Father's Day with Firelight
A nervous pink unicorn mare in the name of Starlight Glimmer paced around the wooden deck of the train station. Her father, Firelight is visiting Ponyville to spend time with her for Father's Day. Father's Day is a holiday where children of all ages celebrate how their fathers raised them. She was worried that it could turn out bad, like he might embarrass her in front of other ponies by treating her like she's a foal. She's a grown mare, she doesn't need to be treated like one, all she wants him to do is treat her like she's grown up. She won't need her blanket or milk and cookies, of course, she would need when she was a filly.
Her best friend, Trixie Lulamoon watched in irritation with her neck slouching. "Why do you keep pacing?", she scowled.
Starlight froze, straightening her hooves. She turned to her friend and responded. "I'm nervous.", she said. "I've been nervous since we left the castle."
Trixie groaned as she rubbed her brow in frustration. "Well, why don't you say so?", she asked sarcastically.
"I just did!", Starlight shouted, grabbing Trixie by the face and pulled her close.
"ALL RIGHT!", Trixie yelled, making Starlight let go and fall on her flank. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly to calm down. She helped her friend up by holding her hoof out and pull her back onto her hooves. "Starlight, please tell me why you're nervous?"
Starlight's hooves slightly shook with nervousness. "Throughout my life before I left my old village to become evil, my dad treated me like a foal and it's really embarrassing.", she said.
Trixie smiled. "I'm pretty sure he's not, because when you were on your mission to solve a friendship problem in your old village, you told him how you felt about him doing that.", she said.
Starlight's hooves stopping shaking, she felt much better. "Yeah, I guess you're right.", she said. "Well, my dad should be here any moment."
A train came to a stop at the deck. The door opened and the first pony to come out was Firelight.
"Well then, speak of the devil.", Trixie said.
"Dad!", Starlight cried, running up to her father and hugged him tightly. Her father did the same back to her. "I'm so glad to see you." They broke the embrace.
"I feel the same way, Sweetie.", Firelight said.
"All aboard.", the train conductor called. "Next train to Canterlot."
"That's my ride. I'm meeting my dad at Canterlot for a Father's Day lunch.", Trixie said, galloping into the train. She stuck her head out the door to say one last thing. "My name's Trixie, Sir. I'm one of Starlight's best friends and also known as The Great And Powerful Trixie!" The door snapped shut and took off on the tracks.
"So, this area is where you live? It's called Ponyville, right?", Firelight asked.
"You bet.", Starlight said, prodding her father's chest with a hoof. "It has a spa, a bakery called Sugarcube Corner, diners, and other places that are fun. There's also a castle you should check out. Want to see it?"
"Sure do.", Firelight answered.
-0000000-
Starlight and her dad made it to the castle of Friendship, where Princess Twilight Sparkle might be in or not. Firelight admired the castle, seeing how it's made of crystals and has a lot of branches. "This is your friend's castle?", he asked.
"Yes.", Starlight answered. "It is pretty odd." She rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof awkwardly.
Firelight scratched the top of his head with the tip of his hoof. "It kind of looks like a tree.", he commented.
"Well, it was created by Twilight and her friends when they defeated Tirek from taking over Equestria.", Starlight said.
The door was burst open by Twilight's magic, before she sped out and tackled Starlight by accident. Twilight lifted her head and shook it, she then gasped as she looked at Starlight in the eye while she was belly to belly with her. "Oh my Celestia!", she cried. "Starlight, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you." She held out a hoof to Starlight.
"That's okay, Twilight.", Starlight said, as she took Twilight's hoof and pulled herself up. "What's the big rush?"
"I'm leaving for Canterlot to celebrate Father's Day and my train arrives in ten minutes.", Twilight said. "Oh, I need to check on Spike to see if he's coming." She turns around to see Firelight standing in front of her with his right hoof over his left. "Oh, hello."
"And hello to you, Princess.", Firelight said, bowing to the princess.
"Twilight, this is my father, Firelight.", Starlight said, introducing her friend to her father. "He came to Ponyville to spend time with me for Father's Day."
"Please to meet you, sir.", Twilight said, giggling. "And welcome to Ponyville. Ever since me and my friends met Starlight, we thought you would be dead. But, here you are."
