You sat in a small daze on the path into town, your vision swimming a little, and a slight throbbing at the base of your horn. You could just make out a small pegasus colt standing in front of you, and then a voice hit your ears. “Um, are you okay? I’m really sorry, I've told him he needs to be more careful when trying to fly.”

You blinked a couple of times and then smiled at the mare, who had slipped the colt onto her back. “No worries, miss. I'm sure it was just an accident, right little guy?” He giggled as you ruffled his mane, stepping back and looking towards the town, the rooftops just visible above the small rise. You were about to ask the mare where you were when a stallion's voice hit your ears.

“FREEDOM BOLT! What have I told you!” A blue furred pegasus stallion, slightly larger than the mare, landed next to her. The colt quickly ducked his head and moved to the safety of the mare’s legs, using them as a shield from the stallion. “Don’t hide behind your mother, she won’t save you.”

“Um, actually Sky, it was an accident. We didn’t know this gentlecolt would be out here. It’s normally quiet this time of the afternoon.” The stallion leant his head down and nudged the colt out, slipping him onto his back, then turning towards you.

“Sorry about that, he’s only just started learning how to fly.” You shook your head with a small chuckle, ruffling the colts mane again. “So, you heading into town? We’re heading that way now, want to come with?” You gave a thoughtful huff and then nodded, falling into step at their side. It didn’t take long for you to see the whole town, and you let out a low whistle in admiration.

“Wow… this place looks pretty… okay, I’m not going to lie. It looks like any ordinary town.” The couple next to you started to trot down the hill, and you followed, the townsponies stopping and watching as you passed, a few of the mares giggling. The pegasi family said their goodbyes and walked over to an apple stand, the earth pony mare behind it sweeping the colt into her hooves.

You just remained trotting through town, eyes taking in the various sights. You smirked as you noticed the town had a very high mares to stallions ratio, a small part of you hoping to get lucky there. A strange tree caught your eye, and you made your way towards it, smiling widely as you discovered it was library.

There was a note stuck to the door, informing everypony to just help themselves, so you slowly opened the door, your mouth dropping open at the collection of tomes lining the walls. You pulled a book from either side of the expansive room, happy to discover one was non fiction. The storybook was sent back to its place on the shelve as you moved over to what interested you the most, mumbling as you perused the titles.

You stopped with a raised eyebrow as one book in particular caught you attention, and you tilted your head in order to read the title. “‘A History Of The Magic Of Friendship’? Hmm, sounds interesting.” You pulled the book out in a cool crimson glow, taking it to the small culvert you had spotted as you were searching the shelves, clicking on the small reading light at the top of the booth.

There was no author to the book, but just by the foreword alone you could tell it was going to be an interesting read. You began to hum to yourself as you started on the first page.

Twilight Sparkle stepped from the train, Spike following a moment later. With them was an alicorn filly, who was sheepishly glancing around. The mare leant down and nuzzled her cheek, earning a giggle, before the young dragon picked up her small case and began to walk off. Skyla immediately gave chase, nervous about being in a new town, fearfully glancing at the ponies looking at her.

These fears were unfounded of course, the viewing crowd merely spreading whispered words with one another about the alicorn filly. ‘Could she be Twilight’s? If she is, who is the father? And when did it happen?’ The jingling of a bell made the filly look up, her eyes wide in wonder as she beheld a building shaped like a gingerbread house. “Skywa!”

There was a small, pale green blur that latched itself to her muzzle, the filly crossing her eyes to reveal the grinning face of Freedom Bolt, the colt just under half her size. She gave a small giggle as he slipped around to her back and settled between her wings. Skyla felt herself grinning as well, then she trotted into the building.

She smiled sweetly at the pegasus stallion that was coming to see where his son had gone, Sky Runner giving a small chuckle at the colt’s location. The alicorn trotted towards the smell of baked goods, seeing one of her aunt’s friends behind the counter. Bolt moved around until he was just peeking over the top of her head, a forehoof outstretched towards the display cabinet. “That one, Skywa!”

“One small chocolate cake for the little cutie, coming right up!” The pink mare on the other side of the counter, who always found a way to make the filly smile, grabbed the indicated item and passed it to the colt. Skyla looked up to see Twilight shaking her head, a purple glow from her saddlebags floating some bits over to Pinkie Pie.

