Chapter 3
“The Three Gifts”
Inquire and Clover gazed up in awe as they beheld the Giver herself. She was none other than Princess Celestia, long before she was Princess of Equestria. She smiled down at the pair as they lowered their heads. “Do not be afraid my little ponies. Do you know who I am?”
“I know not your name,” Inquire admitted. “But we know what you are. You are an Alicorn, a being worthy of respect.”
Celestia kept her smile. “I am Celestia, your mysterious Giver.”
“Why are you giving all these things to ponies?” Clover asked. “You aren’t accepting anything in exchange either.”
“Do I have to accept something in exchange?” Celestia said with a raised eyebrow.
“Well no,” Clover answered. “It’s just common principle. You know, give and take.”
“You speak like Princess Platinum,” Celestia said slowly. “I’ve been meaning to speak with her.”
“Then why didn’t you come out sooner?” Inquire asked. “You would’ve avoided the hassle of getting us the ring.”
“Call me old fashioned,” Celestia winked a little. “But I’m a bit of a sucker for romance.”
Inquire and Clover blushed at the thought. Celestia went on, “But now that I am here, I wish to speak with Platinum herself.”
“Yes Celestia,” Clover bowed her head. “Platinum was also meaning to speak to you, something about receiving her gift.”
“Oh, she’ll receive her gift all right.”
________________________________________________________
Celestia and the pair of unicorns reentered the capital building. Celestia herself was walking forward as the other ponies gazed in awe at her. Many had heard the legends of Alicorns before, but to see one up close was truly extraordinary. Many bowed or spoke in hushed voices as she walked her procession.
Platinum and the other leaders gazed upon Celestia and she bowed her head politely. “I am Celestia, or as the locals call me, the Giver.”
“You’re the one who’s been giving those gifts?” Hurricane exclaimed in shock.
“Why yes Commander Hurricane,” She said with a smile. “I believe I have my gift for you right now.”
“My gift?” Hurricane said slowly. “Look I don’t need any-”
Celestia’s horn glowed and suddenly a box appeared in front of Hurricane. She took it in her hooves and opened it slowly. She smiled with absolute glee. “Oh my gosh! Is this Lady Fireburst’s spear?!” She held up the spear in absolute excitement. “I’ve been meaning to replace my old one for months! How did you-”
“Know that you’ve always admired her?” Celestia simply smiled. “Let’s just say I have an inside source. I hope the gift is pleasing to you.”
“Oh! what about me?” Puddinghead exclaimed excitedly. “What’cha got fer me huh, huh, huh?!”
Celestia teleported a scroll and put it in Puddinghead’s eagerly awaiting hooves, she opened it and raised an eyebrow. “Dieting for Scatterbrains?”
“I’ve noticed you put on a little weight,” Celestia said with a slight chuckle. “It’s unbecoming of a Chancellor to looks so. Would help in your reelection campaign.”
“Hey!”
What?
“The Cakes put you up to this didn’t they?!”
They’re just concerned about half of their supply getting eaten.
“When I get out of this story I’m going to show them just how much I can eat!”
Not helping your cause Pinkie.
“I guess, we should get on with the story before the humans reading this get bored.”
Crash!
And there went the fourth wall.
Platinum interrupted the proceedings and smiled at the white Alicorn. “So you’re the pony all these commoners have to thank.”
“Indeed,” Celestia answered. “You are Princess Platinum I see.”
“Daughter of the Unicorn King and the unicorn representative here in Equestria,” Platinum proudly declared, and then she eagerly spoke, “So, what gift do you have for me?”
Celestia got quiet for a moment, and then she spoke solemnly, “I have no gift for you.”
“What?!” Platinum exclaimed in shock. “But everypony else got a gift! How is it they get a present and I don’t? It’s my birthday after all!”
“You have received all of these gifts from your subjects.” She gestured to the pile of presents next to Platinum, who gave a small nervous laugh. “Why do you need to receive a gift from me?”
