It was well before dawn in Ponyville and Starlight seemed to be more frantic than normal, much more frantic. She was already up, pacing around the library, checking every little thing to make sure it was perfect. Her frantic pacing finally woke Spike up. He headed downstairs to find Starlight straightening the books and dusting the library. He asked, "Starlight, what are you doing up already?"
Starlight was shocked that he didn't know. She gasped, "Spike, don't you know what today is? Don't you know who is visiting Ponyville today?"
Spike stood there with an absent look on his face until Starlight continued, "Princess Celestia is coming to check on my friends and I today! She wants to make sure we're doing alright and" she gulped, "check to see if we've made any friends!"
Spike shook his head, "And I'm assuming she's not going to be happy with you?"
Starlight replied, "Not me or Moondancer! The rest of my friends have made other friends but she hasn't and with the exception of me getting to know Applejack, I haven't either! What am I going to do? What if she drops me as her protege?"
Spike replied, "She's not going to drop you as her protege! She knows you and Moondancer are less likely to expand outside your own social circle, she'll understand."
Starlight sighed, "I certainly hope so."
After trying to get a little bit of rest and breakfast, Starlight and Spike headed over to the apartment that her friends shared. She began to pound on the door, "Moondancer, Lyra, Minuette, Twinkleshine, come on, we've got stuff to do!"
Lyra answered the door and was visibly tired. She sighed, "What's wrong Starlight? Why were you pounding so frantically on the door?"
Starlight became frantic, "Princess Celestia is coming today to check on us! We need to make sure that everything is perfect!" She leaned her head in and shouted, "Minuette, you need to bake......"
Lyra used her magic to quiet Starlight down. She said, "Starlight, the princess won't be here for another five hours and you know Celestia likes her cake. She likes it fresh!"
She let go of Starlight and continued, "Starlight, don't get so worked up over this. I know you want to impress her....."
Starlight interrupted, "I know, I know, she likes her cake fresh and I shouldn't get so worked up." She cast her gaze towards Sweet Apple Acres and continued, "Well I might go see if Lemon Hearts is getting anything ready, she should already be up by now."
Starlight rushed over to the farm and like she did with her friends, she pounded on the door more loudly than normal. Luckily for her Lemon Hearts was the one to answer the door. When she saw that Starlight had a frantic look on her face she couldn't help but be concerned, "Starlight, what's wrong? You look like you're going into panic mode."
Starlight asked, "Lemon Hearts, do you have anything ready for when the princess arrives?"
Lemon Hearts replied, "Starlight, you need to calm down. I'll be sure and bring enough cider for all of us, alright?"
Starlight couldn't believe how relaxed her friends were being about this, it made her wonder if they even cared that Celestia was coming that day. She gasped, "You are being just as nonchalant as our other friends are! It seems like nopony but me wants to impress her!"
Lemon Hearts sighed, "Starlight, you should know that she isn't going to be upset if we don't have a five course meal waiting for her. I'm sure that as long as I bring some cider and Minuette has a good sized cake ready for her, she'll be fine."
Starlight cast her gaze back towards town and replied, "Oh alright, I'm going to go talk to the mayor about getting picnic tables ready to set up in the park."
Starlight galloped off towards town and Lemon Hearts couldn't help but shake her head. She knew that out of the six of them that Celestia was closest with Starlight and knew that out of all of them, Starlight would have to do the least to impress her given their closeness.
When Starlight arrived at the town hall her mane and tail had become a bit messy and the mayor, despite not seeing her a ton or knowing her overly well noticed. Before saying anything else she asked, "Starlight, are you ok? Your mane and tail are usually so well kept, you usually don't look so frazzled."
Starlight had no time to talk about her appearance. She replied, "Yeah, I'm fine." She tried to calm down and continued, "I'm wondering if I could borrow a few of the town's picnic tables because Princess Celestia is coming to town today to visit my friends and I."
The mayor gave her a curious look and asked, "Really? Celestia is coming to town just to see you and your friends and not the whole town?"
Starlight replied, "Yes and I don't want us all to be crammed in the library or in the apartment my friends live in."
The mayor asked, "What about Sweet Apple Acres. I know Lemon Hearts lives......."
Starlight was becoming frustrated with all her questioning. She grabbed the mayor in her aura and frantically yelled, "Her family is doing applebucking today and I don't think they want any distractions!" She saw a look of disapproval coming from the mayor so she sat her down. She calmed down a bit and asked, "I'm sorry for grabbing you in my aura but I really need to use the park and the picnic tables."
