//------------------------------//
// Act I, Scene 2: Exposition ex Deus 
// Story: Summer Sun, Dawning Chaos 
// by CTVulpin 
//------------------------------//

	The sun had not been on its daily journey for very long when Gale arrived at the gates of Canterlot Castle.  The guards took one look at the summons she held in her mouth before waving with their wings for her to enter.  Gale gave them a thankful nod before stashing the paper in her ever-present saddlebags and trotting into the castle.  Once inside, she walked with purpose and determination up the foyer stairs and into the hallway of the royal residency wing.  Wearing only her saddlebags and with her relatively short mud-brown mane left to fend for itself, the earth pony was quite out of place in the courtly setting, but her attitude combined with her history and connections meant that none of the guards or castle staff that she passed paid her more than a glance.  Up ahead, a door opened, and Gale adjusted her course to veer around whoever was about to step out, only to find herself forced to stop as Blueblood emerged, saw her, and imposed himself in her path with a look of clear disapproval and disgust.  “What is this?” the unicorn noble asked, “Who let you in?”
“I don’t know their names,” Gale answered, “but they were admirably quick to admit me when they saw this.”  She pulled the summons back out and held it at an angle to prompt Blueblood to grab it in his magic and free up her mouth.  “As you can see,” she said when he took the bait, “you’re about to make me late for a meeting with Princess Celestia.”
“Oh,” Blueblood said, giving the paper a quick read, “You’re one of the Order-naries.  Hmph.  That does not excuse the fact that you are in the royal castle, about to approach royalty Herself, and you look like something that crawled out of a tunnel.”  He flicked the paper toward Gale, who waited for it to drift to the floor before picking it up and putting it away.
“I don’t make a habit of presenting myself as anything but what I am,” she said, “and what I am is down to earth.  I invent, build, and repair things, which is no small feat when all you have is four hooves and a mouth to work with.  I am not nobility, a courtier, or the least bit inclined towards ‘classical training.’  The Princesses – both of them – know and respect that when they ask for me, this is what they’ll get.  Now excuse me, I’m late.”  She brushed past the noble before he could respond, then looked over her shoulder and added, “Besides, Ashen Blaze can get away with talking back to them.  My appearance must be trivial compared to that.”
Blueblood sputtered as Gale trotted down the hall, head and tail held high.  “Now… now just a moment you,” he said, trotting after her.
“I don’t have the time, nor am I in the mood to talk to you anymore, your lordship or whatever your proper title is,” Gale said, not even looking back, “Feel free to complain to Celestia, after my business with her is finished.”
“I believe I shall,” Blueblood said.  Gale didn’t reply, and the two walked in tense silence until they reached the door to Celestia’s suite.  Sitting at their posts on either side of the door were a rather distinct pair of Royal Guards.  Rather than the traditional matching set of grim-faced white pegasi, they were a golden yellow color that nearly matched their armor, and one was a unicorn stallion while the other was a pegasus mare.
“Soul Mage and Gold Heart,” Gale said, “What did you two do to earn this post?”
“What did you do to score Prince Blueblood as an escort?” Soul Mage replied, quirking an eyebrow.
“I showed up,” Gale deadpanned, “Is it ok for me to just head in?”
“I dunno,” Soul said, acting thoughtful, “What kind of guards would we be if we just let anypony from off the streets walk past us?”  His smirk wavered slightly when Blueblood gave him an approving look while Gale waited patiently for the inevitable follow-up to a Soul Mage quip.
Never one to shirk her role, Gold Heart rolled her eyes and gave Soul a playful slap to the back of his head with a wing as she moved to open the door for Gale.  “Go on,” she said to the earth pony, “she’s expecting you.”
“Thanks,” Gale said, nodding to both guards before walking through the door and into Celestia’s study.  Blueblood made to follow her, but Heart shut the door and took up her post again.
“Sorry, your relatively-moderate-highness,” Soul said, “Private audience.”  Blueblood looked at the unicorn with a mild glare for a moment, and then sat down next to him.
“Then I shall wait here,” he said simply.

Within the study, Gale found Princess Celestia lying on a large plush cushion, her legs tucked under her body as she perused a scroll, making an occasional mark on it with a levitating feather quill.  The alicorn’s pastel mane and tail flowed off to her right in their private breeze, the tail coming dangerously close to touching the ashes in the nearby fireplace but always curling away at the last second.  Gale came a stop a respectful distance away, bowing her head when Celestia glanced her way.
