//------------------------------//
// The Friendship Festival 
// Story: The Little Pony legend: The Guardians of Harmony 
// by MaggiesHeartLove 
//------------------------------//


*(~)*

Proverbs 1:5 ~ 

Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance

*(~)*


Twigs and leafs crushed beneath her boots as Princess Iris ran across the Everfree forest. Her best friend since childhood, Princess Akari, was right beside her. She galloped at full speed, the two princesses panting. Every now and then they turned to look over their shoulders. The sound of hungry growls and the glowing eyes pierced through the darkness. The sound of claws digging into the ground grew louder and louder.

The opening was just up ahead, a radiant glow at the very end of the forest. The girls ran faster but Iris lost her footing, tripping over a rock that escaped her vision in her rush to escape the threat. Akari slid to a halt, gasping at seeing her friend at the mercy of the creatures.

Stomping her hoof and flaring her nostrils, Akari ran back and pulled Iris by the purple arm warmer of her right arm. She got back up and the two ran out into the opening. The princesses came to a slow halt, catching their breath. They had arrived at a clearing, filled with crystal clear streams and vibrant green grass. Small yellow butterflies fluttered over the beautiful flowers in bloom.

Just when it seemed all was safe, the sound of growling came from the opening. Two large creatures on all fours, with massive jaws and sharp claws leaped out at the two, landing right on top of them. Their screams quickly dissolved into fits of giggles as the creatures licked their faces, which were revealed to have been canines. A timberwolf and an orca-wolf. They were Akari and Iris's beloved animal companions, Timber Spruce and Akhlut.

Iris sat upright, with Akhlut still licking her face. "Yeah, you caught us, boy. Good job." Iris managed to pry her beloved pet away for a moment to stand back up. Digging into the pocket of her pants she pulled out a few treats. Tossing them into the air, both Timber and Akhlut caught them in their mouths.

Akari giggled as she rubbed her friend's wooden belly. "Who's a good, boy? You are! Yes, you are! Who loves you? I do! Yes, I do!"

After all these years, the two princesses never got tired of a good game of chase with their wild animal friends. Four years ago, Iris and her friends became their generation's new Elements of Harmony, succeeding her mother Queen Korra and her friends.

Years before Iris and Akari were born, both their mothers, Avatar Korra and Twilight Sparkle, met and formed a powerful friendship, alongside a group of special ponies known as The Mane Six. Together, they made up the Seven Elements of Harmony.

Honesty. Kindness. Laughter. Generosity. Loyalty. Magic. And Unity.

Iris and Akari were only fourteen and thirteen, respectively when they inherited their mother's roles as Princesses of Friendship, Avatar and the Elements of Unity and Magic respectively. Now, at ages eighteen and seventeen, they had grown into a couple of strong, intelligent and benevolent young women.

Iris was now as tall as her mother was at that age, literally now at eye level with her, with an athletic build that many had commented was a near duplicate of her mother's. Her skin was brown, but a few shades lighter in comparison to Korra's. Her long dark brown hair (more dark than brown) reached right behind her knees, curled to effortless perfection, even during her "bad hair" days, streaked with colors of pink, light orange, aquamarine and blue. Her cutie mark; a rainbow heart behind a pair of matching rainbow wings, rested on the left side of her cheek and a purple four inch star with a white dot was forever tattooed on her forehead, which worked as a unicorn horn. Her violet eyes sparkled like amethysts and her wings, feathers dipped in purple, magenta and pink, were so strong they could create a massive wind whenever they flapped.

Being of both water and fire nation heritage, Iris often wore the one color that was formed when both red and blue were mixed together; Purple! She wore a plum colored shirt that hugged her body, one sleeve that ended at a golden outline right bellow her left shoulder while the other sleeve reached a few inches past her right elbow. Over the shirt she wore a purple asian-styled sleeveless vest with aquamarine outlines. Around her shoulders she wore the only one red accessory; Her father's bright crimsons scarf.

She had a golden belt with a lotus buckle with a golden outline and an aqua center, which faded to a lighter shade, giving it an aquatic look with two pieces of matching fabric that fell down to the front, contrasting with Iris's thick dark blue pants. Her belt also held an open purple skirt that was open in the front, with an aqua outline. On her right arm she had a purple arm warmer and a fingerless purple glove on her left hand. Her boots had purple and golden outlines, with a single blue diamond at the center. Two stands of her hair were tied up with golden bands, reminiscent of her mother's old side wolftails from when she was young.

As for Akari, she had grown into a very strong looking alicorn with an athletic build, wings as powerful as an eagle's, coupled with speed and agility that rivaled the strongest minotaur. Both princesses were true forces to be reckoned with. Years of traveling across Equestria, solving friendship problems called on from the Cutie Map, making new friends and facing new enemies, while also juggling typical teenager issues like dating, homework and dances.

The once inexperienced fourteen-year-old who traveled to the Dark Spirit Realm to rescue her parents was becoming more and more the picturesque image of a ruler-to-be with equal levels of grace, power and wisdom. Her powers had grown as well. She was now a master bender of all four elements, merging them flawlessly with the spells she had learned from her mother, Twilight, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, the Alicorns and Nova Nightshade.

Akari was still as adventurous and wild-hearted as she had always been. Nothing made her feel more at home than running across the uncharted parts of the forest, documenting new plants, locations and animals she had never seen before in her journals--color coded and organized by types of diverse flora and fauna, of course--Akari may be more of a tomboy, but she was identical in her mother when it came to keeping tabs of everything she had found over the years. She loved exploring and making new discovering every day, and was skilled at an arsenal of weapons. She no doubt inherited her trill-seeking side from her grandmother, Twilight Velvet.

Iris lovingly rubbed Akhlut's belly, spreading his back wide against the grassy fields. Afterwards, Iris strengthened her back, removing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "Alright, that was fun and all, but we should get going."

