//------------------------------// // The Filly and the Party // Story: Warmth of the Sun // by RoyalBardofCanterlot //------------------------------// Twilight paced. She walked back and forth, circling the table upon which all the foods and drinks were. After pacing from one side of the room to the other she glared up disdainfully at all the signs that covered the room, the streamers and balloons that seemed to mock her. After stopping her pacing she glared at a particularly offensive yellow balloon. She then began busying herself with the arduous task of arranging the balloons in the exact colors of the Saddle Arabian flag-black, silver and yellow. Pinkie, of course, would have a breakdown upon seeing black balloons even though Pinkie had been the one to advise her on the party. Twilight didn’t care. She had been tasked with organizing a party for the Princess of the Saddle Arabians and that’s exactly what she would do. Even if they were, that most terrible of all things, late. Late, mocking her checklists of planned activities. Late, mocking all her efforts. Her eye twitched. She levitated her checklist of checklists she needed to ensure that she had everything for the party. She looked around. Balloons. Cake. Streamers. Traditional Saddle Arabian Gyros. Banner welcoming the delegation written in Arabian. Yes, everything needed for the party was here except for the guests. She stared at the unmarked check. She could almost swear she heard it laughing at her. She gritted her teeth and it took everything she had not to shout racial slurs about the Arabians which Celestia would no doubt wash her mouth out for. Or, worse, tell her she was disappointed in her. She gulped and resumed pacing. No. She couldn’t let Celestia down. She needed Celestia’s approval and that meant the party had to be perfect. She had promised that when she’d gotten the call to Canterlot a month ago. … “You want me to plan a party? Why me?” Twilight asked. She was standing in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. She was standing before Celestia who was on her throne. “Mayor Mare was praising your organizational skills. I want to see them in action. This celebration is important for cementing the alliance between our nations. Will you help me with this?” Twilight bowed. “It will be perfect. I swear it.” … Twilight continued to examine everything about the room, her tail unconsciously twitching in annoyance. Quite in contrast to the fuming unicorn, Princess Celestia stood calmly in the back of the room. Her white wings were folded at her sides and she regarded her faithful student with some concern. “I’m certain they’ll be here soon, Twilight.” “They’re five minutes late.” “Let’s give them more time.” “I could be back in Ponyville. Those ponies know how to throw a party. I wish Pinkie were here.” Celestia failed to hide a smile at that, amazed by how much Twilight’s friends now meant to her. She had requested Twilight’s presence here and also asked her to organize the event. After Mayor Mare had praised her organizational skills she’d wanted to see it for herself. “Saddle Arabians are traditionally thirty minutes late to any social gathering as I’ve told you. Repeatedly.” She had also told her that ten minutes ago. “What kind of moronic custom is that? Don’t they have watches?” She stomped a hoof. “Are they just stupid or something?” “They are a crucial ally and occasional enemy. Insulting them is not a good idea.” Celestia said, a warning tone to her voice. “And where the hell is Luna? Why wasn’t she invited?” “They mistrust my sister, being sun worshippers.” “I like the sun too, but there’s no need to disrespect one’s fellow sovereign!” “I agree, Twilight. I really do.” Celestia sighed. “I have tried to get them to meet with her, but they won’t budge. I’m certain they’ll come to their senses eventually.” Twilight looked like she was about to respond, then she noticed the time, “They’re now six minutes late!” She screeched, her eye twitching as she stared at the clock. “That’s nearly a declaration of war! I made a list of things to do! At the six minute mark we should be wrapping up introductions and moving into small talk!” The panicking purple pony began hyperventilating. “We’re six minutes off schedule! We will never regain these six minutes! The party will be ruined, the alliance will crumble, we’ll go to war, our civilizations will fall, Canterlot will go up in flames, the Smooze will return to judge the living and the dead-IT’S ALL OVER!” Celestia strode over and placed a hoof on Twilight’s back. “Twilight. Calm down.” She ordered as she stroked her mane. Twilight began to breathe. “Okay. I’m good. I’m calm.” “Sure?” Twilight nodded. She then leaned into Celestia. “I want things to go perfect. I want to make a good impression on them…on you!” Celestia nuzzled her. “My faithful student, I am very proud of you and the things you’ve done. You already have made a good impression on me. You restored my sister, defeated Discord and many other things besides. I’m certain you can handle one party.” Twilight rested on her teacher’s chest, burying her head into the soft fur. Celestia wrapped a wing around her. That’s when a guard