The Aftermath

Chapters

1 Trixie
2 Thunderlane
3 Zecora
5 Vinyl
6 Flutters
4 Maud

1 Trixie

It had been two days since the dark Alicorn, Nightmare Moon, was defeated. The day was saved from Eternal Night. And now, there were new wielders of the Elements of Harmony.

When Trixie told Ocellus that they were going to move to Ponyville, the weakness that she felt after nearly dying seemed to disappear as Ocellus hopped around in joy. It was short-lived as she was still recovering her energy. But it was a reaction that filled Trixie’s heart with joy.

Now, Ocellus, back in her Unicorn disguise, was fully recovered and was going to Canterlot to get their things and to spread the news to Twilight and Spike. They were on the train to Canterlot with their new friends, Vinyl Scratch, Octavia Melody, and Silver Spoon.

Vinyl had her own goal in mind in Canterlot. She was silent on the train ride. Not by choice but because the Element of Loyalty that she was using as her voice synthesizer was no longer with her. Celestia had insisted that the Elements be taken to Canterlot to be shown in a museum. They were considered artifacts, after all…for some reason.

Vinyl didn’t understand why it was necessary since the Elements, without the six of them to use them, were just jewelry. That and the fact that the artifacts that should be in a museum should be the Element Stones. But Ocellus theorized that it was because the Elements were from the shards of the Elements Stones, they were still the old artifacts…more or less.

As the train pulled into the station, Vinyl used her magic to talk, projecting words on solid surfaces. ‘So, will we get to meet your friend? Starlight Twinkle?’

“It’s Twilight Sparkle. And yes, you will,” Trixie said, correcting the name as they got on their hooves to approach the exit, “You and the others were bound to meet her sooner or later anyway.”

“What’s she like?” Silver Spoon asked.

“She’s nice. And smart,” Trixie said as they exited the train car, “But I gotta warn you. Twilight is a real nerd.”

“A nerd, am I?” a familiar voice asked, causing Trixie’s face to go white and Ocellus and Silver Spoon to giggle at the reaction, “Well, I’d rather be a nerd than a boasting show-off.”

My little pony, My little pony
Ahh ahh ahh ahhh…

(My little pony)
I thought I had all the friends I'd need
(My little pony)
But in Ponyville I found a new lead

Raving music
Kindness flying high
A generous rhyme
With an honest eye
Sharing laughter
A great and powerful feat
And magic makes it all complete!

You have my little ponies
Will you all be my best friends?

Trixie saw a jovial smile on her friend’s mouth, showing she was just playing into the joke. Trixie didn’t know why she was so worried. She supposed it was from how serious Twilight’s tone of voice was.

“It’s good to see you,” Trixie said, hugging her friend and fellow protégé, “So what was it like being Celestia’s body double?”

“Ugh! You have no idea just how frustrating the Canterlot Nobles are to deal with. I have a newfound respect for what Princess Celestia has to do on a daily basis,” Twilight groaned at the memory, “Although I was surprised by how helpful Prince Blueblood was.”

“Considering what I’ve been through, my mind is warring between being surprised about that news and completely ignoring it,” Trixie said with a groan of her own, “I won’t claim to know what being Princess for a day is like. But I do feel glad that I’m not the only one who had a tough time. But enough about me. These are my new friends, Vinyl Scratch, Octavia Melody, and her daughter Silver Spoon.”

‘You might want to get a doctor, Twilight! The Attention Seeking and Boastful Trixie said she doesn’t want to talk about herself anymore!’

“Trixie can’t talk about herself all the time,” Twilight said, “Once in a while, she has to rest her voice and let the Ponies around her talk about her instead.”

“Oh, ha ha,” Trixie deadpanned.

“So…is Vinyl mute?” Twilight asked, not knowing if it was an awkward topic.

“During the Rainbow Storm, Vinyl was struck by lightning, damaging her vocal cords beyond repair,” Octavia explained, “We’re here in Canterlot to get a new voice synthesizer for her. But personally, I’m enjoying the quiet.”

‘Ha ha.’

“Let’s go back to the library. I need to hear everything that happened,” Twilight said, leading the way, “And I’ll tell you what my night was like.”

‘I’ll meet up with you later. I have a voice synthesizer to get fitted for.’

“I’ll come with you,” Octavia said, “I can act as your temporary voice. Silver Spoon, you go with Trixie and Ocellus. We’ll meet up with you later.”

“Wait, do you even know where to meet us?” Twilight asked.

“The Canterlot Library, right?” Octavia asked, receiving a nod, “We know where to find you then. We grew up in Canterlot, and we know our way around.”

The group walked into the library, Twilight’s home away from home.

“SPIKE!!!”

Silver Spoon and Ocellus covered their ears as Twilight called for her number-one assistant.

“Twilight is loud, isn’t she,” Silver Spoon said, “Kinda like Sweetie Belle.”

“I think the reason mom is as loud as she is is because she’s losing her hearing because of Twilight,” Ocellus said with a giggle.

“SPIKE!!!” Twilight called again, “TRIXIE AND OCELLUS ARE BACK!!!”

“Have you checked behind the door?” Trixie asked.

Twilight closed the door to see Spike in a daze against the wall.

“Oh, my!” Silver Spoon said in worry, running to the baby dragon, “Are you okay?!”

Spike shook the dizziness out of his head, “Yeah, I’m okay,” Spike said, getting back up, “I’m a dragon, and dragons are tough. I’ve had a bookcase fall over on me once and only had a bruise.”

“And Twilight was in a complete panic when that happened,” Trixie added, “She spent several days asking if you were alright.”

“It’s not funny!” Twilight said grumpily, “That scared the life out of me!”

Trixie told her story to Twilight, and Twilight told hers.

“You actually met a Zebra?” Twilight asked.

“With everything that happened, it’s meeting a Zebra that interests you the most?” Trixie questioned.

“You’re one to talk,” Twilight countered, “The part of my story that you enjoyed the most was the noble who wanted to build a beach house.”

“Well, the part I enjoyed the most was your reaction,” Trixie counter countered, “He refused to talk to anyone other than who he believed would be the most gullible, he refused to take no for an answer, and you apparently lasted longer with him than even Princess Celestia and actually threw him out!”

“As frustrating as the noble was, I must admit that it was satisfying to throw him out,” Twilight said with a small smile, “I think we need to reevaluate who deserves to be a noble. I don’t even remember that noble’s name.”

Ocellus, Silver Spoon, and Spike were in the next room, peeking out from behind the door at their conversation.

“Why are we over here if they’re over there?” Silver Spoon asked in a whisper, “If we wanted to hear what they’re saying, what’s the point of being so far away that we can’t hear?”

“It’s less about what they’re saying and more about Twilight’s reaction,” Spike whispered, “I don’t know what they’re talking about either.”

“Don’t worry,” Ocellus whispered, “If I know Twilight, we’ll all know what they’re talking about when mom says it.”

“Do you know what they’re talking about?” Spike asked.

Ocellus just grinned. She didn’t tell her new friends about the news. And Silver Spoon being here would be a quick way to inform one of them. Showing her Twilight’s reaction was just a bonus.

“You and Ocellus are moving to Ponyville?!” Twilight exclaimed in shock.

“You’re moving to Ponyville?” Silver Spoon asked in a much more controlled manner.

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Ocellus said, “This was still primarily to show you how Twilight overreacts.”

“In Twilight’s defense, that is shocking news,” Spike said, “But why are you moving?”

“Mom originally planned on us being able to visit once in a while since we both liked Ponyville,” Ocellus said before revealing her Changeling form, surprising Spike with how willing she was to show that form in front of others, “But not only did I make friends, when Nightmare Moon returned, all of the negative emotions all around Equestria and coming from Nightmare Moon was poisoning me. Before passing out, I dropped my Unicorn form and revealed my true form. But my new friends didn’t care what I was. They are my friends and accept me in this form. And it’s because of that that’s the reason why I’m still alive now. If I had been here in Canterlot when that happened…”

Ocellus didn’t want to think about what could have been. Picking up on her mood, Silver Spoon gave Ocellus a hug. If Ocellus’s newfound confidence in her natural form didn’t surprise Spike, seeing a Pony that she had just met hugging Ocellus in that form to comfort her did. But it was a good surprise.

