Halcyon Hearts

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Chapter 8

Chapter 2

Time stood still for a few moments. Rainbow Dash looked at her father, Rainbow Spectrum looked at his daughter, and Fluttershy looked for what she hoped was the fastest way out.

But no amount of planning could have saved her, because it was her that Rainbow Dash turned on first.

“What in Tartarus is he doing here?!” She demanded, looking angrier than Fluttershy had ever remembered seeing her. The voice had raised to a volume so loud, Fluttershy had to wonder if it was being heard in Canterlot.

“Um...I...I found him...um, outside Ponyville, and...he said he was...looking for you...”

“And you brought him right to me? Shy, what were you thinking?”

“Well, um... technically I brought you to him...” Rainbow Dash’s glare told her that arguing technicalities might get her smacked. Her friend had never physically hurt her, ever, but she looked mad enough at that moment to break her promise.

“Dashie...” Spectrum said weakly. “I came to...”

“Save it!” She yelled, shooting a look so dirty that the Apple farm’s pigs would be repulsed by it. The stallion immediately closed his mouth, tears welling in his eyes.

As she shot her glare, Rainbow Dash finally bothered to actually look at her father. And, much to her surprise, her anger lifted somewhat. He looked frail, sickly. She remembered her father being a reasonably well built stallion, but now he looked like a stiff breeze could break his ribs. His face was far more wrinkled than she remembered, even taking into account the years that passed, and each stripe in his mane was greying, even further than his age. She strongly suspected he had been filthy when Fluttershy found him.

Still, the cyan mare found her anger again, although this time it was much more restrained. “Fifteen years. You had all that time to make things right, and you wait until now to just walk on into town and try to kiss up to me? Are you kidding?”

Spectrum gulped, but managed to speak again. “Please, Dashie, let me explain...”

“Explain what? That after all this time, you’re showing up after I’m a national hero? After I got into the Wonderbolts... that’s right, I did it, no thanks to you... and now you want to make things right?”

“I-it isn’t like that, really!”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.” She turned to Fluttershy. “If you really want to keep this idiot here, be my guest, but I better not see him again.” With that, Rainbow flew out of the house at a speed that nearly created a Sonic Rainboom.

Fluttershy placed a hoof to her muzzle, hovering over the window her friend just flew out of and looking into the sky where a trail of rainbow was left behind. The shattering of glass alerted her senses and she turned sharply to see Spectrum limping to the window.

“Oh no!” she gasped and flew to Spectrum’s side, holding him. “Please sir, you have to get back into bed now.”

Spectrum, though weak and frail he was, still tried to push past Fluttershy. “I have... I have to tell her... how sorry... I...” he could not finished the words, as he coughed violently, not bothering to cover his mouth in the process. Feeling he was not going to get past the kind pegasus, he submitted and was lead back to couch that acted as a bed for him.

Fluttershy quickly flew to the kitchen and poured another glass of water, hurrying over to the wheezing stallion. “Here,” she said as she gave him the water, which he finished in one gulp. She heard him let out a sigh and rested his weary head to the couch’s arm rest. “I will get the other bed ready for you.”

Spectrum just looked at the ceiling, with red eyes and biting his lower lip. “She hates me...”

“Pardon?”

“She hates me so much... but I deserve it after a-”

“No!” Spectrum turned to Fluttershy, who he saw stood over him and looked at him with narrowing eyes. “Rainbow is my best friend, and she could never hate a family member, ever! Especially her father!”

Spectrum blinked, “But-”

“No ‘Buts’, sir!” she exclaimed, with him nodding his head furiously. Fluttershy eyes rounded as she smiled kindly. “I know Rainbow can be stubborn at times, and even boastful. But I know how caring she can be. She is the most loyal friend anypony can ever have. She is also one of the best mothers I have ever met, you won’t believe how-”

Spectrum’s eyes shrank, with his jaw dangling agape. “M-mother?!”

“Oh, yes. She has a little daughter. It’s so sweet the way she’s so protective of her...”

“She’s only in her early twenties, and she’s taking care of an infant by herself?”

“What? Oh, no, Scootaloo just turned ten...”

“What?!”

Twilight tossed a few bits to the two pegasus stallions that had pulled her chariot back to Ponyville as Spike pulled out his saddlebags, weighed down with the spoils his extended family had given him.

“I don’t see the workers here, so the extra room must be finished. I know you’re looking forward to having your own room.”

“Yeah!” The colt said happily as he ran for the door. Or at least, what passed for running with the weight he was being forced to carry.

As soon as the door was opened, he dashed up the stairs, past his mother’s bedroom door and to a brand new one, flinging it open.

Inside was his own room, for the very first time. A simple single bed with a bedside table, a bookshelf lined with junior novels and comic books, and a writing desk were all the furniture that decorated it at the moment. A simple circular rug was on the floor, and a window covered with the usual purple drapes was on one side. A closet was off to the side, but the only thing currently in it was his tuxedo, which he was no longer able to wear now that he was a pony.

“Put everything you got in Canterlot in its proper place, now please.”

Spike rolled his eyes, but he began doing as he was told. Living with Twilight meant everything had a proper place, so he resignedly began his work. His writing set was placed in a drawer in his desk, his armor and hoofball gear in a box in his closet. A few new books went onto his shelf. Soon he was unpacked.

Glancing around his room one final time, he went back downstairs, where his mom was unpacking.

“Can I go out and see my friends?”

She nodded. “Of course, just be back before sundown for magic training.”

Spike trotted towards her, and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Will do, Mom,” he told her, and he saw her smiling broadly. He began to gallop out the door, but he stopped. An idea came to him. He dashed back upstairs to his room. After about five minutes, he raced back down, wearing his armor.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but a smile crossed her features just the same. “Going to show your armor off?”

He nodded. “Yeah! It looks so cool!”

“Well, you better be careful. If a filly sees you in that, you’ll probably end up with a fillyfriend by the end of the day,” she winked.

Red showed on Spike’s face. “Uh, well... Igottagobye!”

Twilight giggled softly as she smiled broadly watching her son run off. She turned back to unpacking the rest of her items and placing them in their proper order before heading to a perch where Owlicious was sitting at.

“So I take it everything went well here?”

The owl looked at her with unblinking eyes, “Hoo.”

Twilight nodded as she tried to understand, “So I take it as a yes?”

Owlicious nodded, “Hoo.”

Twilight let out a sigh before looking at him and patting his head affectionately, “That’s good to hear, where’s Peewee?”

Just as she asked that question, a phoenix came flying down to another perch next to Owlicious’. Peewee had grown exceptionally during the months he lived with Spike and Twilight. A pony would often mistake it for being Princess Celestia’s pet phoenix, Philomena. Though Spike was one of the few who could easily distinguish the phoenix apart from others, seeing as he raised the bird.

“Oh hi there Peewee, hope you’re well, too,” Twilight spoke to the inferno bird, with it nodded its head furiously. Twilight reached out a hoof to pat it, but as soon as she touched Peewee, a jet of flame shot out of the phoenix’s beak. Once the fire streak ended, Peewee flew off, no doubt looking for Spike.

Twilight opened her eyes and blinked twice, with her head being numb from being charred. Though it wasn’t serious, strands of hair did turn to ash and she furrowed her eyebrows and scrunched her lips.

“Still need to work up to his trust circle, I see,” she noted to herself, with her ears turning to a source of laughter coming from Owlicious. She turned to see him hanging from his perched, flapping his wings and giving off a laughter that suited an old stallion’s cackle.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she walked past, heading upstairs. “Laugh it off will you,” she told him as he continued. “Watch the library for about an hour. I need to wash up,” she ordered him, but the rest of her hair turned to ash that fell to the ground and the owl laughter’s volume rose beyond expectionations. “Make that three hours...”

Spectrum lay on Fluttershy’s couch, weeping, both out of relief and out of sadness. It was a joy hearing that his daughter hadn’t gotten pregnant as a teenager, but on the other hoof...

“My foal...my little foal went through all that? And my granddaughter...I wasn’t there to help protect her.”

“Sir, please, there was nothing you could do...”

“I missed it,” he wailed, cutting her off. “I missed my daughter becoming a mother.” He attempted to stand back up. “I have to find her, I...”

Fluttershy pushed her patient back onto his makeshift bed. “None of that, now. The condition I found you in, you shouldn’t be walking for another week, let alone flying.”

“But I need to...” he began, but Fluttershy cut him off with her trademark Stare. He winced and lay back down.

“Rest,” she commanded gently. “You’ll never be able to make it up to her if you get yourself killed.”

She felt his forehead. His fever was beginning to climb. “Oh, dear. Angel, get me a warm washcloth.”

Angel, who had been on his back munching an extra large carrot, moaned but did as he was told. As the bunny hopped off, Fluttershy turned back to Spectrum.

“I’ll get the rest of Dash’s friends, and you can talk to them all. They’ll help you with your daughter.”

Spectrum groaned, looking at Fluttershy with pleading eyes. “Can you get them now? Please?”

The yellow pegasus shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere until you cool off... and until you’ve had another meal. You need to get more nourishment in you if you're going to get back on your hooves.”

The stallion just sighed. “Every second I’m here, Dashie is just getting madder and madder.”

“Now don’t say that. I bet she’s actually starting to regret walking out on you right now.”

Rainbow Dash had run out of clouds to kick. She regretted being so fast at her work for the first time. Groaning, she sat in a branch of one of Applejack’s apple trees and looked into the sky, lost in thought.

She had been expecting it. She was a hero of Equestria, after all, her picture had been in the papers. She knew her father would come to her, trying to act like everything was just one big misunderstanding to get in her good graces.

She tensed up. Would he try getting to Scootaloo too? Buttering her up... she wouldn’t put it past him. Well, if he harassed her daughter, he’d regret it, she’d make him regret it.

She bit her lower lip, as another thought came to her mind. What if he was just acting, so that he could just take her away from everything that she has gained? Her friends, her daughter, even her dream of being a Wonderbolt? She looked up to the skies, narrowing her eyes.

“There’s no way anypony will take me away from my friends or my daughter, not even him...” she thought out loud to herself, her last word dripping in venom. She laid back on the tree, closing her eyes slowly. As she did, she tried to think of happy thoughts. How her friends always cheered her up, how Scootaloo was so full of energy and determination as she was, how the Wonderbolts accepted her to their ranks.

Her eyes shot open as the Wonderbolts came to her mind, “Oh horse apples! I’m suppose to be at a meeting today!” she said out loud, jumping off the tree and flying off to the academy.

Spike walked to the clubhouse, where the rest of his friends most likely were at. He reached the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse that was near the apple acres, and heard the voices inside. He recognized the voices as fillies; most likely Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

“Hello?” He entered the clubhouse, and saw something he hadn’t expected to see. The club’s podium was out, and Apple Bloom was standing in front of it. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, the other two founding members, were sitting in the seats in front of it. Light, who had joined at the same time he had, was sitting next to his fellow pegasus. But next to him was another pony.

“Spike? Is that you?” Pip noted. Even if Spike hadn’t seen him, his thick Trottingham accent would have given him away. “What th’ blazes are you wearin’?”

“My Uncle Shiny got me this armor for saving the Crystal Empire,” he said, standing at attention despite his surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m th’ newest member. Tis me initiation.”

“Spike,” Light cut in, “what are you doing wearing that? You look ridiculous.”

The former dragon huffed. “I do not. Do I? Sweetie, do I look silly? ...Sweetie?”

At that point, the colts noticed something. The fillies hadn’t said a word since he came in. Not that they hadn’t noticed him. To the contrary, they seemed quite intent on watching him. Closely.

