And then there were two...

Chapters

Chapter 1 - The saddest news
Chapter 2 - Sisters reunited
Chapter 3 - Goodbye...
Chapter 4 - A grey cloud
Chapter 5 - Chic & magnifique
Chapter 6 - Thinking Ahead
Chapter 7 - On Eggshells
Chapter 9 - Harmonious Faith
Chapter 10 - Big Trouble in Little Schoolyard
Chapter 11 - Repercussions
Chapter 8 - Communications

Chapter 1 - The saddest news

A purple alicorn slowed her descent with a flap of her large wings, landing just outside a familiar schoolhouse on the edge of Ponyville. The red building with its large bell tower was a place she had often frequented, most of the time with enthusiasm. But today was the first time the recently crowned princess was dreading the trip.

Celestia’s sun was at the peak of its arc, and the fillies and colts of Cheerilee class were outside at lunch; eating, chatting or playing happily without a care in the world. Trying to keep her composure, which the young mare had lost too many times already today, Twilight calmly as possible walked into the school grounds and straight into its main classroom.

Luckily nopony had noticed her and she was glad that she was so well known in her adopted home town that she could slip into the school without attracting unwanted attention. Nowhere else in Equestria would that have been possible, and she was grateful for that small mercy. What was about to transpire was going to be difficult enough without any hullabaloo from the other students excited to see the towns princess in residence.

Cheerilee was sat at her desk catching up with a bit of marking, frowning slightly as she tried to decipher some of the students writing. Of course it wasn’t their fault that they didn’t have unicorns’ fine magic control over Quills, and most her unicorn students didn’t even have that level of control yet. As she was in the middle of trying to unscramble Snips’s homework, Cheerilee noticed the movement of a pony out of the corner of her eye.

The dark pink mare looked up from the workbook and her face lit up when she saw Princess Twilight Sparkle in her classroom, always enjoying the visit from the fellow bookworm. The pair had grown close over the few years Twilight had been the town’s librarian due to their shared passion for knowledge. But any thoughts of an enjoyable visit soon left the earth pony’s mind when she saw the alicorns face was one of complete despondency, and the teacher’s usual happy demeanour quickly dropped.

“Twilight, what’s wrong” Cheerilee calmly stated as she rose from the cushion behind her desk, forgoing a bow or even a casual hello.

“Something awful has happened…” Twilight was almost crying just from opening her mouth, and from the red bags under her eyes it was clear that the young mare had not long stopped “…and I… need your help to break the news.” Twilight went on to explain the situation to the older mare, whose face soon lost all of its colour - the only smile in the room were the ones embossed on the teachers flank.

Meanwhile, outside of the classroom, the students of Ponyville Schoolhouse were enjoying a gloriously sunny lunchtime. Autumn was well on its way but it was still a few weeks until the Running of the Leaves. The pegasi had kept the sky free of clouds so the late summer harvest would ripen, and everypony knew it was the last chance to enjoy the outdoors.

Three particular fillies were sat together at a tree stump with a big list in front of them, ticking off most of their summer crusading ideas they had managed to fit in the past few months. “There must be something we haven’t tried.” Scootaloo groaned “What about Novel Writing?”

“That’s more of a winter idea as it can be done in bad weather!” Sweetie Belle squeaked “So we’ll add that to next seasons list when we get back to our secret clubhouse.”

“Besides, that must take at least a month I reckon!” the earth filly of the trio joined in downheartedly. She let out a sigh but out of the corner of her eye Apple Bloom saw Cheerilee and Twilight approaching the makeshift table, causing the yellow pony’s depressed attitude to lift slightly.

“Hiya Ms Cheerilee, hello Twilight” Apple Bloom greeted the pair as they arrived, the trio of fillies slightly nodding in respect to the princess.

“Er, hello my little ponies” Twilight began, trying to keep her composure “Sweetie Belle, could you come with us inside for a moment? We need to speak with you in private.”

“Whatever it is, I didn’t do it!” Sweetie Belle instantly replied, knowing that the usual reason any of the campaigning trinity were asked to be spoken to in private usually meant they were in some sort of trouble. But today they hadn’t done anything wrong - they were too busy planning for the next few weeks to get up to mischief, and if anything they expected Twilight would be happy to see such organisation.

“No Sweetie Belle, you’re not in trouble” Cheerilee tried to smile in response, her more natural mothering instincts towards foals kicking in, having been a teacher for many years. The three fillies may have still been young and relatively inexperienced in life, in spite of the combined knowledge gained through their numerous adventures, but it was clear even to them that something was amiss. The Cutie Mark Crusaders glanced at each other as the two older ponies were looking at them very nervously and generally being very unnatural round them.

“Could you come inside, please Sweetie Belle” Twilight pleaded, not wanting to get into it right here in front of everypony else. A few of the other students were starting to pay attention to what was going on with the troublesome fillies, and the last thing that was needed right now was an audience of curious fillies and colts.

Sweetie Belle got to her hooves with a sigh “Okay, but can we make this quick, I want to get back to our planning” and she started to plod towards the schoolhouse. As she started to move, her two best friends forever also got to their hooves and started moving with her.

“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo…we need to speak to Sweetie Belle alone” Cheerilee put a hoof out to block the pair from following.

The orange pegasus put her front hooves over the teachers outstretched foreleg to try to look at the mare in the face. “Hey, we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders” Scootaloo flared her small wings for emphasis “and where one of us go, we go…TOGETHER” the trio ended in unison.

“Now Scootaloo, Apple Bloom…” Cheerilee started to scowl, not feeling up to dealing with any other their shenanigans. But Twilight lowered the teachers hoof and Cheerilee paused to allow her to speak.

“It’s okay girls, you can come too.” Twilight tried to smile, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it. Cheerilee guessed that Twilight had realised that the last thing they needed was an argument and as this was going to be difficult for the young filly, any friends round her was going to be a good thing. As the three youngsters bounded towards the school the two elder ponies found each step hard, knowing it brought them one step closer to the horrible moment ahead.

All too quickly for Twilights liking, she found herself in the classroom, with the three fillies standing at the front of the class waiting for what they assumed was going to be another telling off.

“So, what is it Twilight, Ms Cheerilee?” Sweetie Belle asked, not usually being the natural leader of the group but having all the attention on her made her take the chief role.

“Why don’t the three of you take a seat?” Twilight asked gingerly, her usual confident nature she exuded since becoming a princess completely gone.

“What’s wrong? Something’s happened hasn’t it?” the unicorn responded, agitation growing in her voice. Her two friends looked at each other with mounting concern, as clearly something serious was happening, and the body language of the adults added to their concern.

“Sweetie Belle, there’s…” Twilight's eyes started to leak at the corners, and she had to take a big deep breath “There’s been an accident.”

The white filly’s face dropped, and the wonderful optimistic shine usually in her eyes left in an instant “Something’s happened to Rarity hasn’t it?”

“Sweetie Belle…” Cheerilee began to speak.

“I always knew being an Element of Harmony was dangerous, why did she have to be so generous! She’s really hurt, isn’t she?” Sweetie practically screamed at Twilight, her voice cracking numerous times.

Twilight’s heart practically broke and her instinct was to say no, to tell the filly that the sister she adored was fine. But her lessons, both formal and in life, had taught her that you had to be careful when dealing with feelings and especially in matters such as this. She paused as she tried to refocus her thoughts – being a Princess may have made her powerful enough to fight gods of chaos, evil unicorns and everything else, but she felt that she was about to do the hardest thing of her life so far.

“Tell me!” Sweetie squeaked, as Apple Bloom put a hoof over her friends shoulder sensing something life changing was about to happen. The weather outside may have been unseasonably warm, but it felt that the temperature in the schoolroom had fallen a few degrees already.

Twilight lowered her body a little towards the ground, so she wasn’t towering over the filly and thought about taking off her crown to seem as friendly as possible. But she realised that she needed her element with her as she needed all the strength she had for what she was about to say. She would have loved to let somepony else handle this, but it was her duty to do this – not because she was a princess and in a position of power, but as a close friend of the family she owed it to them, and to the scared filly in front of her.

“There...has been an accident” Twilight repeated softening her face as much as possible “A confused and injured Ursa Minor came into town early this morning and whilst we managed to get it back into the Everfree Forest, there were a number of ponies hurt…seriously hurt.” A tear escaped the princess’s eye and fell to the ground, but the alicorn found the comforting hoof of Cheerilee holding one of hers to help give her strength.

“Rarity?” Sweetie Belle croaked softly, half a question, half just comforting herself by calling out her treasured sisters name.

Twilight looked at the scared foal, and knew she had to continue – pausing may give the filly a few more moments of innocence, but she knew she had to give the sad news and change this filly’s life forever. “Sweetie Belle…your parents were hurt. The doctors, Nurse Redheart rushed to the scene and did all they could. But your parents were really badly injured and so were rushed to the hospital.”

Twilight put a comforting hoof out onto the young unicorns shoulder. “Sweetie Belle, the doctors did all they could…we all did. But your parents…” the three fillies were already crying before the upcoming destructive words were uttered, as it was clear from Twilight's face what the Princess was about to say “…died this morning.”

Chapter 2 - Sisters reunited

The sun was still shining outside, and most of the children in Cheerilee’s class continued playing and enjoying their lunchtime, oblivious to what had unfolded in the town earlier that day. Whilst the sounds of laughter floated in from outside, the only sounds coming from within the large classroom were of three young fillies and an alicorn princess gently sobbing.

Cheerilee was somehow holding herself together but she knew she had to be strong not just for the youngsters, but also the mare who seemed to be taking this very hard. The teacher had gathered from Twilights words, and indeed her actions, that there was a reason good reason the princess was taking this personally. She knew better then to enquire right now but had to remember to follow up with her friend later.

After a few more moments of crying with her friends, Sweetie Belle looked back up to the pair of adults. “Where’s Rarity?” the unicorn sobbed softly.

“She’s already at the hospital little one” Twilight choked back a tear “She wanted to come and tell you the news herself but she was in no fit state to go anywhere.”

“I want to see her…Can I go to her?” Sweetie turned and asked Cheerilee, her mind not processing the news she had heard properly. Really the filly's was in a state of shock, and all she knew is she wanted the warm embrace of her sisters hooves.

Twilight wrapped a wing round the white filly who leant into her in responce “Of course Sweetie Belle. Go collect your things and I’ll take you there. Get your stuff as well Scootaloo, Apple Bloom…Sweetie needs her friends with her right now”

The trio slowly moved to the back of the room to collect their saddlebags, and Twilight went over and whispered to Cheerilee “You alright?”

“Yes your highness” Cheerilee replied a little distractedly “Are you?”

“Not really, but compared to what Sweetie Belle and Rarity are going through right now I’ll cope” the princess sighed, clearly holding back something. “Are you going to be okay looking after the class, you look a bit shaken up! Should we send the students home?”

“Well, I’ll have to tell the rest of them what’s happened, and that’s not going to be pleasant,” Twilight raised her eyebrows in surprise, so the teacher continued “Whilst I'm not one to gossip, this terrible news is going to spread around town quickly. I think it’s better that they find out properly in a controlled manner, rather than overhearing one by one on the way home.”

Twilight just nodded in response to this, and the pair fell silent as they thought about what had happened. The trio of fillies were walking slowly back towards them, Apple Bloom carrying Sweetie Belle’s bag for her. Twilight levitated the young unicorn onto her back, expecting that the youngster would be in no fit state to walk all the way across town to the hospital. “Come along Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, let’s get moving” Twilight motioned towards the door, and the two followed her.

As the four ponies started trotting off out of the Schoolyard, Sweetie Belle curled up between Twilights wings and started sobbing again. Lying on the back of another pony just brought back memories of being carried around by her mother as a foal, and the familiarity felt comforting. But regardless of the comfort from the soft fur of Twilight back, it also made the youngster remember the mare she would never see again.

Cheerilee watched the ponies disappeared over the horizon and let out a big breath, knowing she had to bring the students in and break the news to them. Ponyville was a tight nit community, and this was going to hit everypony hard. She went over an rung the bell to signal the end of break, and the bongs sounded so much more depressing than they usually did for the teacher.

