Dawn's new day.

Rarity heard the front door open, it lacked its signature bell, and she began her line. “Welcome to my boutique where everything is unique.” She still felt it was a bit lacking. “What may I help you…” she stopped talking when she noticed who had walked in, the farm filly, Applejack as well as the gentle colt, Dawn. She had been curious about him since the party, considering he was one of two unicorn colts in town.

“Heh, totally beat you this time.” I said after catching my breath.

“Only cause I had these bags on.” AJ responded. She was right but I wasn’t going to let her win the argument.

“Darlings there’s no need to argue. Now. Whatever can I help you with?” Rarity walked over and scrunched her nose at the farm smells coming from the two, primarily AppleJack.

“Well I’m here to help with your repairs. I don’t know why he’s here.” AJ pointed a hoof at me and I shrugged.

“I heard you needed help so here I am.” I smiled politely. I doubt Pinkie will be much help when she shows up. Yes I will. I could almost feel her sticking her tongue out at me from the thought.

“Well thank you both. It’s very kind of you.” Rarity smiled and fluttered her eyelashes at me causing AJ to roll her eyes.

“And what are you going to help with exactly. Ya ain’t got no tools. Have ya even done repairs before?” AJ snorted.

“Maybe not, but you have some.” I tilted my head like it was obvious. “Also, yes I have.” I might not have as a Pony but as a human I helped with repairs quite often and magic just made it easier.

“Fine. Not like the farm has another set anyway. So, Rarity where do you want us to start?” Applejack set down her bags with a poof of dust causing Rarity to let out a dainty sneeze. She then gave AJ the stink eye before leading us into the kitchen.

“Darlings, why not take a break.” Rarity’s melodious voice rang out from the front room. “I bought some snacks.”

AJ and I stoped what we were working on, fixing the cabinets up, and headed into the small dining room. I only did so after washing my hooves. “Well thanks Rares that’s mighty kind of you.” Rarity smiled but I could also see her eye twitch at the dust that was clinging to AJ.

“Why no trouble at all considering you two are helping me get this place livable again.” She was setting out the snacks.

“Hey Sis why don’t you clean your hooves, it’s only polite.” I teased and she begrudgingly went back to wash up after looking at them. I know pony magic keeps them somewhat clean but they still need a washing for heavier grime.

Rarities eyes sparkled a bit at this new tidbit of gossip. “I’m sorry, correct me if I’m wrong but did you just call her your sister?” Rarity finished with a chin tap and head tilt.

“Eeyup,” AJ returned with her freshly cleaned hooves and joined us at the old table. “Our parents herds merged officially just recently but they’ve been together for a few months.” She grabbed a muffin and dug in.

“Oh how lovely. I always do enjoy a good romance. Personally I don’t know if I could join a herd if I wasn’t the alpha but I never could quite understand those monogamous mares, it just seams so, selfish.” Rarity dainty sipped some tea. “What about your parents, who’s the alpha?”

“Oh that would be my dam, Morning Dew then there’s Forest Breeze and Pear Butter who is Applejacks dam.” I explained before digging in as well.

“Fascinating, and what about your father or sire?” Rarity was enjoying the bit of the local’s gossip.

“Well mine was just a stud contract according to my parents,” I rubbed the back of my neck.

“Mine… died,” AJ lowered her hat and I gave her a side hug.

Rarity gasped, “Oh darling, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s alright my family said it’s better to remember him and talk about it than let it fester.” She gave me a bump.

After that small hiccup we three continued to talk into the afternoon while getting back to work. Rarity told us about her own three parents and her little sister who was Apple Bloom’s age. Pinkie did eventually show up to help and the four of us managed to get the kitchen and other parts of the first floor looking much better. This would have taken so much longer without magic.

“Well darlings you three really have been most generous.” Rarity gave us each a friendly nuzzle and even ignored the grime we all accumulated. "Come by any time for those clothes and a proper fitting."

“No problem Rarity. Again, sorry I was late though. The Cakes needed help with a big order.” Pinkie genuinely apologized.

“At least you showed up Sugar cube.” AJ finished packing up. “Speaking of, we need to get home for the evening chores.”

“Yeah you were way more help than I thought you’d be.” I poked Pinkie's nose and she stuck out her tongue.

“I told you I would be.” She winked and I thought I vaguely remembered that conversation in the back of my mind then shrugged before we headed out.

