"So, we meet again, Twilight Sparkle!" Glittermind laughed aloud as the purple maned pony student of Princess Celestia stepped into the room.
"Glittermind!" Twilight Sparkle gasped in surprise. The lavender colored pony suddenly stopped; causing her five friends behind her to nearly run into her.
"Hay, what's the big deal!" Pinkie Pie cried out, being the trailing end of the group. "Oh! It's you guys." The pink party pony gasped as more ponies stepped up next to the unicorn, Glittermind.
"Hey there, Rainbow Dash." Color Jam smiled joyfully as she looked at Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, hi again, Applejack." Butterpond was trying her best to untangle herself from a skein of yellow ribbons. The earth pony had been helping by tying ribbons on the costumes that were to be used for the upcoming holiday pageantries when she came across a roll of butter-colored ribbons that shined under the light. The ribbon had looked like a thin strand of silky butter under the light, and thus, tempted the pony to entangle herself with it.
"Aha! If it isn't Pinkie Pie herself…" The obnoxious Catslave stood next to Butterpond and eyed the pink pony. "Come to sell any of your dumb parties?" The snooty pony had been laughing at B-Pond's antics.
"Catslave, remember what princess Celestia said about behaving…" The elder pegasus mare, Dung Red, sighed as she trotted over to the two groups. The normally banned pegasus was allowed to enter Canterlot during this most special of holidays. "Hello again, Rarity, please forgive Catslave her flaws."
"Well, it's not like she's calling anyone names, yet, Dung Red." A new face entered the group, and a hornless unicorn named Flawless sighed. The speckled orange and purple pony smiled politely and gave a small nod to the shyest member of the Mane six, Fluttershy. "Hello Fluttershy, I'm Flawless."
Together, the twelve ponies stood across from each other, gazing into eyes.
"You ponies are not going to fight, are you?" a thirteenth voice entered the fray. The white and winged unicorn, Fairydust and her cragon, Sly, managed to tear themselves away from the buffet table and joined Glittermind.
"Because it sure looks like a stand-off to me." Sly scoffed as he glared at Spike. Spike smiled brightly and just waved.
The thirteen ponies said nothing, glaring at each other for a long, quite second. It was three more voices that broke the awkward silence.
"YAY! It's Glittermind, B-Pond and C.J and Fairydust!" Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cheered and ran up to the teal unicorn.
"Hi there you three, how're you doing?" Glittermind laughed as the three young fillies jumped about her.
It had been nearly two months since the Holders of Elements of Harmony had last been together. Glittermind had traveled with Rarity to Canterlot to assist the white unicorn in making dresses for Twilight Sparkle's birthday. After that bizarre series of events – in which Rarity learned the valuable lesson of being truthful - the teal unicorn had decided to stay awhile in Canterlot; because she had discovered that unicorns were there instead of Ponyville.
A week after Rarity had returned to Ponyville, Color Jam and Butterpond had traveled to Canterlot; both having the need to stay with their still cutie-mark-less friend. The pegasus and butter-loving pony were then joined by Fairydust. The winged unicorn had missed out on so much fun adventures in Ponyville, but now had to the time to stick with Glittermind, Color Jam and Butterpond. Dragonfly had returned home to the Mystic-Tree Isle to do other stuff. Then, uniquely enough – last month – Princess Luna had summoned the four for an audience during the night. Being curious enough to attend and figure out just why the dark mare wanted to talk to them, Glittermind, Color Jam, Butterpond and Fairydust found out that there were three MORE Holders of Harmony: they were none other than the bully-ish Catslave, the older pegasus mare, Dung Red and a new friend, a hornless unicorn named Flawless.
Color Jam had already known Dung Red, Fairydust had befriended Flawless slightly before Glittermind was pulled into Equestria and all of them knew of Catslave, but none of them really took the time to get to understand the randomly mean earth-pony.
But as fate would have it, it was discovered that the three new ponies all had strong potential and hidden elements of Harmony. Catslave held the Element of Courage; which had manifested itself when Catslave had discovered her fear of certain colored ponies and took steps to overcome that fear. She found she held the Element of Courage; since it took all of her courage to not discriminate against certain-colored ponies.
Dung Red had the Element of Hope; the one driving force of her willpower. Having been banned from both Cloudsdale and Canterlot for her special talent of 'dung', Dung Red still held onto the hope of being allowed back into the two cities. The element manifested itself when Dung Red began hoping for Glittermind to find her Cutie-mark.
Flawless was the newest friend, having not participated in any Ponyville events or adventures. The speckled pony's element manifested when she became Princess Luna's first real friend. Flawless's friendship transformed the pony, and she had been a better pony for it.
