//------------------------------// // Farewell to the Flutters! // Story: Majesty: Queen of the Castle // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// "Well, it's about time that you let us out of here!" Tornado snorted, as the flutter guards released him and the other stallions from their wooden cage. "We were trapped in there for far too long!" "Awww, my poor -tweet!- Ice Crystal!" Wind Whistler cried in dismay, helping him as he stumbled out of the cage. "They didn't hurt you too much, did they?" "I feel like..." The stallion stuttered, his eyes going wide as he galloped away quickly. "Oh shoot, I have to go to the bathroom!" "Thank you for getting us out Miss Applejack." Thundercloud bowed to her, as he was released. "It's seems we owe you mares a great deal." "Don't thank me, Thunderbutt. It was princess Majesty who saved you three's sorry flanks." The apple picker snorted. "If it were up to me, you'd all three still be in that cage." Although it had been a tie because both mares had crashed out of the battle corral together, Rosedust had so been impressed by Majesty's fighting spirit, that she had decided to release the stallions anyway. What followed was a massive luau party, filled with the tropical music and dancing the Flutter ponies were famous for. The four mares were seated at a table with the queen, enjoying tropical fruits while the boystood and drooled over the flutter pony hula dancers. "Gee, this lime fruit drink sure tastes -tweet!- great!" Wind Whistler declared, sipping a kiwi lime drink out of the coconut-shaped cup it had been served in. "But I wonder how they got the lime in the coconut in the first place?" "It's just a cup, Windy. It's not an actual coconut!" Applejack replied, rolling her eyes. "They just pour the lime fruit punch into the top, like with any other cup!" "Wow Rosedust, you flutter ponies sure know how to throw a party." Majesty told her host, as a flutter stallion trotted up, and slipped a tropical flower into the princess's mane. "The celebrations back home never even got near this exotic." "We like to make sure our honored guests are will entertained." The flutter queen replied, a small frown crossing her face. "Unfortunately, we don't really get that many guests from the rest of Ponyland." "Well, maybe if you were nicer to outsiders, didn't kidnap their stallions and be suspicious of them all the time, you wouldn't have as much trouble." Majesty chided her. "I know outsiders haven't been friendly to flutter ponies all the time, but distrust and hatred works both ways." "I know, you are quite correct, princess." Rosedust sighed, taking a bite of the pineapple sundae the serving stallions put in front of her. "I fear we flutters have let a grievance we had against the ancients carry over to you Ponylanders." "Well, at least the flutter ponies never enslaved us Ponylanders like you did with the ancients." The princess replied with a nervous laugh. "That would've caused some serious relations problems." "Actually, we were kind of pleased your ancestors drove the ancients out." The flutter queen replied awkwardly, trying to change the subject. "So , where will you and your companions go after this?" "Well, Wind Whistler want to go and find the cutiesarus, so since she was filling to come along and help me to find the flutter ponies, I kind of want to help her out." "If it is the cutiesarus you seek, follow the trail out of Flutter valley north, into Rainbow Valley and through the old unicorn run." Rosedust told her. "You can take shelter from time to time in the ruins of the ancients that dot the countryside. But beware the human wizard, Rugmatot Wantall. He lives in that region, and it is said he harbors no love for ponies of any kind." "I think we can take care of ourselves, we handled a bunch of goblins in the mastificent forest already." Majesty told her proudly. "Besides, we already have the mountain boy ponies along to protect us if we need them." "Those worthless males? They can barely protect themselves." Rosedust scoffed. "Hollywood, get your worthless flank over here, this instant!" "Yes, great Rosedust?" Hollywood asked, fluttering out of the line of hula dancers, and bowing to the queen. "What is it I can do for your highness?" "I want you to accom-pony Majesty and her entourage out of Flutter Valley, and join them on their quest." The queen shook her head. "A flutter pony's agility and grace might be of use on this adventure." "B-but your highness, I'm just an actress!" The flutter pony protested. "What can I possibly do to help on an adventure?!" "You led them into flutter valley, now you can lead them out!" Rosedust growled at her. "Or perhaps you'd like to spend the next month helping Queen Bumble and her bees harvest honey from their hive?" "*gulp* I-in that case, I think I'll go and get my bags packed!" Hollywood zipped away through the air. "See you again after the party, princess!" "Wow. that was kind of mean, your highness." Majesty noted, staring after the panicked flutter pony. "Must you be so harsh with your subjects?" "Majesty, you will find that sometimes, that a ruler must be firm when dealing with other ponies." Rosedust explained. "It's one of the things you will have to learn, before you will ascend to your mother's throne, and become queen." "The more I learn as I go along, your highness, the less I wish to take my mother's throne." majesty replied, shaking her mane sadly. "I should probably head back to my room, we'll need to get an early start tomorrow." "Hey A.J., Windy!" thundercloud called out, as he, the other males, and the hula dancers formed a conga line. " The party's just gewtting warmed up! Why don't you come and join us?" The two fillies smiled at each other, then went to joins the stallion in the line. They conga danced around the burning torches and tiki heads, dancing along with the pounding drums and tropical music until daybreak.