came into the room. Celestia and Twilight separated. The guard bowed. “Your Highness, the Saddle Arabians say they will be an hour late. They stopped to do one of their daily prayers and missed their train.” Celestia gave a cautious glance at Twilight who had turned a most intriguing shade of red. She laid a hoof on Twilight’s head. “Breathe Twilight.” The guard left the room and Twilight let out a very naughty word so loud that the entire room shook. “Twilight!” Celestia reprimanded. “There is no need for such language! Why don’t we have a nice cup of tea and you can calm down? Doesn’t that sound nice?” Twilight’s shuddering breaths filled the room. “Twilight?” Celestia asked. “Are you okay? Really there’s no need to-” “THEY WANT THE PARTY TO BE RUINED! THEY WANT ME TO LOSE MY MIND! IT’S A CONSPIRACY! A CONSPIRACY I TELL YA!” Her horn glowed, her eyes glowed white with ethereal power and everything in the room began to lift into the air. Books and vases swirled around and Twilight rose in the air, cosmic power flowing all through her. Celestia’s horn glowed and she took everything in her aura setting then down safely. She then took hold of Twilight. Twilight gasped as the magic surge ended. Celestia sat on a chair and Twilight found herself across her lap, her rump up in a most familiar position. “Hey, what are you-” Celestia lifted her hoof and landed a light spank to Twilight’s bottom. Twilight yelped, even though the spank was more of a tap. Celestia lifted her hoof again and landed another swat to the other side of Twilight’s rear. “This will help you, Twilight.” Celestia assured her, punctuating each word with a swat. Twilight squirmed over her lap as Celestia continued aiming firm smacks all across Twilight’s rear end. Each tap was light though they stung. Taken together they made an uncomfortable heat buildup in Twilight’s hind quarters. Celestia alternated the spanks, first landing on the left then the right. After three or four spanks to Twilight’s left, she’d focus the spanks to Twilight’s right. Twilight stopped struggling and laid limp across her teacher’s lap. Celestia continued spanking her upturned backside. She moved to the exact center of her bottom, landing the light yet firm swats to Twilight’s sit spot. “P-please, Princess I’m sorry!” Celestia didn’t respond, continuing to pepper her faithful students behind with the quick spanks. Twilight lay still across Celestia’s lap. She didn’t resist as the spanks from her teacher’s hoof fell across her hind end. Celestia loved and care about her. If Celestia felt she deserved a spanking she deserved a spanking. She even lifted her rear so that Celestia would have an easier time landing the spanks. Celestia let fall a barrage of swift spanks each one carrying little force, but stinging all the same. The alicorn finished with three firm smacks to Twilight’s now pink behind. She rubbed her student’s sore tush. “How do you feel?” She asked. “Like I’m never throwing another tantrum again.” Twilight answered. “Do you feel calmer?” Twilight was surprised that she did. The emotions formerly clawing at her heart had been subdued. She knew scientifically her body was flooded with endorphins-the happy chemical-from the pain. There was something else though. “I feel calm.” Twilight said. “Really, I feel better.” Celestia picked her up and held her close, wrapping both wings around her. Twilight nestled against her. “Thanks for taking control just then. I really lost it.” Twilight whispered. “That sounds weird. Thanks for taking control of me. But I like you being in control.” “I know Twilight.” Celestia said, stroking her mane. “I had a feeling that it would calm you down. I will always be here to guide you-and to smack your flank when you really need it.” “I like this feeling. You taking care of me, protecting me from myself. I just want to lie here forever.” “We have some time.” Celestia focused her magic and teleported them to her bedroom. Twilight clutched on to her neck as Celestia carried her over to the bed and laid down. She pulled the blanket over them. Twilight wrapped her forearms around Celestia and Celestia wrapped her forearms and wings around her, drawing her close and surrounding her in a feathery cocoon of love and warmth. Twilight knew she should still be worried about the party, but she really wasn’t. She nuzzled into Celestia’s furry softness as the sun goddess ran a hoof through her mane. “Princess? If this party goes wrong, will I still be your most faithful student?” Celestia kissed her forehead. “You’d have to do more than mess up a party to lose that title." Twilight smiled and fell into a light sleep against her teacher. A long while passed as they held each other. “I always do this.” Twilight muttered. “I always worry and get myself in a panic trying to make everything go perfectly. Most of the time it just ends with me making things worse or getting in trouble.” “Why do you think that is?” Celestia asked in her teacher voice, calm and gentle. “I guess I really want to please you. