Streaks of Fire

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 1

Chapter 2

“All aboard! Last train for Canterlot, stops at Las Pegasus and Ponyville. All aboard!”

The train whistle screeched at the passengers still waiting to board. Here and there, ponies said goodbye to their loved ones, tears falling on the dusty platform. Fillies and colts were hugged by their grandparents, the older generation of ponies promising extravagant delights at the next birthday party the young ones had. Friends chatted hurriedly, not letting a moment of time slip away from the long lost bond they shared. Lovers kissed and nuzzled each other, fearful that the next time they met, their love would no longer be enough to carry them through the miles.

Such was the case for two ponies in particular. Cinnamon Mills looked longingly at the silver mare in front of him, their eyes glistening with unshed tears. They held hooves tightly, unwilling to let each other go.

On the platform behind them, Thaddeus Mills was saying goodbye to his long-time business partner and friend.

"Are you sure you can’t stay any longer, Mrs. Dash?”

“Unfortunately, no, Mr. Mills. Your generous hospitality aside, I do have a business to run. Although these past few weeks have been most enjoyable, we do have to get back to Canterlot. I dread to think how things have been running in my absence.”

“I understand, Mrs. Dash. I hate to see a beautiful lady like yourself get out of my hooves, but I understand responsibility all too well.”

“Mr. Mills, you are quite the charmer! No wonder Silver is smitten with your son! If he is anything like his father, she doesn’t stand a chance!”

“Quite the contrary, Mrs. Dash. He was merely captivated by Silver’s beauty, a trait that, I must say, runs in your family quite well. Such a shame to separate them so soon, though.”

“Indeed! I have struggled with that thought, and I may have come up with a solution. Have you ever considered expanding?”

“Expanding? Mrs. Dash, I’m not sure what you are getting at. It would take a lot of preparations, such as scouting out new sites and getting all the necessary permits. We’d have to get new mill stones made, and that takes an inordinate amount of time and money. Not to mention we would have environmental impact studies and the local government to worry about. I don’t even know which city we would have to work with!”

“Why, Canterlot of course, Mr. Mills!”

“Canterlot? But there isn’t enough land avail---Ah! Mrs. Dash you are a genius! Canterlot, of course! I couldn’t possibly stay away from the mill for the, oh six months, it would take.”

“I think six months should be long enough to determine if there’s some promise.”

“And naturally I will have to send somepony I trust!”

“Naturally, Mr. Mills.”

“And he would need to be shown around Canterlot properly by somepony who knows the area well. Maybe an old business partner has a pony in mind?”

She glanced meaningfully at her granddaughter. “I’m sure I can think of somepony.”

“Splendid! Then let’s say, two weeks from now?”

“Two weeks, Mr. Mills. And I’ll make sure whomever you send will have all the necessary accommodations.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Dash.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Mills. The question becomes, do we tell them now or make them wait?”

“Oh definitely make them wait. After all, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

The train whistle screeched again as the conductor shouted out the final call for boarding. Mrs. Dash and her granddaughter climbed aboard, the latter constantly looking out the train windows towards the platform. Mr. Mills waved goodbye as the train pulled away, his son staring at Silver leaning out the first class cabin window. She blew a kiss towards Cinnamon as he chased the train to the end of the platform. He stared until it disappeared over the horizon. Head hung low, he made his way back to where his father was standing.

“Cheer up, Cinnamon. It’s not like you won’t see her again. There’s always next year’s party.”

The younger Mills said nothing as he walked down the platform, head down. He turned towards the mill standing tall behind the town of Applewood. The elder followed, a smile creasing his lips as he walked behind his son.

Cinnamon reflected back on the way his plan was going. The meeting with the Mayor had gone exceedingly well. She had been enthusiastic about the idea of a new business coming into Ponyville, especially one as lucrative as the mill could be. The only stipulation she had was that it be well received by several of the townsfolk. Apparently, Mayor Mare did not want anything that would upset the residents of Ponyville.

The talk with the city planners, however, had not gone nearly so well. They had informed the young Mr. Mills that there was no land large enough to set up a mill inside the city limits. He would have to find land on the outskirts, specifically near the Everfree Forest or Sweet Apple Acres.

Considering the rumors he’d heard about the Everfree Forest, the choice was made to approach the owners of Sweet Apple Acres about buying or renting some land.

And so they headed out, the sun baking the earth as they walked. Although the trip to Sweet Apple Acres had been relatively short compared to the grueling journey from Applewood, the heat of the day had made the outing rather uncomfortable quickly, especially for Fireball. The complaints started soon after they stepped outside and had been unrelenting most of the way to the farm. It wasn’t until Cinnamon submitted to the young pegasus’ requests that he was finally able to think about who they were supposed to meet.

“I need you on your best behavior for this meeting, Fireball. You did well in town, but this is very important.” Cinnamon looked down at the young filly trudging along the dirt path beside him.

The road to Sweet Apple Acres was well worn and shaded beneath the boughs of several apple trees. The sunlight streaming through the green leaves turned the trees into a gem field; emeralds and rubies shone brightly in the mid-day sun, blinding Cinnamon with their beauty. The richness of the orchard brought forth a strong desire to hoard these precious gems like a dragon about to slumber.

I wonder if they taste as good as they look, he thought.

“But it’s hot! I wanna go swimming!” The yellow pegasus grumbled as she kicked a clod of dirt, a cloud of dust rising into the air as the offending pile was destroyed.

“We’ll go swimming once we’re done here. Right now, I have some business I have to take care of. It shouldn’t take too long. If you’re good, we’ll even get ice cream.”

The attitude of the yellow filly brightened immensely. She spent the rest of the walk in silence, looking around at the bright foliage and listening to the sounds of the farm animals. The birds chirped noisily in the trees, chiding the squirrels as they playfully jumped from branch to branch. Pigs squealed in the distance, and every so often a resounding thwack would echo through the trees.

They were stopped in the path by the approach of a rather large Earth pony pulling a massive cart. The stallion’s red coat glistened with sweat, and he grunted with strain as the cart moved down the path. The cart was full of barrels, and each barrel appeared fit to burst. The weight in the cart was causing it to sag noticeably.

“Excuse me, Sir? I was wondering if you might know where I can find the proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres.” Cinnamon asked as the cart came to a stop.

The red stallion looked at Cinnamon curiously, not quite sure of the question.

“New?” said the red pony, raising an eyebrow.

“Sort of. This is our first time at Sweet Apple Acres. I’m Cinnamon Mills, and this is Fireball.”

“You’re big,” said the young filly, her eyes wide as she looked up.

“Eeyup,” said the stallion, chuckling slightly.

“Fireball! Don’t be rude! I’m terribly sorry,” Cinnamon said, glaring at Fireball who was still staring at the new pony in front of her.

The stallion waved a hoof dismissively. “Name’s Big McIntosh. Friend’s call me Big Mac.”

“Like, really big.” The young pegasus stood with mouth agape.

“Fireball! Come over here! Sorry again about that. I don’t know where she gets her manners. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. McIntosh. Do you know where I might find the owners of Sweet Apple Acres? I have a business proposition I wish to discuss with them.”

“Well, it’s me or Applejack that run the place. I’m oldest so…New business or old?”

“New business. It concerns a partnership, of sorts.”

“Interestin’. I reckon I won’t be back ‘til tonight, tho’. Meet me at The Griffon’s Beak, say 9? It’s a bar in town.”

“Of course, Mr. McIntosh. Tonight at 9.See you there.”

“Eeyup.” They waved goodbye as the big red stallion pulled his cart away from the farm.

“Alright, Fireball. Let’s go swimming.”

The squeal of delight echoed from the filly’s mouth as she bounced down the dirt path, all four legs leaving the ground at the same time. Cinnamon chuckled as she tried to spread her fledgling wings to keep herself in the air as long as possible. Alas, Fireball’s wings provided little help; they became a hindrance, causing her to lose her balance when she landed. Undeterred, she bounded along the path as though each wobbly landing could not diminish her enthusiasm one bit.

She’s going to need flight training soon. Maybe once I get the new mill set up.

Fireball let out a gasp as the town swimming pool came into view. The clear water scattered the sun’s rays into millions of tiny crystals, each gleam and glint temporarily blinding Cinnamon when the sun hit the water just right. The sounds of joy and laughter echoed clearly across the field where the pool was, as well as the small hum of many ponies talking to each other. Cinnamon looked out at the large crowd gathering, and he groaned inwardly. While not afraid of large gatherings, the tall Earth pony was anxious about only knowing a handful of ponies scattered here and there. A cacophony of screams, laughter, and splashing could be heard coming from the shallow end as, to Cinnamon at least, it appeared every young filly and colt in Ponyville was gathered at the smaller end of the pool. The deeper end was noticeably emptier, with most adult ponies lounging around the pool or watching the youngsters enjoy themselves. Occasionally a pony could be seen jumping from the high dive; some were graceful, but most landed somewhat awkwardly with a large splash.

“Now Fireball, I want you to remember the rules. No running around the pool. Stay where I can see you, please. And do you remember our password?”

The yellow pegasus rolled her eyes at Cinnamon. “Yes. If somepony says you’re hurt or something, I ask them what the password is. And if they don’t say Silver, I yell ‘Stranger! Stranger!’ as loud as I can and run away from them.”

“Very good, young lady. I also don’t want you going into the deep end by yourself. You can go if I or your Aunt Rainbow shows up. Are we clear?”

“Yep. Will you take me on the high dive later?”

“Maybe. For now, go along and play with the other kids. I’ll find a spot next to the pool where I can keep my eye on you.” Cinnamon watched her gallop off towards the shallow end as they approached. His eyes scanned the surrounding grass, trying to find a spot that he could watch the young filly from. As his eyes passed over the ponies lounging lazily by the pool, he caught sight of a familiar rainbow colored mane.

The cyan mare was talking animatedly to two other ponies next to her, a butter yellow pegasus with a cascading waterfall of pink mane comfortably seated on the grass, and a white unicorn lying on a lounge chair, using a reflector of some kind to tan. Her perfectly styled mane and tail never touched the ground, and she wore two cucumbers over her eyes as though she were at a spa.

