"Uh.... hello everyone. I....uh, am Queen Mediah, of the Gorgon Race," the Gorgon Queen said awkwardly, trying to make conversation. The snakes in both hers and Lila's hair even had uneasy looks. It was then that one of the snootier nobles decided to speak up.
"Princess Celestia! How could you possibly invite these..... these... monsters to such a sophisticated Ball?!" he demanded.
"Please understand. We did this as a means of bridging the gaps between our races. We're going to try and make as many friends with other species across the globe as we can. We already have relations with Minotaur's, Changelings, Griffons and most recently Yaks, Dragons, and Hippogriffs. We need to continue expanding our circle of friendship with all manner of creatures," Celestia stated.
"I still don't see these alliances working out in the future. I swear, you're making a mistake!" the noble stated.
"He's right! What if those Gorgon's turns someone here to stone?" another snooty noble asked.
"It's alright everyone. They are currently wearing my latest invention: Gorgon Proof Sunglasses! They're one sided lens that block out the eye thing that gorgons use to turn others to stone. As long as they keep them on, they won't turn anyone to stone," Raiden announced.
"And these things work like a charm!" Lila stated. This, however, didn't sit well with any of the nobles. In fact, it only made them more outraged, proclaiming their disapproval.
"SILENCE!" Celestia boomed in her Royal Canterlot Voice. This got everyone to quiet down, "I only ask that you give the Gorgons a chance. Is that so hard? Or would you rather that Equestria is full of racist ponies who view ALL creatures as dangerous?" Celestia asked in an authoritarian tone.
"She does raise a valid point. I'm more than willing to extend friendship with the gorgons," Fancy Pants stated.
"Besides, the gorgons haven't done anything to warrant such unacceptable behavior," Twilight added.
"Not to mention they wouldn't extend a job request to the guild unless they were serious about establishing relations with Equestria," Raiden chimed in. The nobles still weren't happy about it, but they decided to reluctantly take the princess's word for it.
"Well, if we're all in an agreement, I guess now would be a good a time to open up the festival that the Alicorn Wish Guild had set up for tonight's festivities," Celestia announced, opening up the doors, leading out to the streets of Canterlot, where game and food stalls were set up.
"Ooh! I just love games!" Kat exclaimed, as she and some of the others exited into the streets.
"What'd ya say, Mavis? Want to go play some games?" Nathan asked.
"Well.... ok," Mavis shrugged, as she and the other kids, and the adults went to go play games too.
"Hmph. How childish that even the Princesses would engage in such trivial activities," the noble pony commented, holding a giant panda bear stuffed animal, and some cotton candy, while also wearing tiger face paint.
"It's kind of hard to take you seriously when you have a prize like those," Shining Armor commented. Mavis looked around, wanting to find a game that she could enjoy. Looking around, she saw her mentors and her friends, all wandering around, playing some games or getting food.
"Could I get one of those 'stir fry' things? They sound tasty," Dana asked Cassidy, who was working a stall with Simon, April, and Sora.
"Sure thing. You guys get that?" Cassidy asked.
"Yep. Working on it now," Simon called back, as he began preparing Dana's order, "Would you like anything in your meal?" Simon asked. Dana then walked him through on what she wanted. Mavis continued to walk around, until she saw something that caught her eye. There, at a stand that Raiden, Stealth, Eliza, and Naomi were running, was a duck plushy that the twice the size of Mavis. With a gasp, Mavis rushed over to the stand excitedly, eyeing her intended prize intently.
"Well, lookie who's come to our stand. How've ya been, lassie?" Eliza asked, snapping Mavis into reality.
"Uh, I've been good," Mavis meekly replied.
"How have things been going with your medicine?" Raiden asked.
"Very good. I took it as you instructed moi to," Mavis replied.
"So this is where you wandered off to," Cadence commented, rejoining the young girl.
"Maman, I think I want that big ducky," Mavis said, pointing to the giant duck.
"Well, if that's what you want, then you can try to win it for your Hearth's Warming Present," Cadence said.
"Alright Mavis. All you need to do is chuck one of these rings onto those bottles," Raiden said, giving Mavis five rings, and pointed to some soda bottles they had set up. Mavis tried throwing the rings, key word being "tried". The first two rings she tossed went no further than the counter.
"If ya want, Ah could step in," Nathan offered.
"Merci. I am not, how you say, athletic," Mavis replied, giving the remaining rings to her brother. Without missing a beat, Nathan managed to get the three rings on the bottles. Stealth leapt up to get Mavis' prize of choice, "Merci beaucoup," Mavis said, hugging her giant duck.
"Yer very welcome Mavis," Nathan said, as he helped to pick up the duck. Knowing that carrying something as big as Mavis' new duck would be troublesome, Cadence hailed some guards.
"Could you take this into the castle and set it off to the side somewhere?" Cadence asked.
"At once," the guard said, as he took the duck, and went to put it inside the castle.
"Don't worry, precious. We can pick up your ducky when we're heading home for the night," Cadence said to Mavis. Skyla began fussing, wanting a stuffed animal too.
"Alright, little miss fussy pants, you can get one too," Shining Armor said, as he was given five rings too.
"Ah'd better git goin'. The guys n' Ah are gonna start our gig," Nathan said, as he went to go join up with his bandmates.
"Mavis! Are you enjoying yourself?" Mavis was then approached by Marina, joined by Julia and Fiona.
"Oui. I just got a giant ducky toy," Mavis replied.
"Well, it's good you're having fun," Fiona stated.
"If you want, we're going to go grab some snacks before Dana beats everyone else to them. Care to join us?" Marina offered.
"You go on ahead Mavis. Just make sure you try to stay close by your teachers," Cadence said.
"Oui Maman," Mavis replied, as she went with the Nymphs to get some cookies. When they got to the stand, Mavis saw that it was run by Brian, Icezer, Heiru, and Claire.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in. How've you been, kid?" Brian asked Mavis.
"Good. Things have been, how you say, quiet in the Crystal Empire," Mavis replied.
"Well, that's good. So, you interested in some Christmas Cookies?" Icezer offered, pointing to some cookies that were shaped like trees, snowmen, and other kinds of shapes.
"I would, but isn't it called 'Hearth's Warming'?" Mavis asked.
"Yes, but our guild prefers to keep thing to our way of thinking of the holidays," Heiru replied, as he readied some sleeves for the cookies, "So, which cookie would you like?" the emo ghost boy asked. Looking at the designs, Mavis decided she wanted a Christmas Tree cookie, as she would feel bad for eating a gingerbread man.
"Could I maybe get a Christmas Tree cookie?" Mavis asked.
"Sure thing," Heiru replied, as she got the cookies for each of them, "There you go. Enjoy," he said, as he retreated back into the shadows.
"Ray of sunshine he is," Marina commented.
"Eh, don't sweat it. Heiru's always like that," Icezer said, as he placed a sheet of cookies into the over, which Brian then ignited.
"Well, come along Mavis. I'm sure there's more fun to have while the night is young," Fiona said, as the older Nymphs led Mavis along. And while everyone at the festival had fun, they never thought their fun would soon come to an abrupt end.