Equestria's Beacon of Friendship

by Paradise Oasis


Lighthouse Party!

Horseshoe bay's fog horn echoed across the darkness of the water, piecing the still night air as the mists rolled in from over the ocean. Darkness covered the entire Baltimare coast, enshrouding everything to the point a pony could not see their hoof in front of their own face. But piercing the darkness was a single, long column of light that swung in an endless circle out over the skies of this region of Equestria. To the ponies sleeping in the nearby communities it was an annoyance. But to the ponies out at see that light was a ray of hope piercing the blackness.

"Oh dear, it looks like a really nasty night out there, Mr. Freckles." The cream colored earth mare standing high in the lighthouse's tower told her tiny companion. "I hope all of the ship's crews out there are able to see the beacon's light."

"Meow." Was her little friend's only response, as he stretched out and yawned.

"Yeah, Mr. Freckles." Seascape told her furry companion with a smile. "That's what I thought you'd say."

Since it's completion nearly a year ago, the beacon of Friendship's light had saved nearly a dozen ships from destruction on Equestria's rocky coast. Seascape was proud to have been named the lighthouse's first keeper, and was grateful that her actions in keeping the beacon lit had saved so many pony lives at sea. The pony with the bright pink mane turned to look at the blazing fire behind the lighthouse rotating clockwork lens with satisfaction, happy that there would always be her light that would guide seafaring Equestrians home.

"Come on, Mr. Freckles, we'd better head downstairs now." Seascape told the lazy cat, staring her descent down the tower's winding staircase. "Sugar Grape will be here soon, and we need to get the tea and cookies ready."

Having been a pony of the coast since she was a filly, the mare with the cutie mark that resembled the rising sun behind the seashore had always been a child of the sand and surf. She would stand out as gaze along the coastline for hours while her classmates were playing, preferring the soft sound of the rolling waves to the loud noise that other ponies made while having fun. She spent her teens in a hammock along the sunny beach, reading a book while listening to the roar of the ocean waves rolling in. No crazy excitement came between her and the water, and that was the way she liked it.

"Oh dear, I left the tea on for too long! Well, at least the cookies didn't burn!" Seascape declared, as she raced into the kitchen, and pulled the freshly baked chocolate chip dozen out of the oven, and picked up and shook the empty teapot with her hoof. "I do so hope their is enough time to boil another pot before he gets here!"

As she filled the hot kettle with water again, the lighthouse keeper's gaze drifted over towards the picture of a stallion sitting on the windowsill. A white Pegasus, with a purple mane and bunch of grapes cutie mark... Sugar Grape was a worker at the Baltimare winery that was only a few miles from the beacon, he was a quiet and soft-spoken fellow who liked to hang around the lighthouse, and talk to her. The grape presser shared the same affinity for the sea and it's roaring waves that Seascape did, and would often sit and quietly discuss the wonderful books they had read over a glass of warm milk.

"He's the only other pony I can really get along with, Mr. Freckles." She told the orange tabby, who had just now lazily followed her down the stairs. "I can't wait to see him again, so we can discuss the latest daring do book."

BANG BANG BANG!

Suddenly, the sound of a loud pounding came from the lighthouse's front door, accompanied by the sounds of lots of talking, and several hooves stomping at the ground.

"Huh, that doesn't sound like Grape." The confused Seascape whispered aloud. "Now who could that possibly-"

The instant she opened the door, and large crowd of mares and stallions in party gear suddenly burst through the entrance, all wearing glow jewelry, and dancing and singing to the loud and booming music that accompanied them. Before poor Seascape even had time to blink, her whole living room was filled with loud and crazy party goers,

"Great Celestia! What's going on here!?" Seascape wailed, running to her kitchen for cover. "What are all of you ponies doing here?!"

"Hey, this is the Lighthouse tavern, right?" An all-pink mare with a wild mane and balloon cutie mark screamed, barely audible over the awful din. "We have reservations to have an all night par-tay here!"

"No, no! This is the Friendship Beacon lighthouse! The lighthouse tavern is a few miles back in Baltimare!" Seascape pleaded. "You've got the wrong place!"