“Uh... girls?”

The three shook out of their stupor. “Wha...? Sorry, Spike,” Apple Bloom muttered, red coloring her cheeks. “It was just... a surprise to see you dressed like that.”

“See?” Light boasted. “I told you you looked silly.”

Spike’s ears drooped. “Maybe I should take it off...”

“No!” Sweetie said quickly. “You should... uh, wear it to initiate Pip! It’ll be just like a real knighting!”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said slowly, her cheeks matching Apple Bloom and Sweetie’s. “It’ll look better.”

Spike perked up. He trotted to the front of the room with a faux regal air, stopping in front of the podium. Just as he was doing this, Peewee flew in from one of the clubhouse windows, coming to rest safely on his master’s back.

“Peewee!” Sweetie said happily, getting up to pet the phoenix.

“Don’t... not if you value your hair,” he told her as he looked behind him and saw Peewee resting on his back. “Mom’s still having problems with him.”

“Cool! ‘Owed you get a phoenix for a pet?” Pip asked.

“I saved him from some dragons...” he began, but he suddenly remembered he was talking to the newest member. “Wait, how’d you get into the Crusaders?”

“Well, it started the day after you left...”

Morning in Ponyville shimmered and shined, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, minus Spike, were happily heading to the clubhouse to organize the day’s events.

“I got a letter from Babs,” Apple Bloom said. “She says the east coast Cutie Mark Crusaders are startin’ up real nice.”

“Cool. Maybe this summer both branches can meet and...”

They were cut off by a pebble hitting Scootaloo in the forehead. The pegasus winced, putting her hoof to her forehead. “Hey!”

Sure enough, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were the one’s responsible. “Your cousin might have been a blank flank, but she knew how to keep you losers in your place!”

“You better not have left a mark!” Scootaloo warned.

“Why? At least you’ll have a mark somewhere!”

Scootaloo’s eyes narrowed and she took a nearby pebble and was ready to throw it at her target, but a hoof stopped her.

“Don’t, Scootaloo. She’s not worth it,” Light told her as he held her hoof, but let go quickly when she starred at it not with angry eyes but rather bewildered ones.

Diamond Tiara just snickered, “Yeah, listen to your loser of a coltfriend.”

Light turned to her with his eyebrows furrowed, “I got three words for ponies like you. Get a life.”

Scootaloo snorted and she laughed out loud, followed with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom joining in.

Silver Spoon fidgeted her hooves as she saw Diamond Tiara’s face becoming red like a tomato. “Why you little reject! I don’t need to listen to the words of an unwanted colt.”

The laughter died almost immediately. The fillies of the Cutie Mark Crusaders knew that this was a low blow to Light, but all Light did was roll his eyes.

“That’s really getting old, you know?”

“Well, I’m not finished yet!”

Apple Bloom walked up and pushed Light and the others back, “Everypony, let’s just go. Diamond Tiara never learns...”

Diamond Tiara chuckled wickedly, “At least you have a brain, unlike the rest of your family that is.”

Apple Bloom stood silent and slowly turned to Diamond Tiara, with her eyes showing fire. “Repea’ th’t again?”

“I said-”

“Oi! Leave now ye uneducated snob!”

The attention of all the ponies turned to a small earth pony colt, who was glaring at Diamond Tiara. He walked up in front of Apple Bloom and never left his gaze upon.

“What you say to me, you dirty fly?!”

“Go gaffe, yeh gormless hag.”

Diamond Tiara’s mouth hung open and she scratched her head, with her eyebrow arched.

Pip sighed and rolled his eyes, “Go home, you dumb hag!”

Diamond Tiara lips constricted when she heard the Cutie Mark Crusaders laughing at her, “You better shut up shorty!”

Pip grinned, “How original of a tosser,” he responded, and heard the laughter from the Cutie Mark Crusaders growing louder.

Silver Spoon walked up to Diamond Tiara and grabbed her shoulder, “Tiara, let’s just go,” she told her in a hushed tone.

“Fine!” she said and began to walk away, “Until next time you blank flanks!” she shouted out as she and her friend galloped away.

Pip sighed and he turned around, “Do they always do that?”

The Cutie Mark Crusader nodded their heads, “Yeah, it’s gettin’ really annoying. Like crows in the cornfield,” Apple Bloom remarked as she one time chased away crows during corn harvest.

Light walked up to Pip, “You’re not from Ponyville, are you?”

“Nay, I’m from Trottingham.”

“Cool. Name’s Light,” he reached out a hoof and bumped it with Pip’s

“Philip Willheart, but everypony calls me Pip or Pipsqueak.”

Apple Bloom came forward, “Thanks fer helpin’ us out there,” she said to him, and giggled softly as he turned away with his cheeks burning slightly.

“We-Well, those tossers need to learn,” he said dismissively. “Well then, adieu,” he began to walk away from the group.

“Wait!” Apple Bloom ran to him and held onto his shoulder, “Why not hang out with us?”

Pip blinked as he stared at her with a blank face, “I thought it was members only?”

Apple Bloom looked back at her friends who nodded as though they knew what she was thinking. “Well, I thought of something...”

“.. and that’s how I got invited,” he finished his story and saw Spike nod his head.

“That’s cool, well then... let’s begin,” he said as Pip rushed back to the back of the room, where the other members were sitting.

Spike cleared his throat, then spoke in as masculine a voice as he could manage. “Pip, come forward!”

Pip took a gulp and trotted forward to Spike, feeling a few beads of sweat roll down his head. He saw the others looking on in anticipation, which added to his nervousness. Once he reached Spike, he saw the unicorn draw out a sword and held it with his mouth.

“Bow, Pip,” he ordered Pip to do so, and he saw Pip kneeling down with his head lowered. “Do you, Pipsqueak, take the symbol of the Cutie Mark Crusaders in honour and valour?”

“I do.”

“And will you uphold the values of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, to help those who have not yet earned their cutie marks to achieve their destinies?”

“I do.”

Spike tapped the sword on his two shoulders, “Then rise,” he told Pip, which he had done. “It is by the decision of the council to grant you the sacred mantle of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sweetie Belle, if you will,” he asked her, but only hear silence. “Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle was staring with glittering eyes at Spike, with a smile forming on her mouth that stood slightly agape. “Sweetie!” she shook her head after she felt her rib cage being nudged by Apple Bloom.

“Sorry!” she whispered and rushed to Spike, holding a parcel in her teeth that she gave to Spike’s outstretched hoof. She caught a quick glimpse of his green eyes looking at her, and she turned away as her cheeks turned red. She backed away from Spike and took her seat next to Apple Bloom, who she heard giggling uncontrollably. “Shush!” she hissed at the earth pony and looked down fiddling with her hooves.

Spike coughed slightly to regain his muscular voice, “Pipsqueak, from this moment on... you are officially a Cutie Mark Crusader!” Spike finished after he gave Pip the cape and saw him put it on.

A round of applause came from all the ponies in the room, and Pip was left standing there wearing a broad smile as he looked around and back at his cape that bore the colt symbol of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Apple Bloom decided to walk up and dismissed Spike and Pip, who took seats with the other ponies. “Now then, onto other matters now...”

Sweetie Belle sat next to Spike, and eyed his armor thoroughly. “That was really cool back there, Spike,” she whispered to him as Apple Bloom continued talking.

Spike looked at Sweetie and took off his helmet, with a soft blush forming. “Thanks hey, though I guess the stallion voice wasn’t that catching.”

A smile crept slowly on Sweetie’s muzzle, “To me it was...” she whispered softer.

“Sorry?”

“N-nothing!” she blushed.

“So, all in favor?” Apple Bloom’s voice cut into the conversation.

The two unicorns suddenly realized they had missed what Apple Bloom proposed. Seeing the others raising their hooves, they quickly raised theirs as well.

“Then it’s decided!” the farmfilly said happily. “We’re gunna try apple farmin’ as our next cutie mark!”

“...Huh?”

“I’m gonna make it! I’m gonna make it! I’m gonna make it!”

Rainbow Dash breathed heavily as she flew closer to the Training Camp. She was grateful that this wasn’t a uniformed meeting, she didn’t have to waste time changing, and every second counted.

In a flash, she was above the camp, and in another, she was at the ceremony area. The others were already lined up, and Rainbow Dash got in her place just as Spitfire came up to inspect them.

“Alright, rookies, listen up,” the scratchy voiced pegasus began. “You have all performed admirably on your exams. And even though we’ve had some unfortunate experiences, you are all ready to move on to the next stage of your training.”

After clearing her throat, she continued. “Starting today, you will be partnered into pairs. Your partner will not be subservient to you, nor will they be greater than you. You will be equals. I don’t care if you don’t like your partner. I don’t care if your partner does not like you. From this point on, the two of you must act, fly, and combat as a single unit. Personal squabbles, and quests for glory, have no place among you any longer. The safety of Equestria is in your hands, rookies. Now, when I call your name, step forward!”

Her assistant hoofed over a clipboard. She looked at the first grouping. “Snowflake and... Thunderlane.”

The two ponies stepped forward, paired off, and went to one side. Spitfire returned to her list. “Cloudchaser and Skyblazer.” Again, they paired off. And so it went, until there were only three left.

Rainbow Dash blinked. Three? How did that...

“Lightning Dust and Cloudkicker,” Spitfire announced, with the two ponies coming forward, the latter not looking happy and the latter looking apologetic.

Rainbow Dash looked around, then back to her commanding officer. Just as she was about to speak, Spitfire cut her off. “Yes, Private, I have a partner for you, a special one in fact. See, we got a late recruit, but he’s more than deserving of his rank.”

At this, she turned her head back. “Hey, newbie! Front and center!”

Rainbow looked to her side with a smile, though the smile soon turned upside down seeing who it was. Her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets and her mouth left agape.

“Yo! Blaze Stream reporting for duty, ma’am!”

“W-what?!”

Chapter 3

“What are you doing?” Rainbow asked Blaze as they trotted outside to meet the others.

Blaze shrugged. “Starting training today as a future Wonderbolt, the same as you I presume-”

“That’s not what I meant!” Rainbow glowered as she locked her eyes on the bracelet Blaze was still wearing. “You’re supposed to be on house arrest! And I thought it was declared that you were going to be Twilight’s assistant!”

Blaze smirked and let loose a soft chuckle as he walked past Rainbow, hearing her grind her teeth. “Well this is part of my sentence, something one particular pony thought to add on.”

“Who?”

“Scootaloo.”

Rainbow scrunched her lips. “No way would my girl ask a creep to be in the Wonderbolts!”

Blaze simply smiled. “Not only that, she also thought I should be your partner...” he finished as he joined the others standing behind a line.

Rainbow shook her head and slowly closed her eyes, “I’m gonna have a word with her tonight...” she muttered to herself.

“Attention!” Soarin shouted to the recruits, and saw them react to the call of the vice-captain. He turned to see Spitfire walk towards the line where the recruits were standing.

“Alright troops, listen up! I’m only gonna say this once! My name is Captain Spitfire for those of you who don’t know me and you’re all the new rookies that have made it this far. But I’m not impressed by that! What impresses me is originality, teamwork, dedication, determination and loyalty!” she shouted out to the pegasi, but her gaze fell on Rainbow Dash. “Now! First order of business, synchronization! In order to be a Wonderbolt, you all have to act together like you share one mind! Do you get me!?”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am!” all the recruited shouted out, with most of them sweating profoundly.

Spitfire grinned, seeing all the look on the recruits faces. “Ok! On the blow of my whistle, I want one group in the air and fly through the obstacle as fast as they can... with both of you working in time. Synchronization is what I am looking for here! Lightning Dust, Cloudkicker!” Spitfire blew hard on her whistle.

