//------------------------------// // "Another Cup Of Tea, Madam?" (oneshot) // Story: "Another Cup of Tea, Madam?" // by Manes //------------------------------// Today was a beautiful day. The sun’s brightly-colored rays of light shone out for everypony to see and play in. Everypony was having the best time of their lives, enjoying the comforting warmth of Celestia’s sun. Everypony except Princess Celestia herself, who was finishing the last documents for a parade to celebrate this special day. “That’s the last one,” said Celestia as she levitated the last paper up to the top of the pile. An exhausted sigh came from Princess Celestia’s mouth, feeling a great pain in her neck after hours of sitting in that chair, doing nothing but working and sitting. “I need to get a  more comfortable chair if I’m going to keep doing this.” She levitated a cup from her table and brought it close to her muzzle. She could smell the sweet scent of maple syrup and oak as she brought the cup to her lips. Her favorite. Princess Celestia sat back down on her chair and gazed at the things that were in her room. Nothing but pictures from her trips on royal duties and paintings of nature at its finest hung on her wall. She frowned. Nothing that could help her remember anything from her childhood hung on the wall. Her childhood remained a mystery to her. All her life, everything had been about work. Nothing else, but work. She wished she could travel back in time and be a kid again. Suddenly, the door opened to two guards trotting in the room. One of them had something held in their wing. “Princess Celestia, I bring you something you might want to see.” Princess Celestia sighed and tapped a hoof on the table where the guard placed the letter at. She opened the letter and levitated in front of her as she began to read it. Her eyes slowly skimmed through the piece of paper. After a couple of minutes. She placed the letter down and looked at the guards. “This was sent from the Mayor of Ponyville. When?” “A couple hours ago, Your Highness.” One of the guards replied, holding his helmet to his side. “Shall I get a carriage ready for you?” Princess Celestia nodded. “I would like that. Thank you,” She said as the guards left the room. Once the doors were shut and they were out of sight, her smile swiftly fell and she sighed. She got up from her chair and made her way out the door to the carriages waiting for her outside. Princess Celestia couldn’t wait to get out of the carriage and have a chat with the Mayor. Couple minutes of silence as the guards were pulling her to Ponyville and not even bothering to start a conversation with her. It just didn’t feel right to her. It felt dull and boring as always.  Finally, the carriage stopped near the Sugarcube Corner. A smile appeared on her face as she thought about going in there and eating some chocolate donuts or delicious cake. “Stop right here.” “Pardon me, Your Highness. But, your meeting isn’t here.” The guard said as he stopped the carriage near the front door.   Princess Celestia got off the carriage and made her way to the door. She placed a foreleg on the door then turned to the guard who was waiting for her by the carriage. “Go to the Mayor and inform her that the meeting will be held here.” The guard nodded and began to trot towards town square, leaving Celestia behind. Once the guard was out of sight, she could finally have a nice and relaxing treat while enjoying others’ company. She opened the door and made her way inside the bakery. The smell of different types of baked sweets made her mouth water in anticipation. “Hello Mrs. Cake.” She said as she trotted to the front counter. “Your Highness,” She said with a quick bow. “May I get your royal chair out of the closet?” Princess Celestia chuckled, shaking her head. “No, that won’t be needed. I’ll have some cake and eat over there.” She said, pointing over to a table positioned near the window. “Alright, your cake should be ready in a couple minutes.” She replied with a warm smile, then went back to the kitchen to get started on Celestia's order. Celestia went to her table and sat down. She turned towards the window and gazed at the busy ponies on their carriages riding by.  She couldn’t help but feel more at home whenever she was at Ponyville, and yet Canterlot was her birth place. Was it because her student lived there, or was it because she did more for Ponyville than Canterlot? Her thoughts were interrupted as Mrs. Cake placed a plate of sweets in front of her. Celestia silently mouthed the words “thank you” and then Mrs. Cake left the table. She levitated the fork from the table and took a large piece of the cake, shoving it into her mouth. She chewed with a delighted moan as the sweet taste of chocolate cake and sprinkled donuts filled her taste buds. “Wow, this is amazing!” She exclaimed with a mouthful, earning a couple of looks from the ponies inside the bakery. She chuckled nervously, turning back to the window. She took another bite of the cake, and this time she made sure not to shout out what she was thinking. Suddenly, outside the window, a small white unicorn was trotting near the bakery with her head down, and it appeared that she was dragging something with her. Celestia placed her fork down and left the table. She opened the door and heard quiet sobbing coming from the white unicorn. “What’s the matter, little