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be proud of me.” “I am proud of you. What can I do to make you believe me?” “I know you’re proud of me. I worked so hard to get your respect, your love. I don’t want to lose it.” “You had my love from the first moment I met you. You were such a happy, enthusiastic little filly, full of life, always bouncing around, trying to learn everything about the world.” “I’m just afraid I’m going to mess up and you’re going to stop loving me.” Celestia took Twilight’s face in her hooves. “That will never happen. You will never lose my love. I promise you that.” Twilight smiled. “Promise?” “Pinkie promise.” Celestia said. "Don't you remember I told you that after the incident with the Necronomicon? No matter what you do, I will always love you, my most faithful student." Twilight went back to resting against her chest. “But it almost did happen. At the wedding.” Celestia winced. “Twilight, I was disappointed in you. That’s true. I thought you were being jealous and over-protective.” “Not that I can blame you considering I do freak out a lot.” “But I should have taken what you said into account. Even then I never stopped loving you. Being disappointed in somepony doesn't mean you stop loving them. Haven’t you been disappointed in somepony you care about before?” Twilight thought for a moment. “Rainbow Dash. I love her like the sister I never had, but she’s so reckless. I’m afraid she’s going to get hurt one of these days, but she never listens to me!” “And when she does get hurt from not listening to you do you love her any less?” “No, of course not.” “What makes you think I will love you any less when you mess up?” It was a good point. “I understand, Princess. I guess you still have lessons to teach me. I just wish I didn’t go into those awful states.” “Twilight, remember when you were a filly and you got in these states and I spanked you like I did just now?” Twilight nodded. “Strangely, that helped. It calmed me, helped me think straight again.” “I could help you like that again. If you feel yourself starting to get like that come to me. I’ll do what you need to get you out of it. Not always a spanking, of course. Maybe just a hug or to talk. I can teach you some calming exercises.” “I remember you teaching me those before. I guess I stopped doing them when I became an adult. I thought I didn’t need to anymore. Guess I was wrong.” “We all tend to forget what we learned as children. Play nice, share your toys. If we followed those rules the world would be a better place and my job would be easier.” Twilight giggled. “Yes. I’d like it if you could help me through this.” A companionable silence fell upon the pair as they nestled together beneath the covers and fell into a light nap. That nap was interrupted when a guard knocked at the door. The Arabian delegation had finally arrived. Twilight leapt from Celestia’s bed, ran past the guard and towards the guest room. Celestia trotted after her and into the guest room. “Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Twilight said as she bowed before a large stallion dressed in his ceremonial bridle. A curved, golden blade was at his side and a crown was upon his head, the Grand Emir of Saddle Arabia bowed his head. “Salim. It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I am sorry that we were late. I hope it did not cause you distress.” “Oh no, it was no trouble!” Twilight said smiling widely. The emir’s two wives, three sons, four daughters and several of the elite ghazi, golden swords glittering at their sides, lounged around the room. One of the ghazi picked up a gyro and made a grunt of pleasure. “I like the balloons, nice touch.” The emir complimented. “Oh you like it? I’m so happy you like it!” Twilight said. Celestia walked into the room and the emir walked up to her. “Greetings, Queen of Canterlot, Princess of Equestria, Ruler of the Dawn.” He said, bowing his head. “Greetings, Ruler of the Arabians by the grace of Allah, honored descendant of Moohamed-peace be upon him.” Celestia said, bowing her own head. Formalities out of the way, the sovereigns began to chat. “I must say, I do love the decorations.” He said as he watched his ghazis and family enjoy the food. He got a gyro for himself. “Oh, these are good. I must know the name of the chef.” “Pinkamena Diana Pie, one of my subjects.” Celestia said, taking one for herself. “As for the decorations and planning you’d have to thank my most faithful student Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight, standing a few feet away beamed at the praise. The party continued with feasting and a band playing traditional Equestrian folk music. Twilight had even hired a Trottish sword dancer that the Arabian princess found to be exotic and delightfully entertaining. The moon had risen high in the sky by the time the guests left. Twilight, exhausted, leaned against her mentor. “They liked it. They really liked it.” She said. “The best party with Saddle Arabians I’ve ever seen. I think I saw the emir smile. That’s a rarity.” Celestia said. “I can’t believe I actually did it.” Twilight said. “I’m so exhausted…” “You’ve been busy.” “Guess what? I think I might not have to sleep on my tummy tonight.” “Sleepy? How about some bedtime tea?” “That sounds nice.” Twilight followed Celestia as they walked to the kitchen.