“Well, you’ll keep in touch with us, won’t you?” Spike asked.

“Of course. You’re like a brother to me, after all,” Ocellus said, “But you’ve gotta promise me that you’ll come visit Ponyville too.” Ocellus then said in a whisper, “And I’m sure Twilight will be interested in their library.”

A moment later, Twilight opened the door, “Did I hear something about a library?!” Twilight said excitedly. The three children fell on the floor laughing.

“So, do you understand why moving to Ponyville is the best decision for both Ocellus and me?” Trixie asked, finishing up explaining herself.

“I suppose it makes sense,” Twilight admitted, “But what about your-” Twilight’s ears perked up, seemingly hearing something that Trixie didn’t. She then went over to the door and opened it to reveal the children snooping behind it, “Did I hear something about a library?!” Twilight said excitedly.

“Ocellus,” Trixie said to herself with a smile, “You and your friends are going to become real troublemakers, aren’t you?”

The group of five, Ocellus back in her Unicorn disguise, were walking down the street. Twilight had left a note for Vinyl and Octavia in case they didn’t return in time. And Trixie left a second note to fill in the gaps that she was sure Twilight’s note would miss.

“I thought you guys lived in a library,” Silver Spoon said.

“For as long as we’re there, we might as well live there. That’s why a kitchen was installed,” Trixie said, “But I’m not as comfortable surrounded by books as Twilight is. So we have a place that actually feels like home.”

“If it were up to Twilight, we would be living in the library,” Spike added.

“So where are we going?” Silver asked.

“To my parents’ house,” Twilight answered, “If Trixie and Ocellus are moving, then we have to get their stuff ready to move.”

“If we’re lucky, Twilight might be able to fit us in some time to actually tell them the news,” Trixie snarked. Twilight rolled her eyes but said nothing. After living with her for so long, she had gotten used to Trixie’s snarkiness.

The group opened the door to Twilight’s house and entered. In the living room was Night Light, Twilight’s father. Seeing them come in, Night Light got up and approached.

“Ah, there’s my favorite mare!” Night Light said.

Twilight opened up her hooves to accept a hug. But Night Light just walked past her and gave Trixie a hug.

“Really?” Twilight deadpanned.

“Oh, come now,” Night Light replied to Twilight, “Trixie may be my favorite mare. But she’s not my little girl.”

Night Light then gave Ocellus a big hug.

“Daaaaaad,” Twilight whined.

“You’d better acknowledge your daughter before she blows something up,” Trixie said, earning a giggle from Spike and Silver Spoon.

“Oh, you know I’m just teasing, right Twilight?” Night Light said as he hugged his daughter. Twilight tried to let out a groan, but her mood just made it come out as a content sigh.

“Although, I would like to know why I no longer hold the title of ‘favorite mare’,” Twilight’s mother, Twilight Velvet, said as she came out from the kitchen.

“Aw, Honey,” Night Light said, nuzzling his wife, “You’re great and all. But you can’t deny that Twilight and Trixie deserve that title. And if it means anything, I don’t think the term ‘mare’ applies to Ocellus.”

“Well, I suppose I had to let go of the title eventually. The competition is just too much,” Velvet said, “And I see you brought a little guest with you.”

Silver Spoon took this as her cue and did a slight bow of respect, “My name is Silver Spoon,” she said, returning to an upright position, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“And so polite, too,” Velvet said, “It seems so rare to come across such politeness. Then again, maybe it’s just the residents of this household.” Velvet finished teasingly.

“Politeness is nice and all,” Trixie said, “But you know that my style is all about flare!” Trixie then set off illusionary fireworks to emphasize ‘flare’.

“Silver Spoon is one of three new friends I made while in Ponyville!” Ocellus exclaimed, transforming into her natural insectoid form, “They even accept me like this!”

A warm smile spread across Velvet’s face, “Well, I’m glad you could make friends that you can be open with,” she said, “My name is Twilight Velvet. And this is my husband, Night Light.”

“You have the same name as Twilight does?” Silver Spoon asked.

“Twilight is a family name. It dates back several generations to the first Twilight, Twilight Twinkle,” Velvet explained, “Or at least that’s what my grandmother, Vivia Twilight, said.”

“As much as I’d love to continue talking, I do have some news that I’d like to say,” Trixie said.

Author's Note

I initially planned on making this story a webisode rather than Episode 2. But I figured that it's enough content to make a short Episode from, and it's a good, short, cool-down story after the previous one.

I also planned on making Twilight's reaction more exaggerated for comedy. But the way I wanted to do the scene as a whole just works better this way.

I'll make a Chapter for each of the Trixieverse 6 (although I may combine Flutters and Zecora). Also, can you find and identify the videogame reference?

2 Thunderlane

Thunderlane, along with Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot, and Surprise, were on their way to Canterlot to meet with Princess Celestia. The Grand Galloping Gala was coming up, and the Wonderbolts were invited as VIPs. But they still needed to register which members would attend so that any attendees would know ahead of time. This was because some ponies who wanted to see a Wonderbolt would know if their favorite members were attending. This will allow the attendees to plan around that.

The Princess always invited a total of five Wonderbolts. This was often because a Wonderbolts show will often be performed by a team of five Pegasi. So they were invited as teams. But some ponies were disappointed that their preferred members weren’t there. And the Wonderbolts wanted to get new talent into the spotlight. So rather than going as flight teams, they just chose who to go.

The Wonderbolts would choose from three popularity tiers.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. There were three popularity tiers, but they only chose from two. Spitfire and Soarin are the most popular, and so they always attend. The other two tiers are the general tier, which were members that had their fans, but there were too many members in that tier, and not enough fans per individual member to warrant constant attendance. And then there were the newbies. These members, for obvious reasons, haven’t had the time to grow a fan following or, in some cases, haven’t been seen yet.

Newbies are more likely to get a chance at going to the Gala than general members because there are fewer newbies. Even with two general members and one newbie per Gala, there are approximately three general members for each newbie. And some Wonderbolt members never see a Gala, since not all members of the Wonderbolts have enough fans to warrant inviting them.

After he became the wielder of the Element of Kindness, the Wonderbolts invited him to the Gala this year. They wanted to show off that one of their members was the savior of the world. Most of Equestria was unaware of the events in Ponyville and the Everfree Forest other than the Summer Sun Celebration and the Eternal Night. And other than Trixie, who already has fame as Princess Celestia’s student, the rest of the Element wielders didn’t care about earning fame through that. This was because they didn’t want their everyday lives to change.

Okay, Vinyl Scratch considered the fame, but she had a sister and niece that she didn’t want paparazzi to harass. She also didn’t want the rest of her family to get word and pretend to be caring after all these years. She knew that they would just use her to obtain attention for themselves.

Fleetfoot was perhaps the most overlooked Wonderbolt in relation to how often she appeared in shows. She didn’t mind so much. The attention would be nice, but if she could avoid cramps from writing autographs, less attention was preferred. But this would be her first Gala, as well as Thunderlane’s first.

Surprise was more of a wildcard. She wasn’t a newbie in the conventional sense, but there were no applicants for Wonderbolts Academy this year, so Surprise was chosen as this year’s newbie for the Gala, being part of last year’s newbies.

“So, is the hero of the day ready to go to his first Gala?” Thunderlane turned to Fleetfoot at that comment, “Your title of an Element wielder will certainly gain you popularity.”

“Doing the right thing isn’t a popularity game, Flatfoot,” Thunderlane replied, using Fleetfoot’s hazing nickname, “If ponies are just going to want to talk with me because I’m an Element wielder, then they just want to meet me for their own personal selfish agendas.”

“And that’s different from them wanting to meet you because you’re a Wonderbolt how?” Fleetfoot countered.

“If they want to meet me because I’m a Wonderbolt, then they will be acknowledging something that I worked hard to earn,” Thunderlane explained.

“So what you’re saying is that you didn’t earn the Element of Kindness,” Fleetfoot snarked, “It’s a shame I didn’t go into the Everfree that night instead of you. Then I would be the wielder of the Element of Kindness now.”