filly?” She asked as she approached Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle sniffled, wiping away a tear. “I wanted to have this tea party, but my friends wouldn’t come because they said tea parties were for foals!” She held out the teddy bear she was dragging on the floor and showed it to Celestia. “Mr. Wubbles wanted to have a friend to play with!” Princess Celestia frowned. She couldn’t help but to feel bad for the filly. True, she’s a princess and is suited to care for all her subjects, but she felt like this happened to her when she was a child. “Do you have any other friends?” She asked with a caring tone. Sweetie Belle shook her head. “All of them stayed home for the parade, and my sister is always working.” A hopeful smile appeared on her face, which made Celestia nervous. “Can you come to my tea party?” “Uh, I don’t know. I have a lot of royal duties to attend to. In fact, I’m actually on one right—” She stopped mid-sentence as she saw the filly’s smile fall and her dreams crushed. What was she doing? She’s supposed to make her subjects happy and safe, and instead she makes a filly sad. She couldn't help feeling like a monster. She placed a hoof under the filly and lifted her up so they could meet eye to eye. “I’ll go with you to your tea party,” Princess Celestia said, and the filly jumped in the air with a joyful cheer, which made her giggle. “Just for you.” She turned her head when the sound of the carriage approaching Sugarcube Corner caught her attention. Mayor Mare approached Celestia with the guard from earlier following behind her. “Your Highness, I was informed we were having the meeting inside, but will it be out here instead?” She asked, arching an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?” “No worries.” Princess Celestia stepped in front of the Mayor. “I’ve decided the meeting will be held with my sister, Princess Luna. You and her can discuss what needs to be planned for the parade. As for me..." She turned to Sweetie Belle, who was hugging her teddy bear tightly. “I’ve got a tea party to attend.”  Mayor Mare sighed. "I understand." She said, and went to back to the carriage with the guard following her. Once the guard pulled the carriage away and they were out of sight, Princess Celestia turned back to the unicorn and smiled. “Shall we leave?” Princess Celestia followed the small filly to wherever she was taking her. The sun beaming down on her followed by a cold breeze made it seem like it was a good decision to take a walk on such a nice day. She inhaled, taking the fresh air in her lungs, then exhaled. “Where are you taking me, little filly?” She asked, examining the trees that passed by them. “My royal castle!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “I made it all pretty and nice for my royal subjects to see!” Her smile faded off her face and turned into a frown. “My friends were supposed to see it, but they didn't want to.” Sweetie Belle sounded disappointed. Princess Celestia’s heart ached from seeing the filly’s dream being crushed. She had to do something. “Hey, little filly?” She called out, making Sweetie Belle stop and turn around. “You want me to fly us there?” “Really?!” Without a second to lose, Sweetie Belle ran to the white alicorn and, without warning, jumped onto her back. “Let us go forth, my trusted steed!” She shouted, holding the bear as a sword in the air. “Onward!” Princess Celestia shook her head, giggling. “Foals these days,” She muttered.  Her wings unfurled to their full length. Sweetie Belle gasped, nearly fainting at the sight of such beauty. She had never seen an alicorn’s wings before, besides Twilight’s. Celestia’s were pure white and shined with the sun. “Wow! You have beautiful wings!” Sweetie Belle reached to one of Celestia’s wings and ran a hoof through it. “And they're so soft, too! Wow, Princess Celestia, you’re amazing!” Princess Celestia blushed. “You’re too kind.” She arched her back as she prepared to take off. “Hold on tight.” Sweetie Belle did what she was told and wrapped her forelegs around Celestia’s neck. She soared into the air in a slow pace so the small unicorn could feel the breeze and the sun shining down on her forehead. “Wooooah!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her mane blowing into her face from the rushing wind. The ponies from below heard the filly screaming as Celestia flew by them, making them look up in the air. Sweetie Belle’s smile told it all. She was having the time of her life riding on the back of the princess. Princess Celestia smiled. She felt young again, free from the stress that was brought on because of her royal title. Finally, Celestia was approaching the treehouse and she could see Sweetie Belle was not lying about making it look pretty. Pink and white streamers were wrapped around the house, balloons surrounded the place, and there was a red carpet on the floor inside the house. “Where did you get—” “My sister, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie!” Sweetie Belle interrupted. “I wanted to make this tea party exxxxtra special for my friends!” “Awww, how sweet. Your friends are very lucky to have you,” Celestia said with a smile. “You’re a very special little filly.” Sweet Belle smiled and hugged Celestia’s neck even tighter. “Princess Celestia.” “Yes, my little pony?” “Do you have any friends?” “Sure I do. My former protege