"Come on, we've still got a few more--"

"Actually, we don't." Iris pointed her thumb up towards the sky. It was exactly dawn. The sun had just risen up ahead, giving the sky a warm, radiant pink glow. "We're supposed to meet with the others in thirty minutes."

Akari took a deep breath. "Right. Of course, totally knew that." Akari rolled her eyes sarcastically. She was taken by surprise when Iris grabbed her and started spinning her around as if she were a child. Akari laughed at Iris's silliness and the two hugged. Her nerves already calming down.

"Come on. Let's fly!"

Iris took off to the skies first, with Akari hesitating a bit. Timber Spruce whimpered a bit, nudging her left with his snout. She flapped her wings and stroked his leafy hair. "Next time, boy. Wish me luck." she gulped and flew off after Iris. "I'm gonna need it."


(~)

MaggiesHeartLove presents:

Based on the stories and characters by

Lauren Faust 

Bryan Kinietzko 

and Michael DiMartino

………………………



The Little Pony Legend:

Guardians of Harmony

………………………


Hey! Hey! Hey! 

Hey! Hey! Hey! 

See the ponies trottin' down the street 

Equestria is where they wanna meet 

They all know where they wanna go 

And they're trottin' in time 

And they're trottin', yeah 

They got the beat 

They got the beat 

They got the beat 

Yeah! 

They got the beat 

The sun was now right in the center of the sky. Pegasus ponies and sky bison soared over the earth, nose diving into the clouds as if they were pools of water, emerging from the other side. The Canterlot Trains station had been receiving guests all day. Ponies from all across the Equestria and people from all over the Four Nations gaze in awe at the majesty of Canterlot.

Spirits soared through the sky and in the ground, greeting guests and showering the land with their radiant colors. Ali, Mika and San flew overhead, observing everybody entering the city. Ali pulled out the walkie talkie from her police jacket, pressing the button to speak.

"Base one to base two, the Earth Federation leaders have just arrived. Visual on Governor of Yi and Government officials from Omashu. We've also got guests from Zaofu, Ember Islands and Southern Equestria all approaching your way."

Spike, now a full grown adult dragon, spoke into the earpiece he had. "Copy that." he replied though his ear piece, writing down the list on his clipboard. The guests walked through the massive arch and into the city. The arch depicted the sun and moon, with statues of both Celestia and Luna facing each other. The marble structures could never fully capture their supernatural beauty, but they certainly tried.

Spike snapped his fingers, getting a few little spirits to fly up to the guests, handing them each a lovely irilissis flower with a few candies tied to the stem. The irilisis flower was a rainbow flower. The Rainbow was the Team Avatar Harmony Family's own symbol of friendship, unity and diversity. Spike bowed at each of the guests. "Welcome, one and all, to the Friendship Festival! Hosted by the Guardians of Harmony themselves!"

The new Governor of Yi happily took the flower from the spirit as more and more guests from all walks of life, young and old, rich and middle class, scaly and furry entered the archway. Today, big names and tittles didn't matter. Today, everybody was treated equally. No one was above or beneath anyone.

"Thank you, kind Dragon." said the Governor. "If I may ask, where are the Guardians? Will we get to see them soon?"

"You will, Sir. They've prepared this entire festival, special for everyone. Please, enjoy yourself, and don't forget to be here for the Songbird Serenade concert!"

"Ohh! I love her album!" the Governor walked along, already starting a conversation with a fruit vendor, handing him a cup of sweet fruit ice-cream.

Go-go music really makes us dance 

Do the pony, puts us in a trance 

Do the watusi, just give us a chance 

That's when we fall in line 

'Cause we got the beat 

We got the beat 

We got the beat 

Yeah 

We got it!

So far, the Festival was off to a beautiful start. Everyone found someone to speak with. Stands with all types of food from all around were sold, which really helped with sparking up conversations about their respected cultures. Ponies told stories of their favorite legends and experiences. Even Wan Shi Tong himself attended the festival, handing out old books he had in his library. He had been hoarding knowledge for so long, he had eventually realized that sharing it with others was far more fulfilling. Little children, humans, ponies and spirits alike, sat around him as he read out loud the tales of a courageous woman who fought a mighty dragon to save her homeland, while also explaining just how she was able to forge a sword from an opal stone.

Airbenders soared across the skies alongside their pegasus companions, delivering all sorts of delicious treats. Trixie had set up a stand where kids could unleash their own fireworks and Dragon Lord Ember and her fellow dragons played arm wrestling with their new friends, while also giving kids rides on their backs. Griffons shared their scones and did arts and crafts. Maud Pie and her family had a rock candy stand, where they made rock candy necklaces for everyone.

A few kids were flying kites near the petting zoo, hosted by the changelings, when one little girl pointed up to the sky. "Look! It's the princesses!"

Those who heard her looked up at the sky and immediately the crowd started waving and cheering for the two as they soared downwards, waving at everyone.

"Princess Iris!"

"Princess Akari, I love you!"

"You guys are so awesome!"

"Great festival!"

"I'm your biggest fan!"

No matter how many times Iris did this, it was still overwhelming. Her mother said that it was always like this the first few years, since every new lesson made one more and more humble. But, in time, it will feel like second nature. Akari, on the other hand, didn't think too much of it, and even enjoyed having folks cheer her name. Unfortunately, since today this was something she was co-in charge of setting up, that seed of worry was already starting to sprout.

The two landed nearby a ring toss game, where they were already swarmed by guests from all around. A mess of colors blurred their vision. Ponies began showering Akari with questions.

"Princess Akari! Is it true you once fought the king of the manticors?"

"Did you really fight off a sand worm?"

"What was it like in the Dark Spirit Realm? Did you really see Koh the Face Stealer?"

