Chapters Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Visitor
Author's Note
This idea came from xd77 . I'll be working on this story while trying to overcome my writer's block for Raised on an Apple Farm.
Also, when you see green text, there's a link to a YouTube video for some BG music.
Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Visitor
It Wasn't Me!
Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Visitor
*Cadance's P.O.V.*
It was a rainy day here in the Crystal Empire. Shining was busy training the guards in the barracks while I was busy with Guard. Our little colt was growing up so fast. His eyes had changed from just one colored orbs to the types of eyes grown ponies have. He had also grown out of diapers and was potty trained too, for the most part. He could also speak clearly now, but he was still learning how to properly form sentences.
While I was reading a story to Guard, there came a knock at the nursery door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Come in,” I said looking up from our book.
The door open and one of the guards came running in.
“Your highness!” he said hurriedly, “Your nephew showed up, and he’s by himself!”
“Joshua ?! He’s alone?!” I said shocked. Joshua never came here by himself. “Where is he now?!”
“He’s in the throne room,” the guard replied.
I picked Guard up off my lap and onto my back, and the two of us ran towards the throne room. When we got there, we were greeted with a shocking sight. Joshua was there alright, sitting on my throne, dripping wet, but he looked very upset. He had his knees curled up to his chest and his arms around them. His cheeks were stained with tears, as if he had been crying for hours.
*Joshua's P.O.V.*
Moments ago...
It's not fair! I didn't do it!
I was on the train to the Crystal Empire all by myself, and crying. I got in trouble for something I didn't do. I tried to tell Mommy I didn't do it, but she didn't believe me! So I ran away. I knew I would get in more trouble for it, but it wasn't fair! I didn't do it!
The train then stopped.
"Station stop: the Crystal Empire," the conductor said, "Watch your step leaving the train."
I stood up and left the train. I wanted to see Aunt Cadance and Uncle Shining. I hoped they would believe me after I told them. When I got off the train, I saw that it was raining. It was raining when I left Ponyville, but I didn't think it would be raining here. I'm glad I brought the hooded sweatshirt Rarity made me. I pulled the hood over my head and stepped out into the rain.
As I walked toward the Crystal Castle where Aunt Cadance and Uncle Shining lived, I felt the rain falling on top of my hood. It was raining hard. I saw a few crystal ponies outside with umbrellas and giving me some confused looks. They knew I was the nephew of the prince and princess, but I never came here by myself.
I finally made it to the Crystal Castle. I knocked on the door of the castle as hard as I could. The water from the rain was starting to soak through my sweatshirt. The door opened and I saw one of the castle's guards standing there. He looked down at me and his eyes widened.
"The prince and princess' nephew?!" he said surprised, "What are you doing here all by yourself?"
I didn't say anything but just looked at him.
"Are you here to see your aunt and uncle?" he asked.
I nodded my head.
"Follow me then," he said. He turned around and started walking back into the castle, and I followed him. After we walked for a few minutes, he stopped in front of the throne room doors. He pushed one open.
"Please wait inside," he said, "I'll get your aunt and uncle for you, okay?"
I turned to look at him and nodded. I then walked over to where Aunt Cadance always sat and sat down. I hugged my knees to my chest and started crying again.
Why Mommy? I wondered, Why don't you believe me?
“Joshua?”
I looked up and saw Aunt Cadance with Cousin Guard on her back. She began walking over to me and I turned my head back around to look at my feet. Aunt Cadance sat down next to me and after she took Guard off her back, she put a wing on my back. Guard walked in front of me and looked up at me.
“Joshua sad?” he asked.
I nodded slowly.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Aunt Cadance asked me.
I looked up at Aunt Cadance and sighed sadly.
“Mommy punished me for something I didn’t do,” I said still crying. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her and cried into her shoulder. She put her other wing around me and rubbed my back with one hoof. I then felt her pick me up.
“Come on,” she said to me, “Let’s get you dried off and into something warm.”
She placed me on her back and placed Guard on her back with me. Guard wrapped his hooves around me in a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and Aunt Cadance walked out of the room.
*Cadance's P.O.V.*
When we got to one of the guest bedrooms, I gave Joshua a towel and some clean clothes we keep in stock for him whenever he visits. He then entered the bathroom, dried off, and changed into the clean clothes I gave him. He soon came out, and came over to hug me again. Guard put his hooves around Joshua's back in a hug too. Just then, there was a knock at the bedroom door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
The door opened and Shining stood there with a worried look on his face.