“The Elements don’t work that way!” Thunderlane exclaimed offendedly, “I became the wielder of the Element of Kindness because of who I am. But I worked to become a Wonderbolt.”

“Exactly my point!” Fleetfoot exclaimed, “You’ve earned your place in the Wonderbolts because of what you’ve achieved. You’ve earned the Element of Kindness because of who you are. Not everpony will see it this way. But if somepony wants to spend time with you because you’re an Element wielder, they will want to spend time with you because of who you are.”

“If you’re worried about ponies wanting to spend time with you because you’re an Element wielder and nothing else, unfortunately, that will happen,” Spitfire spoke up, “Canterlot is the snob capital of Equestria. The ponies there tend to stick their noses so far upwards that it’s a miracle that they don’t drown when it rains. However, there are ponies who will want to get to know you for you. Sure, it will sometimes be because you’re an Element wielder. But they’re genuine. Even if the entire night is full of snobs, if you get to meet just one genuine fan, it will make it all worth it.”

“Are you sure?” Thunderlane asked.

“We’ve been doing this for years,” Soarin added, “And every time, even if we get just one genuine fan, it means that you end up brightening up someone’s day by getting to meet you. And that makes it worth dealing with all of the snobs of Canterlot.”

Thunderlane smiled at the thought, “In all honesty, that does sound worth it,” Thunderlane said, “Especially if they’re a foal. My preferred fanbase is foals.”

“That’s the spirit,” Spitfire encouraged, “Now at attention! We’re almost there!”

One of the Royal Guards guided the Wonderbolts into the Throne Room of Canterlot Castle, which was standard procedure at this point. On her throne and accompanied by her newly returned little sister was Princess Celestia. The Wonderbolts bowed before the Princesses.

“Arise, Wonderbolts,” Princess Celestia said with authority, the Wonderbolts doing as commanded, “Captain Spitfire, Luitenant Soarin, who will be joining you in attending the Grand Galloping Gala this year?”

“We haven’t had any new recruits since the last Gala, Your Majesty,” Spitfire said, “So we’re inviting somepony from the previous year, Surprise. We’re inviting Fleetfoot, seeing as she seems to be underrated. And I’m sure I don’t need to explain why we’re inviting Thunderlane this year.”

“The wielder of Kindness,” Princess Luna said simply. Luna looked tired. And not in the sense that she looked like she needed sleep (though the bags under her eyes implied that as well). She just looked drained of energy. Most likely, it was the result of recovering her energy.

“Princess Luna, if I may ask, are you feeling okay?” Thunderlane asked. His nature drove him to be concerned for the Princess’s well-being, “I don’t mean to seem inconsiderate, but you just look tired.”

“In order to recover Our energy properly, Our body must expend as little energy as necessary,” Princess Luna answered, “Tis an unfortunate consequence of the Elements of Harmony stripping away the darkness that had consumed Us. And with the night being Our domain, We tend to be nocturnal. We are intent on joining Our sister in this process. But We assure thou that by the time of the Gala, We shall have regained Our stre…” Luna’s statement was cut off with a yawn before completely falling asleep.

“Luna had been taking on other duties while I had my own errands to run today,” Celestia said as she made sure Luna was in a comfortable position, “Honestly, she’s held out for longer than I had expected. I’d better take her to bed.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Spitfire said as she and the other Wonderbolts bowed, “We will take our leave so that you can tend to your sister.”

“I’ll have one of my guards escort you out,” Celestia said, “Captain Armor!”

A large white Unicorn with an electric blue mane responded. Though not as muscular as the stallion from Sweet Harvest Acres, the Captain of the Royal Guard, with his training, would likely make a match for him.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” the Royal Guard Captain asked, standing to attention.

“Can you escort the Wonderbolts out while I take my sister to her room to rest?” Celestia asked, “Also when you’re finished, you’re welcome to take the rest of the day off. Bellatrix and Ocellus are back. And I’m sure they would like to see-”

“Trixie’s back from Ponyville?!” A Pink Alicorn made her presence known, overhearing the news, “I was so worried about her and Ocellus after the Summer Sun Celebration!”

“I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to see you as well,” Celestia said with a warm smile before lifting Luna onto her back, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get my sister to bed.”

As Celestia headed down the hall, the two new arrivals escorted the Wonderbolts out.

“Captain Spitfire,” Thunderlane said, “I would like to request that I stay here in Canterlot. I’d like to see how Ocellus is doing.”

“Our business here is done,” Spitfire said, “Permission granted.”

After the Wonderbolts were escorted out, they left, and Thunderlane went with the Royal Guard and the Alicorn.

“So, you two know Trixie personally?” Thunderlane asked.

“Trixie is Princess Celestia’s student, along with my LSBFF, Twilie,” Captain Armor said, his Royal Guard persona being dropped and replaced with a much more approachable persona, “So Trixie is also like my LSBFF.”

“LSBFF?” Thunderlane questioned.

“Little Sister Best Friend Forever. My name is Shining Armor by the way,” Shining Armor said.

“Thunderlane of the Wonderbolts,” Tunderlane said, “But I guess you already got that part.”

“And I’m Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” the pretty pink princess said, “But I just prefer Cadance. And I used to foalsit them.”

A sly grin formed on Thunderlane’s face, “Can I assume you have embarrassing stories about them to tell?”

“Of course. After all, embarrassing them is far too fun not to remember a few stories,” Princess Cadance said, “For example, did you know that despite being Captain of the Royal Guard, Shiny here is a total geek?”

Shining Armor’s face went beet red at this, “What the…Cadie?” Shining Armor did not squeak. And even if he did…which he didn’t…if Thunderlane were to tell anyone, he would deny it with his life…which he’d never need to do because it never happened.

“What’s wrong, Shiny?” Cadence said playfully, “I think it’s cute how you and your old school friends still get together to play Ogres and Oubliettes.”

“When I asked for embarrassing stories, I was expecting stories about Trixie. Besides…” Thunderlane’s own face went red, “There’s nothing wrong with liking O&O.”

“You like O&O too?!” Shining asked excitedly before regaining his composure, “I-I mean, do you enjoy Ogres and Obliettes as well?”

“Maybe Thunderlane could join one of your games sometime,” Cadence suggested, “And of course, I have embarrassing stories of Trixie and Twilight, too. But it’s so much better if they were there when I tell them.”

It didn’t take the trio long to reach their destination. As they opened the door and walked in, Thunderlane was surprised to see all of his friends from Ponyville and not just Trixie. That included the Cutie Mark Crusaders, which in turn included Rumble.

“Hey, squirt,” Thunderlane said as he ruffled Rumble’s mane, “What are you doing here?”

“Princess Celestia brought me here!” the colt exclaimed.

Thunderlane looked around the room, “I get the feeling you all have stories to tell.”

Author's Note

Sorry for the wait. Aside from procrastination, I wrote the chapters of this story out of order. I already had two other chapters ready ahead of this one. But since they are later chapters, I only now was able to finish this chapter.

Writer's block doesn't help either.

3 Zecora

With the defeat of Nightmare Moon, Trixie had been offered a most valuable boon. Octavia went with her sister to get Vinyl a new voice. And though the DJ has managed, she doesn’t have much choice. Thunderlane and the Wonderbolts went to speak on high with the Royal Guard about how to better protect the sky. Rainbow went with Flutters to get new automail. Her prosthetic legs have functionally failed. Then there’s Maud Pie seeking a new home in the town. But knowing her unique style, she should look towards the ground.

As for me, I have nothing special to do. But that is not a problem, for it is nothing new. I tend to have an obscure routine. And for that, I prefer to be rarely seen. And with Ponyville’s Ponies all in a buzz, I preferred to return to my life as it was.

The Everfree tends to provide what I require, so money is something I don’t personally desire. But the forest, despite its assisting deed, cannot provide everything that I need. So I still need to earn bits, though I don’t need much. Just enough to add that necessary touch. Me working at the hospital? Ponies think that’s a strange notion. But when they’re in need, they benefit from my Healing Potions. Whether it’s a wound that needs healing or recovering from mana drain, without my assistance, those issues would be more of a pain.

