Pandora

Chapter 2

“Woohooo!!”

SPLASH

Twilight Sparkle screeched when water dowsed her body. “SPIKE!” she screamed, playfully

glaring at her assistant who was swimming around, happily, in the Ponyville river. He had changed so

much over the past seven years since they had moved there. His snout had lengthened as his body did,

and his limbs slimmed out as he grew muscles that matched his body. While he didn't get bulkier he

was indeed longer. The frills on the sides of his face grew in length and elegance, and long whiskers

grew out of both sides of his muzzle. His spines had sharpened and smoothed back and frills grew

between his fingers. A water dragon, something she certainly wasn't expecting.

Twilight's brow line furrowed and her smile faltered when she remembered the day that Spike

figured out that he was a water dragon. It was not a happy moment when he learned that he would

never have wings, but the beaming look he had given her when his whiskers has grown in made up for

the screaming, crying, and ranting over the wings that would never be. He always did love mustaches,

and those whiskers where the next best thing.

Now Spike enjoyed the river surrounding the small pony town everyday, and was extremely

ecstatic that he would be able to keep living in the library with his surrogate sister. With wings, -he

realized- he would have had to move out sooner than he was ready.

Twilight smiled as she watched her little brother swim in the lake with several foals of the

town. The foals all screeching happily as they slid down spike's tail, got genitally tossed across the

river, or were playfully chased through the water.

“Y’all be careful now, Spike! Cox ain't ready for that kind o' rough housing yet!” Twilight

turned to one of her best friends still to this day. Applejack was staring worriedly at a small orange

Pegasus colt with a blue and blond mane as he grabbed the dragons tail and was flipped and pulled

gently through the water.

“Don't worry AJ I got him!” Spike called back. He grabbed the little colt and placed him on his

head. Cox Apple squealed happily and flapped his little wings.

Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Oh don't be such a worry wart sis, Spikey'll make sure

he won't get hurt.” Applejack turned and glared at her younger sister. “...What?”

Applejack's face transformed into a teasing one, “Spikey? Really AB?” She laughed when her

sister pushed her hoof into the side of her face. “Hey” She warned and kicked a hoof out to trip Apple

Bloom over.Twilight rolled her eyes at the common scene of the sisters squabbling and turned back to Spike

and the foals playing in the water. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the setting sun's final

warmth, soon Luna would raise the moon and the stars. “Maybe we should get the foals back home

Applejack.” She said and stood up to call Spike and the children to the shore of the river.

“Eyup, I reckon it's time for little ones to get home so their parents can get them ready fer bed.

Come on Cox! Time to go home and see how Aunty shy is doin'.” Applejack smiled down at her little

colt as he ran up to her, his little coat puffed out as he dried and his bright green eyes barely visible

under his mop of a blue mane.

“Aunty shy!?” He yelled “Yay! Shy!” he ran ahead to catch up with Apple Bloom, who had

walked ahead to talk to Spike.

“How is Fluttershy doing, by the way? I know the nurse ordered bed rest so I haven't seen her in

a while” Twilight pushed a lollygagging foal forward with a gentle hoof.

Applejack fell into step next to Twilight as they walked into town. “Whelp, as well as you can

imagine carrying' twins an' all.” Her eyes were glued onto her foal as he jumped around Spike's

feet. “She don't like bed rest unsurprisin'ly. Big Macintosh constantly has ta stop her from cleaning up

and herd her back to their room.”

Twilight chucked lightly “I would imagine so.” She leaned down and scooped a smaller filly up

onto her back. Poor thing was falling asleep as she walked.

“How's Cheerilee doin'? She getting' better?” Applejack asked. Cheerilee, having never taken a

day off from teaching for over thirteen years, was ordered, by the Mayor, to take a three month

vacation.  Cheerilee's reaction was... Well, it wasn't... The best reaction in the world, there were many

tables bucked over that day.

