//------------------------------// // A Swish of a Welcome // Story: Nightmares and Harmony // by Starpony999 //------------------------------// About an hour later, Gummy re-read the ending of the letter as he and Dawn rode in a carriage pulled by two esteemed pegasi of the Royal Guard. "My dear Dawn, there is more to a young pony's life than simply planning. So I'm sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, and the event itself, in this year's location: Ponyville. Also, I have an essential task for you to complete: make some friends!" Dawn harrumphed. "Oh, come on Dawnie. Look on the bright side. You'll be planning the best party of the year! Aaaaand the princess arranged for you to stay in an old cafe." "Well, I guess that's cool. But it's not like I'm actually planning anything. Just overseeing." The unicorn pantomimed writing as she looked off in the distance. Slumping over the railing, Dawn recalled how Princess Celestia had seriously downgraded any soirees the young mare had tried to throw in recent years. She was no longer put in charge of anything that had even an air of importance to it. It had made Dawn wonder if she was really worth anything at all. However, instead of feeling mopy about it, the situation had only pushed the mare harder into her studies and party planning. The student would finally plan, and throw, a party fit for a princess. Of course, that was what she had been finishing up when this whole fiasco had started. Now she was pulled away to do something boring called 'overseeing.' "I bet if you do a good job, the princess will let you plan something else." Gummy singsonged, desperately trying to cheer up his best friend. It always hurt him when he saw her start to get depressed. Not even a good heart-song could get the girl up and going again. "You know what? You're right!" Dawn stomped defiantly on the carriage floor, which made for a bumpy landing since they had just arrived in Ponyville. The stallions pulling the carriage whinnied in opposition; it really was not comfortable for anyone when the carriage was rocked. As Dawn and her sidekick stepped out of the carriage she apologized. "Sorry about that, good sirs. And thank you very much for the ride." The Pegasi bowed their heads in response before taking off again and returning to Canterlot. Their take off was rather fast, Dawn noted, as if they didn't want to stick around Ponyville very long. Gummy, on the other hand, knew that it was Dawn the guards weren't keen on sticking around. Turning to Gummy, the mare continued her statement. "I'm going to blow the princess out of the water with my amazing 'overseeical' skills that she'll realize how capable I am of being put in charge of planning this celebration next year!" Grateful that her emotions had been flipped, the young drake held up his checklist to read it. "Well, let's see if anypony knows where the food is being taken care of." Gummy gestured to an approaching purple pegasus with a hot air balloon for a cutiemark. The pegasus had a windswept, indigo mane and tail, each with a hot pink strip down the side. Dawn made to ask the mare something, but as soon as said mare caught sight of Ms. Pie, the former made to fly away. However, the unicorn was in no mood for this and promptly grabbed the flying pegasus with her magic. Setting the violet mare on the ground again, Dawn spoke. "Before you fly off to who knows where again, could you please be a more polite pony and give me some directions?" The pegasus's violet eyes were wide as she realized she was no longer in mid-air. "I'm sorry." She finally managed. "Where are you heading to?" Dawn looked to her assistant dragon who read off his checklist. "Banquet Preparations: Sweet Apple Acres." "Sweet Apple Acres? Well, that rules out that area." The pegasus questioned, mumbling the second part to herself. She began to flap her wings so as to get off the ground. "Yeah, yeah, my friend lives there. It's that way." She pointed to the right, towards the edge of town. "There's a large red barn. You can't miss it." "Thank you." The unicorn sighed. She was about to turn away when she realized she forgot to mention something important. "By the way, my name is Pinakamenia Dawn Pie, and I am in charge of the Summer Sun Celebration this year." Dawn struck a noble pose, hoping to get the pegasus to act a little more civil. The lavender mare hovered higher in the air as she mimicked Dawn. She completely ignored the hidden meaning, although, being the smart mare she is, the pegasus did notice it. "Well, I'm Twilight Swish. Nice to meet you. See yaaaaa." She took off through the air again and dashed over the pink pony's head, apparently determined to not be magically caught once more. This Twilight Swish was out of sight by the time Dawn realized where the pony had vanished to. "I feel like that mare would be in the Wonderbolts." The unicorn muttered under her breath, starting on the path to Sweet Apple Acres. "Although that attitude." She added absentmindedly, completely failing to see her own fault in the situation. It didn't take long at all to get there, and just as the local mare had said, there was a big red barn that was impossible to miss.