Ponyville, the capital of Friendship, ruled over by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her husband, Prince Flash Sentry. The town had gotten a lot bigger since the day the former unicorn had come to this place, but that’s what happens when years pass by. Now, all of Twilight’s friends, including herself, have grown and had children of their own, letting the next generation take over and build upon the lessons they’ve learned and shared with others.
One such child of the Elements of Harmony was out shopping on this beautiful afternoon. Her name was Honeycrisp, the daughter of Applejack and Caramel, she was an earth pony, like most of the Apple Family. Her coat was an amber color, with a brown mane that was braided into a ponytail. She wore blue ribbons to keep her tail and mane done together, much like her mother does, and kept a bandanna around her forehead to keep her bangs from getting in her eyes. Her cutie mark was that of a honeycrisp apple.
Alongside her was another mare, orange-red in color, and a pegasus. She had a sandy colored mane, and had a cutie mark of a bee buzzing around an apple. She was the daughter of Ponyville’s resident animal expert, Fluttershy, and the oldest of the Apple Family, Big Macintosh, and her name was Applebee. Both mares had the same emerald green eyes they inherited from their respective parents, both cousins just out enjoying a little grocery shopping.
It was during this little shopping trip that a unicorn stallion came running up to them. His coat was light-red, with a darker shade of red for his mane and tail, and had green eyes. His cutie mark was that of a strawberry-mascarpone sandwich with a strawberry. This stallion’s name was Strawberry Marscarpone Sandwich, or Marz as he preferred to be called, the son of two of Equestria’s greatest party planners, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. The stallion was panting and had a bit of a panicked look on his face.
“Guys, guys, you have to come and check this out!” Marz exclaimed.
“Whoa now Marz, what’s wrong?” Honeycrisp asked.
“No time! Need to go! Hope they’re still there!”
Before Honeycrisp and Applebee could ask why or what, Marz used his magic to quickly pick up both mares and whisk them away, making Applebee let out a surprised “EEEP!”
Along the way they spotted another friend of theirs. A cyan pegasus stallion was flying about, landing on the ground for a moment to catch his breath. He had a cerulean mane, with a yellow electric streak running along his spikey mane, where it continued on his tail. His yellow eyes were intense, yet playful in a prankish sort of way, and his cutie mark was that of a lightning bolt. His name was, you guessed it, Lightning Bolt, son of Rainbow Dash and Soarin’, Equestria’s best flyers.
Marz quickly enveloped Lightning in his aura and took the stallion with him. Making Lightning flop around in an attempt to break free from the magical hold, but finding it to be a futile effort.
“Marz, what the hay dude, why did you just abduct me?!” Lightning asked.
“No time! You guys need to see this it’s freakin’ unbelievable!”
After running for some time, Marz stopped at the corner of a building and placed all three of his hostages onto the ground gently.
“Okay Marz, what’s got ya all wound up that you went and dragged me, Applebee, and Lightnin’ here for?” Honey asked.
“Yeah, all you just said was ‘You guys need to see this it’s freakin’ unbelievable!’ You know I was in the middle of training right?”
“Um…I would like to know too…if that’s not too much trouble?” Applebee asked timidly
“I know, I know, sorry, but you have to see this!”
All four peeked from around the corner, sitting at little outdoor café were two mares, one a pegasus and the other a unicorn. The unicorn mare was a light shade of gray, with a navy-blue mane, with two stripes that was a sky-blue color and the other purple. Her violet eyes held within them great knowledge, as well as a strong will, her cutie mark was that of stars and a supernova. She was the daughter of Princess Twilight Sparkle and Prince Flash Sentry, Stella Nova, or Stella as she preferred.
The other sitting across from her was colored a light orange. Her mane was a reddish color, but faded to yellow as it got closer to the end, one lock of her mane was yellow, but it hooked around her right ear. Her eyes were crystal blue, and her cutie mark was a bit of fire surrounded by sparks. Both Stella and the pegasus mare were talking, sometimes giggling, but both had a smile on their face. Lightning, Honeycrisp, and Applebee continued to watch the two interact, not knowing who the mare was.
“Who’s that with Stell?” Honeycrisp asked.
“Beats me, I’ve never seen that mare before,” said Lightning.
“She looks pretty though, and they seem to be getting along.” Applebee commented.
“Guys…I think that may be Stella’s marefriend!” Marz stated.
“WHAT?!” shouted Honey, Lightning, Bee
“Shh, shh!”
“Dude I’ve said you can be random sometimes, but now I know you’re nuts!”
“For once Ah agree with Lightnin’ here, what makes y’all think that Stella’s goin’ out with that mare over there?!”
“Well…” Marz pulls out a notepad from his mane with his magic and begins thumbing through it. “I’ve seen them walking around town a lot.”
“Doesn’t mean anything, we walk around with each other all the time,” said Lightning.
“And the pegasus mare tries to get closer to Stella, like really close, like her side touching hers close.” Marz added.
Lightning’s sureness went down a little from hearing that. “Okay…so she’s got a thing about personal space, big whoop.”