The hospital was a long way across town and Twilight decided to take her charges around the edge of Ponyville, wanting to avoid other ponies and the sight of any of the destruction that had been caused this morning’s catastrophe. The four ponies walked in silence and the stillness of both conversation and the areas they were passing through felt much more heavy to Twilight Sparkle than the weight of the filly on her back. Sweetie Belle was occasionally still sobbing, the tears making twilights coat damp. The alicorn looked over to the filly’s two friends and the usually happy and energetic pair were sulking along right next to her, neither of them really knowing what to say.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the large white building of Ponyville District Municipal Hospital came into view. There were a number of ponies milling around outside the building and many of them had obviously been crying, presumably, for whomever they had come to visit. Twilight knew that only three ponies had died but a lot more had been injured before she had been able to get the situation under control. Whilst no doubt the other ponies would recover, it was still tough on friends and families to see their loved ones hurt and in pain.

Twilight noticed Applejack was waiting outside, the farmpony looking as depressed as the purple mare had ever seen her. Apple Bloom went running over to her sister, and the pair fell into a deep hug using each other as a source of relief. After a few moments, the pair separated and Applejack looked over towards Twilight. The earth pony was about to speak when she saw the unicorn filly lying on the Princess’s back and all words seemed to instantly fail her. All she could do was take off her hat and, wordless, the five ponies entered the main hospital.

The nurses looked up as the group entered the triage lobby and recognising both Princess Twilight and Applejack from earlier in the day, just let them proceed into the main hospital undisturbed. Twilight led them towards one of the family rooms, where the sound of crying from a pony they all knew and loved was ringing out. Sweetie Belle recognised her sister’s sounds anywhere, but rather than the usual melodramatic exaggerations, the fashionista voice had the notes of genuine pain.

Applejack opened the door and Sweetie Belle jumped off Twilights back before the alicorn had entered the room. The young filly went galloping across the floor and practically jumped at her sister, who had heard her hooves clopping on the ground and opened her arms to receive her sister’s affection. Being in each others embrace just caused the pair to start crying again and no words were spoken between them.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were sitting either side of Rarity, but seeing the sisterly embrace, got up to give the pair a bit of space. Applejack had a hoof around Apple Bloom to comfort her and Scootaloo shuffled over from Twilight towards Rainbow Dash, the blue pegasus extending a wing around the miserable filly when she was close enough, fulfilling her role as surrogate sister. Twilight decided to go and stand with Fluttershy, who was joined by a dejected looking Spike who seemed as confused as much as sad, and the trio shared a quick embrace - everypony needed some support right now.

There was silence in the room, as the seven friends were just letting Sweetie Belle and Rarity be with each other. After what seemed like hours, but must have only been ten minutes at the most, there was a gentle knock on the door which sounded liked a jackhammer compared to the quietness that had developed. A stallion doctor opened the door and came into the room, followed by a nurse looking around at the ponies and the one dragon present.

“Rarity Belle, Sweetie Belle?” he asked as he sat down next to the pair of white ponies. “My name is Doctor John Canter. I am very sorry for your loss!”

Rarity looked up at the doctor “Thank you doctor…were you with my parents when…” the question hung in the air, the mare not being able to finish the sentence.

The doctor took one of Rarity’s hoof’s in his, whilst Rarity held onto Sweetie Belle on her lap with the other “Yes, we tried everything we could to save them, but unfortunately their injuries were just too severe.”

“Thank you for your efforts regardless of the outcome” Rarity sniffed as Sweetie Belle looked up at the adults “I’m sure you did all you could…I’m sure you all did” she finished, looking over to Twilight.

“What happened?” Sweetie Belle asked tentatively.

The doctor rubbed both of the sister’s hooves, and looked at Rarity whose eyes were also asking the same question. “When we got to your parents house, we found your parents were being treated by some of the neighbours. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but from what we’ve been told they were only still there when the Ursa Minor reached them as they helping other ponies evacuate the area.”

“That’s them alright, always thinking of everypony else” Rarity sniffed “No wonder I became the element of generosity”

"Of that I have no doubt,” The doctor smiled at unicorns “but unfortunately as they were helping a away a group of mothers and foals, a building collapsed onto them. Your father tried to protect your mother, and so took more of the impact. When medical help arrived, other ponies had already dug them out..." the doctor paused for a moment "...but unfortunately your father was already dead.”

The doctor fell silent for a few seconds, to allow everypony a chance to process what he was saying “Your mother was very badly injured and after stabilising her the best we could, we brought her into the hospital. Her body had been crushed which has caused internal injuries. Her heart stopped, so we decided to operate.”

“Operate! Isn’t that unusual?” Rarity asked in surprise, as Ponyville Hospital did not have the doctors or equipment usually required for such things. Only two hospitals in Equestria ever attempted operations, for the rare occasions where healing spells were not enough yet there was hope for a more direct solution.

“Yes, it was,” the doctor rubbed Rarity's hoof nervously “but we decided to do whatever we could to help you mother. However, the damage was too great and no matter what we did we couldn’t get her heart to restart. We worked out it for over an hour but in the end there was nothing we could do." The doctor looked down to Sweetie and spoke reassuringly "She was asleep the whole time so she wouldn’t have been in any pain.”

The two sisters just held onto each other, barely keeping themselves together but feeling rather cried out. Twilight levitated a cup of water over to each of them, as well as the doctor, and all three ponies took a drink.

The nurse came and sat down on the other side of Rarity, putting a comforting hoof on Sweeties back. The doctor braced himself before continuing - It was well known in Equestria that the religious beliefs varied usually down the lines of the three main pony species. However, Ponyville was one place that had the most mix of all three species, so it was never clear-cut on the exact procedure in these circumstances.

The doctor cleared his throat “Now, I know it varies from pony to pony, but if you want you can see your parents before we have to move them. I’m also not sure on your or your parent’s beliefs Ms Rarity, so I don't know if there are any special rites or procedures you would like us to follow? Or if there are any prayers that you would like to say?”

At this the nurse spoke for the first time, a lovely soft calming voice “Or, if it is your preference, you can help with the last duties of course.”

Rarity turned to the mare “No, mother and father had the same beliefs as me, there’s nothing special to be done at this stage,” Rarity stroked Sweetie Belle’s mane as she spoke, as much comforting herself then her sister “and thank you but I don't want to see my parents…like they are. I would rather keep hold of the memories.”

“That’s okay, we understand” the doctor replied soothingly, nodding to the nurse “Is there anything else you need?”

“No thank you, mine and my sisters friends here are all we need right now” Rarity replied. The nurse and doctor went to leave the room but a voice made them stop.

“I want to see them”

Rarity looked down at her youngster sister, still lying on her lap “Now Sweetie Belle, don’t you think…” but she was interrupted by her younger sister leaping out of her lap.

“I want to see them,” she replied slightly forcibly, before her tone dropped again “I mean…one last time”

The doctor came back over to the filly “That’s fine Sweetie Belle, Nurse Abby Fetlockhart will take you to see them.”

“You can call me Abby.” The nurse added, smiling towards the filly in a comforting but not too happy kind of way.

“I’m not going” Rarity almost pouted before adding meekly “I can’t … I simply can’t”

“But, sis! Are you sure? I mean…I’m not sure I can do it without you” the white filly’s ears dropped.

“Sorry Sweetie, I just can’t” Rarity began to weep into her hooves again, causing Applejack and Apple Bloom rushing over to comfort her.

“I’ll go with Sweetie Belle” Fluttershy offered, being unusually bold for the shy pegasus.

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked, a little doubtful if the timid pony would be up for the task.

Fluttershy put a hoof around Twilight, and spoke softly so only her friend would hear “Yes Twilight. You’ve been through enough today, you may be a princess but you can let your friends carry some of the load. And don’t worry, I have to console animals all the time,"Fluttershy pawed at the ground a little "...I know it’s not the same, but I think I can handle it”

Twilight just smiled gratefully in response, and Fluttershy went over and put a comforting wing over Sweetie Belle “Come along little filly, lets go with the kind nurse Abby”

Chapter 3 - Goodbye...

Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy left the family room, following Nurse Fetlockhart and Doctor Canter through the hospital towards the ER. The hospital had moved Magnum into the same room as his wife, both as a sign of respect to the married couple and to make any family visits easier. The doctor opened the door and held it open for the three mares to enter, which with a little reassurance from Fluttershy Sweetie Belle finally. He didn’t enter, instead closing the door to give the ponies some privacy and leaving the more compassionate nurse to her task. Reflecting deeply on the terrible morning he had had, he sighed and went to find himself a strong coffee.

Sweetie Belle looked around the room and saw two gurneys next to each other, but couldn’couldn't see anything from her lower position. Abby took a stool from the corner and placed it between the two beds. Sweetie Belle slowly approached the two beds, creeping slowly like a scared foal as the nerves overtook her. Having finally reached the stool, Fluttershy helped Sweetie climb up onto it so she could see her parents.

Sweetie first turned to her father, the cream coloured pony lying peacefully. A sheet covered his body with only his head and front legs exposed, the legs over the top of the sheet in a typical resting pose. Except for dirt and dust in his mane, he looked no different then if the stallion was sleeping, except for the overwhelming stillness of the body.

“He looks so peaceful,” the young filly turned to Fluttershy with a sad but clear tone “It doesn’t look like he suffered at all!”

The pegasus nearly started weeping on just how grown up the young filly was being given the current circumstances “No Sweetie Belle, I think the doctor was right that they didn't suffer any pain!”

Sweetie Belle then turned round to look at her mother, the pink mare having her body covered by a sheet as well, only her head and one of her forelegs exposed. Her mane which was usually up in a bouffant was a complete mess, but that’s not what caught the filly’s attention the most and she turned to the nurse “Why does she have a tube in her mouth?”

Abby put a hoof on Sweetie’s shoulder “When the doctors were working on her, she stopped breathing so we put that tube in to help her breath using that machine there” and she pointed to a ventilator.

Sweetie Belle looked over her mother, who looked as peaceful as her father. “Can I touch her?” the filly asked quietly.

“If you want hold her hoof, that’s fine,” the nurse replied, and watched as the filly slowly took her mothers hoof in hers, before extended the other forearm to grab hold of her fathers. She stood there for a moment enjoying the comforting touch of her parents, and tears started to reform in the corners of her eyes.

“Mum, Dad, I don’t know if you can hear me...wherever you may be...but I’ll make you proud!” Sweetie spoke to her parents “I know I didn’t always do exactly what I was told, and us crusaders got into trouble more often than we should..." her hooves were starting to shake a little at this point "...but hopefully you knew that’s because I was so eager to find my cutie mark, and become famous just as you wanted!”

The nurse had seen her fair share of death in her job, and had been in a number of similar situations before. Some ponies would break down in tears, and she would comfort them, whilst others would be emotionless and she would help them come to terms. This young filly seemed to be coping so much better than most ponies she saw, but was worried if it would last.

Fluttershy on the other hoof had put a wing around Sweetie to help her keep her balance, but the pegasus was crying by now, any pretence of being a strong confident pony had completely evaporated by this point. She knew she had to try to be strong for her friend Rarity and especially for Sweetie Belle, but the young filly’s words were gutwrenching as it reminded her of her own parents death.

Sweetie held her parents hooves in silence for a while, just the sound of a few sobs coming from the filly every so often. The two elder mares let Sweetie Belle just spend a last few moments with her parents, but eventually Abby suggested that they go back to the family room. Sweetie slowly placed the hooves back to her parent’s sides saying “I will always love you…always, please remember that!”

Sweetie extended her arms towards Fluttershy and was half lifted, half hugged down from the stool. As they were leaving the room, Sweetie Belle turned her head back “Goodbye mother, goodbye father” the filly wept as she walked out into the corridor, the door closing quietly behind them.

She walked next to Fluttershy and the nurse back to the family room in silence, the filly seemingly to be all cried out right now. Fluttershy desperately wanted to get the pony talking, wanting to somehow help out, but she simply couldn’t find the appropriate words so thought it best to say nothing. As soon as Sweetie Belle entered the family room, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo went charging over to give their friend a hug, Sweetie Belle thanking them with a croaky voice.

