Royal Ruckus (Part 2)
Part Two
Grey's Gala
“Let me get this straight.” Rainbow deadpanned, already finding herself resisting the urge to rub her temples. “You want me, a stunt flyer, aerial acrobat and would-have been future Wonderbolt - Who’s idea of a party is getting drunk in a dance club- To set up the next Grand Galloping Gala?”
The advisor in front of her, along with the handful of staff ponies lined up behind him, all exchanged a look before nodding. Albeit it was a slow, cautious nod, but it was a nod nonetheless, and it was all Rainbow could do not to face-hoof epically and ask what was wrong with all of their heads.
Earl Grey coughed somewhat awkwardly, as he attempted to find the correct words to express his amazing deduction that had ended with him choosing Rainbow Dash as the perfect party planner for a five-star ball. While he works on this, I will wait for you to finish nodding emphatically and/or agreeing with Rainbow Dash and/or getting your attack dogs ready for revenge after this all goes horribly wrong as we all know it inevitably will.
“Well, you see your Highness, you are now, of course, a Queen! And as such, it is your royal duty to do this sort of thing and so of cour-“
“Queen Schmeen my flank. You and I both know this is a stupid idea. You don’t send out a noob pegasus to tame a tornado, and you don’t ask a newbie queen to do a Gala! It’s just… Stupid.” Rainbow interrupted, only pausing in her tirade to try and find an appropriate word for this whole situation. Even “stupid” somehow seemed woefully inadequate.
“Well, I suppose there is some truth to that statement, but-”
“But what? You’re a freakin’ advisor! You’re supposed to think these sort of things through! Heck, I know I ain’t no genius and even I can tell how dumb this is! So here’s a bright idea, why don’t you go ask someone who knows something about Galas. Like, say, Twilight? She’s probably helped the Princess plan a few before.”
Earl Grey opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by Rainbow Dash continuing even as she was walking away from him, her gaze taking in the grand hall they were standing in.
“Or, hay, you could even ask Rarity! I’m sure she’d be exuberant, getting to plan such a huge aristocratic event.” Rainbow Dash suddenly started laughing. “And if you don’t mind the Gala being actually awesome this year, you could ask Pinkie Pie! It’s still a party, she’d do it with a skip in her step.”
For a long minute, Grey just stood and stared at the pale blue alicorn, confident, proud of her friends, and sure that she had successfully made him sound the fool. Unfortunately, one does not survive in the Celestial Courts without knowing how to bend ponies to your way of thinking… Even when you are the one in the wrong.
“I see, so I suppose I should stop bothering you, and go ask one of your friends for assistance in this matter instead?” Earl Grey asked smoothly, his odd choice in emphasis not escaping the blue mare across the room.
“Pretty much, yeah.” Rainbow replied slowly, eyeing the slender stallion. She had the sneaking suspicion that he was up to something.
“Ah. I see.” The stallion said simply, looking away as if he had done something wrong and was feeling guilty for it. “May I ask though, Your Majesty, what it is that you are heading off to do?”
Rainbow Dash blinked. “What are you talking about?”
Earl Grey took a hasty step back, looking strangely abashed. “Oh of course, I apologize my Lady. How rude of me to question what great duties it is a queen chooses to do.”
It was all he could do to suppress the smirk that was threatening to spread across his face at the look of complete confusion that was on Rainbow’s face.
“I seriously have no idea what you are talking about.” She deadpanned, and Earl had to hide his face behind his hoof in a look of fake utter shock to hide his grin.
Hook line and sinker.
"You mean, you are just going to push off even more work on your dear friends while you go off and do nothing? How… unexpected.” Rainbow shied slightly, as if he had physically struck her. “I.. I have to say I expected better from the Element Of Loyalty...” He trailed off slightly, waiting for her to gather herself once again and make her comeback.
“H-hey! I’m not pushing it off on them while I go goof or something!” She spluttered, trying to sound indignant… Even as her own mind made her question herself. Wasn’t he right, in some small way? What was she going to do? She hadn’t planned on anything, but that didn’t mean she was going to do nothing… Right? Right..? “And anyway, what am I supposed to do? It’s not like I actually know what I’m doing or anything-”
“What you’re supposed to do is sit there and let me teach you how to do this.” Earl sighed, pushing his glasses up with the tip of his hoof. He caught Rainbow’s perfectly expected disbelieving look with a timed aside glance at her, sighing dramatically as if on cue.
