Pinkie's cannon went off, decorating the entire room, as she giggled herself in excitement. The rest of the girls helped out as well by setting up custom made decorations, foods, gifts, and other assortments as Twilight oversaw preparations.
"Twilight, can you please tell us who this new mare is?" Rainbow Dash said as Twilight let out a chuckle.
"No matter how many times you beg, I'm still not revealing the surprise," Twilight teased as she went over everything one last time. Presents were wrapped, snacks were prepared, balloons were tied. This party looked like it could go off without a hitch.
"Seriously Twilight, at least give us a hint. It's not every day you ask all of us to help with a party. Usually, I do that with you instead," Pinkie stated as Twilight rolled her eyes.
"OK then, here's your hint: She's not from Equestria," Twilight said as the girls processed the hint.
"Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? I mean, we've made so many friends that aren't ponies that it could be anything. And besides, we've made friends with literally every kind of creature, is there anything on the planet we haven't made a friend with?" Fluttershy asked, as Twilight smugly smiled at Fluttershy.
"You're getting warmer, by the way," Twilight teased as Rarity pondered Twilight's hint and Fluttershy's rant.
"What's that supposed to--" Fluttershy tried to ask before Rarity attempted to piece everything together.
"Hold on, Darling. We may have everything figured out. She said she's not from Equestria, plus she said we were close when you asked who we haven't befriended yet..." Rarity pieced together.
"Yeah, and don't forget, Twilight specifically requested Black and Green balloons and streamers. Did Twilight find another Changeling Hive or something?" Pinkie theorized before Applejack finished another hot fresh apple pie.
"Ah don't know about you, but Ah think we should just wait until we finally meet her to find out what's got Twilight so excited," Applejack stated before Pinkie's ears wilted in impatience.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Pinkie sighed as Twilight checked everything one more time.
"Well, looks like everything's all set up. I'll go get our new arrival, and you just sit tight and wait to surprise her," Twilight ordered.
"Okie Dokie Loki," Pinkie Pie replied as she hopped into position, followed by the other Elements of Harmony. Twilight took a deep breath and teleported herself to the location of Cosmica's spaceship, just outside of Canterlot.
"Hey, Cosmica?" Twilight called out from outside the ship, hoping to get an answer. Unfortunately, the little green mare did not respond, and Twilight glided herself over to the windows of the alien spacecraft to peer in to find her. Cosmica was typing away at her computer, writing what appeared to be a list. But Twilight couldn't tell what it was as the language was alien. Twilight knocked at the glass of the cockpit and got Cosmica's attention.
"Oh, Twilight! Please, help yourself in," Cosmica responded as Twilight lit her horn up and teleported herself a few inches past the glass and into the spacecraft.
"Hey there Cosmica. I got everything all set up, and there's something I want to show you," Twilight explained as Cosmica printed out her alien list.
"I got everything set up on my list as well," Cosmica explained, as she folded up the printed paper and held it in the back pocket of her spacesuit.
"Might I ask what that list is for?" Twilight asked, scratching her head.
"Oh. I put together a bucket list of things I want to do here, now that I'm living on your planet. I'm finally getting the chance to witness life in Equestria firsthand rather than just watching it from space after all," Cosmica explained as Twilight let out a cheeky smile.
"That's actually kinda wholesome now that I think about it. But first, there are some ponies I'd like you to meet," Twilight commented as Cosmica opened the bottom hatch of the spaceship letting herself and Twilight out of the ship. A staircase descended from the ceiling and assembled itself from the edge of the hatch to the grassy grounds outside the city.
"Funny. I was expecting your little tractor beam," Twilight commented as Cosmica chuckled a little.
"I only use that in flight," Cosmica replied as Twilight led Cosmica towards the grand city of Canterlot.
"OK, you ready to meet my friends?" Twilight asked as Cosmica beamed an excited smile.
"I like where this is going," Cosmica commented as Twilight lit up her horn. And in very little time at all, the Alicorn and the Alien made it immediately back to the location of the party.
"SURPRISE!!!" Twilight exclaimed, signaling the other Elements.
"Surpri--AAAAHHH!!!" The other girls gasped at what Twilight had brought in. Twilight was a little worried that everyone else wasn't on board with their new friend.
"Twilight? What is that supposed to be?" Rarity asked as Cosmica fiddled around with her tendril mane.
"Girls, this is Cosmica Emerald. Cosmica, these are my friends; the Elements of Harmony," Twilight sheepishly introduced as Cosmica stretched out her hoof.
"Honestly Twilight, we were expecting a Zebra or something," Rarity confessed as Pinkie Pie perked up at Rarity.
"I thought we were theorizing another changeling queen," Pinkie argued as the other girls had no idea what to think. Cosmica put her hoof back down as her first impressions were not looking too good.
"Excuse me? Ummm, I just wanted to say it's very nice to meet you Cosmica," Fluttershy sheepishly said as Cosmica's optimism raised once more.
"It is very nice to meet you as well Pinkie Pie," Cosmica replied, shaking Fluttershy's hoof and raising her eyebrow.
