Nostalgia

Family Reunion

Twilight Sparkle levitated her bag as she prepared to get off the train as it pulled into the Canterlot train station. After receiving a letter informing her that Cadance and Shining Armor were finally returning to Canterlot she had decided to come home for a visit. It had been much to long since the whole family had been together.

“Spike we’re here, wake up,” said the excited unicorn as she nudged her sleeping companion.

“Mm, ten more minutes,” muttered the slumbering serpent child.

Twilight rolled her eyes and levitated him onto her back. She exited the car and stepped onto the platform. She had been told that somepony would be there to escort her home, although she could think of no reason she would need one. She studied enough maps of Canterlot as a filly that she could find home from just about anywhere in the city with her eyes closed, or rather with her eyes stuck in a book. She looked all around for a familiar face but saw none. After standing around and looking for some time she decided to just go home by herself. “Pst, Twily.” a hushed voice called out to her. She looked toward the source of the noise and saw a stallion wearing a trench coat, a hat, and dark sunglasses discreetly motioning for her to come toward him. She approached him suspiciously and tried to get a clear look at his face. Once she was close he lifted up his sunglasses to reveal himself to be none other than her big brother.

“Shini-mm.” she was silenced by a forceful hoof to her mouth.

“Twili don’t say my name, just walk.”

Twilight shoved his hoof away. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’ll explain latter, for now let’s just get away from here.”

Twilight sighed in frustration and followed her brother. “Why is it that picking me up at the train station has to be so cloak and dagger,” she said to herself. After they had left the station however Shining Armor seemed to relax a bit.

“Alright, we may speak some now, but be discrete.”

“Ok first off, what’s with the outfit?”

“I’m in disguise.”

“No duh Sherclop but why.” Twilight said. She was becoming ever more annoyed with her sibling’s behavior.

“I’m sorry, I guess none of this really makes sense to you. But surely you can understand my situation. I mean you’re Princess Celestia’s apprentice, one of the Elements of Harmony, and you with your friends have saved the world on multiple occasions. In other words, you’re pretty famous and probably get a lot of unwanted attention right?”

“Well, not really. Back in Ponyville everypony just sees me as the librarian.”

“Really, I guess that’s the advantage of living in a small town where everypony knows each other. Anyway, that’s not how it is in Canterlot. Every time I go out in public I get swarmed by ponies who want to meet me just because I'm royalty, and the incidents with the Changelings as well as Cadance and I aiding the Crystal Empire has everypony thinking that we’re some kind of national heroes, like you.”

“Well, it was you and Cadance that saved the day during the Changeling invasion so you are heroes.”

“The point though is that I can’t go out in public anymore without being surrounded by ponies who want to meet royalty. The worst part is that it’s almost always some rich ponies who want to do me favors or give me gifts so that I’ll use my position to help them get away with unethical business practices to boost profits or get out of paying their taxes. Either that or it’s just airheads who want to meet a famous pony."

“Wow, I can see how that would get real old real quick.”

“Yeah, but at least Cadance and I can find refuge in the palace every once in a while. But for Mom and Dad the whole ordeal has been a nightmare.”

“Really, they’ve not told me about any of that.”

“Yeah, but you know them. They never want to bother others with their problems. However they, like Cadance and me, have been constantly harassed by ponies who want to meet royalty for one reason or another. They even had strangers come to the house all hours of the night.”

“That’s horrible! Didn’t they try to get some kind of help?”

“There wasn’t much they could do. After all it’s not against the law to visit another pony. That’s why they eventually accepted Princess Celestia’s offer to have them moved to the Diamond Quarter.”

“What, they moved!?”

“Not so loud, yes they moved. Didn’t they tell you?”

“No, this is the first I’m hearing of this.”

“I’m sure they would have sent you a letter or something to let you know. Maybe it got lost in the mail, or wait don’t you normally get letters through Spike?”

“Only from Princess Celestia, she only enabled him to do that teleportation spell so that we would have a quick, immediate way to contact each other.”