"Please to meet you too, sweet lady.", Firelight said, raising his eyebrows two times. "I must say, you and my daughter almost look alike. But, what she doesn't have is a giggle makes you cute." He playfully stroked underneath her chin, making Twilight giggle and blush and feeling how ticklish she is. He stopped to let Twilight rub her chin from all the tickling.
"Thanks, I can take that as a complement.", Twilight said with a blush covering her cheeks.
"Twilight!", Spike cried, flying out the door of the castle and checking to see if Twilight was okay. "What happened? I heard you crash."
"It was nothing, Spike, I just crashed into Starlight.", Twilight said.
Firelight looked at Spike and tapped his chin with concern. "Is that winged dragon your brother?", he asked.
"Actually, Dad, Spike is not really Twilight's brother, he's a friend that only lives with her.", Starlight said.
"Anyways, me and Spike got to go.", Twilight said, as she and Spike began taking off after the train. "I'll see you later, Starlight. You've got to tell me about your day when I get back."
"See ya, Twilight.", Starlight said, as she and her dad waved goodbye to the purple alicorn and the flying dragon. Her stomach grumbled. "I'm hungry."
"Same here.", Firelight said.
"Do you want to go to that burger place I was talking about earlier?", Starlight asked.
"I'd love to.", Firelight said.
-0000000-
Starlight and Firelight were sitting across each other at a table at The Hay Burger. They both got the same burgers, each of them had hay, lettuce, cheese, and ketchup. The ketchup they put in the burgers was pretty spicy, but Firelight enjoyed his burger nonetheless. As well as Starlight, crunching on that chewy lettuce that was put in her burger.
Firelight swallowed his bite of his burger and decided ask her daughter a question. "So, do you enjoy living in Ponyville?", he asked.
Starlight wiped a bit of ketchup off her right corner of her lip. "Of course I do.", she said. "I do have a job at Twilight's school she opened up." She was about to take another bite of her burger, but caught her dad staring at her shock.
Firelight gaped a bit, then he blinked a few times. He shook his head before asking Starlight another question. "Did you say you have a job at a school?", he asked.
"Yep.", Starlight said, nodding.
"Hm.", Firelight thought. "If I may ask, what is the name of the school?"
"It's called The School of Friendship.", Starlight said. "Twilight's other friends, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash have jobs there as teachers. Pinkie Pie teaches about fun, Fluttershy teaches about animal caretaking, Rarity teaches about fashion designing, Applejack teaches about apple bucking, and Rainbow Dash teaches about being awesome."
"Hey, isn't this Rainbow Dash a wonderbolt?", Firelight asked.
"Of course she is.", Starlight said. "Why?"
"Oh, because I read an article in a newspaper one time.", Firelight said. "And as for Rarity, I met her at her fashion boutique in Canterlot."
Starlight was shocked. "Wait. You met Rarity one time?"
"You bet I did.", Firelight said. "She was simply divine. Her silky purple mane, her bright white fur, her eye shadow that has the same color as the sky-"
"Wait.", Starlight said, interrupting her dad. She raised an eyebrow in concern. "Those complements your saying. Do you have a crush on Rarity?"
"What? No way.", Firelight said. "I was only saying those complements in a friendly way. Besides, she's a lot younger than me."
Starlight relaxed in her chair. "Lets finish our lunch.", she said. "And after this, can I show you the spa?"
"Of course you can.", Firelight said, continuing to eat his lunch.
-0000000-
Starlight and Firelight had arrived at the Ponyville spa. They were waiting in the waiting room where they had to wait for Aloe and Lotus (the two spa ponies) to get them. "You know, how busy is this spa?", Firelight asked. "It takes these ladies pretty long to get the next pony who made their appointment."
"It takes five to eight minutes for them to come out and get you.", Starlight said. "Wait patiently, will you? You act like you've never been a waiting room before."
"Ms. Glimmer, I was thinking you were going to come here.", a spa pony said. The spa pony had pink fur, a blue mane, lighter blue eye shadow, and a cutie mark that's a brighter blue flower that floats on the water. It was Aloe.
"I was thinking the same thing too.", Starlight said, getting off her seat. "That's us, Dad."
Firelight got off his seat and followed Aloe to the massage room with massage tables and the hot tub. They entered, see Lotus (Aloe's sister) giving Spoiled Rich a back massage by chopping her hooves into her back. Spoiled was on her belly on a massage table with her forehooves crossed over under her chin and her eyes closed. She opened them up to see Starlight and Firelight staring at her. "What are you buffoons looking at?", she asked, feeling grumpy.