“Well, I have to go now,” Nurse Fetlockhart spoke softly “are you sure there is no final requests or anything?”

“Wait a minute” Sweetie Belle pleaded and going to the side of the room, she returned with Rarity bag in her mouth, placing it at her sisters feet “Rarity, I think you should go and help. You know how much mother loved it when you did her mane, and nopony could trim father’s mane and moustache as good as you!”

Rarity’s eyes welled up again “Sweet Belle, how…just…can…” she was stammering to get her thoughts sorted out

The younger sister looked up at the pony she adored, and found the comfort of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom standing next to their friend “I think it’s what mum and dad would have wanted. You know nopony will do as good as job as you!”

“Rarity, I think Sweetie belle is right,” Applejack turned to Rarity “I know it was different for me and Apple Bloom, but we never got a chance to say goodbye to our parents, at least not one we can remember!” Applejack took Rarity’s front hooves in hers, “It’s not my place, or any of us, to tell you what to do but I think you’ll really regret not going in there and seeing them one final time.”

Fluttershy came over and stood next to Applejack to give the pony support as she continued “And I know that you and I eye don’t exactly share the same thought on this, but regardless I can’t see a more fitting tribute than one final makeover from you…I know that’s what I would want!”

Rarity looked at one of her oldest friends, her eyes bloodshot from all the crying she had done, and saw the puffy eyes of the kind earth pony that always spoke the truth, and a pegasus that was full of kindness. She tried to find words, but she simply couldn’t speak so just nodded in response. Applejack helped her friend up from the chair, adding “And I’ll be right there with you Sugarcube!”

Sweetie Belle handed Rarity’s bag to Applejack, and the nurse led the pair out of the room. When the door closed, Sweetie Belle started talking about her goodbyes to her parents to the two other crusaders, and both of them welled up. The elder ponies listened in and were all surprised on how mature Sweetie Belle was doing, but all had a similar thought That filly is going to need all the strength she can get now

Chapter 4 - A grey cloud

When Rarity and Applejack had left the room, Rainbow Dash noticed that she hadn’t seen Pinkie Pie for ages, and started to get a little wound up Where is that harebrained pony, she should be here helping to comfort everypony she fumed to herself.

She got up and trotted towards the door “Hey girls, I’m just going to see if Pinkie Pie is okay” and before anypony had a chance to answer she was already flying off on the hunt. However, it didn’t take long for the pegasus to find her friend as Pinkie Pie was sat in plain sight, right in the middle of the main waiting room. Rainbow Dash landed right in front of the earth pony with the intention of confronting her in her usual blunt way. She however noticed that the usually springy pink mane was flat, and only having seen that once before, she knew something was wrong.

She sat down next to her friend without being acknowledged, so had to speak first, a very unusual situation to be in “Hey Pinkie, you okay?”

The earth mare slowly turned her head towards her friend, and spoke in a dejected tone “Am I okay? Of course not! My friends are hurting, and what can I do? I’m the Element of Laughter, and this is no time for laughing!” the earth mare threw her hooves in the air for emphasis “Rarity and Sweetie Belle’s parents are dead! Daisy Dreams is dead! There are other ponies in the hospital injured. Ponyville will never be the same place again!” the mare wept as she looked around the ponies waiting in the hospital for news about various loved ones.

Rainbow grabbed hold of the depressed mare and gave her a comforting hug “I understand Pinkie, I really do. We are all suffering right now -” she rubbed her friend on the back “- It may not seem it to you, but now more then ever Rarity needs you!” Pinkie scoffed in response, but the pegasus continued undeterred “And they need you…not party animal you, not balloons and confetti cannon you... they just need you. Their friend. They don’t need to laugh, but the just need their friend, you, Pinkie Pie.”

The earth mare shuddered a little in her friends arms as she tried to suppress her tears “What should I say, what should I do? I’ve got two families and I’ve lost nopony I love in my life. I just don’t know…” Pinkie trailed off.

Rainbow pulled out of the hug and swept a few stray straight bangs off her friends face “Hey, I lost my parents years ago, but right now I don’t know what to say either. If something comes to mind, say it. If it doesn't, don't worry about that. You don’t need to say anything, you just need to be there for them!”

Pinkie Pie slowly stood up, without her usual bounce but at least with some purpose. “Wow Rainbow Dash, you’re right. I should be there for ponies that need cheering up, even if it's in ways I can't really help with!” She looked at her friend who just smiled and nodded in the direction of the family room, and the pair started the slow walk down the corridor back towards their friends.

“Thanks Dashie, you’re truly a loyal friend to us all, you know!” Pinkie sniffed as she walked along.

“I can’t believe you just said that!” Rainbow half joked in response and the pair shared a half smile as they approached the room. However, a sound from the room opposite caught their attention just before they opened the door. With her instincts kicking in, Pinkie went over and nudged open the door on the room opposite and sticking her head in the room she saw Daisy’s husband sat alone in the room, crying.

Turning back to Rainbow Dash she still had a depressed manner but had a new gleam in her eye “Rainbow, I think somepony else needs me right now!” Rainbow Dash looked in the room at the distraught stallion “No Pinkie…he needs us” and the peagsus knocked on the door.

“Cloudy Dreams, do you mind if we come in?” Rainbow asked in a reserved tone - despite not knowing Cloudy very well, both of the mares knew everypony needs somepony in their hour of need. The stallion looked up, and the relief in his eyes at seeing them was clear to the pair so they entered the room without words being said, closing the door behind them.

Pinkie sat next to the grey pegasus, and put a comforting hoof round his shoulder, the pony just collapsing into her arms in response. Pinkie just gathered him up in her arms and let the elder stallion just weep into her body. Rainbow sat down a little awkwardly the other side, being the less comfortable when it came to feelings and such.

After quite a few minutes of weeping into Pinkie's mane, Cloudy pulled himself away from the mare a little flustered “Sorry about that!”

“Don’t be silly,” Pinkie smiled at him, holding his hoof “there’s nothing to be sorry for!”

“Totally!” Rainbow added, before practically giving herself a facehoof, but Cloudy just sort of smiled at her awkwardness.

“How come you’re here by yourself?” Pinkie asked gingerly, and after noticing a scowl from Rainbow continued “I mean, isn’isn't there some family or something that should be here with you?”

“Daisy’s family are on their way from Manehatten, they took the first train but won’t be here for a few hours. The nurses seemed overworked as it is so I told them not to bother waiting with me” Cloudy fake smiled at the pair, but they knew he was hurting inside.

“What about your family?” Rainbow asked, glad to come out with a sensible question.

“My parents live in Las Pegasus, but they never liked Daisy or her family so we don’t really get on anymore. So there’s not much point in getting them involved right now...” the stallion trailed off.

“Do you want some company until Daisy’s family arrive?” Pinkie asked, wiping a tear away from the stallions eye.

“There’s no need…” Cloudy began, but seeing the caring eyes of the towns most popular pony, he just smiled and took another hug from Pinkie. The stallion was grateful for somepony to hold right now, but it was being much more use to Pinkie. She had always thought that she could only cheer ponies up by acting silly and throwing parties, but it was days like today, and moments like this, when she even had to admit to herself that there was more to her than that.

Rainbow Dash sat there a little stiffly as she felt she had to do something, but wasn't really sure what. She wanted to go and be with Scootaloo, both as the filly probably needed her but also becuase she was the one pony the pegasus felt she could be natural around. However, Cloudy needed her right now so she scratched her head until she thought of something “Is there anything else you need?”

“I could really do with a drink” Cloudy replied a little hoarsely.

“There’s some water over there” Rainbow noted “do you want a glass?”

“No, a real drink!” Cloudy replied with a bit of a chuckle.

“What, a milkshake?” Pinkie asked innocently.

“I think he’s referring to something alcoholic Pinkie,” and turning to the Stallion “I’ll see what I can find.”

Rainbow quickly left the room and tracked down a nearby nurse who was restocking some shelves. The pegasus asked if there was anywhere she could get a alcoholic drink from and the nurse explained the hospital did keep a few small bottles about for days such as today. Whilst they wouldn’t normally give it out to the underage mare, when Rainbow advised it was for Cloudy Dreams the nurse said to follow her and she would find some.

When they got to the staffroom, the nurse turned to the pegasus, the effort of the day clear on her face “We’re sorry that we've not spent much time with him, but it’s been chaos in here today”

“No problem, me and Pinkie’s got this”

“Did you know Daisy or Cloud?” the nurse asked as she checked the staff room cupboards for supplies.

“Not really. Pinkie probably does, she knews everypony, but Cloudy is one of the few pegasi who don’t work in the weather team. Which is strange given his name when you think about it?”

Finding a nearby tray, the nurse passed Rainbow a small half full bottle of scotch, along with a few glasses. “Here you go…don’t let anypony know if you or Pinkie take a drink okay, and don’t let him drink too much.”

“Yeah yeah, I know all the dangers of drinking, I went to school you know” Rainbow dismissed the nurses concern “I think he just wants to toast to his wife’s memory or something” The nurses eyes began to water in response to this, and Rainbow found her eyes joining in for company. Casting a quick look at each other, Rainbow left and trotted back to the family room, knocking gently before entering. Pinkie was still sat next to Cloudy, who seemed to be regaling the mare with some story about Daisy’s recent flower competition entry.

Rainbow passed the glasses to Pinkie who took the bottle of scotch, pulled out the cork and poured the three of them a small serving of the strong fluid. Cloudy and Rainbow took a glass from the party pony and a silence fell over the room, before Cloudy stood up with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash following suit.

“Daisy, you were the love of my life and I didn’t deserve to have a mare as fantastic as you” The stallion sniffed “I’m just happy you’ve gone to the big flower patch in the sky. To Daisy!” he concluded

“To Daisy” Pinkie and Rainbow replied to made a solemn toast, the three of them sipping the strong liquor together.

Chapter 5 - Chic & magnifique

Rarity paused outside of the doors leading to the room her parents were currently lying in, her purse floating in her Aura. She was unsure if she really wanted to do this but having the Nurse and her good friend Applejack next to her help to fortify the unicorns’ internal resolve. The nurse went to open the door but Rarity beat her to it with her magic, opening the door for herself. She hesitated for a moment but knew what she was about to do was right not just for herself but for her parents.

They were always so proud of Rarity’s dressmaking career especially given her status as an Element of Harmony meant she didn’t even have to work. Despite not being too into the fashion scene themselves, it didn’t stop them telling everypony they knew that there ‘little Rares’ made the Royal Wedding Dress for Princess Cadence, as well as personally knowing all four princesses.

With as much poise as she could muster, Rarity crossed the threshold of the room and trotted up to her father first. She gave a week nod towards Nurse Fetlockhart to indicate she was ready and seeing this the nurse removed the sheet covering Magnum’s body. Rarity was actually surprised on how normal it looked - there were a number of cuts and a lot of dirty on his coat, but apart from that he looked just like he was sleeping.

He nurse brought over a large bowl filled with water and picked up a washcloth ready to clean the stallion, but Rarity moved to take cloth from her.

“I’ll do this Abby…if you don’t mind” Rarity smiled at the earth mare.

“Not at all Rarity,” the nurse smiled back “but I’m here if you need any help”

“As I’m I Rarity” Applejack called out from a respectful, yet not too far, distance.

Rarity put the cloth in her hoof and started washing the dirt out of her father’s coat, being careful around some of the cuts. She would have normally done such a job with her magic but decided that this was the way to do it, applying her hooves carefully on her dear father’s fur. She quickly made good work at cleaning off the bulk of the blood and dirt from the stallion before doing the same for the mane.

Rarity put down the washcloth and levitated the bowl back over to the sink to allow it to be replaced with fresh water. She then rummaged through her bag until she found a small tube of mane-gel and a stallions comb – she had been around the snobbish ponies enough to learn that by carrying the essentials around she could swoop in during a mane-emergency and win over a new important contact. How shallow that all seems right now.

