//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: A Royal Christmas Parade // by Creativa-Artly01 //------------------------------// Bright and early the next morning, Celestia and Luna are both up with the sun. They then to go get into their outfits for the Royal Christmas Parade. "Oh how I love my Christmas dress and crown, the reds and greens look so good on me," sighs Celestia. Meanwhile, in her room, Luna stands there begrudgingly as the maids put the dress on her. "I love the color of silver but I hate standing still," grumbles Luna. "Are you almost finished?" After two hours of getting into their dresses, the two finally go out and stand on the balcony and kick off the parade. As soon as they kick it off, the pets lead the way. The first float then comes rolling through with Rara and the Ponyville Foals Chorus on it. They then begin to sing "Santa Claus is Coming To Town." "Oh, you better watch out. You better not cry. Better not pout, I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town. He's making a list and checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. He's coming soon. He's coming to town." Rara then steps back and lets Sweetie Belle sing her solo. "He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake!" Rara and the chorus then join back in. "Oh! You better watch out! You better not cry. Better not pout. I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town. Oh, yes! Santa Claus is coming to town!" The float then continues on through the route. "And there goes the Ponyville Children's Chorus and our beloved Rara. That was a great performance," says the parade announcer named Rudolph Jingle Bell. "Now what is heading our way now?" "Well, Rudolph," responds his fellow parade announcer, Amber Fields, "the Daring Do balloon is now flying overhead carrying the Sapphire Statue in hoof. Expect the movie adaptation of the most recent Daring Do book early next spring. Oh look, here comes the float of the original creators: Lauren Fausticorn and Bonnie Zacherlycorn." "Wow!" responds Rudolph. "That's a stunning float that combines all four generations of the show. Pinkie, I bet, is proud." Amber lets out a giggle at this remark. A few minutes later, the next float rolls through. On this float sits Rarity atop a giant crown. She then begins to sing her favorite Christmas song. "Christmas is a time for family. A time to show you care. It's a time to just hang out together, share laughs without a care. It's not just a day for presents. A day for family fun. We have one tradition that we love the most, Christmas smores around the fire. Christmas is a time to be with the ones we love. Never forget that ever. Spend time with those you love. Please, hear my warning, spend this Christmas with those you love." "Wow! What a voice!" says Rudolph back down in the parade announcers' box. "It sure runs in the family and a great song with a great message too!" The next balloon then heads down the route. It's the balloon of the Great Starswirl. "And look here comes the great balloon of Starswirl that's been in the parade since the first parade all those years ago! It's good to see the balloon in the parade despite the great wizard's return." "I agree," responds Rudolph. "Such a great way to honor an amazing pony that helped save us from the eternal darkness under the Shadow Pony. And look this way! Here comes the Sweet Apple Acres float!" "Indeed it does. Applejack and her brother Big Mack are going to be sharing a song with us today." The two then begin to sing. "Our Christmases, they're traditional, a day spent with family. We eat apple cobbler together and open gifts beneath a tree. We pick our tree out by hoof and put it into place ourselves. This year, though, we've done something new and added a Pear to our table place. Family may expand and grow but our traditions we share together remain the same. We sing carols together. We bake apple cobblers together and we've started baking pear ones this year too. I'm so glad our family is expanding and our Christmases are too. Christmas is a time for family, both old and new, both found and those that have been around since the start. It's also a time to remember the family members that have already passed on. In memory of our parents, we hang a picture frame ornament of them on our tree now every year. Christmas is a time for family. We'd have it no other way. Christmas is a time to love and share the pony way. Christmas is a time to love and share the pony way." "Wow! Such a heartfelt song! It brought me to tears. How about you Amber?" says Rudolph from the announcers' box. "I agree. It was a song from the heart. It definitely made me remember when my father passed away before Christmas last year. Man, most relatable song today so far, I agree," responds Amber as she wipes a tear away from her eye. "And look! Here's the Twilight's Castle float. Look at how stunning and beautiful it is and there's the princess herself atop the float alongside her closest friend Spike the dragon!" responds Rudolph. "And there she goes with her song." Twilight then begins to sing. "When I was a little filly, I remember Christmas was I and Shining's favorite time of year, and honestly, to this day, it still is. We love the fact that we spend it together. That's one thing that's never changed. It's a traditional sister brother Christmas