Cinnamon called out to Rainbow Dash. She turned and waved a hoof, motioning him to come over. He trotted to her casually, curious as to what she wanted to talk to him about. As he approached, he noticed the yellow pegasus start to hide behind her voluminous mane, while the unicorn paid him no mind, seemingly lost in her own world.

Typical, he thought.

“Hey Cinnamon! Where’s Fireball? I was hoping she could cheer me on since Flutters is too scared to get close to the water.” Rainbow looked out over the crowd of ponies, trying to find where the young filly was.

“Hello Rainbow. She’s actually at the shallow end of the pool. Let’s see…” He scanned the pool and noticed Fireball was off to one side, talking to a trio of fillies. A small white unicorn with a pink and purple mane stood in front of Fireball, flanked on either side by a yellow Earth pony with a bright pink bow, and an orange pegasus with a shock of purple mane. They appeared to get along quite nicely. “There she is. She’s talking to those three ponies over by the side of the pool,” Cinnamon said, pointing.

Rainbow Dash looked where he indicated and smiled. “Looks like she’s making friends. Just be warned, Cinnamon, those three cause trouble. Not on purpose, and nothing bad, usually, but they have this insane talent for breaking things. The yellow one with the bow is Applebloom. She’s Applejack’s sister. The pegasus is Scootaloo, she’s awesome. Not my level of awesome, but still she’s cool. And the unicorn is Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s sister. Oh!”

She turned and motioned to her friends next to her.

“This is Fluttershy,” she pointed to the yellow pegasus who was now desperately trying to cower behind her mane completely. The timid mare let out a small squeak. “And this is Rarity,” motioning to the white unicorn who had put away the cucumbers and the reflector, and was looking eagerly at the new pony in front of her. “Gals, this is Cinnamon.”

“Nice to meet you, ladies.”

“Our pleasure, Mr. Cinnamon. Do forgive Fluttershy, Darling. She can be timid meeting new ponies. What brings you to Ponyville? Business or pleasure?”

“A little of both. And please, just Cinnamon will do. I actually have something I need to talk with Rainbow about, so please excuse us for a minute.”

Cinnamon led Rainbow away from her friends a little ways, keeping his voice low.

“I was wondering if you could watch Fireball for me tonight. I’ve got a business meeting at 9 and I’m not sure how long it’s gonna be. Think you can help me out?”

“Sure, Cinnamon. What time do you want me to come over? And what’s your room number?”

“Actually, the hotel’s undergoing renovations. We’re staying at the old house. The current occupant, Ms. Star, had a room she was willing to let out for the summer. So instead of trying to figure out a new part of town, I thought why not stay at the old place?”

“That’s your choice, I guess. What time do you want me to stop by?”

“I think 8 or so; should give me plenty of time to get to the meeting. Thanks again, Rainbow.”

“No sweat.”

They returned to the other mares, who were now joined by three young fillies. Sweetie Belle was talking to her sister; Scootaloo and Fireball were both looking towards Cinnamon and Rainbow Dash expectantly. The other one, Apple Bloom, was nowhere to be found.

When the older ponies arrived within the small circle forming around Rarity and Fluttershy, they were immediately bombarded by the exuberant fillies.

“Hi ya Cinnamon! This is Scootaloo and that’s Sweet-“

“Hi Mr. Cinnamon! We were wondering-“

“And we thought it would be cool-“

“If it’s alright with you, that we could have Fireball-“

”They wanna know if I can stay at their clubhouse!”

“If she could sleep over.”

“I don’t know,” said Cinnamon. “Rainbow was supposed to be looking after you while I had my meeting tonight. I suppose it’s going to be up to her.”

“Please Aunt Rainbow? Can I go?” Fireball looked up at the cyan mare, eyes as wide as the little filly could manage.

“Fine by me. Just try not to get too carried away with the crusading. We don’t need anypony hurt,” said Rainbow Dash, smiling down at the bouncing fillies before her. The squeals of delight could be heard as now all three of the youngsters ran off to the shallow end of the pool, laughing and talking to each other.

“Looks like I won’t need you tonight after all, Rainbow. Are you sure she’s going to be fine?”

“Don’t worry, Cinnamon. Applejack’s one of my best friends. They’ll be safe.”

“Alright Rainbow I trust you on this. If anything happens to her…”

“Relax, she’ll be fine. Since I have no cheering section today, I better get to work. We’re supposed to have a huge rainstorm tomorrow night, and we have to go get the clouds from Cloudsdale. Apparently, somepony didn’t hear me say to keep some clouds in Ponyville. I’ll see you all later.” With that, she flew off into the sky, a multi-colored trail left in her wake.

“Oh dear. If we’re going to have rain, I have to tell all the animals. Um, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Cinnamon. Bye, Rarity.” Fluttershy flew off. The light brown Earth pony watched her fly no more than a few feet from the ground, and noticed she was nowhere near as fast Rainbow Dash. He thought such a contrast rather comical, and smiled as she left.

“So you and Rainbow Dash are…..related?” Rarity raised an eyebrow at the Earth pony sitting beside her. He had turned back to the pool and was watching the young fillies play.

Great, he thought. Why couldn’t she have left as well?

“Not really,” said Cinnamon, curtly.

“I’m not sure I understand, Darling. I could have sworn your, um….”

“Sister.” The word came out short, almost as if Cinnamon was trying to bite it off before it could escape his lips.

“Right, sister. I heard her call Rainbow Dash her aunt.”

“Yes…” The drawn out sound of the word reminded Rarity of an old play she designed for, where the actor playing a snake would utter the same long hissing sound at the end of each line. She looked at Cinnamon closely. Although he had not noticeably moved, the set of his shoulders and the way his ears laid a little flatter on his head warned her she had said something she shouldn’t have.

“Do forgive me for prying, I meant no offense. It’s just that Rainbow Dash never talks about her family, so the girls and I were starting to get a little worried that she had none.”

“She probably didn’t want the whole slew of questions that always follows having to explain things to nosy individuals.”

Rarity’s mouth hung open, the heat rising to her cheeks at the sheer venom in his voice. Not even Applejack had been this rude; even during the height of their misunderstanding, there had always been a forced politeness between the two of them. This, however, was something she had not experienced before. This Earth pony hated her, and Rarity could not understand why.

“Excuse me, Cinnamon. I was merely trying to get to know somepony who happens to be somehow related to one of my best friends and I-“

“Oh come off it. I know exactly what you were trying to do, and it isn’t going to work. Don’t try to give me that ‘I’m just a caring friend’ crap. All you and your kind care about is yourselves. You aren’t tricking me into believing that whatever you say isn’t some ploy to take advantage of me or anypony else.”

“Well! I never-“

“What? Never had somepony call you out? Never had somepony who is smart enough to see your ploy for what it is: a desperate attempt to control the lives of those around her? Thought not. Why don’t you go back to Canterlot or Manehattan or wherever you come from? Go make art or whatever other useless thing you do and leave the ponies who actually contribute something to society in peace.”

The disdain with which the brown Earth pony uttered these words was more than Rarity could bear. She bolted from the side of the pool, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her sobs could be heard by several ponies as she passed them, each set of eyes staring first at her then back the way she had come from. They turned from concern to scorn as they settled on the pony that was the apparent source of the beloved fashionista’s distress.

Cinnamon stared back towards the pool where the fillies were playing. He ignored the quiet whispers and harsh looks he was getting from the ponies around him. His mind was too busy replaying what had just happened.

Apple Bloom returned, and behind her was an older Earth pony mare with an orange coat and bright blonde mane and tail tied up with small bands. On her head, she wore a dark brown Stetson, and she was pulling a small cart behind her.

As she set down the cart next to the four fillies, Cinnamon noticed a trio of apples on her flank, and realized this must be the Applejack Rainbow Dash was referring to.

Odd, Applejack sounded like a stallion’s name, he thought.

Cinnamon quickly became aware that Fireball was talking to Applejack now, and was pointing in his direction. She waved a hoof at him while the orange Earth pony tipped her hat. He smiled and waved back. At least Fireball’s made some friends.

The next few hours flew by as Cinnamon watched the young ponies play. Their laughing and splashing brightened his mood, and he was in high spirits when he watched them leave, the exhausted fillies piling in the back of Applejack’s cart.

He waved one last goodbye to the disappearing group, and stood up. He looked around and saw that there were very few ponies still at the pool this late in the day. Most of these ponies were going on with their routines, scarcely noticing the tan Earth pony standing by himself.

Cinnamon was not bothered by this; he actually preferred being in the background. Nopony laughed at you for making mistakes. Nopony got hurt if you said something you shouldn’t. It was only the ponies in the spotlight that had to worry about these things. Ponies whose decisions could affect the lives of those around them, for better or worse; those ponies had to deal with the attention that came with being somepony special. And Cinnamon was glad he was anything but special.

Chapter 3

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were expanding again. This time, all the way to Las Pegasus.

Or at least, that’s what they told Applejack.

“I see. I reckon y’all remember what happened with Babs? Ain’t gonna have none of those shenanigans like last time, are we?”

“No, Applejack.” Three young fillies responded in unison. Fireball giggled at the group of ponies lying in front of her. It felt good to be around ponies her age.

“So, Fireball, was it? You’re from Las Pegasus?”

“Actually, Ms. Applejack, I live in Applewood. It’s next to Las Pegasus.” Fireball tried her best to be respectful, conscious of what Cinnamon had told her when talking to adult ponies.

The orange mare chuckled. “Just Applejack is fine. We don’t do no fancy titles here. “

“Sorry, Applejack. My brother always said be on your best behavior when adults talk to you. He said first impressions only get made once.”

“That’s true, I reckon. He was the tan one at the pool, right? With the reddish-brown mane?”

“Yup!” the yellow pegasus beamed at the back of Applejack’s head as she pulled the cart.

The creaks and moans of the cart as the wheels turned unevenly on the path was the only sound heard in the quiet evening. The sun was just beginning to set, and the auburn glow shone through the trees.

It was still a little early for the crickets and frogs, Applejack surmised, but with the heat of the day, she knew everypony was in for one noisy night.

