The Godmare: Only Personal

"Don Scintillare, Twilight Sparkle. Godmare. I thank you for allowing me in your home, on this, the day of your best friend's wedding." The pony sat on a chair outside of the mansion located where the Apple family orchard once stood. The day is a sunny one and all around ponies can be found dancing to music by the famous musician, Octavia. It's not her usual relaxing music, but rather something more akin to apple family folk music, but with a slower beat. The pony reciting his condolences for being allowed to the Godmare's home is none other than Big Macintosh, brother of Caporegime Applejack. Meanwhile in the main house, Twilight Sparkle is greeting one of her guests.

"Hello, Don Scintillare." Twilight slowly turned around in her chair and looked at the balding pony before her, who was wearing a nice suit and a fedora. His facial features were that of a kind man, but one with troubles.

"Godmare, this is Hearth, the owner of the crematorium in Little Equestria." Twilight nodded to her Consigliere, Spike. He had been the Consigliere of the family ever since she had broken away from Celestia's family and made her own. Since then, he has been loyal and willing to die for his Godmare.

"Please, come in." Hearth slowly took off his hat and steadily, albeit shakily, neared the chair across from the powerful pony. He knew that angering her wouldn't have him killed, since she was the most forgiving of the Dons, but it would ensure he wound't get his favor. "Come, don't be shy." Perking up a tiny bit, the frail stallion sat down in the chair and placed the hat and his hooves in his lap.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your business, but I came to ask a favor." Twilight blinked calmly at the pony as she awaited him to continue. "Oh, uh... You see, my dear daughter was taken from me a few nights ago. I fear that it was the hoodlums down the street from us, but the police won't do anything about it. I fear the police are on their payroll." Twilight looked out the window to the party outside. She could see Rainbow Dash with her groom.

"I see. You know that by ancient Equestrian ethics, I'm not allowed to deny you a favor on the wedding of my family or honorary family members." She stood from her chair and neared the window. "But what would you expect me to do?" The mortician pony waited to ensure to Godmare was done talking.

"I wouldn't want anypony killed. I just want my daughter back and to be ensured it won't happen again" He paused for a moment, then quickly added more. "If anything has befallen my lovely daughter, then I want the ponies responsible brought to me, so that I may see their faces. Then, and only then, will I want them killed." Twilight sighed and turned back to the earth pony.

"If anything has befallen your daughter, you are asking the impossible of me. These thugs you speak of are probably not even old enough to buy apple cider, let alone old enough to be killed. Not to mention..." She walked behind the pony, who was now shaking and fearing for himself. "You come in here, show no respect for me, then you have the audacity to ask a favor from me?" She calmly returned to her side of the desk and placed her front hooves on it. "It's an insult to me, you know? You didn't even call me Godmare."

"I apologize... Godmare." The pony's voice was shaky, sweat beading onto his forehead. Out of respect, he didn't move his hoof to wipe it away.

"See? Was it so hard to show a little respect?" She walked over to the pony and extended her front left hoof. Gently, the stallion grabbed it with his two front hooves and kissed it. It was one of the biggest signs of respect you could give to a Equestrian, especially one of the heads of the four families.

"I am sorry to have wasted your time, Godmare." He stood and began to make his way to the door. Behind him, Twilight smiled a little. All she wanted was to be shown a bit of respect after all.

"Wait." She walked over to the pony and placed a hoof over his shoulder. "I'll do the favor. But know this... I may one day call on you to do me a favor. That day may never come. But if and when it does, I want to know that you'll carry out said favor without any hesitation. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Godmare."

"Good. Now, please. Go enjoy the ceremony with my blessing. And rest assured that my best men will find your daughter, or her killers." The frail pony nodded and opened the door.

"Thank you, Godmare." The door creaked closed behind him, leaving Twilight and Spike.

"Spike, take note of that favor."

"Yes, Don Scintillare." The dragon, who was no longer a baby, rather a dragon around a head taller than a average pony, took out a notepad and quill and wrote Hearth's name onto the list. So far, she had been visited by about thirty ponies who needed favors, and one who had come to repay a favor. She neared the window and looked out.

