The library kitchen was busy this morning; due to the fact that Twilight's family was due to arrive any moment. Surprisingly, Luna was the one cooking, for it had been a long time since she had been able to work in a kitchen, and she was whipping up a scrumptious feast fit for royalty.

As for Spike, Twilight felt that, with her budding relationship with Luna being at an all-time high, and because they were in a such a nice town, she had sent him out to go make some friends, and she also had a plan to enroll him in the local school later, for she felt it would help him to make friends.

She heard a knock on the door, walking over to the door and opening it to find somepony she hadn't seen in a long while, a smile spreading across her face as she pulled him in for a hug. “Baby Brother!”

“Twily stop,” grumbled Blueblood as she hugged him, the tall unicorn grinning all the same as she backed away. “It's good to see you; I hope I'm not late.”

“Actually your early, but I didn't even know you were coming, I thought you were busy in Saddle Arabia?”

“I was,” said Blueblood, “but the moment I got the letter from mom I just had to come, luckily the Saddle Arabian's allowed me to use one of their ancient teleportation stones, as a gesture of good faith.”

“You got to use a Teleportation Stone!” cried Twilight in excitement, dancing on her hooves as Blueblood sat down on her couch, “what did it feel like?”

“Nauseating, but bearable, which is how I was able to arrive here so fast, but tell me, has the rest of the family arrived?”

Twilight shook her head, and then jumped when Luna poked her head out of the kitchen. “Oh, I see guests are already arriving, that is good, though I still have more I need to make.”

She then ducked back into the kitchen, Blueblood looking confused as he turned to Twilight, who was quick to explain. “Celestia felt it would be best if Luna stayed with me, to better learn the lessons of friendship.”

“I see, but you know mother will not be pleased to find out another mare is living with you, after all she knows you like mares more than stallions.”

“Blue please,” said Twilight with a shake of her head, “were just friends, I would let you guys know if I was in a relationship with anypony, especially a princess.”

“I know you would, still, she isn't going to like it, I'll just have to see if I can calm her down about it.”

Twilight smiled at that, then smiled even more when she heard a knocking at the door. “I'll get it,” said Twilight, walking over and opening the door to find her friends waiting outside. “Hi girls!”

“Howdy Twilight,” said Applejack, before she and the other girls walked inside.

The moment they were in, they all spotted Blueblood, and when he noticed them, his eyes focused on Applejack, the stallion standing up and walking over to take her hoof in his as he spoke. “Young miss; do I have the pleasure of addressing one of the Apple Family?”

Applejack blushed a bit, but smiled as she nodded, “Yeah, the names Applejack.”

He kissed her hoof then, causing her to blush even more, then he spoke again, “You have no idea how indented I am to you and your family, your food has gotten me through many a horrible event up in the castle, as well as in other places. If you don't mind, I would like to take you for a walk, for I would like to get to know you a bit better.”

“S...sure thing sugar cube,” said Applejack.

Blueblood smiled, and then turned to Twilight as she pulled a book out from its shelf. “Twilight, I'll be back in a bit, I'm just going to take a walk with your friend here.”

“Blue, remember what mom....”

“I know what mom said,” said Blueblood, before looking to Applejack and smiling again, “but I got a good feeling about this one.”

They then left, and once the door closed, Rarity let out a high pitched whine as she collapsed on her fainting couch.

“What the heck are you whining about?” asked Rainbow, giving her fashionista friend a glare as she spoke.

“Because I go through all this trouble to make myself look like the height of elegance and grace, and I get passed over for the rustic farmer!”

“That's not your fault Rarity,” said Twilight as she sorted more books, “Baby brother has always cared more for a mares like Applejack, mares who don't through themselves at him because of his station, as you no doubt were about to.”

“That's not fair!” cried Rarity, waling upon her fainting couch as the rest of the girls, including Pinkie Pie, rolled their eyes at her antics.

“My Teacher always lived by the saying “life isn't fair,” one I think you should take to heart Rarity.

“Hmph,” said the mare, using her magic to send her fainting couch away as another knock sounded at the door, Pinkie bouncing over and opening it to reveal the rest of Twilight's family standing outside.

