//------------------------------//
// A Welcome Home Party 
// Story: Little Pony Story 2: The Search for Scootaloo 
// by Lets Do This 
//------------------------------//

The white-and-blue mailing envelope lay on the floor of Bonnie's room, in front of the cardboard castle. It was surrounded by tensely waiting toys, many of them colorful ponies.

A radioactively pink pony dressed in a surgeon's mask and coverall was feeling around the edges of the envelope in increasing irritation. "Blast!" she shouted dramatically. "There's no easy-open pull tab on this thing! We're gonna have to operate!"

"Hold on a second, Pinkie," said Twilight Sparkle. The lavender unicorn gently prodded the plastic surface of the mailer with her hooves. "Okay, she's clear of the edge. You can go ahead."

"I'm on it, Twi!" Pinkie Pie motioned imperiously with a hoof. "Chainsaw! Hee-hee-hee, just kidding... I mean scissors! Stat!"

Applejack and Big Mac moved Bonnie's safety scissors into place. Rarity, wearing a construction helmet with a flashing light on it, motioned with her hooves as she guided them. "A little left now. Oh, not so much left! No, right! No, that's too much right! Left just a hair..."

"Aw, fer corn sake, Rarity," Applejack grumbled. "It's a mailer, not a Gala gown. Come on, Big Mac, let's get 'er done!"

Together the two farm ponies gamely worked the scissors, steadily gnawing through the tough plastic. Finally they managed to cut open the entire end of the envelope.

"The operation is a success!" Pinkie Pie yanked down her mask and lifted the edge of the envelope to peer inside. "Hello?"

Then she looked up at Twilight.

"Twi? I think she's crying."

Motioning Pinkie aside, Twilight lifted the plastic herself and peered in. She saw a lavender-coated, purple-haired pony toy, curled in on herself and quietly sobbing.

"Starlight?" Twilight called gently.

The pony looked up in astonishment, her gaze a mixture of fear and shocked, desperate hope. "Twilight?"

Twilight nodded.

"So... I wasn't going crazy. I did hear your voice out there!"

"Yep! And there's plenty more of us out here, all ready to welcome you." She motioned with a hoof. "It's okay, Starlight. Come on out."

Uneasily, Starlight Glimmer crawled out and stood up, then gazed around at the smiling toys gathered around her. And then she looked up and around, at the bedroom with its warm colors and colorful decorations...

And suddenly sat down on her haunches.

"I knew it," she said in a small voice. "I got thrown out, or shredded, or incinerated or something... and this is pony toy heaven."

"Nope!" Rainbow Dash grinned. "It's all real. Real as it gets!"

Starlight looked dazed. "But... this is a little girl's room!"

"Uh huh." Twilight nodded. "Her name is Bonnie. And she's the sweetest little child a toy could ask for. She has an amazing imagination, and she plays with all of us! Well, most of the time..." She frowned briefly. "Right now, she seems to have some kind of Princess fixation... but that's not important," she went on, deliberately brightening up. "What matters is, you're here, and you're among friends. And you're home! Right, everytoy?"

The toys all willingly cheered, waving a Welcome Home Starlight! banner that Pinkie had quickly whipped up, once they'd figured out from the mailer's order number which toy was inside.

Amongst the other waiting ponies was a blue pony with a white mane, wearing a star-spangled cape and wizard's hat. She edged closer, smiling uneasily. "Starlight?"

"Trixie!" Starlight leapt up and hugged the magician. Then she smiled mischievously at her.

"Teacup?" she asked.

Trixie nodded, giggling. "Teacup, teacup, teacup!"

Starlight giggled in return. "And have I mentioned I'm really sorry about selling your wagon without permission?"

"Pfft! Water under the bridge, bestie!" Trixie waved a hoof. "The Grrreat and Powerful Trrrixie could hardly stay mad at her Great and Powerful Assistant, now could she? Besides, I don't actually have a wagon. They just don't make them... ah, to my exacting specifications. Trixie does have her standards, you know."

Starlight willingly shared a laugh with her new old friend. Then she sighed, and put a hoof to her forehead. "This is all just... so much to take in. I mean, I'm not even sure what to do now that I'm here."

"Well, you and Trixie seem to be hitting it off..." Twilight said, frowning at the smirking showpony. "Why don't you spend some time getting acquainted? Or is it reacquainted? Whichever."

"I mean," Starlight said, looking guilty, "I haven't been played with all that much. So I don't have much experience actually being a child's toy."

"Not a problem. Bonnie's wonderful! And I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time. But... if you're at all uncertain," she added hopefully, "you could always sign on as my student. I mean, if you'd like. I'd be glad to show you the ropes around here."

"You wouldn't mind, Twilight? That'd be wonderful!"

"Not in the slightest," Twilight said, with a relieved smile. "I may only be a unicorn Twilight, but teaching Friendship is still my job. So, c'mon along, faithful student! There's some important ponies who are waiting to meet you." Turning, she led the way toward the cardboard castle. "It's actually become kind of a tradition. The Princesses greet every new arrival."

"Princesses?" Starlight said, astonished. "As in, more than one?"

"Yes, indeedy!" Applejack said proudly. "We got Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. And we just got a Cadance in last week, so that brings us up to four!"

Starlight looked puzzled. "Four?"

"Um, yeah." Twilight looked uncomfortable again. "We also have a Nightmare Moon. And Bonnie counts her as a Princess, so we do too."