“Hello father” she broke the silence, as she applied a little gel to the comb and started brushing it through her father’s mane “I’m sorry I’ve not been around as much as I could have been these past few years…but you know how it is when little fillies grow up. It was hard enough to find common interests when I was young...and as I grew up it just became so much harder didn’t it?”

“I mean, I’m sure most fathers and daughters go through this. You would have naturally wanted a colt to be interest in hoofball and all the other silly things you were into, but none of that interested me. I could have been any more of a fillie filly if I tried really, could I?” Rarity smiled at her father “Of course all that time I spent playing dress-up and drawing outfits really paid off in the end but I wish we had spent more time together!”

By now Rarity had finished brushing the mane, and put the items back in her bag. “I know you tried your best, as did I, but we really were like chalk and cheese weren’t we?” She kissed her father on the forehead “But I hope you know that I really did love you with all my heart. Making you and mother proud of me with my fashion business was my way of showing you that.” Rarity paused to dab a hoofkerchief to her eyes. “Talking of business, I’ll make sure that your business is in good hooves and won’t just sell it to anypony, but somebody who will care for it and it’s staff like you do…did. There’s more to life then bits and gems…” Rarity trailed off, realising that she hadn’t been this honest with her father for a long time.

She held on to the stallions hoof for a while longer, internally reminiscing about the times they shared. Of course after Rarity moved out, at such a young age afterall, Sweetie Belle got more of the parental attention. Rarity just wished she had paused her career, just a year or two, so she could have spent more time at home.

Rarity then looked over to Applejack, one of her oldest friends, who nodded sincerely back to the unicorn as if saying “I’m right here for you”. Rarity let out a huge breath, picked up her bag and moved round to her mother’s side.

Nurse Fetlockhart looked carefully at Rarity “Are you sure you are ready for this?”

Rarity nodded again and the Nurse slowly removed the sheet covering her mother, this time causing the unicorn a little more of a shock than with her father. Pearl had a big scar down her front where the incision had been made and although it had been sealed up it was still visible as a line in her coat. There was a couple of tubes sticking into her left frontleg and rear legs, as well as the tube still in her mouth.

“I’m afraid we can’t remove any of the tubes until after the review of the case.”

“Review of the case?” Applejack replied a little confused

“Whenever something like this happens, we need to make sure that we did all we could and didn’t do anything wrong” Abby explained.

“I understand. Even if that was the case I wouldn’t want to press charges or anything…I’m sure they were only following Twilight’s orders”

The nurse looked over to Rarity “You have no idea. Nopony in this hospital has ever done an operation before, we’re just not equipped for it. But the Princess insisted that we tried anything and everything to save her”

Rarity’s eyes started to well again up as she looked down at her mother. Clearly everything that was magically or medically possible had been tried; it was just simply the end of her mother’s time in this world. “I presume Twilight was here the whole time?”

Abby leant up softly against the unicorn to comfort her “Princess Twilight was here alright, and just wouldn’t give up on her. We had to almost drag her away in the end, which is difficult when she’s…you know…a princess!”

“That’s Twilight alright” Applejack added, trotted up next to Rarity and putting a hoof round one of hers “She doesn’t give up easily. You can be as sure as sugar that everything ponily possible was done to save ya mother”

Rarity smiled with thanks at the pair and levitated over the bowl of water again, proceeded to start to wash her mother coat. She started in silence, the words not easily coming to the unicorn. Whilst her and her fathers relationship simply grew apart, her and her mothers was a little more temperamental. As she became a young mare the pair often clashed over the silliest things, and truth be told one reason Rarity moved out and into the shop so young was to get away from her mother.

However, the space that it gave them had been the best thing for their relationship and not long afterwards the arguments had stopped. They started to get along when they saw each other and whilst never the closest of families, unlike the Apples, they still cared for each other.

Thinking of the Apple family, Rarity looked over to Applejack, the pony known throughout Equestria for her physical strength. But in the right here and now she was providing the emotional strength the weak fashionista required. And the orange mare did not have to say a word, she just radiated confidence and had a conviction about her that gave Rarity hope. As Rarity applied some hoof polish to her mother, a skill she had down to a fine art, it gave her time to relax and think

How young was Applejack when her parents passed on? Rarity thought to herself We had only just met, and neither of us had our cutie marks. She must have only been about Sweetie’s Belle’s age when this happened to her, and look at her now! She is one of the most down to earth, reasonable and reliable ponies there is…even if she could do with a make-over every so often. And she didn’t have an older sister to help her,

Rarity noticed she was staring at Applejack, so quickly turned her eyes back to her work, but she couldn’t shake the thoughts from her head. And she’s not only had to grow up with no mother or older sister, but also helped raise Apple Bloom. I’m sure Granny Smith helped out where she could, but with the farm to run and also Big Mac to look after, no doubt she was the main pony to bring up Apple Bloom...

Rarity almost had to wipe away a tear just imagining what it must have been like for the young filly And there I was all the time whining about my mother or the attention my baby sister got, when she was being a mother *to** her baby sister. She’s been the rock to me so many times…* she looked down at her mothers peaceful face …and I’m supposed to be the generous one? Pah, how selfish I am?

Having finished cleaning her mother’s body and painting the hooves, Rarity turned to her mother’s mane. The style Pearl preferred took a long time to get right, even longer than Rarity’s mane took, so the unicorn started on it. Being up towards the head just made Rarity think she should be speaking to her.

“Well, mother, I’m not sure if you heard what I said to father, but a lot of it applies to us as well, doesn’t it? Except, I mean we probably had a little too much in common for our own good. But you knew that I idolised you as a foal and filly, and it’s sad that we did grow apart”

Rarity sniffed back a few tears before continuing “I guess the house wasn’t really big enough for the both of us…and that was no bad thing. We are both larger than life characters and that’s what every pony loves about us. It’s a shame we went through that rough spell but we made up in the end didn’t we?”

Rarity sprayed some hairspray some had with her and continued “I know I have to look after Sweetie Belle now, and don’t worry about it’ll, I’ll make sure life carries on as much as normal. I’ll take her to those singing and dancing lessons you force her to go to that she hates, as well as teach her myself to cook like you used to. Well not exactly how you used to, I might just make it edible!” Rarity snickered at little at the end.

Having finished tidying her mothers mane, Rarity looked over her parents for a final time. Whilst she had originally thought the idea a little stupid, she was glad Sweetie Belle and the others had encouraged her to see them for a final time. Rarity started packed up her things but whilst doing this with her Aura she turned and faced her parents

“Mother, Father, as the princesses as my witnesses, I will devote my life to raising Sweetie Belle into the wonderful pony shes bound to be…I won’t let you or her down. And neither of us will ever forget you, no matter how far we go and how high we climb…”

Applejack by this point had slightly lowered her hat so it covered her eyes a little, not wanting to show the emotion building up within her. Rarity noticed this as she turned and started heading out of the room, with Applejack following her whilst the nurse cleaned up. As soon as they got outside Rarity sat down in the nearest chair and motioned for Applejack to join her.

Fidgeting a little nervously, Rarity waited for her friend to sit before beginning “Applejack, whilst I’m apologising to everypony, I owe you one too” The earth pony tried to interrupt, but the unicorn continued “I may not have been the friend that you needed all those years ago!”

“Don’t be silly sugarcube, there’s more important…”

“But Applejack” Rarity interrupted “I should have been there for you…”

“You were! The way you treated me was exactly what I needed. We were just fillies, we shouldn’t be held up on all that stuff. Everypony else was walking on eggshells round me, but you treated me the same and I was mighty greatful for that. Even if you were always trying to get me to play dress up in a frou frou dress!”

Rarity giggled with a bit of genuine laughter for the first time that day “You would have made a wonderful Princess Darling, your golden hair is gorgeous!”

“No way I want a pair of wings, having these four hooves on the ground is more than good enough for me and all the other Apples!”

Rarity smiled, but then her face dropped again as the mention of the Apples made her remembered her train of thought “But how did you move on?”

“Well, I guess that with a foal in the family to look after, and a farm to run, there was no time for the three of us to mope about. Of course I think about them still. On a quiet summer night, I look up at the stars and just wonder if they are looking down at me…” Applejack started shedding a tear which Rarity noticed right away

“Why Applejack…I never knew”

“I don’t like to talk about it…and perhaps that’s a weakness of mine. But I try to stay strong for Apple Bloom. And I’m sure you’ll do the same for Sweetie Belle!”

“Yes, Sweetie Belle” Rarity mused

Applejack took of her hat and lay it down on the chair next to her, before taking Rarity’s hooves in her own “But it’s going to be harder for you then it was for me...”

“Oh, why is that?” Rarity asked

“Because you won’t have a wonderful friend named Rarity to help you through it!” Applejack bopped her friend on the muzzle.

“But I will have something equally as good…all you girls” Rarity sighed, and lent into her friend. They sat there for a few minutes before deciding it was best to return to the family room

As they walked to the room, they heard three voices coming from the room opposite, recognising two of them as Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie as well a third voice, talking about Daisy Dreams. The pair smiled to each other as they realised that their friends were not just there for each other, but for the whole of Ponyville.

Chapter 6 - Thinking Ahead

As the uncomfortable but friendly conversations continued in the hospitals family room, after a few hours Pinkie and Rainbow Dash rejoined the ponies gathered. Cloudy’s family had arrived and the pair of mares had left the stallion in the capable hooves of his family. As they left they were both given heartfelt hugs first by Cloudy, and then by his mother who were grateful somepony had been there for her son.

It had been difficult for the pair but there was a warm glow in their hearts that they had done something good today, and that was something that the element of Loyalty and Laughter really needed right now. Of course, that warmth may have been the hard liquor taking affect on the young mares.

After quickly filling the others in with what the pair had done, the various ponies went and sat back down in several groups. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were discussing a range of family memories with Twilight and Pinkie listening politely, suppressing the emotions that threaten to boil over from laughter at some stories to sadness at others.

Having seen her go and sit by herself, Fluttershy came over and spoke quietly to Rainbow Dash “Oh Dashie, that was very kind of you to do that with Cloudy early. It can’t have been easy for you, given, you know, your past...” she trailed off, smiling proudly at her friend.

Rainbow Dash held back the tears that threatened to start flowing, but put on her usual brave face “Yeah, you know, I’m awesome! I don’t leave anypony hanging!”

Fluttershy smiled at her friend and give her a quick peek on the cheek “You know I'm here for you if you ever need to talk,” and with that she moved away a little to give her friend the space the yellow pegasus knew she would want. She was quickly replaced by an orange filly, and Rainbow allowed Scootaloo to sit next to her and lean against her hero slightly.

After Fluttershy and Applejack had returned from the cafeteria with a round of teas for the adults, juice-boxes for the little ones, Rarity’s mind began to switch on some more of the practical matters. She knew that there was a lot of work to do in the next few days, and it was already getting towards evening. She was the guardian of Sweetie Belle now, so had to think as a mother did.

“Well, we can’t stay here night” Rarity announced once the final drink had been finished “Best we all go home and get something to eat, we’ll need it after a day like today!”

“Home? What about me? Where am I going to live?” the younger belle asked, looking around the room with wide eyes having dawned on the filly that she had nopony at her old home to look after her.

Rarity pulled her sister into another hug “You’ll come and live with me of course, you silly filly!”

Sweetie Belle nuzzled into her sisters mane “Really? You won’t send me away when I make a mess or you have to get a big order done or something?” Rarity’s eyes started to water again and she started sobbing, her younger sister taking that as a cue to join in.

After a moment to recompose herself, the elder Belle pulled out of her hug and looked at her younger sibling deep in the eyes “Oh Sweetie Belle, we’re sisters! Sure we don’t always get along, we argue, we don’t see things the same way. But I will never EVER abandon you!”

The unicorn fillys eyes watered again, and pulled her sister into a hug. Applejack and Apple Bloom looked each other, and just cuddled each others necks a little, feeling the sisterly love in the room. Spike nuzzled up next to Twilight who opened her wing slightly and the dragon was hugged the soft downy feathers. Rainbow Dash just slide her hoof over the fillies sitting next to her, the simple act meaning so much to them both. Pinkie Pie just looked wistfully out of the window.