"When is Fluttershy coming?" The dragon put the notepad on the desk.

"Her train should be arriving about now."

"Send one of the guards to pick her up." Twilight had always been protective of the yellow mare. Ever since Twilight had gotten into the business 15 years ago, back when she was but a teenager, she had been protective of all her friends. Fluttershy most of all, since she was the most frail of the six friends. While her other four friends decided to join Twilight in the business, Fluttershy had stayed away. Who was Twilight to endanger one of her friends by forcing her into this thing of theirs?

"That's unnecessary. She served in the war against the Zebra's. She can handle herself." Twilight neared the front door, turning back to the dragon.

"I suppose your right. I'm going out to mingle with the guest. I'll have no more visitors today."

"Of course, Don Scintillare." Twilight departed from the room, her Consigliere following soon after. As she stepped out into the sun, everypony started saying their hellos. Big Mac, however, avoided the Godmare, since she had not yet graced him with his presence.

"Ah, saluti Godmare." Applejack, her underboss kissed her hoof respectfully and stood in front of the Godmare.

"Felice di verdeti, Applejack." Applejack gave her a odd look. "Oh, sorry. I said glad to see you. Sometimes I forget your not as familiar in the words of ancient Equestrian as most are. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to speak to the wedding mare."

"Of course, Godmare. She's over by the stage." Twilight nodded to her dear friend and underboss and started off to the bride for the day. When Rainbow Dash saw Twilight, she smiled and neared the Don.

"Rainbow Dash, my dear Caporegime, you look lovely!" Twilight leaned in to a hug with her friend and kissed her on both cheeks. "Did Rarity make the dress?"

"Yes, although I'd prefer my suit anytime of the day... I suppose I can stand it for a bit longer." Her dress was the usual rainbow that she insisted on wearing. It was a extravagant wedding dress, decorated in only the most expensive of jewels and gems. The crowning spot on it, though was the large rainbow lightning bolt going down the back of it.

"Hush now. You look good."

"That's the point! You know how much I hate this type of stuff." Twilight laughed and sat down in a nearby chair. A waitress neared her and offered her a glass of cider, to which she politely denied with a wave of a hoof.

"Yes, I know. But would you show up to your wedding wearing a suit? Nopony could tell who the groom was."

"You saying I look like a stallion?" Both laughed.

"No, no. Just forget it."

"Everypony gather around for the group picture!" The two looked to the center of the garden, where a bridesmaid was setting up a camera.

"Come on, Twilight." She smiled and gathered into the front of the group of ponies, next to all of her friends. She was in the dead center, Rainbow and her groom to her left and all of her other friend to the right. A frown appeared on her face as she saw a empty spot where Fluttershy should have been standing.

"I'm not taking the picture until Fluttershy is here." She quickly exited the group, leaving everypony with disappointed looks on their faces. None spoke up though, since they all knew that once she made her mind up, it was final. Her eyes moved from side to side as she examined her surrounding for any hint of her yellow Pegasus friend. Seeing nothing, she took a seat on a nearby chair seated in front of a round table.

"Don Scintillare!" She looked up to her Consigliere, who was running to her. "Fluttershy just called. Her train was running late. She called from the restaurant up the street."

"Well?" She waited impatiently for the news of her friend's arrival.

"She'll be here in a minute or two. She didn't want to park here, since it would be hell to get out." She nodded and looked back across the yard. Octavia was busy having a conversation with one of the bridesmaids; Applejack was drinking cider like she usually did; Pinkie Pie was dancing happily on the dance floor.

"Good. Good."

"And uh, that's not all. You're needed in your office. Big Macintosh wants to see you, but refused to go in there until welcomed." Twilight frowned and looked to Spike. With slight anger in her voice, she stated her displeasure.

"I though I said no more guests."

"Yes, you did. But he just wanted to thank you for allowing him to come to the party, since you originally stated he was needed elsewhere." She thought for a moment, and with a sigh nodded.