“Wasn’t he talking with Rarity?” asked Scootaloo, turning to the white unicorn next to her.

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the yellow Earth pony on her other side. “I thought I saw her run off. She seemed mighty upset. Looked like she was cryin’.”

“What’s this about Rarity bein’ upset?” Applejack looked back at the fillies inside the cart. She stopped pulling and was looking at the young ponies with an eyebrow raised.

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “It’s Rarity! I’m sure it was nothing. She spent half an hour yesterday going on about how some static messed up her mane, and she said she couldn't go out looking less than perfect.”

Shaking her head with a grin, Applejack turned back towards the farm. The young fillies in the back had resumed their conversation.

Probably Rarity being Rarity. Still, somepony should go check up on her. Maybe I’ll stop by real quick after dinner. Granny Smith can watch the girls, and I shouldn’t be gone too long. Or if my brother makes it home at a decent time, I can ask him to keep an eye on the girls. Of course, knowing my brother, there’s no way Big M-

“Macintosh? Yeah, I’ve met him. He’s supposed to meet my brother tonight at 9 in some bar. He’s really big! I thought Cinnamon was tall, but your brother, Applebloom, makes mine look like a pipsqueak!”

“Other than that, there’s just me, Applejack, and Granny Smith. She helped start Ponyville, y’know.”

“Applejack?” The young pegasus gave a questioning look towards the mare pulling the cart.

“No, not my sister; Granny Smith, my grandma. She’s the oldest pony in Ponyville. Also, we got tons and tons of Apples spread throughout Equestria. What about you, Fireball? Any other family ‘cept your brother?”

“I don’t really know. Grandpa adopted me when I was very little. He never mentioned anything about knowing my family. Cinnamon moved in when I was three. Mostly, though, Two-Tones and the other ponies at the Mill helped raise me. They’re like family to me.”

“No sisters?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Nope, just me and Cinnamon. “

“I know! We could get you an adopted sister! Like Rainbow Dash and me!” Scootaloo stood up, her wings buzzing at the prospect.

“Yeah! And we can even make sure that you get a nice big sister! Somepony you can do all the fun things with, like gettin’ ice cream!” Applebloom stood with a big smile on her face.

“And makeovers! And dressing up!” Sweetie Belle bounced excitedly in the cart as it rolled further down the path.

“Girls…” Applejack said in a low voice.

“And campin’!”

“Picnics!”

“Tea parties!”

“GIRLS!” Applejack stopped again, turning towards the now silent fillies still trembling with excitement in the back of the cart.

“While I’m sure y’all are just tryin’ to help, not everypony is gonna have a sister. Sometimes they ain’t got any siblings, or sometimes just a brother. Me and Big Mac got along just fine before you came along, Apple Bloom. ‘Course, not to say we didn’t fight. Got into a mighty fine scrap once. We didn’t talk to each other for a week. I remember Granny Smith got so fed up, she made us do all our chores tied together, like in one of those seven legged pony races. Got over our spat real quick.”

“Um, Applejack? What has that got to do with findin’ Fireball a big sister?” Apple Bloom looked up at her older sister, her head tilted to one side.

“The point is,” Applejack said, trudging once more down the road. “Every family is unique. Each one works in its own way. Ain’t one better than the other. So just ‘cause Fireball don’t have an older sister, or Sweetie Belle don’t have an older brother, don’t mean that there’s anythin’ that needs fixin’. All that matters is that y’all got family to look out for ya, and y’all help them when the time comes. Right?”

The silence that greeted Applejack gave her some concern. She quickly glanced back, and was shocked to find all four occupants of the cart lost in thought. The usually frenzied and jovial trio of troublemakers known as the Crusaders were uncharacteristically somber, and this disturbed Applejack more than she cared to admit.

The front gate of Sweet Apple Acres peeked above the trees as the cart moved steadily forward. The crickets chirped their nightly chorus, growing in intensity the closer the five ponies came to the farm house. The frogs joined in, and soon, all manner of croaks and chirps could be heard throughout the homestead. Noise filled the evening air, and Fireball was struck by how surreal it was.

Without warning, the sky lit up; a thousand embers, as if from a dying fire, suddenly sprang to life, each one dancing in the dusk light. They weaved back and forth, to and fro, each tiny light disappearing and suddenly reappearing in different spots. Fireball’s jaw nearly dragged on the bottom of the cart; her eyes darted rapidly between each twinkling, desperately straining to watch the entire dance. While each individual light moved on its own, they all seemed to follow some unknown pattern. Apple Bloom smiled at the stunned pony beside her.

“Beautiful, ain’t it? Applejack and I sometimes come out here and catch some. I like to put ‘em in jars and watch ‘em fly around. Plus, they make for a real cool lantern when it gets real dark.”

“What are they? They look like tiny, little star bugs.” Fireball leaned over the side of the cart, straining to catch a closer look at the twinkling lights around her.

“Fireflies? You never seen fireflies before?” Apple Bloom stared openly at the awestruck pegasus beside her.

“Are they dangerous? Cinnamon said I shouldn’t be playing with anything dangerous.”

“They ain’t actually fire, Sugarcube,” came the response from the front of the cart. “Why don’t y’all see if you can catch some? Apple Bloom knows where the jars are. I’ll put the cart away, and I‘ll ring the bell for supper. Alright?”

The four young fillies bounded off the cart, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo discussing the best way to go about catching the tiny insects while Sweetie Belle and Fireball listened intently. Applejack watched them trot along the trees, a smile escaping her lips each time one of the little ponies jumped up to catch a firefly only to come crashing down empty-hoofed. The yellow pegasus smiled brighter than the others, lost in the joy of their play.

Applejack was happy her sister had decided to include Fireball in their trio. Being new in town couldn’t be easy, and Applejack was proud her sister had become friends with the young pegasus. After all, life was a whole lot easier with friends beside you.

“And I said, ‘Sure, Doc, the caffeine worked, but I doubt Donut Joe’s ever gonna let my wife and I back in his shop ever again.’”

Cinnamon smiled over at Big Macintosh. The pounding of hooves on the table caused the large number of empty mugs next to the red stallion to dance wildly. The unusually loud laughing coming from the shaking red pony caused many patrons in the bar to look at the two stallions curiously, wondering what it was that had caused such a reaction in the normally quiet farmer.

Cinnamon looked around the bar, a grin on his face. The dimly-lit Griffon’s Beak had only a couple other patrons aside from him and Big Mac.

In one corner, a purple Earth pony with a raspberry pink mane was hunched over the antique oak bar, a half-finished bottle of wine next to her.

Several seats down, a grey pegasus with a long blonde mane stared morosely into her drink. She was having a conversation with the bartender, a blue unicorn with a severely short trimmed black mane. He was idly cleaning a glass as he spoke, and pointedly ignoring the obviously intoxicated black pegasus on the other end of the bar.

Several empty tables decked out in tacky, red-and-white checkered tablecloths were scattered throughout the place. There were some groups chatting casually at a few tables; Cinnamon even noticed his landlord, Ms. Star, chatting idly with two other mares: a white pegasus with a lime green and pink mane, and a yellow unicorn with a two-toned blue mane and tail. He raised his glass to the Amethyst, who smiled back at him with a wave.

His eyes scanned the rest of the bar and fell upon an old jukebox sitting in the back corner next to a well-worn patch of open floor. The jukebox was currently blasting some classic rock, and several ponies were bobbing their heads in time with the music. Cinnamon felt he could definitely get used to a place like this. He turned back to the pony in front of him.

“No Fireball tonight?” Big Mac asked, waving his glass towards the bar for a refill.

“Nah, she’s having a sleepover with some new friends she made today. I was gonna have Rainbow watch her, but she said Fireball’d be just fine. I think one of the girl’s names was Scoobadoo? Something like that?”

“Scootaloo?” the smiling Big Mac supplied.

“Yeah, that’s it. You know her?” Cinnamon asked.

“Eeyup. She’s a friend of my sister, Apple Bloom.”

“Really? Small world after all.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac thanked the bartender as he set the stallion’s drink down on the table.

“Shall we get down to business? What I’m offering is a partnership that could guarantee a steady income for Sweet Apple Acres for the next 20 years. It may not be much at first, but the potential for growth is astronomical. Dividends would be expected to be paid out quarterly, depending on equity growth and viability in the marketplace.”

Big Mac’s ears perked at the sound of guaranteed income. However, Cinnamon noticed he was uncomfortably shifting at the mention of potential growth, and looked completely bamboozled once the mention of dividends came into the equation. Apparently Big Mac was not one for fancy business talk. He tried a different approach.

“What that means, Big Mac, is that you’ll be guaranteed an income for five years. We’ll say five bits profit on every hundred you put in. After that, it could grow to be upwards of two hundred and fifty bits for every hundred, and your starting investment wouldn’t even need to be in cash.”

“What would it be in?” the red stallion eyed the tan Earth pony in front of him. Big Mac remembered the Flim Flam brothers well, and he wasn’t about to lose his precious apple trees.

“All I need is some land, preferably about an acre, and the flatter, the better. It doesn’t need to be farmable land, either. All I would need is enough open space to set up a mill.”

“A mill? For grinding flour and the like? We’ve got a mill on the outskirts of town. Not sure it’s being used, though.”

“Exactly. And a windmill would not be able to handle the constant influx of materials for processing. My family has been running the Applewood mill for generations, and our main supplier of wheat and spices in Appleloosa has been sending all their goods out there. If we were to build a mill in Ponyville, however, we could cut down on costs significantly and on the price as well. It benefits everypony involved.”

“Have you talked with the townsfolk?”

“Some of them. The Mayor’s onboard, as well as the city planners. They suggested the Everfree Forest, but nopony would ever come to the mill if it was located in the Everfree. Too dangerous.”

“Makes sense. I’ll talk the matter over with Applejack and see what she says. Might have a bit of land y’all could use way out past the south orchard. We talkin’ rentin’ or buyin’?”

“Whichever would be easiest. My goal is to make this as smooth and painless as possible.”

“I reckon we could work somethin’ out. I’ll let you know when we made a decision. You stayin’ in town?”