“Well, she's still upset at being taken away from the children of course, but she's a lot less

stressed.” Twilight replied. “I can see why she needed a break, I've only been the substitute for three

weeks and these little ones can sure be a hoof full sometimes” Twilight had stepped up to take care of

all three of  Cheerilee's classes, the little ones were definitely her favorite.

Applejack laughed. “I bet. I only have one little one and he drives me crazy.” She smiled fondly

at Cox Apple, who was now riding on his Aunt Apple bloom's back chattering away happily, his little

wings flapping in joy.

“You're so lucky Applejack.” Twilight suddenly said after a long pause. “Having Cox Apple

and Soarin' around must be great...” She rolled her shoulder blades to balance the now sleeping filly on

her back.“Aw, don't be down Twi.” Applejack said and gently nudged her friend's side “I'm sure you'll

find a nice stallion soon... or y’all could just find a one night stand to father a foal” she sniggered at the

scowl she got in return.

“Hush you” Dating and Twilight Sparkle had never really clicked with each other, it seemed

like a lot of stallions prefer a mare that wasn't at least twice as smart as them... that and Twilight had

yet to find a guy to hold a decent conversation with. “I don't need a stallion or a foal to make me happy,

I have my wonderful nephews and soon to be two more little ones to add to that.”

Applejack and Twilight's conversation dwindled down to simple things about their jobs and the

weather as they walked all ten of the foals home. The happy squeals of the foals when they were

reunited with their parents and happy words about their wonderful day of playing with the town dragon

in the river were heartwarming.

Twilight and Spike walked the three Apples to their farm in silence. Twilight and Applejack

hanging back and smiling softly at the sight of Apple Bloom pressing herself into Spike's side and both

of the whispering softly to each other, giggles escaping Apple Bloom every so often and many blushes

on Spike's behalf.

“Hey, Twi? I think Y’all need to have a little talk with Spike when you get the chance”

Applejack said her voice taking on an annoyed tone, her eyes showing how protective she was and will

be over her sister's well being.

Twilight laughed softly as not to wake Cox Apple, who was sleeping soundly on his mother's

back her light brown Stetson hat resting over his wings. “Really Applejack? They're well into

adulthood.” She said grinning at her friend's protectiveness.

“Barely, 20 is hardly old enough to be having' foals.” Applejack grumped, her ears falling back

in distaste.

Twilight rolled her eyes, when Spike hit puberty five years earlier she had went to go find

anything she could on dragons and their mating habits. She had finally come across some decent

content about adult dragons. When she had told him of what she had found his first statement

was “Why would I want to know about female dragons? I've only been around ponies, you and I have

already learned that I don't belong with dragons”.

Twilight remembered starring at him slacked jawed and went on to explain that dragons could

hybrnize with any other creature, also went onto explain about the dragon/pony hybrid called a Kirin.

She, of course, told her friends so they would not freak out when Spike decided to find a mate to settle

down with... looks like that wasn't too far off now.A loud belch suddenly sounded from Spike followed by an “Ewwww!” and maniacal giggling

from Apple Bloom. Twilight levitated the letter from the ground where it landed from Spike's mouth.

“A letter from Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked herself, she hadn’t gotten a letter from her old

mentor in months. It had been almost three years since their lessons grew to a close. Their friendship

hasn’t died and they shared the occasional letter exchanging and, when either one got the change, a

meeting over tea. It was extremely rare, however, for Princess Celestia to write to her when night fell

and Luna was up to protect and bring the night.

She unrolled the letter and immediately could tell something was wrong at the first line of the

letter. “Twi?” Applejack's concerned voice broke through her worried haze. She looked up at her

orange and blond friend.

“I-it says:

'My dearest student

My sister and I need you and your friends to be on your way to the palace immediately

after the sun rises. Something urgent has come up and we may need The Elements of Harmony

once again. All will be explained when you get here.

Princess Celestia'

I wonder what's wrong... We have to go!” Twilight moved the scroll out of her face so she

could look at Applejack in the face.

