1416 8.3 KB 175
Ceremonial baton by DCFTEF
By splishsplashCreated: 2022-01-12 22:06:13
Updated: 2022-03-17 12:59:09
Expiry: Never
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                                            Ceremonial baton by DCFTEF
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                                            (19/04/2016)
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                                            (No spanking)
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                                            ---
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                                            Little Flurry Heart had earned a reward
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                                            Though she was only a 10 year old blank flank she and her Honorary Aunts the Cutie Mark Crusaders had saved the Wonderbolts Derby and taught a raging Minotaur the Magic of Friendship. They had done something with Breezies too, but nopony gave a fuck because Breezies have always sucked.
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                                            And...lets see, Flurry Heart learned that you don't have to have a cutie mark yet to do great things or some shit like that.
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                                            >This will be an episode in Season 28...trust me.
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                                            >You'll just have to wait until then to hear the full story.
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                                            So for her heroism; today, Flurry Heart would have the honor of participating in her first Official Ceremony.
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                                            She was so excited
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                                            She rehearsed her role a hundred times until the maids complained that she was wearing out the staircase carpets
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                                            >"This is an important, traditional ceremony that opens a new annual session of City government."
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                                            Flurry's mother explained;
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                                            >"Your role is easy, sweetheart.
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                                            >"You accept the ceremonial baton from the City Guards,
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                                            >"Hold it in your mouth, keep your head up high
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                                            >"And walk down the staircase just like we practiced."
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                                            Shining Armor continued;
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                                            >"At the bottom, the Mayor of Crystal City will accept the baton.
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                                            >"It symbolizes another year of Royal consent for the City government, understand?"
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                                            Flurry really didn't. Politics were still above her head.
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                                            >"I understand, Daddy.
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                                            >"And look what I've been practicing!"
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                                            She concentrated; a few seconds and sweat beads later the practice baton levitated
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                                            >"I can do it! I don't have to carry it like a little foal!"
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                                            Mother and Father were supportive, but tempered their praise with some advice
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                                            >"Oh, Sweetheart, that's wonderful
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                                            >"But don't you think you might be biting off more than you can chew?"
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                                            Flurry was defensive;
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                                            >"I'm not biting anything...I can levitate it, I'm not even using my mouth!"
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                                            Cadance chuckled.
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                                            >"Dear, what your Father means is that this is going to be stressful.
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                                            >"It's your first time participating in a Royal Ceremony,
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                                            >"There's going to be thousands of ponies watching.
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                                            >"I think for your first time you should just keep it simple and carry the baton in your mouth.
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                                            Daddy nodded to show his agreement
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                                            Flurry stamped her little hoof
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                                            >"I can levitate! I'm not a baby! My magic has always been strong!"
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                                            Both parents rolled their eyes
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                                            There were enough shattered windows in the palace to confirm that
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                                            >"Strong but unpredictable...difficult to control
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                                            >"You'll have enough to concentrate on. It would be much safer if you hold the baton in your mouth."
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                                            Shining explained more about the item she was carrying;
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                                            >"It's a very old relic. We only take it out of the Crystal Empire Museum once a year for this ceremony.
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                                            >"We just don't want anything to get broken."
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                                            >"But I can do it! Mommy, Daddy...pleeeaasssee?"
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                                            The Princess & Prince of the Empire were skeptical
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                                            This could potentially turn into a big mess
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                                            But Flurry would not be denied.
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                                            >"I'll practice non-stop until the ceremony! Please, I promise I won't screw it up!"
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                                            At last Cadance sighed;
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                                            >"Alright, sweetie, but you have to be very careful."
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                                            Flurry broke 3 windows and a vase celebrating.
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                                            The wonderful day had arrived
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                                            The pegasi weather squads cleared the sky for a perfect sunny afternoon
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                                            Thousands of ponies showed up
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                                            They lined both sides of the Grand Staircase
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                                            Flurry Heart could only see an ocean of heads
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                                            >"Oh boy"
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                                            She was nervous, but excited
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                                            Auntie Pinkie had a word for that...no time to think of it now
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                                            The curator from the Museum arrived
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                                            He had an important looking suitcase with him
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                                            The Ceremonial Baton!
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                                            >"Is that it!?"
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                                            She was hopping up and down in place while he opened the protective box
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                                            >"Yes it is, my lady. Now be very careful. Grip it firmly with your teeth, we've given you a clean towel to bite down on"
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                                            Shining Armor cleared his throat
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                                            >"Princess Flurry Heart wishes to levitate the baton with her magic."
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                                            The curator almost swallowed his dentures
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                                            >"I beg your pardon?"
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                                            Flurry answered cheerfully
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                                            >"I'm not a little foal...I can levitate it, see?"
