Taking Off the Masks

by Fuzzyfurvert

Original Unpublished/Cut Version

Author's Note:

It was pointed out to me that I should include this here. You might have already read this over on my Fuzzy Fluffy Fables collection, and if so, there is nothing new here. But if you haven't, this is how Taking Off the Masks originally started up to the point where Twilight and the other main characters showed up at the party.

I cut it, because at the time I was just not feeling it and the contest time limit was starting the loom. To sort of kickstart myself, I cut it and started fresh, focusing on the real heart of the narrative, which of course was Twilight and Celestia's interaction. I shoved the party to the background and just focused on the two main players.

That worked out pretty well, all things considered. You might notice that I ended up referencing some of the things here in the final version of the story in Celestia's dialogue and musings. While this is by no means needed to enjoy the final version, I feel that including it here makes the story feel somewhat more complete.

The Party

by Fuzzyfurvert

Luna gently pushed open the door to Celestia’s office, nodding as she did so to the guards on duty. Inside, she returned the smile from her sister as Celestia looked up from her desk. Luna shut the door behind her and approached her sister cautiously.

“Have you reviewed my request yet, sister?” Luna stopped in front of Celestia’s desk and nervously rubbed her hoof against the plush carpeting.

“I have.”

“And?” Luna bit her lip as Celestia’s horn started to glow and she shifted several pieces of parchment about.

“I see no reason why not to grant it, Luna. I think it will do wonders for your PR here in Canterlot.”

Luna smiled and nodded. She stood there silently as Celestia went back to reading. After a brief pause, Celestia looked back up.

“Is there anything else, Luna?”

“What… um, of my other request?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “It’s highly unorthodox.”

Luna’s ears drooped and she bowed her head. “I know. But I thought--”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t grant it.”

Luna perked back up, a smile spreading across her face. “Really, Tia? You mean it?”

“Promise me you’ll clean up afterwards and that I won’t have to fend off any awkward questions from the press about it and you have yourself a deal.” Celestia smiled and dipped her quill into the inkwell before moving another piece of paper in front of herself.

Luna jumped in place and did a quick jig, a huge grin splitting her from ear to ear. “Oh Tia! You will not regret this! I shall make sure everything is perfect! This will be SO MUCH FUN!” Luna’s shout rattled the windows and made Celestia wince, but the smile remained.

“Oh, and Luna?”

Luna giggled and turned around in a tight circle before looking back at Celestia. “Yes?”

“I believe I shall require your help in picking out a costume.”

***

The month passed quickly. The weather started to turn cooler and the leaves began to pile up alongside the roadways as ponies moved around the city. The season brought out the best in her little ponies, Celestia reflected as she watched another group of foals and their parents trot past and veer toward a confectionery that smelled of ripe pumpkins and rich spices. Their laughter echoed between the tall walls of the Canterlot Shopping Bazaar.

The shopfronts were gayly decorated with orange and black and green and yellow, banners and simple cutouts of bruha-ponies on broomsticks. Smiling, carved pumpkins sat in every corner, on every stoop, alit from within with a candle and adding to the cozy gloom of twilight by casting long jumping shadows. The customers and business owners alike were just as fanciful, dressed in all manner of costumes from a basic mask to full bodysuits with bright colors and sequins.

The ponies of Canterlot moved around Celestia like a stream parting around a rock. They paid her no heed. She stood still near the edge of the fountain just in front of the castle’s main gate waiting of the signal that the grand Nightmare Night Ball was about to start. She knew it would start with the moonrise. Luna consulted her on a thousands of tiny details. She wanted this party to go off like a hitch. If Luna was successful, the event would go down in history.

Celestia smiled to herself as guest filed into the castle courtyard. Most of them paid her only a passing glance. They would pause and raise their eyebrows then shake their heads and move on. Simple small talk babbled around her like a brook in the woods. No pony bowed to her. No pony deferred to her. They milled about with unguarded posture and speech.

This was a good idea. I’ll have to congratulate Luna for talking me into this. Celestia chuckled quietly and continued to watch ponies of all walks of life filter in off the leaf-covered cobblestones. She winked at a stallion who was dressed as a luchador and had noticed her in the corner. His eyes told her that he knew just who she was. He nodded to her once and then walked over toward the refreshments tent with an earth pony mare dressed as a devil.