"So, would you like to get in the hot tub to get heated up or have your hooves massaged?", Aloe asked.
"I'll just go for the hot tub.", Starlight answered. "What about you, Dad?"
"Ah, I don't need neither.", Firelight said, walking over to a seat next to a little table where magazines were resting on it. "I just got my massage this morning, I'm not a hot tub stallion myself, and I'd rather not take off my clothes in a public place."
"Suit yourself then.", Starlight said, dipping her hind hooves in the water, feeling the warm water. Then, slowly lowering herself all the way until the water was up to her chest. She sighed and relaxed her back into the seat inside the tub.
Firelight was about to grab a magazine with his magic, but a question popped in his head, he now needed to ask it. He sped over to the tub and stood up on his hind legs to lean over the edge. "About your friends, how well do they handle problems?", he asked.
Starlight's eyes popped open. "Oh, they handle problems pretty well.", she said. "Twilight told me that one time when she was with her niece and she was having a hard time paying attention to her, because her niece wanted to play. She was running errands to get stuff for the sick foals in the hospital."
Firelight was delighted to hear that Twilight has a niece. "Oh, your friend has a niece?", he asked.
Starlight nodded. "While her niece was in the hospital, she let her impatience get the best of her and threw a tantrum.", she continued.
Firelight was shocked. "Whoa. Did she trash up part of the hospital?", she asked.
"Nah, she accidently kicked her stuffed snail in the air and it landed on a item holder that strolls around.", Starlight said. "And there was one time I was told when Pinkie Pie was making Fluttershy feel nervous about her being in front of an audience on stage by talking about it too much."
"Hm. So, your friend, Pinkie Pie is a bit of a talkative friend?", Firelight asked.
"Oh yeah, she talks way too much.", Starlight said. "And again, she did talk about Fluttershy's stage fright way too much. It took Twilight and Rarity to help her realize it. Not to mention she did feel guilty about it."
"Well, how come Fluttershy didn't speak up and tell her how she felt?", Firelight asked.
"Fluttershy has a hard time doing that.", Starlight said. "Every time when she tries to talk to talk to somepony, she ends up being ignored. There was one time when she took her assertiveness way too far."
"Your joking.", Firelight gasped. "Who taught her how to be assertive?"
"It was a minotaur named Iron Will.", Starlight said. "He is the strongest and most assertive minotaur in Equestria. He's always challenging everypony. And speaking of challenging, Applejack and Rainbow Dash are always challenging each other."
"Hm, challengers, huh?", Firelight asked.
"One time, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were competing against each other to see who can get the next Teacher of the Month award, because Fluttershy got the next Teacher of the Month award.", Starlight said. "To be exact, she keeps winning."
"Oh, so she's a winner at teaching?", Firelight asked.
"You bet.", Starlight said.
"I tell you, Sweetie, you do a great job at sticking by your friends as they try to go through the craziest problems they have to deal with. I'm proud of you.", Firelight said.
Starlight blushed and chuckled. She closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the tub until her muzzle was above the water. "Like your always proud of me.", she said.
-0000000-
Starlight and Firelight got out of the spa after Starlight got out of the hot tub and dried herself off. She felt well-relaxed. They were now sitting on the sand in front of the lake and staring off into the distance. They admired the water shining from the reflection from the sun. "Isn't this beautiful?", Starlight asked.
Firelight sucked in some air through his nostrils, smelling the fresh scent from the water. "Yeah, it smells nice too.", he said.
Starlight glanced at his relaxed face. "I haven't seen you this relaxed in years.", she said.
"I haven't seen a lake so shiny like this in years.", Firelight said.
"So, would you want to jump into the water?", Starlight asked.
"Mmm, I don't think so.", Firelight said. "So, do you have other friends you admire the most?"
"Oh, sure.", Starlight said. "Trixie is one of my best friends outside Twilight and her friends. She's a pretty great magician. My other friend, Discord is like a creature that does so many crazy stuff, he teleports from place to place, giving Twilight and her friends headaches. And my other friend, Thorax became the leader of the changelings after we got rid of Chrysalis."
"That's good to hear.", Firelight said. "Come to think of it, that wizard friend of yours, do you have a crush on him?"
Starlight's eyes widened. "Oh, uh, well, I... I'd rather not say.", she hesitated.