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                                            She snatched the priceless ceremonial baton and flew it around the room like a toy
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                                            The curator nearly had a heart attack
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                                            >"Young lady, PLEASE be careful! That is an artifact of the pre-exile Crystal Empire!"
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                                            Flurry was having fun, and she was confident in her skill, but Mom put a stop to it
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                                            >"Flurry Heart put that down this instant!"
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                                            She was using her 'do not test me' voice
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                                            Suitably chastened, Flurry set the relic back in its box
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                                            But before the adults could talk about it more the ceremonial Flugelhorns sounded
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                                            >"It's time!"
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                                            The crowd of thousands applauded when their Royal Family stepped out onto the balcony.
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                                            A purple carpet a half a furlong in length was rolled out to the foot of the Grand Staircase, where dignitaries of city government waited in their finest attire
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                                            >"Alright, are you ready, Flurry?"
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                                            >"I'm ready, Mommy!"
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                                            The curator carefully set the baton on a pillow
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                                            Two highly trained Crystal Guard troopers escorted as it was carried out to public view
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                                            >"Be very careful, honey..."
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                                            Cadance and Shining held their breath
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                                            The museum curator hyperventilated
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                                            But Flurry levitated the ceremonial baton flawlessly and raised it for a thunderous cheer from the citizens
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                                            Dignified, mature and poised, Flurry Heart started down the Grand Staircase
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                                            Her adoring public applauded as she passed, floating the Baton of Civil Governance high and to her right side
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                                            Everything was going perfectly
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                                            All she had to do was get it down the stairs and give it to the Mayor
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                                            Ceremony complete...and Mommy & Daddy would see how ready Flurry was for more Princess duties
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                                            And then she tripped.
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                                            The newspapers would report that Princess Flurry Heart caught her hoof on a poorly fitted piece of carpet
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                                            But that was a cover story to preserve Royal dignity
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                                            In reality, she wasn't watching where she was going and just plain overstepped a stair
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                                            >"Oh, NO!"
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                                            Flurry hit the marble staircase hard
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                                            The ancient baton bounced down the stairs, making a sickening, clunking sound
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                                            The crowd gasped
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                                            Dazed, Flurry picked herself back up
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                                            But her right front knee hurt
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                                            It was bleeding
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                                            She looked around in alarm
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                                            And then, disregarding the ceremony and the crowd of thousands, Princess Flurry Heart did what any foal with a skinned knee would do
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                                            She went running for her mother
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                                            >"M-Momma...I *sniff* hu-hu-hurt my knee."
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                                            Ignoring the crowd, Cadance tenderly kissed it
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                                            Then, like any rural mare with an injured foal, she licked the scrape clean
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                                            Pausing to demurely spit a few flecks of gravel into a dutiful courtier's handkerchief
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                                            The crowd was silent, save for a quiet, concerned murmurer
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                                            They could all clearly hear as Prince Shining Armor gallantly tore a strip from his expensive silk under-shirt
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                                            Once his wife had ministered to their filly's bo-bo, he wrapped the bandage around her knee gently
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                                            >"There. Better?"
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                                            Sniffling, and wiping away a few tears she replied;
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                                            >"Yes...it's better."
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                                            Cadance nuzzled her to restore a bit of confidence and said;
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                                            >"Go ahead then, finish the job."
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                                            Flurry looked at her with terrified eyes
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                                            >"Oh, no! Momma, please! I can't, I dropped the baton! They'll all hate me!"
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                                            But Cadance turned her foal's head;
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                                            >"Silly, look out there. Do you see anypony who hates you?"
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                                            Every face was smiling, encouraging her on
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                                            >"Come on, Princess, you can do it."
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                                            Blushing, little Flurry began walking down the stairs
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                                            Head held low this time...trying to force a smile through the waterfall of embarrassment
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                                            But all she saw were friendly faces
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                                            A few called to her;
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                                            >"It's over here, Princess!"
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                                            She found the baton where it had bounced, laying on the marble steps
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                                            And with humility, picked it up gently in her mouth
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                                            The crowd erupted in applause
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                                            Sheepishly, still blushing, the little filly walked the final few yards to where the Mayor awaited her
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                                            She carefully gave it to the stallion
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                                            He whispered;
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                                            >"Are you alright, my dear?"
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                                            Flurry Heart smiled, but blushed even deeper pink at his question
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                                            >"Yes, Sir. Just clumsy."
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                                            He nodded, and lifted the symbol of leadership and co-operation between the Royal and civil government high above his head
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                                            As flashbulbs popped, the crowd cheered wildly, and the festival began.
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                                            Flurry Heart would never forget this day.
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                                            And the baton wasn't dinged too badly.
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                                            END
 
                         by splishsplash
                         by splishsplash
                         by splishsplash
                         by splishsplash
                         by splishsplash