"How many tiaras do you own?"

"I heard you have the Blade of Marmora in your collection of swords!"

Any ounce of stress that wavered on Akari had withered away. Now this was the kind of attention she was most comfortable with. The alicorn princess stood proudly before the children. "Well, the manticor king wasn't all that scary to be honest. As for the Sand Worm, I'll admit I can't take full credit for that. It was my friend Mai's quick thinking that won the day. The Dark Spirit Realm was suuuuper scary! With all kinds of traps and spirits ready to pounce at you!"

Akari rose up on her hind legs, giving a scary look, towering over the children, who only gave a synchronized "Ooooooooooh!"

"But, it was nothing we couldn't handle, right Iris?… Iris?" Akari turned her head around to see her best friend having a conversation with multiple guests… all of which were leaders of the various towns and cities in the Earth Federation and Equestrian diplomats.

"I'm really happy to hear about your new trading agreement with Zaofu, Mayor Golden Hooves. They have the best engineers and metalbenders in the Earth Kingdom, they'll definitely make your new mailing system work more efficiently." Iris said to a unicorn stallion in an expensive suit and a friendly exterior.

"The honor should really go to you, Princess Iris. If not for you and your friends saving our mines from those greedy diamond dogs we never would have discovered that cavern of silver! We don't have much use for it as currency, but it works beautifully to fix our state of the art delivery system those dogs had destroyed! We're making more progress than ever. I honestly can't thank you enough."

Iris couldn't help but blush. "Oh, please, it was nothing. Anyone would have done the same thing."

"Nothing?" A man with water tribe clothing spoke, "If not for you, I would have lost my entire shipment of fish. My business would have been ruined! Your idea of training the orca wolves to deliver the shipments was pure genius! My family's making more money and ever."

"This festival you're putting together is absolutely splendid! Your mother will be so proud of you."

Iris's blush deepened. She was only trying to help, she wasn't asking for any praise. Her mother said this kind of thing would happen, and yes, in time she would get used to it too.

Akari, on the other hand, couldn't help but drop her ears. When they were younger and attended important political events with their parents, Akari was often bored out of her mind during those events, but Iris was more tentative. She watched as her mother and father handled the situations with confidence, patience, compassion and firmness. She always wondered how they were able to do this kind of stuff without caving under pressure. Korra and Mako had always explained to Iris that, even thought politics can be unnecessarily complex, at the core, the important thing was to place the needs of the people above their own. So long as they maintained that goal in sight, everything else would work itself out in its own time. If the politicians were impatient, sooner or later they would see the results, even if it wasn't at the speed they wanted.

Since she was fourteen, Iris wanted nothing more than to be a good leader like her mother, though she needed to learn her own lesson the hard way. After her first adventure, which resulted in her, literally, falling from grace due to her own pride and desire to prove herself, Iris couldn't see that she needed to better understand her mother's role in the world if she was to cary on the mantel one day.

It wasn't about being like her mother, an adored hero, it was about trusting her friends and focusing on the safety and happiness of others. With so many years of learning, this message was well engraved in Iris's mind and heart. She used her own special kind of magic to form friendships and restore them. The whole political stuff was just a one sided thing that came with the territory. Honestly, that stuff was easy compared to the friendship part. But, much like her father, Iris was no stranger to hard work.

Akari was… more of a reverse situation. While Iris was the unsure one, often worrying on whether or not she was good enough, Akari was always giving her the best advice she could give. Akari was Iris's right hand pony. Always behind her, beside her and, if necessary, right in front of her acting as a shield of protection from anything that threatened to harm her. When it came to explorations, treasure maps, solving puzzles and riddles under pressure (she always loved playing the "Manehattan Escapes" games back in the day), Akari was a master. In her element, an unstoppable force.

But, when it game to royal events like diplomatic meetings, solving political issues or even organizing large events that had to do with making a good impression, Akari didn't give it as much priority as she did her adventures. Twilight always told Akari that she would need to learn this since she was a princess, and even a Princess of Friendship needed to understand these types of things in order to help friends.

Now, Akari, Iris and the rest of their friends--The New Elements of Harmony-- were placed fully in charge of organizing the festivities for the annual Day of Harmony Celebration. Their parents were often the ones who organized the events, but now they would only serve as helpers. It was the children's time to take full responsibility. It was going to be massive, and everybody was expecting the kids to really wow them. Akari was placed, for the first time ever, in charge of something big and important without necessarily being beside her mother. She had never done anything like this before. She tried to see it as something as easy as sword fighting, but this wasn't a game. She wasn't a young filly with all the free time in the world anymore. Today was only another small milestone on her inevitable future as Queen.

It all dumped on her at once. Akari was seventeen now, she had to take this stuff seriously sooner or later. If she had known the exact day, she wouldn't have been so careless about any of this.

Akari was snapped out of her thoughts when the diplomates started surrounding her. "Princess Akari, I hear you will be attending the next meeting between the governing families of Omashu and Ba Sing Sea." said another Earth federation official. "Will you be attending alongside your mother, or will it be you and Princess Iris?"

"Oh, well, you see, I--"

"Because I was hoping to discuss a few details with both of you, if that's alright."

Normally when this kind of thing happened, it was her mother who was front and center. All Akari had to do was stand beside her and let her take control of the reigns. But now, all of this attention was aimed at her. Even as a Guardian of Harmony, where she was adored by her heroic deeds she managed to stand cool and collected. But, this wasn't only because she had defeated a massive monster or anything like that. This was because she was the hostess. One of the Big Ones in charge. Yes, she had her friends, but she couldn't be causal about this kind of responsibility anymore.

"Um, sure, but the thing is--"

A unicorn spoke up, levitating a pen and paper. "Princess, I'm with the Manehatten News Agency, I've been meaning to ask you a few questions regarding your next attendance with the Duke and Duchess or Maretonia."

