Good afternoon. For those of you just tuning in, this is Voice of Equestria, with your host Rainy Meadow. Earlier, we had a spirited panel discussion on the role of the Equestrian nobility in the modern age. To recap, while each noble house is represented in the Parliament's House of Lords, membership in a noble house is by and large a mark of status; birthright no longer confers governing authority within their own realms, and in many cases do not even own land after the Land and Property Reformation Act of 176 CE. In a majority of cases, nobles are chiefly preoccupied with high–society events, such as charities, the Grand Galloping Gala, and the Canterlot Garden Party.

Speaking of which, this year's Garden Party is coming up and it looks to be a memorable one. A new house will be present this time around, though the house itself is fairly old. House Argent, famous for having dabbled extensively in espionage during the pre–classical era, was recently discovered to have faked their demise in the aftermath of the Lunar Rebellion so that they could infiltrate and manipulate social, military, and political aspects of Equestrian society. Their existence only came to light after a failed attempt at liberating captive ponies that the changelings had been feeding on, which destabilized the hive and nearly triggered a war.

As a result, House Argent faces a wide variety of criminal charges, ranging from grand conspiracy to trafficking in dark artifacts, though prosecution has been suspended by royal decree on the condition that they serve the crown, refrain from further acts of espionage and repair the damage they caused. Currently a majority of House Argent members are helping provide sustenance for Princess Twilight's changeling refuge in the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest, with Captain Thunderball having taken an administrative role.

In an interesting turn of events, this has rendered House Argent unable to attend the Garden Party themselves. Rather than miss out on one of the most important social events of the year, however, House Argent has, in an act of trust and reconciliation, chosen to be represented at the Garden Party by three changelings.

To say that the nobility is scandalized would be something of an understatement.

The former Adjutant–General of the Hive stood awkwardly under one of the larger trees, on the sidelines of the party, with two bodyguards flanking her. There was a great deal of tension in the air, despite Fancy Pants's best efforts to defuse it, but at least the hostility had reached an equilibrium. The party goers — she had never seen so many snooty unicorns before in her life — were content to ignore their presence instead of actively objecting to it. It was, perhaps, the best that could be expected given the circumstances; a majority of them doubtlessly attended Princess Cadance's wedding, and were captured or forced into hiding due to the invasion.

To be honest, Adjutant felt like the only thing that kept the party in order, and a riot from breaking out into the street, was the distant presence of the Royal Guard and both diarchs — close enough to be reassuring, but far enough to make the attendees feel at ease.

"Why the long face, boss?" The changeling next to her, one of her two bodyguards, asked though a mouthful of cake. "The chocolate cake makes my mouth feel like it's gone to heaven!"

The other bodyguard groaned. "Ace, try to be a bit more professional, will you?"

"What're you worried about, Bonling?" Ace swallowed the remainder of the cake and struck a dramatic pose. The mop of messy purple hair on top of his skull waved dramatically in a breeze that sprang up out of nowhere. "No Canterlot troublemaker is a match for Ace Gambit, bodyguard for hire!"

Adjutant gave a sharp cough. "Ace, it is highly unlikely that anyone will try to attack us less than 50 meters from where the Royal Sisters are having afternoon tea. The Director–"

"You can say his name, you know," Ace interrupted as he picked up a small pastry. "He won't take it as a sign of disrespect. In fact, he seems to prefer it."

"Well, Director...Captain…" Adjutant's face contorted as she took in a deep breath. "Thunderball just wants us to show high–society that we're perfectly civilized creatures."

"Really? I thought it was because he can't stand them and wanted to rain on their parade."

"Regardless of his reasons, we are here now and should make the best impression possible. It would make integration a great deal easier if we had more support, or at least less hostility. I, for one, would like to be able to go into town without everypony shutting their doors, and I'm sure the bookshop would do well to have more customers."

"Yeah, so stop stuffing your mouth and act the part, alright?" Bonling grumbled. "I want this to be over a soon as possible so I can get back to Lyra and Bon Bon."

"Say no more'; Ace Gambit, gentlepony for hire, will make sure that your future shopping trips and hot threesomes will come to pass!"