“So what’d you think?” Pinkie asked Rarity after her two friends left.

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked before heading into her fresh kitchen to make an early dinner.

“Of your new friends silly.” Pinkie followed her right into the new kitchen to help her meal without asking. Rarity worked right along without even noticing it.

“Oh they are quite lovely ponies, I was a bit off put by Applejacks… rustic charm but she is ever so helpful. Dawn is also such a gentle colt and even lives in Canterlot attending CSGU. I really should have asked if he has met the princess.” She fanned herself while preparing their meal ingredients using magic. “He isn’t exactly a prince though.” She thought of Blueblood from the magazine.

“I know right,” Pinkie set the table for them both before stirring a pot of soup they had worked on. “He isn’t quite for me but great friend material.”

They finished preparing the meal and both sat down to eat. It was only then that Rarity noticed her new pink friend had invited herself to dinner and yet, she didn’t mind at all.

“There you are!” I found myself tackled by a cyan blur as Mom and I were taking a trot around the fence before dinner with Unfettered following along. She needed the exercise before Forest started her flight practice. This is becoming too common. I thought after we stopped tumbling.

“I looked all over town for you.” Rainbow dash huffed while pinning me down.

“Sir are you alright?” Unfettered asked concerned while mom just laughed. The laughter calmed Unfettered though she did shuffle conflictedly.

“That one must really like ya colt.” Mom joked when she noticed who had tackled me.

Rainbow wasn’t paying attention though, “Where were you all day so I could pay back those bits?” She poked my chest with a wing.

It took a moment for my brain to reboot as I realized what was happening. She had probably spent all day trying to pay me back from my off hoof comment. “Thanks Dash. You really didn’t have to worry about it so much.”

“Hey! I’m a loyal friend who always pays ponies back.” She puffed out her chest while still sitting on my stomach.

Smiling up at her I playfully said. “Well then Dash, did you have other ideas for paying me back besides bits?” I ran a hoof under her wing and she finally noticed the position she was in. My mom broke out into another fit of laughter while Unfettered hid her face behind a wing but peaked between the feathers.

It was Rainbows turn for a brain reboot while my mom asked. “Colt, where did you learn lines like that?” Her smile told me she wasn’t really upset.

Suddenly Rainbow jumped off me using her wings landing quickly between the three of us. Her cheeks were a shade of deep crimson instead of cyan as she sputtered. “Not what I meant.” I joined in on my mother’s laughter as Unfettered smiled.

“I’m sorry.” I gave the blushing filly a friendly nuzzle. “That prank was just too easy.”

“Prank? I knew that.” She puffed up again. “Anyway here.” She passed me the ten bits she owed me from a small pouch around her neck and I quickly stored them in my mane. “How?”

“Magic.” I winked before she turned around.

“Well I better get going.” Rainbow spread her wings just in time for my mom to stop her.

“Hey Dash. Want to join us on our trot?” My mom asked and Rainbow tilted her head.

“Who’s asking? I normally train alone.” She looked a bit wary of my mom calling her name so casually.

“I’m Forest Breeze mother of the one you just tackled, Married to two wonderful mares, Ponyville's weather manager, as well as your future boss.” My mom smiled and stuck out a hoof as Rainbow now looked worried. I just rolled my eyes at her posturing. They really are too similar.

Rainbow gulped then accepted the hoof bump. “Um, nice to meet you, mam.”

“None of that off duty.” Mom waved it off with a wing. “Just Forest is fine Rainbow Dash. I saw your file of course and was impressed so far with your flying. Teamwork needs improving but I can work with that.”

Rainbow looked proud then blushed again when I chimed in. “And if she stops tackling me. Not that I mind getting pinned.” My mom cuffed me with her wing.

“Enough teasing colt, let’s get back to our trot before we’re late for dinner.” My mom stretched a bit. “You too Dash, you can join us after.”

After our trot the four of us headed inside and were met by my dam.

"Well breezy who's that you brought with you?" Dew asked. She was about to give her wife a nuzzle but backed off after getting a sniff. "Never mind tell me after you all shower."

My mom sniffed under her wing and did a fake gag which made me laugh. "Alight you youngsters can use the hall bathroom I'll use the Master bath with Unfettered here." She walked upstairs.