“Well I’m sorry I just dropped it on you like that, but now you know.” The next few moments were spent in awkward silence. Shining Armor could clearly see his sister was down about the whole thing. “You know it really is a nice house that they’re in now.” he offered. “It’s a lot more spacious than the old place, and the Diamond Quarter isn’t nearly as crowded as our old neighborhood.”

“It won’t be the same.” muttered Twilight.

“Look, I know it won’t be exactly as it was but we’ll all still be together again, and OOF.”

Shining Armor had collided into a mare that had walked across their path. The force of the impact knocked his hat off. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” the mare stammered “I didn’t see anypo…OH MY GOSH, IT’S SHINING ARMOR!”

“Shining Armor’s here!” another mare’s voice cried out.

“He’s over there,” screamed yet another one.

Soon the whole boulevard was swarming with mares all united in their adoration of the unicorn prince. The air became filled with their screams.

“I can’t believe it, he’s here!”

“I love you Shining Armor!”

“Will you sign my flank!?”

Now that his cover was blown Shining Armor could only think of one thing to do. “Run Twilight Run!” he yelled as he bolted.

Twilight took off at full gallop after him. Spike was suddenly awoken by the commotion and was nearly thrown from his equine mistress. He only managed to avoid falling by holding tightly onto her mane.

The two siblings weaved their way through the streets and alleyways desperate to find some way to escape the ever-growing legions of screaming fan-fillies at their tails.

Later that evening in the Diamond Quarter Twilight Velvet stood waiting outside of her and her husband’s new home. “I wonder what could be taking them,” she muttered to herself. “They surly should have been here by now.” However her pondering was soon interrupted by a loud grating sound coming from the street in front of the house. She looked and saw a marehole cover being lifted up and scooted out of the way. The heads of Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike all cautiously poked out and surveyed the surrounding area.

“It looks like we made it,” whispered Shining Armor as he crawled out.

Twilight Velvet trotted over and yelled “what in the world were you doing in the sewers!?”

“Mother, you see I was recognized when I went to get Twilie and Spike, and hiding in the sewers was the only way I could think of to get away from…them.”

“Well you should have thought harder, just look at you. Ugg, you all smell terrible!”

“It’s good to see you to Mom,” Twilight Sparkle said in monotone.

“All three of you to the bathroom right now and clean up,” barked the menacing matriarch. “Go in through the back door and do not walk on the carpet!”

The three of them had spent a great deal of time in the bathroom showering and washing in the bathtub trying to get rid of the smell. Spike was leaning against the wall and waiting impatiently. “How long are you going to be?”

“I don’t know Spike” said Twilight poking her head out from the mass of bubbles in the bathtub. “Unlike you we have all this hair and fur we have to get the smell out of.”

“Aren't hair and fur the same thing” Shining Armor asked as he finished up his third shower.

“Well, yeah technically speaking yes. However unless we’re talking about our manes or tails mares prefer to say fur instead or hair.” said Twilight, embarrassed by the fact that her feminine sensitivities would ever get in the way of scientific practicality. “Geez Shining, I would have thought married life would teach you to be more sympathetic to women.”

“Yeah you’d think so,” he said nonchalantly. “Hey Spike, you think I got the smell all out yet?”

Spike sniffed at Shining Armor’s outstretched foreleg a couple of times before saying “you probably better take one more dip.”

“Again,” the stallion sighed. “Well, scoot over Twi.”

“There’s not enough room for both of us.” Twilight protested.

“Then get out; you’ve been in there long enough.”

A frustrated Twilight exited the bathtub as Shining Armor stepped into the soapy water infused with various shampoos. “Are you finished yet,” whined Spike.

“No Spike, I’m going to take one more shower at least.”

“Well, I don’t want to wait on you all day so I’m leaving.” With that he marched out of the bathroom.

“What’s up with him.” asked Shining Armor.

“He’s just grouchy because he stayed up way to late last night” Twilight replied as she stepped under the streams of hot water. “He was so excited about coming home for a visit that he couldn’t sleep last night. I wonder how’s he’s taking that whole new house thing?”

“Aw he’ll be fine. Any kid would love this house. There’s a big yard to play in, there’s plenty of things to do in the neighborhood, and there’s a pool table in the basement!”

“A pool table.” asked Twilight.

