El Turnia: Becoming Fire *DISCONTINUED*

Chapter 35: Confetty

I left the Entrance Hall and made my way down the side of the palace. The party planners did their work on the most untouched level of the castle. They had a tendency to spread their papers and decorations all over the place. Which is why they were the employees with the biggest office. And that office was downstairs. Where nopony else went to work, it was pretty creepy.
When at last I reached the narrow staircase, guarded by a door with a sign that read: No Entry, I wanted to turn around. I hated small spaces and empty places. When the walls closed around you or when the room was blank, rotting, and equipped with the lowest quality light fixtures. I was mildly frightened, to say the least. Spooked.

Gloria, jeez, calm down! You're fine!

I sighed.

"Ok, let's do it." I opened the brown door slowly.

A slanting, narrow flight of stairs appeared before me. There was a lantern hanging from the wall. An old one, and it was out, with no sign of matches or other fire creating devices.

Welp, good thing I'm an alicorn, I guess!

Being grateful for my long, white horn once again, I illuminated the passage with a golden glow. I hesitantly took the first step of many and merged into the dark staircase. I made my way down, the stairs creaking and groaning. It took awhile, mostly because I was going quite slow. But after 10 minutes of agonizing travel, it was over. I came to a second door, pushing it open and stepping forward. In front of my eyes was yet, another passage. But this one seemed to have a lacking of stairs. It was short with a big pink door at the end.

Ookaay?

I had never been, seen, or talked to the part planners, mostly because I'd never needed to. My parents had always been the ones party planning. We only had it as a job in case someone was sick or lacking inspiration. And now I was the one walking into a creepy hall to find them. I laughed, just a little. Oh, how I was so different than my mother and father. It was amusing, but honestly, no two queens were the same.
One thing I had never stopped to think about, was if I was as good as my parents.

You can never be as great as somepony else, because they're not you.

I should tag line that. Now, back to the matter at hoof, I walked into the middle of the hall. Turning behind me, I noticed that the passage slowly faded into to darkness.

Where's the other end? A cold breeze came from the dark. It twirled between my legs, then receded into its original place of being. I shivered, that was creepy.

Not letting myself be pulled away from my current goal, I walked forward. Then trotted and soon enough I was galloping away from the darkness. I skidded to a halt at the pink door, dust clouded up from the stone beneath my hooves. I sneezed and brushed the dust away. Looking up, I noticed a golden plaque on the door. The words, Supply Closet, has been scratched out and ρꪖ𝘳𝓽ꪗ ρꪶꪖꪀꪀ𝓲ꪀᧁ has replaced it. I lifted my hoof to knock on the door, but it swung open. I jumped back, startled. There was a unicorn standing there. A unicorn with bright, blue hair, spectacles, and a slick, gray suit.

"Yes? Can I... help you?" her voice was slippery, as if every word was doused in oil.

"Um yes! Actually, I'm Queen Gloria!" I smiled the most, fake smile I'd ever had to do.

"I knew that." she replied, in an exasperated manner. "I'm Confetty, with a y."

She sighed, letting every, single particle of air escape her lungs before continuing.

"I know you're here about The Winter Joy Celebration and I'm happy to tell you, I don't care." she looked up at me. I was much taller than her, so she had to stick her snout fully up in the air.

I shuffled my hooves on the stone floor.

"But can you still help me plan? I mean, I do really need your help." I bit my lip, waiting.

"You know, you royals have always treated us like grape flavored medicine. The kind nurses give fillies when they have the plague, but nopony wants to tell them." Confetty's tone grew colder and colder as she continued. "You put us down here, make us work for a job nopony cares about, and forget us!"

She stomped her hoof on the ground, an echo reverberated around the passage. Her brown pelt flattened and she paused.

"My sister died because of you!" she changed the subject. "If you hadn't let that crazy dragon headed lunatic live, maybe I would be talking to her right now!"

Ice crept up my spine, my pupils dilated.

"Who was your sister?" I asked, although I already knew.

"Her name was Falcon, and she was the most wonderful pony in the world." Confetty's words stabbed me, sharper than any blade. "So if you think I'm gonna help you plan a silly party! Well, you are very much mistaken."