"Well better get cleaned up else Mac and AJ will eat all of dinner." I made my way up to the hall bathroom closing the door behind me and got the water running. Once it was warm enough I turned on the rain heads stepped into the shower. My dam had upgraded the place after moving in.

Moments later I heard the door slowly open as somepony stepped in and closeed it behind them. I snorted a bit when Rainbow stepped into the shower with me. "What are you doing here?" I asked Quietly. Ponies had no issue bathing together IF they knew each other well enough.

"Your mom said to join you." She blushed, her mane now waterlogged.

"She probably meant one at a time but since you're here." I used my magic to coat her fur and mane in product then began scrubbing the acceptable areas. She instantly cooed at my use of hand shaped fields subbing her mane and scalp. I smirked when her tongue lulled out like a dog while scratching her ears. The almighty Rainbow Dash defeated by ear scratches.

When I had to stop too scrub myself she actually gave me puppy dog eyes so I finished quickly and stepped out after turning off the water so I could escape them. "Want me to preen your wings?" I wrapped myself in a few towels to start drying. Fur makes proper drying take forever.

"Do you even know how?" She stepped out behind me and I passed her a towel.

"Of course, my mom made me learn for the days she was to lazy." I laughed.

She tentatively held out a wing and I got started on it. Feather by feather I lightly ran some 'hand magic' through them to straighten them out. She shivered when I corrected one but didn't say anything else. When I started on her second wing I noticed her silence was from being blissfully half asleep.

After applying some wing oil to both using mom's guest brush I spoke up, "Alright all done." I tossed my wet towels on the rack to dry.

"Wow they look awesome, you're really good at." She tossed her own wet toles on the floor. Before she strutted out into the hallway she spoke up, "That never happened," and continued downstairs. I just shook my head and hung up the towels and followed her downstairs for dinner. What a day.

Once I was downstairs I was pleasantly surprised to see Cheerilee sitting next to Big Mac and happily talking with the family. Rainbow had a spot across the table next to my mom and was getting the Stink eye from Applejack. Sitting down between AJ and AB I joined right in on the conversations about our days.

"So, what's she doing here." Applejack asked me under her breath. She was still a bit upset about loosing the race against her the other day.

"Who, Rainbow?" I asked and she nodded. "Mom invited her to join our trot after she stopped by to pay back some bits she owed me."

"Why did she owe you bits?" AJ was genially curious so I told her the story of our first meeting back in Cloudsdale. I left out the personal stuff about my condition.

Once finished Applejack tapped her chin then nodded. "Well I still don't know about her but if she did all that just to pay you back ten bits I can respect her. Don't know if she's worthy of being kin though."

I snorted a bit then got back to eating and conversing with the family now and then. Is that the only thing fillies think about.

As Celestia lowered the sun she smiled. Today had been a great day with young Twilight. The change of pace was just what she needed after dealing with Dawn's degenerate grandparents. There was still a lot of work to do and two criminals to find but the evidence her investigators had found was finally enough to start a proper trial in a few days. You could have just thrown them into the sun. Celestia ignored the thought as Feather Duster poured a fresh cup of tea.

"Thank you." Celestia took the cup.

"Of course Princess." Feather contently sipped on the love her princess was giving her from her spot in the corner as the princess sipped her tea.

"You know Feather, I think Twilight is coming along nicely so far. I know it hasn't been that long but she really brightens up the castle. And she is so cute when around Cadence or studying with her friend Moondancer." Celestia smiled to herself she was glad Twilight had at least one friend. If only Sunset had found one.

"You are right princess. The castle has felt more upbeat since you found your new student." Feather herself found she didn't have to feed as often and even had excess love. Perhaps it was finally time for her to lay her first eggs.

"Yes, it really has hasn't it. Perhaps bringing on another student won't be as much a problem as I feared." Celestia set down her cup and Feather instantly stepped over to fill it again using her wings she also set out a slice of cake from a tray.

"Who did you have in mind, if you don't mind my asking?" Feather Duster retreated back to her corner spot.

"Balanced Dawn, He has been matching Twilight in classes and with recent events I believe I need to keep such a colt closer at hoof." She frowned a bit. "It may also placate the nobles close to his grandparents to give him such a boon." She was really not looking forward to cleaning up that mess. If only you hadn't let it get so bad in the first place. Oh quiet you, things are going wonderfully.