“I came as soon as I heard,” he said, “Is it true that Joshua’s here without Twily?”
“It is Shining,” I said to him, “He said Twilight punished him for something he said he didn’t do.”
I felt Joshua tighten his hug on me.
“You want to tell us what Twilight thinks you did?” Shining asked.
He looked at me, then Shining, and then Guard. He then sighed and nodded his head.
“It all happened this morning after I woke up,” he began.
~~~
Music Selection
Peaceful Hearts - Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Chapter 2 - But I didn't do it!
Chapter 2 - But I didn't do it!
*Joshua’s P.O.V.*
Golden Oaks Library: Early Morning…
I had just woken up to a loud noise downstairs. Nyx wasn't in bed this morning. I wondered where she was. Spike was still in bed though, and so was Mommy. The loud noise didn't wake them up. I got up, put on some clean clothes, and walked downstairs to see what had happened.
Mommy had been working on something important for Princess Celestia for a few days now, and it was starting to frustrate her, I think the word is. She asked me and Nyx not to disrupt her work or interrupt her at all while she was working on it. I was really hoping that she would finish it soon.
When I got downstairs, I saw the whole library wasn't organized as Mommy made it while she was working on her project. It was now a mess! She wasn't going to like this.
"AUGH!!! "
I knew it. I turned around and saw Mommy standing there with an open mouth and wide eyes.
"Oh no!" she said running past me, "I worked so hard on this and now everything is ruined! Now I'll have to start all over again!" She then looked at me with an angry look. "How?!" she asked me, "How did you make this mess?!"
"But I didn't, Mommy," I said, "It was..."
"Don't lie to me!" she yelled interrupting me, "I told you very specifically to not disrupt my work! Now tell me the truth!"
"But Mommy!" I said, "I didn't do it!"
"I said 'Don't lie'!" she yelled again, "And don't talk back to me young man! Now go to your room and stay in there until I come up there!"
I slowly stepped backwards and felt tears stinging my eyes.
"But...But Mommy," I said trying again.
"NOW!!!" Mommy yelled again pointing up the stairs with a hoof. I burst into tears and ran up the stairs quickly, accidentally bumping into Spike as he was coming down.
"Joshua?" he asked. I didn't answer him and continued running up the stairs.
*Twilight's P.O.V.*
I don't believe this! I was working really hard on this and now it was ruined! Now I had to start all over again!
"Twilight?"
I looked up and saw Spike walking down the stairs.
"Good morning, Spike," I said stiffly.
"What was all the yelling I heard down here?" he asked.
"Oh, Joshua messed up what I was working on and lied saying he didn't do it," I said to him.
"So that's what he was crying about," Spike said, "But are you sure it was him? It might've been somepony else."
"No," I said shortly, "Joshua was the only one down here when I woke up. Now could you help me straighten everything back up, please?"
"Sure," Spike said.
It took us a few minutes, but together Spike and I got everything reorganized. It looked as though I wouldn't have to completely start over. At least some of the beginning notes were still in order. Now all that was left to deal with was Joshua. I walked upstairs to go talk to him.
*Joshua's P.O.V.*
I had my face buried in my pillow on mine and Nyx's bed and had been crying since I came up here. Why doesn't Mommy believe me? I didn't do it!
I heard the door open behind me.
"Alright Joshua," I heard Mommy say, "I'm going to give you one more chance to tell me how you made a mess of my work. You know how I don't like having my work disrupted, and you were the only one down there this morning, so how did it happen?"
"But," I said whimpering, "I didn't do it."
"That's it," she said angrily, "Consider yourself grounded in the library for a week, young man, and you can come out of your room when you're ready to admit you did it."
She then left the room and slammed the door behind her.
But I'm not lying! I thought, Why doesn't she believe me?!
I kept crying into the pillow for a few more minutes. This wasn't fair! I don't know how long I kept crying for, but I lifted my head and looked out the window. I saw that it had started raining. Rainbow Dash came by the library yesterday and said it would be raining all day today and tomorrow. I then got off the bed and walked over to the dresser where our family pictures are kept. I looked at the one of our whole family: of me, Mommy, Nyx, Spike, Grandma Velvet, Grandpa Night Light, Uncle Shining, Aunt Cadance, and Cousin Guard. Looking at Uncle Shining and Aunt Cadance, I wanted to be with them right now. Maybe they could help me tell Mommy that I didn't do it.
