action / dictated

[checklist]

[ A regal winged unicorn is walking amongst the preparations for the Feast, snapping orders to ghosts (or whoever else is doing the actual work). Cold disdain seems to radiate from her, even as she scrutinizes the work. Everything must be perfect. ]

The checklist, Twilight Sparkle.

[ Luna spares a glare for the sun. No time to fix that, unfortunately.

Twilight nodded as she consulted the checklist being levitated by her magic. ] We’re currently five minutes ahead of schedule. And if we continue at the current pace, we should be set up with plenty of time to spare. [ She tore her eyes from the checklist to see the ghosts and townspeople they recruited to help set everything up. There were some fellow... residents... as well, but eh. ] The schedule, of course, isn’t taking into account any breaks, for either meals or sleep, for any of the workers. But, for the sake of getting everything done in an orderly fashion, I’m sure they won’t mind.

They shan’t, if I have aught to say about it. [ Displeasing the Queen is not a good idea.

She’s trotting past barrels of beer when she spots a colorful piece of paper tacked onto the side of the stable. Pin the tail on the...what now?

… ] What incompetent foal placed this here??

[ Twilight sees it. She sees it and furiously moves through her checklist, eyes roaming across it half-mad as she unfurls it to its full length (it’s about three times as long as Twilight.) ] I- I don’t know! There’s nothing about this sort of game on my checklist at all! [ And who wouldn’t follow her checklist!?

A blue glow surrounds the paper, carefully furled up so the image is hidden. It floats towards Twilight, along with an equally colorful box full of pins and tails. ] This ne’er existed, Twilight Sparkle. [ Luna grabs the journal and filters it away from the King and Queen. Her voice is all silk and steel. ]

[ Filtered away from the King and Queen ]

’Twould be to our mutual benefit if all parties were to refrain from engaging in foalish games that would upset the new Queen, yes? Any manner of game involving a particular equid with a missing tail will be in rather poor taste this New Year’s.

[ Ugh. Now they’re going to be behind schedule, aren’t they? ]

Comments

Dictated

[sawadeertoday]

S-someone did that...?!

[ She's rather disturbed by this. Because the Queen is to be respected, of course! ]

[doublethefun]

'Twas highly distasteful. When I determine the identity of the perpetrator...

[checklist]

Oh, oh, I know!

We're going to make them regret their foalish actions, right?

[sawadeertoday]

I-I guess that's a good idea...

A-Are you going to punish them?

[doublethefun]

'Twill be a lesson they will ne'er forget.

[...] Where art thou, at the moment?

[somepony might be about to recruit GlaDOS into slavery preparing for the feast]

[checklist]

[ Twilight nods, though obviously GlaDOS can't see it. She then goes back about checking items off of her checklist.

Having another set of hands around would speed things up. ]

[huffythedragon]

[He's just watching the proceedings with a terminally bored expression. Ponies, man. Freaking ponies]

I don't get what you're spazzing out about. It's just a game, seesh.

[doublethefun]

[a smile that's not a smile at all]

Then wilt thou take responsibility, should we find another?

[checklist]

She's right, Spike. If that's the kind of attitude you're going to take, then perhaps you can be the one tell the Queen all about it.

[huffythedragon]

Please, I've got better things to do with my time than playing silly games with namby pamby ponies.

[doublethefun]

[there's an arched look at the namby pamby part]

Wouldst thou like to restate that?

[huffythedragon]

What's the matter? You deaf or something?

[doublethefun]

[crazy laughter? Check.]

'Twas an ill-advised retort, dragonling.

[she steps forward. Attempted trampling may or may not be imminent depending on whether or not they've used up those extra five minutes in their already tight schedule.]

[checklist]

Princess!

[ Her tone is sharp, but only because she's glancing at a pocketwatch that she... got from somewhere. ]

We've run out of our extra time. If Spike can't do his share of the work, we'll fall behind.

[doublethefun]

[there's a baleful snort as she pauses, pawing at the ground with a hoof. Really, Twilight? How much help can he possibly be?

...Still. The Queen.]

Very well. [she turns around, all business once again] What is next, Twilight Sparkle?

[checklist]

Let's see...

We're supposed to attempt to recruit more workers. I was going to force Zelos to hang up the streamers, and we also need an able body to paint the stables. Early preparation of the food should also be started relatively soon. [ Glance at the checklist. ] Within the next two hours, actually.

[huffythedragon]

[Spike doesn't seem that bothered. He rolls his eyes and snorts out a plume of smoke from his nostrils]

Is that supposed to frighten me?