and we'd never have it any other way. Around Christmas time, we all go out and pick a tree together. Each of us has a special ornament that then adorns her branches. We have one from my first Christmas and then my first one in Ponyville. Cadence has one from her coronation and Shining from when he first became Captain of the guard. Flurry's ornament is from her Crystalling. Dad's is an old bingo piece. Mom's is one she got from our Neighagra Falls trip last spring. Each ornament has a story like each pony it represents. It's a great tradition and it's one that will never change. Traditions are a good thing even when it comes to holidays. Christmas is also a time to sing carols around our hearth and fireplace as we hang our stockings on the mantle, we then go and share a hug. We then go for hot cocoa and then one more family hug. Christmas is my favorite time of year. It shall always be. Christmas means the world to my brother and it means the world to me." "Wow! What a great song about the closeness of siblings!" says Amber to Rudolph in the announcers' box. "I agree! My sister, brother, and I do Christmas the same way every year," responds Rudolph. "We have ornaments that represent trips we have done together over the years alongside ones from our first Christmases. Such a great song with a great sentiment. And now here come the Power Ponies balloons." The Power Ponies balloons then fly by in a nice smooth line as the ponies on the sides of the parade route ooh and ahh. These balloons have been and always will be their favorite ones in the parade. One little filly even claps her hooves together as she watches the balloons fly by atop her father's shoulders. He just smiles. The parade is his daughter's favorite time of year and he's always glad to bring her. A few minutes after those balloons pass, Songbird Serenade and her float come into view and she begins to sing. She's singing "Baby Please Come Home" with backup singers of course. "Christmas" sing the backup singers. "The snow's coming down," sings Songbird. "Christmas." "I'm watching it fall." "Christmas." "Lots of people around." "Christmas." "Baby please come home." "Christmas." "The churchbells in town." "Christmas." "All ringing in song." "Christmas." "Full of happy sounds." "Christmas." "Baby please come home." sings Songbird. "They're singing "Deck the Halls". But it's not like Christmas at all. I remember when you were here. And all the fun we had last year." "Christmas." "Pretty lights on the tree." "Christmas." "And I'm watching them shine." "Christmas." "You should be here with me." "Christmas." "Baby please come home. They're singing "Deck the Halls". Not like Christmas at all. I remember when you were here. And all the fun we had last year." They then finish up singing the rest of the song, first backup then Songbird then back to the backup singers until the song is done. The float then continues down the parade route as the next float comes into view with the Ponytones atop it all in their Christmas red and singing happily together, Rarity and Fluttershy included. They're singing "Jingle Bell Rock". "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock. Jingle bells wing and jingle bells ring. Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun. Now the jingle hop has begun. Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock. Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time. Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square in the frosty air. What a bright time, it's the right time. (Oh the right time) To rock the night away. Jingle bell time is a swell time to go gliding in a one horse sleigh. Giddy up jingle horse, pick up your feet, jingle around the clock. Mix and mingle in the jingling feet, That's the jingle bell, that's the jingle bell, That's the jingle bell rock! Yes, indeed, that's the jingle bell, that's the jingle bell rock!" "Wow! Two more great performances. I loved it!" says Rudolph. "I agree," responds Amber. "Both fantastic performances of traditional and upbeat Christmas songs. Very memorable indeed." "And now! Here comes the Crystal Heart float with Cadence, Shining, and Flurry Heart all on board," responds Rudolph. The float then passes by as ponies continue to cheer. Cadence smiles as she happily tosses crystal roses to all the ponies below. "This parade is fun," she giggles, "I'm glad aunty gave me a float to use for the parade this year as I've wanted to do the parade since I was a filly." "Well," responds Shining, "I'm glad we get to be on this float together as a family." He then kisses her on the head before getting back to waving to the ponies below. The float then crosses onto the other side of the route. Once it's past, Celestia and Luna fly down from the balcony and do their performance in the sky before landing on their float. The two then use their horns to shoot fireworks and then Luna uses her magic to send shooting stars across the sky. The ponies look up awestruck. Such a fantastic performance. They can all agree to that. The royal sisters' float then passes down the route and Santa Pony and Mrs. Claus Pony come into view and laugh and giggle and wave as they toss little pieces of candy and mini candy canes to the foals in the crowd. The parade has now drawn to an end and the ponies can all agree it's the most memorable Christmas parade to date. The End