“Is it not proper that somepony receive gifts on her birthday?” Platinum shot back. “I demand a gift from you, everypony else received a gift. I wish only to be given the same courtesy.”
Celestia gave her a long violet stare, and then she nodded slowly. “Since you so politely asked, I will grant you your request. But only if you follow my instructions exactly.”
“If it will get me my present then I shall comply,” Platinum said, not even trying to hide her disdain.
“I will require you,” she pointed to the gift pile. “To have me select three gifts from this pile, you are to give them to whom I choose.”
Everypony gasped in shock at the boldness of the demand. Platinum frowned but knew that if she didn’t let this pony have her way, she’d never get her own gift. She spoke in her dignified manner, “Fine then, but this gift had better be worth it.”
Celestia just gave a smug smile and turned to the pile. Her eyes scanned the contents of the gifts until she pulled out three objects. The first was a simple necklace, with only a gold chain and a broken pendent on it. The second was a wool cape, often worn by nobles. The last was a flower, a simple white flower with purple lined petals.
Celestia walked to Platinum and gave her all three items “Now walk through your village and give these gifts in order to the ponies you meet.”
“Fine then,” Platinum huffed, she then looked over at Clover and Inquire. “Be a pair of dears and carry these for me.”
Both unicorns sighed and levitated the gifts with their magic. The pair walked out behind Platinum as Cookie walked to Celestia. “Beg pardon Celestia, but how’s this gonna solve the Platinum problem?”
“Oh, it’ll help,” Celestia said with a smile, then she teleported a box in front of Cookie. “I believe you’ve been wanting these for a while.”
“Oh, what is it?!” Puddinghead asked eagerly. “Is it a windup toy? Is it a rubber chicken? Is it a cannon that shoots confetti? Oh! Is it a chocolate mousse that’s actually shaped like a moose? That kind of gift would be amazingly fun to have! Think of all the wonderful things you could do at parties with that!”
Cookie was very much enjoying her newfound earplugs.
_____________________________________________________________
Platinum trudged through the snow whining the whole way. Actually, Inquire was the one trudging through the snow while Platinum rode on his back whining the whole way. Clover was following behind, levitating the various presents with her.
“And then she has the absolute gall to force me to travel all the way to the village to give these gifts to three random strangers? It’s as if she wants me to freeze to death!”
“Some of us wouldn’t mind that…” Clover muttered under her breath.
Inquire walked a little ways before a cloaked figure came up to them. The voice was female and the hood obscured her face. “Please, can ya spare anything fer a starvin old mare?”
“Well I’m obligated to give you this,” Platinum said after getting off Inquire’s back. She then picked up the necklace with her magic and gave it to the cloaked mare. “Here, take It, I’m in a hurry.”
“Thank ya child,” the voice spoke in a kind voice. “It’s nice to see somepony willin to do some kindness around here.” She then walked off without another word.
Platinum scoffed. “Obviously somepony hoping to pawn that miserable necklace off somewhere. Come subjects, we have more gifts to give,” She exacerbated.
Inquire walked behind Platinum a bit before turning to look at the mare who had walked away…did he hear her sobbing?
________________________________________________________
They walked a little bit more, finally reaching the town. The trio walked the streets, not meeting anypony. Platinum huffed. “Where is everypony? You’d think whoever I have to give the cape to would be here to receive it.”
“Maybe Celestia wants you to learn something out of this,” Clover suggested.
“Even still,” Platinum (Yeah Applebloom you got it! Complained! Very good.) “You’d think she’d have at least told us where to work aside from just ‘in the village’”
Platinum’s thoughts were interrupted by a sorry sight. A small white unicorn filly with a periwinkle and purple mane was huddled in the alley. She wore only a raggedy dress with a rat eaten cloak on, desperately trying to stave off the cold. Inquire stopped and spoke to Platinum, “Milady, I think we have our second pony.”
Platinum stopped and looked at the filly oddly; she walked to the shivering thing and spoke inquisitively, “Have we met before?”
