Children of Harmony

by Pinkie Pie Sweets

Chapter 49: The Hearth's Warming Pageant Part 1

A few days later, the night of the Canterlot Hearth's Warming Pageant is here. Everypony from near and far have come to the Canterlot Theater to see the pageant. Twilight along with her children and her friends' families are here to see the show and their children as well. Even Twilight's parents, and Shining Armor along with his family are here to see the show. At the back of the stage, Sakura and her friends are getting their costumes on, and are excited and yet anxious about the show and the time is getting closer.

Sakura helps Eden out with her helmet as she says, "Wow, I can't believe the pageant is here, I can't wait to perform the play. I remember mom telling me the story, but now I get to acted out."

"I'm glad you're excited about it, but I'm still a little nervous about everypony looking at me," Eden says still feeling unsure.

"Oh darling, there's nothing for you to worry about. We all a bit anxious about being in the show, but we're all the stars of the show. Embrace it!" Ruby says with pride, putting on her makeup.

Eden smiles, and says, "Oh, okay."

"Aw, there's nothing to get worried about cous, we're going to have a rootin tootin of a time in the pageant," Baked Apple says with pride as he puts on his costume.

Then Raspberry who already has his costume on, happily says, "Yeah. I can't wait to do the pageant and then we can party."

The six friends start laughing and are glad to get a good laugh out of it. However their fun is cut short when the window swings open bringing the cold air and snow into the room. The friends become spooked to hear the window opens hard and the snow and cold wind coming into the room.

Ruby turns to Ace and asks, "Ace, be a dear and close the window, and make sure it's secure."

"On it," Ace says, agreeing to the task.

Ace closes the window, and with Sakura and Baked Apple's help, they make sure that the windows is locked tight so the cold can't come in. Ace joins the others to help his friends with their costumes. After everypony has their costumes on, they wait to for the show to go on.

Just then, the director comes over and announces, "Alright everypony to your places, the first scene will begin in a moment! All ponies to your places!"

Hearing the announcement, Aerial Ace, Dragon Ruby, and Raspberry Pie join some of the other ponies because their parts is going to be on very soon. Sakura then uses her magic to change herself into her pony form. Then she tags along with the others and wait for their turn to make the scene. Back to where the audience is, everypony are excited and they can't wait to see the show. Just then, a earth pony stallion named Pear Tree walks on the stage. He is wearing a purple medieval outfit with a matching hat with a white feather on top of it

When the light shines on Pear Tree, he begins to narrate the story, "Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony. It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart... by hatred."

Everypony gasp in hearing the ending statement.

"I know. Can you believe it?" Pear Tree replies.

Then he addly narrates, "During this frightful age, each of the three tribes… the Pegasi, the unicorns, and the Earth ponies… cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare.

The curtain opens to reveal three different groups of three ponies dressed on how the ponies look a long time ago. They look at each other in anger and look away in a huff. Then the curtain closes again.

"In those troubled times, as now, the Pegasi were the stewards of the weather. But they demanded something in return. Food that could only be grown by the Earth ponies. The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically bringing forth day and night," Pear Tree says, explaining the story.

As he narrates, one of the pegasi, shake one of the fake clouds making fake snow fall from the sky. They then float down to the two earth ponies. They demand some food. Even though they have anger in their eyes, the two earth ponies give them food to eat. The two unicorns come along and demands the same thing, so the earth ponies give them the food. The female unicorn on stage uses her magic, that triggers a device to take the fake sun away and replaces it with a fake moon.

Pear Tree walks to the edge of the stage as he explains, "And so, mistrust between the tribes festered, until one fateful day, it came to a boil. And what prompted the ponies to clash? 'Twas a mysterious blizzard that overtook the land, and toppled the tribes' precarious peace."

The fake scene then transform into the real event that has taken place thousands of years ago. The night sky over the land has become a snowing and begins to freeze over the land.

"The normally industrious Earth ponies were unable to farm their land, The Earth ponies were freezing. The home of the Pegasi fared no better. The Pegasi were hungry. And the unicorns were freezing and hungry. Even the unicorns' magic was powerless against the storm," Pear Tree narrates.