Applejack couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even close her mouth. She tried closing her eyes and opening them, hoping the sight would go away. Sorry to say, it did not happen.

There were pineapples everywhere. Anywhere. All of her crops, all of her family’s hard work... were now pineapples.

“Wha? How? Wha... buh...” The farmpony babbled, her right eye twitching furiously.

Spike rubbed the back of his head. “Well... I guess apple farming isn’t our cutie marks, huh?”

The mare turned and glared at the six foals standing awkwardly to one side. “How did this happen!?”

“Well, we were tryin’ to get our cutie marks in apple farmin’,” Apple Blom explained, twisting her hoof in the dirt. “An, well, Spike said he could probably get the apples brighter, with Sweetie’s help...”

“How the hay did that turn these into pineapples!? This is gunna be a disaster to our business!”

“Why? We can just sell pineapples instead...”

“This ain’t a climate fer growin’ pineapples! Pineapples don’t even grow on trees! This ain’t physiologically possible!”

The foals gaped at her.

“What? Ya think I don’t know big words!? What are we...”

At that moment, there were several little flashes of light as reality snapped back into place, and every pineapple lost the pine part of its name.

“Oh, well... that’s a relief,” Applejack said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Yeah...” Spike mused. “Maybe if I tried again, we can get the spell...”

“Get out! Go on, git!” Applejack yelled, sending the foals scurrying for the hills as the mare waved her hat in anger.

They didn’t stop until they were back at the Clubhouse, all catching their breath.

“I ain’t lookin’ forward t’ goin’ home tonight,” Apple Bloom said miserably.

Pip hung his head low, catching his breath. “We dodged a boulder on th’t one, but your sister’s like a hydra on the loose.”

Sweetie giggled as she she shook her head, “You haven’t seen my sister yet, have you? When you even mess on a tiny bit of her dress, she’ll have your head,” she finished and the others chuckled along with her.

Spike rolled his eyes as he grinned, “Trust me Sweetie; if you think Rarity or Applejack can be mad, you haven’t worked for my mom yet. It’s like bucking all the apple trees in the orchard ten times each in an hour.”

Light’s eyes widened with his mouth agape, “That’s insane... lucky Blaze isn’t like that,” he said as they began walking down the road to Ponyville.

Spike eye twitched slightly. “Isn’t he supposed to be working today with my mom?”

Light shook his head. “No, he said he had another job along with being Twilight’s assistant. Didn’t say what exactly...”

Scootaloo scrunched her lips, suppressing the giggling come from her mouth. The others looked at her with arched eyebrows.

“Scootaloo, ya’ll know something about that?”

Scootaloo continued giggling as she closed her eyes, but swallowed the the laughter to breath. “You will find out soon enough.”

Light furrowed his eyebrows and walked right next to Scootaloo, brushing his shoulder against hers. He heard her gasp softly and saw her magenta eyes looking into his blue eyes.

“Tell me.”

“Nope!”

He sighed and closed his eyes, opening them up again to reveal them slightly moist. “Please...”

Scootaloo grinded her teeth, trying to look away. She starting sweating, followed by her hanging her head low and letting out a sigh. She leaned in closer to Light’s ears and started to whisper.

Light’s eyes, now narrowed as he listened intently to Scootaloo, widened as his lips turned small and round shape.

“No way!”

“What?” Apple Bloom demanded.

“N-nothing,” Light said, barely containing his laughter. He couldn’t imagine the look that must be on Rainbow Dash’s face at the moment, but he wished he could see it. Still, maybe he should keep it with the others for now, if only for the entertainment value. It would be funnier if they found out when his brother made his official debut.

"So who's going be Twilight's assistant when Blaze is busy with another job?" Sweetie couldn’t help but ask.

"Well I'll help Mom out in the morning and at night when it’s time for my lessons..."

He stopped dead, his eyes widening. He looked up at the sun, and found it was too far to the west for his liking.

“My magic lesson! I’m going to be late!”

“In that case, th’ Cutie Mark Crusaders are retiring fer th’ day. We all better be headin’ home...” Apple Bloom gulped. “Even me.”

Pip kicked at the dirt. “There nuthin’ else we could try?”

“‘Fraid not. Either it’s all of us crusadin’, or none of us. We can meet after school tomorrow.”

The colts and fillies muttered their goodbyes and began departing, Apple Bloom nervously inching back to the farm, Pip seemingly slinking away, and Light and Scootaloo taking off for the air.

This left Spike and Sweetie walking the street into town alone.

As they trotted into town, the two stayed silent, only the sound of Spike’s armor clanking as he walked filled the air.

“So,” Sweetie said, so casually that it was awkward, ”Are you going to wear that to school tomorrow?”

“No.” The answer was blunt. “This thing is heavy. I’m aching to get it off. And it’s so hot... I don’t know how Uncle Shiny can stand it.”

“Oh...” Sweetie said, disappointed.

Spike looked at Sweetie’s face, noticing downward gaze of her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll never wear it again,” he added quickly. “I might wear it for NightMare Night... or special meetings like today.”

Sweetie smiled softly and looked up to the sunset. “I hope tomorrow will be as good as today,” she said as she looked at Spike, seeing his eyes closed.

Spike sighed as he opened them, “Well I hope so too, not like I’ve never been to school before. Though I did go to some of Mom’s classes.” He shuddered at the memory. “Most of the ponies there thought I was a pet.”

Sweetie blinked, “Really?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. Almost immediately he shook the thought off. “But I try not to think about that. Well, looks like we’re here now.”

The two foals stood outside the boutique, with a closed sign in the entrance window. Sweetie walked on ahead to the door, but stopped when she opened it halfway. She turned to Spike and walked up to him.

“Take off your helmet.”

Spike arched an eyebrow, “Huh?”

“Just do it, please.”

Spike shrugged and took the helmet off his head, revealing his green golden-highlighted hair all in a mess.

Sweetie leaned to his cheek and nuzzled it with hers. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school, ok?” she told him, with her cheeks slightly burning.

Spiked just nodded, unable to process the feeling he was having inside him.

“Goodnight,Spike,” she said as she walked into the boutique and closed it, leaving behind a petrified colt.

The sun going down was a sight to behold, especially this high up. After a hard day of training, the recruits welcomed it almost as much as they welcomed the drinks that Spitfire was finally allowing them to take.

“Drink up rookies, you earned it,” the commander stated as she walked away. “You know when the next practice is, so until then, stay sharp.”

Few acknowledged their commander’s departure, most were just happy to see the exercises end. Rainbow Dash didn’t even bother to try and find a table away from Blaze, opting to just crash down and rest her tired muscles.

Blaze, however, seemed less exhausted, though no less eager for water, as he gulped the liquid out of his water bottle. His partner looked at him with surprise.

“How the hay did you get so much endurance?”

He looked off into the distance. “Compared to Bloodwing, this was a cakewalk.”

Flinching at the answer, Rainbow Dash looked for a way to change the subject. “Did you get Light signed up for school?”

He nodded. “I had no problems there. Bloodwing at least had the decency to let me keep teaching him things... I guess most of it stuck.”

Dash brushed this off. “All classroom stuff is pretty much bunk. He’s about the age to get a cutie mark, then it won’t matter.”

Blaze couldn’t help but agree. Light, along with his fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, would graduate in two years. By then, most ponies had their cutie marks, and continued their education however the mark dictated. Most ponies forgot their what they were taught in primary school fairly quickly.

“Poor Light... he was like me, abandoned by his parents... never got a chance to go to a real school.”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Abandoned... like you? But...”

Blaze looked at her oddly until realization hit. “Oh, you thought we were related? By blood?”

“Well, you’ve always called him your brother...”

“And he is, ever since we met at that orphanage.”

Rainbow looked down at her water, with her eyes never leaving it. She then looked up to Blaze and saw him drink out of his own bottle.

“Interesting fact, I gave him his name,” he blurted out when he finished his bottle.

Rainbow blinked and looked surprised. “Really? You named him? So you’re saying he never had a name?”

Blaze shook his head. “Nah, and an orphan who is not named gets a number... didn’t seem fair to the little colt, so I gave him one.”

Rainbow chuckled softly, “That’s kinda awesome.” she said as she too finished her water. “So why does he call you bro?”

Blaze spoke the next sentence as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Because he’s my family.” After fiddling with his bottle a bit, he added, “Some of the others said I should be his dad since I named him.”

Rainbow Dash’s smile turned sour all of a sudden and she looked down to the ground, eyes narrowed as though she was wanted the grass to die.

“Something I said?” he asked her, but before he could get an answer he looked up to the sky. “Oops, need to be off now. Check you next week, partner.” he said as he flew off, leaving behind Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow stood up and stretched her legs, feeling a few bones click and she ruffled her feathers. “Better head off too, don’t wanna let my girl come home with nopony to greet her,” she said to herself as she took to the sky. She furrowed her eyebrows, as the thought of him came to her head and she flew faster, trying to get rid of the image.

“Stay calm, stay focused. Don’t tense your muscles, just stay relaxed and let the magic flow from you,” Twilight instructed.

Spike sat with his flank on the floor, in front of a simply wooden object with three pegs sticking out of it. Around each peg was some weighted discs.

“Now, grab the first weight.”

Spike concentrated, and his aura surrounded the weight in question. With a small shake, it began rising.

“Good, you’re doing great, keep it up!”

Slowly, the weight lifted until it was off the peg.

“Good, good! Now, float it over to the next peg.”

Spike obeyed, the weight moving to its destination. However, it was only halfway there before the aura disappeared and the grip was lost. The weight fell with a clang.

“I... I’m sorry, Mom,” Spike blushed, “I just...”

“It’s okay, sweetie, you’re still learning,” she assured gently, moving the weight back into place. “And you’re doing very well. Anyway, I think we’re done with levitation for the night.” She lifted the whole thing up and floated it back to the closet it belonged in. “Why don’t we work on your transformation?”

“I think I can get even farther this time!” he said confidently. “At least, maybe I can...”

He was cut off by the library’s bell ringing. Her ears perking, Twilight turned toward the disturbance. “I’m sorry, the library is...” she began, but stopped when she saw who it was. “Oh, hello Fluttershy.”

“Oh, um, hello Twilight... Spike... I’m sorry I was interrupting.”

“It’s okay,” the adult unicorn assured. “We can take a break.”

“Oh, well, in that case...I need to show you something. It’s kind of important... sort of... if it’s not too much trouble, maybe...”

Twilight blinked as she considered. In Fluttershy talk, that was a sign of a serious problem.

“Alright Fluttershy, let’s go,” she said, turning to Spike who was doing a bit of magic practice on his own. Twilight smiled softly and sighed, Just like me when I started training under Princess Celestia. “Spike, I’m gonna be out for a for a while now. I prepared supper already in the kitchen,” she said and she gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. “Just don’t overdo with your exercising, ok?”

Spike grinned confidently, “I won’t, Mom.”

Twilight nodded and smiled, “I’ll be home soon,” she said as she and Fluttershy both left the library.

With his mother now gone, Spike focused on the heaviest disc that was refusing to budge no matter how much magic he was putting into it. The sweat he was excreting starting flowing in his eyes and he blinked, with the disc falling to the ground. With its impact it left a slight dent in the floor, seeing as it was very heavy.

