The Derpy I Know And Love Volume 4: And The Children Shall Lead

Two(ish) years earlier:

Twilight awoke to an odd feeling. Muffins was curled up in her forelegs. The ‘glow’ of their earlier lovemaking was still there. Muffins really knew how to please her. Twilight had an occasional bout of insomnia in the past. She’d read into all hours of Luna’s night. But now it was never a problem. A session of sex with her wife was enough to relax Twilight and allow blissful sleep.

But there was something that had disturbed her slumber. With Twilight being so in tuned to the world of magic around her, she could tell when something was out of place. Twilight got out of bed as carefully as she could but Muffins still stirred.

“Twilight Honey,” said the drowsy Pegasus, “what’s wrong?”

“Probably nothing,” replied Twilight, “go back to sleep.”

Muffins turned over and complied. Twilight went downstairs, she looked all about the library level, but there wasn’t anything out of place. The doors were secured, the windows were closed. She then went back up to the living level. Aside from signs of Spike having made a midnight snack and not cleaning up after himself (again), the kitchen/eating area was fine. She then went to the sleeping rooms.

Sparkler’s room was empty, she’d been staying at a client’s home lately, but nothing out of place.

She then looked in on Cookie. Spike was curled up in his basket/bed, blue blanket wrapped around him. Cookie was fast asleep in her bed, Twilight’s old smarty-pants doll keeping her company.

Twilight crept over to Dawn’s crib, peeked in and to her horror it was empty.

“MUFFINS!” Twilight screamed.

Muffins was in there in a flash.

“Dawn’s gone!” said Twilight about to go into one of her panics.

“Where is she?” asked Muffins.

Twilight just gave her the ‘I can’t believe you just asked that’ face.

Cookie was awakened by the noise as was Spike.

“Cookie, did you move Dawn?” asked Twilight.

“No mom,” replied the filly, “I’ve been sleeping.”

“I didn’t hear anything either,” said Spike.

“Get up and help us look.” Said Muffins to the two.

They proceeded to turn the library upside-down, books were removed from shelves, and cabinets were emptied, closets torn apart.

“She’s not here!” Said Twilight, jogging in place, her panic almost to an uncontrollable level.

“Look outside,” said Muffins.

They went to the door and opened it in time to see Rainbow and Pinkie about to knock. Pinkie had Dawn on her back.

“Twi, have you ever turned over to kiss your wife only to find a little filly in between you and her? I just did,” said Rainbow.

They came inside and went up to the kitchen area, Muffins put Dawn back to bed. The little foal lay down and appeared to be asleep by the time Muffins left the room. Cookie and Spike went back to bed as well. Twilight was making some tea while Rainbow and Pinkie were sitting at the table.

“How in Equestria did Dawn get in your bed?” asked Muffins sitting down at the table.

Twilight poured all a cup of tea.

“Magic obviously,” said Twilight, “but who’s. How have you advanced with teleportation Pinkie?”

“I can teleport from the ground to the cloud house and back without any problem. But when I try from any real distance, well the last time,” said the pink pony, “I ended up ten feet above our cloud house, good thing they’re so soft. I’ve been able to move objects, but nothing like bringing a foal from somewhere else to me.”

“I know Cookie is starting to exhibit a lot of talent but she’s nowhere near this level.” Said Twilight. “Ponies, while they are learning magic, sometimes do magic in their sleep. Understand they’re normally young fillies and colts. Do you remember dreaming about Dawn, Pinkie?”

“No Twi, I was dreaming about Dashie’s…” she said with a sly smile, “I don’t think I’ll say any more.”

Rainbow was slightly blushing.

“Come on Pinkie,” said Muffins with a smile, “we all here have seen and enjoyed Rainbow’s mare...”

“I know that it’s been years since I’ve sleep-spelled.” Said Twilight quickly changing the subject. It was getting hard not to start something by just talking about it.

They sat around talking about what might’ve happened when they heard a knock at the door, followed by the bell downstairs ringing showing somepony had come in.

“Twilight,” cried Rarity’s voice. “Darling, are you up, the door was open.”

“Up here,” replied Twilight.

Applejack and Rarity came up the stairs, looking like they were just awakened from a sound sleep.

“I believe we have somethin’ of y’all’s,” said Applejack.

On her back was Dawn wearing AJ’s hat.

“How in the name of Celestia?” said Muffins, she got up and bolted to the living quarters.

Rarity levitated the little foal on the floor to play.

There was a cry from Muffins in the back rooms;

“She’s gone again!”