With what Starlight did the mayor was unsure at first but given that it was Princess Celestia who was coming to visit, she realized that it may be best if she did. She replied, "Alright Starlight, you can use the picnic tables and the park but I think you may want to comb your mane and tail....."
Before Starlight even heard her mention her mane and tail, Starlight immediately took off towards the park to start setting things up. She knew that the city storage unit was likely locked but she had always had a knack for unlocking doors so she simply broke in. When she got in she was pleased with what she saw. There were several picnic tables in there along with a somewhat larger table. She said to herself, "Excellent, I'll grab a couple picnic tables for us to sit at and that larger table can be used for the food and the cider."
She grabbed everything she thought she would need and levitated it out into the center of the park. Some ponies were watching her set things up with curious looks on their faces but did not say anything. Once she got everything sat up she looked at the clock tower and noticed that it was only nine. This did relieve her a bit but then a thought ran through her head, "What if Celestia was to decide to come early? What if she caught them off guard to test them?"
Starlight rushed home to find Spike still asleep. She yelled, "Spike, wake up! I need you to send a message to Celestia!"
Spike jumped out of his bed and screamed as Starlight's yell scared him, it scared him so much that he didn't even know what Starlight asked. He asked, "What is it Starlight?"
Starlight was frustrated that he didn't hear what she had asked him to do. She ordered, "Spike, didn't you hear me? I need you to send a letter to Celestia."
Spike grabbed a quill and scroll and said, "Alright, whenever your ready."
Starlight said,
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I know you are coming down to Ponyville today and I am curious as to whether you are still coming at 1300 like you were planning or if you were coming sooner? Also, I have reserved the town park for our meeting, I hope that is ok.
Sincerely,
Starlight Glimmer"
Spike wrote everything down and sent the message. Starlight began to pace back and forth frantically waiting for her reply. Spike saw this and suggested, "Starlight, I really think you need to calm down. Your mane and tail are a mess and stressing yourself out like this certainly *BELCH*."
Starlight immediately grabbed the scroll and read it,
"Starlight,
I will be arriving in Ponyville at 1300 and I think it is splendid that you reserved the park for this since it is a nice day. I will see you and your friends then.
Sincerely,
Celestia
P.S. I've been telling you this since the day of your entrance exam, you do not have to be formal with me!"
Despite her not going to be arriving for nearly four hours, Starlight was still a bit antsy. She knew that she simply could not leave the picnic equipment set up in the park unattended for so long. She levitated Spike onto her back and said, "Come on Spike, we can't leave the park unattended for so long."
Before Spike could say anything, Starlight had already broke into a full gallop and headed straight to the park where fortunately, everything was as it should be and nopony was in the park. She looked up at the clock tower and saw that it was just 0930. She sighed, "Ok Spike, still three and a half hours until she gets here. Hopefully noponies will want to be playing any games or anything until after Celestia comes and goes."
Spike had seen Starlight get paranoid before but had not seen her in as bad of a state as she was that day, especially once she began to pace frantically back and forth. He suggested, "Starlight, I don't know why you're so worried. You know that Celestia isn't going to be upset if every single thing isn't perfect."
She continued to pace and continued, "I know but still, what if everything isn't up to her standards?"
Spike knew that there would be no getting through to her as she continued to pace back and forth and her mane and tail continued to get messier and messier. Finally a little bit after noon and after Starlight had paced a brown spot into the grass Lemon Hearts arrived with an entire barrel of cider. She looked at the state she was in and couldn't help but snicker, "You know Starlight, you might want to give the pacing a rest."
Spike added, "Yeah, you paced a brown spot in the grass."
Starlight gave the two a glare, "Not now, ok? Our other friends have yet to arrive and Celestia will be here in less than an hour!"
Lemon Hearts took a closer look at Starlight and asked, "I know it is important that everything is perfect but don't you think you better brush your mane and tail? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be impressed with you looking like that!"
Starlight realized that she was right so she teleported into the library and while she was gone, their other friends arrived. Minuette was holding a huge cake in her aura and Lyra had plates, cups and plastic ware with her. Once they got everything sat down they looked around. Moondancer asked, "Lemon Hearts, where is Starlight?"
Lemon Hearts replied, "She is at the library brushing her mane and tail. When I got here, it was a complete mess! I had never seen a pony so unkempt in my life."