So Luna decided to introduce the three newest Element-Holders to each other and hope for the seven to all become friends. They all became friends within the week, and decided to study the mysteries of the Elements of Harmony; searching for answers on why there were more Elements of Harmony.
But all that was now on pause, as Princess Celestia had asked the Other Mane Seven to help the ponies to begin preparation for the holiday of Hearth Warming Pageantries– which was the equivalent of Christmas in Glittermind's world.
The play, staring the Mane Six, would be about the founding of Equestria. It was quite a nice story. Glittermind had to read the script to her mini-self, Glimmer-It, and found Equestria's making almost like the landing at Plymouth Rock, with Christopher Columbus and the three ships. The story also had a very appropriate moral lesson involved; by working out cultural differences; ponies, pegasi and unicorns alike could forge something very beautiful for future generations to live safely in. It sounded so easy the way it happened for Equestria. If only there were more stories like that back in Glittermind's world; it would be a better place.
Glitermind wanted to contribute her effort in making the Hearth Warming Eve Pageantries a success. So she asked Princess Celestia if there was anything a blank-flanked unicorn could do to help. There was; and with her new set of friends, Color Jam, B-Pond, Fairydust, Flawless, Catslave and Dung Red threw themselves into their work; as they helped various other unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies craft and make the props for the various stage-plays that would take place on the 24th of that month; the last month in the Equestrian year.
That was what the New Seven were doing when Glittermind had spotted Twilight Sparkle entering the behind-stage room. The teal unicorn dropped what she had been doing – which was helping B-Pond with ribbon-ing dresses to rush over and greet the purple unicorn.
Now the back-stage prep room was fuller than it had been a minute ago and all the more cheerful for it. Friends were united, and stories flew from mouths.
"Hi again, Glittermind." Twilight Sparkle smiled brightly. "I was wondering where you went off too since my birthday."
"Haha, well, your party dancing scared me off so I thought I would stay here and see if I could fix that."
"What?" Twilight Sparkle looked at the other unicorn in blank confusion.
"Oh nothing, Glittermind, be nice." Fairydust snortled and nudged her friend. Then she turned to Twilight Sparkle. "I wouldn't pay Glittermind any attention, she's gotten a bit full of herself this past week. She found out that she…"
"OH SHUT UP, Fairydust…just because I met Sorin and Firespit doesn't mean…"
"THE WONDERBOLTS!" Rainbow Dash zipped to the teal unicorn's side and pressed against her face. "WHEN DID YOU MEET THE WONDERBOLTS!" Dash's eyes were twinkling with adoration and expectation at the other unicorn, just begging for the story to be told.
"Whoa, easy there, Dash." Color Jam sighed. "It was only once…"
However, before the pony herd could say another word, a sienna-colored brony trotted up and cleared his throat. The brony had a dark grey braided tail and short cropped mane; giving the brony unicorn the look of an elderly gentle-pony. The cutie-mark on his muscled flank was an unrolled scroll and quill; and its meaning was thespian writing; or play-write.
"Aheem…if I may interrupt you for a moment, my dears…" The low, strong voice of the unicorn-brony commanded attention. "I see the star actors of Princess Celestia's play have arrived."
"Oh, yes, sorry, terribly sorry; Play-Wright, sir." Glittermind lowered her head in the respectable brony's presence. "I was going to tell you, but I…
"But nothing, my dear Glittermind." Now the elderly unicorn sounded like the rest of the snooty Canterlot unicorns; looking down their long noses at the rest of the world. "I gave you thee most important task of the evening and you failed to see that task to its completion."
"Wait just an apple-buckin' minute there!" Applejack interrupted the elder unicorn's tirade on her friend's behalf. "She was just saying her hullos to her friends; friends she hasn't seen in a long time now…"
"I see…" Play-Wright sniffed at the hat-wearing Applejack; like she had dirt on her face. A long, straining pause ensued.
"For stomping out loud, just get on with it!" Flawless snorted, making a few ponies jump with surprise. "If you are going to fight, argue or defend; just DO it already, and B-Pond, would you PLEASE stop trying to lick yellow things?"
The Mane Six had looked like they all were about to jump down Play-Wright's throat for talking down to Glittermind. The Other Seven, however, merely looked uncomfortable, like they had done something wrong. Butterpond had drifted off to the side and had started to fuss with the yellow ribbons again, licking them with her pony tongue.
"I wasn't!" B-Pond snapped to attention and acting like she wasn't just caught red-tongued, licking the yellow ribbons.
"Were too! Were too!" Pinkie Pie jumped in excitement. "You so were licking the yellow ribbons!"