Spike eyed the disc with eyes as wide as the disc itself and scratched his head, “How does Mom do it?” he asked himself as felt a little drowsy. Spike blinked a few times before heading on to the kitchen and seeing what his mother made him for supper, tomato soup with fresh rye bread and freshly squeezed carrot juice. Inwardly, he sighed. That was one more side effect of his transformation. He could no longer cook and clean for his mother. He couldn’t do a lot of things anymore. Turning from a dragon to a pony robbed him of the ability to do so much, at least until his magic kicked in. Even things like pencils and forks were beyond his use, at least to use well.

He felt his face flush. It was so embarrassing. Every other foal his age could function better than him. Twilight had to teach him to use his mouth to write just to get ready for school... a task for her too, since she had grown used to her magic. He had no chores to do anymore, and while most foals dreamed of such a thing, he felt like he was burdening his mother by not helping out.

Spike made it to the table and took his dinner that was next to his mother’s, and started slurping on the soup. He lifted his head up and stared at a spoon, trying to lift it with his magic. The aura covered the spoon, but it did not move at all. He gave a heavy sigh and dunked his head back in the soup, finishing it in one go.

Once he was done, Spike made his way up to the bathroom and started washing himself off. He cringed at how dirty he got his muzzle seeing as he couldn’t use the utensil that lay next to his supper. Once he was done, he took a look in the mirror and smiled half heartedly, his frustration mixing with his exhaustion.

“My reflection finally shows who I am inside, huh?”

He thought on this. He had always wanted to be a pony, from the moment he realized that Twilight was different from him. And he still loved that he was like his mother. He loved not getting stared at when in Canterlot, or having to worry about leaving Equestria. But such a major disability was disheartening. Sighing, he walked out, flicking off the lights.

Spike walked up to his room, and saw Peewee sitting on his perch eating the seeds that were given to him earlier. Spike slumped his way to his bed and lay his weary body on it, feeling the softness all around him. He looked up to the clock that was in his room and saw it showing only six in the evening, he moaned softly as his eyes closed.

“I’ll figure magic out soon... promise,” he groaned as he succumbed to sleep.

Much to Twilight’s surprise, Fluttershy insisted on rounding up the other members of their group of friends. Everypony, that is, except Rainbow Dash. Rarity and Applejack had pushed the subject, but the yellow pegasus had refused to say anything about why she was getting them together.

Finally, all five of them were walking down the road, Rarity grumbling about being pulled away from her work, and Applejack mumbling something about pineapples. Fluttershy’s cottage lay at the end of the road, seeming normal despite her worried state.

“Fluttershy, do you mind telling us what’s going on?” Twilight asked. “You’ve been quiet on this whole thing too long.”

“Oh, well... you see, something bad happened today. It’s about Rainbow Dash.”

Instantly the group tensed up. It was Rarity who spoke up first.

“Goodness, darling, what happened? Was she hurt? Is she alright?”

“Oh, she wasn’t in an accident or anything...”

There was a sigh of relief. “What in tarnation happened then?” Applejack demanded.

Fluttershy placed her hoof on her door handle. “Well... you see, um... maybe I better just show you.”

Taking a deep breath, the yellow pegasus opened the door, going inside. “Mister Spectrum, I’m back. I brought the others.”

Rainbow Spectrum rose his head from the pillow that he was resting on and saw Fluttershy smiling softly with four shadows behind her. He squinted his eyes and saw the silhouettes of two unicorns and two earth ponies. “Are these Dashie’s friends?” he asked with his voice still hoarse.

Fluttershy nodded her head and motioned for the others to follow him in. When all her friends were in the house, she closed the door and turned back to the mares that were standing before the elder stallion.

Pinkie Pie zoomed past her friends and nearly smashed her face against Spectrum’s as she was looking curiously at the pegasus. “Ooooooh! You look just like Rainbow Dash!” she said out loud with a wide smile, before tapping her chin and looking away to the roof in thought. “Only difference is your coat is darker, you’re a stallion and your eyes are green. Not to mention you look old enough to be my father!” she spoke with her volume rising slightly, not noticing Spectrum's downward gaze. “Oh oh oh! Are you a fan!? Or are you-” she stopped when she saw the moist eyes and stopped abruptly, landing next to him. “Aww, did I say something bad? I’m sorry, I’m supposed to make ponies smile and laugh, not make them all sad and miserable! My name is Pinkie, by the way, Mister Spectrum, and these are-”

She was cut short as she was being pulled away by Applejack, pulling tightly on her tail. When Pinkie was next to them, she let go and spat out the hair from Pinkie’s tail. “Sorry about that, name’s Applejack by the way,” she introduced herself, taking off her signature Stetson hat to Spectrum.

Rarity stepped forward and raised her head, swirling her mane in the process. “Good evening to you sir, I am Rarity,” she said as she nodded her head slowly.

Twilight simply smiled, “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and who might you be, sir?” she asked him politely, seeing his cautious eyes.

Spectrum looked at Fluttershy, who gave a nod, and he swallowed as he cleared his voice. “My name is Rainbow Spectrum, it’s a pleasure meeting you all,” he said, albeit softly, and the others were surprised by his name.

Fluttershy walked to her friends, “You see girls, the reason why I called you in here, except for Rainbow... is because he’s... her father...”

Rarity leaned in to Fluttershy, “Darling, speak up please. We barely heard what you said.”

“Um... he’s her... father.”

Twilight shook her head and planted her hoof to her face. “Fluttershy, you can tell us... why are you whispering?”

Fluttershy inhaled her breath, but she felt a hoof to her shoulder and turned to see Spectrum stand beside her. He was wobbling a bit, but Fluttershy held onto him to now let him topple over. “What your friend was trying to say is...” he began to speak, and he started to tear up he bit his lower lip. “I am Rainbow Dash’s father...”

The mares stood stock still and released a gasp in unison, with their mouths hanging agape.

“What?!” Pinkie screamed out loud and made her way to Spectrum, “You’re Rainbow Dash’s daddy?!”

He nodded his head weakly. “Yes, I came here to-”

“Now hold up,” Applejack said bluntly. “Rainbow told me all about ‘cha.”

Everypony looked at her with wide eyes. Spectrum gave a gulp at the cowpony’s glare, trying without success to sink into the couch. Hey eyes were like two green drills going right through him. “S-she did?” he choked out weakly.

“You better believe she did,” the cowpony snorted angrily, “What in the hay do ya think yer doin’, comin’ here an’ botherin’ her?”

“Applejack, whatever are you talking about?” Rarity demanded. “Don’t keep us in suspense.”

“I’m sayin’, this varmint chased his own daughter off. Chased her away in tears and made her run away. An’ now that she’s a success, he’s slitherin’ in like the snake he is, tryin’ to sweet talk us!”

“What?” Rarity yelled. Her sentiment was shared by Pinkie as well. Only Fluttershy and Twilight showed any doubt.

“Applejack...” Twilight began, but the weak stallion spoke first.

“Please... it... it wasn't like that...”

“I ain’t hearin’ it! You just best get yerself back where ya came from!”

“Applejack...”

“And don’t think ye can sweet talk me or anypony else here, neither, I...”

Twilight put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. Instantly, the earth pony stopped and looked at her.

“Applejack, did it ever occur to you that Rainbow Dash might have a bit of a biased memory on what happened?”

The farmer blinked a moment. “Well... I gotta admit, that girl doesn’t always see things right...” she admitted, though with great reluctance.

“I say we give him a chance to talk,” the librarian proposed. “At least tell his side of the story before we make a decision.”

“...I guess,” Applejack sighed, still glaring at the weak stallion on the sofa. He was looking at Twilight like she was an angel come to his rescue. “But if I don’t like what I hear...”

The lavender unicorn waved her off, then turned to Spectrum. “Alright, tell us what happened.”

Spectrum readjusted himself on the couch. After a deep breath, he began his story.

Chapter 4

“I can do this!”

A lone pegasus flew higher in the sky at top speeds, obliterating the clouds that stood in his way. Once he was high enough, he dived down to the ground with his wings tucked in to accelerate the speed he was flying at.

“C’mon!” he shouted out loud and a thunderous sound emitted from the air at least three times, followed by a trail of rainbow. He spread his wings wide, pulling his head upwards and landing on the ground, his hooves gaining some scratches from it. He looked back the clouds, and saw three rainbow rings that lingered in the sky.

“Tsk, will have to work harder if I want to get up to seven!” he told himself as he furrowed his brows. He heard clapping from behind him and he arched his eyebrow slightly, turning to the sound. He saw another pegasus sitting on the hill, the favourite resting point for him. The pegasus mare that was sitting there had a dark orange fur coat with bright magenta mane and pink eyes. He smirked and hovered over to her.

“That was really, um... cool of you!” she said as she stood up, revealing herself to be by a head shorter than he was.

He leaned his head, and squinted his eyes slightly. “Oh? First time I seen a fan on my favourite hill rooting for me...” he said as he smiled as her eyes moving from one corner to the other.

The mare gulped and started sweating. “Oh! This is your hill? I’m sorry, it’s just I like to coming here to-”

The stallion started chuckling softly. “Relax, will you? I’m just pulling your leg, this hill’s as much yours is as it is mine.”

The mare sighed in relieve. “Oh good... for a moment I was nervous there...”

The stallion grinned as he looked into the mare’s eyes. “You’re cute... what’s your name?”

“Um... my name is Melody, Melody Joy,” she said as she was trying to recover from being flustered by his compliment. “And you are-”

“My name is Rainbow Spectrum!” he floated in the air and grinned confidently, as he saw the awe in Melody’s eyes. “I’m also the captain of the Wonderbolts.”

“Um...yes, I know.” Red tinged the mare’s cheeks.

“Oh? Are you a fan?”

“...Actually, no. My roommate is, though. She says you’re amazing.”

“”Well, I don’t like to brag.” It was a lie, and not a very convincing one either. “But I am pretty great. In fact...” He eyed the mare up and down, causing her to blush deeper, “I’m a lot of fun to be around. Why don’t I show you? I know a nice, quiet restaurant nearby...”

The stallion held his hoof out. By now Melody was practically glowing crimson. Slowly, she placed her hoof on his. “I... I’d love to.”

“And so,” the priest said, “by the power invested in me by the city of Cloudsdale, I pronounce you mare and colt! You may kiss the bride.”

Spectrum needed no second bidding. He could hardly keep himself off of his treasured mare, who had brightened his life up three years ago. He had proposed, in front of a stadium filled with fans no less, and she’d accepted.

As their lips locked, he felt tears down his face. He thanked Celestia daily for blessing him with such a treasure. He would have traded his position, his fame, and his riches, all for her. Any happiness they brought paled to what she offered.

The wonderful mare. She was timid, but powerful and strong when it came to matters of the heart. She was a frail thing, hardly any muscle, but it gave her the air of preciousness that intoxicated him. No matter how weak she was physically, she had him wrapped around her hoof, and he knew it.

Their marriage was the single happiest period in his life. It lasted a year.

Spectrum was walking on air, and unlike an earth pony or unicorn, he could do so literally. Today was the day when their family became whole. His wife was in the maternity ward, giving birth to their first child. He could hardly stop his movement.

The doctor walked out of the delivery room, looking at the pegasus with an expression that made his heart stop.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded, grabbing the doctor. “Is my foal okay?”

“Yes, Mr. Spectrum. I assure you, your wife has given birth to a healthy filly.”

His relief was only momentary. “Then... what’s wrong?”

The doctor was only silent for a moment. “I’m afraid... her body was too weak to handle the strain. She passed away during childbirth due to hemorrhaging. I am so sor-”

“Out of my way!” Spectrum bolted through the door and saw body of his wife still on the bed, though a blanket was placed over her head. His breathing hastened with each second and he heard the crying of his foal by the nurses, who took of their nurse hats in respect. He flew next to Melody’s body, holding it in his hooves and the blanket fell off revealing a soft smile with her eyes closed forever.