“Oh come now, Rainbow Dash, as prideful as you are, even you must realize how ignorant you are of the ways of High Society! Unlike Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even Pinkie Pie, you have no experience with the elite, and as such, at the moment, you are almost completely useless as a Queen! Only Lady Applejack shares your pure ignorance, and at least she is no doubt giving her all in the task she has been given! And yet you, supposedly the brave hero, shies away in cowardice from the simplest tasks of which I have chosen for you…” He trailed off again, this time to allow himself time to admire his handiwork.
With each of his well-chosen sentences, the alicorn before him wilted slightly, like a reprimanded child. Now, she stood, ears folded back, face slightly red and looking thoroughly abashed.
Rainbow’s mind was spinning slightly. She felt as if she’d had another match with Discord, except this time he had beaten her fair and square. She hated every second of this, her mind, still buzzing with his words, forcing her to doubt herself. Making her wonder if everything she had ever achieved had become futile in the wake of her ascension. In the world she’d now been thrust in, had everything she prided herself become worthless? Her wings, her strength, her speed, did they all mean absolutely nothing now? With all that stripped away… With everything she had built her dreams and pride on taken out of the equation… What worth did she herself hold?
The very possibility of a worthless her felt like a betrayal. There was nothing that made her feel more alive and real than being there for her friends, being able to help them, being able to be there for them when they needed it, to play the role of the strong shoulder to lean on- To have that self questioned… The very possibility of it holding no lasting value in this new world… That felt like the greatest betrayal to her friends that could ever be wrought.
Rainbow Dash suddenly shook her head violently, forcing her mind out of its loop of thoughts. Okay, now this is feeling a little too much like Discord. She took a deep breath, letting her mind clear. No, not again. I’m not going to let myself make the same mistakes twice. I won’t run away. This time, I’m facing it head-on!
“I’m not shying away.” Rainbow Dash said coolly, another deep breath emptying her mind completely of anything unneeded for the task at hand; Allowing her churning stomach to settle into an icy block of determination. She had handled the Sonic Rainboom, and countless other death defying stunts. She could handle this.
“If we can’t do this the simple way because my friends are busy, then I’ll do it. Duties are duties, no matter how… Frilly…” She trailed off slightly, trying to figure out exactly how one planned something as large and formal as this…
“How hard can it be…?” She asked herself aloud, hearing her own voice cracking slightly as her faked confidence slipped.
“With my assistance, it will surely be no problem at all your Majesty.” Earl Grey purred, giving her an oddly pleased smile.
“So, first things first!” Earl Grey clapped his hooves together, and the staff hastily lined up in front of him. “Decorations! This is so simple, anypony could do it. They’ll ask you about it, you tell them what we need to know, and I’ll be right here to make sure everything is perfect!”
Rainbow Dash looked at him with a look of perfect scepticism. For some reason she had the same ominous feeling she had held when a very sleep-deprived Applejack had tried to “help” her with her new stunt.
“Alright, go!”
“About the decorations, My Lady-”
“What kind of banners are we using this year?”
“Uh, silk?”
“No, no, no, they mean theme.”
“…Formal..?”
“Ugh, no! Summer.”
“What colour are the tablecloths this year?”
“Err, white’s fine.”
“No, no, no, white’s too informal. Bone.”
“…That’s the same colour.”
“…So much to learn so little time, ah-”
“Gold or silver?”
“Silver?”
“Too informal!”
“Fine! Gold then.”
“Too outdated. I say My Lady, you have to realize this sort of thing. Platinum.”
“China or porcelain?”
“What?”
“Dinnerware, your Majesty, dinnerware! At least pay attention!”
“China, then!”
“No no, bronze!”
“They never mentioned that!”
“You have to overrule them sometimes! Know better!”
“…I hate you.”
“Hmm?”
“Napkins your majesty? We have-“
“Blue silk.”
“I don’t think we have that-”
“Red is tradition My La-”
“Don’t care. Blue.”
“Drawn or open?”
“What?”
“Classical or baroque?”
Rainbow Dash had handled the Sonic Rainboom, countless death defying stunts, and even epically kicked a dragon in the nose. But this, this was ridiculous. She could hold her temper, she would, no matter that there were too many ponies talking at once, and that these questions made no sense!