"That's still a few months away, and I'm not really--"

"Okay, everyone, I understand you're all very excited for what is to come for me and my friend, I am too. But, if it is alright with all of you, may we place these topics on hold for the time being?" Iris asked politely, taking control of the situation with patience. "This day is about making new friends. Celebrating the day our worlds were united. I promise, whatever you wish to discuss with us or our parents will be met in due time, but let's make today a special day. For all of us. Can we all agree on that?"

Each of the guests stared at the princess, then at each other. They all nodded in agreement. "Absolutely, Princess! Come on, everyone. This is a day of celebration! Let's cease the day!"

The dignitaries all cheered and dispersed, each one going off to enjoy one of the many activities in store. Once they were gone, Akari took in a heavy breath. "Oh my sweet Celestia, thank you! I don't know how much longer I could have held them off!"

"Yeah, tell me about it. These politician folks sure are eager. But, you won't have to worry about them for the rest of the day."

"Yeah. Today." Akari muttered bitterly. "But what about tomorrow? Or the day after that? A bunch of fans, I can handle, but politicians, reporters and world leaders discussing highly important matters? How am I supposed to handle an actual visit from the Duke of Maretonia if I can't even--"

"Hey. You see that?"

Iris really had been paying attention to Akari's ranting, but at the corner of her eye, Iris caught sight of something that placed her senses on full alert. Akari turned in the direction of where she was looking at. At a nearby stand, one run by Zecora, a young man casually walked by.

He didn't look like anyone Iris or Akari knew. He was only a few inches taller than Iris, from what they had gathered, with brown skin and white colored (no doubt dyed). He wore rouged old clothing and was walking around barefoot. He also had blue tattoo markings on his well tones arms. His eyes were a soft caramel shade. He could possibly have been either Earth or Fire Nation descent, though his blue markings looked more water-based than anything.

While Zecora was pouring a liquid into a jar, emitting a sweet smelling scent that caught the attention of a few nearby ponies, the young man moved his hand swiftly, grabbing a single jar of the liquid right from under Zecora's nose. He disappeared amongst a walking crowd, only to spontaneously manifest a good ten feet away from the stand, taking a cup of ice cream when the vendor had his back turned.

The young man proceeded this, swiping a watch, a diamond necklace and a few hazelnuts. He moved so quick he could have easily been mistaken for a gust of wind. Here on moment and gone in a single moment. Even stranger, every time he moved, a small wind current would form, distracting his unsuspecting victims long enough for him to swindle them.

Was he an airbender instead?

Iris and Akari looked at one another, eyes narrowed and nodded their heads in silent agreement. Spreading their wings they hovered over the place before landing near one of the Canterlot Statues of the deceased Prince White and Avatar Wan, standing side by side. They kept their eyes locked on their target. They lost him for a moment, only for Akari to quickly spot him in between the petting zoo and Wan Shi Tong's book stand. He swiped a single apple from a person who was about to take a single bite. He created a gust of wind and grabbed the juicy red fruit before the man even knew what had happened.

Iris could already feel her blood boiling. This was the Festival of Friendship, and this guy was taking advantage of everyone like it was all a game, she knew because the whole time he was stealing, the boy wore a smug smile on his face. As if he were proud of his thefts.

Using their magic, and timing it just right, the two teleported themselves to where the boy had just sat down on the fountain in the city's center. He licked his lips and was about to take a bite of his apple, only to bite into nothing but air.  "Hey! What gives?" He looked up, only to see Iris holding the apple in her hand. The boy didn't look phased at all. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's wrong to steal?"

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing." Iris tossed the table over her shoulder, which landed in the hand of the exact same guy the young thief had just taken it from. He didn't question the tiny miracle and happily munched on the juicy snack.

"Look, I heard that everything here was free here today. Maybe you should consider rethinking your festival policy a bit, princess." The young man raised his hands up in apology, but kept that smug grin on his face. Iris tried so hard to resist the urge to slap it right off of him.

"There is a fine line between having something willingly given you to, and you stealing it!" Akari stated, stomping her hoof authoritatively. "Also, we never said everything was free. Some food and drink stands, sure, but not everything is up for grabs."

"Which further emphasizes my earlier comment. Rethink your festival policy."

"The Friendship Festival is true to it's name, and as Princesses, it's our job to make sure it stays that way. Which means, this kind of behavior isn't welcome."

"Funny, because from what I've read, it says all are welcome here." The boy crossed his legs casually and waved one of the posters they had printed to promote the festival at Iris's face. She angrily yanked it off of his hands.

"Yes, all are welcome." Iris said, "But that doesn't give you the right to steal from others. So hand them over." she extended her hand to him.

"Sorry, but I got this stuff fair and square."

"Oh, did you now? Then, the ones who were in charge of the stands gave you these items?"

"They were right there, so yeah, I'd like to think they did."

"Alright, fair enough." Iris snapped her fingers and a portfolio manifested in front of her. She opened it and flipped through the pages, landing on a specific one she already knew by memory. "Let's see here. Ah, yes, you are absolutely right." Iris said, speaking in a false cheerful tone. "As it is clearly stated on this little file I have here. Any form of stock on sale for the festival during the Day of Harmony may be free of charge or an item on sale for purchase--as in, you pay with money--depending on the choice and regulations of the vendor handing out said items."

"There, ya see?" The boy dusted off his old shirt as he stood back up, winking at Iris, ready to make his leave. "Glad we came to an understanding." With brute force, Iris grabbed his shirt and pushed him back to sit on the fountain. The boy blinked in surprise at her strength.

"However! The buyer--that's you--must first inquire the vendor on whether or not this is the case." The boy was about to get up again, and this time Akari pushed him back with her hind legs as Iris continued. "If this request is not met, then the act is considered theft and the punishment is to return the items and properly pay for them. If these demands are not met, the suspect will be unable to purchase anything at all for the remainder of the day. To choosing to defy the means is, in fact, defying the entirety of the Festival."