“One moment,” the Princess said, looking back at the scroll.  She finished reading it, signed it with an elegant flourish, and then rolled it up and set it aside.  “Gale,” she said, brushing her forelock aside to look at the brown earth pony with both eyes, “How are you?  Out of the four Order-naries, you are the one I seem to have spent the least time getting to know.”
“I’m doing fine Princess,” Gale said, “Don’t worry about my feeling neglected.  It’s been more my own choices than anything else that keeps me out of the castle.  I’ve always been a little separate from the others; they’re all magical in some way while I specialize in technology.  I’m used to not being seen in the same light, and that made me, if anything, as unique and valuable valuable to our efforts back home as Ash was.”
“That is good to hear,” Celestia said, “As it turns out, Ash is the reason I called for you.”
“What’s wrong?” Gale asked, growing serious, “Should I go get Heart and Soul, so they can help?”
“It’s nothing drastic,” Celestia assured, “I just think Ash has become too wrapped up in his work lately.  Not just his attempts to identify the block on his natural magic, but also guarding Discord against… something that wishes to free him.”  The princess’s expression darkened for a moment, but then she shook her head and continued, “Anyway, as his friend, I want you to make him take a break and attend the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville.”
“Relaxation and a change of scenery?” Gale asked, tilting her head to the side slightly, then smirked and said, “The latter will be a piece of cake, but getting Ashen Blaze to relax is a herculean task.  I think I know of a few tricks that’ll work though.”  She bowed deeply to the alicorn.  “Thank you for bringing this to my attention your highness.  With your permission, I’ll go corner Ash right away and drag him down the mountain by his tail if necessary.”
“Go,” Celestia said with a nod.  Gale stood up from her bow and turned to leave as Celestia got up and followed her with the scroll floating along beside her.  After informing Heart and soul of her plans, the earth pony ran down the hall at a fast trot to find some stairs that would take her down to Ash’s workroom in the castle’s underground levels.  As Celestia left the room, she found herself confronted by the tall, white, blonde-maned unicorn who bore the title of “prince” by virtue of inheritance from an ancestor and by being the most vocal advocate of courtly manners.  “Good morning Blueblood,” she said warmly.
“My dear princess,” Blueblood said, “I must speak with you on a most urgent matter.”
“Every one of your ‘matters’ is urgent,” Celestia said, “Can you please be more specific?  I must be on my way to Fillydelphia shortly.”
“It is a matter of protocol,” Blueblood began, but then stopped with his jaw hanging when Celestia brushed past him and started down the hall, heading deeper into the residential wing.
“I know what you’re about to bring up Blueblood,” she said, “and that can certainly wait until after the Summer Sun Celebration is concluded.  Try to enjoy yourself today.  Heart, Soul, come with me please.”  The two golden-yellow ponies quickly left their spots and fell into place on either side of the princess.  Blueblood watched them walk away for a bit, then closed his mouth and returned to his apartment in a foul mood.
Celestia led her guards down the hall and in to another suite, this one arranged in a stiffer, impersonal manner than Celestia’s, giving it the air of a museum display rather than a living space.  The white alicorn sat down on a dark blue cushion that was a little too small for her, and then her horn lit up and Heart and Soul’s helmet jumped off their heads.  “Officially, you two are relieved of duty for the day,” she said.  The pair exchanged a look and began removing the rest of their armor.
“I get the feeling there’s an ‘unofficially’ line coming up,” Soul said, “What do you need us to do?”
Celestia chuckled.  “If I remember the date of your arrival in Equestria correctly, this would be your first Summer Sun Celebration, correct?” she asked.
“It is,” Heart said, shifting slightly as Soul used his magic to undo the clasps on her chest-plate.
“It’s also the first for somepony else,” Celestia said, and then turned her head toward the door to the next room and called out, “We’re here.”
“One moment Celly,” a voice said from behind the door.  Precisely one moment later, the door opened under the influence of magic and a tall, dark lavender unicorn with night-black mane and tail and a gibbous moon for a cutie mark entered the parlor.  She smiled at Celestia, who stood up to go stand next to her, and then at Soul and Heart, who were looking at her with confusion.
After a second or two, Soul’s eyes widened in recognition of the mare.  With a wry smile, he said, “It’s been a while Ms. Stella Moon, or should I say Princess Luna?”  Heart blinked in confusion for another second, and then her eyes went wide as well, only to be squeezed shut as she smacked her forehead with a hoof.
“You will refer to me as Stella,” the disguised princess said, “The two of you will join me as I visit Ponyville incognito for the next two days.”
“Wait,” Soul said, “I’m confused.  How can this be your first Summer Sun celebration Princess?  Isn’t it an ancient yearly tradition?”