He sobbed into her shoulder and he swore he could feel the warmth from her still and even the song she hummed when she was pregnant and caressing her stomach that held their treasure.

Remembering that humming, he hummed to her and kissed her forehead, with his eyes closed and teeth clenched as the tears were flowing freely. Another memory came to his mind, the day before today.

“Say? What do you think we should name our foal, Melody?”

Melody sat on a sofa, sighing happily as she rubbed her belly gently. She looked up to her husband Spectrum, who brought in some water for her to drink. He gave her the water and kissed her softly on the lips, sitting next to and placing his hoof gently on the belly of his wife.

“I was thinking, if it’s a colt we should name him Cloud Spectrum. If it’s a filly, Rainbow Dash.”

Spectrum’s cheeks burned slightly hearing this. “Wow... my name is in each of them,” he said and he placed a hoof over his wife’s neck, with her leaning her head near his chest.

Melody looked up to his eyes demurely. “Because you’re that special to me, Spectrum, you and our foal.”

Spectrum smiled with half open eyes and leaned to his wife, kissing her passionately. He pulled away and squinted his eyes, leaning his ear to Melody’s stomach.

“What’s that you say there?” he asked the stomach as though it were alive.

Melody giggled from her husband’s antics, “Sweetie-”

“Shh shh shh! Can’t you see I’m having a discussion here?” he asked his wife rhetorically and placed his ear back to the stomach. “What’s that? You’re gonna be the best Wonderbolt Captain ever?! You make your daddy very proud.”

He then kissed the belly and returned to giving his wife affection. After a few moments, he looked into her eyes and smiled gently. “I love you, Melody.”

Melody released a few tears that mix with her smile and reached her hooves to Spectrum's cheeks, caressing each side. “Spectrum, I love you too.”

He wept. Sitting in the chair next to the hospital bed that held his deceased wife’s body, he wept. His heart shattered, his happiness seemed unattainable. His precious Melody was gone forever.

He was still crying when the doctor approached him again. “Mr. Rainbow, would you like us to hold onto your child for a while, until you...”

“No! No, please... let me see her!”

Nodding, the doctor motioned for a nearby nurse to come in, carrying a small bundled foal. Her blue fur and multi colored mane were her only identifying marks at the moment, as she was wrapped tightly in her blanket.

Carefully, she was passed to Spectrum’s waiting hooves. He sat in a chair, cradling his child as if she was the most fragile thing in the world. He looked her over. She was so tiny, so innocent. She was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen. Not even losing Melody had been enough to taint the love he now felt. The pain was there, but he felt his heart being mended. He felt a purpose in his life again.

He kissed his child. She stirred, emitting a small coo before drifting back to sleep. His heart melted.

“I’ll never let you down,” he whispered softly, while rocking his infant. “I won’t let anything happen to you, my precious Rainbow Dash.”

The next day, Rainbow Spectrum resigned as captain of the Wonderbolts. Six months later, he left Cloudsdale, intending to never come back. He flew far up north, as far as he could get. Finally, he settled in Vanhoover, far from public scrutiny. He lived off his pension, which was more than enough for him and his child.

“Why can’t I?” Rainbow Dash whined. “Everypony else gets to!”

“Well, you’re not ‘everypony else’, are you?”

“But I wanna try riding a scooter!” the six-year-old filly nearly screamed.

“Rainbow Dash!” Spectrum’s eyes bore down on the little filly and she stopped screaming. “Dashie...” he spoke softly to her and held onto her. “I don’t want you to get hurt, understand?”

“But Daddy-”

“Dashie, please...”

Rainbow Dash sighed and closed her eyes. “Oh ok, I won’t try to ride a scooter.”

Spectrum smiled softly, albeit sadly when he saw his daughter’s downward look. “Tell you what, why don’t we go on a few flying lessons tomorrow morning?”

Rainbow Dash’s head shot upwards at the speed of lightning. “Really!? That’s so cool!” she then squeezed her father tight with her tiny legs around his neck and nuzzled his head.

Spectrum stoke his daughter’s hair softly and closed his eyes slowly. “But first, let’s go and have some supper now? Shall we?”

“OK!”

“First thing you ought to do is to breath.”

“Huh?”

“Breathing plays an important role in flying. Now breathe in, and out...”

“Dad, you’ve already taught me this lesson!”

“Well then, let’s review it. Come on, in...”

“No! I wanna learn how to really fly! Can’t you teach me to use my wings?”

“I promise, you’ll learn more than that by the time the day’s over.”

“Good, ‘cause I need to learn a lot if I’m gonna join the Wonderbolts!”

It was like flipping a switch. In a flash her father went from a kindly instructing manner into an aggressive one. He put his face absolutely close to his daughter’s and said, in a low, dangerous voice. “Absolutely not!”

“What? Why?”

“Do you know how dangerous it is, all those idiotic tricks the Wonderbolts do? I’m not going to have you get yourself killed doing some irresponsible stunt!”

“But Daddy...”

“Don’t ‘But Daddy’ me!” he said angrily. “This flying lesson is over!” With that, he began walking away.

“What? But... you promised!” she pleaded, running and latching onto his hind leg. “You said you’d teach me to fly!”

“That’s before I knew what kind of things you were planning to do,” he said coldly. “Maybe you’d be better off not learning to fly until you had some sense!”

“Yeah, well... I don’t care what you say! I’m gonna be the greatest Wonderbolt there ever was!”

“No, you won’t!” he roared. He calmed somewhat, then continued. “You know how few pegasi even get into the Wonderbolts? Try having some goals that can actually happen!”

“I’m going to be a Wonderbolt!”

At that point, Spectrum exploded. “I told you, you aren’t! Quit being so damn stupid!”

With that, they both went inside. When the door closed, Rainbow Dash ran up to her room and slammed the door shut. She landed on her bed and started sobbing endlessly in her pillow, which was becoming drenched with tears.

Outside the room, Rainbow Spectrum stood still outside his daughter’s room not daring to go inside. He closed his eyes shut, and a single stream of tears ran to his cheeks. He lifted his head up and went downstairs. “Did I do the right thing?” he thought to himself as he sat on the couch, resting his head in his forehooves thinking.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she entered her home, carefully stepping in case Scootaloo was already asleep. It turned out to be for naught, as soon she heard her daughter calling her name.

Smiling, she went into her living room and saw her curled up on the couch, a copy of Daring Do and the Wooden Mask in her forelegs. “Hey Mom, how was practice?”

She responded by playfully tussling her daughter’s hair. “Great, except that somepony thought I should have an ex-con as a flying partner.”

She giggled. “Blaze took care of me when I was stuck in that lab... I thought he deserved to be a Wonderbolt...”

“Well, I guess he’s okay,” she muttered, sitting down and pulling Scootaloo close to her.

“Mom... is everything okay?”

“...Yeah, everything’s fine. It’s nothing you need to worry about, squirt.” She kissed her forehead gently. “I just... I have a lot on my mind.”

Rainbow Dash lifted her head from her pillow, revealing her bloodshot eyes. She looked up to her posters of the Wonderbolts and then to her pictures of her and her father. Her father was controlling her, molding her into something she was not and will never be. She started gritting her teeth as more images of her father came into her mind, of what he said to her just a few hours ago. How she wouldn’t join the Wonderbolts, how she couldn’t even fly. She was becoming convinced that her father never cared about her, nor her dreams.

She looked to the picture of her and her father, and furrowed her eyebrows in a glare when she looked at the excuse of a father she had. “I’ll show him!”

With that, she jumped off her bed and went into her drawer. There she took out her saddlebag and her pocket money. She stuffed the money into her bag and took out other provisions for what she was about to do.

Once it was all done, she opened her window silently, and she mounted herself on the railings. She spreaded her wings and jumped off, gliding rather slowly to the ground below her. The surroundings were dark and she could hardly see anything, save for the light of the town before her and the light of the house where she would never return to. She gave one last look at it and blew a raspberry, running off to the town of Vanhoover.

“Dashie?”

Rainbow Spectrum knocked on his daughter’s door, but did not hear any response. This didn’t surprise him though, thinking back to what he did earlier.

“Dashie, I just wanted to say I’m so sorry for what I said earlier. It was wrong of me to say those things, especially to my own daughter.”

Silence was all that met him and he let out a sigh as he closed his eyes. “I was just like you when I was young, you would think I’m lying now, considering how stuck up I seem to be. It’s just, the moment you came into my world I promised you and your mother that I would do anything to protect you, but I became the one who hurt you. But... it wasn’t right of me to treat you like this. Which is why it’s going to stop, right now.”

There was no answer. He continued. “Dashie, I don’t want you to get hurt, but I also don’t want to see you unhappy. If you really want to be a Wonderbolt, you’re going to be one, with my support. Tomorrow I’ll train you more and even show you some of the stunts I pulled off. Heck, you can even be a Wonderbolt Captain like I was.” He then opened the door slightly to squeeze his head in, but nopony was on the other side.

He felt his heart sink. “No... No no!” He burst into the room, desperately searching all over for his daughter. “Dashie! Dashie!”

In a flash he was outside. “Dashie!”

Rainbow Dash grunted as she kept running. She had made it into the nearest town, but it wasn’t good enough. Her father would look here first. She glanced around the shipping area. There had to be something...
vzzzz

Then she saw it. A shipping carriage, about to leave with two pegasi at the reigns. Perfect.

Carefully, she snuck around to the back. When she was sure nopony was looking, she opened the door and climbed in, hiding amongst the supplies. A few minutes later, the carriage took off. She felt her stomach lurch, but she paid it no mind. Her father would never find her now! Wherever she landed, it was going to be free of him.

Finally, after what had seemed like hours, the carriage came to a stop. Quickly, before it could be inspected, she had leapt from the back and sped off, not stopping until she was sure she wasn’t being followed. After a few deep breaths, she looked around. She was in Cloudsdale.

Rainbow Dash looked around her and saw the marvels of the cloud city. From the weather factory, to the cloud houses and even the Wonderbolt stadium. She hadn’t been there ten minutes when a couple of guard ponies came before her.

“Stop!” One of them ordered her as she was about to walk away. “What are you doing here, little miss?”

“I-uh...”

“Where are you parents?”

“They-uh...”

The two police ponies looked to each other, with the mare of the two nodding. “Why don’t you come with us please?” She asked softly as she kneeled down to Rainbow Dash’s level and reached out a hoof to her.

Rainbow Dash nodded her head slowly and both her and the two guards, who looked awfully young when she looked at them. She saw their names on tags attached to their uniform, the orange mare was named Spitfire and the powder blue stallion Soarin.

Carefully, nervously, she followed the two officers along the streets of Cloudsdale. After a moment, Spitfire spoke. “You never did answer our question, squirt. Where’s your parents?”

“They... died,” she answered after some hesitation. As far as she was concerned, those words were true.

“I see,” Spitfire said, giving Soarin a look that said that she didn’t entirely believe it. “So who’s taking care of you?”

“I don’t need anypony!” the filly snapped.

“Actually, yes you do. And since you don’t seem to have any parents, we’ll be leaving you at the Flight Academy until we can find you something.”

“...The Flight Academy?” Rainbow Dash said happily. “That sounds awesome!”

The cyan pegasus sighed as she carried her sleeping daughter to her bed. She had been stuck in that school as the police ponies, who would later become two of the greatest Wonderbolts ever, had said. She feared they would find out where she came from, or that her father would find her, but that never happened. She feared another delivery chariot from Vanhoover would come asking for her, but nothing did.