“Baroque. Last year’s band was disastrous.”
“Listen Earl, I liked them! And last year wasn’t really their fault- Hire Octavia again.”
“But Your Highness!”
“Shut up.”
“Line or Speech?”
“Uh, speech.”
“Roses or tulips.”
“Roses I guess?”
“The Ringmaster is allergic.”
“Who’s he?”
“Your Highness! At least put some effort into knowing the surrounding governments!”
“What? Sorry, I guess, I-”
“Maple or oak?”
“-Haven’t had time-”
“Down or cotton?”
“-To do much yet-”
“White or red?”
“Your Highness! Pay attention!”
“Wait, I can’t keep-”
“Tapered or not?”
“-up with this all-”
“Glass or crystal?”
“-It’s too much-”
“Marble or stone?”
‘Torch or lantern?”
“Escorts or dates?”
“Your Highness!”
“ACK!”
Rainbow Dash had fought a small army, and faced down a mad goddess of the night, as well as an even madder god of chaos. But then, she had had her friends by her side. Pride buckled down under frustration and anger as she realized quite how bad she needed them right now…
She grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut in a last minute dire attempt to hold her cool. Her wings fought against the muscles holding them tight against her sides as everything in her wished to flare them open in either a bid for freedom or fear. The skies darkened slightly as magic she knew not how to handle bubbled up under stress. A quiet second passed, and her magic dissolved away as quietly as it had appeared, the skies clearing to a bright sunny day once more, and her mind began to ease into a dignified reverie that could surely handle anything that came her way… Before snapping completely as yet another voice joined the din far too soon.
“My Lady, about the Menu-”
“GO ASK PINKIE PIE!”
Everyone in the ballroom winced as the double doors leading out into the main palace slammed open with a deafening crash to allow the fuming blue alicorn passage. The emerald doors bounced off the walls on the other side, just missing two armoured Pegasi with a clear look of shock and confusion on their faces.
The two guards had hastily jumped out of the way of the swinging doors, glad they hadn’t dropped their guard. With almost automatic motion, they moved quickly to look into the room, their confusion only growing greater at the scene before them. Advisor Earl Grey blinked robotically from where he stood, as if his mind was unable to process what was occurring. Muttering had quickly broke out among the staff with all the greedy buzz of gossip, voices rising and falling in the clear tones of dismayed disappointment and disapproval. The guards exchanged another confused glance as realization slowly began to dawn, before looking down the hall at the pale blue alicorn who was clearly storming off. Their expression grew concerned, and they shared a glance again, unsure if they should go after their new, and probably very confused and frustrated Queen, and make sure she was alright; or if they should leave her be so she could calm down in peace. As their ears caught a snatch of the erupting gossip, their decision was practically made for them, their eyebrows twitching almost in unison as they turned sharply into the room before them with a look of cold determination. Their Queen probably needed a moment of peace, so they would just deal with this little issue themselves.
Rainbow’s ears had long gone flat against her head as her temper rose up again, this time in frustrated tears, her gold-clad hooves sounding offensively loud against the polished marble. The sound irritated her, as she wanted to hear nothing. Yet, at the same time, she almost wished it was louder, so that she couldn’t hear the mutters behind her, even as they grew quieter with the growing distance between them. When they finally dropped suddenly silent, she decided it was because they were having a good laugh at her expense, which only made the bitter taste in her mouth stronger. This had been the most disastrous failure yet, and she wanted nothing more than to get away from it, and then perhaps track down Rarity so someone capable could set it right.
If only she had stopped long enough to look behind her, she would have had the joy of seeing two very experienced guards giving the greatest scolding of all time to the biggest group of fools they had ever come across.
A/N: First of all,
EEEEEYEEEEEEESSSS! Oh how I've HATED this writing hiatus. I still hate this stupid set of chapters, but this is a very promising start in my head.
Second, this chapter ended up going off on it's own little path onto focusing solely on our favorite speedster rather than cheerily jumping between everypony as I planned. I guess I'll do that next chapter. Maybe.
Thirdly, yes I know that there's a little box for the Author Notes now, but I don't like it. If you have the reading colors set on anything but light, (For example I tend to have it on one of the Mediums,) trying to read that little box gives you such a horrid headache. This is me trying to be considerate.