The boy scoffed, tilting his head back. His frosty bangs bouncing over his forehead. "Yeah, that's adorable, sweetheart. You keeping all that in that little color coded folder?"

Iris had a smug smile of her own and closed the folder… revealing the Harmony City police seal/the Canterlot Royal Seal. The boy's smile morphed into a frown, his caramel eyes widening.

"These rules were approved by the royal house of Canterlot, and the Harmony City Police Department by the Chief of Police and the Queen Avatar themselves, who I affectionally like to call; Mommy and Daddy." Iris snapped her fingers again and the portfolio disappeared. She kept her hands on her lips, giving a smug grin which rivaled his own. She was oozing the same sass her mother had when she was that age. The likeness was almost uncanny.

"Now, this could go either way." Iris said,  inspected her nails and her confidence radiating off of her like an ignited flame. "You either return and properly pay for what you stole and if you give your word not to let this happen again, then we'll let this little mistake slip under the rug out of generosity. If you choose not to cooperate, then I'll have to call security to escort you off the premises. Was that too fast for you?"

The young man blinked, placing one hand on his hips. His lips curled into a pout, as if he were processing everything she just said. "Wow. Just… wow. You guys have taken this whole "friendship" thing to fanatic levels."

"Escuse me?"

"Come on. Look at all of this." He extended his hands, gesturing to the massive festival around him. "Your family has basically turned this "Friendship is Magic" motto into some worldwide cult."

Both princesses scoffed in disgust. "Cult?!"

Akari flew up to his face, tapping her hoof at his chest. "Look man, just who do you think you are? I don't remember ever meeting you before!"

"The name's Hozu, and believe me, if we had met, I would have remembered." The boy--Hozu, as he called himself-- turned his attention to Iris, winking flirtatiously. The feathers of her wings ruffled in anger, while her cheeks burned red.

The Avatar took in a deep breath to compose herself and rose a finger up. "Okay, one; Eww!" She rose two fingers, "And two; What problem do you have against my family?"

"Look, it's nothing personal, okay." Hozu rose his hands in surrender, stepping back a few feet. Iris noticed the way his feet seamlessly glided across the floor. "I'm just not as passionate about this kind of stuff as you are."

"Then why are you even here?" Akari asked, folding her front hooves over her chest. It was a valid question. If he didn't care for the Friendship Festival, why come at all.

"Hey, crazy or not, free food, I'm there." With a wave of his wrist, he swiped a cupcake from the tray balanced on the head of a bypassing pony. She went on, completely oblivious of the theft.

Iris and Akari's jaws dropped and the boy swiftly moved to the side, completely emerging himself in the growing crowd. Akari tapped Iris's shoulder and pointed ahead, revealing him to be walking down a sidewalk.

The two teleported themselves right in front of him, blocking his path. "Alright, slick Nick, this is your final warning! Don't make me call security!" Iris threatened, taking the cupcake he was about to take a bite out of and magically teleported it away to its rightful owner.

"You know, you're pretty strict for Princesses of Friendship."

"Keep pushing it and you'll get a lot more than just 'strict' from us!" Akari said, gritting her teeth. Both her and Iris gasped when Hozu pulled out a single slice of sponge cake from behind him. They hadn't even seen when he had taken it, most likely when he immersed himself into the crowd earlier and they had temporally lost sight of him. Clearly, this guy wasn't at the festival to make friends, but to cause trouble. They have tackled with his type before. Streetwise, flirtatious trouble makers.

"Alright, that's it!" Iris reached out to grab his wrist, only to blink in surprise when a gust of wind suddenly blinded her and Akari. Traces of hair fell over their eyes, blocking their view. Once they could see again, the guy was gone.

"What the heck?"

"Gotta be quicker than that, Princess!" Hozu called out from behind, giving her a taunting salute and zipped away. The girls took to the skies, expecting to catch him from a bird's eye view. They split up in opposite directions. Iris caught sight of him almost immediately and called on Akari to follow.

Iris landed in a four point position, while Akari landed on all fours, nearly crushing the surface of the roof, spotting Hozu casually lounging with his legs crossed and arms behind his head.

"Okay, you're good, I'll admit, but this ends here!" Akari said, "Give back what you stole!"

"Already did."

"What?"

"See for yourself." Hozu pulled out a telescope from his back pocket and tossed it over to Iris. She gave him a questionable expression. "Didn't steal it." he said. "Check the side."

Iris did as he said and found his name written, surprisingly lovely, onto the side. 'Properly of Hozu' it read. Iris and Akari took turns looking into the telescope, spotting Zecora's stand, where the very bottle Hozu had taken had returned. The watch, the necklace, the hazelnuts (surprisingly), even the ice cream.

"See? I can be reasonable."

Iris tossed him back the telescope, which he grabbed without even looking. Akari was right, he was good. "Okay, what kind of game are you playing?" the Avatar asked, putting on her 'authority' face again.

"Life. Life is my game, teacup. Been my motto since I was a pip-squeak."

"Could you not call me 'teacup', please?"

"My bad, I just assumed you grew up sipping tea and eating crumpets at your palace garden."

Iris clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin. "For the record, I grew up in a palace condo. In the middle of the ocean."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I really under estimated your squeaky clean upbringing." Hozu did an ariel flip and slipped down from the roof. The two girls flew back up to see him land perfectly, without airbending, down to the ground. He started casually walking along, hands behind his head, with Iris and Akari right beside him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Iris asked.

"Why? Want to join me?" Hozu winked again. Every time he did, Iris's blood boiled like the impatient lava of an active volcano.