To make Mana Potions, a key ingredient I need is Magicae Herba, more commonly known as Arcane Weeds. When I came to a patch, I saw it was severely overgrown. That’s when something occurred to me that I had known. Arcane Weeds thrive in the moonlit night. I didn’t take into account Nightmare Moon’s Eternal Night.

I harvested just enough of the field so that it could still grow. Then, I headed back to my hut with the ingredients in tow. The surplus of ingredients took many hours to brew. So I could almost thank Nightmare Moon for giving me something to do.

That’s not to say I want Eternal Night as a friend. The bad outweighs the good. But not without a small benefit in the end.

Later that day, I went to Ponyville to the hospital, where I could share my good will. But what I was told ultimately made me frown. There is little need for Mana Potions in an Earth Pony town. But they were still happy to have a surplus nonetheless. But I still had a potion surplus to address.

At least my moneybag now had a little more weight. And I can worry about my surplus at a later date. On my way home, who do I spy? It was Rainbow and Flutters talking with Maud Pie. I had thought they would’ve left. They had things to do. Flutters’ automail. And Maud taking her time…wasn’t new.

“Flutters? I thought by now you’d be in Cloudsdale. Or was I mistaken on when you’d get new automail?” I asked. But what I did find was no worry in the scatter-brained Pegasus’ mind.

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on being late,” the yellow Pegasus said, “Legend Bringer closes at eight.”

I said, “On a dime, you told a good rhyme.”

“I just hope this doesn’t end up happening all the time,” Rainbow, when she realized what she had said, the embarrassment made her look like she wanted to drop dead.

“You two spend too much time with her,” Maud said. And to a degree, I concur.

“Hey, Zee, Maud is looking for a new home. Do you wanna help her out?” Rainbow asked, quickly changing the tone.

“Perhaps I could help,” I said, “But tell me more. What is it that you are looking for?”

“Rocks,” Maud’s answer was as blunt as could be. But without more context, one word doesn’t help me.

“One word doesn’t help. Can you tell me more?” I asked, “I need more details to know what to look for.”

“A rock house,” Maud said.

Rainbow gave out a yelp, “Can you tell that she’s not gonna give you much help?”

Maud didn’t seem upset at that. It was who she was. She acknowledges it and accepts it as one of her flaws.

For a moment, I thought, despite going in mostly blind. But then, a thought suddenly came to my mind, “I may have an idea. And the rent is free,” I said, “if you don’t mind a cave in the Everfree.”

“The Everfree Forest?!” Rainbow exclaimed, “How could-”

“A cave sounds nice,” it seemed Maud understood.

“If you’re sure,” Rainbow said, seemingly feeling quite sore.

Flutters said, “Has Zecora ever been untrustworthy before?”

I appreciated Flutters’ defense, but her words made my mind roam. My thoughts returned to my homeland and why I left my old home. But now was not the time to dwell on the past. The Pegasi said their goodbyes and then flew away fast.

With my still-filled bags, I hoped to go home to lessen the load. But Maud offered to carry them. I was grateful when we hit the road.

Author's Note

This may be a short chapter. But it is from Zecora's perspective. Do you know how hard it is to write an entire chapter in rhyme while making the dialogue not feel forced? I'm proud of how I write Zecora's dialogue, and I'm proud of this chapter, despite how short it is.

5 Vinyl

“Do we want to get your voice synthesizer from Canterlot Audacity again?” Octavia asked, “I know we can get better quality automail than last time. But there could be a better place.”

‘Do you think it would be worth it? We’re already here in Canterlot, and going someplace else would require going to another town.’ Vinyl projected her text.

“My point is, if the Princess is paying for the best quality voice synthesizer, and money is not an issue, I figured we should take advantage of that and get the best that money can buy,” Octavia said.

‘Should we even bother the Princess with that?’

“It couldn’t hurt to ask,” Octavia said as the two of them walked through the doors to the throne room of Canterlot Castle. There, Princess Celestia was holding court and was finishing up with a noble. Next to her, the newly returned Princess Luna sat without a throne. And it was apparent that the nobles seemed apprehensive to come near her.

After finishing up with the noble, who left afterward, Princess Celestia got up. She approached the two awaiting ponies, who bowed, “Arise, my little ponies,” Celestia said, the two Melody sisters doing as instructed, “I apologize for taking your voice from you. But I needed to secure the Elements of Harmony to keep them safe. Have you been able to communicate?”

‘I’ve been managing.’ Vinyl projected.

“I’m glad you have been managing without a voice,” Princess Celestia said, “But I’m sure you’d like to be heard again. Did you have any ideas of where you wanted to get your new voice synthesizer?”

‘My first thought was Canterlot Audacity. It’s convenient and local, and it’s where I got my original voice synthesizer.’ Vinyl projected.

“If that is what you wish,” Princess Celestia said, “Admittedly, I prefer not to support such an overpriced automail seller. But this isn’t for my vanity.”

‘Overpriced?’ Vinyl questioned.

“Do you have any suggestions?” Octavia asked.

“It may be an unconventional location. But I do know of an automail mechanic who lives in Cloudsdale,” Princess Celestia said, “It’s not exactly cheap, but from what I’ve heard, he always has satisfied customers.”

‘How do we get there, and how do we walk on clouds if we’re not Pegasi?’ Vinyl projected.

“Magic,” Celestia said, answering both questions at once.

‘Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go to Cloudsdale!’ Vinyl projected.

“Luna, will you be alright while I’m away?” Celestia asked, turning to Luna.

“We shall continue the workings of our kingdom whilst thou art away,” Luna said, “Thou shalt not worry.”

With a grin, Celestia lit her horn.

In a golden flash, Princess Celestia, Vinyl, and Octavia were in the City of Clouds, Cloudsdale.

“Can I assume that you cast a spell that allows us to walk on clouds despite not being Pegasi?” Octavia asked.

“Despite being a Pegasus city, there are a few Unicorns who live here as well,” Celestia explained, “How else would this city get any tourism? The Unicorns are here to cast the Cloud-Walking spell on visitors.”

‘So, what language was Luna speaking earlier?’ Vinyl asked bluntly.

“Vinyl!” Octavia scolded.

“It’s alright,” Celestia said to calm down the cloud-walking cellist, “After Nightmare Moon’s influence was removed from Luna, her mind began to return to how it was before her corruption. Unfortunately, that also includes her speech patterns from 1000 years ago. She was speaking what would now be considered an archaic form of Equestrian. She does know modern Equestrian. But I think she’s speaking ancient Equestrian to hasten her recovery process.”

“Is speaking ancient Equestrian helping her progress?” Octavia asked.

“It’s hard to say without comparing it with her not speaking ancient Equestrian,” Celestia admitted, “But based on her current progress, I’d estimate that she’ll be fully recovered, or at least close to it, for the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to the Gala,” Octavia said dreamily, “I apologize, Princess. I don’t mean to sound like I’m begging.”

“Well, I was going to consider inviting you to be the lead cellist for the music at the Gala,” Celestia said, “While I was waiting for…well…I was in the backroom listening to the music before I was supposed to raise the sun. Admittedly, the Nobility that often attends the Gala may not approve of Vinyl’s style of music. But I’m sure they may enjoy that fusion style, that is, if Vinyl is interested.”

‘No offense taken. But showing off our fusion style could bring the stuffy Canterlotians into the modern era.’ Vinyl projected.

“Then consider it done,” Celestia said, “You two shall come as VIP guests for the music. Oh, and here we are.”

The three had walked up to a building stylized with a clockwork motif. A sign hung that said ‘Cloudsdale’s Automail of Legend’ made with scrap metal. The style of the building wasn’t that which would be expected from Cloudsdale. In fact, it looked more Earth Pony in design than Pegasus. But a pegasus would be able to see that the structure was constructed from clouds, other than the sign, of course.

They walked in to find wall-to-wall mechanical body parts. The majority were prosthetic limbs, but here and there, there were implants, like mechanical hearts, lungs, eyes, etcetera. And there were a few external devices for ponies who prefer not to get implants when possible, like hearing aids, leg braces, etcetera. With all of these automail parts, the owner likely could build his own automail pony.

