The Zafrican Ball

It has been a year since Ambassador Thunderstripe and his family came to Canterlot to build relations between Equestria and their home land of Zafrica, home of the Zebra populace. On this day the fanciest families in Canterlot are invited to celebrate the continued peace between the two countries, hosted by the ambassador himself. While Princess Celestia was not able to attend, the Abassador did get her blessing prior to the event.

The Ambassador, along with his wife and twin children greeted each guest as they entered the castle. The Ambassador in his Zafrican military uniform, his wife in a lovely gown, their son Bane in a suit appearing to be formalwear for those training to be apart of the Canterlot royal guard, and their daughter Sainas in a dress of orange and yellow with a red flower on her ear and a rainbow ribbon hanging down. Her outfit was completed with a necklace with a beautiful green gem on it.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg580/scaled.php?server=580&filename=sarinasg.gif

The Ambassador stood strong, greeting each person very strictly and professionally, his wife more compassionate offered them a smile. Bane greeted them much like his father, but seemed to have an air of arrogance to him as he acknowledged others. Sarinas did not want to be there, she only acknowledged others if they spoke to her first. The look of boredom was evident on her face.

Bane turned his head to notice his sister slouching and looking quite unbecoming at the greeting. He elbowed her and cleared his throat, straightening up, implying she should do te same. Sarinas sighed and stood up taller, although not nearly with the enthusiasm the rest of her family had.

"Glad yah could make it..." She acknowledged a guest.

"Thank yah for coming" she said to another.

It rarely paid to ignore an invitation, even if it came as a bit of a surprise. The Designs usually concerned themselves with intra- instead of international affairs, so receiving an invitation to celebrate diplomatic relations was not unheard of, but not that expected. But again, rarely was it worth passing on an invitation.

Elegance had mixed feelings about the affair. On the one hoof, her time could probably be better spent working or taking care of her brother. On the other, Sarinas was one of few that Elegance did not have to try to like, let alone tolerate. Whatever her feelings, her parents were going, and that means she was going.

Even if he could, her older brother wouldn't go. Too stifling, he would say, and he would be inevitably be distracted by his thoughts or disappointed that the average guest to these things did not have have a thorough grounding in theoretical magic. Elegance supposed she had the advantage of conversation topics that were more familiar to these ponies, but she did admit that the vapidity of some was hard on the tolerance.

The outfits of the family did not boast of extravagance or riches, but instead quietly stated the importance and influence of those who wore it. Elegance was thankful of the choice. She hated gaudy, which was what some of the guests here were apparently going for as she cast her usual critical gaze over the line her family was currently participating in.

The critical gaze soon found that the Designs were far enough to examine the hosting family. It took some effort to suppress a smirk when Elegance observed the boredom on Sarinas' face. This particular scene was definitely not her, even if she looked nice in her dress. The rest of her family seemed more accustomed to the setting with carefully crafted expressions as they went through the seemingly endless greetings. A little curious, she sneaked a glance at the expressions of her own parents.

Lord Design the Grand had polite smile, the kind you saved for formal, but his kind eyes were natural, if a bit overly passive. Lady Design nee Hermitage the Serene had perfected her professional expression more perfectly. Elegance couldn't find a single fault, which was to be expected, for it was her mother that taught her how to act in these circumstances.

When Elegance turn her gaze forward, it was just in time for the formal greetings.

The Ambassador greeted Lord and Lady Design in his normal tall statured and short way. He was a military pony and was never really well known for his pony skills. Mrs Thunderstripe and Bane also greeted the Design family as they entered.

At the end of the line of zebras was Sarinas, still not paying much attention as she greeted ponies who entered. "Thank yah for coming" she said to the Designs as her gaze drifted over them. She lowered her gaze from Lord and Lady Design to see Elegance behind them.

Sarinas froze. Elegance Design-- the one pony who knows that she had slipped out during the wedding between Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Not only would her father kill her, but it would cause quite the ruckus if word got out that she did not stay to celebrate the royal Canterlot wedding. She kind of hoped Elegance would not remember her-- but the look on Elegance's face said otherwise. One of the only zebras in the city met during one of the most important events in the cities history-- what were the chances Elegance would remember such a thing.

Sarinas sighed to herself. "Elegance, it is lovely to see yah" Sarinas said, suddenly actually much more formal.

"The pleasure is all mine," Elegance replied, "I believe the last time we met was at the wedding celebrations?"

That was all she had time to say before the pressure from the ponies behind made it that the Design family had to enter into the main body of the celebration.

---

It was always a bit of a sport at celebrations, or a bit of a dance. One tried to avoid the ponies you dislike and stay with the ponies you tolerated. However, one always had to keep moving, striking conversation with any pony you came across. These two seemingly simple rules dictated the ebb and flow of the ponies. It was always part-awkward part-amusing when two members of feuding families tried to remain civil over sweets, pastries, or bread and butter.

It was also fun to determine the ponies who really didn't want to be there. It was a curious but accurate fact that the old families, the really old ones were the ones that tolerated these celebrations the least. The easiest way to spot a pretender trying to build up credibility as a noblepony were the ones that, quite frankly, tried. It was a little depressing, listening to loose tongues trying to drop names and garner favours. The true nobles were the ones that dropped names by simply introducing themselves.