She couldn’t help but grin. She found out years later that the chariot she had taken was actually filled with illegal spices. There would be no shipping manifesto or anything that could be tracked to her. She had gotten lucky in that regard.

She made friends, first Gilda, who ended up moving back to her home country after two years, then Fluttershy, who was her roommate for a good while. She had gotten her cutie mark, learned to fly, and grown up without parents. Any that the system sent by she merely put on a sour disposition until they were chased off.

She slid Scootaloo beneath the covers, tenderly kissing her goodnight before walking out. She never needed parents. She had a home, a daughter, a place in the Wonderbolts, and five great friends on top of everything. And now, her father... Spectrum... was trying to take it from her, after all these years.

She wasn’t about to let that happen. She would fight tooth and horseshoe to keep everything she had worked so hard for. She swore it.

Three weeks the search for Rainbow Dash went on, and it yielded no results. The search went farther and wider, but nothing came. The town’s ponies found nopony in the countryside. The merchants who had come into the town reported nothing. Finally, the officials declared it called off.

Rainbow Spectrum, already broken before, was now a shattered pony. He showed up in town less and less often. He began drinking, to the point where hardly anypony saw him walking straight. His home became broken and disheveled. He had lost all purpose in life.

In the home of the former Wonderbolt captain, he sat there staring at a picture of him and his late wife Melody. Both were smiling as Melody was holding onto him with her two soft hooves and her stomach swollen from pregnancy. He was beaming to the camera with so much confidence, he would be shocked to see what his future self looked like.

A knock on the door was heard, followed by a newspaper being pushed through the mail dropping in through his door. He got up slowly, making his way to the paper and began reading it gorgilly. The front page was Princess Luna being freed by the Elements of Harmony, who were comprised of six mares. He arched his eyebrow and turned the page where a brief description of the mares were held.

“Applejack, a farmer from the great house of Apple. Pinkie Pie, a local baker from a family of stone farmers. Rarity, a clothing designer fashionista. Fluttershy, an animal caretaker. Twilight Sparkle, a student under Princess Celestia herself. Rainbow Dash-”

His eyes widened to the size of saucers when he read that name, and literally pressed his muzzle to the paper. “Rainbow Dash, weather pony manager and aspiring Wonderbolt...” He re-read the name out loud over and over, breathing faster. His eyes teared up and and he kneeled down to the ground, as he saw the picture of his grown up daughter. Though she was roughly the same colour as him, she had the build of Melody and her eyes. He began to sob into the papers, which were becoming ruined thanks to the wetness.

He looked up, with eyes that showed new life in them. He ran up to his room, and he reached for a traveling cloak in his closet that was covered in dust and cobwebs. He kneeled down to the ground and ripped the wooden board from it loose, revealing a small box inside.

He opened the box and it revealed only a small bag of coins, barely enough for a long trip to Ponyville. He sighed and looked back to his wings, which he had not used since Dashie ran off. He picked himself off and made his way to his daughter’s room, that he had touched since her departure. He went inside it and took a picture of him and her, along with a picture of him and Melody that rested on her old cupboard. He dusted them off and placed them in his coat.

“She needs to know!” he told himself as he ran out of the door, not bothering to lock it nor look back.

“Wait... we fought Nightmare Moon over two years ago. Why th’ hay did it take you that long ta get here?”

“I hardly had any money,” Spectrum said weakly. “Too little for a train ticket, not that any were built for normal ponies up there. And I hadn’t flown since Dashie left, so I had to walk.”

“So... it took you so long...” Twilight muttered. “When’d you get in town?”

“Just two days ago... that’s when Fluttershy found me. I tried to talk to Dashie earlier today, but... she just blew me off...”

They watched him for a moment, wondering whether they should believe him. There were tears in his eyes, a quivering in his voice... much too good for somepony to fake. No, it wasn’t acting, it was the truth, as far as they saw it.

Applejack approached him. “Listen’... Ah’m not gonna pretend there’s any excuse for what you said to her... but,” She closed her eyes and opened them again, revealing them to be moist. “Ah know what it’s like ta lose family. So... Ah’m sorry fer what Ah said. If you really wanna make things right... Ah’ll help ya out.”

“Me too!” Pinkie said. “I’m not gonna let Dashie stay all mean and cranky if you really wanna be nice!”

“I’d... I’d like that,” Spectrum said weakly, smiling for the first time since he had started his story.

“We’re going to be facing an uphill battle,” Rarity noted. “Rainbow Dash isn’t the type to change her mind easily. She’s so over dramatic when she’s angry.”

The other four Element Bearers just stared at her. “...What?”

Twilight Sparkle rubbed her chin. “We need to get Rainbow to agree to the meeting...”

“Ooh, ooh, I know! Let’s throw a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party for her daddy! Then she’ll come, and they’ll have fun, and...”

“I don’t think it’s that simple, dear,” Rarity sighed.

“...But it is a good start,” Twilight thought. “We need to get Rainbow Dash to understand that her father’s not going anywhere. We’ll try and talk to her tomorrow.”

Spectrum would have dropped on his knees if he had been feeling well enough to get up. “Th-thank you, you don’t know how much this means to me!”

Fluttershy flew over to him and held onto him, patting his back gently. “You’re not alone, Mister Spectrum, you will never be alone here in Ponyville.” She said to him as she let go of him and helped him lower his head to his bed, where sleep invaded him almost immediately.

Applejack bit her lower lip as she blinked her eyes rapidly. “I thought that Rainbow Dash’s pa was a no good pony, but Ah never expected something so sad ever.”

Twilight nodded silently, looking intently at the stallion before her. Something inside her told her that she must help him, and she always listened to the voice inside her as it was always correct in these situations.

“Girls, I think we need to head back now... it’s getting late.” Twilight said to the others, as she let out a yawn. All the mares, save for Fluttershy, bid each other goodnight and went back to the respectable homes.

Twilight opened the door of the library softly as she walked in, not wanting to make any noise. When she was inside, she saw the heaviest disc on the floor which left a dent right where it lay. She smiled slightly before lighting up her horn and placing it back on its stand. Making her way to the kitchen, she saw her food ice-cold from the time it stood there and she also saw her son's plate finished and rinsed clean.

She walked up the stairs, first to her room and seeing Owlowiscious on his stand over looking the night skies before turning to his mistress and giving a hoo to her. She smiled and climbed another set of stairs, reaching for Spike’s new room and opening it softly.

Inside she saw Spike laying on his bed fast asleep, not even bothering to put himself underneath the new blankets. She shook her head and lifted him up gently, pulling the blankets and tucking him in underneath them. She saw him instinctively pulling the blankets closer to him and heard his breathing as she approached him.

“Spike...” she said softly as she looked down on him, her lips slightly quivering from memories flashing before her as it led to the revelation of how he was really her son, to the moment where he became a pony just like her. She was happy because now he wouldn’t have to leave Equestria and leave her all alone in the world, since she couldn’t imagine a life without him. She then remembered Spectrum’s tale of the past, how he suffered from the loneliness. What if she had had a fight like that? What if Spike hated her like Dash hated Spectrum? What if...

Twilight shook her head as more tears build up and she looked down on her son, vowing to never be in a situation like Spectrum’s. She lowered her head to Spike’s forehead and gave him a soft kiss. “I love you, my son.”

Chapter 5

“No... no!”

Rainbow Dash sat up in her bed, recognizing the pleading. Giving a sigh at what she was about to do, she threw off her covers and raced to her daughter’s room. Scootaloo had already kicked her covers off, and was thrashing around her bed.

“No! Get away! I won’t go back! Aah!”

With that, she bolted upright, breathing heavily. Moments later, she found herself in the comforting forelegs of her mother.

“It’s alright, Scoots... I got you.”

Scootaloo cried the same as she had the past several nights. “It... it was Bloodwing again. And Black, and Blue. They were after me.”

She stroked her mane gently. “It’s okay. Bloodwing and Blue are history, and Black’s still in the dungeons in Canterlot. In a few weeks, he’s going to be shipped off somewhere far away, and you’ll never even be in the same country as him.”

Scootaloo’s crying decreased greatly. She continued whispering to her, kissing her forehead, and calming her down. then, she took a deep breath. Now the hard part.

She released her daughter and gently lay her back onto her bed. “There now, try and get back to sleep.”

The filly instantly became alarmed. “W-wait... can I sleep with you?”

She took a deep breath. After finding out her father was in town, she desperately wanted to say yes, to keep her close... but it was better this way.

“I’m sorry, Scoots... but you need to start facing this like a big girl. They’re just nightmares, they can’t hurt you.”

“B-but...” the filly stammered, her eyes misting.

“I’m doing this because it’s what’s best for you,” she assured, drawing her blanket back up. “I’ll tell you what. You sleep alone this week, and I’ll take you up to Cloudsdale this weekend.”

She brightened. “Really?”

“I promise. But you have to show me you’re a big girl, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay...” there was still a hint of reluctance in her voice.

Rainbow Dash kissed her child on the forehead. “Good night, Scoots.”

“Good night, Mom.”

With that, Rainbow Dash walked out the door and, giving one last regretful look at the little filly, closed it.

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh, making her way to her bed and she dropped onto it without lifting the sheets up to cover herself. Tomorrow is her first day of school, since that incident. She rolled on her side and furrowed her eyebrows as she closed them, welcoming sleep. She opened her eyes again when another thought came to her mind. Him... what in Equestria is he doing here anyway?! Not like him to care anyway. Rainbow closed her eyes again, this time being succumbed by sleep.

“Spike! Time to wake up now!”

Spike groggily opened his eyes, the sandpony’s dust still present in them. He rubbed them vigorously, as the sun’s rays flooded his room from the window. He sighed as he got up from the bed, but arched his eyebrow when he felt his head become a little heavier. Looking up, he saw the face of his phoenix Peewee, greeting him.

“Heh. Morning, Peewee.” he said as he reached up his hoof and stroked the phoenix’s beak. “Mind getting off?” he asked Peewee and the phoenix complied happily. He made his way to the door and opened it with his hoof, which was easy since he just needed to push. Taking a sniff in the air, he smelled breakfast and smiled slightly.

Twilight was at the table, preparing her and Spike’s breakfast. She decided to make a healthy breakfast of muesli and yogurt, followed by freshly squeezed orange juice for both of them. She heard the clopping of hooves from the entrance way and smiled when Spike came up and hugged her.

“Good morning, Spike,” she said as she stroked his soft green spiky hair and felt his tiny hooves around her neck.

Spike let go and smiled warmly at his mother. “Morning, Mom,” he replied as he took his seat and viewed the breakfast before him and licked his lips. “Looks good.”

Twilight giggled and looked at her son with half closed eyes, which widened when she looked at the clock. “You better hurry up, don’t want to be tardy on your first day now.”

Spike finished his juice when he was done with the muesli, albeit a little messy since he used his mouth only. “Oh right, school starts today,” he said as he looked downwards on his finished muesli. “Need to wash up quickly.”

With that he rushed upstairs, leaving Twilight alone. She looked at his finished breakfast and tapped her chin slightly. I guess when he comes back, we can exercise light object levitation like forks and spoons. A knock on her door was heard and she stood up from the table. “Coming!” Honestly, this is a public library... She got to the door and opened it and saw two ponies at the door.

“Yo!” Blaze said happily.

“Hey,” Light said, right next to him.

“Oh, you’re here... a little earlier than I expected. I’d have thought you’d want to take him to school first.”

“He wanted to walk with Spike,” he shrugged, coming in. Light followed, staying behind his older brother.

“Oh?” Twilight asked, leaning down to Light’s eye level. “Are you and my son getting along?”

“Um, yes,” he said sheepishly, shifting a bit.