Ace adopted Bonling's stoic posture with a solemnity normally reserved for tax auditors and pallbearers. Several minutes of excruciating silence passed by as the party carried on around them, until Fancy Pants trotted into view with a less than enthusiastic hanger–on in tow.

"I say, Adjutant," he said in his smoothest, most calming voice, "Have you met Prima Rosa? She supplies flowers to all of Canterlot, and is looking to expand her inventory! You wouldn't happen to know of any interesting botanical specimens in the Everfree Forest that could liven up a party, would you?"

It was normal social protocol amongst ponies to introduce one's self by speaking and offering a hoofshake. Prima Rosa did none of these things and simply forced herself to smile as she stood closer to Fancy Pants than Fleur de Lis would have deemed appropriate.

"Only Poison Joke so far, and that might make things too lively." Adjutant refrained from smiling in a conscientious effort to avoid baring her fangs. Fancy Pants gave a hearty laugh, while Prima Rosa merely nodded along.

"If you're interested, I could put you in contact with the zebra who lives there. She certainly has a handle on the vegetation," Adjutant continued.

A polite cough interrupted the conversation, and Fleur de Lis appeared shortly after, inserting herself firmly between Prima Rosa and Fancy Pants. "Hello, fillies, gentlecolts. Prima Rosa. I think I saw your husband over by the punch bowl; would you care to go over and inform him that his toupee is coming loose again?"

Prima Rosa's eyes bulges and she beat a hasty retreat, while Fleur nuzzled Fancy Pants, bringing a spark of warmth and love to the party. "Darling, I hate to drag you away from your friends, but the others are distinctly uneasy today, and your charms might be better off spread out amongst the other guests."

Adjutant watched Fleur de Lis lead Fancy Pants off and sighed. It was a good effort, but ultimately futile.

"So, what are we going to do for the next few hours?" Ace whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "I can't take much more of this standing around."

Bonling shrugged. "You can make fun of the latest fashion for all I care, as long as you keep it to yourself." She pointed to the other end of the garden, where a mare with a hat so large that it covered her head and horn stumbled her way through the party. "Look at the disaster walking towards Prince Blueblood, she's a good place to start."

The lady in the ridiculous hat — a light blue mare with a mane as pale as snow and all the haughtiness that came with a life near the top of Equestrian society — looked over Prince Blueblood's shoulder and wrinkled her nose delicately at the trio of changelings talking among themselves.

"I can't believe what Celestia was thinking when she let those things into Equestria! Especially after what happened last time." She gave an exaggerated shudder. "Fancy Pants can talk all he wants about love and tolerance, but these aren't griffons or zebra. Do you know that my garden's never fully recovered from having those brutes rampaging through it? My shrubberies will never be the same."

"I know what you mean," Blueblood nodded. "Why, I was forced to spend hours in a filthy basement with this bossing mare who decided it was her duty to keep me there 'for my own safety'. It took me weeks to get the smell out of my coat. The nerve of some of these commoners."

"Outrageous," she breathed. "I swear, things have gone to rot around here since Fancy Pants approved of those rustic yokels a few years back. Things have become so common since, and now these changelings! Here representing House Argent, no less. Why, they're not even a real house; I hear the actual bloodline ran out eight hundred years ago, and the current crop are descended from them in name only. Since when did Canterlot allow a rag–tag group of orphans stand with our oldest houses?"

"Since the Heredity and Inheritance Act of 635, I imagine." Blueblood responded dryly.

"Heavens, what indignity is next, donkeys? Mules?" Her hooves shot to her mouth as she gasped. "Oh heaven forbid, what if we have minotaurs? Prince Blueblood, what is to be done about this? I'll not sit idly by as they overrun our country! Surely a unicorn as intelligent and close to the throne as yourself must have some idea."

Blueblood looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "Well, I certainly have my thoughts, but at the moment, I would be more interested in hearing from you, miss…?"

"Bella Donna." She fluttered her eyelashes and wrapped a foreleg around his. "Bella Donna of House Atropa, at your service."

"How appropriate." He leaned into her and flashed his most charming smile, exposing rows of gleaming white teeth. "Shall we depart for a more private setting, my dear?"

The two made a quiet exit from the party and slid into the castle proper, with Bella Donna wearing a grin that would have looked at home on a shark, her hat wobbling with each step.