“The first Summer Sun Celebration was held in response to… Nightmare Moon’s banishment and the return of that day a thousand years ago,” Celestia said, instinctively putting a wing across Luna’s back and hugging her close, “The following year I instituted it as an official holiday to try and remind my ponies of the tragedy that had stolen my sister from us, but over the years it became more and more about my control over the sun and moon.  I never stopped counting their passage though, as I waited patiently for the one-thousandth anniversary and the chance to get Luna back.”
“Wouldn’t that make last year’s Luna’s first?” Heart asked.
“This year is the first where I’m not trying to bring on eternal night,” Luna clarified, head hanging slightly in shame despite Celestia’s comforting, “This is a chance for me to see the Celebration as it is intended to be.”
“So why the disguise?” Soul asked.
“This is Celestia’s day,” Luna said, “And the fear of Nightmare Moon is still fresh in many ponies’s minds.  I’m afraid that trying to take part in an official capacity will only cause grief.  Instead, I’m going to disappear for a while and Stella Moon and her two friends,” she gave Heart and Soul a meaningful look, “are going to enjoy the festivities in Ponyville.  I feel I can trust you two to help me stay in character, and the three of us can share the experience of learning.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Soul said, smiling broadly, “and a date.”  He winced as Heart’s wing-slap connected with more force than usual.  “Geez,” he hissed, rubbing the back of his head as he glared at his winged sister, “what?”
“A date?” Heart replied in a low voice, “Seriously Soul?  Don’t forget who you’re talking to.”
“I believe I’m talking to and about a unicorn named Stella Moon,” Soul said for all in the room to hear, and then gave the dark-maned unicorn standing under Celestia’s wing a conspiratorial wink and smile, “Correct?”  “Stella” returned the smile as Celestia chuckled and pulled her wing back to her side.
“I’ll leave the three of you to that then,” the white alicorn said, walking toward the door to the hallway, “Have fun, and I’ll see you when I return from Fillydelphia.”  Heart and Soul dipped into quick bows until the Princess had gone, and then stood up and faced Luna.
“So,” Heart asked, “Public pega-shuttle, or can we pull some strings for a private coach?”
“I am not without means to pay,” Stella Moon said, producing a large coin purse filled to capacity with bits.
“You should know better by now sis,” Soul said, giving Heart a playful poke, “We never end up using public transit.”





Within half an hour, the disguised princess and her golden-yellow companions were flying through the air in a pegasus-drawn coach.  Stella’s horn was glowing as she set up a spell to guard against anypony hearing their voices from outside.  When the spell was in place, her horn faded and she gave Soul, who had requested the spell, a curious look.
“Right,” the unicorn said, “if Heart and I are going to help you stay in character, we need to know that character.  Just who is Stella Moon?”
Stella opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it again with a concerned frown.  “Is my appearance not sufficient?” she asked, “It was all I needed when assisting the Great and Powerful Trixie in Manehatten.”
“No, no it wasn’t,” Soul said, “The show you put on, all those tricks and illusions, made ponies believe you were who you said you were.”
“Not to mention the talent night you put on after we got back from that trip,” Heart added.
“That gives us a good launching point,” Soul said, “Stella moon has a knack for stage magic and illusions.  However,” he added when the tall lavender unicorn opened her mouth to comment, “She has not been seen on stage since, so you have a different day job, preferably one in Canterlot that’s low-profile so we don’t have to worry as much about ponies wondering why they haven’t met you before.”
“Do you have a suggestion Soul Mage?”  Stella asked.
Soul and Heart exchanged a glance.   “Uh,” the golden-yellow unicorn said after a moment, “This may sound dumb, but if you weren’t a functionally immortal alicorn who commands them moon and night sky, what would you want to do with your life?”  The disguised princess just stared at him blankly.  “Never mind,” Soul said, tapping his head with a hoof as he tried to think.
“I enjoy art,” Stella said, pondering, “painting especially.  The night sky is like a canvas for me, or rather Princess Luna I should say.  Perhaps I am an artist…”
“What kind of artist though?” Heart asked, “Painter, sculptor… something that wouldn’t clash too much with stage magic… Oh!”  She turned to Soul with excitement and inspiration lighting up her eyes.  “She could be in our old line of work!” she said.
“What? Mercenary?” Soul asked, giving his sister and odd look.
“No, not quite,” Heart replied, “Freelancing, remember?  The spirit is willing…”
“…the flesh can be trained,” Soul added, starting to smile.