I wiped the tears away from my eyes and opened the dresser drawer with my clothes in it. I then took out the hooded sweater Rarity made for me when I was turning into a pony so I could hide those pony ears. I didn't take it out much except for when I had to get to school while it rained. Then I pulled out a bag that had bits Mommy gave to me as allowance. I pulled out what I needed for a train ticket to the Crystal Empire. After I put what I needed in my pants pocket, I walked over to the balcony door. I pulled the hood over my head, slowly opened the door, and stepped out into the rain.
Rain water began splashing over my covered head as it poured down. I closed the door behind my as quietly as I could. I couldn't get out of the library through the front door, so I thought to try the balcony door. I looked down the edge of the balcony and started up my magic. I levitated myself over the balcony rail and down to the ground. It wasn't easy levitating myself with magic, but I was still able to do it. After my feet touched the wet ground, I looked at the library.
"I'm sorry, Mommy," I said quietly, "But I didn't make that mess."
I then started running to the Ponyville Train Station.
*Cadance's P.O.V.*
Crystal Empire Castle: Present Time...
"...and that's why I ran away," Joshua said finishing his story. He then looked up at me and I saw tears still stinging his eyes and sniffled. "Why won't Mommy believe me?"
I looked over to the nightstand of the bedroom and levitated a box of tissues over to Joshua. He took one out to wipe away his tears and one to blow his nose with.
"I think I know why," Shining said, "You said she was working on an important task for Princess Celestia, right?" Joshua nodded his head. "And you said that she told you and Nyx that she didn't want you two disrupting her work or disturbing her, and it was getting her frustrated, right?" Joshua nodded again. "Well, it's probably because she's really stressed out at how long it's been taking and was close to finishing. She probably jumped to conclusions without thinking things through and listening to your side."
I nodded in agreement. That made sense. I then looked at Joshua and saw Guard putting a hoof on his shoulder.
"Well, Shining and I can't exactly agree with your decision of running away," I said to him, "But I understand why you did it: you needed someone to listen to you."
"Uh-huh," Joshua said with another sniffle.
"I can understand that too," Shining added.
"You can stay here for now, but you're going to have to face your mother eventually," I said. Joshua nodded and sniffled again. He then took out another tissue and blew his nose. I then left the room to my chambers to write out a letter to Twilight before she got worried.
Music Selection:
Just Wondering - Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
Chapter 3 - Realizing the Truth
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Chapter 4 - Nightmares All Around
Click the green text for background music.
Chapter 4 - Nightmares All Around
*Nyx's P.O.V.*
I felt guilty for letting my brother get in trouble. It didn't help one bit as I fell asleep that night. I found myself in the library, but it seemed darker than normal. I saw Joshua standing there with his back turned to me. I walked up to him and put a hoof on his shoulder.
"Joshua?" I said to him. He suddenly used his hand to push my hoof off his shoulder. I was confused.
"How could you?" he asked me coldly.
"L-Little brother?" I said worried.
"How could you?!" he asked sharply turning around. What I saw in front of me chilled me to the bone. Joshua was standing there looking at me with an angry expression, and his eyes were pitch black! His voice also sounded like that of a demon from Tartarus. "I got in trouble because you didn't clean up a mess you made! Now Mommy thinks I did it!"
"B-But little brother," I said worried, "I didn't mean for you to get in trouble!"
"Well you did!" he said, "Some big sister you are!"
Those words drove an arrow through my heart. I collapsed on the ground and started crying. Just then, I felt myself being lifted off the ground by magic. I saw Joshua was lifting me with his magic, but his aura was black instead of white. He then opened the door and walked over to it. I saw that outside was a black vortex.
"Joshua! Don't do it!" I pleaded.
"Farewell, Nightmare Moon," he said releasing his hold on me.
"NOOOOO!!!!" I yelled shooting up awake.
*Twilight's P.O.V.*
I was standing in a dark room shackled in chains.
"W-Where am I?" I wondered.
"Why didn't you listen to me?" came a dark sounding voice. I looked behind me and saw Joshua standing there, but his eye were pitch black, and he had an angry frown on his face. "I said I didn't do it! What mother doesn't believe her own son?!"
"Joshua, please listen to me!" I pleaded, but he interrupted.
"Why should I?!" he yelled at me, "You didn't listen to me! So why should I listen to you?!"
"Please!" I pleaded again, but he turned his back and folded his arms in front of me.
"Forget it!" he said.
I felt tears stinging my eyes. I was heart broken. I lowered my head in guilt and started crying. I knew this wasn't the real Joshua, but this sure felt real. Just then, there was a flash of magic in front of me. I looked up through watery eyes and saw a lever in front of Joshua. He had his hands on it.