“Yeah Twilie, guys love pool, it’s just like one of those man things you know.”

“I guess I don’t.” she repliled.

After rinsing her main one last time she switched off the water. “I think I’m clean enough now, what do you think?” She walked over to her brother and allowed him to smell her fur.

“Yeah I think you’re good.”

“Alright, I guess I’ll go take a look around this new place,” she said with a noticeable hint of bitterness.

“Hey Twily, you do know that Mom and Dad wouldn’t intentionally keep you in the dark about something means so much to you right?”

Twilight, who had begun to towel off herself, replied “I know that Shiny, I’m not mad at them, not really.”

“I know you’re upset about this whole situation, and I completely understand. Just don’t take it out on them; they were upset too about being forced out of home they were perfectly happy with.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” said Twilight curtly as she tossed the towel to the side and marched out.

Twilight walked down the unfamiliar hallway until she reached the unfamiliar living room. There wasn’t anypony there but she heard sounds of life from the also unfamiliar dining room. There she saw Spike stuffing his face with all varieties of sweets while Twilight Velvet stood by with a delightful grin adorning her face.

“Spike, what do you think you’re doing,” cried Twilight Sparkle. Before she could get a reply or say anything else her mother rushed over and buried her snout into her daughter’s mane and began smelling for any odors which didn’t meet with her approval.

“Good, now you smell like my daughter again.” Twilight Velvet said with satisfaction.

“Mom did you give him all those sweets? You know that’s going to ruin his appetite at dinner, and he’s going to be bouncing of the walls when it’s time for him to go to bed.”

“Oh, it’ll be alright.”

“Well, then he’s not going to be sleeping in my room tonight, or rather wherever I’m going to be sleeping tonight.” said the younger Twilight.

“Don’t worry about that dear.” replied the elder Twilight who had completely missed the implication of her daughter’s peculiar phrasing of her statement. “He’s going to build himself a little fort in the living room.”

“Oh no, don’t let him do that.”

“It’s fine Twilight, let him have his fun.”

“Mom you don’t have to let him mess up the room like that.”

“Now Twilight he’s the closest thing I have to a grand baby so I’m going to spoil him.”

“Yeah mom.” Spike said through mouthful of cake “let Grangran have her fun.”

Twilight sighed in resignation and took comfort in the fact that she would not be the one having to deal with the sugared up dragon baby tonight.

“I know your brother and Cadance haven’t been married a year yet but with the way Princess Celestia keeps them busy I sometimes wonder if they’ll ever be able to just settle down and start a family.” mused Twilight Velvet. “I suppose one day we’ll have calmer times again when the whole world isn’t threatened every year or so and then they can think about such things, but I guess I shouldn’t complain though. I really do think married life has been good for Shining Armor don’t you?”

“Yes.” Twilight Sparkle responded “but when he has a wonderful mare like Cadance for a wife what else would you expect.”

“Your right, a good spouse like her makes all the difference. Speaking of which, Twilight when are you going to find yourself a nice stallion to settle down with?”

“Mom!”

“What, I just want to know if there’s somepony that’s caught your eye.”

“No I’m not interested in anypony right now so just drop it.”

“Hey what’s all the commotion about.” a now clean Shining Armor asked as he entered the room.

“Your sister’s upset because she can’t find herself a coltfriend.”

“No I’m not!” screamed Twilight Sparkle “She was…and then…AAAARRRGGGH.” The aggravated Twilight Sparkle stormed out of the room.

“Sweetheart, what’s the matter,” Twilight Velvet called out. “Is it your time of the month?”

“SHUT UP!”

“Actually now that I think about it that can’t be it otherwise she would have eaten all the chocolate in the house by now. You wouldn’t happen to know what the matter is would you Shining?”

“I might have a theory or two,” Shining Armor muttered.