As the narration takes place, the earth ponies try their best to farm their land, but there's too much snow. The pegasi try to do their hardest to control the weather, but the wintery winds are too strong and it's causing their wings to freeze. Even the unicorns can't stop the harsh cold and winds from get everywhere in the kingdom.

"Each tribe blamed the others for their suffering, and the angrier everypony grew, the worse the blizzard became, and so it was decided that a grand summit would be held to figure out a way to cope with the blizzard," Pear Tree says.

The ponies from the tribes continue to argue and fight over food and survival, until the situation becomes too big for them to handle. So they all gather in a large building so they can talk about what to do with the sudden Blizzard. The three tribes continue to argue and talk among themselves about the blizzard and what to do with it.

Pear Tree narrates, "Each tribe sent their leaders, daughter of the unicorn king, Princess Platinum.

The trumpets blow the trumpet to announce the leader has arrived. The door open to reveal Dragon Ruby, wearing a large silver crown with purple gems, along with a purple robe with white frills.

"Ruler of the Pegasi, Commander Hurricane," Pear Tree adds, as the trumpets blow again

The doors opens and the ponies see Aerial Ace wearing a black gladiator outfit with gold trims, a bronze lighting bolt on the chest, and a black helmet.

Then two kazoos blowes, as Pear Tree says, "And lastly...leader of the Earth ponies, Chancellor Puddinghead."

The doors open and Raspberry pie enters the room as he blows confetti from his mouth. He is wearing a brown shirt with white sleeves and a yellow collar, and brown pants, and is wearing a hat that looks like a bowl of pudding. Backstage, Sakura in her pony form rolls her eyes with a smile knowing that this is something that both Raspberry and his mom could come up with. Back on the stage, the three ponies acting as the leavers sit at a table in the middle of the table.

Pear Tree explains the story, "Perhaps the three tribes could finally settle their differences, and agree on a way to get through this disaster."

However, when the three look at each other, they start fighting and arguing among themselves.

Ace angrily says, "All I wanna know is why the Earth ponies are hogging all the food!"

"Us?! We're not hogging all the food, you are!" Raspberry yells back.

He then realizes as he says with a smile, "Oh, wait. You're right. It's us."

Then he exclaims shivering, "Well, it's only 'cause you mean old Pegasusususes are making it snow like crazy!"

"For the hundredth time, it's not us! We're not making it snow!" Ace says with frustration.

He then glares at Ruby and says, "It must be the unicorns! They're doing it with their freaky magic!"

"How dare you! Unlike you Pegasi ruffians, we unicorns would never stoop to such a thing! H-m-ph!" Ruby replies with a shock.

"Hmph!" the unicorns in the stands agree,

"Well, if you non-Earths aren't gonna stop using your weirdo powers to freeze us all, then I'm just plum out of ideas," Raspberry says with annoyance and flops his head on the table.

"What a shocker. An Earth pony with no ideas," Ace remarks.

Ruby and Ace glare at each other.

Ruby furiously says, "Commander Hurricane, please cease with the insults!"

Ace gets on the table looking at Ruby in the eye as he angrily says, "You're not the boss of me, your royal snootiness!"

"I beg your pardon?! I am a princess! I won't be spoken to that way!" Ruby furiously says, feeling insulted, and accidentally put her crown on upside down.

She then start to make her leave back to her castle.

Just then, Ace gets in front of her, and angrily says, "Well, I'm leaving first!"

"No, I'm first!" Raspberry voices comes up loudly.

Seeing Raspberry in front of the door, Ruby and Ace jump at him and are trying to leave first. As they struggle through the door, they seems to be driving themselves apart even more.

"And the blizzard raged on," Pear Tree adds to the story.

As the ponies from the three tribes argue among themselves, there are strange light blue horse like spirits outside, and they are in the thick clouds, ice, and snow.

"So the summit of the tribes did not turn out as well as hoped, and the three leaders returned home to lick their wounds, and basically complain," Pear Tree narrates the story.

In the story, at the land of the pegasi, Ace who is Commander Hurricane returns to his home in the cloud, while some of the pony soldiers are trying their best to ignore the harsh weather. Apple Eden who is Private Pansy is trying her best to cover herself, and see the commander flying back home to the land of the clouds. She is wearing a black and gray armor and helmet as well, but a different shape than Ace's helmet.