"Fine." She stood and made her way to the office. As she entered into her office, a yellow Pegasus entered into the yard. Right behind her was a stallion with a blue coat, orange eyes and a blonde mane.

"So this is your home?" Fluttershy turned to her special somepony and smiled.

"When I'm in town. I don't normally stay here though. I have an apartment Don Scintillare purchased for me that I use."

"Why wouldn't you use this place? It's amazing!" The two took a seat near the manor, Big Mac sitting on a nearby chair still reciting his thank you.

"I just, uh... Don't like big places."

"Oh, come on Flutters! This place is beautiful."

"Ace, trust me... My apartment is much better." Fluttershy had failed to tell Ace about the four families and the fact that they were in the compound of one of the families. He had grown up away from Equestria, in the Zebra nation, so he had no idea of how Equestria worked. The two sat in silence for a few moments before Ace overheard Big Mac reciting.

"Hey, that guy over there is talking to himself." She stifled a laugh.

"That's Big Macintosh. One of the kindest stallions ever. Well, unless your on Twilight's bad side..." Ace turned and looked at the stallion.

"Twilight's bad side?" He turned back to Fluttershy. "He her bodyguard or something?"

"Too long of a story. I'll tell you later, once we are back at the apartment. Until then, just enjoy the party and quit asking so many questions." Ace blinked twice and looked away from Fluttershy. She normally wasn't that assertive, so something had to have been upsetting her.

"Something wrong, sweetie pie?" Fluttershy blushed at being called one of Ace's love names.

"No, just don't like this place is all. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Ever since Twilight had formed her own family, Fluttershy had disliked being around the business. She still loved Twilight and her friends more than anything, but just feared the business. She constantly wished that things would return to how they were before Twilight had created her family...

The two turned as Spike neared Big Mac and whispered something in his ear before returning to the manor. Big Mac sighed and slowly stood up. Taking three deep breaths and quickly reciting his thank you to himself once more, he made his way into the main house of the compound.

"Was that a dragon?!"

"Yes, that's Don Scintillare's Consigliere." Ace looked at Fluttershy with a confused expression on his face.

"And a Consigliere is...?"

"A advisor. Basically a lawyer if you will. He also does the families accounting and takes care of small business matters."

"I see..." The two turned away from each other and gazed over the yard. Fluttershy, despite the dislike of the family business, found herself happy to be home. She smiled as she looked through the window and saw Twilight talking to Big Mac.

"Don Scintillare, I am honored that you have allowed me into your house on the most joyous of days." He quickly raised his hoof and looked at the scribbled writing on it. "It means a lot that you, the Godmare of the Scintillare family, would allow me in your presence." He lowered his hoof and nodded to the Don. "I'm going to leave you now, since I know that you have important business to attend to."

"Thank you, Big Macintosh. You are too loyal." The tall stallion began to make his way out of the door, before being stopped by Twilight. "One thing, Big Mac."

"Yes, Godmare?"

"I need you to take care of a small matter. There is a group of hoodlums over in Little Equestria that takes a fancy to fillynapping. I want you to find them and recover the child. If the child is alive, return her to her father who owns the crematorium in Little Equestria. If she isn't, then bring them to the owner and allow him to see his daughter's murderers. After that, you do what the owner asks you do with them understood?"

"Yes, Godmare. I will not let you down." Twilight smiled slightly and looked out the window. A large grin took over her face as she saw Fluttershy sitting on a chair accompanied by the stallion she talked about in her letters.

"Come, Spike. Let us go take the photo."

"I'll inform the bridesmaid that you are ready." The dragon jogged quickly out into the yard and told the bridesmaid to start prepping the picture. By the time Twilight made it out into the yard, everypony had already gathered into the yard and were awaiting Twilight. She smiled happily as she took her place in the group of ponies and wrapped her hoof around both Rainbow and Fluttershy.

"Smile!" Everypony did as asked, the flash of the picture happening right afterwards.

It was the final time the six friends had gathered under such a happy occasion.