Twilight left the house in a huff and decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to calm her nerves. She had grabbed a book from her bag in hopes of finding a nice, quiet place to read. She found however that walking in this environment wasn’t very relaxing. Back in Ponyville if ever she felt overly stressed she could go on a walk and have some time alone out in the fresh air to calm down. During her time living there she had become quite fond of country life. The ability to easily sneak off to be by herself suited her introverted nature. However she found no such peace could be found in the city where she could never really get away. Everywhere in the Diamond Quarter were cafés, shops, and large houses as well as other ponies out and about leaving not a private, lonely place anywhere. Twilight therefore decided to sit at a relatively quiet café to have a nice cup of tea while she read. She groaned in irritation when she realized that the title she had grabbed was ‘Hubris and Foredeeming’ by Mane Austin. She was in no mood for anything romantic after her mother had teased about her finding a good stallion which as far Twilight was concerned was the same as telling her to hurry up and get married. This whole mess started not long after Shining and Candance’s wedding. Her mother suddenly became very interested in what sort of stallions live in and around Ponyville and if she was on good terms with any of them, or what sort of men she would be interested in. Almost every letter from home she got would be filled with such questions from her mother. Twilight sighed as she laid her head down on the table. “Maybe it was mistake to come back.” she thought to herself.

Her head laid on the table for quite a period of time, she was beginning to feel very tiered. “I must say I didn’t think this would be where I would first see you today Twilight.” addressed a familiar voice.

Twilight lifted her head to see that it was indeed her father Nightlight. “Daddy,” she cried out as she jumped from her seat and wrapped her forelegs around his neck.

He returned the hug in his own fashion of squeezing her until she could hardly breathe. “It’s so good to see you again sweetheart; it feels like it’s been ages since you were home last.”

“I’ve missed you too.” said Twilight.

The tender moment passed and at last they released each other. “So Twilight, what are you doing here.” Nightlight asked. “I would have thought you’d be at the house.”

“I was, I just thought I would…go out for a while or something.” she said while forcing a smile.

“I see.” said Nightlight who at first looked puzzled but then began to chuckle a bit as he continued. “So your mother wasted no time telling you hurry up and find a husband did she?”

Twilight immediately dropped the insincere smile. “Yeah,” she mumbled.

Nightlight sat down at the table and gestured for Twilight to do likewise. “You know it seems like it’s been no time at all since your mother was worrying about you eating properly when you were a foal. You know for a while you would hardly eat anything at all and never on a regular schedule. Well this caused us a good deal worry because your brother actually had a very hefty appetite when he was a foal. Now we of course later learned that such eating habits aren’t all that unusual for young children. Even so your mother still worried constantly about you, that’s just how she is.”

“Where exactly are you going with this.” Twilight asked.

“Nowhere really, just taking a stroll down memory lane. I find myself doing that more and more as the years go by. If there is a point to be derived from my babbling it would be to try to understand where your mother’s coming from. The way she teases you is just her way of trying to get you to think about where you want to go in life, and in this case who you might want to share it with.”

“Why though? I am perfectly capable of managing my own life perfectly well.”

“She doesn’t doubt that at all. She just thinks that you just need a push in the right direction. You know you were always very shy when you were younger; you almost never spoke to any of the other foals without a bit of coaxing from your mother or me. Do you remember the first time you went to a public library? You didn’t want to go inside at first because of all the strange ponies in there and it took you mother ages to convince you that you would love it.”

“Well I’m not a foal anymore, I’m a grown mare and I don’t need to be led into making good decisions.” Nightlight was silent. “You know that don’t you.” Twilight asked.

“Twilight, I know fully well that you are a very intelligent adult and are ultimately the only one who knows what’s best for you. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t worry too.”

“But Daddy I have a great life already. I love living in Ponyville with my friends and I have a job I both enjoy and am well suited for.”

“Maybe but do you think the life you have in Ponyville is going to last forever? After all you and those friends of yours are still young. Although you might be content to spend the rest of your life there working as a librarian they might have other plans that might someday take them away from that town.”

Twilight remained silent for a moment before saying “It’s not really something I think about but I guess you’re right. I mean I don’t see Applejack or Fluttershy ever leaving Ponyville but I guess you have a point about the others. Both Rainbow Dash and Rarity plan to ultimately leave Ponyville and Pinkie Pie has complained about the lack of any kind of nightlife in such a small town. I suppose she’ll eventually decide to go live somewhere else as well.”