Ace stands in front of the building and shouts, "Atten-tion!"

Eden hears this and salute to Ace. Of course, she falls from one cloud, and ends up on another one fill of snow. She gets up still giving a salute, a little dizzy from the fall.

Well? Aren't you curious about how it went?" Ace asks in frustration.

"Oh! Commander Hurricane, sir! How did it go, sir?" EDen frantically asks.

"Horribly! Those other tribe leaders are so disrespectful! Don't they realize that we are a mighty tribe of warriors, and should not be crossed? We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!" Ace furiously yells, making Eden a bit startled and fallen on the snow down the stairs.

Back at the unicorn castle, Dragon Ruby as Princess Platinum is back home to the castle her family owns. However, the journey is so cold, that it's been almost impossible for her to get home without getting frostbites.

"Clover the Clever! I need you!" Ruby says as she dramatically falls to the floor.

Sakura comes over to them in her pony form with a small blanket, and use it to cover her up.

She then asks, "Yes, your Majesty. Did the other pony tribes see reason as I predicted?"

Ruby walks away as she angrily says"Those other tribes are impossible! I, for one, can no longer bear to be anywhere near those lowly creatures,"

She then sits on a pillow as Sakura brings her a bucket of hot water.

Then Ruby says, The unicorns are noble and majestic. We will no longer consort with the likes of them!"

Her anger is well known as she puts her front legs in the water, splashing Sakura in the face, and the winter snow continues to grow. Inside an earth pony's house, there is Baked Apple wearing a white long sleeve shirt, with a light brown vest, and a light large hat with a white feather on it. He is waiting for Raspberry to walk through the door. Instead, he falls from the chimney and into the fire place.

Baked Apple looks behind him, and asks, "Wouldn't it have been easier to use the door, Chancellor?"

"Maybe for you, Smart Cookie, but I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Raspberry explains as he gets up.

He then has his head in the chimney and says, Which means… I can also think inside the chimney."

He then asks with his head still in the chimney, "Can you think inside a chimney?"

"Uh…" Baked Apple tries to answer but is rather confused.

"I didn't think so," Raspberry remarks walking past him with ashes on his face.

"Ugh," Baked Apple replies while looking in the opposite direction.

He then stops in his track, and the ashes falls off from his face.

Raspberry grins and happily shouts, "Oh my gosh. Hold on to your hooves! I am just about to be brilliant!"

"That'd be a first," Baked Apple mutters.

"I have decided that the Earth ponies are gonna go it alone!" Raspberry answers with a chipper on his face.

"Aw, so you mean the other tribes didn't come around? Shoot... I really thought we could get through to 'em if we… " Baked Apple relies feeling disappointed.

Then Raspberry gets into Baked Apple face, and happily says, "Don't worry about them. We're the ones with all the food, right?"

"Actually, we're all out," Baked Apple Bluntly replies.

"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?" Raspberry says with a smile and pride as he opens the door.

Just then, a huge blanket of snow falls on top of him. Baked Apple in front of the pile is not very amused on seeing it.

Then Baked Apple mutters, "Where should I start?"

Raspberry comes out of the snow, "The point is…"

"We must find a new land!" The three leaders declare.

Later on in the play. Aerial Ace and Apple Eden who are playing their parts, are flying through the freezing winter force. In this case, Aerial Ace is flying fast, while Eden is flying very slow. Ace flies back so Eden can catch up.

"C'mon, Private Pansy, let's get a move on! Hup-one, hup-two!" Ace loudly says.

Just then the thunder clashes scare Eden making her jump into Ace's hooves, much to his little annoyance.

Ace lets go of her as he says, "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!" Ace adds pushing Eden through the cold weather.

"Conquer, sir?" Eden asks,

"You never know where enemies might be lurking," Ace answers analyzing the area.

"I don't see any enemies, Commander. Just... snow," Eden replies.

Ace notice a strange creature up ahead, and reacts, "A-ha! What's that?!"

With that, Ace starts to fight whatever the creature is, but in reality, it's a big black cloud shaped just like a crocodile. Eden sees the cloud behind her, yels and jumps right back on to Ace's hooves and arms, holding him tight.

"Okay. This is getting old," Ace bluntly replies.