Mom,” said Twilight, walking over to hug her as the rest of the girls made room for the rest of her family, who gathered inside as Luna walked in with food. “Ah, you must be the rest of Twilight's family, your just in time, I have prepared food for all of us.”

“Uh...ok,” said Night Light, looking concerned as he shot a look toward his daughter. “Honey, would you mind telling me why the Princess of the Night is currently cooking in your house?”

“Dad,” said Twilight as she let go of her mom, “Didn't Celestia inform Canterlot of what was going on, it was pretty big news after all.”

“We heard that she was living in Ponyville, but she didn't inform us that she was living in your house, something I really wish she had told me given your preferences.”

“Dad it's alright,” said Twilight, “she's living with me so she can better study the lessons of friendship with me and my friends. Trust me; you'll know when I have a marefriend.”

That got a chuckle from everypony, while Night Light just shook his head and sighed. After that, everypony got comfortable, Luna setting everything up before sitting down herself with a smile. “Alright, everypony dig in, and don't be afraid to give me your honest opinion on the food, for it has been a long time since I last had a chance to make a meal like this.”

Everypony dug in, and the first to speak up was Rainbow Dash, who was comping down on a hayburger and giggling with glee. “Dear mothers, this is amazing, what you put in this.”

“Oh not much,” said Luna, “just added some Saddle Arabian spices, I find that they enhance any food I work with.”

“Well its dam goo...”

“Rainbow, not in front of Scootaloo!”

Rainbow nearly jumped out of her skin, looking first to her wife Fluttershy, then to her daughter Scootaloo, “Sorry kiddo.”

“You owe me a bit,” said Scootaloo simply.

Rainbow grumbled; causing everypony at the table to chuckle before Twilight spoke up. “Girls, these are my parents Twilight Velvet and Night Light, my brother Shining Armor, and my former foal sitter Princess Cadance. Mom, Dad, Shining, Cadance, these are my friends, Princess Luna, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, and their daughter Scootaloo. Applejack was here earlier, but I think Blue is smitten with her.”

“Oh sweet mothers not again,” said Velvet, “that boy falls for a mare in every town he travels to, this is getting annoying.”

“Well I can hope it's different this time,” said Night Light, taking a sip of tea before looking to Luna and speaking. “So Princess, what....”

“Please kind sir,” said Luna, “call us Luna, for we do not wish to go by our title during our stay here.”

“Ah, sorry then Luna,” said Night light, “anyways, I noticed that the stars have changed a bit since your return, and so have a few other astronomers, I was wondering if that was your doing?”

“While I would like to answer your question, I must first ask, what is an astronomer?”

Nightlight looked shocked by this, and was saved a long moment of silence by Twilight, who looked to Luna and spoke. “Luna, an astronomer is a pony who studies the stars, mapping them and tracking there movements across the skies, and they also examine many other things in the night sky as well, but mainly they focus on stars.”

“Truly, there are ponies who gaze upon my night with the intent to study its mysteries?”

“Indeed,” said Nightlight, “so, about my question?”

“Ah yes,” said Luna, smiling as she spoke to him, “your question. The stars have indeed changed a bit because of me, but that is only because I am able to....well...hm how to put it?”

Luna took a sip of tea, thinking about it for a moment before finally speaking up. “I guess the best way to explain why the night sky seems to have changed is, well, to put it simply I am able to...better paint the night sky then my sister, for she can only create a basic night sky. And while yes, that night sky helped light what would otherwise be an empty nothingness, it was not the true night. And now that I know that there are ponies who actually study my night, I cannot wait to see what they find.”

“What do you mean princess?” asked Nightlight.

“What I mean,” said Princess Luna, “is that your astronomers have only been studying the barest hint of what the nights potential, and now that I am back, they will be able to truly explore its mysteries and wonders, and I cannot wait to see how they react.”

With that, she went to take another sip of tea, and right when the cup touched her lips, Twilight Velvet spoke up.

“So Luna, how long have you been interested in mares?”

Author's Note

Fulfilling a promise made to you guys, as well as dedicating myself to a new promise brought on by new responsibilities. Click here to learn more.