“So, I’ll come and stay with you in the Boutique?” Sweetie Belle finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over the room.

“Yes Sweetie, your room is ready and waiting for you...as it’s always been since I moved in.”

Twilight coughed to grab the sisters attention “Actually, whilst there I can’t see any problem you two living together, I don’t think you two should be on your own for a while…at least for a couple of days.” she finished as warmly as possible.

Rarity turned to the alicorn “Don’t be silly, I'm a fully grown mare, I can look after myself…and my sister!”

Applejack came over a put a hoof around the white unicorn “I have to agree with Twilight, sugar-cube. I don’t think that it’ll be a good idea to be alone right now…and we’re all here for yah!”

“Why don’t you come and stay wit’ us?” Apple Bloom asked, looking up at Applejack as she spoke, a smile crossing the elder Apple’s lips as she spoke Good old Bloomy, us Apples are hospitable to everypony, glad she knows that!

Rarity smiled at the filly “Thank you for the kind offer, but I still have a business to run, and you live a fair distance from town. Besides, you farmers are up at the crack of dawn and I do like my beauty sleep!” the unicorn let the yellow pony down gently.

“And I…ummm…don’t think my cottage would be suitable either, being right on the edge of town as well,” the soft voice of the other yellow pony in the room spoke “plus, with the daytime and night-time feeding schedules for the animals., it’ll probably be very disruptive for you…especially Sweetie Belles who need sleep for school!”

“Thanks anyway Fluttershy!” Sweetie replied “And I’m sure given what happened on the sleepover you don’t really want me back.”

Fluttershy came over and put a wing around the filly and spoke passionately “Don’t be silly! You’re welcome over any-time…In fact, perhaps you and the…” Fluttershy gulped a little “…other crusaders want to come over sometime soon and see if you can get your animal care cuite marks or something?”

“Thanks Fluttershy” Sweetie half-beamed back.

The room fell silent for a moment, and Rainbow rubbed the back of her head nervously “I would totally like offer, except for, you know, I live in a cloud!” the Pegasus “But if you need me I’ll be there for you in 10 seconds flat!”

Rarity trotted over and pulled Rainbow Dash into a hug, and for once the pegasus didn't resist the fashionista's affection “I know darling, and I know that you to be there for me…and I do really appreciate that! But given the last time I had them, I don't feel up to having wings again.”

“Thanks” the blue mare smiled back.

Pinkie slowly walked, rather then bounced, over to Rarity “If I had my own place I would totally invite you over to stay. But with the twins and early bakery starts, I don't think you would find Sugarcube Corner to your liking. Of course me and the Cakes would love to help…so you can have any cakes you want, and I’ll delivery them to you with extra hugs!”

Rarity giggled slightly, knowing the pink pony was doing her best in what was trying circumstances “Thanks Pinkie, I’m sure Sweetie will take you up on that offer!” and bopped her friend on the nose, to be met with Pinkie smile for just a few seconds.

All that was left was Twilight, “Well, I was going to offer my home first, and I think it’s the perfect place for you both to stay for a while.”

“But but but Twilight, I can’t invade the privacy of a Princesses residence!”

“You were happy to stay at Canterlot Castle!” Twilight teased a little, causing Rarity to blush ever so slightly. “It’s a public library, so it’s not really private but these plenty of private living space. Besides, it’s not far from School for Sweetie Belle and Carousel Boutique for you. There’s loads of space...it’s perfect!” Twilight nearly clapped her hooves in delight at the end, the first time since that morning she had had a happy thought of her own.

Rarity mused for a moment, as it did sound rather appealing to have somepony around to talk to, as well as helping with Sweetie Belle during the next couple of days “Of course Darling, we would love to come and stay with you. We’ll just need to pop past the boutique to pick up a few things. Wait!” something dawned on the unicorn “what about Opalescence, how will Owlowiscious and her get along?”

Fluttershy stepped forwards “I don’t remember any issues during the pet play-dates, and normally owls and cats don’t really have problems unlike with other birds. But if you want I’ll look after her for you?”

Twilight smiled at her friend, and then turned back to Rarity “I’m sure Owlowiscious won’t cause any issues and will keep out of opals fur. But if required I’ll send him over to Fluttershy for a while, okay?”

As the adults started to sort out some plans, the younger unicorn in the room suddenly spoke up “Wait, what about my things? I’ll need to go and collect a few things for myself!”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea right now” Twilight replied, knowing that the Belle’s family home was in the middle of the destruction. Whilst the sisters would have to deal with that at some point, it was probably best to see how they coped for the next day or so first.

“I’ll go and pick up a few things for you sugarcube!” Applejack said softly “Just let me know what you need and I’ll bring them over to the library”

“I don’t want anypony going through my stuff, no offence but there’s a few private things I wouldn't want you to see!” she meekly replied to the strong cow-pony.

“What ‘Private’ things?” Rarity replied, a little surprised that her younger sister would have private possessions at her age.

“Nothing…” Sweetie Belle almost blushed, as the elder unicorn looked at her suspiciously. Sweetie eyes lit up “Wait, Spike is trusted with the Princesses correspondence, I trust him to look through my things!” Sweetie went over and whispered into Spikes ear, the dragon making a mental note. Rarity tried to overhear what we being said but Sweetie Belle kept her eyes on her sister.

The group of ponies left the family room, finding and thanking the nurses on the way out for their help that day. They all paused as they reached the outside, and settled into a bit of a group hug. As the hug broke, Rarity smiled at them all “Whatever did a unicorn like me do to deserve friends like you?”

“I don’t know, just be awesome?” Rainbow replied, as the group headed off in their various directions.

Chapter 7 - On Eggshells

Raritys, Sweetie Belles and Twilights journey back to Carousel Boutique was uneventful, except for the many townponies approaching the two sisters to offer their condolences. Having spent all afternoon with some of their closest friends, the pair suddenly felt rather exposed at everypony in town knowing and expressing their grief. Of course Rarity thanked the ponies as elegantly as she could, knowing that they were genuinely trying to be kind.

What made the situation even worse was that everypony wanted to express their heartache to Sweetie Belle feeling extra devastated for the filly, but the young pony was getting a bit overwhelmed at the situation and just wanted to hide away. Rarity and Twilight sensed this and flanked the filly, using their bodies almost as a shield from the other ponies, which she found rather comforting.

Arriving at her home, Rarity quickly gathered up the few essentials she would need for that night, flitting between her bedroom and bathroom. She knew that worrying about her usual beauty regime wasn’t her biggest priority right now, but hoped that keeping some sense of normality would be good for both herself and her sister.

Meanwhile Twilight and Sweetie Belle waited downstairs in the main showroom, an awkward silence falling over the pair. The elder pony had nothing left to say to the younger pony, whilst Sweetie Belle just couldn’t think of a subject suitable to talk to a princess about. With nothing to do, the filly’s eyes wondered around the store until the fixed upon a picture. Noticing Sweeties stare, Twilight looked over and saw what the young pony had saw, and moved next to the filly just in time to comfort her as she started crying.

Twilight levitated the picture over to them, and holding it in her hooves spoke softly “When was this taken, you look a lot younger?”

Sweetie sniffed a few times to “It was the last trip we took as a complete family, to Baltimare. It must have been three summers ago…it was a wonderful holiday” and the unicorn started crying again, Twilight comforting her as much as possible.

Rarity heard her sister crying and having finished packing her overnight bag, rushed downstairs to see what the matter was. She saw Twilight holding the picture in her hooves, and Rarity picked the picture up and placed it in her bag “We’ll take this with us I think…” before wistfully adding “…happy memories.” She levitated Opalescence’s carrier onto her back and the trio left the shop.

Applejack and Spike made there way through the town mostly in silence, both of them thinking about the day’s events. Slowly the signs of the Ursa Minor’s rampage in their quaint town became evident. It started with just a few knocked over ornaments and trampled gardens from where ponies had run away, but soon they spotted the first evidence of a real accident became more evident, a splatter of blood on the ground. They both slowed when they saw it and the pair just glanced at each other – despite the many adventures that the bearers of the elements had been on, none of their enemies had ever drawn blood.

They reached a clearing with a fountain in the middle, it was obvious this was where Twilight had stopped the Ursa for whilst behind them the buildings were intact, the buildings on the other side of the square showed signs of damage. As they crossed the square, Spike stopped at four burn marks, in the shape of hooves in the ground. He just stared at them for a moment and traced the outline with a claw.

Her interest piqued, Applejack took a few steps back to look at them alongside the dragon “Spike, what’s that?”

“Their Twilights burn marks from casting spells…they happen when she uses all her magic!”

Applejack looked at the ground, and noticed how the burn marks looked more intense then any other burns she had ever seen “Woo-wee, they look mighty fierce; she must have really been pushing herself!”

The pair started walking again, entering the part of town that had the most damage. Ponies were already sweeping up some of the mess, but the buildings that were damaged would take longer to fix. Some looked like they were back to being occupied by their residences, whilst others were more damaged and had warning signs to stay out.

As they walked through, the dragon asked the earth pony “Do you know any other unicorn that can teleport?”

“Actually partner, no I don’t”

“Twilight is the only known pony alive that can do it, not even Celestia, Luna or Cadence can. She teleported that massive beast right out of town and back to the Everfree Forest! She is so powerful, and yet…” Spike paused for a second “…so vulnerable”

Applejack smiled at the whelp “Well, nopony is perfect sugar-cube, but why do you say that?”

Spike turned and spoke with a soft voice “I think this is going to hit her hard. Given how much she loves Ponyville, she thinks of it as hers to protect now. She’s going to see this as a personal failure…and that doesn’t bode well.”

“Didn’t she save the rest of the town?”

“You know Twilight…you know that’s not going to be enough. I hope by helping out Rarity and Sweetie Belle, she’ll find some form of closure, but I still worry for her!”

The pair continued in silence for a few moments, until they found themselves at their destination. The Belle family home actually remained mostly unscathed from the attack, just a bit of damage to the thatched room which somepony had already covered with plastic sheeting. However, that was not the first thing anypony would notice.

Outside the front door there were already a couple of dozen wreaths and bouquets, and someponies had also lit candles around the edge. The pair just stopped and looked at the ad-hoc memorial, taking a minute to capture the moment in their minds. Applejack then saw the mayor across the street, and waved to the earth mare to get her attention.

She trotted over with a sad look on her face, her aides looking the same. “Hello Applejack, Spike,” The Mayor looked over the display “What a terrible day in Ponyville’s history…” the brown pony trailed off for a moment, thinking back to other memories.

“Well howdy Mayor, we’re here to pick some things for Sweetie Belle, is it okay if we go in?”

“Oh my, of course! Poor little filly, is she staying at Carousel Boutique with Rarity?”

“They’ll both be staying with Twilight for a few days first”

“The Princess is taking them in?” the mayor replied with some shock.

“Yeah, we all thought it best for the pair of them not to be alone t’night…and Golden Oaks seemed the best place to be.”

“Of course” the mayor nodded “If there’s anything I can do to help, of course come and find me or my aides. I think Princess Twilight has more connections than I do, but do let them know my door will always be open for them.”

“Thank ya kindly Mayor Mare, I will do that,” Applejack replied, giving a slight bow of respect, before indicating to Spike to go inside. The dragon led the way but as Applejack approached the threshold she took of her hat, muttered a short prayer under her breath, and then entered. Spike thought about asking about the prayer, but decided another day would be a better idea.

Inside, the pair went upstairs and split up. Applejack went in the bathroom and picked up Sweetie Belle’s toothbrush, manebrush and other assorted products. Spike went into Sweetie Belles room and picked up a few belongings she had asked for – a novel she was halfway through reading and a soft toy hidden in a special place. Spike found Sweeties favourite saddle bag and put her items in one side, and Applejack put the items she was carrying in the other side.

Once done, Applejack took a quick look around the house to make sure everything was fine and turned off the utilities. Their task complete, the pair left the house and started the walk back to the Library. The path took them through some of the worst hit areas of the town, and surveying the damage it dawned on the pair just how lucky that only three ponies died that day, as it could have easily been much worse.