There were also medical supplies, some of which looked like they belonged in a horror story. This room looked like it belonged to some kind of cross between a mad scientist, a butcher, and a clockmaker.

“Is the owner trying to show off their work or scare away customers?” Octavia asked.

“YAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

A blood-curdling scream was heard from the back room. The faces of Octavia and Vinyl went white, which was impressive for Vinyl’s already white coloration. A laughing was heard at a waiting area next to the front desk.

“Yeah, he does come across as creepy when you see this place for the first time,” In a chair was Rainbow, “So, what’re you doing here?”

‘I need a new voice synthesizer. And Princess Celestia recommended this place.’ Vinyl projected in front of Rainbow. ‘What about you?’

“Flutters needed to get her prosthetic legs repaired after your battle,” Rainbow explained, “And it couldn’t hurt to get a tune-up for my wings.” Rainbow then flapped her mechanical wings once.

“And what about that scream we just heard?” Octavia asked.

“When fully integrated prosthetics and implants are involved, it’s not as easy as just an assisting device,” Celestia answered this time, “And in the case of fully functional prosthetics, an automail mechanic has to know how to combine the prosthetics with the ponies nerves. And as you’ve just heard, working directly with nerves can be…uncomfortable.”

“AAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

“It’s easier to deal with when you're sedated,” Rainbow said, “But if you want to test to make sure everything is working, you have to be awake to do so. If you’re sedated, testing has to wait until you wake up. And Flutters is afraid of being sedated.”

“She’d rather endure that pain than to be sedated?” Octavia asked.

“It may be extremely painful, but it’s not as bad as it sounds,” Rainbow said, “Well, it is as bad as it sounds, but not what you think. Although it’s extremely painful, it’s only for a fraction of a second. It’s like quickly tearing off a bandaid.”

“If that bandaid also tore off flesh with it,” Flutters said as she came walking out of the back room, her legs as good as new…because they literally were new. And Rainbow was the only one to recognize the slightly different aesthetic. But it was subtle enough that Ponies that weren’t familiar with how her legs looked wouldn’t notice the difference. It was evident that she was breathing heavily from screaming in pain. But other than that, there was no sign that she was ever in pain.

“New customers?” a second pegasus said, “Welcome. My name is Legend Bringer. What can I do for you?”

“My sister, Vinyl Scratch, needs a new voice synthesizer,” Octavia said, pointing to Vinyl’s neck.

“Well then, what exactly did you have in mind?” Legend Bringer asked, “Are you looking into getting prosthetic implants to restore your voice? Or would you prefer an external device?”

‘I could get an implant to permanently replace my damaged vocal cords?’

‘What are the pros and cons?’

“To answer your first question, yes,” Legend said, “Pros: you don’t have to worry about charging it, and it acts as a permanent one-time replacement. Cons: it may not replicate your voice as good as you’d like, and like any implant, it would require surgery.”

‘How long would surgery be?’

“Including recovery time and testing, two to three weeks,” Legend replied.

‘What are the pros and cons of just sticking with an external voice synthesizer?’

“Pros: more vocal range and effects, you’re not restricted to a single voice, though it will default to what you think your voice should be, and it’s customizable,” Legend continued, almost sounding like an advertisement, “Cons: you’ll require surgery to implant the neuro-link into the brain, though since you’ve had a synthesizer before, you likely already have one, it will require charging, though being a Unicorn, that likely won’t be a problem, and as you’ve likely experienced, an external device can get lost, stolen, or broken.”

‘It would be nice to not have to worry about replacing a voice synthesizer. But I’m all for the customization.’

“Alright then. Let me just check to see what kind of neuro-link chip you have,” Legend went over to a desk and picked up a scanner with his wing. He then scanned Vinyl’s skull briefly before the device beeped, “Let me guess. You got your original synthesizer at Canterlot Audacity?”

“How’d you know?” Octavia asked for Vinyl.

“Canterlot Audacity doesn’t just overprice their items, they’re also scam artists,” Legend said, “Their items are bought cheaply from retailers who sell old and used items. They have enough sense not to buy used neuro-link implants…I think. Then they sell the items and jack up prices that would be absurd even for new items. Your neuro-link implant is likely older than you are. Would you like to get an upgraded neuro-link for a fraction of the price you likely bought your current one?”

‘I have plans with friends later today. But can I make an appointment for sometime next week? And would I still be able to get a new synthesizer with my old neuro-link?’

“Unfortunately, your neuro-link is too out of date to be compatible with anything new,” Legend said, “However, because of how Canterlot Audacity scams anycreature they want, I’ve taken the liberty to be prepared. I keep some old tech just for cases like this or if someone just wants something more classical. Consider this a rental, free of charge, until you come to get your upgrade. Does Wednesday work for you?”

‘Wednesday sound good.’

‘Just one more question. Have you ever used all of these spare parts to build a fully automail Pony?’

A manic grin grew on Legend Bringer’s face, “How about while you give me the details of how to customize your synthesizer, I show you my automail army?”

CLICK

While Vinyl was distracted by Legend’s sudden change in demeanor, she didn’t notice when he had put a voice synthesizer on her neck. She looked in an available mirror. It was bulky and looked like a small radio was strapped around her neck.

“Is this th- WOAH!” Vinyl had a voice again. And it sounded like it was coming through a radio as old as the one around her neck looked, “I sound like my voice is coming through my grandma’s radio.”

“Sorry about the old model,” Legend apologized, “But like I said, it’s just a rental, and it is free of charge.”

“I just appreciate being able to talk again, even if it sounds like an old gramophone,” Vinyl said, “Although, having this as a customizable effect sounds like it’d be fun to have.”

Legend showed Vinyl and Octavia his automail army. It was small for an army, but he explained that he used military terms because many of the automail Ponies looked like they’ve been in battle. That and for the alliteration. He explained that he only takes used or damaged parts to make these Ponies. He explains that the new and undamaged items were for Ponies, not his clockwork commandos. But it was impressive that he had enough customers to end up with these prosthetic patrollers.

Vinyl described what she wanted from her voice synthesizer. She started with something her own coat color. She then wanted the front speaker to be designed like her cutie mark. And she wanted it to be able to light up, saying it would make for a good effect when she’s DJing.

As they came back out from the back room, Celestia looked towards Legend Bringer, “Mr. Bringer, how much will the new automail be?” Celestia asked for Vinyl.

“Please, just call me Legend. Mr. Bringer was my father,” Legend Bringer said before sighing, “That joke would’ve been funnier if I’d actually inherited my father’s name. I haven’t made it yet, so I don’t know how much it would actually cost. But… Based on the model she wants, plus the modifications, plus the surgery and implant, minus the rental cost …I’d estimate it to be around 500 bits.”

“When you have a finalized price, you can send the bill to me at Canterlot Castle,” Celestia said, “And I think that I will be looking into Canterlot Audacity after what I’ve heard.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Legend said with a bow.

“Shall we get going?” Celestia said, “You said you have plans with Trixie, did you not?”

“Can we come too?” Flutters asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Vinyl shrugged, “That is if you don’t mind having a couple more passengers, Princess.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Celestia said. She then lit her horn, and the five of them vanished from sight.

After they had left, Legend had a giddy smile on his face, “Princess Celestia was in my shop!” he exclaimed, “And she’s even going to deal with the scam artists at Canterlot Audacity! I can’t wait until my brother, Hammer, hears about this!”

The quintet returned to the Canterlot Library. There, they saw a note for Vinyl and Octavia. Octavia took it and read it:

Dear Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody,

If we are not back by the time you arrive, please wait for us in the Library. You are welcome to the kitchen and any books you’d like to read. Just remember to return everything where you found them.

~Twilight Sparkle

There was also a second note that Vinyl read:

I know Twilight enough to know that her note will invite you in to wait for us, use the kitchen, read books, and put everything away back as you found them. I also know Twilight well enough to know that she didn’t consider actually inviting you with us.

Just so you know, we went to Twilight’s home. Believe it or not, we don’t actually live in the Library (although, with me moving to Ponyville, Twilight may consider making the library her permanent residence). If you’d like to meet up with us sooner rather than later, here’s the address.