"I am this close to poking out your eyes!" Iris hissed, holding her index finger and thumb inches apart from one another. She hadn't noticed that her hiss was louder than she had intended it to be. Already there were a few guests staring at her in surprise. Iris gave them a nervous smile and dragged Hozu out of sight, stopping right behind a statue of Celestia.

"Okay, frost tips, I think finally figured you out."

"Did you now?"

"Yeah. You go on through life, doing what you want and you think you're happy, but you're not. If you were really happy you wouldn't keep stealing things that--" Iris stopped in he tracks when she sees Hozu with a stick of fruit slices, no doubt from the stand they were standing by a few minutes ago. She angrily swiped it away and teleported it back to the person who purchased it. She took in a deep breath to simmer down the anger.

"Alright, here's the deal. We're not going to make you leave."

"We're not?" Akari asked, cocking her head.

"No. Because he's right."

"I am?" Hozu asked, looking genuinely surprised.

"He is?!" Akari repeated.

"Yes. I was being too harsh." Iris said. "As Princesses of Friendship, we should be welcoming to everyone. Even guys like him. Besides, if there is any place where you can start to find a friend, it's right here. Trust me, it'll make all the difference."

It took a little while, but after hearing what Hozu said about Iris's "squeaky clean upbringing" she was starting to get a clearer picture of him. Her father, King Mako, chief of police of Harmony City wasn't always the admired symbol of chivalry and heroism he was today. He was an orphaned street rat, stealing and hustling people to get by, even teaming up with the Triads alongside his younger brother, all so they could survive. Meeting her mother and the ponies changed him for the better and he and Korra even started a program for delinquent youths to work as interns at the police station or partake in community service so they can see that they could be more than criminals. To find the magic within themselves to make a difference both in their own lives and in the lives of others.

After all, an enemy is just a friend you haven't made yet.

Iris had allowed her temper to flare a little too quickly she couldn't see it. Like Akari, she was taking this festival very seriously and didn't want there to be trouble. It wasn't anything new for one or two trouble makers to slip through and create mischief during these events. But, if Iris was going to fully take over as Queen of Friendship one day, she was going to have to start acting like one.

Hozu looked one hundred percent… disinterested. Iris's words were like a breeze blowing through his ears. He clapped his hands together, taking in a deep breath before speaking. "Alright, here's what I gathered from you. You think just because your mom founded this whole "Friendship is Magic" revolution that you can just look at someone and instantly find the answer to their problems. Well, I got news for you…" Hozu leaned in closer, his voice low, making air quotes with his fingers. "This 'Friendship' stuff, isn't for everybody."

"That's not true."

"Really? Then, how come there is still so much evil in the world, huh?"

"We are all capable of great good or great evil. It's in us to choose who we're going to be."

"And we're all obligated to choose the Magic of Friendship, right?"

"No! Nobody is obligated to accept it!" Iris's voice rose. She tried her hardest to keep her anger in check, but Hozu was being incredibly difficult. How was it that this guy could make her feel this enflamed so easily?

"If that's the case, then why do you have these massive festivals for it?"

"To show everyone that they can choose Friendship out of their own free will, and to see how much better their lives can be once they allow it into their hearts."

"See, right there. There it is." Hozu pointed at her. "You say everyone's lives will be better if they choose the Magic of Friendship, or the "path of the Light" or whatever you call it, because you think any other choice is the wrong one. Well, you don't have to worry so much about me because I have already made my choice."

Hozu moved quick, too quick to keep up, and stopped right behind Iris. His cold breath against her skin caused a chill to run up her spine and the urge to slap him across the face intensified. Her hands formed into a fist before she could even comprehend what she was doing.

"I choose me."

A cold wind swept around the princesses and, just like that, Hozu was gone. Iris and Akari stood there, staring perplexed at the spot where Hozu has just disappeared without a trace. There was something very strange about that boy.

"Oh, good! There you guys are!" Gallant Steed--Son of Starlight Glimmer, Element of Kindness and Akari's boyfriend--came galloping towards them. His horn glowing bright with magic, levitating an assortment of scrolls, pencils and notebooks over his head.

"Where have you been? I've already got the charts and graphs fifteen minutes ago."

Iris and Akari gasped, "The presentation!"

(~)

Iris and Akri were already out of breath, bursting into the hallways of Canterlot Castle Both princesses began circling around, opposite one another. Iris was frontally fiddling with her hands, her feathers ruffling, while Akai was literally trotting as she went. Constant movement usually helped them focus, but their methods were failing them now.

Gallant gently lowered the materials onto one side of the room, being the only calm one here. Placing his hoof into his mouth he whistled loudly, which made the two princesses stop in their tracks. Akari ended up bumping into Iris's legs from behind.

"Guys! Breath!"

The light outside embraced the room in its warm glow, cascading the shimmering colors of the stained glass window over the princesses. In their anxious pacing they had, coincidentally--or, maybe not--stopped right in front of three windows in specific, standing side by one with one another.

One window depicted the long deceased Avatar Wan and Prince White. The Avatar stood in between his old companion and a younger looking Princess Leilani. A yellow and blue aura surrounded them, symbolizing their transformation into alicorns. The spirit of Raava rose from Wan's body, both radiating in white and a single orange streak adorned Wan's hair. Evidence of the Equestrian magic he shared with them and remained within the Avatar for generations. After the words had disconnected, that colorful streak disappeared, only to reappear in blue on the locks of Avatar Korra.

Speaking of Korra. The second window depicted the moment Korra gained wings, surround by each of the Elements of Harmony. The Tree of Harmony replaced the area where Raava was in the other window, with a single white butterfly resting in Korra's clapped palms.

The third window was a lot newer in comparison to the other two. It was only four years old by this point but the girls could still smell the freshly polished glass as if it had just been made by the scorching heat of a dragon's breath. It mirrored its predecessor, only instead of Korra and the Mane Six, it had Iris and her friends.