“Are y’all crazy?!” Applejack yelled completely forgetting about the baby on her back. Cox

Apple yelped in surprise and jolted up. “Oh! I'm sorry sugar cube!” Apple Bloom walked over and

pulled her nephew off Applejack's back and onto her own. “Can y’all take him to bed AB? I need to

yell at Twi some more.”

After Apple Bloom and Spike took Cox Apple into the Apple family home Applejack turned

back to Twilight, who was reading the note again. “Now, as I was sayin', Are y’all crazy?! There no way we can get Big Macintosh to let Fluttershy go, AND there's NO way you're gonna pull Dash away

from Spec.” Applejack's ears fell back and her eyes turned to her home “And... Cox...” She trailed off.

“Applejack it's an order from the princess... There's something wrong. Why else would she ask

for the Elements?” Twilight pleaded with her eyes for Applejack to understand.

Applejack tossed her head and flipped her mane. Her green eyes were full of conflict. She didn't

know what to do or what to say. “...I... I'll talk to Macintosh and Fluttershy and see what they want to

do...”

Twilight nodded “Thank you Applejack.” she said thankfully. “I'm going to talk to Rainbow

Dash about this. Can you have Spike send a quick note to Pinkie Pie and Rarity that we'll be in

Canterlot tomorrow?”

“Of course I can. Can you ask Scootaloo if she can come and help Apple Bloom buck apples

while we're gone? She can't do it alone” Twilight nodded again then after a short goodbye she turned

back down the long dirt pathway that connected the apple farm to Ponyville.

Twilight walked into town and toward the house that Rainbow Dash lived in. It was an

interesting move, when Rainbow Dash moved from the skies to the ground. The reason why she did it

was admirable, she did it for Scootaloo.

Six and a half years ago, Rainbow Dash had found out that her little number one fan lived in the

Ponyville orphanage. after spending a week with the little orange filly, trying to teach her how to fly,

and playing with her on the clouds, a secret had come about. A sad secret. According to Scootaloo's

doctor, her wings would never work, they would always be too small for her to fly on her own,

Scootaloo was a crippled, flightless, pegasus, grounded before she even got a taste of flight on her own.

When Rainbow Dash found out Scootaloo freaked out and ran into the Everfree forest, going missing

for a week.

When she was found, Rainbow Dash yelled and cried with the little filly. A week later she

signed the papers that made her Scootaloo's adopted mother, that same day a house was bought and all

of her and Scootaloo's belongings were moved in.

Twilight snapped out of her flashback when she bumped into another pony. “Oh! I'm sorry!”

She said and looked up at the more she bumped into Purple-gray eyes smiled back at her, “Scootaloo”.

“Nah, no worries at all Twilight.” The bright orange filly tossed her contrasting purple mane

out of her face, the now obvious moonlight catching on her golden earrings, something she got in a fit

of rebellion after a fight with her 'mother'. “What's up? I haven't seen ya since the new Daring Doo

book came out”“I need to talk to Rainbow Dash, is she around?” Twilight asked. Scootaloo rolled her eyes at

the mention of her mother.

“Of course she's around, she hasn't left the house since Spec was born” Scootaloo

muttered. “And she's been crazy protective over him.”

Twilight chuckled nervously, suddenly dreading what she had to talk to Rainbow Dash

about. “Well, that's how some new mothers are like.” Rainbow Dash's son was born only two short

weeks ago, and like Scootaloo commented, she had hardly left her home, and if she did she had the

little colt tightly bound to her back and would harshly snap or buck at anypony that got to close without

her permission. Poor Caramel was an unfortunate victim of her strong hind legs.

“Do you need to see her about something? I think she just put Spec down for bed.” Scootaloo

asked snapping Twilight out of her thoughts.

“Actually yeah, I do... Can I come in?” Scootaloo nodded and let Twilight through the door to

her home.

“Wait here a sec., let me go and get her.” Scootaloo said, leaving Twilight in the living room

and galloped up the stairs.