It’s been too long since I’ve been treated with this much anonymity. It’s heady. I really should do this more often! Celestia shook her head wistfully and stood up. Her costume did nothing to hide her size. She still stood head and withers above her little ponies, but everything else was changed. She even wore a set of colored contacts to change her eyes.

A bell tolled softly from deeper inside Canterlot castle and Celestia started to walk toward the middle of the courtyard and gathered crowd of gaily dressed ponies. She wanted a good view when Luna started the show. She also wanted to start practicing her character a little before the Elements arrived.

At one of the tables covered in tiny orange and black frosting covered pastries, Celestia found her personal secretary, who seemed to be dressed as some sort of sea pony, complete with a red wig, a tail-fin covering her real tail and sea shells covering her cutie mark. Her thick square glasses were a dead giveaway though.

“Darling! You look simply smashing in that ensemble! Red matches your coat and compliments your eyes!”

“Huh?” Raven blinked and turned around before craning her neck up to look at Celestia. Her eyes widened in surprise as she started stuttering.

Celestia kept smiling, but winced inside. Perhaps direct contact should be avoided if I want to maintain my--

“W-why, Miss R-Rarity! How kind of you to say so.” Raven smirked and then offered her one of the tiny pastries. “Chocolate scone? I didn’t know you were coming to our Canterlot Nightmare Night festivities.”

Raven winked at her and Celestia released a breath she hadn’t been aware of holding. Maybe this would work out after all. Celestia took the offered scone and took a polite nibble.

“Thank you darling! I’m certain the other Elements will along shortly. We were personally invited by Princess Luna, of course.” Celestia grinned and leaned down to whisper in Raven’s ear. “How am I doing?”

“Just fine.” Raven giggled. “Maybe throw a bit of a prance into your gait and and you’d be a deadringer.”

Almost as if on queue, there was a crashing noise from the other end of the refreshments area followed by the unmistakable giggle-snort of the Bearer of Laughter herself. Celestia looked over her shoulder and gaped as Pinkie Pie, dressed in a comically oversized costume of herself, helped another pony back onto their hooves next to an overturned punchbowl. Behind her, the other costumed Elements were already starting to chat up the guests and spread out. Celestia squinted but couldn’t locate her most faithful student among them.

Celestia glanced at Raven and the unicorn waved her off. “Have fun mingling Your Hig - er - Miss Rarity!”

She nodded to her secretary and started through the crowd, consciously adding a little more bounce to her step and consequently adding a good deal more bounce to her expertly styled coif.

(this would have lead to some interaction with the girls and then Celestia retiring for a bit of privacy and taking up where the final version starts.)

Comments

[Azarias]

Well this was certainly unexpected to update. I'd forgotten about this. Thankfully it's short enough to reread without complaint.

That said, I actually like this buildup a lot. Rereading the original I realized that it felt woefully incomplete.

[Nadnerb]

Oh hey, this is pretty cool. I didn't expect an update to this, and I do think it's quite worth it. I recall liking this a fair bit when I first read it, and I think it would be worth integrating if you felt inclined. The description of the entrance very nicely set the atmosphere of the party and answers a few questions about the story that I recall asking when I first read it. (Relating to the nature of Celestia's costume, and whether ponies still reconized her.)

Also I noticed a typo on rereading The Party: "it must be the later latter reason"

Speaking of which, this is just, really nice. I don't think I praised this enough the first time around. You do Celestia's inner monologue in a way I quite like, Subtle, playful, and perceptive. I'd love to read more.

[Princess Glitzy]

6347282 Nah. You didn't bother me. I didn't realize how many downvotes my comment got. It's actually pretty funny. I get where you're coming from; the story just didn't sit right with me. That isn't to say that the story was bad, per say, but I can't say that I agree with the plot and outcome.

[Purple-Smart Heart]

8258468

It's one of the few times I manage to walk that line well.

Oh puh-lease, in Alicorn Switcheroo you basically do that the entire time!

[Fuzzyfurvert]

8258572
Two data points do not make a trend. My entire fanfiction writing career has basically been practice at walking fine lines.

[Natedogg2006]

I like the story and the cut. If you had left it there would almost be to much set up and information. As it stands the finished cut is very good, but if you tweaked it just a little you could use the cut portion as the base for a totally different story.
wink wink, nudge nudge. (You should totally do that)