They passed Cloudy and Daisy home, which was in a bit of a state and clearly would have to be demolished. But just like at the Belle house, outside of the safety perimeter set up were flowers and candles, and a hooffull of peagssi were sat outside praying together. Spike turned to his companion with a bit of a unsure look in his eyes “Applejack, shouldn’t we go and get some flowers or something?”

Applejack smiled at the dragon whelp, knowing this could be the first time the youngster may have actually dealt with death “It’s getting late so best I get you home, Spike. You can come back tomorrow after the market opens – I’m sure Twilight will give you some bits to do so.”

Twilight and the Belle sisters approached Golden Oaks Library, but noticed Pinkie Pie sitting quietly and still outside, a basket next to her. Seeing her friends arrival, the pink pony stood up and gave a soft smile at the trio. “I brought over some fresh bread for your dinner and four cupcakes for desert” the pony spoke in a chirpy, but still reserved, tone.

“Thank you Pinkie, would you like to come in and join us for dinner?”

“No thank you Twilight, I best get back and help the Cake’s with the twins bedtime. Besides, here’s Spike and Applejack.” She turned to Rarity “I’ll pop round tomorrow if that’s okay?”

“Yes darling, I would love that!”

As Applejack and Spike arrived, Twilight picked up the basket with her magic and took it inside, followed by Spike. The pair of earth ponies bid their friends farewell and walked away, leaving the sisters to enter their temporary home. As they walked Applejack turned to Pinkie “Mind if I come with you to Sugarcube corner and pick up a couple of treats for breakfast? I’ve got a feeling me and Applebloom are going to have a bad night!”

“Of course, I’m sure we have some of Applebloom’s favourite muffins baked today”

Spike immediately got to work getting dinner ready for the Princess and her guests, a salad as it was quick to prepare. Rarity tried to insist in helping, but Twilight explained the Spike took cooking for her very seriously since her ascension and it was best not to argue. Twilight took the pair on a tour of the more private areas of the library, as although Rarity had stayed over before this was new to Sweetie Belle.

The ground floor of the library was the largest, and was the only part available to the public. There were two stairwells that led down below the ground – a short one that led to the kitchen area, and the other which led to the underground lab (The trio didn’t go in there and only Pinkie, Spike and Rainbow Dash had ever seen it).

From the ground floor there was ornate stairs that curled up to the private living area Twilight and Spike shared. It was half the size of the ground floor and all the walls were covered in bookcases like in the main library. However, it also contained Twilight writing desk, a number of pillows for ponies to lie on, Owlowiscious’s perch and a few photos. Generally, it was a little more homely than the public areas but still undoubtedly a library!

Off of this room was the bathroom, and up led two sets of stairs to the sleeping balcony and the outside balcony which had Twilights telescope set up. Rarity and Sweetie Belle had carried their bags with them on the tour and placed their items in the bathroom or bedroom as appropriate, and let Opalescence out of the carrier. The cat did what cats do when confronted with change, ignored everything else going on and lazily curled up on one of the cushions.

Spike called up that the salad was ready, and the trio came down to find Spike had laid out a large dinner on the table. Spike had prepared a salad with most of the vegetables they had, and had sliced and buttered all the bread Pinkie had brought. He had also prepared a salad dressing using most of the herbs they had in stock.

It was a good thing that dinner was so large as none of them had eaten yet that day, and at the sight of food three pony stomachs rumbled in unison, causing the two elder ponies to blush whilst Sweetie Belle shrugged it off like young ponies do. The four ate in silence, only just realising how hungry they were when they started eating, and between them they soon finished the feast in front of them.

Spike immediately got up and went to the kitchen to make tea, returning with a tray of drinks and the cupcakes. The three ponies retired the various chairs dotted around the main library to have desert in a comfortable silence of satisfied stomachs, whilst Spike did the clearing and washing up.

Once the dragon returned to the library, he found the ponies reading various books, and so started tidying up the books lying around on the floor. Twilight noticed this and lowered her novel for a second “Spike, there’s no need to do that now. Why don’t you just rest and read your comics or something?”

“I’ve read them all and the next subscriptions won’t be delivered until next week…and with dinner cleared away I might as well organise the place.”

Rarity lowered her book “Speaking of dinner Spikey Wikey, I must say that the salad was one of the most delicious I had for a long time.”

“Thank you Rarity” Spike replied, without the usual dreamy look he had when speaking to his secret crush “I’m glad you liked it.”

“That dressing was simply divine, what was in it?”

Twilight giggled a little “He won’t tell you…it’s his secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices!”

Spike nodded as she spoke “Saying that, I’ll go and get some more when I go and restock the kitchen tomorrow. We’re out of…well…pretty much everything!”

“Wait, we’ve eaten everything you had?” Rarity asked a little shocked “I’m sorry!”

“It was market day tomorrow anyway, see shopping’s on tomorrows checklist” the dragon replied and Twilight levitated tomorrows list over to Rarity.

“Oh, okay then, but I insist on giving a few bits to pay for what we ate!”

Twilight laughed “Oh Rarity, but speak nonsense, you’re a guest here and you will be treated as such for as long as you stay!”

The rest of the evening was a leisurely affair with Twilight and Sweetie Belle reading their novels, whilst Rarity caught up with the fashion magazines she had brought over with her. As Luna’s moon started it arc through the sky, the younger sister started to stifle yawns and this didn’t go unnoticed by her new guardian.

Rarity folded the page of her magazine over. “Hmmm, it must be you bedtime young filly” and as she finished she let out a yawn of her own.

Sweetie Belle got sleepily onto her hooves “It must be yours as well then” she replied a little sarcastically, earning her a bit of a scowl from her sister.

“Actually, I think I could do with an early night” Twilight added, and Rarity reluctantly nodded in agreement.

The trio of ponies went upstairs to find Spike had been busy preparing for their guests and the two beds in the sleeping area had been made. Spike pointed to the spare bed “I made the bed with two blankets…Twilight told me about last time you stayed over Rarity” the dragon advised.

Twilight came over and gave her friend a nuzzle “Thank you very much Spike, I can always rely on my number one assistant!”

“Aww shucks” Spike blushed, and then picked up his basket and started towards the stairs

“Where are you going?” Twilight asked in surprise.

“I thought I’d go sleep downstairs, you know, give you girls some privacy!”

Privacy? Twilight thought to herself He’s never worried about that before but Twilight knew better then push the issue right now “Of course Spike, goodnight”

As the dragon picked up his bed again, Sweetie Belle noticed something and couldn’t help herself from asking “You still sleep in a basket? Isn’t that, well, what pet’s sleep in?”

Rarity’s mouth practically hit the floor at her sister’s question, but the younger pony wasn’t finished yet “I mean, I know you turned into a dog when you went to that other universe, but why don’t you sleep in a bed?”

Rarity rushed over and frowned at her sister “Sweetie Belle! Don’t be so rude! Apologise to Spike!”

Before the unicorn filly had a chance to speak, the sound of dragon laughter filled the air, and the two unicorns turned to see Spike laughing and Twilight suppressing a smile. The dragon stopped laughing and smiled warmly at the filly “Don’t worry, it’s fine and actually a good question. Twilight can tell you the story better than I can!”

Spike put his basket on his back, wished the ladies a pleasant night, and left the upstairs to the ponies. The three of them took turns brushing their teeth in the bathroom, before the three went to bed – Twilight in her usual bed, and the Belle sisters sharing the spare one, falling asleep in each other hooves.

Spike was sleeping downstairs in the library when a sound woke him and looking up from his bed he suspected to see either Opalescence or Owlowiscious moving around in the night. However, he instead noticed it came from a white pony that was lying on one of the sofas, crying.

Groggily, the dragon lifted himself and spoke quietly “Sweetie Belle? Are you okay?”

The unicorn squeaked in surprise and pushed her hooves over her mouth to stifle the noise. Catching her breath, she looked over to the dragon who was stretching out his limbs “Spike, you scared me!” she whispered back.

“Sorry!” the dragon slowly walked over to the unicorn “Are you okay? I heard you crying...” and looking at the unicorn she saw she was looking at the picture of her family.

Sweetie scooted over a bit and Spike sat next to her “Yeah, I had a bad dream…about my parents.”

Meanwhile upstairs, Rarity had subconsciously noticed the filly missing from her arms and woke up. Looking around, she heard voices coming from downstairs and got out of bed, waking Twilight up with her movements. Noticing that Sweetie was missing and hearing the same voice as her guest, the pair crept downstairs and stood quietly on the stairs, listening in.

Spike put an arm around Sweetie which had started sniffing again “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really…I can’t remember it anyway. I…just needed to see the picture…is that silly?” the filly looked over to her friend.

Spike thought for a second, then got up and walked over to Twilights desk. He pulled open one of the drawers and returning with what looked like a broken bit of china. He offered it to Sweetie Belle who took it gingerly in her hooves. “I’ll let you into a secret, so don’t tell anypony. This is a bit of my egg shell, which Celestia kept for me.”

Sweetie stared at the piece of purple dotted shell, and after a few moments the dragon took it back, and stroked it “It’s the only link I have to my parents…my dragon parents. Sometimes I just hold it for a while to have that connection…” he paused for a second and then turned to the filly “So I don’t think that looking at a picture is silly in any way!”

Spike went back and placed the shell back in the draw, and then returned to lie next to the filly “Obviously Twilight was the best mother I could have hoped for, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t think about the past…there’s nothing silly in keeping a real memory alive when I’m keeping an imaginary memory in my head!”

Twilight nearly let out a bit of sniff but managed to stay quiet, but Rarity noticed Twilight’s eyes watering, and the pair held hooves for each other. Sweetie shuffled around a bit on the couch until Spike found the filly had nestled up into his body – he had never been the big spoon before, but found the position oddly comforting. “Spike, tell me a story… why do you sleep in a basket”

“Well, Twilight tells it better, but since you asked. When I was hatched by Twilight, it came as a bit of a surprise to everypony…”

“Why?”

“Erm, that’s another story for another day” the dragon replied “But Celestia took me back to the palace to look after me. All was fine to start with, but when I started to grow I started to cry whenever it was time to sleep or nap. Apparently, I would only stop whenever Celestia cuddled me, so I was put in her quarters so I would at least I got a good nights sleep. However, it wound Celestia’s helpers up with me crying all day, and no matter what they did they could not get me to sleep in my new crib.”

Sweetie Belle snuggled up further into Spike and after stroking her mane a few times he continued “Now, after a few weeks Twilight moved into the Castle so she could spend time as possible with Celestia after classes. On the first day Celestia brought Twilight to her quarters to introduce me to her, being the pony that had hatched me afterall. Celestia was called away on business but Twilight stayed behind to ‘study’ me” Spike pronounced the words in a Twilight-sque voice which made Sweetie giggle slightly “But I think she just wanted to be near me…which she denied at the time of course.”

“When it came to nap time, obviously I started crying as usual. Twilight picked me up in her aura and apparently I stopped crying and we just looked at each other. She carried me out of the room and started trotting through the castle until she came across a storeroom. She placed me in a couple of different discarded boxes until she found one that I barely fitted in, and I calmly fell to sleep”

Spike giggled a little before continued “Celestia returned and apparently was somewhat initially shocked to see an old dirty box in her immaculate bedroom, but then noticed that I was sound asleep. Twilight explained what she did and it dawned on Celestia the box made me naturally curl up to sleep. I had only started crying once I had left my small bassinet and put in a bigger bed.”

“So Twilight knew you needed to curl up to sleep?”

“No, nopony had made the link between a dragon curling up around it’s hoard and sleep until Twilight had done it. But that’s the thing about ponies that love and care about you, even if Twilight had no logical reason to do what she did, she just knew she had to do something to sooth me...that I needed her!”

Sweetie let out a yawn, and the dragon stroked her mane as he continued “Celestia wanted to get me a fancy basket for me to sleep in but Twilight insisted on just using a regular box. To be fair, Twilight always took the most restrained options for herself too. As I grew, we eventually decided a more sturdy bed was required, but together we chose a dog basket rather then anything fancy…and I’ve slept in them every since.”