The unicorn flipped through a couple of pages before settling on another observation. “I’ve also tracked them heading to the movies and having lunch together over the past several weeks.”
Honeycrisp sighed in annoyance. “Again, nothin’ out of the ordinary, not like all of us haven’t gone and had a meal together or seen a flick.”
Marz raised his eyebrow. “Oh yeah, well Stella and that mare have gone back to the castle together.”
“Again, nothin’ wrong with that.”
“And she stays there, all night. I’ve even seen them coming and leaving together several times, giggling and laughing, sometimes they look a little tense, like they’re ashamed of something, and then they seem to loosen up. And again, past several weeks.”
Honeycrisp’s eyes widened slightly at the emphasis of several weeks and the fact that Stella has been bringing that mare home to her place again and again. Unpleasant thoughts were entering her head.
“Well…um…Ah…she…Stella ain’t like that! She-she wouldn’t keep a secret like that from us!”
“Well…I might, if I thought my friends wouldn’t approve,” said Applebee
Lightning puffed out his chest and stood proudly. “Well I don’t have a problem with it! If she wants to date a mare that’s her business, who cares what anypony thinks! Actually it’s kinda hot…”
“Lightnin’!” Honey scolded.
“So sue me, it is!”
“Ah swear to Celestia…Anyway…Ah can’t say it’s exactly somethin’ Ah ever thought Stell would be into… gal always seemed interested in her stargazin’ and studies to be thinkin’ about…colts or…*gulp* fillies…”
Marz made his notepad disappear in a flash of magic and went to address his friends. “I know it’s a shocker for all of us, but maybe it’s like Bee said, she’s afraid that we’ll reject her for liking other mares, plus, she’s the daughter of a Princess of Equestria, she’s probably worried about scandalizing her mother and family or something. The last thing she needs is her friends turning their back on her!”
Applebee stood forward with her head held high. “W-Well, I won’t! I’ll support Stella in this, she’s our friend and deserves to be happy with whoever she wants!”
“That’s right Bee, and I’ll kick the flanks of anypony who tries and give her a hard time!” Lightning proclaimed.
Though still unsure about Stella’s relationship, Honeycrisp nodded. “Well…it ain’t somethin’ Ah’d ever do, but, the heart wants what the heart wants, if this is what makes her happy, then Ah’ll help her every step of the way.
“Just like a ‘Mom.’” Lightning joked.
“Shut it Lightnin’.”
“Here, here, let’s do our best to help Stella in her relationship!” Marz shouted as he bounced up and down.
“What are you guys doing over here?”
All four ponies turned to see Stella and the pegasus mare looking at them curiously. The four scrambled to try and look innocent, but they eventually gave up. Honeycrisp walked up to the pegasus mare, circling around her like a shark.
“Um…hello,” said the mare
“Honey, what are you doing?” Stella asked.
“Hush now.” Honeycrisp finished her walk around and stood before the mare with a critical look in her eyes. “What’s yer name?”
The pegasus mare fidgeted a little under Honeycrisp’s gaze, making her feel very nervous. “Oh…um, my name is Flare Sparks! A-Are you a friend of Stella’s?”
“Yep Ah am, and as her friend Ah got to tell ya, you better be good to Stell!” Honey got close to the mare and gently put the tip of her hoof against her chest. “She’s a smart, kind, and right good pony altogether, so you better treat her right!”
Stella was now confused. “Wait, treat me right?”
Applebee walked up to Stella and gently took her hoof into her own. “You don’t have to pretend anymore Stella, we…we know who Flare is.”
Stella and Flare’s eyes bulged from their skulls in shock and horror. Stella drew her hoof away from Applebee as she backed up from the revelation.
“How…How did know?! We haven’t told anypony!” Flare asked.
Marz raised his hoof, pleading guilty. “I might’ve, kind of been a fly on the wall. And I may or may not have been secretly tailing you two for a bit…” Marz then saw the flabbergasted look on Stella’s face. “But I was just looking out for you! I just never seen that mare before and I was curious and…and…and sorry for spying.”
“I can’t believe it…you…this was our secret to tell, you had no right to tell the others Marz! How could you do this?!” Stella shouted, a bit of tears forming in her eyes.
Honey went over to Stella and hugged her in comfort. “Now, now Stell, Marz didn’t mean nothin’ by it. He was just lookin’ out for ya like a friend always does. Ah admit, Ah don’t fully understand the whole thing, but, Ah just want ya to know that we’re okay with it.”
Stella parted from Honeycrisp a little with a surprised look on her face. “You…You are?”
“Of course Stella, we wouldn’t judge you, or think of you any differently,” said Applebee.
“Plus, she’s kinda cute now that I see her up close,” said Lightning.
Flare Sparks blushed as she tried to hide behind one of her wings. “Thank you very much, and I’m so happy you don’t hate me or that you’re mad at Stella!”
“Nah, nothing like that Flare, and besides, any marefriend of Stella’s is a friend of ours,” said Marz.
“Well thank you – wait what?!” Flare asked.
