Twelve

Leo didn't like water.

Correction. Leo hated water.

Correction of the correction. Leo despised water.

"Stay still dear! I'll be over soon!"

Rarity was a delicate, high class lady, dignified in every occasion. That didn't mean that she wasn't above using force if necessary, like having to restrain Leo in the tub while using magic to try and clean her hair. She had done before with Sweetie Belle before. Of course, Sweetie Belle was half her size. Leo was nearly twice as big as the little filly. The trashing and struggle had Rarity drenched. But she couldn't give up. Not now!

"Release me you fiend! I demand that you let me go!" Leo howled and raged.

"Not until I fix that mane!" Rarity countered.

The battle raged on for a little longer, both combatants giving their all. Eventually Rarity decided it was enough and pulled Leo out of the tub. By now the young zodiac was too exhausted to continue the struggle, resigning herself to her wet fate. Rarity was panting as she placed Leo in front of the mirror. With expert hoofs and pinpoint magical skills, she tackled the grey sludge that called itself a mane.

"A little trim there, a bit of combing there and...voilà!"

Leo stared at her new mane cut. It was curved and shaped in a ridiculous fashion. Tall, wavy and falling on her back. She could swear this new haircut had more hair than she actually had! How could have this...pony? Was it? How did this pony managed it?

"So? How is it? Beautiful? Chic? Dazzling?" Rarity said, admiring her hoofwork.

Many words came to Leo's mind. None of them were actually flattering.

"Hey Rarity! Are you done yet!?" Pinkie shouted through the door. Rarity mumbled a few un-lady like words. Leo smirked a little at her reaction.

"No Pinkie. For the fifteenth time, no." Rarity said.

"Actually..." Leo said before shaking her head vigorously, completely destroying the combing and returning her mane to her natural style. She smirked when she noticed Rarity's horrified stare.

"I believe we are finished here. Now, if you excuse me, I believe I shall return to the library." Leo said, walking to the door.

"NO!" Pinkie screamed, slamming the door open, missing Leo's face by a hair's breath.

"No?" Leo repeated.

"No! We have to show you around first! You know, so you don't get lost getting to the party is!"

"Party?"

A few minutes later, Leo was being dragged through town, flanked on both sides by Rarity and Pinkie Pie, the latter taking the lead.

"This is the town hall, where all he important stuff happens. And parties."

A few minutes later.

"This is the Sugarcube corner, where I work and make aaaaaalllll the candies you can eat. And parties."

A few more minutes later.

"This is the hospital, were sick ponies get better and smily. And parties."

Passing in front of every major landmark in Ponyville, Leo discovered that in Pinkie Pie's vocabulary there was a single constant.

"You already know the library, so we're gonna skip it, but here's the market where we buy stuff..."

"And let me guess...parties?" Leo said.

"Yes! How did you know?! Do you have psychic powers or something?" Pinkie gasped.

"Lucky guess..." Leo muttered.

Suddenly, Pinkie's ear twitched, followed by her tail, her back leg and small tingle on her entire body. Everypony around her had immediately either ran away or hid under something.

"Wow, what a doozy." Pinkie said.

"What was that?" Leo asked, curious at the weird reaction.

"It's her pinkie sense. It activates every time stuff happens. So, what was it now dear?" Rarity asked.

"Mmm...I don't know, either Twilight discovered a new use for a door knob....or I left a cupcake in the counter, be right back!" Pinkie said before darting off. Leo stared at the trail of dust. She had never seen any zodiac run so fast for food. The again, this planet had already showed that it was not ordinary. Steps were heard as she turned her head, seeing Rarity continuing the stroll.

"Are you not going to wait for your friend?" Leo asked.

"Oh, if you only knew Pinkie like I do. She'll catch up with us." Rarity answered. Leo hesitated before deciding to follow her. Rarity continued Pinkie's mission of showing Leo around, albeit a lot more focused on the task at hoof. They passed in front of places such as the spa, the restaurant, the Quills and Sofas store and finally back at the library. Knocking on the door, a few seconds passed before a roughed up Spike opened the door. There was a small bruise on his head.

"Spike?! What happened to you?!" Rarity asked.

"A door knob bucking irresponsibility out of me." he snarked. Leo raised an eyebrow. For being a scholar, the mare named Twilight sure had some interesting ways of punishing subordinates. Maybe they did have something in common.

"Oh my. Did Twilight do this? I'm gonna have to speak with that mare." Rarity said.

"She's looking for you two now." Spike said.