“Yes. Fireball and I’ll be here for several weeks, at least. If things work out, we might make Ponyville our new home.”

“Well then, I’ll see ya around.” Big Mac drained the rest of his drink and slammed the cup down, licking his lips. “Got chores in the mornin’. Take care.” He got up and shook hooves with Cinnamon. He gave the bartender a quick wave as he left.

Cinnamon watched him go with a smile on his face. So far, so good, he thought.

He noticed the bar had filled up during his conversation with the red Earth pony, each table now playing host to all different kinds of ponies. Each table competed with the one next to it for volume, and the Beak was soon full of joviality. Laughing and talking drowned out all other noise in the place.

Feeling the call of nature, Cinnamon finished his drink and made his way towards the back of the building. As he passed by the bar, he noticed a picture hanging on the back wall. He smiled as he looked at a completely smashed Rainbow Dash staring back at him, her eyes almost closed and her mouth hung open in a droopy grin. She stood in front of a table, forehooves raised, as if she had just won a prizefight. Cinnamon looked down at the table in the photograph, smiling as he saw the passed out pony. Whoever it was had knocked over an exceedingly large amount of cups when they fell, and Cinnamon couldn’t help wishing he could have seen Rainbow drink this other orange pony under the table.

At that point, Nature had decided she didn’t want to wait any longer. Cinnamon made a mad dash to the restroom. Arriving just in time, the tan Earth pony relieved himself and made his way back to the table.

Only to find that his table had been cleared off, and another group was being seated. He turned to the bar, hoping to find an open seat. The bar, however, was packed. Each stool was taken, and it seemed at least three ponies stood between each seat, chatting with whoever the occupants were. The bartender rushed back and forth across the bar, mixing all sorts of exotic drinks. The cavalcade of colorful concoctions enamored Cinnamon, and he stood transfixed, watching each drink come to life in the bartender’s magic.

It wasn’t until he felt a tap on his shoulder that Cinnamon realized he had been out in the middle of the room, staring for quite some time. With a blush rising to his cheeks, he turned to look at the pony behind him. He was startled to find his landlord looking up at him with a smile on her face.

“Quite mesmerizing how he does that, isn’t it?” She nodded towards the bar.

“Indeed! I’ve seen drinks made before, but that pony puts on a show!”

She giggled at Cinnamon, who was sneaking peeks back at the bartender. “I saw your table got taken while you were up. Did you wanna come join us? I’ll introduce you to some of the locals.”

Not waiting for a response, she turned and walked towards her table. She weaved expertly through the crowd, and Cinnamon struggled to keep up.

He apologized profusely whenever he bumped another pony or drink, and heaved a sigh of relief when they arrived at the table Amethyst shared with her friends.

“Lemon, Blossomforth, I’d like you to meet Cinnamon. He’s new in town. Cinnamon, this is Blossomforth and Lemon Hearts.”

“A pleasure to meet you ladies.” He shook each of their hooves as they were introduced.

“So, Cinnamon, what do you do for a living?” asked Blossomforth, sipping at her drink.

“I’m a miller by trade. I usually pull the millstones back home, though recently I’ve kind of taken over the company. Been in the family for generations. What about you ladies?”

“Weather team,” said Blossomforth.

“I usually assist whoever needs me that day. It varies.” Lemon Hearts took a long swig from the glass in front of her.

“I’m a veterinary assistant,” replied Amethyst. “I help take care of everypony’s pets.”

“Like cats and dogs?” asked Cinnamon.

“Mostly, though occasionally we get some unusual pets: ferrets, mice, birds, lizards.”

“I always wanted a pet. But taking care of Fireball on my own and running the mill has been more challenging than I thought it would be, so I don’t know how well a dog would fit in.” Cinnamon thanked the bartender as he dropped off a tall mug of cider.

“Raising a filly can be tough. A pet can sometimes help with that, though. Usually it helps teach the young ones about responsibility. They get so focused on taking care of the little critter that they don’t have time to get into any huge troubles. And it doesn’t need to be a dog. Plenty of other pets require little to no effort to care for, and would be easy for a young filly like Fireball to handle. That’s just my experience, though.”

“Fascinating. I never thought about it like that. What do you suggest?”

“Oh Amethyst! I just remembered Lemon and I, uh, have a prior engagement early tomorrow and I’m afraid we won’t be able to stay.” Blossomforth stood quickly, pulling Lemon Hearts up with her.

“We do?” Lemon looked quizzically at the pegasus.

“Yes…” said Blossomforth through clenched teeth. She glared down at Lemon Hearts and jerked her head towards the pair still seated at the table.

Confused, Lemon Hearts looked down Amethyst, then back at Blossomforth. It took several passes between them before the light of understanding shone on Lemon’s face.

“Oh yes! The…um… thing! I totally forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me Blossom. It was nice meeting you, Cinnamon.”

Blossomforth put a hoof to her face. “Yes. Sorry we had to cut this short, Cinnamon. And I’ll talk to you later, Amethyst.” She pushed the yellow unicorn ahead of her as she exited the bar, only stopping to pay her tab.

“I’m really sorry about that Cinnamon,” said Amethyst, a blush rising to her cheeks. “I hope they didn’t make you too uncomfortable.”

“Nah, its fine. At least your friends tried to be somewhat subtle about it. The guys at the mill would usually just start pointing at every single mare who happened by and ask ‘What about her?’ When that didn’t work, they started doing that with everypony. And I mean everypony. Believe me; it gets real awkward trying to explain you’re not into stallions when all your friends are trying to hook you up to anything with legs.”

She laughed warmly at Cinnamon next to her. “I completely understand! I’m glad Blossomforth isn’t that bad yet. I can’t really blame her. She just likes to see other ponies happy. And while whatever’s going on between her and Thunderlane works for her, I don’t think she understands that single ponies can be happy too. After all, I’ve never had this much freedom in my life, and I love it.”

Cinnamon raised his mug. “Well then, to being single and free!”

Amethyst raised her glass in response to the toast. “To being single and free!” She smiled at her companion as they polished off their drinks.

“Thanks again for letting me stay here, Apple Bloom. It’s nice to have ponies my age to talk to.”

“Sure thing, Fireball. Us Crusaders gotta stick together. I’m just glad you didn’t have to deal with Diamond Tiara. She’s a meanie.”

“And a bully,” muttered Scootaloo.

“Besides, we still gotta figure out what we’re gonna do tomorrow. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, y’all got any ideas?”

“Apple Bloom? I actually have an idea if you girls don’t mind…” Fireball dragged a hoof on the wooden floor nervously.

“Sure, what d’ya got?” The other three fillies turned to Fireball expectantly.

“Um…I kinda like the idea Scootaloo had earlier. About getting me a sister….”

“

We’d love to, Fireball. But my sis put her hoof down pretty firm on us doin’ somethin’ like that.”

“I know, Apple Bloom. It’s just that…well…” The frogs did their best to fill the accompanying silence between the four friends in the clubhouse.

“What’s wrong, Fireball?” Apple Bloom asked, concerned.

“C’mon Fireball, you can tell us.” Scootaloo put a hoof on her fellow pegasus’ shoulder.

Sweetie Belle nodded encouragingly toward Fireball.

Fireball sighed. “The truth is, I don’t know who my real family is. Grandpa told me nothing, and Cinnamon wasn’t even around for the first couple years. And even when he moved back to the mill, he still didn’t want anything to do with me. Grandpa said that Cinnamon had to find himself again, and that eventually he’d come around.

"But he never did. It never really felt like he wanted me as a sister. All he did was treat me like I was another pony at the mill. He taught me how to throw a ball and how to roller-skate, sure, but it felt like he was only doing it because Grandpa couldn’t.”

A slight pause followed the hitch in her voice at the mention of her Grandpa.

“When Grandpa died, I felt all alone. Cinnamon did the best he could, I guess, but I never felt the same as when it was just me and Grandpa.”

Tears streamed openly down Fireball’s cheeks as she recounted her story. Apple Bloom stared morosely at the floor, and Sweetie Belle’s eyes welled up with tears. The only pony moving in the room was Scootaloo: she hugged Fireball tightly, stroking the crying filly’s mane tenderly.

With a deep breath, Fireball continued. “I’m sorry. It’s just hard not having any family. That’s why I want to find a sister. Maybe someone like Applejack; she seems like the perfect sister.”

Apple Bloom smiled at Fireball in front of her. “Yeah, she’s swell. We don’t always get along, but I wouldn’t trade her for nothin’. Would you excuse us one sec, Fireball?”

Fireball watched as Apple Bloom motioned for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to join her. They huddled over a bull’s-eye painted on the floor of the clubhouse. Fireball strained to hear what they were discussing; the noise of the animals on the farm provided more than ample coverage for the conversation happening in the corner.

After several minutes, the trio broke up their huddle and headed back towards Fireball. She waited patiently for them to speak.

“Alright, Fireball. We’ve decided we’re gonna do it. We’re gonna find you a sister.” Apple Bloom smiled at the yellow pegasus in front of her.

“And maybe we can get our cutie marks too!” said Scootaloo.

Fireball watched as her new friends jumped in the air together, each one raising a hoof and crying out “Cutie Mark Crusader...”

“Wait!” cried Apple Bloom. All three fillies landed with a small thump that shook the clubhouse. “What do we call this?”

“Adoptive Sister Making?” suggested Scootaloo.

“Sister Finding?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“I like Sister Finding. Okay, let’s try this again.”

“Cutie Mark Crusader Sister Finders Go!” The sound of all three hooves connecting echoed inside the clubhouse. All four girls collapsed on the floor in a fit of giggling and laughter.

“On her cheek the rose was born. ‘Twas music when she spake..”

The girls stopped giggling at the sound of a deep voice singing in the orchard. Glancing out the window, they noticed a rather large earth pony staggering through the orchard; his deep voice resonated through the trees. The moonlight shone down on the path, revealing a grinning Big Mac.

“In her eyes the rays of morn, with sudden splendor break…”

“I didn’t know Big Mac could sing,” said Fireball.

“Yeah, he’s in the Pony Tones with my sister, Rarity. She says he’s really good,” said Sweetie Belle.