It was good evening so far. The conversations Elegance partook in were with interesting ponies and the ideas and thoughts swapped were as interesting as the ponies themselves. Lady Chance was going well with her Wildlife Preserve and her Darkfire Cuckoo was doing well with its chicks. Count Tone had again requested a portrait with her mother, but Elegance stated that if he did want to paint Lady Design, he would do well to ask her himself. Hypothesis inquired if Intelligent was going well, and Elegance replied that he could be better, but he was thankfully stable.

Her path of avoiding the vapid and sticking with the interesting had led her all around the hall, but she had yet to run into one of the hosts until she ran into Sarinas. "So, how has your evening been so far, Sarinas?"

Once upon a time, OzyManedias would have been invited to this sort of event. He would have waltzed in with a mare at both hooves and a entourage and a honor guard and he would be decked out in gems and a regalia and all the best things.

Once upon a time, OzyManedias would not be selling treats and hot-beverages to the snobby elite of this horrible place called Canterlot. Why had he even showed up at this place at all? Oh, right, the money. Its always the money. He never had enough money. If its one thing about Capitalism, its very...

Addictive?

Hm. Maybe I could write a political satire about Capitalism being a form of drug or something. He thought. OzyManedias' focus returned to the dancefloor. There was that Zebra Ambassador everypony who was ANYPONY (Ozy was not considered "anypony." He was, however, a very good listener) had heard about, the Designs, and a series of other noble-ponies Ozy did not care about. Why was OzyManedias watching them in particular? He took a moment to brush that one pesky lock of his black mane that would not be slicked back out of his bright yellow eyes.

Potential customers He told himself, think of the advertising. But no, he never really cared about the money. He just cared about knowing things. Knowledge was power, and Ozy wanted to be a God.

Or something like that.

But now? to sell.

"Hot Beverages! Get a freshly brewed cup of traditional Zebra Rooibos teas! Or Coffee from Prance! Pastries of the Finest quality!" Ozy shouted above the crowd, desperately trying to attract anypony's attention to his stall. He sat down in exhaustion and stared at his dark brown fur.

Celestia, I hate my job.

Princess Celestia had graciously sent Amina an invitation to the Zafrican Ball. It was Amina's first big party in Equestria, and she was excited and happy to be representing Saddle Arabia at this big occasion.

Amina had asked the princesses not to throw a huge party for her. Still in the spirit of her humble and poor lifestyle, she wasn't even sure she was ready for normal life in Canterlot.

Fancy ponies galore were lined up at the door, waiting to be admitted into the festivities. She felt out of place, yet again, because of her towering height over the other ponies, and the way she was dressed. In Saddle Arabia, it was traditional to wear a saddle-blanket, a collar, a headpiece, and slik scarves to this sort of thing, but these mares were all wearing some sort of long, poofy, and ornate blouse, and the stallions were wearing dark-colored jackets and trousers. All the jingling from the metal ornaments on her clothing was attracting the all-too-familiar stares, again. She couldn't wait to get out of this impossibly long line...

Amina finally got in, but the guardpony checking the guest had spent a rather long time making sure Amina was indeed allowed inside. It was a welcoming party for a group of zebras, for Faust's sake. A party for other foreigners. Why was she being so discriminated?

Amina trotted in, looking at all the ponies with their noses in the air. The ambassador and his family were on the dance floor, speaking to many of the ponies. She thought of going over, but then she's have to fight the crowd of high-society ponies. It did not seem appealing.

Catching sight of a little stand and an overly-enthusiastic pony trying to sell food, she trotted over.

"Hello," she said to the pony. "What do you have to eat?"

She immediately felt self-conscious of her heavy accent and so-so Equestrian. Pronouncing every word with distinct syllables, rolling her r's, pronouncing p's like soft b's, and replacing th's with s's or d's. she tried to avoid words like that.

"O ecce alia dives optimatium." OzyManedias muttered under his breath before smiling a little too widely at Amina. "Well Mademoiselle, we have a varied assortment of Bear claws, donuts holes, danishes, apple fritters, bagels, espresso, green tea, black tea, red tea, white tea, Rooibos tea, black coffee, Itailan coffee, Zafrican coffee, baked goods, confections, chocolates, hot chocolates, white chocolate, Germare chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Marexican chocolate, Dutch chocolate, Swiss chocolate, fondue, marzipan, caramel, truffles, AND MANY MORE."

OzyManedias gasped for breath after he listed his wares. "Just... give me a..." He took a couple deep breaths. "...a moment please." He regained his breath and coughed politely, ruffling his wings into a more comfortable position and slicked his black mane back. As usual the one pesky lock fell in front of his eye. "Now, Madame, what may I get for you? Sum felix ad serviendum tibi." His fake smile returned to his face. Give me one reason for you to earn a shred of my respect. He thought behind his polite facade.

Amina's eyes widened. What? She had thought her Equestrian was just a little rusty, but she didn't understand a word of what this pony had just unleashed in a flurry of rapid syllables and sounds.

She stood for a moment, staring at the pony.

"Pardon," she said, blushing an even deeper shade of red. "I only sbeak a little Equestrian. I am of Saddle Arabia, and I'm not used to zis Canterlot lifestyle. I am just a little hungry. Could you just pick somezing for me?"