But her soft and quiet voice was lost over the blaring music, as the party got going full swing. A white unicorn mare with a blue mane and sunglasses wheeled in a large stereo system with a record player, blasting her music so loud, that it nearly blew the windows out of the lighthouse. The party goers bounced and jumped to the loud music, smashing Seascape's precious glass ornament collection, and trashing her furniture.

"Noooo, my grandma gave me that antique vase!" The lighthouse keeper mare wailed, as one of the dancing stallions knocked it of the table, shattering it into a million pieces. "Oh no! That's been in the family for centuries!"

The party goers danced on for hours, until a softer knock came to the door. Seascape went to answer it timidly, only to find a familiar Pegasus stallion there, pulling a cart full of wine kegs filled with the finest ale."

"Sugar Grape?" The lighthouse keeper asked, stunned. "What are you doing here with those?"

"Oh, hi Seascape! I was just stopping by to tell you I had one more wine delivery to make, before I could join you for tea tonight." He looked over her shoulder. "Hey, is that a party going on in there? I didn't think you were the kind of mare to have one of those, 'Scape!"

"Hey, cool! The booze is here!" The pink mare called out, as the partygoers started to unload the barrels from the sled. "Hey everpony, KEGGER PARTY!"

"Hey, wait, I have to deliver that wine to-" Sugar Grape suddenly found himself lifted into the air, and carried over the party goers' head. "Hey, wait! Where are you taking me?!"

As the booze flowed freely, the party got even crazier. Furniture was picked up and smashed, and drunk ponies got sick and emptied bodily contents all over the carpet. A few ponies tossed Seascape's books off the shelves, tore the pages out, and tossed them everywhere. High up in the tower, two ponies slipped a disco mirror ball in front of the beacon's light, causing the lighthouse to shoot out multicolored laser lights in every direction.

"All right, now this party is REALLY rockin!" The pink mare with the crazy mane screamed excitedly. "Everybody, do the Marecarena!"

The crowd cheered excitedly, as the white unicorn turned the pounding beat up even farther. Poor Seascape, who had been running around and trying to save as many of her personal possessions, was picked up, and carried across the crowded room towards where Sugar Grape had been carried.

"Hey, I found a cat!" one of the partygoers picked up Mr. Freckles. "Who wants to try and shave it?"

"MRRROOOW HISSS!" The orange cat hissed, biting the drunk stallion and ruining away. Mr. Freckles, however, was far luckier than his poor owner.

"Wait, what are you all doing?" Seascape cried out, struggling against the ravers' grip. "Nooooooooo.....!!"

.....

"Ohhh, where am I?" She moaned, rolling over. "What's going on?"

The next morning, Seascape awoke to the sound of the roaring waves, and the sunlight pouring into her bedroom. Everything seemed all right at first... until the splitting headache came crashing down on her head, and the terrible ache throbbed in her flank... she didn't know which was worse. Looking around the room, she found several paintings torn off the wall and smashed, everything that had been standing the night before now strewn all over the floor, and wasted party ponies lying all around her, asleep.

"Oh great, that stupid pink mare and her stupid party, ruined my home!" She sobbed, tears soaking her face. "I don't see how this could get any worse!"

Just then, a form buried in the sheets next to her groaned, and sat up... to reveal the form of a groggy Sugar Grape.

"Ohhh, my head!" The stallion exclaimed, as he rubbed his forehead with his hoof. "What the hay is going on here?"

"EEEEEK!" Seascape cried out, her face turning a deep red, before she fainted dead away.

"Uhhhhh, Seascape?" The concerned stallion asked, his head beginning to clear. "Are you all right?"

Royal decree of Princess Luna, ruler of the night, head of the Canterlot Nocturnal court;

Our loyal subjects, let it be known that an irresponsible party mare, for her careless destruction of property and wild partying that has caused irreparable psychological damage and suffering upon a mare, her coltfirend and her pet, will be severely punished for her out-of-control behavior. This Ponyville party mare will joining her party crew in cleaning up and repairing all the property damage she caused at the Friendship Beacon, due to her holding her wild party at the wrong location. Furthermore, said party mare will be forced to spend all of her free time watching paint dry for an entire month. Perhaps that shall teach our laughing pony to curb her wild partying tendencies.

H.R.H., Princess Luna of Canterlot