The girls watched as the stallion before them disappeared over the hills towards the house, the last few words of the song echoing back to them.

“Sunshine came along with thee, and swallows in the air.”

The giggling returned as soon as Big Mac was out of sight. Apple Bloom, however, buried her head in her hooves.

None of the fillies noticed a butter-yellow pegasus follow Big Mac towards the house, a smile on her lips.

Chapter 4

“My cutie mark? Nah, I don’t mind telling that story," said Cinnamon. "Let’s see, I must have been about Fireball’s age. We were having a history day about the founding of Applewood, and I thought it would be neat to bring in one of the mill stones. After all, the mill was there long before most of the town.

So I told Dad about it, and he thought it was a good idea, too. I was going to bring in a small set of stones just to show how they worked, and he would talk to the class later, but I didn’t think it would be cool enough with the small ones.

Anyway, I got up early and dragged one of the big ones to school. It had a slight crack in it, but otherwise rolled just fine. Now, this mill stone was about the size I am now and weighed a ton. I got it up to the hill overlooking the school, and I set it up so I could take a break. Keep in mind it’s pretty much a giant wheel sitting on top of a hill.”

“Oh no!” Amethyst put a hoof to her mouth.

“Oh yes. Sure enough, as soon as I set the harness down the whole thing took off towards the school. I ran after it as fast as I could, but I could only watch as it crushed half the school to splinters. Thankfully nopony got hurt, but my Dad had to come in with a group of guys to get the stone back to the mill.

Aside from being suspended for two weeks, I had to do extra work for my Dad to pay back all the damage I caused. So he made me pull the main mill stone while he lectured me on listening to ponies who are so much wiser than I’ll ever hope to be, and that I was darn lucky nopony got hurt.

It wasn’t until we returned back into town that I got the most important lesson. It was almost time for my suspension to be up, and I was looking forward to being back in school. Instead of working the mill, my Dad had me go with him into town. I had to go apologize to the principal, my teacher, and the mayor. It was embarrassing.”

“I bet,” smiled Amethyst.

“We were on our way back to the mill when we noticed a large group had gathered around one of our carts in town. It had tipped over, and one of the guys from the mill, Crisp I think, had his leg trapped underneath it. For some reason, I got it in my head that his life was in danger, and I panicked. I rushed over and started pushing the cart, trying to get it off of Crisp as fast as I could. I couldn’t understand why no pony was helping me until I looked around and noticed my Dad was putting on a breathing mask.

The load that spilled was cinnamon, and the air was thick with it. In my panicked state, I scarcely noticed it. Now that I’d stopped, I could feel it burning inside me. Each breath felt like I was on fire. I ran out of the cloud coughing and watched as my Dad pulled the cart away and rescued Crisp.

As we walked back home, I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened. It amazed me that Dad knew exactly what to do right off the bat, and I told him as much. And then he said something completely unexpected.

’I didn’t know what to do immediately, Cinnamon,’ he said. ‘I thought about what would happen if I just ran in there, and took steps to make sure I wasn’t putting myself in danger.’

‘In our line of work,’ he said, ‘There’s no stopping once you get the big wheel going. You have to decide that it’s best if it starts moving now, or wait until later. You rushed in to help, but you ended up just putting yourself in harm’s way. Rushing things isn’t the way to go. Now, you still owe me for the school, so I want you to go help Mono Tone with his shift on the wheel. I gotta make sure Crisp is going to be alright.’

I ended up taking part of Tone’s shift at the wheel, thinking about what my dad said. And when I finally realized the truth about it all, I felt something click in my head, and then no more blank-flank.”

Amethyst smiled at Cinnamon. “That’s awesome. Mine wasn’t nearly so-“

“Last call, folks!” said the bartender. “ Join us tomorrow when we’ll have a very special guest DJ battle the storm. Show starts at 8!”

“Well, that story will have to wait for later. I guess we should be heading home. Though I must admit, I was having a rather nice time talking to you, Cinnamon.”

“Amethyst, I’m renting a room right down the hall. It’s not like I’m catching a train to the Crystal Empire tomorrow or something.”

She giggled. “I know that. I just meant I don’t have any cider at the house.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I got a couple of bottles of my own concoction. It ain’t cider, but I still think its mighty fine stuff. ”

“What is it?”

“Two Tones calls it fire water. It’s actually cinnamon whiskey. Kicks like nobody’s business, but I love the taste.”

Amethyst shrugged and rose from the table. “Why not? Tomorrow’s my day off. Let me use the little filly’s room, and then we’ll go.”

She excused herself and walked to the back of the establishment. She was far less graceful than she had been earlier in the night, Cinnamon noticed. Chuckling as she bumped into the corner, Cinnamon stumbled to the bar. He paid his tab, and, as an afterthought, paid Amethyst’s as well.

He made his way toward the open door and waited just outside. As the cool air blew through his mane, he felt the effects of the alcohol steamroll over him. The world seemed unfocused and was spinning ever so slightly. He leaned against the outside wall of the bar, hoof out to steady himself.

“Are you okay, Cinnamon?” Amethyst’s voice sounded concerned, although it teetered on the verge of laughter.

The moonlight shone down on her violet mane, the soft light outlining her svelte figure. Her eyes glistened in the starlight, and Cinnamon felt himself becoming more and more intoxicated with each passing moment. Whether it was the alcohol or something else, he couldn't tell.

“Yeah, just need a second. Heart’s doin’ a jig in my chest for some reason.”

She chuckled and sat next to him. After several minutes, he informed her that he seemed to be getting under control, and he was ready to go. They turned their backs on the Griffon’s Beak and walked out into the town.

The stars shone brightly on the pair as they made their way through the quiet village. The houses around them were dark, the residents having gone to bed much earlier in the evening. The overhanging arches of the thatched roofs eyed Cinnamon menacingly, and he was just about to ask them what they were looking at when he heard Amethyst speak up next to him.

“I love how bright the stars are tonight. They’re so lovely.”

Turned from his thoughts by the pony next to him, Cinnamon looked up. “Huh. They are quite bright. Don’t normally see ‘em out on the mill. Live too near Las Pegasus. The lights from the city are pretty much the only thing you see at night.”

“It must be nice living near such a big city. I bet you do all sorts of stuff with Fireball. I heard they have a huge hoofball stadium there.”

“I wouldn't know. I don’t go into cities. There aren't many nice ponies in the big cities. They’re all snobby jerks, and I don’t want to spend any more time around them than I have to!” Cinnamon huffed, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh c’mon! They’re not all bad. Canterlot has some nice ponies, like my good friend Moon-“

“Canterlot’s the worst!” His lips curled into an angry scowl. “They’ll tear you down and ruin your life for no reason! Just so they can have their little laugh and feel like they’re better than other ponies. If you ask me, the whole city should be wiped off the face of Equestria, and good riddance!” His cheeks flamed red, and Cinnamon snorted through his nose, his ears laid back.

Amethyst stopped, gaping at Cinnamon. The anger coming from the stallion was almost palpable. What happened to the nice pony she was talking to earlier? And why did she feel nervous now?

“I’m sorry Cinnamon. I didn't realize that was such a touchy subject. Forget I said anything.” She continued walking towards the house.

Cinnamon followed, eyes staring straight ahead.

They walked in silence for the next few minutes. The only sound was their hooves impacting the compact road. Amethyst eyed her travelling companion nervously as they made their way to her house. He certainly didn’t seem quite as angry as he had before; his face no longer had a scowl on it. Instead, he appeared distant, as if some song was playing only he could hear, or some other pony was talking to him.

Amethyst wasn't sure which one was worse.

As they got within sight of the house, Cinnamon stopped. “Amethyst,” he said.

She turned to look at him. He no longer had the slight slur of drunken speech, nor did he appear to be unsteady on his hooves. He was sitting on his haunches, head down. His eyes were closed, and in the starlight, Amethyst was unsure if she saw tears on his face or not. She sat and waited for him to continue.

“I’m sorry for losing my temper earlier. You didn't deserve that.”

“It’s alright, Cinnamon. We all have stuff that pushes our buttons. Though, a little warning next time might not go amiss. Practically gave me a heart attack.”

He chuckled nervously. “Yeah. I’ll try to keep that in mind. Did you still wanna have that drink with me?”

“Not sure. Are you going to lash out at me again?”

“I’ll do my best. I would appreciate if we could talk about other stuff besides Canterlot and big cities.”

“Alright, I can do that. Shall we go in?”

Cinnamon bowed and walked towards the house. Amethyst followed behind him. She noticed he seemed more like his old self. He smiled sheepishly when he dropped his key, and Amethyst couldn't help laughing as he banged his head on the door knob when he bent to retrieve the tiny piece of metal.

“Come on,” she said, opening the door with her magic. “I’ll get some ice. And then we can see about getting something about that bump.”

"Ha ha," he grumbled, holding a hoof to his head.

Applejack paced inside her home at Sweet Apple Acres. The steady sound of hooves on the wood floor matched the ticking of the clock on the mantle. Applejack glanced again at the time.

11:30. Should have been in bed by now. Where is that no-good brother of mine?

Applejack snorted and continued her pacing. It ain’t fair, she thought. I’m the one that has to take care of Granny Smith and Apple Bloom. I’m the one that does all the work makin’ this a successful business. And what does he do? He gets to go out. It ain’t right. I should be able to go have a drink or two when I want. But no, somepony has to be responsible. Sure as hay ain’t gonna be him.

She glanced up again at the clock and scowled. Deciding pacing wasn’t helping, Applejack grabbed a book off the shelf. She plopped down on the couch when a loud crash startled her. Turning, she noticed the sprawled body of Big Macintosh trying desperately to pick himself off the floor. He chuckled as he stood, wobbling back and forth.

“Hi Applejack,” he said, grinning like a cat who just found the cream.

“Where have you been? Nevermind, I got a pretty good guess. How many did you have Big Mac? You’re three sheets to the wind! You didn’t spend all our bits on alcohol did you?” Applejack glared at her brother, who was trying his best to stand upright.

“Eenope.”

“I thought you were gonna be home earlier. What made you decide to blow money on booze tonight?”

