//------------------------------// // Missing // Story: "Another Cup of Tea, Madam?" // by Manes //------------------------------// It seemed as if Sweetie Belle had been through every single room and hallway in the massive castle in her search for Princess Celestia, but every time she turned a corner, there was another new statue or art gallery she had never seen before. Normally, Sweetie Belle could find Princess Celestia in the familiar confines of the Royal Residence, but she had traveled far through unexplored hallways in her search today, and there was no sign of her teacher. She was utterly lost, and it was all her own fault. The servants and visitors that she met all seemed to be staring at her, as if Sweetie was trespassing in some forbidden area. Eyes followed her with every step, making her heart pound in her chest with their unwanted attention. It was difficult attempting to keep her head up and her pace decisive as Celestia had taught her. Her hooves still shook with every step she took, her eyes darted left and right, sometimes catching guards glancing at her before turning away when they caught her eye. “Is that Celestia’s new student?” or “Do you think she’s lost?” sounded behind her in a constant echo as their accusatory voices bounced off the hard marble walls, the repeated question filling her ears like a broken record. A smile spread across her face when she saw familiar light piercing through the crowd of guards. She crawled her way through the crowd of ponies, ignoring the glances and mumbles, the light becoming brighter as she drew closer. She gasped for air after she reached the end of the swarm of royal ponies where an empty space narrow empty space waited for her between two royal ponies who each spared her a brief glance, but reluctantly scooted a little bit further apart in order to leave her room to stand between them. Sweetie Belle turned behind her and saw guards still roamed in numbers, but none of them seemed to be heading Sweetie’s way. As she continued to trot nervously through the halls, one of the guards finally approached her. She was a brown-coated mare who wore her golden armor with the casualness of a comfortable jacket. Hope sparked inside Sweetie, wondering if she knew where she last saw Celestia. Plus even though she didn’t know this mare, she felt more safe with her than the other guards. When the mare looked at her, she saw emotion which the others didn’t display. Even a smile the mare plastered on her face as she spotted Sweetie Belle. “Do you know where I could find Celestia?” she asked the mare. “Why does a pretty filly like you wanna see Celestia?” "We was suppose to have a tea, party,” she replied. “Then we better get you there missy!” She grabbed Sweetie’s foreleg and pulled her to Celestia’s chambers, trotting. “I never got your name, sweetheart.” “It's Sweetie….Belle!” Sweetie Belle shouted as the mare pulled her. “Nice to meet you, Sweetie. I’m Chocolate!” Turning around the corner to the eastern hall, Sunset could see a pair of large, purple double doors as tall as Celestia, bearing her sunny symbol right in the middle. She felt the nervous trembles stirring into a spin inside her chest, as if her heart was inside a washing machine.  “So uh, is there more mare guards working here or just you?” Chocolate chuckled. “Nah, there are more, but most of them don’t smile much.” If only this mare were pink. “Why?” “I don’t know, guess it’s in the job description?” Chocolate shook her head. “Whatever it is, I’m the only one who here like to smile.” She looked down at the clinging filly. “Why a filly such as yourself wanna meet the Princess?” “We have tea parties together.” Chocolate gasped. “You’re joking! No way!” Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but smirk. She felt like a celebrity knowing she probably is the first filly who got to have such a friendship with the princess. She shook her head. She didn’t want to think like that, she wasn’t spending time with Celestia for the fame or luxury. She spent time because she made a new friend when her old ones were nowhere to be found. “Well you’re one lucky filly, I always dreamed about meeting and playing with Celestia,” Chocolate giggled. “In a way, I kinda did met her, but not in the way I dreamed about.” Sweetie Belle smiled as they approached Celestia’s door. Anymore second with this minute, her foreleg would be tore off and she liked using her foreleg. “Well here, we are!” The mare said, stopping. Sweetie Belle sighed in relief as the marfe released her devil grip and she could feel her foreleg again. “Thank you.” As Chocolate turned around and prepared to leave, an idea popped in her head. “Wait!” Chocolate turned around. “Yes?” Sweetie Belle blushed and rubbed her foreleg. “Maybe you would like to join me and Celestia’s tea party?” Chocolate gasped. “Really?” Realizing her mistake, she coughed and put on deadpan look. “Really?” Sweetie Belle giggled. “Well you was nice to me more than the guards around here so why not!” She took a step back as the guard ran over to her and swooped her into a hug, crushing her bones. “You’re….crushing….me!” Chocolate released her grip and chuckled. “Whoops! Are you okay?” Sweetie Belle nodded. “I think after a couple hospital visits I will be.” “Well I gotta go. I can’t wait until that tea party!b See you around!” she shouted, waving as she walked away. “Princess Celestia?” Sweetie Belle asked as she peaked through the large tall door. She saw only the bed through the peak and pushed the door for a better view. “Princess Celestia?” When Sweetie Belle walked in the room, her mouth fell the floor at the sight. Celestia’s room had a royal look to it with red carpet underneath Sweetie’s hooves, the golden bars that held Celestia’s king-sized bed, which was well made, the blankets matching the color of the carpet. The paintings had an opened field surrounded by grass, maybe because she liked the thought of just roaming there with her student. She whistled as she looked around the shelves of items covering wall to wall, stacked with treasures Celestia collected from her trips across the world. “I guess she’s not here.” Sweetie Belle sighed. She saw the window door was left open, letting sunshine hit the floor. Sweetie Belle always wondered how little the ponies would look if she looked from afar and the castle was the tallest of them all.Sweetie Belle dragged a chair from the room and positioned it near the window sill, where she would often take a glance out the window for something to peak her interest. Sweetie Belle looked down from above the window. The ponies looked like ants scattered all over the place.  