"Good bye, Twilight," he spat out with a venom filled voice. He pulled the lever and a trap door opened below me.
"Joshua! NOOOOO!!!" I yelled. I opened my eyes sharply. I looked over and saw that Nyx had woken up too and was crying in her bed. "Nyx?"
She turned to look at me, hopped off her bed, and clambered onto mine. She then wrapped her hooves around me and sobbed into my chest. Looks like she had a nightmare too.
"Bad dream?" I asked her. I felt her nodding. I brought my hooves around her and rubbed her back. "I did too."
"Was it about Joshua?" she asked looking up at me. I nodded. "Mine was too," she said sadly.
"Do you...wanna talk about it?" I asked. I heard Nyx sigh, and then she looked back up at me.
"Joshua got mad at me because I didn't pick up that mess I made by accident," she explained, "And then...he *sniff* ...well, to me it felt like he disowned me as a big sister." She started crying again when she finished.
"Mine was just as terrible," I explained, "Joshua didn't give me a chance to explain my actions in accusing him, just like I didn't give him a chance."
"That is awful," Nyx said nuzzling my chest.
"In all honesty, I don't think I deserve to explain myself," I said sadly.
"I think you do," Nyx said.
"I appreciate that, Nyx," I said hugging her. We stayed hugging each other like that for a few minutes until I heard Nyx snoring soundly. I kept my hooves around her, laid back down, and pulled the covers over us. Sometimes the best way to keep nightmares away is to sleep with someone close to you.
*Joshua's P.O.V.*
I was running . Something was trying to hit me with magic, but I kept moving out of the way before it hit me. I looked behind and saw it was Mommy, but her ears were more pointy and she had bat wings instead of her normal feathery wings. Her magic was charged and black, and her eyes were black too.
"I've given you every chance to tell the truth, and you refused to do so!" she yelled down at me, "But running away crosses the line!"
"Please Mommy!" I begged, "I didn't do it!"
"Silence!" she yelled even louder, "Now accept your fate!"
She fired her magic again. I moved to the side to avoid it and kept running. Each magic blast came closer and closer to hitting me. Just then, one knocked me off my feet and onto my belly.
"OW!" I said.
I stood back up to run away again, but I couldn't move. My feet were stuck to the ground! I saw a dark magic aura around them. I looked up and saw that Mommy was the one holding them down.
"Farewell!" I heard Mommy say.
She fired her magic again. I held up my arms to try and block it. The magic came closer and closer. Then it hit me!
"NOOOO!!!" I yelled waking up and sitting up. I panted heavily and looked around the room I was staying in at the Crystal Castle. That was one of the worst bad dreams I've had. I started crying. A few minutes later, I heard the door open, looked up, and saw Aunt Cadance standing there.
"Joshua?" she asked, "What's wrong?"
"I-*hic*-I had a bad dream!" I sobbed.
I felt myself being picked up with magic. I saw that Aunt Cadance had sat down and was carrying me over to her with her magic. She wrapped her forelegs around me and rubbed my back while I cried into her shoulder.
"There, there, sweetie," she said, "Shhhhh. It was just a bad dream."
I cried for a little bit more, then Aunt Cadance lifted my chin up with a hoof.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
"Mommy tried to hurt me for *sniff* running away," I said. Aunt Cadance kept on rubbing my back for a little bit.
"You know she would never hurt you on purpose, right?" she asked looking at me.
"I *sniff* know," I sniffled, "But she hurt my feelings when she didn't listen to me."
"I don't think she meant to hurt your feelings, Joshua," she said, "Once you both explain things to each other, I'm sure she'll understand."
"Okay," I said. I then looked back up at her and asked, "Can-*sniff*-can I sleep with you please?" She looked down at me and smiled.
"Of course you can," she said. She put me onto her back and brought me to her and Uncle Shining's room. She then laid me down between her and Uncle Shining and lifted the covers over us. She then gave me a goodnight kiss on my forehead. "Good night, Joshua," she said.
"Good night, Aunt Cadance," I said falling asleep.
Music Selection:
Thrill Theme ~ Suspense - Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Green text means there's background music.
Chapter 5 - Making Up
*Twilight's P.O.V.*
"You're sure you don't mind staying behind, Spike?" I asked.
"I'm sure, Twi," Spike replied, "It's best if you and Nyx face Joshua yourselves."