“I understand that you like living close to your friends, but if they’re the only thing keeping you there then it wouldn’t hurt to start planning for the future.” The whole conversation was driving Twilight ever deeper into depths of unhappiness. She hated thinking about the prospect of losing her friends. If Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were to leave it would all but evaporate her social life. Even now it was rare to be able to spend quality time with Applejack as she was almost always preoccupied with running Sweet Apple Acres. Which left Fluttershy, and while Twilight loved her as dearly as any of her other friends, her naturally reserved nature and Fluttershy’s shyness made conversation between just the two of them often feel forced and awkward. She feared that without their mutual friends to help them open up that her friendship with her would eventually fade away. A chill ran down her spine and her chest became constricted in the coils of anxiety. She liked having time to be by herself, in fact she seemed to spend most of her time in solitude engaging in her studies or some other private interest. However there were few things that frightened her more than the thought of inescapable loneliness.

Nightlight saw clearly the state of distress the conversation had put his daughter in. “I’m sorry, don’t listen to me. You know I’ve always been much too pessimistic. We shouldn’t waist our time talking about such things now. We should be enjoying having the whole family being together again. If you’re finished with your tea we should go back to the house, try to patch things up between you and your mother and we’ll all have a nice time together.”

“Alright, better to have it done sooner than later I guess,” sighed Twilight. She downed the last of her tea and , levitating her book, began walking beside her father as they returned home.

Nightlight and Twilight had just entered the house when they heard the distraught voice of Twilight Velvet call out “Twilight is that you?” Within the moment she was at the door, “Oh baby I’m so sorry, it’s no wonder you were upset. After you left your brother told me that you never got our letter about us having to move.”

“She didn’t.” Nightlight asked, “Oh we should have known something was wrong when she made no mention of it in her letters home.”

Twilight had hoped that Shining Armor would have had the sense to keep his mouth shut. She could have done without any extra drama for today. “It’s not a big deal, it shocked me to find out just out of the blue like this but I understand that you had to so I’m not angry about it.”

“But baby this isn’t just nothing.” said Twilight Velvet.

“Yes it is,” snapped Twilight “It was a mistake, I didn’t get your letter for one reason or another and that’s all there is to it. So please let’s just drop it.” Her daughter’s sudden outburst caused Twilight Velvet to flinch in surprise. Twilight sighed and said “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day for me and I’m really tiered now.”

“Alright,” said Twilight Velvet softly. “If you’d like to rest before dinner I’ve set you up in the upstairs guest room. Let me show you where it’s at.” She led her daughter up the stairs and down the hallway. “Here we are.” she said, opening the door to the guest room. “I had your brother move your things up here; you of course may arrange anything to your liking.” Twilight Sparkle entered the room and collapsed onto the bed. Twilight Velvet stood in the door way for a moment, feeling that she ought to say something, but of course there was nothing to say. She sighed and closed the door.

“The guest room huh.” thought Twilight. “So I’m a guest now.”

Twilight laid in bed for a couple of hours, her head pounding from the stress of today’s events. “Everything bad just had to happen today didn’t it.” she complained to herself. Her one pony pity party was interrupted however by a knock at the door. “What is it,” Twilight mumbled.

“Twilight, its alright if I come in right?” spoke the familiar voice of Twilight’s foalsitter turned sister-in-law.

“Cadance” cried the purple unicorn as she leaped from the bed. “Sunshine, sunshine ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake.” The two broke out into giggles as they finished their characteristic song and dance. “Cadance I’m so glad to see you again!” exclaimed Twilight as she embraced her old friend.

Cadance returned the hug. “It’s good to see you too Twilight.” She let a moment pass before releasing the hug and saying “so I’ve heard you’ve had it pretty rough today.”

“Please Cadance let’s not talk about it everything there is to say about it has been said and I just want to put it behind me.”

“You say that, and yet you're still upset.”

“Well, yeah but it’s not like I’m just immediately fine with everything just because I understand why I can’t go home ever again.”

“Why do you say it like that? You’re home here with your family aren’t you?”

Twilight by this point was exhausted both physically and emotionally so that she no longer cared enough to restrain her emotions. “No I’m not,” she moaned pitifully. “My whole life in Canterlot was there. That’s where did all my studying when I wasn’t at the castle. It’s where You, Shining Armor, and I would always play together.”