Shoot me :P
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Awesome! A update!
I've looked forward to this for a while.
Sorry no bullets in the gun but if you get should suffer a writers block in the future message me and i will lend you the vast amount of ideas that swim in my head it will just be a few suggestions to get things moving but you have no idea how long i have been waiting for this also a bit of pride points to you this was the first story i read on this site
Wow, wasn't expecting this when I saw an update. Are the staff deliberatly trying to annoy all the princess's? Cause if their not what Dash said about some of the others, especially Pinkie, being more suited to do it makes a lot of sense.
Still a great chapter though.
*BANG!* Did i hit?
(Joke) Alt. Title: Ascension To The Featured Box
...*kkkt!* And if you look very hard, you can see the DeviantART logo *kkkt!*...
Yay
Update!
Poor Rainbow.
Those guards!
I already want to fire every advisor in canterlot.
Seriously, they act like the Mane 6 been Alicorn's all their lives! They ignore their flaws and overblow their strengths.
They also seem to be putting the worst person for each job in the line of fire everytime
I think they are trying to controle aj and rd because they have the least xp with nobility
Tryin' to be considerate with them author notes, eh? Well, I read in dash. Wanna know what I see?
i.imgur.com/EthfkG7.png
But no, just messing. Soon as I read your note I looked up at the colors for the most obnoxious one possible.
Glad to see you're back off hiatus and all, and I'm excited to see the fallout of these dumb-ass advisors
2009467
Troll XD
2009480
Nawww, I just try to get a chuckle and sometimes a chortle outta people
2009435
Indeed. It kind of defeats the purpose if your advisers are retarded.
Yay for being considerate! Also, I think it would be cool if you made the next four chapters like this one, a spotlight on each of the other Mane six's "First Duties", or in Fluttershy's case what happened during the move.
2009561 I guess it also helps if you arent looked upon as gods.
I think the issue is that Dash and AJ will never get along with the Nobility. Instead, they need to setup themselves with the common pony.
Gala? Host a Rave Party!
Formal Dinner? An All-you-can-eat-buffet!
Wine Tasting? Drink till ya drunk shebang!
Fashion Show? Rodeo!
And while nobility have political power individually, the commoner has just as much as a group. Get into their good graces, and AJ and Dash should be set.
2009603
Part of the problem is,
Is that the Advisors aren't looking at the Mane 6 as highly as they did Celestia. Therefore they are not being as respectful as they should, are thinking themselves greater and more intelligent than the new Queens, and are therefore not thinking through what they are doing as much as they would have in the presence of the Solar Goddess.
Luna can attest to how fun that is, (Sarcasm) and how very fun it is to correct that little view. (No sarcasm what-so-ever.)
2009622 Huh. Makes sense.
Doesn't make me not want to hit them with a steel pipe though.
I thought i was the violent one?
This fic started with a lot of potential (and was certainly better written than Duties), but now it's worse. Why on earth would Celestia and Luna just abandon the Mane 6 when most of them aren't trained to run anything more than weather operations or small businesses? Do they want Equestria to risk falling apart? Why are they doing it so suddenly? Shouldn't they teach them how to use their powers or how to rule? How about giving the populace time to adjust to the idea that their rulers, who have hundreds of years of experience, are stepping down to let ponies in their early 20s take over? What about rogue elements who'd use this transfer of power to the advantage of their malevolent agendas?
Look, if your earlier chapters are any indication, you can be a good story teller who can write a solid action scene and create suspense. But unless you plan on rewriting the last several chapters, your story has taken an almost irredeemable nosedive in quality that's impossible for anyone who actually thinks about what they're reading to ignore.
I don't like Rainbow Dash, but that did seem pretty painful. Also, those advisors will get what's coming to them.
2009688
Okay, first, ow...
Second, I'm actually going to address ALL of that, if you give me the time to do so. ^^'
Will be addressed in "A lesson with the Professor"
That kicks off a whole ARC.
So, I guess I can kinda understand if this ended up going in a different direction than you original envisioned, and you don't like it... But I DO know what I'm doing. So, be patient, will ya?
So basically, these castle advisors are giving the Queens all the wrong duties. Like, Pinkie shouldv'e handled the Gala, while Rariry would better handle what Applejack is stuck doing and so on. Genius...
It's spelled "skepticism"
2010366
One of the rare cases where the Canadian spelling differs from the American.