"Alright," I said, "Make sure to keep the library organized, okay? And don't mess with my project's notes, I don't want a repeat."
"Yes, ma'am," he said saluting, "Good luck."
"Thanks Spike," Nyx said as we left the library. That morning after waking up, I sent a letter telling Cadance to let Joshua know that Nyx and I were coming to pick him up. He was no longer in trouble for making the mess, but he was still in trouble for running away. However, the punishment for that wasn't going to be as extreme. As soon as we arrived at the station, we bought our tickets for the train and got on board.
I wasn't exactly looking forward to facing Joshua because of the nightmare I had last night, and I could tell Nyx wasn't either, but we both knew we would have to swallow our fear down and face him eventually.
"Twilight?" I heard Nyx say as she sat next to me. I looked down at her.
"Yes Nyx?" I asked putting a foreleg around her.
"I'm nervous," she said, "What if Joshua reacts the same way he did last night in my dream, except for the whole dropping me in a vortex part?"
"I'm nervous too," I said giving her a small squeeze, "But I'm sure he won't do that. I'm kinda worried he won't listen to me since I didn't listen to him, but we've gotta hope for the best."
Nyx looked up at me and smiled.
"You're right," she said hugging me.
*Joshua's P.O.V.*
I was sitting in the nursery room with Guard. We had just finished breakfast and Aunt Cadance got a letter from Mommy saying that she and Nyx were coming to get me. Why was Nyx coming along? I don't think she had anything to do with this.
I was scared of having to face Mommy again. I knew I was going to get in more trouble when she got here, and that made me start crying again. I felt Guard place a hoof on my shoulder.
"Joshua?" he asked me.
"Yes, Guard?" I replied.
"You still sad?" he asked.
"Yes," I said, "And I'm scared."
"Why you scawwed?" he asked me.
"I'm scared of having to face Mommy," I said, "I know I'm going to get in more trouble for running away. What if she still doesn't believe me that I didn't make the mess?"
I then felt Guard put his other hoof on my other shoulder. I looked up at him and saw him smiling.
"I bewieve you," he said.
I smiled at him. Guard always seemed to make me smile no matter what happened.
"Thanks, Guard," I said hugging him. We stayed like that for a little bit more until the door opened up. I saw Aunt Cadance and Uncle Shining standing there.
"Joshua," Uncle Shining said, "Your mother and Nyx are here."
I sighed sadly. It was now or never. I stood up and walked up to them.
"Where are they?" I asked.
"In the throne room," Aunt Cadance said, "They asked if they could talk to you alone."
I didn't like the sound of that.
"I'm scared Aunt Cadance," I said.
"I know you are, sweetie," she said rubbing my shoulder, "But we'll be right outside those doors waiting and hoping for the best, okay?"
I nodded my head. Together, the four of us walked to the throne room. When we got to the door behind the throne, Aunt Cadance opened it with her magic.
"Good wuck, Joshua," Guard said.
"Thanks," I said. I walked through and the door shut behind me. I walked around the throne and saw Mommy and Nyx sitting there in the middle of the room. They were both looking down at their hooves, with sad and guilty faces. I was confused. Mommy then looked up at me, but kept her head down, opened up her mouth, and spoke.
*Nyx's P.O.V.*
Twilight and I were sitting in the middle of the throne room waiting for Joshua to arrive. We were still hesitant to talk with him after what we both put him through, but we both knew we would have to do so eventually. Just then, I heard a door opening. I looked back, but it wasn't the big throne room doors opening. I looked back at the throne and saw Joshua stepping out from behind them. I wanted so much to just run over to him, hug him, and apologize to him for what I put him through, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He stood at the top of the stairs in front of Aunt Cadance's seat and looked at us. I could tell he was scared too.
I looked over to Twilight and saw her looking up at Joshua, but kept her head down. She then opened her mouth to speak.
"Joshua," she said sadly, "You don't have to say anything right now. Just please listen to what Nyx and I have to say."
I looked at Joshua and saw him nodding for Twilight to continue.
"I should've listened to what you had to say before assuming that you made the mess," Twilight said, "I shouldn't have just gone and outright blamed you for it, and I'm very sorry for punishing you for what you didn't do. That was wrong of me. I've just been on edge ever since Princess Celestia gave me that assignment. It doesn't excuse my actions, but I hope it explains it. I'm so very sorry."
After Twilight finished, I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. I took a couple steps forward and looked at Joshua.
