The Countess was in her castle guest room that night. She had taken off her veil and the bright pink wig she was wearing. Her real mane color was black and it had a slight curl. She hated wearing the wig, but her family's traditions were that they impress every pony around them. She was about to get ready for bed when a knock came at her door and a voice called out.
"Ra-Ra? Are you in there?"
"Applejack?" she called back. "Yes, I'm here, come on in."
AJ entered the room and smiled at the sight before her, "Now there's the Ra-Ra we all know and love. When you first came into that throne room, I didn't even recognize ya."
"Sorry about that. But my grandmother insists I wear the wig. It's been passed down from generation to generation. So it was important that I kept up with the tradition."
"But you don't have to wear it all the time, do you?"
"Only to special events, like this one." she beamed at her friend.
"Aw, shucks," AJ blushed. "But you should know that we don't mind if you don't wear the wig."
"Which is why I am not going to wear it during rehearsals."
"Good for you!"
Ra-Ra giggled, "You know, out of all of your sisters, you were my best friend…"
"Aw, that's mighty sweet of you to say."
"It's the truth. We always played together even when the others were too busy. It's amazing seeing all of you like this, married and having children."
"You don't have any little brood to call your own?"
Ra-Ra shook her head, "I don't."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be, I'm fine. One day it'll happen."
"I sure hope so. If any pony deserves to be a mom, it's you."
"You're too sweet, AJ."
The two mares laughed as they recollected their times together.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"No, no, Cotton. It's 'I can also think inside the chimney. Can you think inside a chimney?'" Pinkie was telling her daughter as she was helping her for the audition tomorrow.
Cotton Candy headed to a chimney that was in the castle suite and started repeating the line, "Maybe for you, Smart Cookie. But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means…" She stuck her head inside the empty fireplace, "I can also think inside the chimney! Can you think inside a chimney?" She looked back to her mother, "How was that, Mom?"
"That was perfect, Cotton! Twilight's bound to choose you!"
Cotton bounced in excitement, wishing for tomorrow to come already.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The line of pegasi fillies lined up outside the castle. One-by-one, they were brought in to audition in front of Queen Twilight and her entourage of advisors. Before auditions began, Twilight handed her nephew, Whirl Wind, a script to read off Commander Hurricane's lines.
One of advisors shouted, "Next!" The previous try-out was escorted off the stage and the next filly was brought in. She was a little light brown pegasus with glasses.
"Hello." Twilight greeted her, "What's your name?"
"Um, Zoo-Zoo, Your Majesty."
"Well, Zoo-Zoo, as you are aware, we are looking for some pony to play Private Pansy in our pageant this year. My nephew, Whirl Wind, will be providing Commander Hurricane's lines while you do Private Pansy's lines. Got that?"
Zoo-Zoo nodded, "Uh-huh."
"Then let us begin. Whirl, whenever you're ready."
Whirl was getting tired of delivering the lines, but he knew he couldn't let his aunt and mother down, who was in the theatre watching. He took a deep breath and shouted out, "Atten-tion! Well, aren't you curious about how it went?"
Zoo-Zoo stammered while reading from the script, "Oh, Commander Hurricane, sir. How… how did it go, sir?"
"Horribly! Those other tribe leaders are so disrespectful! Don't they realize we are a mighty tribe of warriors and should not be crossed?! We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!"
"Good, now turn to page 30." Twilight directed.
They quickly flipped the pages and Whirl read out loud, "C'mon Private Pansy, let's get a move on. Hup-one, hup-two!"
Zoo-Zoo did a shriek just as the script had said.
"Get a hold of yourself, Private! We cannot let anything distract us from the mission at hand! To find, and if necessary to conquer, a new land!"
"Conquer, sir?"
"You never know where enemies might be lurking…"
"I don't see any enemies, Commander. Just snow."
"A-ha! Who's that?!"
"And… stop!" Twilight smiled toward Zoo-Zoo, "I think we have found our Private Pansy!" She turned to her advisors, "Wouldn't you agree?"
The advisors were nodding and muttering in agreement.
Zoo-Zoo's eyes gleamed, "Oh, thank you! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Twilight turned to a nearby guard, "Escort Zoo-Zoo home safely. Tell any remaining fillies outside gently that the role has been filled and that I am grateful for them coming and that I apologize for anyone who's upset."
The guard nodded his head to the command just as Zoo-Zoo ran off the stage all excited. Whirl Wind went to his aunt, "Man, you never told me Commander Hurricane had so many lines."
His mom went up to him, "All the more reason you should start memorizing."
"Thank you, Whirl Wind. You were most helpful." Twilight beamed.
Whirl rubbed his neck, "Aw, anything for you, Aunt Twilight."
"You go ahead and have some fun. Now that we have our Private Pansy, we can focus on the next audition." She called out, "Apple Jewel, Screw Ball, Cotton Candy, you're next!"