“So the only question remaining,” the golden-yellow pegasus said as she and Soul scooted closer together and threw a leg across one another’s shoulders.
“Is what does the job pay?” the two finished together, grinning broadly at Stella.  They broke down in laughter for a minute or so at the disguised princess’s confused look.
“Sorry Princess,” Soul said after he’d calmed down, “just remembering home.  Freelancing was a common way for young adults to find their niche in society, especially if their talents didn’t have obvious applications.  Much like mine and Heart’s spirit bond.  We can just say you’re experimenting with different jobs, and then maybe pick one that’ll give you a good reason for asking questions about the Celebration.”
“A… newspaper writer,” Stella said, “I’m attending to write about Ponyville’s traditions.”
“A freelance reporter, I like that,” Soul said with a nod.  The group spent the rest of the journey discussing smaller details of the Stella Moon cover story, and by the time the coach landed in Ponyville, all three felt confident enough to put it to the test.
“Thank you sirs,” Stella said to the coach pegasi, slipping a small tip to them before walking away.  “Now, where shall we begin?” she asked Heart and Soul as the two fell into step next to her, keeping a careful watch on her gait so the relatively shorter ponies didn’t need to trot to keep up.
“Well,” Soul said, looking around and noticing the dominant flow of traffic was pointing toward the center of town, “It looks like everypony’s getting geared up to start preparations.  Let’s find one who’s not so busy and ask for a tour.”
“Do you have a particular pony in mind?” Heart asked, looking around.
“Twilight Sparkle,” Stella said, turning in the general direction of the library.
“I think she’s likely to be caught up in the middle of all this,” Soul said as he and Heart both gave the tall unicorn a questioning glance, “What with being a super organizer and Celestia’s protégé, I’d be surprised if she wasn’t in charge of everything.”
“All the more reason to speak with her,” Stella said, not breaking stride,” She’ll know exactly who can be spared to answer our questions.”
“Can’t argue with that logic,” Heart said, giving her brother a cheeky smirk.
“I concede,” Soul replied with an exaggerated roll of his eyes.
At the brisk pace set by Stella Moon, the great tree containing the Ponyville library soon came into view.  As the trio approached it, they saw Twilight Sparkle stepping out the front door, her back laden with saddlebags full of clipboards and a baby purple dragon with green spines and a thick scroll clutched in his claws.  Twilight had a distracted look about her as she trotted in the group’s direction, and it seemed likely that she would pass by them without noticing until Spike waved and said, “Soul Mage!  Gold Heart! Long time, no see!”
“Huh?” Twilight said, slowing to a stop a few feet past the golden-yellow ponies and their companion.  She looked back in surprise, and then gave them a smile.  “Hi,” she said, “You weren’t looking for me by chance were you?  I don’t have time to chit-chat right now; I have to get to the town square to organize the set-up for tonight.”
“Actually, we were looking for you,” Stella Moon said, taking a couple steps toward the lavender unicorn, “I’m Stella Moon.  I’m trying to write a newspaper article about Ponyville’s Summer Sun Celebration, and I was hoping you could point us to somepony who can show us around.”
“There’s not much to see right now,” Twilight said, “We’re just going to be setting everything up and organizing events for a festival tomorrow.  The party doesn’t start until sundown.”
“So you do stay up all night,” Stella said, getting a far-away look in her eyes.
“Yep, just like everywhere else,” Twilight said, “Sorry, I’d love to talk to you, but I really must be going.  Ironically enough, since the Princesses aren’t going to be coming to town this year, there’s even more things that need to be scheduled and organized, and I’m the best pony for the job.”  She turned away just in time to miss Stella mouthing the word “princesses” in confusion and lifted a leg to start walking away.
“Can you think of anypony who’ll have time?” Soul asked, and then glanced at Stella, “I mean, it would be nice to get all the background information now so we can focus on the fun when it actually starts.”
“Well,” Twilight said, thinking.
“How about me?” Spike suggested, “All you really need me for is going over the checklist, and you’re probably going to be with the Mayor most of the day, so she can fill that task, right?”  Twilight gave him a disapproving look.  “Ok,” the dragon admitted, “I just want to avoid getting another bad claw cramp, all right?  Have you seen this thing?”  He held up the scroll.
“Spike,” Twilight said in mild rebuke, but then sighed and said, “You know what?  No time to argue.  Go ahead.”
“Thanks Twi,” Spike said happily as he jumped off her back.  Twilight relieved him of the scroll and galloped away.  “All right,” the baby dragon said, rubbing his claws together, “Where do you want to start?”