"I'm sorry too, little brother," I said, "I was the one who made that mess. I was in a hurry yesterday, but knocked over Twilight's notes. I knew I should've picked them up, but I couldn't remember what order she had them in. It's my fault that you got blamed for something I did. I'm so sorry, Joshua."
*Joshua's P.O.V.*
So Nyx was the one who made that mess? Then she was the one who got me in trouble! But then, she didn't do it on purpose. She was in a hurry that morning. I looked at Mommy and then Nyx. They both had tears in their eyes as they stood there waiting for me to say something.
"Mommy," I said. She looked up at me. "I'm sorry I ran away. I just felt hurt that you didn't believe me. I wanted someone to believe me, so that's why I came here. And, I forgive you." I then looked over to Nyx. "Nyx, I know you didn't mean to make the mess on purpose, but what you did hurt me a lot. But, I still forgive you."
They both lifted their heads up and looked at me, and I looked at them. Then they smiled, and I smiled. I felt tears stinging my eyes.
I then ran over to Mommy and hugged her chest. I felt Nyx wrap her hooves around me from behind and nuzzle the back of my head. Mommy then put both of her hooves around us and hugged us both.
"I'm so sorry, Joshua," Mommy cried. She sniffled a little bit, and I felt her tears splashing onto my head.
"I'm sorry too, Mommy," I said sniffling.
"So am I," Nyx said.
We stayed hugging like that for a while. I was happy that things were back to the way they were again. I don't know why, but this whole thing made me love Mommy and Nyx even more.
Music Selection:
Destiny's Union - Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Author's Note
There's still an epilogue for this story.
My eyes were wet from writing the ending of this chapter.
Epilogue - Consequences
*Twilight's P.O.V.*
"Thank you for looking after him for me, Cadance," I said to my sister-in-law.
"You're welcome, Twilight," Cadance replied, "And next time, make sure you have all the facts before you make blind accusations like that."
"I'll be sure to do so," I said. I then turned to Nyx and Joshua. "Come on you two. Let's head back to Ponyville."
"Okay, Mommy," Joshua replied as he got onto Nyx's back. He then turned around and waved to Cadance. "Bye Aunt Cadance! Thank you for everything!"
"You're welcome, Josh," Cadance said waving back.
"Bye-Bye Joshua!" Guard said.
"Bye Guard!" Joshua said back.
A few minutes later after leaving the palace, we all boarded the train back to Ponyville. Once we got rolling, it was time to bring up the issue with Joshua about running away.
"Now, Joshua," I said to him, "You're no longer in trouble for me thinking you messed up my work, but you are still in trouble for running away, right?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said reluctantly.
"When we get back, you'll have to stay in the library for the rest of today and tomorrow. Understood?"
"I understand, Mommy," he said. I then put a hoof around his back and pulled him in for a hug. He wrapped his arms around my neck and nuzzled against me.
"I love you, sweetie," I said to him, "And I promise, I will never outright accuse you again without all the facts or listening to you."
"I love you too, Mommy," Joshua said back with a sniffle, "And I won't run away like that again." The two of us stayed like that for a little bit, not wanting to let the other go. Afterwards, I turned over to Nyx.
"As for you, Nyx," I said to her, "If you had cleaned up that mess you made of my notes, none of this would've happened. I would've understood how they would be out of order like that. Now, I'm afraid you'll have to join Joshua in spending time at the library for the rest of today and tomorrow, okay?"
"Alright," Nyx said with a sad nod. Joshua then hopped down from his seat, walked over to Nyx, sat down next to her, and then hugged her. Nyx returned the hug and nuzzled Josh's cheek warmly.
The three of us soon arrived back in Ponyville in the mid-afternoon and began to head back to the library. After arriving, Joshua opened the door and peeked in. He suddenly gasped.
"Uh oh," he said.
"Hmm? What is it?" I asked. He looked back at me worriedly.
"I don't think you're going to like this," he said.
Oh please don't tell me my notes are messed up again! I said in my head. The door opened up the rest of the way and my suspicions were confirmed: my notes were sprawled about the library. Not only that, but the books had fallen off the shelves too. URRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! I growled in my head but then remembered what happened recently. Stay calm, Twilight. Don't jump to conclusions. Spike isn't the most likely culprit here. Suddenly, a pretty big pile of books lifted up off the ground and fell back to the floor and revealed Rainbow Dash underneath.
"Dang it," she said, "Why do these new tricks never work the first time."
"RAINBOW!!!" I yelled at her.
"Oh boy," Joshua sighed, "Here we go again."
Author's Note
And that's the end of this short fic.