Twilight arched an eyebrow. “What’s...”

Before Twilight could finish that question, Spike came bounding down the stairs, his school saddlebags at his side. “I’m ready!”

Immediately Twilight turned her attention to her foal. “Oh, you look so cute... oh, hang on, I just have to get a picture!”

“Mom!” Spike moaned.

“Oh, it’s not everyday your boy goes off on his first day,” she said, going over to to her closet.

Spike began to mumble something, but his words died in his throat when he saw Blaze. “When’d you get here?”

“Just a minute ago,” he said. Had he been paying more attention, he might have noticed a hint of fear in Spike’s voice. “Figured Light would want somepony to walk with.”

Light dashed up to join his friend just as Twilight was returning with the camera. “Spike, you stand over there... no, no, Light, you go too. I’m sure Blaze would want a photo too.”

Light looked over at Blaze, who nodded. The two school colts stood side-by-side as Twilight lifted her camera to face them. “Smile!”

A bright flash of light and some temporary blindness later, Spike and Light were out the door, eagerly racing to their first day of school... the very first for either of them.

The two ponies watched them go a moment before turning to each other. “So...” Blaze began awkwardly, “I guess we better get started.”

“Yeah, I guess we better,” she said, entering the library. Her new assistant was not far behind. “Did you look over that guide on organization I gave you?”

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Yeah... kind of overkill, don’t you think?”

“Absolutely not. This is a library. We need to keep everything in tiptop shape. Ponies will be coming in here looking for books before too long.”

Blaze laughed as he shook his head. “You got it, master.”

Twilight pursed her lips slightly. “Please don’t call me that.”

“Princess?”

“Less formal.”

Blaze chuckled and smiled. “Very well then, my lady.”

Twilight groaned slightly as she placed a hoof on her forehead. “Guess we’ll need to work on that,” she said as she made her way to a get a check list of books. “Right now, first things first we need to organize these books alphabetically by author. Starting from ‘Absolute Paradise’ by-”

“A.C. Hoofen.”

Twilight lifted her head from the list and blinked and looked up from her list and stared at Blaze. “Say again?”

“A.C. Hoofen. He wrote that book, Absolute Paradise. About a group of ponies who try to make their town a better place, but they in turn become the enemy by using absolutes in their methods and beliefs.”

Twilight’s jaw hanged opened slightly. “You read that book?”

“Yeah, read lots of others too,” Blaze said as he shrugged it off and starting sorting out the books, hovering to reach the top shelves. “Helps pass the time when you work for a mad tyrannical scientist.”

Twilight blinked rapidly. “Just how did you get those books?”

Blaze bit his lower lip and looked downwards. “It’s complicated. Rather just wanna put it behind me now.”

Twilight smiled slightly, shifting her hooves. “What other books have you read?”

“Well...” Blaze finished the ‘R’ side, floating down to Twilight’s level. “Dunno if you ever read the book ‘Daring Do and the Soul Heart’, the latest one?”

Twilight’s ears perked and she nodded with a wide smile. “The one where Daring falls in love with a fellow explorer who is also in search of the Soul Heart because he’s trying to save his little sister...”

Blaze smirked. “They travel together in search of it, they find out from they got their cutie marks at-”

“The same moment which meant they were soulmates and-”

“The Soul Heart is only reachable via soulmates.”

Twilight giggled. “It reminded me of that old Urban Legend, that two ponies who get their cutie marks together are destined to become soulmates.”

He smirked. “Who knows? Maybe Light will get lucky and some pretty young filly will fall in his lap.”

Twilight couldn’t help but laugh. Then, she got serious for a moment. “Light is doing okay, isn’t he? Part of my job is to make sure he’s being taken care of.”

The red stallion nodded. “As well as can be expected.”

“Any... nightmares?”

He looked at his parole officer, a bit puzzled. “No... not necessarily. He’s happier than he’s been in years. After Bloodwing, everything looks great to him.”

“That’s a relief. Poor Spike’s been having them ever since he transformed.” She was quiet for a moment as the two wordlessly shelved their books. “Did Rainbow Dash take you being her partner well?”

“...Yes,” he said at last. “I mean, she wasn’t happy about it, but she didn’t seem to mad at me after a while. Really, it sounded like something else was bothering her.”

“Oh, something was,” Twilight said without thinking. “See...”

She trailed off when she realized that her friend probably wouldn’t have wanted this shared with him. “...Never mind. If she didn’t tell you, then...”

He brushed this off. “No worries. Now, I was wondering... do you know what the deal is with this huge party your friend was passing out invitations for this morning?”

Twilight facehoofed.

Spike shifted in his seat. After a whole lifetime of the cushy seats in the palace or the personalized seats at the library, sitting in something so confining for so long was going to take some time getting used to. Still, most of his other friends didn’t seem too uncomfortable. Light even seemed to be relaxed in the new surroundings. Only one other seemed to be discomforted.

“Scootaloo?” he asked.

The pegasi lifted her head off the desk, showing the bags under her eyes showing. “Yeah?”

“You look awful,” he commented.

“Yeah!” Apple Bloom chimed in. “Ya look like mah sister durin’ Applebuck season!”

“I just... I had some problems sleeping last night,” she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

Before anyone could question her, the school bell rang, signaling the start of class.

A fuchsia earth pony mare wearing a saddlebag entered the door as she walked up to the desk in front and beamed at her students. “Good morning, class.”

“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee,” the colts and fillies echoed in unison in the classroom.

“I’m pleased to see all of you back from the summer holidays,” she stated, “and I’m pleased to see a few new faces as well. I expect you all remember the rules, but let me remind you. You will pay attention and be quiet in class.” She spared a glare at Snips and Snails, who sunk in their seat. “You are to treat your fellow students with kindness and respect.” She shot a harder glare at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Silver looked ashamed, but Diamond was inspecting her hoof for dirt, apparently not listening to what her teacher had to say.

“We have a lot to cover this year, so let’s begin today with a few mathematical questions,” Cheerilee said as she stood up and went to the black board, writing down equations for the class. “Now who would like to come up here and answer me these questions?” she looked around yet, saw no hooves in the air. Cheerilee’s furrowed her eyebrows in slight frustration. “Alright, I’ll choose... Spike.”

Spike’s head went straight and he looked at the board, having not paid attention. “Yes ma’am?”

“Could you please come up here and answer these for me please?”

Spike sighed and he slumped out of his uncomfortable desk, walking past the students to get to the front. Some of them were whispering about him being a former dragon, and a few were snickering at him. When he glanced to his side at the snickering, he saw a prissy earth pony in a tiara looking at him with a sly grin. He rolled his eyes and made his way to Cheerilee.

“Here you go,” she said as she passed on a chalk to him, with he took with his teeth.

The taste of chalk polluted his mouth, and he nearly gagged at the foul powder that was coming off from the piece he was holding. He went to the board and remembered what his mother taught him, both in mathematics and in writing with his mouth. He stood on his hind legs as his front hooves were pressed against the board and he finished the equations as fast as he could, seeing as the taste was becoming unbearable. He placed his front hooves on the ground and placed the chalk on the desk of Cheerilee.

“All done, ma’am,” he said as he looked back at the board and to Cheerilee, who he saw nodded with a soft smile.

Cheerilee looked at the board and nodded. “All correct, well done Spike,” she said as she wiped the board clean. “Take your seat please.”

Spike went back to his seat and slid back in, feeling the discomfort coming in again. He felt a tap on his shoulder and saw Sweetie Belle smiling at him.

“Where did you learn to do those difficult math questions?”

Spike simply shrugged. “My mom taught me, even though she was the student too.”

Just then a paper ball hit Spike in the side of the head. Angrily, he looked around to see who had been responsible, and saw Diamond Tiara snickering. With difficulty he unfolded the crumpled sheet, and found a crude drawing of him with large buck teeth and glasses, with “NERD” written below it.

He fumed, but he didn’t say anything.

“Alright, here are our next problems,” Cheerilee spoke up, having filled the board with three more problems. “Light, why don’t you come up?”

The white colt jumped a bit, but shook out an “O-okay.”

After making his way to the front, he took the chalk. Used to manipulating things with his mouth, he didn’t gag. He looked at the board, and after a minute, had managed to answer each equation.

Cheerilee nodded. “That was very good, Light. You got numbers one and two right. However, you made a mistake on number three.”

Light’s eyes widened and he flinched in anticipation for something that never came. This elicited a few snickers from the class, but Cheerilee just looked at him worriedly. “It’s fine Light. Go back to your seat and we’ll continue the lesson.”

Light went as fast as he could without running. He didn’t see Snails stick his tongue out at him.

As Cheerilee went into lecturing, Light looked at Scootaloo, who gave him a reassuring smile. He couldn’t help but smile back, suddenly feeling better about the whole thing.

After math, there was geography, and then literature, another lesson that Spike excelled in. Finally, it was almost time for every students favorite part of the day: recess.

“Class, I want to announce something special. This Friday, we’re going to hold a special back-to-school talent show.”

All six of the Cutie Mark Crusaders turned to each other, with smiles on their faces and gave a nod as though they were a hive mind.

“It will be at 7:00pm sharp Friday, and you’ll have all day Thursday and Friday to work on it. I suggest you start thinking up your act immediately. Now, it’s time for recess, class dismissed.”

When they were outside, the six foals went to the swing set. The fillies were the first on the swings and the colts decided to push them all as hard as they could go.

Apple Bloom, was being pushed by Pip, jumped off her swing and looked to her friends. “So what are we gonna do for the show?”

Sweetie let out a squee as Spike pushed her swing hard and she was laughing at the rush of wind through her face. When she was back to ground level she got off the swing and gave a quick look at Spike, blushing slightly. “I don't know, last time we tried to do a talent show we broke the whole stage remember?”

“A stage I worked hard on!” Scootaloo said as she got off her swing.

Spike chuckled as he closed his eyes. “I remember, that was pretty funny!”

“Not as funny as when ye three dames got Celestia in a Cake Eating Scandal, heard she went on a diet, poor monarch,” Pip chimed in and saw the three fillies look down with rosy cheeks in embarrassment.

Light arched an eyebrow. “You’ll have to excuse me for being new, but what happened?”

Scootaloo explained the two past event to Light, albeit roughly. “And then Featherweight became the new editor and Diamond Tiara got demoted to ink presser.”

Light blinked rapidly, placed his hoof to his mouth and finally laughed out loud. “That prissy brat working with ink, classic!”

Scootaloo giggled too. “Yeah, and best part is she complained to her dad about it but he wouldn’t listen to her whining.”

Pip chuckled with his eyes closed. “Yeah! She just quit though, after serving her punishment fer being a dodgy editor.”

Apple Bloom nodded and smiled. “Yeah...” she beamed and lifted her head up high. “Anyway! We ‘ave to figure out something for our talent show! Who knows, one of us or maybe all of us can get cutie marks!”

“Like that will ever happen!”

The six foals turned and saw Diamond Tiara, standing proudly with Silver Spoon at her side. Behind her were two other ponies, Snips and Snails, who by anypony’s standards were the town’s buffoons.

“Oh, go away,” Scootaloo moaned. “We really shouldn’t have to put up with you.”

“No, no, you’ve got that backwards,” Diamond Tiara jeered. “I shouldn’t have to come to the same school as a bunch of stupid blank flanks.”

“Yeah,” Silver Spoon added.

The pink filly then looked at Spike and smiled maliciously. “Especially one that’s not even a real pony.”

Spike flinched at that. “You better cut it out!” the former dragon demanded, standing defiantly in front of her.

“I don’t have to! My daddy owns half the town,” she placed her muzzle in the air.