“Did you just say ‘marefriend’?” Stella asked.
“Yeah I did, it’s no big deal you two, there are plenty of mares who are going out with each other in public, but we understand if you want to keep it hush-hush.” Marz made a zipping motion over his mouth for emphasis.
“Yeah, the four of us will keep it a secret, right guys?” Lightning asked.
“Yep,” said Applebee with a smile.
“Darn tootin’,” said Honeycrisp.
“Absolutely!” Marz exclaimed.
Stella and Flare just gawked with mouths gaping open at what the four ponies were insinuating.
“I…we…FLARE IS NOT MY MAREFRIEND!” Stella yelled.
Honeycrisp’s expression became stern. “Stella, that’s not no way to act around your marefriend, you’ll hurt her feelins’!”
“But she’s telling the truth, we’re not dating, and we’re certainly not marefriends by any means!” Flare added.
“Jeez, you guys, we just said we were cool with it, you don’t have to go into full denial mode,” said Lightning.
Stella rubbed the side of her temple, feeling a migraine coming on from this. “But we aren’t denying anything! We are not marefriends, we’re sisters! Well…half-sisters really…she’s from a parallel world …but still sisters!”
All four now stared at the two mares with various different expressions.
“Um…Stell…since when do ya have a half-sister from a parallel world?” Honeycrisp asked.
“And you know dating your sister isn’t kosher, right?” Marz asked.
“WE’RE NOT DATING!!!” Stella and Flare yelled in unison.
(One very embarrassing and emotional talk later)
Luckily for both mares the incident was cleared up right away. Stella had to explain to them that Flare was from another world, a parallel dimension where one of her mother’s friends, Sunset Shimmer, married that world’s Flash Sentry and had Flare Sparks. An accident occurred that ended Flare’s father’s life. Flare’s mother couldn’t support the both of them back in that world, and really, with the loss they both suffered, they really needed somepony to help and comfort them.
Stella’s mother insisted on both of them coming to Equestria and staying with them. It didn’t go so well at first when Stella found out, some things were said in the heat of the moment that Stella wished she hadn’t said. But in the end Stella agreed to give Sunset and Flare a chance, and now they all lived together in the castle as one big – albeit strange – family.
After explanations were over, the others decided to hang out with Stella so that they could get to know Flare Sparks better. It was getting dark out and they had all said their goodbyes as the two half-sisters made their way back home.
“Ugh, I can’t believe those guys! They actually thought you and I were dating!” Stella exclaimed.
“Well…I guess from their perspective, it makes more sense. Nopony else knows about our…situation, and until they do, ponies are going to make assumptions like that. I’m sorry…”
Stella stopped walking and looked to her half-sister. “For what?”
Flare sighed heavily. “If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of thing…looks like I’m just going to be more trouble than I’m worth. Maybe we shouldn’t be seen together in town anymore…”
Stella stepped closer to her sister and draped a foreleg over her withers. “Hey, don’t think like that Flare! I’ll admit that was mortifyingly embarrassing, but it’s not like I’m going to stop spending time with you just because stuff like that might happen. So the hay what other ponies think, we’ll spend time together however we want, and besides, at least you got to meet my friends, and now they’re your friends too!”
Flare’s smile broadened upon realizing that, her first real friends upon entering this world, the world where her mother was born, and now, where her new life would start. Flare nuzzled against Stella’s neck, some tears coming down her face as she did so, grateful for having a sister like Stella.
“Thank you Stella.”
“For what?”
“For giving me a chance, for giving my Mom and me a chance.”
Stella smiled back and nuzzled the top of Flare’s head. “I’ll admit, I was emotional when I said all that stuff back when we all met. But now, I feel stupid for ever saying that stuff, no matter how all this multiverse, interdimensional stuff works, you’re my sister, and I won’t ever let anything come between that.”
Just then the front doors to the castle opened up and Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, and Flash Sentry were standing in it, all looking very concerned. The two mares looked upon their parents with worry.
“Mom, Dad, what’s wrong?” Stella asked.
Twilight was the first to break away from them. She walked down the steps and stood before the two sisters, her face red for some reason.
“Stella…sweetie…I-I know that Flare is only your half-sister, and that she’s from a parallel dimension, but…you two can’t be together like that.”
“Like what Princess?” Flare asked.
Sunset came down the steps as well, sitting beside Twilight. “We know that things are a little crazy right now, and we all know that neither of you have spent any real time together growing up…”
“R-Right, and there are some studies that show that siblings that grow up apart from each other and know nothing of the other’s existence sometimes are known to develop a relationship that’s different from most siblings, since they’ve never known what a sibling relationship is like, they might confuse – or even sometimes prefer – a different kind of relationship…”
Oh no…don’t tell me, thought Stella.
Flash Sentry came down next and sat on Twilight’s other side. “We’ll help you guys get through this, we want you to get along…just…maybe not so much on a romantic level…”
Flare and Stella both collapsed onto the ground, making their parents stare at them in confusion.
“This is going to be a long night,” said Stella.
“Yes, yes it is,” agreed Flare.