I'm Canadian. It can be spelled with a c.
And this is why I hate politicians.
Yes, I do count so called "advisers" as politicians.
Yay for new chapter. 10 points to the gaurds.
Did I miss something or did Spike never give Rarity the crystal he almost died for many chapters ago?
Ah, you're back. Most excellent.
There's trouble brewing here, I see...
Dammit, Earl
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/193/709/Jesus_Christ_how_horrifying-%28n1308183251036%29.png?1320087196
Solution to ALL THE PROBLEMS!
1, Ask Twilight and Rarity
2, Ask Twilight and Rarity
3-4, ASK TWILIGHT AND RARITY! (Most likely.)
So very glad this is back.
*Pew pew*
First Applejack and now Rainbow Dash, these so called advisors aren't half stupid
I'm wondering if Rainbow is going to inflict the worst possible punishment on her adviser for this - she's going to be immensely bad at organising the Grand Galloping Gala. There's nothing worse for a member of staff than dealing with a boss who they have to obey but doesn't really know what they're doing.
2011289
He gave it to her off-screen. Might be something I toss in one of the Omakes I have planned.
2013432 Aight, just making sure.
You'd think all six would have put an end to the Gala once they came into power.
2015151
no... if you even THINK about bringing cupcakes pinkie i will make cerberus EAT YOU ALIVE!!!
Why get attack dogs when you have guard dogs?
2016583 NO! NOT CUPCAKES!!!!!! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On a side note, great story so far!
2009326 I wouldn't say annoy, exactly; "dominate and overwhelm them so they (the "advisors", that is) "can run the country the way it should be run for a change, *phurr-hu!*" maybe. (The onomatopoeia is my impression of somepony with a British nobleman's handlebar mustache clearing his throat, by the way. Like it?
)
2028958
Makes sense. Also, love the moustache noise
2028958
First person to get it! 10 points!
2034568 *basketball swishes through hoop, crowd cheers* Thank you!
2009467
Oh I am SO fucking switching to that NAO!!!!
EDIT: Well I did it... AND IT'S FUCKING AWESOME!
2040020
Chrysalis is extremely weakened, and has in fact, been nearly comatose for the past month or so. So yes, she is in her natural form, as she has not even the energy to shape-shift. Her drones have been taking care of her.
I can see where this is going. Each queen is getting the roles that would be best suited to somepony else. At the end, they'll end up having a big discussion over who gets what part, and everything will be resolved peacefully (which is a shame; I really would enjoy seeing somepony shout "Off with his/her head!")
Started reading this today and liking it quite a bit.
I only have 2 beefs with the story:
1: AJ being the first given a pendant and the first to need to use it is really odd when you think about it. If it had been all one by one that would make sense, but with her separate it makes it seem like she was the test subject. Which would indicate that she was thought of as either the surest bet, or the most dispensable one. I'm sure it wasn't intended but that's what it seems like.
2: I really dislike the Solar/Lunar duality being carried over. That seems like something that was needed for balance when there were only 2 rulers, but since either could handle both sun and moon alone, and since the unicorns of old collectively managed both, I do not understand why they should be split into specialized roles. Even separating them into their own towers seems to just continue the archaic symbolism of duality, when the 6 have always represented Harmony. I don't like it. They should all be unique but equal. A 6 pointed star is far more stable than a pendulum with 3 points at each end.
2061540
When I started writing this, Hearth Warming's Eve had not been aired yet, leaving me under the impression that the only reason why Celestia could move the moon as well was an after effect of using the Elements, much like how her mane was, or was due to the fact Luna was in the moon itself. (And the reason why Luna could move the sun, was due to Celestia arranging things so that she could do so.) So, yeah, if I had known that magic was magic, and that they didn't require special "passes" ahead of time, I probably wouldn't have done the duality thing and it would have turned out differently, but even now I know all that, long after I wrote in those bits- I don't really want to change it, as I love the idea so much now, that in my AU, that's simply how it goes.
As for Applejack, well... I literally DREAMED the first six or so chapters up, and until you brought up the order, I myself never questioned it... Soooo, I suggest not thinking into it too deeply?
2064167
It's all good. They're just things I didn't quite like personally. Noting I find objectively wrong with the story and nothing that ruins it for me. Thanks for responding though.