“Regardless of anything else, my humble basket reminds me of the one pony that, even as a small filly, took it upon herself to make me happy…and Twilight hasn’t stopped caring for me ever since!”

Sweetie Belle sighed contently as the story finished, thoughts about happy times where her sister had looked after her as a foal floating around her head and she quickly fell asleep. Spike curled himself as much as possible around the pony, and lay his head down on the couch, immediately falling asleep himself.

The pair of elder ponies noted the youngsters had fallen asleep, and Twilight carefully levitated Spike’s blanket over the pair, before returning upstairs with Rarity, and eventually falling back to sleep.

Chapter 9 - Harmonious Faith

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Chapter 10 - Big Trouble in Little Schoolyard

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Chapter 11 - Repercussions

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Chapter 8 - Communications

Sweetie Belle woke up and immediately fell off the couch she had been lying on, luckily finding her fall softened by the cushions and pillows that had been arranged below her. The delicious smell of breakfast filled the air, and despite the big dinner the previous night her stomach rumbled. She looked up to notice that her dragon sleeping companion from the previous night had left her alone on the couch and when she tried to get up the filly found that the fall had entangled her in the blanket.

Upstairs the two mares were similarly awoken by the smell of breakfast being cooked, and the pair slowly rose. Twilight let Rarity use the bathroom to freshen up first, despite knowing how long her friend would take to get ready, and instead went of to find the source of the delicious aroma.

She trotted downstairs and the first thing she saw was an epic battle between filly and fabric, and despite all odds the inanimate object was clearly winning. “Blanket, once I get out of here I am so going to get my revenge!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she continued to struggle against the prison she found herself in.

“Morning Sweetie Belle” Twilight giggled slightly, levitating the filly up in the air allowing the blanket to simply fall to the ground. Twilight hadn’t lived with younger ponies before, only having a big brother, but looking after Spike had prepared her for such randomness.

“Thanks! Morning Twilight” The filly perked up for a moment, although as soon as Twilight let her down she scowled at the blanket on the floor, kicking it with a hoof “Dumb fabric”. Twilight smiled at the fillies antics, when the delicious smell of breakfast wafted through the library again, catching both the ponies attention. The pair trotted over to the kitchen and stuck their heads in to see what was cooking.

Spike saw the two heads appear out of the corner of his eye “Pancakes will be ready in a few minutes, but could you perhaps lay the table?”

“Sure thing Spike” Twilight called out and levitated plates and cutlery out of the kitchen, over the pairs heads and towards the table.

The younger unicorn just watched in amazement as the multiple items were effortlessly moved by magic, the alicorn seemingly not even paying attention. “Can I help?” Sweetie asked a little shyly, feeling rather inadequate around Twilight given her only use of magic had only been due to a mysterious invasion of vines.

Twilight realised why the unicorn sounded so shy and so put all the cutlery and plates down on the table “Sure thing Sweetie, why don’t you arrange the table whilst I check to see if the postmares been?”

“Thanks Twilight” the filly beamed and started to move the objects around by hoof, whilst the alicorn went to check on the post. She returned empty hoofed just as Spike was bringing in a tray with a tall stack of pancakes and a number of sauces, jams and fresh fruit.

Twilight and Sweetie sat down at the table, and started digging into the food, Spike going back to the kitchen and returning with a pitcher of fresh orange juice.

“Wow Spike, I thought you said we were running low on food but we seem to have plenty here!” Twilight exclaimed happily scattering a few blackberries onto her pancake, the pattern reminding Twilight of a science project she did once.

“We were…oh hi Rarity” the dragon called out, the white unicorn having come downstairs. . Spike took a mouthful of food as the mare came over to the table, and swallowing he continued “I’ve already been and got the food shopping out of the way, as well as getting a few extra treats like those blackberries you can’t seem to get in your mouth quick enough!”

Twilight looked down at her plate crammed full of the sweet berries, and shrunk slightly “Guilty as charged…wait, you’ve been to the market already?” Twilight exclaimed in surprise “What time is it?”

“About nine, nine thirty? Don’t worry, I got everything on the checklist and left it in the kitchen for you to double check” Spike rolled his eyes.

“No no no, I wasn’t worried about that, it’s just I surprised you’re, well, up without me pestering you! Wait, how did you pay for it all?” Twilights tone went up slightly to a more serious voice “You know the law says you’re not allowed to touch the Royal treasury without my permission…”

“I know!” Spike blew a small raspberry at Twilight, causing Sweetie to laugh a little and Rarity to ponder exactly how many creatures would get away at being cheeky to a powerful alicorn “And don’t worry, I did paid for it in case you thought I had gone back to my stealing slash hoarding instincts!”

“Good to hear, otherwise I’d have to go and fetch Rarity her Fire Ruby necklace…” Twilight replied nonchalantly. However, this caused both Rarity and Spike to blush and turn away, and Twilight instantly regretted saying it. Stuttering, she tried to move the conversation forwards “So, how did you, erm, pay for, erm everything including these wonderful berries?”

“I…sold some of my gems” Spike replied casually, but knowing there would be follow up questions.

“Wait, you sold gems? To buy food for us?” Twilight replied a little shocked

“Yes my gems, out of my personal stash, not the food stash. Their my gems, I can sell them if I want!” he replied a little defensively.

“But…they were your gems, ones you’ve earned for yourself or been given as gifts!” Rarity now joined Twilight in surprise. As her key supplier, she knew that Twilight purchased a supply of gems for Spike, paid for by Celestia, which he had to regularly eat to charge his magic flames. He wasn’t allowed to keep these to ensure his ‘hoard’ stayed small, to help the dragon resist his urges.

“Yeah, but they're only gems and I thought I’d do something nice for once!”

The pair of older mares looked at each other, knowing this was not the actions of a dragon, not even one as generous as Spike. Sweetie Belle didn’t pick up on what all the fuss was about so early in the morning and took the pause as an opportunity to speak herself.

“Spike, did you arrange for the pillows next to the couch that I fell on this morning?”

Thankful for the diversion in conversation, the dragon latched onto it “Yeah, I remember falling out of unfamiliar beds enough when I was younger that I assumed there was a chance you would do the same. So I thought I would soften the blow a little…hope that’s okay”

“Thanks” the filly blushed slightly, embarrassed at being treated as a younger creature by Spike, who was both her size and her age. With each of creatures feeling embarrassed in one way or another, the only sounds to fill the library was that of the pancakes and sides being devoured by all, until everything was gone.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Rarity asked, lounging on a cushion letting breakfast go down.

Twilight took a deep breath, but knew honesty was usually the best policy “I need to spend the morning with Mayor Mare to see what needs to be done after yesterday, and get everything in motion…you know, boring government stuff, insurance, that sort of thing. But if you need me I can put her off as my…”

Rarity waved a hoof to silence her friend “Don’t be silly Twilight, I know there’s a lot to be done and you have responsibilities. I don’t suppose you will be around in the afternoon so we can go and sort out…things? I think I’ll need your support for that!”

“Oh course Rarity, I’m around whenever you need me!”

“Talking about responsibilities, I need to write to some of my clients in Canterlot and let them know their orders will be delayed – I’m not really in the creative mood right now.”

“I think there may be the odd quill and parchment around here somewhere…” Spike sniggered, gesturing to the large stationary shelf. “Let me know when you are done, and I can send them to Princess Celestia who’ll get them hoof delivered today.”

“I can’t expect her to be involved in my correspondence…” Rarity started to protest

“Rarity, we’re the embodiment of the elements of Harmony, and I’m a Princess. Whilst it wouldn’t be proper to misuse our position everyday, I really think this would be a circumstance that Princess Celestia wouldn’t mind helping out.”

“Of course, thank you for the offer Spike.”

“What about me?” Sweetie Belle “I know it’s Friday…but I don’t really feel like school it today!”

“I’m not surprised darling, I don’t see the harm in having a couple of days off to help clear your mind. What would you like to do?”

“I don’t know,” the filly replied a little shyly “I wouldn’t mind doing some drawing or painting or something like that?”

“Coming right up” Twilight replied warmly. She left with Spike to the store-room and returned with boxes filled with a bunch of different art supplies - including feathers, glue, glitter and everything a little filly could ever want.

“How come you have all this?” Rarity asked a little surprised; as Sweetie dived into the boxes digging around much like the elder sister did in her inspiration room.

“Rule number one of being a princess – be prepared!”

“Isn’t that a bit like Pinkie’s emergency supplies of, well, everything?”

“Kind of, but more logical!" Twilight laughed back “I stocked up as I was thinking of starting a mother and foal reading group with Cheerilee. The youngsters would do crafts and such with Cheerilee whilst I helped the reading groups.”

With the three ponies set, Rarity went upstairs to Twilights desk and got busy writing her letters. Sweetie Belle stayed downstairs, and after putting down some newspaper on the floor, starting doing some painting. Twilight, happy that the sisters went off to discuss the boring government stuff. Spike said he was popping out for a moment, grabbed another one of his gems and sneakily hid it from sight as he left.

“I think there’s going to be no problem getting payout from central government to fix all of this, Mayor Mare,” Twilight continued to write her report as she toured the town with the earth pony.

“Thank you Princess, given the number of incidents recently regional funds have been depleted so we really could do with some help!”

Knowing the mayor was always going to call her Princess whilst 'on duty', Twilight ignored it “Well, that’s what taxes are there for…” she replied, ticking off another damaged building on the list. “Up next is the Clopton Street…oh, where Daisy lived. Where is Cloudy today, I really must offer my condolences!”

The Mayor explained that she had arranged for Cloudy and his family to be put up in the town's only hotel overnight, as the stallion had wanted to stay in Ponyville and his family obviously wishing to stay by his side. The pair, and the following aides, turned the corner and noticed the gathering of ponies and flowers outside Daisy house – it was a bittersweet sight as it was nice to see the ponies supporting each other, but sadly for all the wrong reasons.

However, what caught the Princess’s eye in particular was a purple dragon standing nearby, watching quietly “Mayor, do you mind giving me a moment?”

Having noticed Twilight’s assistant herself, the mayor bowed. “Of course, your Highness”

Twilight nodded in response and trotted over to her hatchling, who seemed to be lost in thought and whispered “Spike, what are you doing here?”

The dragon practically jumped out of his scales, but managed not to make much sound “Oh, hey Twilight” he whispered

The pegasi however gathered noticed the Princesses arrival and stopped their prayers, instead bowing to her. “Please, don’t let me interrupt you” Twilight replied very concerned at disrupting their religious routine. Raising, the ponies restarted singing their prayers.

“I came over to leave a bouquet for Daisy” Spike replied a little distantly, like he had a lot on his mind.

Twilight saw a card with the calligraphy she recognised as Spikes on a rather large bouquet “I didn’t know you know Daisy or Cloudy?”

“I didn’t…I don’t, but after yesterday...I don’t know…given what Rarity and Sweetie Belle must be going through, it’s got me thinking…about stuff.”

Twilight knew exactly what spike meant but knew this wasn’t the time or the place to get into this with him now. Gesturing to his claws “What are those for?” she asked.

“I’m going to leave these…” the dragon waved the bouquet “…at Rarity’s and Sweetie Belle’s parents’ house. But I got a bit distracted listening to the songs of the pegasi…”

The pair stood leaning against in silence for a few moments, listening to the melodic prayers but whilst she wanted to spend all day with her charge she had her royal duties to perform.

It was the first school break of the day and the colts and fillies spilled out into the playground for a breath of fresh air. However, nopony was playing and the mood was rather subdued after the events of yesterday. Cheerilee had put her usual lesson plans to one side and instead had encouraged the students to explore their feelings by writing or creating something.

Scootaloo and Applebloom sat at their usual stump, the empty third just acting as a reminder of their missing friend. The earth pony let out a huge yawn.

“You look tired Applebloom!” her peagsus friend replied “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, it was a bit of a rough night, I kept having bad dreams. I don’t remember what they were, but it don’t take a genius like Twilight with her fancy mathematics to work it out!”

Scootaloo smiled affectionately to her friend, her usual reckless bravado put to one side “Sorry to hear that…I think I know exactly what you mean.”