"Oh, so is this a secret?", Firelight asked suspiciously. "I'm your father, if you got a secret, you must tell me."
"Sorry, but that's not happening.", Starlight said, turning her head away from her father.
"Come on, tell me.", Firelight said.
"Nope.", Starlight said.
"Tell me.", Firelight said.
"No.", Starlight said. "I'm not going to say it, and you can't make me."
"Oh well, guess we're doing this the hard way.", Firelight said. He used his magic to grab Starlight's hooves and pinning them down to the ground, revealing her underside. With a playful grin, he put his hooves to her belly.
Starlight gaped in fear as she looked at her stomach with her father's hooves on it, then Firelight who raised his eyebrows playfully. "Don't even think abAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!", she began to laugh as her father's hooves dug into her belly. "STAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!"
"This is what happens when you don't tell me your secret, Ms. Ticklish Starlight.", Firelight teased.
"Stop please, I can't breathe.", Starlight said, trying her best to break free from Firelight's magical grip and ticklish assault.
"Not until you tell me you have on that wizard fellow.", Firelight sang, continuing the tickle assault on his daughter.
"Ok, you win.", Starlight laughed in defeat. "I do have a crush on Sunburst. I admit it. Just stop tickling me."
"Thank you.", Firelight said, freeing Starlight's hooves from his magic. "That's what I want to hear. And to be exact, you loved him very much as a kid."
Starlight sat up. "Yeah, I sure did.", she said. She frowned. "Until he went to Canterlot after he got his cutie mark."
"I heard it from that boy's mom when I came back from my trip.", Firelight said. "And when I came to the book house you always play in, you were gone. What happened?"
Starlight flinched at the mention of Firelight's question, she doesn't know if Firelight was going to be mad or disappointed if he found out that her own daughter became a monster and brainwashed so many ponies in an entire village. She took a deep breath. "Dad, I think it's best for you to know the truth, but you might be upset with me.", she said, getting prepared to admit her secret life. "I ran away. I ran away from home."
One part of the truth wasn't enough for Firelight to understand. "Ran away? What are you talking about?", he asked.
Starlight gulped. "I... I... I RAN AWAY FROM HOME TO BECAME COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY EVIL!", she cried, falling forward and buried her face into her hooves.
Firelight was shocked. "You did what?!", he asked.
"IT'S TRUE!", Starlight cried, shooting her head up. "I WAS SO LONELY AND ANGRY! I NEVER MADE ANOTHER FRIEND AGAIN, BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID A CUTIE MARK MIGHT TAKE THEM AWAY TOO!"
"But, that's not true, right?", Firelight asked.
"NO!", Starlight cried. "WHILE I WAS TRAVELING, I FOUNDED MY OWN VILLAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESSERT AND DECIDED TO CREATE AN EVIL LAIR THERE AND MAKE PONIES I TOOK THERE BELIEVE THAT CUTIE MARKS ARE A BAD THING, SO I TOOK THEIR MARKS AWAY FROM THEM! THEN, TWILIGHT AND HER FRIENDS DEFEATED ME AND GOT THEIR MARKS BACK! I WAS SO ANGRY THAT I SNUCK OFF IN REVENGE! I CAME TO HER CASTLE AND TRIED TO MESS UP THE PRESENT BY RUINING THE TIME THEY GOT THEIR CUTIE MARKS AT THE SAME TIME! THEN, SHE DEFEATED ME AGAIN!" She put her face back in her hooves and continued to sob.
Firelight put a hoof on Starlight's back to comfort her. "But, she did give you a second chance, didn't she?", he asked.
Starlight sat up and nodded. "Mm-hmm.", she answered.
"Gosh, Starlight, I can't believe you felt completely alone after what Sunburst did.", Firelight said.
Starlight wiped a tear from her. "Back in that time, I wished Mom would still be there, so she can make me feel better.", she sobbed. "But, thanks to that wind storm she was caught in, she wasn't!"
Firelight pulled her daughter into a hug. "Sweetie, it's ok, what happened happened.", he said. "No matter where she is, she'll still be very proud of you."
Starlight returned the embrace. "Thank you, Daddy.", she said.
"Your very welcome, my little girl.", Firelight crooned. "What can I do for you?"
"Don't leave me, Daddy!", Starlight cried, burying her face into her father's shoulder. She was always glad her dad was with her. After all, it is Father's Day.