Most of Starlight's other friends couldn't help but chuckle, except for Moondancer. She gave the four a glare and said, "Look, you know how she gets. You know that even if she doesn't have to do much to impress Celestia, that she is going to go overboard, it is just part of who she is."
As she finished saying this Starlight teleported back, looking like her normal self. When she saw that all of her friends were there she breathed a sigh of relief. She looked around and commented, "Large cake, check. Plastic ware, cups and plates, check. Cider, check." She gave her friends all a smile and continued, "Everything looks great ladies, now for Celestia to arrive."
Most of them were patiently waiting for Celestia but Starlight would continue to stare at the clock and then look off to the west. Minuette saw this and suggested, "Starlight, I think you should calm down. We're all here and the goodies are here so there is nothing to worry about."
Starlight sighed, "I know, I know...." She again cast her gaze to the west and saw Celestia coming. She continued, "Oh good, she's finally getting here."
The moment Celestia landed the clock tower rang signifying that it was one in the afternoon. The six ran to her prompting Celestia to ask, "My faithful students, how are all of you?"
Starlight immediately replied, "I'm doing alright."
Moondancer added, "I'm doing pretty good."
Minuette added, "I'm doing great!"
Lyra continued, "I'm doing good as well."
Twinkleshine added, "I'm also doing pretty good."
Lemon Hearts continued, "Well I've been working hard on the farm but other than that, I'm doing rather well."
Spike, despite not being right up by the princess, finished, "I'm doing great, how about you?"
Celestia replied, "I'm doing great but....."
Before she could finish her statement Minuette interrupted, "Princess, I made you your favorite, chocolate cake with strawberry frosting!"
Celestia cast her gaze at the cake and licked her chops. She seemed drawn to it as she replied, "Wow, it is so big! It looks so tasty!"
Celestia grabbed herself a plate and immediately cut herself a large slice of cake, one larger than what her fair share would be but her students didn't mind. Once she got sat down and took a couple of bites she asked, "So ladies, how has the friend making been going?"
Minuette replied, "Well I've made good friends with this pony named Pinkie, she loves cake, likes to bake and likes to throw parties!"
Twinkleshine added, "I've become pretty close with Fluttershy, the pony who provided the music for the Summer Sun Festival."
Lyra continued, "I've become pretty close with Rarity, the unicorn who decorated the town hall."
Lemon Hearts gave her a nervous look and added, "Well not as well as it could be. I've been working on the farm a lot and ever since I discovered that I'm an Apple sibling, I've been working harder but I do have some good news."
Celestia gave her a curious look and asked, "What is that?"
Lemon Hearts became more excited as she replied, "Applejack is going to let me plant some lemon trees at Sweet Apple Acres! Once I get them planted and they are ready for harvest, I can make some lemon bars to sell at the Baked Goods Festival."
Celestia gave her a smile, "Well I'm glad to hear that, I'm sure they'll be delicious." She then turned to Moondancer and asked, "What about you? Have you made any new friends down here?"
Moondancer held her head low and replied, "Well....you know how shy I am. I've been spending most of my time with Starlight."
Celestia then turned to her protege and asked, "And what about you?"
Starlight too had been avoiding most ponies outside of her social circle. She replied, "Well I've spent most of my time with my friends but I have helped carry baskets over at Sweet Apple Acres a few times and Applejack is quite friendly."
She turned to Lemon Hearts who confirmed, "She does come over and help every now and then. Yeah she doesn't do any apple bucking but with her using her magic to hold the baskets to catch the apples, that does speed things up a lot."
Celestia gave four of them a smile and said, "I'm glad to see you have made some friends, ones that seem to mirror you." She then turned to Moondancer and Starlight and continued, "Moondancer, I know you're the shiest of all of you but I really wish you would try and make some friends and Starlight, I'm sure you're probably growing close with Lemon Hearts' family but I'd like to see you set an example for everypony and make a lot of friends."
Starlight's pupils shrank upon hearing Celestia's requests. She had always been very close with her friends but outside of them, she never had much desire to get to know a lot of other ponies. She replied, "Alright, I'll do my best."
Celestia gave her a smile and said, "I'm sure you will." She then turned to her cake and continued, "And now back to my cake!"
Throughout the whole day Starlight had been worried that Celestia would be angry that she had not done much in the way of friend making. While Celestia was a bit disappointed, Starlight was relieved that she was not angry or didn't make any threats of making her come back up to Canterlot. For the rest of their visit, they began to talk about more lighthearted things and of course, Celestia ate plenty of cake.