After the little distraction, Ace and Eden as their characters continue to travel through the windy sky to find a new land. Back on the ground in a forest covered in snow, Sakura and Ruby who are playing their parts, walk through the forest to find a new land to live.

"Oh, this is simply taking forever. My hooves are killing me! How long have we been walking for?" Ruby complains, feeling the pain in her hooves.

"About five minutes, your highness," Sakura bluntly answers, as she show her the castle is not very far.

"Oh, I never imagined finding a new land would be so hard. But it'll all be worth it, don't you agree?" Ruby asks still rather tired from the long which isn't a very long walk.

"I actually think that the three tribes could've tried harder…" Sakura explains her opinion.

But then Ruby shouts, "Stoooooop!"

"What's wrong?" Sakura asks.

"That is what's wrong!" Ruby scaredly screams, pointing to what is the matter.

Sakura looks to see what is the matter. She look to see the two are in front of a small stream. To Sakura, it doesn't seem like a problem at all.

Sakura starts to walk on the rocks crossing the river, as she says, "Your Highness, it's just a stream. We can cross it easily."

"I refuse to get my gown wet. I have no intention of arriving at my new land looking like a bedraggled Earth pony, or worse yet a rough-and-tumble Pegasus. I, for one, have no intention of stooping down to their level," Ruby says, passionately refuse to cross the river.

She then smiles at Sakura and says, "On the other hoof, I have no trouble watching you stoop down."

Sakura turns to Ruby with an annoyed look on her face, as she says, "Don't even think about it."

"Then how do you suppose I get across. This is the only way," Ruby whines.

Sakura rolls her eyes and can see she has no choice in this matter. Pony or not, she doesn't want to be treated like a show horse back in her home world.. In this case, she kind of has too. Ruby agrees that Sakura will give her a ride, and doesn't have to have a rope tied around it.

Ruby sits on Sakura as she says, "And do watch the gown, darling. It's worth more than all of the books in your library."

Sakura then walks across the stream with Ruby on her back. Sakura may need to be a horse for the play, but she doesn't want to wear a rope or a strap on her muzzle.

At a different part of the land, where there are gems, rocks, and not much snow, Baked Apple and Raspberry pie as their characters, are trying to find a new place to live. However, they mostly seem to be going around in circles, mostly because Raspberry has the map up to his face, and it's upside down.

Raspberry smiles and says, "Yes, yes. This is definitely the right direction."

"It feels like we're going in circles," Baked Apple says.

"But that's impossible! Are you suggesting that I'm reading the map wrong?" Raspberry asks with a shocked.

Baked Apple shakes his head, and says, "Absolutely not, your chancellorness. It's just that there are holes in the map, and…"

"Of course! How else could I see where I was going?" Raspberry explains, as he walks towards the end of a cliff.

"Yeah, uh…" Baked Apple tries to reply, but having trouble coming up with an answer.

"Or talk? I need to be able to talk! I mean, how would we survive if I just suddenly shut up?" Raspberry adds walking back to where they are walking around.

"Heaven forbid that should happen, your chancellorship. Heh. It's just that... the map is also upside down," Baked Apple explains, lifting the map from Raspberry's face.

"I got a newsflash for you, Cookie. The Earth is round. There is no up or down," Raspberry whispers to Baked Apple in remark as he walks away..

"You're right! It's such a relief to me that you're in charge of this map…" Baked Apple says.

"Relief?" Raspberry questionably replies.

He then walks back to Baked Apple, and says, You don't need relief! If anypony needs relief around here, it's me! I'm a chancellor! I'm a bigs hot! You're just my, um... my, uh…"

Raspberry can't seem to remember what Baked Apple is supposed to be.

So Baked Apple bluntly answers, "Secretary."

"Whatever," Raspberry says with annoyance.

He then passes the map to Baked Apple, walks away as he says, "You take the map, while I enjoy some relief."

"Yes, Chancellor Puddinghead," Baked Apple says with annoyance, as Raspberry falls off of a cliff.

Luckily Raspberry climbs back to the land while Baked Apple is reading the map. However, this is not the end of the play, and soon the whole moral of the play and the discovery of a new land will come.

Author's Note:

For some reason, I actually like the play. But the next chapter will come up soon