"Actually, I'm Fluttershy. The one with the poofy mane is Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy sheepishly corrected as Cosmica laughed at her own mistake.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I always get you two mixed up since your last names both rhyme," Cosmica noted as Fluttershy giggled a little bit after that realization.
"Yeah, I guess I can see why," Fluttershy said as Cosmica headed over to the snack table where she examined the foods for the party. As she was examining the snacks, Applejack thought it'd be best to introduce herself.
"Uhh...Howdy there, Cosmica," Applejack started off, tipping her hat.
"Hello there Applejack," Cosmica responded as Applejack took a deep breath, as this is the closest she's ever gotten to an extraterrestrial being before.
"Ah take it Twilight told you about us?" Applejack asked as Cosmica took herself a slice of homemade apple pie.
"No. I was watching Equestria from the planet's orbit and studied your world. Twilight doesn't think I should have done this, but I had no other option," Cosmica explained as Applejack cleared her throat.
"Ah see," Applejack responded.
"Isn't this dessert is a byproduct of your agriculture?" Cosmica asked, pointing at the Apple Pie.
"Ah beg yer pardon?" Applejack asked as Cosmica examined the pie just a little bit more.
"Did you make this dessert yourself with ingredients you made yourself," Cosmica clarified, taking a bite out of the slice.
"Oh. Well yes, sirree. I made this apple pie with the finest apples Sweet Apple Acers had to offer," Applejack answered as Cosmica had another bite of the pie.
"Well, I am glad to say you did an amazing job with this. Say, can you teach me how you pull this off?" Cosmica asked, surprising Applejack.
"You want me to teach you how to make an apple pie?" Applejack asked as Cosmica gulped the piece of pie.
"Not just that. I've been wanting to try out how you perform your agriculture techniques on the apple fruits you use to make these delicious desserts," Cosmica explained as Applejack's pride started beaming through.
"Aww, well shucks. Ah guess Ah'll be honored to teach ya to go apple-bucking with me," Applejack blushed, crossing her front legs. Cosmica smiled at Applejack's approval and examined the rest of the foodstuff. She had seen all these kinds of foods from the safety of her spaceship, and she was excited to finally try them all. That was until she got a tap on the shoulder from Rainbow Dash's wing.
"Yes? What can I help you with?" Cosmica asked as Rainbow Dash had an excited look on her face.
"It is true what they say about you Aliens?" Rainbow Dash asked, confusing Cosmica.
"I'm unsure what you mean by that," Cosmica sheepishly chuckled as she returned to examining the food. Especially since that root beer float was looking extra tasty right now.
"I mean, is it true you abducted ponies and performed messed up experiments on them?" Rainbow Dash asked, piquing Cosmica's curiosity.
"I mean, the only person I can say I've abducted is Twilight, and I didn't perform any experiments on her," Cosmica explained as Rainbow Dash gasped.
"You've abducted Twilight!?!?" Rainbow Dash shrieked as Cosmica was a little uneasy, now that everypony in the room was looking at her.
"Rainbow Dash, please. She just needed to make introductions to us without causing a ruckus," Twilight explained, backing Rainbow away in case the pegasus was preparing to knock Cosmica's lights out. Rainbow sighed and turned back towards Cosmica.
"I'm...sorry. I just thought that--" Rainbow Dash tried to apologize before Cosmica raised a hoof at her.
"No, I understand. I just...need some room is all," Cosmica sighed. The damage had been done, and Cosmica retreated to a safe room where she can be alone for a few minutes. Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash with a scowl.
"Is she gonna phone home now?" Fluttershy sheepishly asked before getting groaned on by everypony else.
"Fluttershy, now's not the time," Twilight commented as she went to go talk to her. Twilight followed Cosmica up the stairs to the bedroom where Cosmica hid, simply sitting on the floor all sad and alone.
"Hey, Cosmica," Twilight said as Cosmica turned and met her eyes with Twilight's.
"Hey, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how the girls are acting," Twilight said, as she wrapped her wing around Cosmica, holding her tight. Cosmica sighed and wiped a tear away before Twilight could even see it.
"Honestly, I should have seen this coming. Going to a primitive planet with advanced technology, and you'd expect people to look at you funny. You'd expect to be...alienated," Cosmica explained as Twilight held her closer.
"You'd be surprised how common it actually is here. I remember when we first alienated somepony and we ended up in a patch of poison joke thinking she cursed us. Ah, good times," Twilight chuckled as Cosmica turned to Twilight.
"I do not remember ever recording such events," Cosmica commented as Twilight turned back toward Cosmica.
"Oh, it was years ago. But you know what happened next?" Twilight asked as Cosmica sniffled and wiped another tear.
"Well, what did you do?" Cosmica asked.
"We simply tried again. We all mess up from time to time, and when we do, we simply clean up the messes we make," Twilight explained, wiping one of Cosmica's tears with her wing.
"So how about we clean up the mess Rainbow Dash made and try again at making friends? I think I hear some presents with your name on them being unwrapped," Twilight suggested as Cosmica warmed herself back up to Twilight. The alien simply followed Twilight back down the stairs and re-joined the party.