alicorn walks into the barn with a cautious expression on her face. She is easily twice as tall as anypony else in the room. Her usual golden adornments have nary a scuff on them. Her multi-hued mane and tail flow in the slightest breeze. Her demeanor is quite serious as she looks over the bodies of 14 ponies of all different colors and types laying about. She nudges one of them and slightly moves her before rolling back to where she was. She looks down at everypony with utmost concern on her face.

At the door, her prized student Twilight Sparkle stands behind two guards and their crossed spears. Her eyes are red from the wild party that she just woke from. Her normally purple coat has been died red by accident, which has led others to think she's done some heinous act. Her head hangs low as she believes she has failed her mentor. While her head pounds mightily from a hangover, she worries about the consequences of her actions.

"Alright everypony!!" Princess Celestia says in a rumbling voice. Her wings flare out in reflex to her concern. "Everypony up!! Up!! Up!!" She rears up and clops her front hooves together to accentuate her point. But, with her golden shoes, it is a rather metallic sound. To some it sounds like hammers going head to head. For others, it sounds like the inside of church bells.

Between the noise and the burning morning Sun, consciousness returns once more. All about the barn floor, the rainbow of colors starts to slither and wake as they start to move about. There are plenty of groans and other bodily noises. Many complain about their headaches. None seem to comprehend that royalty is in their midst.

The princess excuses their lack of bowing for now, lenient on the fact they are quite confused and out of sorts. She watches the scene (as well as some of the guests) unfold. The DJ rises up off her portable party machine with wobbly legs. She adjusts her glasses and puts a hoof to her temple. Celestia notes that one pony in particular has been tied up--decidedly away from the barrels of alcohol. She uses a light aura to undo the poor thing's ropes.

Above, Rainbow Dash is hunched over a rafter and awakens slowly. Fluttershy is nearby, but had slept on her back. When she awakes, she unceremoniously drops to the floor.

In one corner of the room there are three ponies laying together. Two mares (one red, one tan) she does not recognize and the lone red stallion. The three of them look quite content with each other's embrace. Her mind comes up with scenarios that may have transpired, but dismisses them as too farfetched. But with such strong drinks involved, anything is possible.

As the three stir, Tonya's eyes open wide to her legs wrapped around the big red beast. Her memory is dark and foggy at best and can't recall what may or may not have happened. But, waking up to this certainly points her brain in certain directions. From behind him, Casie rises up with her own legs wrapped around him--leading Tonya to further worry.

"My, Tonya..." Casie remarks as she nears her friend. "I didn't know you could do that...." she remarks with a nuzzle to Tonya's fearful snout.

In the meantime, Big McInstosh awakes to having two mares to his sides. And all he can think of is that this does not bode well for him. When Casie has removed herself, Big Mac quickly does the same and tries to distance himself from both of them.

In other news, Rarity lies with Spike neatly wrapped in her hooves. There is a little shock as they awake to the sight of each other. While they are good friends, both of them fear that a line has been crossed.

Rarity removes herself from the situation as she notes something much more important going on. She and the other four of her elite group gather together in front of Celestia and sit on their hindquarters. They bow to their ruler as they always do. The quintet are all flush as they assemble. Except Pinkie, who naturally looks that way. That might explain quite a lot...

Celestia waves a hoof towards her guard to release Twilight into the barn again. Twilight has managed to fold up her wings and quickly gallops over to her friends. "Granny Smith," Celestia addresses in a slightly soothing voice, "Big McIntosh, Berryshine, DJ Pon3. I would ask that you give the rest of us the room please."

The listed ponies start to stumble out of the barn in a broken line. Big Mac carries his grandmother on his back. Berryshine staggers out after being tied up for several hours. The DJ is the last. "Hold, DJ," she says. Her horn glows with a golden aura. She uses this to pull a scroll out from her golden collar and gives it to her subject.

Her lips part a little from confusion and takes the message with her white horn with a weakened red aura. She unrolls it to read it. After a moment she looks up to her princess and gives a little wobbly nod.

"Excellent," Celestia smiles. "You may go, then." She watches the last to leave out of the corner of her eye. Her guards close the barn door to give her majesty some privacy. She sighs a little when they are finally alone.

"Princess Celestia--" Twilight starts.

But the she raises a hoof and stops Twilight in her tracks. "For starters, I must apologize, Twilight. I jumped the gun a little. Your appearance and the scene behind you were an easy misunderstanding. I mean, you look like you killed everypony."

"The truth is," Twilight replies, "it's paint from the barn." Besides what she has said, she interally groans 'a little? You should know me better than that.'

"I understand." She takes a moment to look around the barn again and imagines what must have happened. "I sent you a second letter last night. I suppose it got lost somewhere in the festivities." Her eyes roll towards the cake-crater. "You had cake."

"I made it myself!!" Pinkie shouts. But, she sees her friends suffer extra from their headaches and quickly tones herself down. "Sorry..."

"You had cake and I wasn't invited?" Celestia asks with a raised eyebrow. "I ought to banish you all to the moon for that!!"

==-==-==

Somewhere in Canterlot castle, Princess Luna has tucked herself into bed. She is working on falling asleep with her crown on her nightstand but her other black adornments tossed aside carelessly. A sudden chill runs down her spine. The dark alicorn pops her head up and looks around with a momentary worry.

==-==-==

"I'm just kidding!" Celestia relents with a smile. In truth, she knew that her subjects were far too hungover to understand sarcasm. She used that against them to make it more fun for herself.

Despite that, Fluttershy and Rarity faint. A foreleg from a friend on either side of Fluttershy prevents her fall. When she is righted again, she slumps forward. Meanwhile, Spike had caught Rarity from behind and pushed her forward likewise. Celestia uses a little of her magic to gently reawaken the Elements of Kindness and Generosity.