Each window on the walls commemorated an important moment in their history, and today was, yet again, the anniversary of all three of these events. Wan, White and Leilani started the chain of events, Korra and the Mane Six cemented it and now Iris and her friends would carry on the legacy. As similar as the windows were, there was also an even balance of differences alongside those similarities.

The two princesses took in deep breaths. Akari spread out her wings while Iris held her hands together in a standing meditation position. After a few short moments, the two managed to calm their rattling nerves.

Iris adjusted her long curly ponytail. "Okay. We're okay, we're calm."

"Yeah. Totally." Akari nodded her head, adjusting her bangs, which were normally messy but this time she made an even bigger effort to tame them. Smooth them down with her front hoof, her mane was styled to near perfection…before rebelling and bouncing back it its original messy style. She hoof palmed herself in frustration but quickly composed herself.

"Alrighty, this is no problem." Akari said, though it was hard to tell on whether or not she was saying it to Iris or to herself. "Just go in there and ask!"

"Right." Iris agreed, sounding a bit more determined, though subtle hints of nervousness could be spotted just bellow the surface. "This is our Friendship Festival! Everybody's happiness rests on us."

"Yeah… everybody's." Akari's tone lowered at the last part. Her ears dropping in synchronization.

"You know you guys aren't fooling anyone, right?" Gallant Steed said, rather bluntly. A character trait he inherited from his mother, Starlight Glimmer.

"Sorry, sweetie. I'm just so nervous about this meeting." Akari said, anxiously tapping her front hoof against the red velvet carpet.

Iris scratched the back of her neck, "Yeah, me too."

"What are you talking about? They're your parents, and you've known the Alicorns since you were in dippers. Heck, Queen Cadance even changed a few of them."

Akari blushed and pouted, while Iris stiffened a laugh. "Aunt Cadance can be such a blabbermouth."

Iris turned to look back at the windows, the light creating rainbows across her face. "Parents or not, we're about to ask the most important figures in Equestria for a huge favor. This is the first time we've ever been placed in charge of preparing the Day of Harmony Celebration. The most important day in our family's history." Iris's violet eyes dropped, memory of that encounter with the mysterious Hozu filled her mind, fueling her doubt. "What if they reject our idea?"

Gallant wrapped his hoof around his girlfriend's shoulder, addressing to both of them. "Hey, we're all nervous. You're right, we've never been in charge of something as big as this."

"And we're the ones pulling the reigns." Akari pointed out, mainly at herself and Iris.

"It'll be fine. Just remember the most important thing."

Akari gasped. "The tiaras!" she levitated both her and Iris's respected crowns. Akari's was blue with sapphires, decorated to resemble a flame with stars swirling around it, while Iris's was gold with aquamarine stones and pearls, the form resembled that of a lotus flower.

Akari placed them both on their respected heads, only for Iris to use her own magic to switch them around. In her hurry, Akari had accidentally mixed them up, placing her own tiara on Iris's head instead of her own.

"Eh, no." Gallant said, "You guys are Guardians of Harmony now. Just like them."

Gallant was right. Iris and Akari were young adults now, not inexperienced teenagers. They were descendants of the Queens of Friendship. Iris carried the blood of the Avatar in her veins, just as Akari had the blood of a powerful alicorn who saved Equestria more than a dozen times. It was still baffling to see that they have come this far. They were on equal grounds with their mothers and the other Elements of Harmony now. Their words held just as much importance as theirs did.

Iris was humbly thankful for all the friends and lessons she had gained over the past four years, and now she was finally able to stand equal to her mother without the need for glory. She felt she had accomplished something.

Which was more than what Akari could say. Looking at Iris now, she was such a contrast to the unsure seven-year-old during the whole Ronin situation. She was radiating with confidence, standing as tall as any proud warrior…. while Akari was feeling smaller than a newborn breezie.

Iris stroked Akari's mane, which managed to ease at least some of her worries. "He's right. We've got this. Together."

Akari nodded, smiling. "Now and forever."

The two bro-hoofed before Iris pushed the doors open. Gallant walked behind them levitating all of their materials. In the very center were the two ruling alicorn sisters, Celestia and Luna, alongside their mother, Lady Leilani. Beside them was the Crystal Empire ruling family. Shinning Armor wore his signature knights armor, which was similar to the crystal armor of Flurry Heart. Like her cousin, she was a warrior princess at heart. Now a fully grown mare she radiated with all of the beauty of her mother Cadance and the bravery of her father.

Iris and Akari's attention quickly feel on their parents. Korra and Mako, though close to their forties at this point, still managed to stay as beautiful and strong as ever. Mako had his beard trimmed and Korra held her long magical hair in a half bun, while the rest of it castrated downwards against her back. Mako wore a royal looking version of his police uniform while Korra, as always, managed to pull off the casual royal look flawlessly. Her sleeveless muscle shirt was adorned with elegant patterns and she wore a pair of--what else--dark blue pants underneath her cape like shirt around her waist.

Twilight Sparkle's hair had grown longer, which she now held in a lose ponytail over her shoulder. Her once edgy bangs were now elegantly brushed to the side, with a few strands falling out of place over her forehead, keeping an ideal balance of beauty and attitude. She wore her signature gold crown and Flash Sentry, also with a beard of his own, stood beside her. His hair styled neatly and wearing a crown around his forehead with a blue stone in the center, which mirror's Mako's only his had a ruby.

"Good morning, Everyone." Iris said with respect as she and the others bowed. "Thank you all for seeing us. We have an idea that we think will make our Friendship Festival the most wonderful celebration Equestria has seen yet!"

Korra couldn't help but giggle at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Yes, Iris. We're all very excited!"

"Ponies have been arriving from all over all morning." Twilight said. "From Saddle Arabia to Manehattan."