Twilight sat down on one of the chairs in the room and stared into the unlit fireplace, waiting

for her multicolored friend to descend the stairs. “Twilight!” The familiar raspy voice of one of her best

friends caused Twilight to stand up and smile at the cyan mare. “Hey! I haven't seen you in weeks!”

Rainbow Dash rushed over to Twilight and threw her hooves around her purple friend.

Twilight hugged Rainbow Dash back, “Hey Dash!” She pulled away to look at her. Dash's

mane and tail were mused and her eyes had dark rings around them, but she had an extremely happy

smile on her face, and a certain glow around her that only new mothers had. Twilight's stomach

tightened nervously at the topic that was about to come up. “Dash...” She trailed off.

Rainbow Dash's brow line furrowed in confusion, “Twi?” Twilight flinched, how was she going

to do this?

“Rainbow Dash... The princess sent a letter... She needs us there tomorrow morning.” Twilight

decided to just spit it out rather than pussyfooting around the subject.

Dash pulled completely away from Twilight at that, her eyes wide and a hint of fear appeared in

them. “WHAT?” her voice cracked. “Is she...Are you CRAZY?!” Twilight backed away a few

steps. “No, no way in Tartarus am I going! No, no nonononono!” She shook her head, her mane tossing

wildly around her head and neck.“Rainbow Dash” Twilight said sharply, her eyes hardened and her entire stance screamed nononcence. “It's a direct order from the Princess. We don't really have a choice Dash.” Her eyes softened

when Dash's head and ears lowered respectively.

“I know... I know, I just...” Rainbow Dash's “Spec is too young to be away from me for a whole

day... and Scoots isn't ready to take care of him by herself... He needs to come with me!” She looked

back up at Twilight her eyes begging.

“I don't see why that would be a problem... The princess mentioned no danger...” Twilight

trailed off again. Her ear twitched when a foal's cry came from upstairs, followed by a panicked yell

from Scootaloo. “I should probably get going” She said when she saw the look on Rainbow Dash's face.

“Yeah, I'll see you at the train station in the morning Twilight.” Dash rushed up the stairs and

into her son's room.

Twilight let herself out of the house, and started toward her literal tree house. When she got

there she opened the door, gently closing it behind her so she wouldn't wake the sleeping phoenix in

the main library room.

Smiling at Owloysius as she passed the wide eyed bird, he hooted softly as she passed. Twilight

sighed as she climbed the stairs into her loft suddenly very tired, despite it being early in the night. She

collapsed onto her bed and crawled under her night themed blanket.

Her mind raced with the unresting thoughts and questions about how the next day would go.

What was wrong? What could the Princess need? Was there going to be danger? How were Rainbow

Dash and Fluttershy going to react to the stress of the day? How would the meeting go with a very

young foal with them?

Twilight's ears flicked back when she heard the front door open and close, Spike's voice softly

greeting the birds that lived with them, and the soft coo's Spike got in response.

“Twilight? I sent a note to Pinkie and Rarity” Spike said as he stepped on the last stair on the

stairway.

Twilight rolled over so she could see her little brother, “Thank you Spike? Did they answer?”

Spike nodded “Yeah, they both said that they would meet us at the train station. I also contacted

Shining Armor and Cadance, they'll be there too.” Twilight almost faced-hoofed, how did she forget

about her brother and sister-in-law.

Twilight's eyes slipped to a red spot on Spike's neck. “...Spike what is that on your neck?” She

smirked when the dragon blushed through his scales, she knew exactly what it was. She wasn't mad,

Spike was an adult, she didn't have a right to be mad at him for things like that anymore.“U-uh Apple Bloom, S-She-” He stammered “Uh, GOOD NIGHT!” He yelped and darted into a separate, recently built room, he closed the door with his tail.

Twilight laughed softly, it was too easy to fluster him when his marefriend was involved. She

rolled over to stare out at the sky, the stars glimmering next to the moon... Something about them made

Twilight feel that Luna was worried about something... Well, she would find out what the problem was

tomorrow... Tomorrow.

Twilight's eyes slid closed and she fell asleep, worried about everything there was to worry

about.