“I know, I have a lot of great memories of that place as well. But when it comes down to it that house is just a building, even if it’s no longer a part of our lives we still have each other and those wonderful memories and that’s what’s important right?”

“Ugh,” Twilight exclaimed in frustration “I know you’re right. I shouldn’t be having a problem with this. After all moving was the most logical thing Mom and Dad could have done given their situation so I ought to be completely fine with the situation, but this…blows!” She threw herself onto the bed and buried her face in her pillow. “Ugh, why does my life have to suck,” she moaned.

Cadance tried to restrain a chuckle for her sake, but she just found it too funny to see Twilight acting like a little filly again. “I’m sorry Twilight, I’m sure everything will seem better once the shock of it all wears off.”

“Yeah maybe.” Twilight said lifting her head. “So what have you been doing since we last saw each other?” she added, wanting to change the subject.

“A whole lot of work,” sighed Cadance. “Shining and I have been busting our flanks trying to get the Crystal Empire in a position to be able to interact with the rest of the world but it’s been going slow.”'

“It has, but you and Shining Armor came back because you’ve finished your job there haven’t you?”

“No, the crystal ponies just don’t know how the world works anymore now that they’ve been left over a thousand years in the past. They won’t just learn how overnight.”

“So why were you able to come back?”

“Officially Shining and I are here with a representative for the crystal ponies. Given their situation they decided in a referendum to become a protectorate of Equestria for the time being. Once everything is in order we will presumably be going back as viceroys of Celestia and Luna."

“Oh,” Twilight said disappointedly. “Well I guess that’s understandable. After all Princess Luna had a rough start getting used to the new Equestria after she first came back, I can’t imagine what it’s been like for a whole civilization like that.”

“It’s funny that you should mention Luna, she’s actually the other reason we came back to Canterlot. You know her birthday is coming up, right?”

“Oh, it is coming up isn’t it, since she doesn’t ever make a big deal out of it I had forgotten. I guess I need to find a gift for her while I’m in town.”

“Maybe I'll go with you when you do." said Cadance. "Celestia wants me to help arrange a royal celebration that everypony observes like they do for her birthday. I could use a shopping spree to relax myself a little." Cadance giggled.

“I’m not so sure Princess Luna would like a big celebration like that. As far as I know the only social event she’s really participated in is Nightmare Night celebration in Ponyville.”

  “Yes but she needs to participate in more social events like the Grand Galloping Gala, the Hearths Warming Eve Celebration, and her own birthday party if the ponies of Equestria are to accept her as a leader in her own right instead of just being Celestia’s little sister. Besides, while she hasn’t cared for such things since we’ve known her, according to Celestia she did enjoy these kind of special events back in the day.”

“Really, that’s just so hard to visualize.”

“Yes but if you think about what happened to her it is understandable that she’d be reluctant to waltz back into a social life.”

“I guess that makes sense, but how does Luna feel about all this?”

“She understands that she needs to go along with it but she still isn’t very enthused about the whole thing.”

“Oh that’s too bad. Hey maybe I can help with that, after all I did help her with getting use to Nightmare Night so I could try to help her with this.”

Cadance hesitated for a moment then said “I guess there wouldn’t be any problem with you helping out with organizing the event and prepping Luna. I know Celestia wouldn’t mind and Luna might like a friend, but are you sure you want to spend your time at the castle instead of with your family?”

“I’ll have plenty of time to spend with my family. Besides Dad still has to work during the day and if I stay here Mom is just going to keep telling me that I need to find a husband.”

Cadance giggled and said “Twilight, you know she’s just teasing you.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to hear it, especially not from her.”

“Alright then,” replied Cadance, still giggling. “Anyway I came up here originally to tell you that dinner is ready, so we should probably head downstairs before my husband eats it all.”

Twilight jumped from the bed. “Absolutely no way that’s happening. After today I’m going to eat to my heart’s content and he’ll be lucky if I leave anything for him.” She marched out the door as if on a war path.

Cadance sighed with a grin. “I can’t believe how much of a child she still is.”