"I know. I heard a few could barely book a stable." Flash Sentry said.

"You girls haven't run into any trouble yet, have you?" Mako asked.

Iris and Akari's eyes darted towards one another, trying to keep neutral expression. They didn't want to ruin their presentation by bringing up Hozu. Besides, what trouble could one guy really be? If they saw him again, they'll be able to handle it. Right now, they had to direct all of their energy into this presentation.

"Nothing we couldn't handle." Akari replied. It wasn't a complete lie.

Flurry Heart smiled proudly. "That's my little cousin."

"Naturally." Celestia said. "I have no doubt you kids have everything well at hoof."

The leaders and children were then startled when Discord, the spirit of chaos himself, manifested in between the alicorns and the humans. He was already wearing a Friendship Festival cap. "You kids have really outdone yourselves! I'd like to think all of these guests are here to see me--Discord! The Master of Magic and Chaos! But, let's face facts, Songbird Serenade might be the bigger attraction… Might."

Everyone else playfully rolled their eyes. "Yes, she is the... "mane" event!" Twilight giggled at her own pun. Akari fought the urge to groan in embarrassment. At least it helped to make her less anxious about the favor they were about to ask. When no one else laughed, Twilight stopped. "Right. You were saying?"

Iris turned to Gallant Steed, who magically pushed a white board on wheels front and center. On the side were a few drawings, a corner with some math equations and a few sticky notes.

Iris started the presentation. "Songbird Serenade's performance is not scheduled to start until after sunset."

"And based on me and Gallant's precise calculations," Akari proudly gestured to Gallant, who smiled looking equally as proud. "We've concluded the perfect pattern to the get the very best lighting for the stage! Queen Celestia, I was hoping you could use your firebending alicorn magic to bend the sun's rays at the exact moment about 28.1º to the south as it sets. And, Queen Luna, if you could do the same with your waterbending to capture the moonlight at 62º to the north at the same time, it would reflect the sunlight on the other side and really frame the entire stage perfectly!"

The entire time she was speaking, Akari used a marker to make drawings of said alicorn sisters, bending the light from their respected celestial symbols. She was already looking excited, this presentation was coming along a lot smoother than she had expected.

As for the adults, they… weren't entirely sure how to respond to this. Ever since Harmonic Convergence, Celestia and Luna were no longer responsible for moving the sun and moon as they once did, but their powers were still closely related to them.

Indeed, they could capture the lighting from both the sun and moon, but that took a lot of power, and concentration, and it was something they held only for emergencies. The last time Celestia attempted it, her entire body was so hot she set her own curtains aflame, and Luna's body was so cold she froze the entire throne room. It took hours to melt the guards. They were fine, but they gained terrible colds afterwards.

It wasn't lethal and wore off in a few short moments and so long as they kept their distance for a while everything would be alright, but powers like these, from two incredibly powerful alicorns who have lived for thousands of years, were still intense, and using them to light a stage for a concert didn't feel like the best idea.

Leilani, Korra, Mako, Twilight and Flash all agreed. All six darting their eyes at one another, keeping composed postures, but still looking visibly uncertain.

"I…"

"But wait! There's more!" Iris said eagerly, interrupting Luna who had just opened her mouth to speak. The moon alicorn gave her an unamused look but still listened. "Cadance, if you and Flurry Heart could use your crystal magic to create an aurora above the stage, the sun and the moon's light will shine through it and create a truly amazing light show!"

Discord had inserted himself into their presentation--something none of them had planned--spreading bright sparkles into the air and creating a spotlight on himself, dressed as Songbird Serenade. Complete with the eye covering yellow and black bangs and sparkly black dress.

"Presenting Songbird Serenade!" Discord said into the microphone as music played from out of nowhere, "I'm still breathing! I'm still breathing! Yeah!"

Iris, Akari and Gallants all gave the chaotic spirit disapproving looks, with Akari needing to forcibly shove him to the side, causing the spotlight to disappear. The three teenagers all smiled nervously at their parents, ignoring Discord smashing into something off screen.

"Ta-da…" He said weakly while out of sight.

"So you're saying you want us to use our magic to bend the light of the sun and the moon… for the party?" Luna said with a rather dubious tone.

"Yeah, that's a pretty tall order there, Akari." Flurry Heart said. While still as adventurous as she had always been, but with her age also came more maturity.

"Well, we'd do it ourselves, except we don't have your magic." Akari said, "I mean, we're master firebenders and Iris can waterbend like a pro, but--"

Twilight cut her daughter short by gently lowering her hoof with her own. "Akari, I understand you want this Festival to be perfect, and it will be. But you know as well as I do that we can't use magic all willy nilly."

"Especially alicorn magic that's thousands of years old." Flash pointed out. His ears perked up in realization and stammered at his next sentence. "N-Not that you guys don't still look great for your age!"

Leilani playfully rolled her eyes. "Thank you, King Flash. But, your mother is right, Akari." she said, making her horn glow brightly alongside her two daughters. "Each of us uses our powers to serve Equestria in our own way, just as you do."

Mako placed a hand on Iris's shoulder. "You have already come so far in such a short amount of time, and we couldn't be more proud." he then cupped his little girl's face, making her smile.

"You girls are the Guardians of Harmony now. You already have all the magic you need." Korra said, affectionately caressing her daughter's hair then placing her hand over her heart. "What you have in here is stronger than you know. Just trust in that and everything will work out the way it should."

"And we have no doubt you're going to make this Festival one to remember." Twilight said. "In your own way."

Twilight, Flash, Korra and Mako each hugged their respected daughter to give them reassurance that they weren't alone on this. But, even after the hug, the girls couldn't shake away the sting of disappointment in their stomachs.

"So… that'd be a no?" Akari said, ears dropping.

(~)