“I didn’t spend nothin’, Applejack. Cinnamon paid for all the drinks. Said t’was a business expense or somethin or other.”

“So y’all talked business? I’m hopin’ you didn’t sell the farm out from under me.”

“Nope. Actually might’ve got us some money.”

She eased noticeably at this revelation. “Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but how did you manage that? You’re completely trashed!”

“Eeyup. Tell you all about it tomorrow. It’s all spinnin’ around like a tire swing in a wind storm up here.” He raised a hoof to his head and promptly fell over. He blinked several times, as if unsure exactly how he ended up on the floor. A soft chuckle escaped his lips.

Applejack shook her head ruefully. She noticed a flash of yellow standing in the doorway.

“Hiya Fluttershy. Sorry about my brother. I reckon he’s gonna feel mighty bad in the morning. You didn’t have to walk him home, but thanks. It was mighty nice of you.”

“Oh, Applejack, um… it’s fine. I actually came to see if you could help with Rarity. She’s really upset, and she said she didn’t want to see me. I couldn’t find anypony else, so I thought I would come ask if you would help. If it’s not too much trouble…” Fluttershy glanced between the Apple siblings standing in front of her, one a good deal sturdier than the other.

Applejack sighed. “I’d help if I could, but somepony has to take care of my brother. He ain’t all there right now, and he’ll need somepony to make sure he don’t hurt himself. I’m sorry.”

“Umm…if it’s okay with you, I could take care of him. That way, you can help Rarity.”

Applejack eyed her friend suspiciously. “Are you sure? He ain’t exactly like one of your critters. Mac’s a mite big, and he can be stubborn as all getup.”

“Oh, I’m sure it will be fine. I’ve taken care of Harry plenty of times. I’m sure he can't be worse than Big Mac.”

“Alright Fluttershy, if you’re sure. Apple Bloom has some friends over in the clubhouse, but they shouldn’t be a bother this late. Just make sure Mac don’t try to cook nothin’; almost burned the house down last time.

Turning, she addressed her brother. "Big Mac, Fluttershy’s gonna watch out for you. Try not to get yourself in trouble. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Applejack looked closely at her brother to make sure he understood. She put a hoof to her face and shook her head. He was sitting immobile, staring intently at Fluttershy, a wide grin splitting his face. At least he's distracted, thought Applejack as she made her way towards town.

Twenty minutes later, Applejack knocked hesitantly on the door to the Carousel Boutique. All the lights except the upstairs bedroom were off, and the darkness gave the usually cheerful colors of the exterior a semi-twisted pall, as if the Boutique were painted by some mad carnival barker trying desperately to lure ponies to their doom. Applejack knocked harder, and called out in the darkness.

“R-Rarity? It’s Applejack. Can I come in?” Applejack eyed her surroundings, ready to bolt if some half-crazed pony decided to come after her. No way was she going to let any pony drag her into some horror house, performing all sorts of nasty experiments on her. Applejack searched the shadows, keeping an ever watchful eye out.

Her train of thought was derailed by the sound of hoofsteps coming from inside. Lights appeared in the front room, fighting off the shadows and Applejack’s mounting terror. Applejack breathed a sigh of relief as the door opened.

Only to stare, horrified, at the mess before her. Rarity was standing in the doorway, cheeks puffy and red from crying. Her normally well-groomed mane and tail hung loosely, more resembling the unkempt style of Rainbow Dash rather than the careful styling of the fashionista. Mascara stained her white coat, and a hollow look in her eyes told Applejack that this was serious.

“Sweet Celestia, Rares! Are you alright? You look like you been dragged through the mud sideways. What happened?”

“Come in, Applejack. Can I get you some tea? I’m afraid all I have is some Earl Grey.”

“Rarity…”

“Or maybe you would like some water? Or something to eat?”

“Rares…”

“I could make us some crepes, or maybe some daffodil sandwiches? I’m sure I have some daff-”

“RARITY!” Applejack stood directly in front of Rarity, a hoof on the troubled unicorn’s shoulder. “Stop all this carryin’ on, and tell me what’s wrong.”

Rarity sighed. “Very well, Applejack. It started this afternoon. I was enjoying a relaxing lounge by the pool with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash when a new pony came up to us. He appeared to be on very friendly terms with Rainbow, and naturally I tried to strike up a conversation with him. However, he said some of the vilest things about me! Moi! A complete stranger!”

Applejack looked at her with eyebrows raised. “You’re upset ‘cause somepony said something mean? I didn’t think that you would let that get to you this bad.”

“It’s not just that, Applejack. He said my kind was selfish and that I cared only for myself. He said my work was frivolous, and that I should leave ponies who actually contribute something to society alone.”

“Whoa now.” The words barely escaped Applejack’s lips. She stood there, stunned. She’d heard stories of this kind of pony, but she had never encountered one in her time in Ponyville. Indeed, the ponies in town were always pleasant and nice to each other. Regardless of their different abilities, no pony was told they were useless or unfit to be a part of the town. The thought of this angered Applejack.

“The worst part of it is, Applejack, that when he said these things all I could think was Fluttershy’s reaction when Pinkie and I talked to her about her bullying. I know that Iron Will was to blame for that dreadful incident, but what she said hurt me. I know we’ve moved past it, but I can’t help thinking. What if she thought I was frivolous from the beginning, and all this time, she’s just been trying to be polite? What if everypony felt this way?”

“Now look here, Sugarcube. You’re the Element of Generosity. You’ve given quite a lot to help others, and you’ve helped save Equestria countless times, not to mention helpin’ out other ponies with your fashion. Why, I doubt that anypony who saw what you did in Manehattan could ever think of you as anything but a kind, generous pony who helps out anypony she can.”

“But I was absolutely dreadful to you girls, and let’s not forget the awful way I acted during Ponyville Days. Or that mess I made a few months ago. If I had been a more useful pony, I would have been able to help change things for the better rather than just turn the streets to gold.”

“Oh horseapples! That was the spell, not you. Even Twilight knows that. Besides, your first reaction was to help others. You never did nothin’ to help yourself. You even got me that real nifty pie tin, remember? I bake pies with it every day, and they taste better than before. Those pies keep Sweet Apple Acres afloat. So just forget about one stupid pony who don’t even know you. Be the Rarity we all love. The selfless, useful Rarity who’s helped me out more than I can count.”

Rarity hugged Applejack tightly. “Thank you, Applejack. You really are a true friend. I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

Applejack hugged her back. “It was nothin’ Sugarcube. Just remember we’re all here for ya, and if you ever feel like you’re worthless, just remember what I told you. You are worthwhile, and you are important.” Unlike that jerk pony that did this to you. I’m gonna make him regret it, whoever he is.

Wait a minute.

“Rares, did you say this pony was at the pool this afternoon?”

“Yes Darling. I thought for sure he would be nicer. His sister seemed absolutely delightful, and she got along well with Sweetie Belle.

Applejack? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” said Applejack through gritted teeth. “Are you gonna be alright? I should get back to the farm.” Gotta prepare for the flank chewing I’m gonna give him.

“O-of course dear,” said Rarity, scrutinizing Applejack. “Please apologize to Fluttershy if you see her. I’m afraid I wasn’t quite myself when she came to visit.”

“Sure thing. Night, Rares.”

“Good night, Applejack.”

As the door closed behind her, Applejack turned towards home. Her mind raced as she made her way to Sweet Apple Acres. Ain’t no way I’m lettin’ that jerk anywhere near my farm. I don’t care what deal Mac made with him. You don’t treat ponies that way.

On the other hoof, her mind argued, it might be better to see what he has to say for himself. Could be there’s a part of the story you’re missing.

Still, she thought, I’m gonna get some answers from him. One way or another.

“So do you sip it? Or are you supposed to down it quickly?” Amethyst eyed the menacing drink in front of her. The red-orange liquid sitting in her glass looked harmless enough. A quick sniff, however, told her that this would, in fact, more than likely set her insides on fire.

“Either way. Two Tones says shooting makes it hurt less, but I like the taste better sipping it.” Cinnamon finished pouring his drink and capped the bottle.

He raised his glass. “What should we drink to?”

She raised her glass as well. “How about to good health?”

“Good a reason as any. Cheers!” He clinked his glass against hers and took a sip.

Amethyst decided downing it in one go would be preferable to drawing it out.

She slammed the empty glass down on the table, coughing and sputtering. The pain was intense. She could feel the burning alcohol in her stomach, and every time she breathed, the smell of cinnamon filled her nostrils. She hunched over the table gasping for breath.

Cinnamon was rubbing her back sympathetically. He laughed a little at her discomfort. “I warned you it would burn.”

She glared at him between coughs. She finally managed to get herself under control, and sat up. “It feels like I swallowed a huge ball of fire.”

“That’s what I call it. Fireball. Named it after my da..uhh.. sister.”

“You love her very much, don’t you?” Amethyst said, smiling despite the pain.

“Yeah, I do. She’s the only family I have left. It’s just her and me against the world.”

“That’s sweet.”

“What about you, Amethyst? Any family to call your own?”

“Well, just my daughter. She means more to me than anything. Though there are times that are more difficult than others. Couple years ago during Heart’s and Hooves Day she came home bawling because some other filly had given her crush a card at school. She eventually moved on, of course, but she insisted the whole day that her life was over.” Amethyst smiled at the memory.

“Thankfully I’ve never had to deal with that with Fireball.” Cinnamon took another sip of his drink. “She’s home schooled. Got her a pretty good tutor, if I do say so myself.”

“That’s gotta be tough. Does she have many friends?”

“Not really, no. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to move to Ponyville. She can make friends without being bullied by a bunch of big city foals.”

“Ah I see. Well, the school here is nice. Ms. Cheerilee is a wonderful teacher. All of her students love her to bits. The adults, too. She’s well-liked by everypony.”

“That’s good to hear. I was afraid there’d be more ponies like the awful one I met at the pool.”

“Awful? In Ponyville? Are you sure? Everypony’s nice here.”

“Not this one. White unicorn? Talks with an accent and is very into herself?”

“Are you talking about Rarity?”

“Yeah, that’s her. Nosy little pony. As soon as she found out I knew Rainbow Dash, she tried to pry every little bit of information she could out of me.”