The girls came on stage as she handed them the scripts, "Jewel, I want you to read Smart Cookie's lines, and Screwy and Cotton, you will take turns reading Chancellor Puddinghead's lines. Cotton will go first, then Screw Ball. Alright, when you are ready, Jewel."
Apple Jewel nodded and started reading, "Wouldn't it be easier to use the door, Chancellor?"
Cotton gleefully read, "Maybe for you, Smart Cookie. But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means…" she looked around to see there wasn't a chimney, "Uh, Aunt Twilight, where's the chimney?"
"There isn't one, at least not yet. It still has to be built."
"Oh…" Cotton was disappointed until out of nowhere, a real chimney appeared behind the girls.
"Will this do, Aunt Twilight?" Screw Ball asked.
"Yes, that's fine. Thank you, Screwy. But make sure you get rid of it after the audition."
She nodded her head in understanding.
"Alright, Cotton, continue from where you left off."
Cotton inhaled a breath and went to the chimney, "Which means… I can also think inside the chimney! Can you think inside a chimney?"
"Uh…" Jewel read.
"I didn't think so."
"Ugh…"
"Oh, my gosh. Hold on to your hooves, I am just about to be brilliant!"
"That'd be a first…"
"I have decided that the earth ponies are going to go it alone!"
"Aw, so you mean the other tribes didn't come around? Shoot. I really thought we could get through to 'em if we-"
"Don't worry about them. We're the ones with all the food, right?"
"Actually, we're all out."
"Fine, then we'll have to go somewhere new where we can grow some new food. And with me as our fearless leader, what could go wrong?"
Twilight held her hoof up for them to stop, "Very good, you two. Now it's your turn, Screw Ball." But they could see she was not around, "Screw Ball?"
A voice suddenly said, "I'm in here!" It came from inside the chimney, and she popped her head out, "I'm just waiting for Jewel to say the lines!"
"Oh, alright, then, Jewel if you will."
Jewel spoke her lines just as Screwy landed out of the fireplace, "Wouldn't it be easier to use the door, Chancellor?"
Screwy read from her script as she had it floating in front of her while she acted out, "Maybe for you, Smart Cookie. But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means…" She stuck her head in the chimney, "I can also think inside the chimney! Can you think inside a chimney?"
"Uh…"
"I didn't think so."
"Ugh…"
"Oh, my gosh! Hold on to your hooves, I am just about to be brilliant!"
"That'd be a first…"
"I have decided that the earth ponies are going to go it alone!"
"Aw, so you mean the other tribes didn't come around? Shoot. I really thought we could get through to 'em if we-"
"Don't worry about them. We're the ones with all the food, right?"
"Actually, we're all out."
"Fine, then we'll have to go somewhere new where we can grow some new food. And with me as our fearless leader, what could go wrong?"
"Thank you, girls! Now give us a minute to reach a decision." Twilight turned to her advisors. From the fillies' point of view, they were in deep discussion and muttering something. Their aunt came back to face them with a happy but sad face. She looked at Screw Ball and Cotton, and she could see anticipation in Cotton's face. She cringed a little as she spoke, "You both did a wonderful job, but there can only be one Chancellor Puddinghead. But know that who doesn't get the part will be the understudy. And so we have decided that Screw Ball shall be Chancellor Puddinghead in this year's pageant."
"WHAT?!" the three fillies shouted out, though Cotton's shout was the loudest.
She jumped off the stage to face her aunt, "But, Aunt Twilight! My mom has always played Chancellor Puddinghead! I was going to carry on the tradition!"
Twilight gave a glum look, "I know… and I'm sorry, but it has been agreed that Screw Ball should play the part."
"That's not fair!" she started crying and ran off.
Screwy called out for her, "Cotton! Wait!" She was about to go after her until Twilight stopped her.
"She needs time alone, Screwy… and you seeing her might not be a wise idea. Cotton has to learn that ponies cannot get their way all the time. It's a hard lesson, but she has to realize that life will be full of disappointments. It's just a matter of accepting them."
"What if I dropped out of the play? Then Cotton can have the part."
Twilight gave her a small smile, "That is very sweet of you, but that wouldn't be fair to you or Cotton. Somehow, I don't think she wants the part by default."
A guard then came up to them, "Your Highness, we have just received word that royal family of Marendelle are on their way. They docked their ship this morning and have gotten into the royal sleigh we sent them."
"Excellent, thank you so much. Please go tell the rest of my family this. My parents will be very excited."
"At once, Your Majesty." he bowed and left.
"How long until they get here, Aunt Twilight?" Screwy asked.
"Hard to say. They still have a way to go before they get to Canterlot. One time, we had to use a flying ship to get here from Marendelle." She smiled at the memory. But Screw Ball and Apple Jewel were intrigued on hearing this.
"You were on a flying ship?!" Jewel gasped.
Twilight giggled, "Oh, yes," she said to Screwy, "and it was all thanks to your father."
Screw Ball chuckled, "Figures, Daddy always has a trick up his sleeves. When he's wearing something, of course."
They laughed at that.