“Applejack stayed up with me, and tah be honest, I think she was suffering worse than I were. It just, you know…” and a few tears started running down the earth filly’s face. The two orphaned ponies looked at each, and found a strength in each other that the crusaders always did.

“Come on…lets go for a quick trot before breaks over, it’ll clear our heads” Scootaloo suggested, wanting to distract herself before her own emotions spilled over.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the playground, Diamond Tiara eyed the pair of ponies whilst Silver Spoon droned on about the usual boring things…

Sweetie Belle had almost finished her painting when Spike returned to the Library, having completed his two visits. He greeted the filly as he walked through the door, then went over and looked at the work that the unicorn was putting the finishing touches to.

“Wow” was all the dragon could say as he looked at the picture. Sweetie had created a larger version of the photo of the family visit. It was a little rough and messy in places, being painted the earth pony way, but obviously she had taken a lot of care to get it looking as good as possible.

“You think it’s any good?” the filly asked a little shyly, her face slightly stained with dry tears that she must had shed during the morning.

“Any good? Sweetie Belle it’s just wonderful”

“Shucks, thanks” Sweetie blushed slightly “it’s the best I can do with my mouth – I hope when my magic grows in it’ll be easier but I’m never going to be an artist”

“Well, I like it. And…” The dragon paused for a moment, wondering if it was the right thing to say. It seemed a good response, but he doubted if it was appropriate and his young mind was conflicted “…and I think it’s very fitting.”

The filly’s eyes watered over slightly “It just felt the right thing to do!” and the filly started sniffing. Unsure on the correct words, Spike cupped Sweetie’s face gently with one of his claws just to give her some comfort. Sweetie smiled up at him “Thanks for being such a good friend.”

“Hey, that’s what dragons do, be loyal to those they love…as a friend of course!” he stumbled a little at the end.

“Really?”

“No… dragons are jerks and only look out for themselves -” he replied with a smile “- but I’m no normal dragon, and my friends aren’t usual ponies!”

“Yeah, Princess Twilight, my sister, the other bearers…” Sweetie moaned slightly.

“I meant all my friends, including you!”

“Me? I'm hardly special!”

“Are you kidding? You’re going to be a flag bearer at the Equestria Games, you took part in the Royal wedding…” Spike started listing off and paused for a second “You are a wonderful pony. I mean, just look at the painting -” Spike turned Sweeties face towards the picture she had painted “- rather then wallow in pity, you wanted to remember your parents. That is the actions of a remarkable, grown up, pony!”

“But I miss them” Sweetie Belle wailed all of a sudden, and collapsed into Spikes body, the dragon just about keeping them both upright. He stroked the filly’s back as she sobbed into his chest, and Spike just muttered general comforting phrases.

Rarity came downstairs at hearing her sisters wail and saw Spike slowly leading her crying sister over to a cushion. The elder unicorn went to the kitchen and returned with a juice box, the filly gratefully taking it and sipping her drink. The elder sister then returned upstairs before returning quickly with a rather large pile of completed letters, placing them on one of the tables.

“Spike darling, I don’t suppose you could send these letters for me?”

Spike quickly realised it was a good way for them to ‘naturally’ switch over so Rarity could comfort her sister, so he made space “Of course Rarity” he replied with a wink, before going over to the letters. Rarity snuggled up to her crying sister and comforted her.

Spike sent a letter to Princess Celestia, asking if it was okay to send all the post, receiving a response in a few minutes that she would be more than willing to receive and get the guards delivering the messages right away. The two unicorns watched, slightly amazed, as Spike sent a few letters at time. The display acted as a good sideshow whilst the ponies shared the comfort of their sisterly embrace.

Once the letters were complete, Spike started on lunch and Twilight returned from her royal duties with the mayor just in time to join them. The dragon had gone all out on the meal - there were freshly cooked hay fries, cucumber and dandelion sandwiches, a side salad and an arrangement of freshly prepared fruit. It was much more extravagant than the dragon usually prepared for a weekday lunch, something noticed by both of the elder mares.

He had even treated Owlowiscious and Opalescence to some fresh fish which he went upstairs and put out for them – both Twilight and Rarity couldn’t stomach handing any form of meat even for their pets, so it was a real treat for them. “Hey, after that whole pet sitting incident, it’s the least I could do for you guys!” Spike replied to their wordless thanks.

Once the meal was complete, it was time for Rarity to deal with the undertaker and get things moving with the solicitor. Twilight had already agreed to come along, both for moral support but also because she was rather smart when it came to, well, everything but especially these sort of things.

“Can I come along?” Sweetie Belle asked as the pair prepared to leave.

“Well, it’s up to you Sweetie, but it’s going to be very boring legal stuff,” her sister replied, “However, there will be some decisions we can make together and we can discuss them later.”

“Okay then” the filly’s ears fell back a little and she pawed the ground.

“Don’t worry Sweetie Belle, I’ll stay with you…we can read, do some crafts, whatever you want!” Spike smiled at the filly as he was taking off the frilly apron, having finished the washing up.

With that agreed, the elder mares left living the two younguns alone, and they both started doing some drawings in crayon on the freshly cleared table. The pair worked on their art in silence for a while, the concentration on their craft making both lose track of time. Once completed her own picture of the four Cutie Mark Crusaders doing a sky dive, Sweetie looked over to Spikes picture.

She expected his art to look a bit better given his claws, but it was an amazingly detailed picture of a pair of adult dragons and a nest of eggs. Sweetie just turned to Spike wordlessly, the dragon picking up on the wordless clue.

“This is how I imagine my parents were.” The whelp answered the unasked question “All I know for sure is my mother had purple skin, and my father had green spines. Those are hereditary traits...but I don’t know their size or anything else.” His tone kept lowering as he spoke “Nopony knows, not even Celestia, what they looked like or anything, so the only images are the ones in my heart.”

Sweetie looked over to her friend, feeling emotion for him for once “I can’t imagine how it is to never have met your own parents…”

Spike gestured back to the picture “Well, I like to think my father was a big powerful defender dragon…that’s why I feel so protective towards everypony. Twilight is…well…my mother so I guess I always picture my dragon mother with a similar colour skin and spine colour as Twilights fur and mane.”

Sweetie was young, but knew why Spike had drew this picture – that he wanted to show the filly her own picture from this morning wasn’t so silly. She carefully picked up the drawing and put it up next to her own picture of her family from earlier. “Thanks Spike” she smiled, and felt tears welling up inside her again “I need to get out of the tree for a while, fancy going for a walk?”

“Sure, why don’t we go and get some milkshakes from Sugarcube Corner…”Spike walked over to a box and returned with a gem “…my treat”

Pinkie greeted Sweetie Belle and Spike from behind the counter of the bakery – it was the quiet period after lunch but before either school was out or ponies came for evening snacks. No sooner had she entered the bakery, Sweetie Belle found herself being tackled by the twin Cake foals who were happy to see anypony, a trait they had clearly picked up from Pinkie.They also had no sence of personal space, a trait that Pinkie shared with any foal.

The pink mare came over to the pair “Hiya …Shoot, I meant to come over this morning, but we’ve been really busy today!” the earth mares demeanour fell as she spoke.

“It’s no problem Pinkie” Spike dismissed the pony’s concern, perking her up instantly “Everypony’s been busy as it is, but we thought we’d come over and get some strawberry milkshakes.” Spike noted the time “Actually, better make them to go, best we’re not here when it gets busier” he whispered to the mare so Sweetie didn’t here “I don’t want her overwhelmed by everypony.”

“Sure thing Spike” Pinkie bounced off towards the ice cream counter and then over to the milkshake machine “Shall I put them on the tab?”

“Nope, I’m paying” and Spike produced the gem he had brought with him.

“Oooh, shiny. Hey Mrs Cake, can we take this for a couple of to-go shakes?”

The elder mare came from out back, rescuing Sweetie Belle from her foals as she did “This gem is much too valuable just to pay for a couple of take-away milkshakes!”

“Has Twilight settled this month’s account?” Spike replied

“No, the Princess is a bit behind, not that we expect anything from her highness of course!” the mare added a little shyly.

“Well, put it against the tab”

Mrs Cake seemed reluctant at first, especially as she secretly wanted to treat the filly with the dragon, but eventually conceded to take the gem against the Princesses tab. Pinkie hoofed over the finished milkshakes and the pair bid the bakers farewell. Rather then head towards the library, Sweetie turned and started walking through the town.

The pair walked in silence, Spike just letting the filly lead the way and the few ponies about seemingly leaving the pair to be. Upon reaching the park, Sweetie led the way to a spot under a tree, at the top of the hill overlooking the west of the town and Sweet Apple Acres.

The pair sat in silence as they finished their drinks, Sweetie seemingly lost in thoughts and the dragon happy to let her think. She eventually broke the silence “Spike, I want to ask you something, if you don’t mind…a bit personal”

“Sure Sweetie Belle, as long as Gabby Gums doesn’t reappear!”

The pony laughed a little in response “Why are you spending your own hoard on me and my sister? Even I know that’s not normal dragon behaviour! Is it because you love…”

Spike put a claw over the fillies mouth to silence her, before withdrawing with a slight blush “Please, don’t finish that sentence. But no, it’s not to do with anything like that” Spike sighed, “It just feels right to be there for you guys right now, in any way I can”

“I appreciate it Spike” Sweetie took one of his claws in her hoof “I’m still not sure if I’m thinking clearly, but I do recognise what you, and everypony, are doing for us!”

“I know that both Rarity and you would do the same for me…it just the adult thing to do I guess.”

“You mean we’re growing up? The horror, the horror!” the filly replied a little cheekily.

“I guess so…man that sucks, we’ll have to start paying taxes and drink coffee instead of milkshakes!”

This caused the pair of them to laugh and they sat on the hill in the park together, leaning against each other and watching the sun arc over the sky, the birds flying and generally letting the world go by.

The next morning Spike woke up in his basket downstairs, having left the three females upstairs again and noticed Opalescence had curled up on top of him. He tried to gently remove her from his back but woke the feline up in the process. However, rather then being treated to a swipe of claws, the cat simply snuggled up to the warm spot Spike hadvacated. Opal had seemed to become much more friendly in the past day or so, something the dragon put down to the treats of fresh fish.

As he started preparing breakfast, he reflected on the remainder of the day before. When him and Sweetie Belle had returned the previous afternoon, they had spent some time reading before Rarity and Twilight returned. Then, after another scrumptious dinner that Spike had let the filly help him prepare, it was another quiet evening for everypony. Probably just what the sisters needed right now.

Like the day before, the smell of breakfast cooking (Scrambled Eggs on toast, with freshly baked breakfast muffins on the side) got everypony up and to the breakfast table much quicker than the normal bowl of oats would. As they tucked in, Spike went outside to get the post. He returned a little confused “Erm, girls, you might want to see this”

The three ponies followed the dragon and froze in the doorway of the library. Outside was a massive arrangement of flowers of all kinds. Some were large whilst others were small but tastefully arranged. A gray pegasus with a bubble cutie mark landed on the ground and placed another bouquet in the arrangement.

“Derpy, where have all of these come from?” Twilight asked, as Rarity was left speechless and Sweetie Belle just seemed overwhelmed.

“Princess Sparkle, these have all been special delivered overnight from Canterlot, Manehattan, Las Pegasus…all over Equestria. There’s still a lot more orders for us to pick up…the inter-city courier pegasi are struggling to keep up right now!” and with that she took back off, heading north.

Rarity started scanning through the cards, each bearing either her client’s names, including ones she hadn’t written to, or from other designers. It quickly became evident that all of the fashion industry must have worked together, for once, to help spread the devastating news of the Belle family loss.

Rarity broke down crying again, and before Twilight could offer a shoulder to cry on, Sweetie Belle had her sister in a hug. Twilight knew that the outpour of emotions was actually was a good thing for Rarity. Being so generous in nature, she often forgot to accept help and support when she needed it, and yesterday she had been perhaps a little too strong for her own good.

Twilight asked Spike to make a note to follow up with personal thanks to all the couriers and left the two sisters in peace to browse through the messages of support together.