1010 Starshower Drive

Or you could just ask Princess Celestia to teleport you straight to us. Just ask her to take you to Twilight’s parents’ house.

~Trixie

“That does sound like both Twilight and Trixie,” Celestia said with a warm smile, “Twilight often makes sure to remember to be accommodating to guests. And Trixie makes sure to include actually being social. Would you like me to take you straight to their house?”

“No, thank you,” Octavia said, “We’re familiar enough with the area to get there. And to be honest…I could do without being teleported again.”

“And I wouldn’t mind breaking in my new legs,” Flutters added.

“Then I will take my leave,” Celestia said, “I do have other things to do as well before the day is done.”

The ponies said their goodbyes before Celestia vanished in a flash of gold.

“So, which way do we go?” Rainbow asked.

Author's Note

I had written these chapters out of order. This is, in fact, the second chapter I had written.

Also, Shout out to Legendbringer for letting me use him in my story.

6 Flutters

“You know you didn’t have to come with me, right Rainbow?” Flutters asked as she and Rainbow approached Cloudsdale’s Automail of Legend, “I know you don’t like to with your fear of heights.”

“Because you’re my pal. Do I need any more excuse than that?” Rainbow replied, “Besides, it’s not so bad as long as I don’t look down.”

“But you’re gonna have to look down on our way back,” Flutters countered, “Or was the reason you looked silly grabbing onto that cloud on the way up just so I could pull you back down instead?”

“The cloud just gives support so that I don’t feel like I’m gonna fall! The fact that it helps me not to look down is just a bonus,” Rainbow said defensively, though her blush revealing that she knew she looked silly, “Besides, this is the perfect excuse to get my wings tuned up.”

“You’re two years overdue for a tune-up,” Flutters said, “You’ve either run out of excuses not to go, or you’re using this to extend how much time you have so that you don’t run out of excuses too soon. Or maybe you just miss me that much when I’m gone. Hahaha,” that last comment put Flutters into a giggle fit.

The duo walked into the shop to see the owner behind the desk. He was a gray Pegasus with a messy orange and yellow mane. Hearing the two come in, he looked up and greeted them, “Did Rainbow finally run out of excuses to avoid coming for a tune-up?” Legend Bringer snarked. This caused Rainbow to scowl and Flutters to collapse on the floor laughing.

“I-I can’t help that I have a fear of heights, okay?” Rainbow defended, “I’m just taking the opportunity that Fluttershy needs a fix-up.”

Legend took a look at Flutters’ automail. It was then that he realized how bad it was. There were several dents and scratches and even a few breaks. There was an old cloth with dried blood blocking a part that had damaged skin with how it was bent inwards. And he could hear the sound of metal grinding on metal with every movement. And each movement was slow and stiff.

“Youch!!!” Legend exclaimed, “What happened?”

“Would you believe I fought Nightmare Moon?” Flutters asked.

“You’re too joyful to get into a fight with anypony, let alone a ponytale villain,” Legend said, not believing the story. He then noticed that Flutters had an uncharacteristically serious look in her eyes. It was rare for Flutters to be serious. But when she is serious, you know it, “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“You’d be surprised what stories may just be true,” Flutters said, “Although I’m now the controller of the Element of Laughter.”

“Now that’s something I can believe,” Legend said before analyzing the damage, “It looks like the adapter is damaged, meaning that it’ll have to be replaced. That also means reconnecting your nerves to a new adapter.”

Flutters winced at the thought but expected that would be the case.

Legend always had spare limbs just in case of situations like this. He didn’t have many customers, so he had the time to work on extras for the few regular customers he did have.

Flutters was in the back room laying on a medical table. Her legs detached, along with the adapter.

“It’s a shame you don’t visit more often, Flutters,” Legend said as he prepared a new adapter, “You always know how to put a smile on my face.”

“Considering where you’re looking, I feel like you just like looking at my flank,” Flutters said with a giggle, “But I suppose I can take it as a compliment.”

Legend looked towards Flutters’ face, “I do think you’re pretty. You’re flank too,” Legend said teasingly, “But you know you’re not my type.”

“Yeah, I know,” Flutters said, “So, do you have any cowgirls in mind? A strong mare with highly toned muscles that ripple under her fur, working on a farm as glistening sweat drips from her brow, getting into a shower after a hard day’s work, the hot steam just happening to prevent view of her more personal parts, just enough to let your imagination fill in the gaps…”

Legend had completely zoned out in a fantasy before returning to the real world, “I-I do have to work, so it’s best if I keep focus and not be distracted,” Legend said with a blush as he began to sweat, “Is it hot in here, or is it just me?”

After about a half hour of work and plenty of screaming, Flutters was now on a fresh new pair of hind legs. Giving them a test, she was satisfied with the easy, smooth, quiet motion.

As they headed out of the back room, Flutters heard Rainbow talking to somepony, “It may be extremely painful, but it’s not as bad as it sounds,” Rainbow said, talking to Vinyl, Octavia, and Celestia, “Well, it is as bad as it sounds, but not what you think. Although it’s extremely painful, it’s only for a fraction of a second. It’s like quickly tearing off a bandaid.”

“If that bandaid also tore off flesh with it,” Flutters said as she announced herself to the others, As quick as those moments of pain were, there was no hiding how much she had been screaming in pain with how heavily she was breathing.

“New customers?” Legend said, taking note of the newcomers, “Welcome. My name is Legend Bringer. What can I do for you?”

“My sister, Vinyl Scratch, needs a new voice synthesizer,” Octavia said, pointing to Vinyl’s neck.

“Well then, what exactly did you have in mind?” Legend Bringer asked, “Are you looking into getting prosthetic implants to restore your voice? Or would you prefer an external device?”

‘I could get an implant to permanently replace my damaged vocal cords?’

‘What are the pros and cons?’

“To answer your first question, yes,” Legend said.

Flutters let Legend talk to the new arrivals so she could talk with Rainbow, “What are they…How are they here?” Flutters asked, pointing to the non-winged ponies.

“Cloud walking spell,” Celestia said simply.

“Did you really forget that there are Unicorns ready to cast that spell for tourism?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy blushed as she, in fact, had forgotten. She hated it when her issues with memory resulted in her forgetting something as obvious as that.

“As you may have guessed, they’re here to replace Vinyl’s voice synthesizer,” Celestia said.

It then clicked in Flutters’ brain that she was standing in front of a Princess and hadn’t bowed yet. She immediately did so before she could be reprimanded.

“Rise, Flutters. There’s no need for that here,” Celestia said, “I am not here for official duty. I am only here assisting Vinyl and had recommended this location for it’s price.”

Flutters got back up and saw how Vinyl was using her magic, “It’s good to see that Vinyl at least has a way to communicate without a voice.”

“Let me guess. You got your original synthesizer at Canterlot Audacity?” Flutters heard Legend say.

“How’d you know?” Octavia asked.

“Canterlot Audacity doesn’t just overprice their items, they’re also scam artists,” Legend said, his passion for the craft becoming righteous fury, “Their items are bought cheaply from retailers who sell old and used items. They have enough sense not to buy used neuro-link implants…I think. Then they sell the items and jack up prices that would be absurd even for new items. Your neuro-link implant is likely older than you are. Would you like to get an upgraded neuro-link for a fraction of the price you likely bought your current one?”

‘I have plans with friends later today. But can I make an appointment for sometime next week? And would I still be able to get a new synthesizer with my old neuro-link?’

‘Wednesday sound good.’

‘Just one more question. Have you ever used all of these spare parts to build a fully automail Pony?’

A manic grin grew on Legend Bringer’s face as he pulled out an old piece of equipment, “How about while you give me the details of how to customize your synthesizer, I show you my automail army?”

CLICK

Legend had put an old voice synthesizer on Vinyl’s neck. It looked like an old radio.

“Is this th- WOAH!” Vinyl had a voice again. And it sounded like how the synthesizer looked, “I sound like my voice is coming through my grandma’s radio.”

“Sorry about the old model,” Legend apologized, “But like I said, it’s just a rental, and it is free of charge.”