The alicorn filly moved to sit in the corner, Bolt shifting around so that he was sitting between her forelegs. “Well, lookie who we got ‘ere. If it ain’t mah cous and Princess Skywa.” She looked up to find a filly a few years older glaring down at her. Applebloom just gave a small huff and walked away, leaving Skyla to blink in confusion.

Waiting until the colt had finished eating his treat, Sky Runner came over and knelt down in front of the pair. “Sorry little guy, but it’s time to go meet your mother from her spa trip.” Bolt gave a small groan, and went to move to his back, but stopped and threw his hooves tightly around Skyla’s neck, before jumping atop his father. The pair trotted from the bakery, and the alicorn felt a shiver go over her as the earth pony filly scowled at her.

“Skyla, time to go!” She quickly jumped up and moved to the door, happy to leave and trotting along next to Spike. Soon they came across where she would be staying, the town library, set in a giant tree. Twilight opened the door and let her trot in, the filly staring at all the books in awe. “I’ll go put your things in your room, then we’ll get some dinner.”

She nodded as the mare trotted past her, Spike heading into the kitchen to get started. Skyla noticed a stallion at one side of the library, reading away. “Hey Skyla, want to help?” She ignored the pony reading and darted into the kitchen, eager to assist the young dragon.

You closed the book with a thoughtful sigh, the author having a clear grasp on what they were writing. One thing stood out to you, and, hoping there was some order to things, you began to search for the ‘E’ section. It was pretty easy to find, and soon you had the book you were after. You silently wished the library owner would be back soon, not wanting to go into the private area just to quench your small thirst, so moved back into the booth and cracked the book open. “The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.”

You glanced at the scribbled in footnote to see ‘Mare In The Moon’, but you knew of that prophecy, and as it wasn’t constantly night, it was obvious that somepony or something had stopped her. You then started in properly, reading on what the ‘Elements of Harmony’ were, the legend surrounding them, and their supposed location. You scoffed at the thought of such powerful artefacts just being left in somewhere like the Everfree Forest, believing it to just be a way of throwing any relic hunters off the scent of their real location.

You suddenly yawned, going to get up to look out the window to see what time it was when you noticed the building was dark, yours the only light. It must have been night by them, so you turned it off and tried to make for the door in the darkness. After a few bumps here and there, you finally made it, but the door wouldn’t budge no matter how hard you twisted the handle.

Giving a frustrated grunt, you turned around and bucked the door, but all that happened was a slight shock to your flank and an alarm blaring from somewhere. There was a flash of purple light and you sensed somepony else in the room, knowing it was a unicorn, probably a mare. “Who’s there? Come out now and you won’t be hurt!”

Yep, definitely a mare. You tried to shift behind her, but banged into a low table. The main floor lights clicked on, and the mare gave a gasp. “You!” Your head shot around, staring at the lavender alicorn standing in the library. And then your head began to hurt as a rather large tome hit you, a few more prepared in a purple aura around the mare. "WHAT THE BUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY LIBRARY?!”

Your vision started swimming and there was a dull thud as your muzzle hit the wooden floor; you could just make out the mare’s face. There was a brief flash of memory from your time at Celestia’s School For Gifted Unicorns, a lavender filly that you used to tease all the time. Sometimes it got physical, and you really got in trouble then, almost getting thrown out at one point. But that didn’t stop you antagonising ‘Celestia’s star pupil’.

The one thing that stuck in your mind was the two different coloured streaks in her mane and tail aside from the sapphire blue. Yet, the alicorn mare staring down at you with narrowed eyes had the same feature, even the same cutie mark. You pushed yourself into a sitting position as you tried to focus on her. “Twilight… Sparkle?”

“That’s Princess Sparkle to ponies like you!” You then noticed the golden crown upon her head, and her wings spread wide. The book that had struck you was on the floor, and you sent it back towards her with your magic. "And hope that book isn't damaged or you will pay for it!"

Author's Note

So there you have it, the semi-sequel to The Kindest Help.

And such a naughty colt! Didn't you know she was going to become a powerful alicorn? No?

Well... tough. She did!