"In the letter that none of you seemed to have seen, I mentioned that I was going to be passing by on my way to Maneapolis. I had hoped that I would be able to spend at least a brief period of time with our new visitors." Her gaze rises a little to the row of ponies behind her familiar six. "Please. Come forward."

The Mane Six part like the red sea with Applejack shouldering Fluttershy off to one side. From behind them, Bobbi and her three visible friends present themselves. A light fluttering can be heard as Kat moves quietly. Bobbi and her friends lower themselves just as the others did, but Celestia motions them to rise. "I'm Bobbi Lee," the mute golden one says. "It's an honor to meet you."

"Amanda Silver, Your Highness."

"Casie Fadro, Your Majesty."

"Tonya Garrett."

Celestia's gaze rises above the group. "And you, young pegasus?"

"Huh?" Kat wonders. "You can see me?"

"Yes. I can. Sunlight has many wavelengths. Although you are invisible to white light, the Sun is my domain and I can see you with other methods."

There are a number of them clopping hooves together in amazement.

"Oh, stop," Celestia says. "It's not a big deal."

Kat drops to the ground and bows. "Kathryn Stewart, Your Grace. Everyone calls me Kat. Twilight has been trying to help me fix this problem."

"IS it a problem?" Celestia asks.

"Not really," Kat says. "Kinda fun at times," she says with an invisible smile. She was about to note the 'free muffins', but she may be able to swindle Spike again in the future.

Tonya looks up at the white alicorn with her mouth slightly agape. "You're tall..." she mumbles out.

"Yes," Celestia smiles kindly. "I am."

"Does that mean you're old?" she adds, which quickly shocks the princess.

"TONYA!!!" her four friends shout as they quickly tackle her.

"I'm so sorry!!!" Amanda tells the wide-eyed princess. She is no less shocked that Tonya said this than the royalty before her hearing it.

"One of these days," Kat growls, "I'm GOING to tape your mouth shut!!!"

But, Celestia just starts to laugh at the exchange before her. "Oh ho ho!!" she chuckles. "Don't worry about it," she says. "I've heard plenty worse in my royal court. Her spontaneous nature is quite amusing!!" But, her smile fades just a little. "But, Tonya, I would not ask those questions of my sister, Princess Luna. She wouldn't take it as well." She stops for a moment before continuing. "I would verymuch like for all of you to come to Canterlot for a formal introduction. I would expect that you're all sober."

"Sorry..." a chorus of eleven remark together.

"That's alright...." Celestia sighs. "I would never dream of stopping you from enjoying yourselves. I just thought all of this would be different." She steps back a little. "But, I should be off. I have a meeting."

"Princess Celestia?" Applejack speaks up.

"Yes?"

"That there barrel on the end ain't been touched yet. Take it as a token of appreciation. Be careful. It's STRONG."

Celestia looks over to it and smiles. "I will. Thank you, Applejack. I look forward to seeing you all again." She gracefully walks out of the barn and easily lifts said barrel with her magic. For a second, she sticks her head back in. "So-ber." When she exits the barn again, she puts the gift in her chariot.

"Don't drink and drive!!" Pinkie Pie shouts. "Take acid and teleport!!"

When she has finally departed with one final chuckle, the entire group inside the barn collapses in on itself with long sighs of relief. "Tonya...." Amanda growls. "You REALLY have to learn to cork it. Really? Calling royalty OLD?!"

Casie shakes her head a little. "I'm just glad she has such a great sense of humor. I know of a few kings and queens who would behead you for something that small!!"

"Pinkie," Twilight asks. "When we go to Canterlot, we'll need another cake like you made for last night."

"Of course!!" she chirps.

"And no cake diving this time!!" Rainbow Dash adds.

"Awwww..." Pinkie whines.

--Epilog--

The day has been long. Princess Celestia has been away from Canterlot for the duration. It was scheduled as such, so she hadn't bothered Luna to take over for her again. Besides being kind to her sister, she remembers what happened last time.

She walks back into the castle halls with a certain amount of exhaustion. She cracks her neck to one side. Her yawn is almost a bellow as she trots in.

"Sister!!" Luna calls as she canters happily towards her. "How fares thee?"

"I'm fine, Luna. Long day."

But, the Princess of the Moon cocks her head to the side a little. "What has happened? Did you meet our new visitors? You seem ill at ease."

"When I got there, I stumbled upon the remnants of their party. Everyone seemed to be having a good time."

"AAHH!!" Luna gasps. "And you were extended no invitation. We see now!"

"And there was cake."

"CAKE?! And your prized student thought nothing of you?! Such a deplorable turn of events!! A shame that she wouldn't--"

"And one of them called me OLD!!!"

"AAAAAAHHHH!!! Such disrespect!!! We shall have to banish them all at once!!!" But, she quickly embraces her older sister in a loving hug. "Fear not, Tia. Age is but a number. Even if it is well over a thousand."

"Gee," Celestia groans. "Thanks."

"You are powerful, intelligent, graceful, and beautiful. When that one is aged and infirm, we shall return to mock them."

"Thank you, dear Sister. But, I am not banishing any of them," Celestia notes.

"A shot from the cannon would surely--"

"Noo!!"

"You are no fun," Luna snorts.

"Goodnight, Luna," Celestia says as she makes her way to her bedchamber.

"Maybe a--" Luna remarks quietly with a hoof on her chin.

"No, Luna!!" Celestia calls from the down the hall. She pays no mind to Luna's dissatisfied growl as she begrudgingly relents to the older sister.