“I just appreciate being able to talk again, even if it sounds like an old gramophone,” Vinyl said, “Although, having this as a customizable effect sounds like it’d be fun to have.”

As Legend brought Vinyl and Octavia into the back room, Celestia turned back to the Pegasi, “Automail Army?”

“It’s what he calls his collection,” Rainbow said, “Legend keeps used and broken automail parts and creates prosthetic Ponies with them. He calls it an army because of the damaged state the automail is almost always in makes it look like they had gone through war.”

“There are also plenty of mismatched and missized parts too, so they look a little more like something out of a horror story,” Flutters added.

“A hobby is a hobby,” Celestia said with a warm smile, “Since the damage to your automail was also because of your battle with Nightmare Moon, just like Vinyl’s voice synthesizer, I’d like to pay for repairing your legs, Flutters.”

“You’d do that for us?” Flutters exclaimed.

“It’s not a problem,” Celestia said.

As Legend and the others returned, Celestia looked towards the Pegasus, “Mr. Bringer, how much will the new automail be?” Celestia asked.

“When you have a finalized price, you can send the bill to me at Canterlot Castle,” Celestia said, “And I think that I will be looking into Canterlot Audacity after what I’ve heard.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Legend said with a bow.

“Shall we get going?” Celestia said, “You said you have plans with Trixie, did you not?”

“Can we come too?” Flutters asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Vinyl shrugged, “That is if you don’t mind having a couple more passengers, Princess.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Celestia said. She then lit her horn, and the five of them vanished from sight.

The quintet returned to the Canterlot Library. There, they saw a note for Vinyl and Octavia. Octavia took it and read it:

Dear Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody,

If we are not back by the time you arrive, please wait for us in the Library. You are welcome to the kitchen and any books you’d like to read. Just remember to return everything where you found them.

~Twilight Sparkle

There was also a second note that Vinyl read:

I know Twilight enough to know that her note will invite you in to wait for us, use the kitchen, read books, and put everything away back as you found them. I also know Twilight well enough to know that she didn’t consider actually inviting you with us.

Just so you know, we went to Twilight’s home. Believe it or not, we don’t actually live in the Library (although, with me moving to Ponyville, Twilight may consider making the library her permanent residence). If you’d like to meet up with us sooner rather than later, here’s the address.

1010 Starshower Drive

Or you could just ask Princess Celestia to teleport you straight to us. Just ask her to take you to Twilight’s parents’ house.

~Trixie

“No, thank you,” Octavia said, “We’re familiar enough with the area to get there. And to be honest…I could do without being teleported again.”

“And I wouldn’t mind breaking in my new legs,” Flutters added.

“Then I will take my leave,” Celestia said, “I do have other things to do as well before the day is done.”

The ponies said their goodbyes before Celestia vanished in a flash of gold.

“So, which way do we go?” Rainbow asked.

“Are you lost?” Flutters asked. They had been walking for a good thirty minutes without a clear direction.

“We’re not lost!” Vinyl exclaimed, “We just needed to take a little detour. And that detour now has us a little directionally impaired.”

“That is typically what ‘lost’ means,” Octavia said, “It’s bad enough that we didn’t know exactly where Starshower Drive was. But did we have to take such a big detour just to avoid the street we grew up on?”

“Well, I’m sorry that I’m too broken from my childhood to be able to tolerate being anywhere near there!” Vinyl exclaimed.

“That’s not what I-”

“Here’s Starshower Drive!” Rainbow exclaimed, interrupting Octavia.

“See? Told ya we weren’t lost,” Vinyl said, having calmed down quickly.

Octavia just groaned in frustration.

Flutters went to talk with Octavia, “Vinyl gets emotional when she comes here, doesn’t she?”

“It’s not her fault,” Octavia sighed, “I may not be a psychiatrist, but I think she needs therapy. I think her reaction like that is a form of panic attack. And the way she bounces back to her usual self is by latching onto anything that could distract her. But she’s either too proud to talk to somepony or doesn’t realize she needs to.”

“Therapy helped me learn the difference between humor and my fear being rewired into humor,” Flutters said, “It also helped Rainbow stop wetting the bed, but that’s a different story.”

“Rainbow wet the bed?!” Octavia questioned.

“Technically, therapy helped her realize her fear of heights was the problem,” Flutters continued, “So she technically didn’t stop wetting the bed until she moved out of Cloudsdale and to the ground. And then, I stopped drinking water before bed because my nightmares were causing me to laugh at night, causing me to wet the bed. My therapist chose to call my nightmares ‘night mirths’ because-”

“Flutters, you’re rambling,” Octavia interrupted.

“Oh…uh…sorry,” Flutters said, “What were we talking about again?”

“1010 Starshower Drive,” Vinyl called out, pointing down the street.

As they headed in that direction, they were startled by a flash of light in front of the house. Standing there were six Ponies. Well, five Ponies and a Zebra. Celestia had just teleported there, bringing Zecora, Maud, Rarity, Rumble, and Sweetie Belle.

“Please forgive my rush, but I do have an appointment to keep before I can finish for the day,” Celestia said before disappearing abruptly.

“So, where are we exactly?” Rarity asked.

“This is where Twilight and Trixie live, apparently,” Vinyl said, attracting the attention of the five.

“So does that mean that we’re all here thanks to Celestia’s intervention?” Shining Armor said after hearing their stories.

“Me and Octy were coming anyway,” Vinyl pointed out, “We just happen to be at the same place and time as Flutters and Rainbow. When they asked to come along, she likely had the idea to invite the others.”

“Well, it is convenient that you all had plans that led you here in the end,” Trixie said, “And Princess Celestia does manipulate ponies from time to time.”

“It was only convenient for her that she didn’t have to take many trips,” Maud theorized, “She probably would’ve come to get all of us one at a time if she had to.”

“But could she have predicted that I would’ve been one of the Wonderbolts invited to the Gala?” Thunderlane questioned.

“After the events of the Summer Sun, that was a bet she could’ve easily won,” Zecora said, “But if that prediction were to go boom, Celestia would come find you, or so I assume.”

“And what are the chances that she knew that we were where we were when she came to where we were?” Flutters asked, “Then again, how would she have known where any of us were? Her meeting us could’ve just been a coincidence, but what about Zecora and Maud?”

“Maybe she just asked around?” Twilight suggested.

“So, are you two cyborgs or…” Spike asked Flutters and Rainbow as he touched a spot on Flutters’ automail.

Flutters then froze up, “Battle mode activated,” Flutters said in robotic voice. She then looked at Spike, “Threat detected…Initiating combat protocol: Dragon Extermination…”

“Uh…that’s a joke, right?” Spike laughed nervously before gulping, “Right?”

Spike then ran off out of fear. Flutters followed after him.

“Is she always like that?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t worry, dear,” Rarity said, “It’s just Flutters being Flutters. You’ll likely hear Spike laughing in a few minutes.”

“Shouldn’t Spike know what automail is?” Cadance asked.

“He does,” Trixie explained, “He’s just never seen it before.”

“So why did Celestia want us all here in the first place?” Cadance asked, “I know she wanted you to meet Twilight, who had taken her place during her disappearance. But could that be all there is?”

In a flash, Celestia was in the room with them.

“Trixie has something she wants all of you to hear,” Celestia said.

Down the street, a couple was walking, enjoying the sunset, when a ruckus came from the Sparkle household…

“TRIXIE’S MOVING TO PONYVILLE?!!”

Author's Note

It took me longer to finish this chapter than I expected. But it could be worse.

It's also a longer chapter than I planned, but things happen.

I also reimagined how automail works so that replacements aren't as painful. That's what the adapter is for. You attach the nerves to the adapter, then you attach the limbs to the adapter so that replacements are easy and painless. That also means that Rainbow could have her wings replaced without going through the pain. I'm sure it will be a hassle to get her to travel to Cloudsdale again (since she skipped out on a long overdue tune-up).

And again, shout out to Legendbringer for his crush on Appleja-I mean allowing me to use his character.

4 Maud

Maud Pie was looking for a new home in Ponyville. But nothing fit her preferences, despite how few they were.