“I’m sure she was just trying to be friendly.”

“She tried to find out about Fireball without as much as a hello.”

“That does seem rather odd. Still, it might just be curiosity. You are somepony different in town.”

“True. But I don’t like talking about Fireball to strangers.”

“Well, you talked to me about her. And we haven’t known each other that long.”

“But that’s different. You weren’t bein’ all nosy. Besides, you’re living in my house.” Cinnamon grinned at her.

“Excuse me? This is my house. You’re the one renting the room, remember?” Amethyst poured herself another drink. The pain from the last one was a distant memory.

Cinnamon started chuckling. “Let me guess. You bought this house about 6 years ago?”

“Well, yes, but I don’t see-“

“And you bought it from an older stallion in a business suit, gray hair, probably called you Ms. Star no matter what you said?”

“I was married at the time, so it was Mrs. But how did you know that?” Her nerves were rattled, and she downed her drink in one gulp.

Surprisingly, it didn’t burn as much on the way down. It did, however, leave her body tingling.

Cinnamon laughed. “I told you, I used to live here. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to freak you out. It’s actually nice to see the house belong to somepony nice. When my Dad said he sold it, I was afraid it would get demolished.” Cinnamon finished off his drink and moved to pour himself another. He noticed Amethyst had finished hers as well, and filled her glass. Satisfied, he leaned back.

“Thank you. That’s an amazing coincidence. What are the odds?”

“Not sure. C’mon, I wanna show you something.” Cinnamon chugged his drink. Smacking his lips, he got up and walked towards the front door.

Curious, Amethyst followed suit. The whiskey went down smooth, and she actually enjoyed the taste on her lips. She followed Cinnamon outside.

He walked around the house, heading up the slight rise behind the building. Reaching the top, he stopped under the oak tree and motioned for Amethyst to follow. Curious as to what he could possibly show her, she sat next to the stallion. She watched as he started scraping away dirt from the bottom of the tree.

He pointed to where he was digging. “Look closely at the roots.”

Puzzled, she did as she was told. What she saw surprised her greatly. “Those roots are glowing! How did you do that?”

Cinnamon smiled. “It’s actually lightning. Well, sort of. Rainbow could probably explain exactly what it is. Silver and I planted this tree. We used both of our magic to make it grow, and this ended up being the result. Every time I visit Ponyville, I always come by and look at this tree. It always puts me in a good mood for some reason.”

Amethyst studied the roots of the tree closer. The glow did indeed resemble lightning. It splintered off into odd angles throughout the root system, and each fork split into smaller and smaller parts. The blue glow pulsed and danced in front of her eyes. It’s beautiful, she thought.

She looked up to tell Cinnamon and stopped. He was smiling wistfully at the tree, and for the first time tonight she felt him relax next to her. Her heart sped up, and her breathing became shallower and more intense. Despite the cooler air, she could feel herself getting warmer, a flush rising to her cheeks.

She watched him turn towards her, the same blissful smile on his face. His eyes no longer had the same guarded look they had when he first arrived, and his open face shone brightly. Before she could stop herself, she leaned in with her eyes closed.

Her heart leapt in her chest as their lips touched. He was unsure at first, and his lips trembled against hers. The longer the kiss went on, the more sure he became. She opened her lips, wanting more when he suddenly broke off the kiss, his teeth coming together with a sharp click.

Confused, she opened her eyes. No longer smiling and relaxed, Cinnamon appeared panicked and ready to bolt.

“I’m sorry Amethyst. I just…I can’t…I gotta go.”

Before she could say anything, he took off down the hill at a gallop. She found herself rooted to the spot, unable to even turn after him.

After several minutes sitting in the still night air, she sighed and went inside.

She cleaned up the glasses, closed the bottle, and went upstairs.

Chapter 1

“Are we there yet?”

Cinnamon Mills glanced at the young pegasus sitting in the cart and smiled. Fireball looked down at the tracks the wheels left in the dry ground behind the pair. Her blue and silver mane swayed with the cart as it bounced, and the dust from the road dulled her otherwise bright, yellow coat. Her tail jerked quickly from side to side and her wings flexed reflexively. The long road to Ponyville was, after all, not the most exciting of trips. Though this had become an annual tradition for several years, Cinnamon couldn’t help thinking the trip got longer every time. Or maybe I’m just getting older. He grimaced; the thought was not a pleasant one.

Of course, Cinnamon didn’t think he was an old pony. He scrutinized himself carefully: His light brown coat still had a small luster to it, and the mill stone on his flank hadn’t lost any color.

His mane and tail were no longer the fiery reddish brown they once were, but thankfully no gray hairs could be seen yet. Instead, the constant sun turned them into a color closely resembling the dust on the road.

He was still strong enough to pull the mill stones back home, and he was still able to do the chores around the house; mending the fence when needed, plowing the fields every spring, and even bucking the few apple trees. Heck, he’d even climbed up on the roof to fix the shingles that earthquake had knocked down last year. It had taken longer and longer to recover each time he finished one of his chores, though. His knees ached after every shift at the Mill, and he could hardly walk when it got cold out. But that didn’t mean he was old, right?

A large thump from behind caused him to jump. Startled, he turned back to find his traveling companion sprawled on her back, staring up at the sky. Satisfied there wasn’t any cause for alarm, he turned back to the road, his mind wandering.

“Cinnamon! C’mon over here, son! I have someone I’d like you to meet!”

The tan colored stallion trotted over to where the older pony was waving his hoof, the sound lost above the din of the party. It was

Hearth’s Warming Eve, and as usual, the Mills had hosted an extravagant celebration. It seemed like the whole town had been invited.

There was the Mayor, with his top hat and monocle, talking excitedly with a pair of young brothers, both unicorns wearing blue and white stripes. Old Ben was sitting in a rocker by the fireplace telling the story of the first Hearth’s Warming Eve to a host of eager young fillies and colts. Anywhere and everywhere were groups of ponies laughing and talking happily. The hall was filled with the soft hum of conversation, and the small orchestra was just returning to play more holiday carols.

“There you are! Cinnamon, my boy, I’d like you to meet an old friend, Mrs. Dash!”

Cinnamon turned to look where his father was pointing. Although far older than most ponies present, Mrs. Dash was a strikingly beautiful pegasus. Her silver and pink streaked mane was tied neatly in a bun, and she carried about her an air of quiet reserve.

Her dress was a stunning peach, contrasting nicely against her pale green coat. The jewelry she wore, though noticeably large and opulent, did little to detract from her appearance. Cinnamon thought they gave her a touch of royalty, an air of sophistication that was far from the drab he was used to. He bowed politely to the older mare, his nose nearly touching the floor.

“Mrs. Dash is our best client, and it is due to her we’ve been able to establish ourselves as the premiere Mill throughout all of Equestria!”

There was a polite smattering of applause from the gathered ponies. Mrs. Dash bowed gracefully, her movements belying her advanced years. As she straightened, she motioned behind her.

“Thank you, Mr. Mills. You do me too great an honor. May I present my granddaughter, Silver Streak? Silver, I’d like you to meet Thaddeus Mills the Third, owner of Applewood Mills. And this is his son, Thaddeus the Fourth.”

Cinnamon turned to look at Silver, and time slowed to a crawl. The pegasus in front of him was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Her long, flowing mane was a symphony of blues and whites, like waves cascading in an open ocean. Her silver coat shone brightly in the candlelight, and her blue eyes sparkled like sapphires.

Cinnamon felt a sharp poke in his ribs as he was brought back down to earth. Confused, he looked over to see his father “Ahem” and motion towards the angel of beauty standing before them. Heat rising to his cheeks, Cinnamon bowed and muttered an apology. As he rose, he couldn’t help but notice that Silver was blushing as well, and avoided eye contact whenever Cinnamon glanced her way.

The conversation continued, scarcely noticed by Cinnamon. He could not stop staring at the young mare opposite him. And she, though infinitely more discreet, would sneak glances back at the strong Earth pony, turning away only when the young stallion caught her looking. They stayed that way for many minutes, each one not risking the first move lest they find their growing passion unrequited from the other.

This bemusing spectacle had not gone unnoticed by the older Thaddeus. His eyes twinkled with excitement as he watched the love-struck ponies. Trying desperately to suppress a grin, he excused himself and made his way to the makeshift stage where the orchestra was set up. After conferring quietly with the group’s leader, the host of the party raised a hoof for silence.

“At this time, I’d like everypony to clear away the tables and make room for some dancing! As is tradition at the Mills’ Hearth’s Warming party, we’ll start off with the late Mrs. Mills’ favorite, the Vienna Waltz. Now, Mrs. Dash, what say you to showing these young foals a thing or two?”

There was a great applause at this suggestion, and the crowd turned to see Mrs. Dash nodding her head graciously, making her way to the center of the dance floor. The candlelight dimmed for a bit, and the music started slowly while Mr. Mills took his place.

Several couples joined in, and the dance floor was soon awash with all types of ponies dancing together.

Standing off to the side looking on at the spectacle, Cinnamon ran a hoof through his short burgundy mane nervously. Beside him, sitting demurely, was the cause of his anxiety. Neither spoke, but instead stole quick, surreptitious glances at each other.

Thaddeus leaned towards his dance partner as he saw the awkward pair.

“It seems to me, Mrs. Dash, that my son and your granddaughter have gotten along quite nicely.”

Curious, Mrs. Dash turned to look at the young couple. They were close to each other, to be sure, but there did not seem to be any conversation going on between them.

“Whatever do you mean, Mr. Mills? They’re not saying anything to each other. In fact, they seem to be doing their best to avoid talking altogether.”

“Take it from me, Mrs. Dash. They’re saying plenty. It’s all in the eyes.”

Looking closer, the old mare did notice a spark seemed to flow between the young stallion and her granddaughter each time one would catch the other looking.

“I do say it certainly appears you are correct. The question is, what should we do about it? Surely we shouldn’t be encouraging this?”

“Why not Mrs. Dash? They’re about the same age. They obviously are attracted to each other. Who knows? It may mean a partnership on a whole new level.” He grinned meaningfully at the old mare.