With that said, both mares started looking for the unicorn. Actually, it was Rarity who was looking for Twilight, Leo simply walked behind her. They searched everywhere. The town square, the town hall, the town market. Pretty much everyplace where Twilight would usually be.

"Oh I give up. We'll never find her at this rate." Rarity sighed.

"She is over there." Leo said pointing a hoof.

Indeed, there she was, walking with a decided trot, though visibly weighted by a large back on her side. Rarity blinked a few times before running towards her, Leo right after her. Twilight didn't even notice them, forcing Rarity to stop in front of her. Twilight skidded to a stop, the extra weight straining her a little.

"Twilight Sparkle. I can't believe you did that to poor Spikey-wikey. No matter what he did, your idea of punishment was uncalled for." Rarity chastised.

"I know. That's why I got this..." she said, motioning to the bag, pulling out a large dusty book.

"You're gonna bring him a book to make up things." Rarity said with a sarcastic tone. Spike wasn't dumb, but he certainly didn't enjoy books.

"No, I got him this..." she replied, bringing out a green jade. It wasn't very big, but it didn't really matter. Rarity knew jade wasn't exactly easy to get. Twilight probably had to make it herself if she had gotten it in such short notice.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Leo said.

"Maybe. I haven't been very nice to him lately. I wanna make things right."

"And what is the book for?"

"Oh it's just an old collection of star maps and such, nothing fancy."

Back at the library, Twilight and Spike quickly made up with each other with a hug, promising to try and treat each other better. Rarity smiled at the scene. Looking at the side, the noticed Leo. She wasn't smiling. Her golden eyes were focused on the couple. Rarity could see something in them. Anger. Determination.

Envy?

"Leo, something's been going on with your ship." Spike said after leaving the hug. That caught everypony's attention. Twilight immediately guided the zodiac to the basement. Right at the center laid the fallen ship. A quiet beeping could be heard. Leo nearly jumped down the stairs in her haste to get inside her transport. Something wasn't right. It was working. The ship was working.

But it wasn't supposed to.

"It was a lot slower earlier. That beeping is getting faster." Spike noted.

Speeding marker.

Working ship.

The signs were clear.

"They are coming..." Leo muttered to herself.

"You said something dear?" Rarity asked. Leo simply bolted out of the ship and ran up the stairs. She was about to exit the library when was lifted over the air, covered in purple magic. Twilight was immediately in front of her. Teleportation probably. But she had no time for this. She had to go now.

"Something set you off. What happened?" Twilight asked with concerned eyes.

"Nothing of your business pony. Release at once." Leo ordered. Twilight's magic didn't even flicker for a second. If anything, her grip on the zodiac intensified.

"I am warning you..." Leo growled, her eyes glowing slightly. Twilight simply added a shield around her, Spike and Rarity.

"I won't let you down until you tell us what is going on." Twilight said. Leo grumbled in response. She grudgingly nodded after a few seconds. Twilight hesitated before letting her go, not before placing a barrier on the door. Better be safe that sorry. Leo gave Twilight a glare before beginning.

"They are coming." She started.

"Who is?" Rarity asked.

Leo sighed. No point in hiding it anymore.

"My siblings."

"The ones you mentioned earlier?" Twilight asked. Leo cringed slightly at the memory of being flustered like that.

"Yes. They will arrive in Equestria shortly."

"Shortly? How shortly?" Spike asked. Leo strained her ear a little. The beeping could be heard from the basement, already going faster. It wouldn't be long now.

"Tonight."

The entire library went silent. The fact that it was lunch time was completely forgotten. Merely two days ago, Equestria had received, for the first time in history, the visit of an alien being who was surprisingly pony like. Now an entire family of them was coming. It would be minutes before anypony said anything.

"Where will they land? Do you know?" Twilight asked.

"Probably on the same place where I crashed. They have me on their sensors already." Leo explained. The room went understandably silent again silent again. Leo shifted a little on her hooves. She was starting to get a little antsy with the silence.

"So...what now Twilight?" Spike asked. Twilight didn't say anything for a few seconds, her gifted brain already coming up with a plan.

"Rarity. Go and find the others and tell them to meet me back at the crash site at sundown." Twilight ordered Rarity, who nodded before running out of the library.

"Spike, I want you to write a letter to the princess explaining everything that has happened so far, but don't send it. Not yet at least." she continued. Spike immediately jumped to the desk, grabbing a quill and a scroll. If Leo wasn't busy worried about the impending family reunion, she would have been amazed at how easily Twilight took command of the situation.

"What...what do I do?" Leo asked, trying her best to hide her growing worry.

"You and I...we're gonna have a chat." Twilight sentenced.