Princess Twilight and her friends.” Celestia tapped a hoof on her chin before saying. “My sister as well.” Sweetie Belle giggled. “I mean a best friend, silly!” “Well, my sister's been with me my whole life.” Princess Celestia looked down ashamed. “Well... almost my whole life.” “What happened?” Sweetie Belle asked. Princess Celestia didn’t answer. What would the filly think of her if she told her that she banished her own sister to the moon? It was for the greater good, but she was still family. Luckily, they landed at the front door of the clubhouse. Celestia stood still, not knowing what to do next. She had never been to a clubhouse before, nor a tea party. “I don’t—” She was interrupted as Sweetie Belle pulled her inside. Sweetie Belle sat Celestia down near a stuffed elephant. Other animals such as a tiger, a dog, and a cat were seated across the small pink round table Sweetie Belle had set up in the middle of the floor. “Princess Celestia, meet my assistants.  Dr. Fluffykins, Mr. Smiley, and my personal guard.” She grabbed the teddy bear and hugged it tightly. “Mr. Wubbles!” “Umm, how do these “tea parties” work, exactly?” Princess Celestia asked while playing with the small cup in her hooves. “I’m quite new to this.” “You pretend, silly! Here, let me show you.” Sweetie Belle grabbed the tiger in her magic and levitated it towards Princess Celestia. “Dr. Fluffykins needs to check your temperature.” “Oh.” Princess Celestia leaned out her foreleg and waited for the stuffed animal to check her temperature. It didn’t do a thing. It just sat and stared at her with its cold stuffed eyes. “I’m a little confused here.” Sweetie Belle giggled and made the tiger’s paw touch Celestia’s foreleg with her magic. “Hmm…  It seems you’re a healthy mare, Princess Celestia!” She said, making her voice sound a little deeper, but Celestia still could hear those squeak sounds. Princess Celestia giggled. She knew how this game worked… sorta. “Well, that’s because I eat healthy fruit in meals everyday to make my body strong and my mind smart.” “I eat fruit too, because I’m a princess as well!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, levitating a small cup from the table and taking a long fake sip. “That tea was amazing! You should get some too, Celestia, because Mr. Smiley made it.” She pointed towards the cat who fell on the floor, but its eyes were still staring at Celestia. Princess Celestia giggled nervously and levitated the cup to her mouth. She held it in the air to show Mr. Smiley she was drinking his tea. She took a sip, but nothing hot touched her tongue. She looked inside and saw nothing in there. “Hmmm, where’s the tea?” Sweetie Belle giggled. “Pretend, remember? There’s no tea unless you pretend it’s there!” “Oooh, okay.” Princess Celestia levitated the cup to her mouth, and this time she took a fake sip. “Hmm, this is some divine tea,” She said, rubbing her stomach with a hoof. “Hey, Princess Celestia?’ “Yes, my little pony?” “My friends call me Sweetie Belle,”  Sweetie Belle trotted to Celestia and hugged her foreleg tightly. “Thanks for playing tea party with me.” Celestia smiled, brushing the filly’s mane. “It was my pleasure, Sweetie Belle.” Two guards were roaming around the apple orchard. Princess Celestia was supposed to be at Sugar Cube Corner, but when they got there she was gone. So they panicked, and followed the hoof trail until it stopped a few feet away from a colorful clubhouse. “She must be held captive here,” One of the guards said, looking up at the house. The other guard pulled out her sword. “Only one way to—” She was interrupted as a shriek pierced the air. “That was the Princess!” Both ran to the ladder and climbed up until they were inside the clubhouse. “Unhand her you fool—” She immediately withdrew her sword and exhaled as a load a relief washed over her and vanished her worries.   Princess Celestia was being attacked (playfully) as Sweetie Belle had her pinned down on the floor, tickling her stomach. Sweetie Belle stopped when she heard the guard shout at her. Princess Celestia rose from the floor, brushing off the dirt with a hoof and cleared her throat. “Evening.” “Uuuh, Princess Celestia... What are you wearing?” She asked, pointing to the red scarf Celestia was wearing around her neck. “Oh, this?” Celestia smiled. “Nothing, I’m now part of the ‘Cutie Mark Makers!’” “It’s ‘Crusaders,’” Sweetie Belle corrected her, “And you’re supposed to go ‘yay!’ at the end.” “Oh. I’m a Cutie Mark Crusader, yay!” Princess Celestia exclaimed, earning a giggle from Sweetie Belle. Even the guards couldn’t hold in their laughter. An idea suddenly popped in her head. She levitated a camera from under the table and placed it in one of the guards’ hooves. “ Here, take a picture.” The guard examined the camera Celestia gave to him. He looked at Celestia with a concerned look on his face. “Your Highness, are you sure?” Celestia nodded. “Alright.” The guard took a step back and aimed the camera towards where Celestia and Sweetie Belle sat. “On three, say ‘tea party!’” “One...” Celestia and Sweetie Belle smiled at each other. “Two...” Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but laugh at how silly Celestia looked in her clothes. Celestia finally had a memory to hold on to until the day she perished. “Three!” *click*                                               “TEA PARTY!”