“I d-don’t th-think s-s-so princes-s-s,” The unicorn said, shivering like mad. “I’m ju-just somep-pon-y who lives ar-r-round here.”
“Your highness,” Clover spoke up, levitating the cape to Platinum. “This is made of wool, it’ll keep her warm from this horrible weather.”
Platinum gave the unicorn a long look before giving the cape to the filly. The filly smiled wide at the sight. “Thank you princess!” She took the cape and wrapped herself in it. She sighed at the warmth and smiled with equal warmth at Platinum. “This is so warm, thank you so much.”
“You’re um…” Platinum got quiet for a second, then turned. “You’re welcome. That’s two down, one more to go.” She then walked off not saying a word.
The filly sat in the alley, enjoying her newfound cape to use as her blanket. Clover looked at Inquire for a second. “Did you see the look Platinum gave her?”
“It’s like she knew the filly from somewhere else,” Inquire pointed out. “I’ve never seen her act like that before.”
“Will you two come on?” Platinum called and she rolled her eyes. “I know you two are engaged but I expect you two not to linger.”
Everypony now!
Can you feel,
The love tonight?
“Tailspin you are so grounded when I get outta here!”
___________________________________________________________
The trio walked even further into the village. Still nopony showed up, no villager, no guard, not even a mouse was in the village. Clover looked at Inquire nervously. “It’s a little weird how we haven’t encountered anypony since we encountered the filly.”
“Yeah, “Inquire said, looking around the town. “I think everypony went to the capital building for the party, that’s why we haven’t seen anypony else.”
Their encounter was interrupted by a grey pegasus coming out…
I said a grey pegasus coming out!
Derpy where are you?
“Sorry Tailspin, I get very nervous in front of crowds.”
Look it’s not all that bad, they can’t see anything but words.
“You mean I don’t have to worry about anypony staring at me?”
Nope.
“Not even that weird human who’s typing this story?”
What human?
“That one, sitting at his laptop typing out the story.”
Hey yeah! I see him! Holy crap he looks weird!
“He’s got some funny glasses!”
Princess Celestia? Who’s that guy out there?
“I would love to answer your question Tailspin.”
Really, go ahead.
“I’ll need you both to just look at this light here for a second.”
What, that light you got in your-
Click
“That was too close; you were going to go on with the story you two?”
Sure Princess, anyways the trio was about to walk forward when a grey pegasus suddenly fell out of the sky and crashed into a nearby wagon. Platinum rolled her eyes. “Is this the pony I’m supposed to give the flower to?”
The grey pegasus climbed out of the wreckage and smiled. “Sorry bout the wagon, the cloud came out of nowhere and blocked my view.”
“Klutzy, is that you?” Clover spoke out.
“Oh, hi Clover!” Klutzy said in excitement. “It’s been a while!”
“Oh I remember you,” Platinum stated. “You were that pegasus pony who was the 227nd choice for combat but ended up as being a messenger pony.”
Nopony had the heart to tell Klutzy that 226 was Thomas the Rock. The pegasus ignored the slander and simply went on. “Commander Hurricane said I wasn’t really good as a warrior. She wanted me to drop things on ponies. I don’t understand why she got mad when I dropped that piano on her head. I guess she did know what went wrong.”
“All the same it’s nice to see you,” Clover said friendly like. “You remember Inquire?”
“Uh huh!” Klutzy said in a happy manner. “He’s the pony you had me send all those nice letters to.”
Inquire smiled at the grey pegasus as Clover’s blush became more evident. “Thank you Klutzy, your messenger abilities are something to behold.”
“If we can get back on topic please,” Platinum complained, then she gave the flower to Klutzy, who’s crossed eyes grew wide at the sight of it. Suddenly the pegasus hugged Platinum tightly, took the flower, and flew off without another word.
“Not even a thank you,” Platinum said in a huff. “Well that was a complete waste of time. Come along subjects, let us go back to receive my gift.”
Inquire and Clover begrudgingly followed.
Little did they know, how much each gift helped…