"Look, I don't care what miss Glittermind was doing." Play-Wright now sounded exhausted. "Miss Twilight Sparkle, here are your lines for the 'Making of Equestria' play. You and the Mane Six shall be staring in the event, your costumes are over on the rack by the window. Just pleeeease be ready when the seventh bell tolls."
The sienna unicorn politely gave the script parcel to the princess's pupil and trotted away, muttering to himself.
"Well, Ah never…" Applejack bristled at the bite. "The attitude of some PONIES…"
"Just forget about it, A.J." Color Jam sighed, walking over to B-Pond to help untangle the skein of yellow ribbon tangled about the pony. "Glittermind was to report to Play-Wright the moment you six entered the building. Play-Wright wanted to make sure you were given the evening's schedule and the script for the play Celestia wanted you to be in."
"Oh."
"It's no big deal really, my dears." Dung Red chuckled. "Poor Play-Wright is very busy this week and wants to see everything run smoothly."
"How come you don't smell like poop today, Big Red?" Sweetie Belle tentatively gave the elder mare a sniff. "You smell like rose soap."
"SWEETIE BELLE!" Rarity cried in fashion horror. The white unicorn stepped over to her younger sister; the horror showing in the fashion-deva's eyes. "So sorry about that, Miss-Red, fillies can be quite…crass, at times."
"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle retorted. "I was just asking a question…"
"Hehehehehe, no problems Miss Rarity." Dung Red sat down on her haunches. "It was just an innocent question. The answer: I don't smell like poop because I haven't touched it in three days. Plus I have bathed using rose-scented soap, complementary of the grand princess Celestia."
The older mare's answer caused some nose-scrunching among the Elemental Holders. Talking about poop wasn't the most pleasant thing to hear.
"FIRST PLAY ACTORS, your time starts in ten minutes!" an assistant theater pony announced. "'The Magic of Snow' talent show, please be ready to go on stage!"
"Oh my gosh! That's me! That's us, Catslave!" Flawless had been listening to the round-robin conversation and had jumped to her hooves. "C.J.! Where is my hat! Please help me find it!"
"Ok, ok, just relax, Flawless." The black-colored pegasus giggled. "You DO have six other magicians to work with, I'm sure you'll be just fine."
The hornless unicorn, black pegasus and cat-loving pony drifted off to another group of ponies, the orange and purple magician nearly springing in place.
"Well, I suppose we all should get ready for our parts, right girls?" Fairydust announced. "Twilight, are you sure you six are ok with being in the spot light?"
"Of course we're sure!" Pinkie Pie announced brazenly. "That's why we came, right! I mean Princess Celestia invited us to do it, and let me tell you! I'm super excited…"
The Mane Six, along with B-Pond, Dung Red and Fairydust drifted off towards the costumes that had been hand-sewn for the six leading roles in the evening's main play: 'Origins of Equestria'.
This left Glittermind with Shly, Spike, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
"Well, you'd better get into costume too, little dragon, or do you want ME to be the narrator for Equestria's Making?" Shly was melted on the floor, batting at Glittermind's fuchsia tail.
"What! No, I'm going, I'm going." Spike had stood there the whole time, making lovey faces at Rarity and Glittermind.
"You're sooo pretty Glitter-."
"SPIKE!" Twilight called from the other side of the room.
"COMING!" the dragon answered.
"Well, I guess if you three want to go find seats we should find them now." Glittermind looked down to the three remaining fillies; Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.
"Yes, let's!" Sweetie Belle cheered as she jumped into the air. "I'm sitting next to Glittermind!"
"No, I'M sitting next to Glittermind!" a new voice cut it. The younger filly, Glimmer-It, fell from the ceiling and landed on the unicorn's back. "Or maybe ON Glittermind!"
"Uh, you're weird, Glimmer-It." Scootaloo stated.
"Hi to you too, Scoots." Glimmer-It slid off Glittermind's back and stalked Shly.
"SHLY!" the young, teal filly pounced on the cragon, and sent the cragon screaming in escape.
"Tch, come on, you four, let's go and leave the actors and actresses to get ready." Glittermind rolled her eyes as she carried the cragon-hugging Glimmer-It via horn-magic. "I want to see Flawless's snow magic play."
"Maybe we'll find our Cutie-marks by watching the plays." Apple Bloom announced.
"YES!" The other Cutie-Mark Crusaders cheered as they rushed to the door that led them to the hall outside the built-stage.
"Let's watch the ALL the plays then."
"Alright!" Glittermind chuckled as the five settled into the front row seats. It was going to be a really fun evening and the unicorn would hope to learn more about the dimension she had fallen into by watching various theatrical plays put on by the inhabitants of Canterlot.