There was silence, she couldn’t hear none of the moment that went on down there, only the wind. She smiled as she felt the cold touch of the wind brushing her face. Her eyes slowly began giving into the temptation of sleeping, but she shook her head to keep herself awake.  Sweetie Belle crossed her forelegs and huffed. I miss them. She hopped off her chair and trotted out the room, leaving the room. “Rarity!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, galloping towards her. Once Sweetie Belle had gotten close enough, she wrapped her forelegs around Rarity and pulled her into a big bone-crushing hug. “ “Sweetie… I...need...to breathe!” Rarity winced, feeling the breath seeping from her lungs. Sweetie Belle released her sister from the forceful embrace and giggled, “Sorry, Sis. It’s just that I’m so happy you came back!” Rarity gingerly reached behind herself and rubbed her sore back with her two front hooves. “That’s good to hear, Sweetie Belle, but I can’t always be the only pony you want to see.” Sweetie Belle arched her eyebrow and tilted her head, “What do you mean, Sis?” “You know what I’m talking about. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.” “Apple Bloom and Scootaloo is too far away to visit.” She sighed, “I miss them.” Rarity felt her heart cringe at Sweetie Belle’s sadness, so she did what she had always done in situations like this. Rarity wrapped her hooves around Sweetie Belle and hugged her tightly. “It's okay. I’m sure they didn’t mean to leave without saying goodbye.” Sweetie Belle sniffed and wiped the fresh tears that trailed from her eyes. “How about you help me with this dish, hmm?” Sweetie Belle’s eyes brightened. “Really?” Rarity nodded. “Only if you don’t burn it this time.” Sweetie Belle saulted her sister and ran to the fridge. In front of them, a fridge stood tall. When Sweetie Belle swung it open, a bright light flashed in her eyes and she was graced with a mother lode of food. She dug inside with a goofy grin on her face, hunting for a key ingredient for Rarity’s meal. She hopped out the chair, knocking down the chair in the process as she sprinted to the fridge. She grabbed the handle and swung it open. She tossed a couple things she did not care about out the fridge and continued to do so until she found some carrots. After throwing almost all the food she stored inside the fridge, she looked around and saw the carrots sitting in the back.. “Here we go,” Sweetie Belle said, taking out a couple carrots. “Thank you,” Rarity said as she grabbed the carrots and levitated it over the into the spot. “Alright we should wait, while that boils.” Rarity and Sweetie Belle smiled at each before turning their attention to the boiling water.  Their little ruined was interrupted as a blazing creature came flying around the room. Sweetie Belle held onto her little friend for dear life. “What is that!” “I don’t know!” Rarity shouted. “I’m scared, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle buried her face into her big sister’s coat. “Just don’t look at it, sweetie and it’ll go away!” The sisters held each other tight and closed together. If this blazing creature was going to hurt them, then they wanted to be together when that happened as sisters. Rarity and Sweetie Belle eyes shot wide opened when they heard Celestia chuckle.  Sweetie Belle turned towards the front door and gasped at what she saw. Princess Celestia was standing with a burning bird clinging to her foreleg, and it didn’t hurt her or even try to. It just stared at Celestia. “Is that what I think it is?” Stars nodded. She trotted to the sacred sisters huddling up against each other and knelt down to their level. “Don’t be afraid. It’s harmless.” The bird leaned close to Sweetie Belle and nuzzled her face, making her giggle.  The bird flew into Celestia’s forelegs and nuzzled her face. She stared at the small burning creature. The bird tilted its head when it stared at Celestia then flew off back up the ceiling. “It’s harmless.” Celestia smiled and looked at the bird flying around the room. It’s squeal echoed in the room and it a blazing fire followed its trail. “ This is Philomena.” Sweetie Belle looked at Rarity who nodded and proceeded to walk towards the bird. She reached a hoof over to the bird and ran it through the bird’s fur. She giggled when it tickled her hoof until of burning it like she thought. Never before she seen such a creature that looked intimidating, but beautiful at the same time. As the bird hummed over Sweetie’s touch, the memory of her friends back at home began to fade because she just met a new friend. One that would follow her everywhere. Celestia smiled. “Sweetie Belle, would you like to join me?” “Yea--”Sweetie Belle stopped and turned back to look at her sister who was too busy looking at the sister. She turned back to Celestia with a sigh. “No, I think I’m going to stay here with me, sis.” Celestia looked at Rarity then back at Sweetie Belle, her smile only grew as she realized what Sweetie had done.” Very well, I’m in the chambers whenever you want to play, tea party again.” With that, the princess walked away with the bird following after her. Sweetie Belle smiled and walked over to her sister stirring the pot. Rarity smiled at her and Sweetie Belle smiled back. Both enjoying the moment both wanted since their arrival in canterlot.