“Obviously,” said Twilight frustrated, as intelligent as Muffins was, she must be still half asleep to make such obvious remarks. “Now I know Rarity can’t do teleportation, unless something has changed.”

Rarity shook her head showing that she couldn’t.

Muffins came back in the room.

“What’s going on?” asked Muffins.

“I’m starting to think Dawn is having magic spurts,” said Twilight, “but I’ve never heard of anything at this level and at this age, but she is an Alicorn.”

“Well, let me put her to bed and we can figure this out.” Said Muffins, then looking around, “where is she?”

There was just AJ’s hat on the floor.

“Not again,” said Twilight.

They all started looking around.

Several minutes later they heard the bell downstairs followed by a timid voice.

“Hello, Twilight, Muffins?” said Fluttershy’s voice, “am I bothering you?”

“You can bring Dawn up here.” Muffins called out.

“How did you know?” said the yellow Pegasus, coming up the stairs.

Fluttershy came up the stairs holding Dawn in one of her wings.

“Why should you be any different Darling?” said Rarity.

Fluttershy came in and noticed that all her friends were there.

Muffins took Dawn from Fluttershy, and held her under her wing. She was going back to put her to bed.

“Wait,” said Twilight, “keep her here with us, and for Celestia’s sake, hold on to her.

Alright, when you found her Rainbow, she was in the bed with you and Pinkie, correct?”

“Yes,” said Rainbow.

“And where did you find her,” said Twilight to Rarity and AJ.

“She was in our bed, in-between us,” answered Rarity.

“She was snuggled up to me as well,” said Fluttershy.

“You still have her Honey?” asked Twilight to Muffins.

“She’s still in my wing, she appears to be sleeping.”

“Celestia said Alicorns have special needs,” said Twilight. “Let us put her to bed with us for tonight, I think it’s what she’s wanting. Tomorrow I’ll contact the princess to see what her take on this is. I’m sorry everypony, I hope you won’t be disturbed again. And thank you for bringing her here.”

That next morning when they woke up, Dawn was sleeping peacefully in bed between them.

The morning proceeded normally. Muffins fixed breakfast, Cookie went off to school. Once the library was open and Spike had finished his morning chores. Twilight and Muffins sent a letter through Spike to the princess informing her of the nights happenings.

They waited for a response, but it was late in the evening, after dinner when there was a knock at the door. When the door was opened there stood Princess Celestia.

“I understand you’re having a minor issue with Dawn,” said the princess with a smile.

“If you mean her showing up in bed with our friends, several times, in the night. Then I’d say that’s an accurate assessment, Your Highness,” said Twilight.

The princess smiled.

“I was expecting this, but not this soon,” said the princess. “Alicorns are always powerful when their magic starts. Being your daughter, Twilight, she should be even more so. She’s too young for the School for Gifted Unicorns, so she’s going to have to have some pony work with her for the next couple of years.”

“I’m not sure if I’m qualified to do this,” said Twilight.

“I know you’re not.” Said the princess smiling, “that’s nothing to do with your talents. But she’ll need an Alicorn to tutor her. Not on a full time basis, three time a week would be fine.”

“You’re going to work with her?” asked Muffins.

“No, My Dear,” said the princess, “not me, my sister.”

“Princess Luna?” asked Twilight.

“Somepony say my name?’ said Luna, coming in the door. “I understand I get to have some Dawn time. I wondered what it’d take to get to see my niece more often.”

“Highness,” said Twilight, “we’d be honored.”

“I’ll let you talk about the details.” Said Celestia, “I’ve business back at Canterlot. I look forward to hearing about the progress from my sister.”

Celestia said her good-byes and left.

“Will we have to bring her to Canterlot, Princess?” asked Twilight.

“Does she ever pay attention to what anypony tells her?” asked Luna to Muffins.

“Apparently not,” said Muffins.

“I understand from my niece, your sister-in-law Cadence, she threatened to shove her tiara up you muzzle if you called her princess again.” Luna said with a wicked grin, “I’m considering an orifice at the other end of the digestive tract.”

“Oooo!” squealed Muffins, “I’d love to see that! Call her princess Darling!”

“I can see how deeply she loves you Twilight,” said Luna.

“Tell me about it,” said Twilight. But she kissed Muffins anyway.

“So, where’s my new apprentice?’ asked Luna.

“Apprentice?” asked Muffins.

“You don’t think an Alicorn who shows this much promise would be fated to be a shopkeeper or librarian?” said Luna. “But this is important, nopony else is to know about this, the apprentice part that is, until I disclose it. Even to this precious foal.”