"Which... really isn't fair, when you think about it," Rainbow Dash added. "'Cause it's basically counting Luna twice." The cyan pegasus shrugged. "But hey, never argue with your kid, right?"

"The Princesses are waiting for us in the castle." Twilight pointed at it. "They feel it's best not to overwhelm new arrivals while they're being unpacked."

Noticing it for the first time, Starlight stared in awe. "Omigosh! You guys have a castle?"

"Um... yeah." Twilight shrugged uncomfortably. "It's cardboard."

"It's gorgeous!" Starlight gushed, as the two of them trotted towards the drawbridge entrance, followed closely by the other ponies. "Well, I mean, seriously? I'm a magazine pack-in toy, Twilight! I expected to wind up in someone's junk drawer, along with the stripped screwdrivers and dead batteries. But I get a castle? And Princesses? And other ponies... including you and Trixie? And a little girl who'll play with all of us...?"

She hesitated, as they walked in through the castle's doorway. "I'm just... not quite sure I deserve all this..."

A warmly powerful, yet comforting voice spoke up from across the room. "It's wise to be aware of how fortunate you are, Starlight," Princess Celestia said. The tall white pony favored Starlight with her one visible eye. "But never feel ashamed of it. Embrace it! And share that happiness, to help lift the spirits of others in need."

Standing beside Princess Celestia on the upturned margarine bowl that served the Princesses as a throne, were night-blue Princess Luna and rose-hued Princess Cadance. Nightmare Moon was there as well, standing beside the throne, since there wasn't quite enough room for all of them at once. The dark alicorn eyed them all with her usual sardonic, toothy grin.

Starlight hurriedly approached the throne, and curtseyed deeply.

"I'll do my very best, Your Highness!"

"I am certain that you will, Starlight."

Twilight put a hoof around Starlight's shoulders. "She'll have everypony behind her, including me -- Starlight's going to be my student!"

"Thy fortune is doubled, Starlight," Luna said. "Twilight is an excellent teacher."

Cadance nodded. "And a great role-model for the other ponies, based on what I've seen so far." She and Twilight exchanged a smile.

"Indeed she is," Celestia agreed. Then she went on in a more businesslike tone. "Actually, Twilight, it's fortunate you're here. There are some important matters to discuss. We have learned from the other toys that Bonnie plans to take all four Princesses with her this afternoon, for her playdate at Mason's house."

"It would appear," Luna intoned loftily, "that we are to be an official diplomatic delegation to the saurian toys of Battleopolis!"

"It was actually Mason's idea," Cadance added with a grin. "When he saw how much Bonnie liked playing with me, he invited her to bring all of us for a peace conference. Since the Battlesaurs are his kingdom, so to speak, having their rulers meet ours seemed appropriate."

"It is also a valuable opportunity," Celestia added, "to put certain customs and formal treaties in place, just to avoid misunderstandings. We don't want a repeat of the time the Sheriff and his friends crashlanded there last Christmas!" She exchanged a smile with the other Princesses.

Twilight was unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "That's... really great news, Your Highness. And don't worry. We'll make sure things run smoothly here while you're away."

"Twilight?" Celestia gave her a questioning look... though it also suggested she knew how Twilight felt, and invited her to speak openly about it.

"It's just..." Twilight shrugged. "Well, you're all Princesses! And me? I'm just a regular old unicorn."

"Twilight!" Cadance said, "you are anything but a regular old unicorn!"

"Not in Bonnie's eyes." Twilight looked somber. "To her, I'm just... the Book Pony. Which is great, don't get me wrong! I love encouraging her to read. But... well, to Bonnie, even Nightmare Moon is a Princess!"

"The Evil Dark Pony Princess!" Nightmare Moon said, lofting a hoof and cackling gleefully. "Oh. I am sorry, Twilight. I just love it when she says it like that."

"Eeeyeah," Rainbow stage-whispered from the crowd of watching ponies. "Not really helping..."

Twilight sighed. Then she squared her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Your Highnesses. I really shouldn't be complaining. Just let me know if there's anything I need to take care of while you're gone, and I'll make sure it gets done."

Celestia regarded her silently for a moment. Then she exchanged a solemn gaze with the other three Princesses, who nodded. Celestia turned back to Twilight. "Twilight Sparkle!" she said, in a formal tone. "If we are to leave you in change of our domain, it is only fitting we grant you an authority to match. Therefore... we decree that pending our return, you are hereby declared Acting Princess of Equestria, with the authority, powers, and responsibilities according thereto."

She glanced at her fellow Princesses. "Are we in agreement?"

"We concur, Sister," Luna intoned, "wholeheartedly!"

Cadance and Nightmare Moon gave their formal assent as well.

Celestia looked to Twilight again. "Twilight, you are -- and always shall be -- a Princess in my eyes. Just do the excellent job you've always done, and I shall have no worries about leaving Equestria in your care."

Twilight smiled, gratefully. "Thank you, Princess -- Princesses! I won't let you down."

"Thank you, Acting Princess Twilight!"

"Woo hoo!" Spike punched the air. "Way to go, Twi!"

The other ponies joined in cheering as well, making Twilight blush. Yet, even as she smiled, she still felt uneasy.

It's just a title, she thought. And it's only until Celestia and the others return.

And no amount of titles and honors could alter the fact that she was still just a unicorn Twilight toy...