“Oh Mr. Mills you are incorrigible! While there is merit to the idea, I am unsure how to proceed. My granddaughter would never make the first move, and your son seems absolutely terrified of even speaking to her.”

“Follow my lead, Mrs. Dash. And I should warn you now, my son isn’t quite as good a dancer as his father.” He maneuvered them closer to the side of the dance floor, being careful not to make it too obvious he was heading for the distracted ponies waiting for the dance to finish.

“Thank you ever so much for the lovely dance, Mrs. Dash. It would appear to me, however, that a certain young lady has not had the privilege of dancing, and that is a crime I must remedy immediately. Ms. Silver, would you do me the honor?” Thaddeus bowed, hoof outstretched toward the younger pegasus.

Glancing over at Cinnamon once more, she tentatively nodded and allowed herself to be escorted to the floor by Thaddeus.

Cinnamon watched them go, a slight longing in his heart to be the one escorting her.

“Alas, if only there was a stallion who would go dancing with me? It seems that Mr. Mills has left me all alone, and I did ever so much want to keep dancing. After all, there is nothing quite so stimulating for these old bones as a nice waltz.” Mrs. Dash glanced over at Cinnamon, hoping he would pick up on the not-so-subtle hint she had given him.

After a few moments of watching his father dance with Silver, the light of understanding dawned on Cinnamon's face.

“Oh! Forgive me, Mrs. Dash. Would you like to dance?” he said, holding a hoof out.

“Why, I would love to, Thaddeus.” Smiling, she reached out and let him lead her to the dance floor.

“Actually, ma’am, if it’s not too much trouble, I would prefer to be called Cinnamon,” he said, clumsily leading her into the waltz.

He kept looking down, struggling to remember how the complex dance was done. This brought no end of amusement to Mrs. Dash, who moved as if on a cloud.

“Well, Mr. Cinnamon, are you enjoying the party?” She turned and observed her granddaughter talking amicably with her co-conspirator for the evening.

“Oh yes, Mrs. Dash. I always enjoy Dad’s parties. Everypony enjoys spending time with Dad, and he gets along well with everyone.”

“And is there anypony in particular you are getting along with tonight, dear?”

Cinnamon blushed, and stumbled a bit. His mind had jumped to Silver, and he glanced up quickly to determine where she was on the dance floor.

Following his gaze, the older mare couldn’t help grinning when she realized who exactly it was he was blushing about.

“Well, it seems to me that my granddaughter hasn’t said a whole lot. She can be awfully shy, you know. Maybe you two should get to know each other better.”

“N-no, that’s quite alright Mrs. Dash. Not to say I don’t want Silver! I mean, get to know her. Better. If that’s okay with you? Getting to know her better, I mean. I don’t…”

“Hush, Mr. Cinnamon. It’s quite alright. I understand what you mean. Believe it or not, I too was in love once.”

“Oh no, Mrs. Dash, I don’t think I’m…well… that is to say….. I don’t know if she even…”

“May I cut in?”

Cinnamon felt a hoof tap him on the shoulder. Startled, he turned and noticed his father was staring at him expectantly.

“Of course, Dad. It was a pleasure, Mrs. Dash.”

“And thank you, Mr. Cinnamon, for that lovely dance.” She smiled as she was swept away by his father. They left the two young ponies standing in the middle of the dance floor, looking everywhere but at each other. Finally, the nervous young stallion broke the silence.

“Hi.”

“Hello Thaddeus,” she said, her voice calm and quiet. His knees shook at the sound. He couldn’t help but think he would never grow tired of hearing her voice, its dulcet tones sending his heart soaring into his throat.

“Actually, if you don’t m-mind, um… I prefer Cinnamon. Thaddeus is more of a family name than anything.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Cinnamon. My name is Silver Streak. You can call me Silver if you’d like.” She smiled radiantly at him.

“Would you...would you… like to dance, Silver?” He stammered, trying his best not to let his voice crack.

Blushing coquettishly, she nodded. “I would love to.”

His knees started to shake as they began to dance. Cinnamon forgot what to do the moment they held each other. All he could do was stare at her. He looked down, trying to force his brain to remember what he was supposed to be doing. Tentatively, he put one hoof forward. Then another. He looked up, smiling. They began to sway in time with the music, Cinnamon desperately trying to avoid a collision with the other dancers.

The world melted away as they danced. The other couples disappeared, and soon the candles on the walls seemed to ebb into nothingness, replaced by the faint shimmering of a thousand stars. There was no longer a floor; instead, the night sky shone around them, encompassing them in its heavenly glow.

Neither one said a word; they held each other under the stars, dancing for what seemed like hours. Back and forth they went, moving about in their own private world. The awkwardness soon melted away, and they moved as one. Lost in each other, they failed to notice the music stopped. It wasn’t until the thunderous applause shook them that they realized they were the only ones left on the dance floor.

“What are you doing?”

Cinnamon opened his eyes with a start. He could hear Fireball giggling behind him. He looked down and noticed he was on his hind legs, his hooves out at odd angles, as if he were dancing with an invisible partner.

A small flush rising to his cheeks, he dropped down to all fours and looked at the pony interrupting his thoughts. She was as blue as the sky, and her magenta eyes glimmered with mirth. Her multicolored mane fluttered in the breeze, and she was resting on a cloud just feet above the traveling pair, chuckling quietly.

“Hi Aunt Rainbow!”

“Hiya Fireball! Your brother’s being weird, huh?” The cyan pegasus responded. She was still looking down on Cinnamon with a bemused expression on her face.

“Yup!” Fireball said, barely able to conceal her amusement at the earth pony’s blushing.

“How are you doin’, Rainbow?” Cinnamon asked sheepishly, still pulling the cart towards the town. It was surprisingly a lot closer than he had remembered before his little daydream.

“Awesome as ever! I wasn’t expecting you guys so soon, though. Something happen at the Mill?” she asked, concerned.

“Nah, nothing like that. Fireball was just getting restless, and I figured we could take a couple weeks and make a long vacation out of it. Hope that isn’t a problem,” Cinnamon said, looking up at the pegasus.

“Not at all! Maybe I’ll let you see some of my new tricks! What d’ya say Fireball? You wanna see some new tricks from Equestria’s Best Young Flyer?”

“Awesome! Can we go now?” Cinnamon felt both pairs of eyes looking at him, waiting for a decision. It had been a long trip, he decided, and Fireball wasn’t really needed to help unload their cart when they got to their destination.

“Sure,” he said, watching them both smile with glee. “But nothing crazy, Rainbow. And Fireball, you’re just learning to fly with your wings. Don’t try anything dangerous yet. Agreed?” They both nodded and took off, Rainbow carrying the young pegasus on her back.

Cinnamon watched them go, knowing they wouldn’t listen to him. Once they were out of sight, he walked on towards the town he hoped to call home.

“And then she did this thing where she went in for a dive and totally twisted and pulled out of it last second! We almost hit the ground! It was awesome!”

Cinnamon smiled at the young filly bouncing on the bed. She’d been going on nonstop since Rainbow Dash had dropped her off nearly an hour ago.

I wonder if Rainbow gave her any sweets.

The knock on the door interrupted his train of thought. Rising to answer, he was cut off as a bright ball of yellow jumped down in front of him, shouting “I’ll get it!”

Fireball yanked open the door excitedly, revealing a somewhat surprised pink unicorn. Her violet mane hung loosely down her back, and she wore a bright yellow flower tucked behind her ear.

“Hello there little one! Is your brother around?” She looked up as Cinnamon approached.

“Hello, Ms. Star. Thank you again for letting us stay here. Normally, we would be lodging at the Ponyville Hotel, but it seems to be undergoing some renovations.”

“No problem at all, Mr. Mills! There is plenty of space while my daughter visits her father in the capital.”

“I appreciate the hospitality, Ms. Star. The room is quite lovely.”

The cozy room was lovingly furnished. The small armoire which now held most of their belongings was painted a bright white color, offsetting the dark cherry wood of the interior nicely. Framed pictures decorated the top of it.

Their saddlebags leaned up against the wall behind the heavy oak door, and the lone bed in the room stood against the window. The brown and white bedding matched the curtains almost perfectly. The evening sun coming through the windows gave the room a surreal quality to it, like a scene from a storybook.

“Thank you, Mr. Mills! I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. I heard a lot of noise and was worried the roof might be starting to cave in.”

“It’s just Cinnamon, if you please. I’m afraid that was just little Fireball, Ms. Star. She seems to be a little too excited from the trip. I’ll try to get her on her best behavior.”

“I completely understand. I’ve spent enough time with young fillies of my own. And please, call me Amethyst. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I will, Amethyst. Thank you.”

The door closed with a light click. As the latch engaged, Cinnamon looked down at Fireball, a mischievous grin on his face.

“First day in Ponyville, and you’re already causing trouble? Do you know who else likes trouble?” he asked the young pegasus as she desperately tried to hide a smile rising on her lips.

“The Tickle Monster!” She shrieked and giggled, running away from the lumbering earth pony.

“The Tickle Monster! And he’s coming for you!”

She laughed as he chased her, a scream escaping her lips every time he got close. When she stopped, trapped on the bed, he picked her up and started tickling her. Her sides heaved, and she gasped each time she fought for air. When the laughter no longer had any strength behind it, he released her. The Tickle Monster’s desire for mischief had been sated, it seemed.

She lay there panting, her eyes closed and a huge smile on her face. A slow gurgling sound rose from her stomach, echoing in the near silent room.

“It would seem somepony’s hungry,” Cinnamon said, eyeing Fireball as she pressed a hoof to her belly. She nodded, still out of breath.

“Well then, we should get something to eat. Let’s go get some hayburgers. And if you’re good, maybe I’ll take you to Sugarcube Corner for a cupcake. What do you say?”

The young filly squealed with delight and bounced eagerly towards the door, the exhaustion of the last few minutes wiped easily away at the prospect of fast food and sugary treats.

Cinnamon grabbed the saddlebags from behind the door as they left. He double checked everything to make sure all was tidy, then led the way downstairs and out into Ponyville, the eager young pegasus trotting along beside him.