“Come to the Celebration! She says. It’ll be fun! She says. Don’t worry, we’ll back you up! She says!” Sweet Tooth grumbled to himself, standing out like--
...like a psychotic clown man in a tuxedo standing alone in a room full of decorous ponies. He clutched a cup of punch in his hand as he stood staring, half-lidded, straight ahead into space “Urge to kill: rising” he muttered.
Pinkie Pie bounced over to him as she pinballed her way around the party. “OOOoooo, pretty!” she marvelled, moving her head like a yo-yo, about the tuxedo Rarity had made for Sweet Tooth. The tuxedo was admitably a remarkable piece. As Rarity, herself, had put it: “The ensemble remains true to his twisted clown essence while symmetrically captures a less intimidating harlequin atmosphere.”
His jacket and pants were a rose colour that both complimented and blended in colour with his flaming head, with faint red lines that ran vertically and horizontally to form outlined squares all over. The open jacket featured crimson lapels and covered a white formal shirt, with cummerbund. The shirt itself featured three comically large red buttons leading up to the grand finale being a clown-sized purple bow-tie around his neck. Matching the comic bow-tie were a pair of oversized clown shoes on his feet and his brown mechanics gloves, now replaced with flawless white leather gloves.
Sweet Tooth currently, however, more resembled one of those disturbing ‘sad clown’ paintings.
“Hey! You know what I just realised!?” Pinkie Pie quizzed, tilting her head and leaning down on her front legs in anticipation. “Your jacket matches my coat!” she exploded unto her hind legs, throwing up her forelegs in an arc and holding them out in jest, “Get it!?”
Sweet Tooth stood expressionless.
Pinkie Pie didn’t mind his lack of enthusiasm, however, displaying enough for both of them as she bounced around his statued form.
Rainbow Dash had trotted over alongside with Rarity in time to catch Pinkie’s pun.
Rainbow Dash snickered, “Good one, Pinkie Pie!”
Rarity took the humour in stride “It really is quite a fetching colour on you, darling. Like I always say: Real men aren’t afraid to wear pink.”
Sweet Tooth rose a finger to rain down his distain upon them over himself just being in the room-- when Rainbow Dash had zipped up to be face to face.
“So... Sweet Tooth, right?” she questioned, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.
Before Sweet Tooth had finished inhaling for his reply, Rainbow continued, “Glad to see you haven’t cut anypony up yet” she grinned, giving him a playful elbow nudge.
“Don’t give me any ideas” Sweet Tooth muttered under his breath, feeling his patience evaporating.
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash poked her head back in Sweet Tooth’s personal space, with an idea of her own. “If you’ve got time later, could you sign my copy of Twisted Metal!?” she placed her hooves together adoringly.
“Sign your what!?” Sweet Tooth angled off from her in bewilderment.
“Ooohh! I love that game!” Pinkie Pie chirped, triggering a fanfare of discussion between Rainbow Dash and Pinkie over their other favourite games. Sweet Tooth was trapped behind the crossfire of the flapping pegasus and the raving pony.
Meanwhile, Applejack was regaling an attentive, eagerly listening Fluttershy to one of her many anecdotes as they wandered over to meet up with the rest of their friends.
“...the sea was angry that day, mah friend; like an old man tryin’a send back soup at a deli—”
Applejack broke from her story to greet their friends, “Hey y’all!”
Fluttershy looked across from Applejack, “Hi, girls.”
Noticing that the group was already engaged in a discussion, Applejack took the opportunity to finish telling her tale to Fluttershy, “so anyway, I got ‘bout fifty feet out when, suddenly, the great beast appeared before me...”
Rarity took a head-count, followed by a curious glance around the room. “Uh, girls? Has anypony seen Twilight? Princess Luna’s address is sure to start soon and we’ll need to be ready to--” as Rarity returned her gaze to her friends she realised her attempts to rally them were being hindered by more than just the room’s white noise.
“Although, I really enjoyed Daring Do’s Fortune, I’ve gotta say: Daring Do’s Deception was my favourite” Rainbow Dash replied concludingly to Pinkie Pie.
“...As if sensin’ ma’ presence, the beast let out a great bellow. I said: Easy, big fella!...” Applejack re-enacted.
“The original Kingdom Hooves is legen...dary! But, Kingdom Hooves two was two times the fun! Action overload!” Pinkie Pie sold her case to Rainbow Dash with unbridled cheer.
“...Then, from outta nowhere, a huge tidal wave lifted me; tossed me like a cork!...” Applejack dramatically recounted to Fluttershy, whose hooves now covered her mouth in suspense.
“Girls!” Rarity called out once more “Has anypony seen Twili—”
The white noise and commotion of the lively room, were snuffed by the fanfare of the Royal procession.
The five mares took off in a hurry to take their place behind the VIP balcony in a puff of smoke.
...Sweet Tooth remained, expressionless. He peered down to the punch still in his hand,
“Glad this is Irish.”
***
“...and I pray that, in all seasons, through all generations: our children and theirs, until eternity, that when we look back in our hearts at what happened during that fateful Summer Sun Celebration, that it will serve as a reminder to us all, of the glorious light of our saving grace, protected in the hearts of the humble, the faithful, the ones who chose the path of resistance, of mercy and of forgiveness, of love. And as your princess, I will endeavour-- till my dying breath to, like the moon, shine light upon you in your darkest hours... Thank-you.”
The crowd was sure to let their Princess of the Night remember how pleased they were to have her back as they rejoiced in applause following her address.
Princess Luna gave a humble yet majestic bow of her head to her subjects before turning from the balcony to rejoin Celestia, Twilight Sparkle and now, her five friends as well.
“That was beautiful, Princess Luna!” Twilight Sparkle thanked the Princess, a single tear stain on her cheek.
“Thank-you, Twilight Sparkle...truly” Luna replied, allowing her royal manner to pass a deep and open sincerity, “And thank-you, Sister... for forgiving me.”
Princess Celestia smiled warmly back at her little sister “Thank-you for giving me the chance to” she replied compassionately.
“I promised myself-- I wouldn’t cry” Rarity whispered, fanning her face with a hoof.
Luna did her best to keep from blushing, “Thank-you all, so much. For all that you have done” she spoke now, not just as their leader, but as a fellow pony “You showed me the light and you words worked together with your actions to prove to me the supreme power of love” she looked across the group earnestly, “You helped give me life. For that I am grateful, everyday.”
Not a word or dry eye could be found in response among the group. Together they let the moment, and everything that had built to it, sink in.
Princess Luna turned to Twilight and her friends, “Come, I have something to show you.”
***