How hard could it be to find a house with a rock theme? And why is it so hard for ponies to understand what a rock theme is? Most of the houses Maud was shown looked more like where Vinyl Scratch would live.

It was a shame she couldn’t find a place she liked. She could feel the presence of rocks nearby that she would love to study. Or for a simple snack.

Thankfully, Zecora had an idea of what to look for.

“If this cave is where you choose to reside, I must tell you of the secret it hides,” Zecora said as they stopped at the entrance to a cave that led underground, “What hides inside is for no fool. It’s an enchanted pond called the Mirror Pool.”

“My Granny Pie told me and my sisters about the legend of the Mirror Pool,” Maud said, “I can protect the pool from unwanted intruders.”

“Your knowledge means I can save my breath,” Zecora said, “Now follow me into the cave’s depths.”

The two of them traveled deeper into the cave. Gems in the walls refracted light, keeping the corridor well-lit. Maud could feel them coming closer to a collection of ley lines, perhaps the result of the magic of the Mirror Pool. But there was something off about the ley lines. It took her a moment to realize that she couldn’t sense any direction to them.

Finally, they reached a large cavern with a pool of glowing water in the center. The water's magical glow, combined with the multitude of refracting crystals in the walls, meant that the cavern was naturally lit. It was then that Maud realized why the ley lines seemed directionless and why the water had a magical glow to it. It wasn’t water at all. It was a pool of ley lines, so condensed that they’ve gathered and taken a corporeal, fluid form. Perhaps this had something to do with how the Mirror Pool created clones.

There was also a waterfall that provided actual water. The magical glow and moisture from the waterfall spray also allowed grass to grow in this cave without sunlight. It had light, running water, privacy, a decent yard next to a pond, and, best of all, rocks.

“It’s adequate,” Maud said simply.

“Because of your simple ways, I assume that is high praise,” Zecora assumed.

Maud wasn’t the best at expressing herself. And she was aware of this. But those who knew her well could pick up on certain context clues. So it pleased her to know that Zecora could understand her. In truth, she was impressed. And she couldn’t wait to study a few of the crystals to see exactly how they can refract light so efficiently.

But studying could wait until later. She had a specific friend that she wanted to tell about her new place.

“I think that cave is near one of my gem-hunting locations,” Rarity thought.

After dropping off Zecora’s bags back at her hut, they visited Rarity to tell her the news. This included the description of the cave that would become Maud’s new home.

“Yes,” Maud confirmed simply.

“Well, I’m glad it’s someplace where I can visit easily,” Rarity added, “And though I feel like living in a musty old cave surrounded by dirt and rock doesn’t sound inviting, as long as you’re happy with it, that’s all that matters I suppose.”

Maud gave a knowing smile. It didn’t look different than any other smile of hers. But the meaning behind it, and Rarity knowing how mischievous her rock farmer friend could be, was enough for the jeweler to question her assumption about the aesthetics of her friends new home.

“Her new home, to her, is quite a boon,” Zecora said, “I’m sure she hopes you’ll visit soon.”

“I suppose I should see it first before making a judgement on its appearance,” Rarity admitted. Maud could tell that this was her way of convincing herself to visit a cave, and not just for gem-hunting. But it was an honest effort, which Maud respected.

Rarity knew that she had been wrong about things like this before. It’s technically how she got her cutie mark.

DING

The trio looked towards the door to see Sweetie Belle and Rumble come in through the door. They were awkwardly trying to manouver with each other, seeing as they appeared to be stuck together.

“What is it about you three and tree sap?” Rarity asked, seeing the duo. She then sighed, “You two wait here. I’ll get a bath ready.”

From the position Rumble was in, with his right forehoof on Sweetie’s right shoulder, he had likely tried to push away to free them from each other, resulting in his hoof also getting stuck. But it wasn’t as awkward as Sweetie with her right hindhoof stuck to Rumble’s flank in her attempt to push away.

“It seems your attempts to pull away has only caused you two more dismay,” Zecora said.

“I thought you two had gone to the rock quarry,” Maud said.

“We were on our way there before we ran into Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “They said that I was looking a bit pudgy and could use some exercise.”

“That’s why they started chasing us around town,” Rumble said, continuing the story, “Trying to think fast, I grabbed Sweetie and flew into a tree. I was able to get us to the bottom branch. I couldn’t get us any higher because I was carrying Sweetie.”

“I’m not pudgy!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes.

“I didn’t mean… I’ve never had to carry another pony while flying before!” Rumble tried to defend himself, “We started to climb higher in the tree. Instead of climbing after us, Apple Bloom just bucked the tree trunk, causing us to fall down. We didn’t get too hurt. But we did break some pretty big branches.”

“I’M NOT PUDGY!!!” Sweetie shouted, apparently having trouble letting go of that.

“I’m not…” Rumble was about to say, before thinking about how some of those branches should’ve stopped their fall, “Maybe those branch’s were rotting or something?”

“I guess Apple Bloom didn’t expect all of those branches to fall with us,” Sweetie Belle continued, “With us and the branches falling on them, I guess they were knocked out when we fell on them. When we got up to run, we found ourselves stuck together. We got a little bit away before we heard Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara getting up. But when they tried to chase after us, they were stuck in sap too.”

“I guess even Earth Pony strength is nothing against the power of tree sap,” Rumble finished.

“It’s seems time for you to take a bath to free you of the tree sap’s wrath,” Zecora said as she saw Rarity come downstairs.

The two foals tried to climb up the stairs. But their awkward situation made it difficult. They even fell back down several times before Maud helped by putting them on her back to carry them. It worked surprisingly well… up until they tried to get off and realized they were now stuck to Maud.

Realizing the conundrum they were in, Maud climbed into the bath with them.

Maud wasn’t the type to bathe with others. She was a loner most of the time anyway. And the only times she has been in a bath with someone else is usually when Rarity convinces her to go to the spa with her. But there was something about getting into a bathtub with other foals like this that reminded Maud of when she would take baths with her sisters. The thought brought a smile to her face. And not just any Maud-style smile. Though there wasn’t a big difference, it was evident that her smile was softer and more emotional. It was as if the memory was mixing with the water to soften her hard shell.

If Maud ever had foals, she decided that she would take baths with them like this.

It felt like the bath was over all too soon. But the intent was to unstick the foals after all. Since Maud was there, Rarity had gone back downstairs. So when Maud and the foals went down, they were surprised to see that not only was Zecora still there, but Celestia had arrived as well. The three ponies in the foyer were sipping tea.

“I see that you’ve gotten yourselves unstuck,” Celestia said. Apparently the other two had told her about what happened, “I’ve come to invite you to meet my other student. While Trixie is in Canterlot, I figured it’d be a good chance for each of the Element Bearers and their friends and family to meet the pony who was ruling in my place while I was… ehem… unavailable. And it’s most convenient so many of you are together at this moment. It means fewer trips for me to take.”

“We’re going to Canterlot?!” Rumble Exclaimed.

“Personally invited by Princess Celestia?!” Sweetie Belle added.

Celestia took one last sip of tea before setting down the teacup, “Though I do not wish to rush any of you, I do have other things I have to take care of,” Celestia said, “So if you don’t mind, I’ll teleport us all to our destination.”

They all gathered near Celestia before all of them became enveloped in a golden flash.

The six of them appeared in a golden flash in front of a house, startling four other ponies who were just arriving.

“Please forgive my rush, but I do have an appointment to keep before I can finish for the day,” Celestia said before disappearing abruptly.

“So, where are we exactly?” Rarity asked.

“This is where Twilight and Trixie live, apparently,” Vinyl said. That’s when they realized that the four other ponies were Vinyl, Octavia, Rainbow, and Flutters.

Author's Note

I was finally able to break through my writer's block! I've spent 4 months chiseling away at that block, and in one day, I added 1,000 words to this chapter to make it a satisfying word count. It's still short, but I just didn't have much for Maud. But the addition of 1/2 the CMCs and giving them a little story, which in turn gave Maud the bath scene that allowed her to reflect on her foalhood.

The next Chapter will not take nearly as long since it was actually one of the first chapters I've finished. What surprised me is that I didn't even start working on Chapter 6 yet. It's surprising because I swear I had worked on it before.