Much to her surprise, Spike responded by smiling. “Really? That’s nice. I mean, my mom is the personal apprentice to Princess Celestia, and has more power than your daddy could buy with all the money in Equestria, but I guess Filthy is pretty cool too.” His grin widened at Diamond Tiara’s stunned expression when she realized her usual threats weren’t going to work.

Scootaloo spoke up. “You’d think Diamond would have remembered that since my mom used it on her a few weeks ago. I guess she really is that stupid.”

Diamond Tiara blushed in anger and embarrassment. “Oh yeah? You mean before you were hauled off like the freak that you are?”

At this, Scootaloo was in front of her rival, a look of sheer hate in her eyes. “You take that back!”

Regaining some of her gusto, the rich filly stood tall. “I don’t have to. I’m real, you’re just some freak that should have been kept in her cage!”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie had to hold their friend back from smacking Diamond Tiara across the face. As they pulled her away, the pink filly laughed again. “Like I said, just a savage freak!”

“Yeah!” Silver Spoon chimed in.

“‘Oi, you know how ta do anythin’ other than agree, or are you really so daft ya need ‘er ta do all yer thinkin’ ‘fer ya?” Pip chimed in.

Silver Spoon blushed, and much to Pip’s surprise, she actually looked rather hurt. But before he could think about it too long, Snips and Snails stepped in front of him. “You better watch it,” Snips said. “I don’t like the way you talk. Why you talk like a smart pony?”

“I don’t think yer in any position to give lessons,” Pip muttered.

“Why do y’all care?” Apple Bloom asked, still holding her friend back.

"She’s paying us to be her bodyguards!” Snails said proudly.

At this, the pink filly grinned proudly. “Yes, a pony of my stature will need servants. Of course, we all have to start somewhere. These two are just bourgeois.”

“Gee, thanks!” Snips said. Then, after a minute, he turned to his friend. “What’s that mean?” Snails shrugged.

Light leaned in to Spike’s ear. “Are they acting stupid or is it natural?” he whispered in Spike’s ear.

“Nah, they are just that stupid,” Spike said as he narrowed his eyes to Diamond Tiara.

“Unreal...”

Apple Bloom just shook her head, rolling her eyes to the summit. “C’mon, let’s just go,” she said to her friends and they all nodded and began to turn away.

Diamond Tiara smiled triumphantly. “See what good servants and status does for you and a good daddy? Better than having a loser nerd for a mother!”

Spike stopped in his tracks and the he turned his head slowly to Diamond Tiara, his eyes narrowing with every second passing. “What did you say?”

Diamond Tiara smirked as she glared at Spike, “You heard me!”

“Diamond, let’s just stop it, okay? I don’t think-”

“Shut up Silver!” she shouted to her friend who cowered behind Snips and Snails as all three backed away carefully from Diamond Tiara.

Spike walked very slowly to the pink filly. “No, I think I must have misheard something. What did you say about my mom?” he asked her as his horn was strangely glowing.

“I. Said. You. Mom. Is. A. Nerdy. Ugly. Obsessed. Nerd!” she said each word slowly and loudly, snickering with her eyes closed.

Something inside Spike snapped, because his eyes turned white and as his jaws clenched in rage. His horn glowed brightly and sparks were emitting from it. The horn started making glittering noises, common for unicorns when they used magic.

“This is bad!” Light exclaimed and pulled Pip with him. “C’mon!”

“Right oh!”

Just as the two colts pulled Spike away, a beam of magic shot out of his horn. Were it not for the intervention, Diamond Tiara’s head would have been hit with the magic. Instead her tiara came into contact with it. When the magic collided with it, the crown was reduced to ash and Diamond Tiara just stood still there, quaking in her hooves with her eyes wide in fear.

The three fillies came to Spike and dragged him away with the help of Light and Pip. “Spike, calm down! Please!” Sweetie Belle shouted to him, and felt his body relax when her words were spoken.

Spike blinked and turned to his friends, arching an eyebrow in confusion. “What happened?”

“Stop!” Miss Cheerilee’s voice rose over the playground. Indeed, their teacher was stomping over to them , looking angry.

“You’re here just in time!” Diamond Tiara said. “Spike here attacked me for no reason!”

Cheerilee glared at her richest charge. “That will be another week of detention on top of the week you’ll be serving for insulting Twilight.” When she saw Diamond Tiara turn ashen, she added. “Oh yes, I heard what you said, and I think I’ll remind Twilight of it the next time she comes in to substitute.” She turned to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Did she say anything else?”

“They’ve been bothering us since they got out here!” Apple Bloom said. “They kept sayin’ Spike and Scootaloo weren’t real, and that Scootaloo belonged in a cage!”

“Well, Diamond did anyway,” Light muttered.

She turned back to the group. “I think I’ll add another week to your detention, Diamond. This attitude problem of yours needs to stop. And the three of you will be getting three days detention. Now get back in the school house, your first session is now!”

Snips and Snails all groaned in annoyance, but Silver simply nodded resignedly. They all headed back inside, as Cheerilee turned back to the others.

“Spike... you know you’re not supposed to use violence,” she scolded, gently but firmly.

“Yes Miss Cheerilee,” he said.

“I understand that Diamond Tiara goaded you into it, so I won’t punish you this time, but try and keep your temper under control. I’m afraid I’m also going to have to send a note home to your mother about this.”

Spike felt his ears flatten against his head. A single day of school and he was already getting in trouble.

“And Light, I also want you to stay after class to get a note for your brother.”

Light flinched at this. “W-why?” he said, shivering.

“It’s nothing bad. It’s simply about your enrollment here,” she assured gently. “Now, you go on playing, there’s still twenty minutes of recess left!”

As Miss Cheerilee walked off, Light spoke up. “Those four were horrible!”

Apple Bloom rubbed her chin. “I expected that from Diamond an’ Silver, but not Snips an’ Snails. I wonder how much Diamond had ta pay ‘em to get ‘em to act like that?”

“Remember, those two thought Trixie was a good role model,” Spike muttered. “It probably didn’t take much.”

“Um... who’s Trixie?”

The group looked at one another. “We have a lot to catch you up on.”

Chapter 6

“That should do it.”

Rainbow Dash hovered in the air looking at the sky, not seeing any clouds in sight. She turned her whole body to get a better look, with a smile forming on her face as she nodded. She stopped and squinted her eyes, seeing a cloud off in the distance where Sugarcube Corner was at.

Rainbow spat on her forehooves and rubbed them together. “Here I come!”

She zoomed to the cloud and buckled her hind legs to her stomach, and turned at the last moment to give a powerful buck to the cloud. The cloud evaporated into nothingness, leaving the skies cloudless for the rest of the day.

Rainbow smirked. “Another job well done by the awesome Rainbow Dash!” she saluted and was ready to fly away.

“Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow looked down and saw Pinkie Pie waving to her, with a tray of cupcakes in her hoof. She lowered herself down to the ground and landed gracefully on her four hooves, walking to her friend.

“What’s up, Pinkie?”

Pinkie smiled and showed the cupcakes. “I was gonna making these for a party and...”

Rainbow arched an eyebrow and turned her head slightly. “And?”

“I didn’t make enough, and I need help to make more and I see you’re done with your work for today so can you please help me?! Pretty please with sugar and cherry on top!”

Rainbow shook her head and smiled, chuckling slightly. “Relax Pinkie, of course I’ll help you. What kinda friend leaves her friend hanging?”

“Yay!” Pinkie shouted and gave a cupcake to Rainbow. “Here you go! Keep the energy up!”

“Thanks!” Rainbow said and took a bite out of it. “Wow! This is great! You always know how to make a good cupcake!”

Pinkie giggled. “Well duh! I’m a party mare! A party mare ought to know how to make good sugary treats!” she said as they walked inside and into the kitchen, where the ingredients were prepared for them to use.

Rainbow nodded as she took a position next to Pinkie. “You said it.”

They sat off to the task of baking, telling the usual jokes, sometimes playfully flicking flour at each other, and generally having a good time. It was an hour later that Rainbow Dash thought to ask the question. “So, what’s this party for anyway? Is there somepony new in town?”

“...Yes,” Pinkie said slowly.

Dash, not paying the greatest attention, didn’t catch the hesitance. “That’s nice. Can’t wait to meet them.”

Pinkie looked at the bowl she had been mixing for a few seconds before she worked up the courage to speak. “Well, you kind of know him already.”

Rainbow Dash tensed. Her blood went cold. She rounded on her friend so that their faces were practically within kissing distance. “Pinkie. Please. Say. You. Did. Not. Meet. My. Dad.”

“Okay, I didn’t meet your dad.”

Silence.

“Okay, tell me. Did you meet my dad?”

“Yep! We’re throwing him a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ Party!”

“Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash began angrily, “my dad is a grade-A gelding! Do you know what he did to me? He...”

“We know,” Pinkie said. She then found herself writhing under her friend’s glare. “Um, he told us everything, and...”

“You knew!?” she yelled. “You knew and you’re still throwing him a party? What’s next, are we going to invite Sombra for cookies and tea!?”

“Ooh! You think he’d like that? Maybe he won’t be such a meanie!” Her good mood evaporated again. “Please, Dashie. He’s really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sorry, and we think you should give him a chance...”

“We? Are the others in on this too?”

“Yeah, Fluttershy brought us over, and he told us everything, and we all decided you needed to make up with your dad, so...”

“The day I forgive him is the day Bloodwing returns! You know, I shouldn’t need to explain myself, especially when it comes to that monster!”

“But Rainbow-”

“I don’t want to hear it!” she snapped. “After what he did to me...”

“Dashie, please... come to the party I’m throwing him tonight... you two can sit down and talk everything out...”

“I am not talking anything out with him!”

“Please, if you’ll just listen to me...”

At that point, Rainbow Dash finally lost her patience. “I am not going to take advice on this from somepony who’s dumb enough to think some stupid little party is going to fix everything!”

The cyan mare clenched her eyes shut in frustration as the words spilled out of her mouth. An unusual response greeted that: dead silence. After a moment, she dared to open her eyes.

Pinkie’s eyes were wide, and they were leaking tears as a result of the insult. Slowly, it dawned on Rainbow Dash exactly what she just said. “Pinkie... I... I’m sorry. I... I didn’t mean it.”

“I know you didn’t, Dashie,” Pinkie said quietly. “Ponies can say things when they’re upset that they don’t mean.”

Pinkie pulled her friend into a hug. For a few seconds, they just stayed in each others embrace.

“...Dashie?”

“Yeah?”

“...If I can forgive you for this... do you think you could forgive your dad?”

Rainbow Dash pulled away from her friend and looked at her. Pinkie just returned the look, an air of seriousness around her that seemed so out of place.

The pegasus backed away from her friend. Then, she turned and ran out of Sugarcube Corner, with Pinkie watching in disappointment.

“This is going to be harder than I thought...”

“Alrigh’! So wha’ should we do fer the talent show?”

Apple Bloom stood in front of the podium, looking to each of her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders. She was only met with either blank faces or frowns deep in thought. Apple Bloom let out a sigh and banged her hoof to the podium.

“C’mon y’all! We need to think of something!” she shouted out the others, but was only met with silence. A hoof was present in the air and Apple Bloom spotted it. “You got something on yer mind, Sweetie?”

Sweetie Belle stood up and let out an audible gulp. “Well, we can always do a song.”

“Um... didn’t we do that last time?” Scootaloo asked her friend as she looked between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle with an arched eyebrow.

“No no! I mean, one of us writes a song and another one of us can sing it?”

Light tapped his chin, letting loose a hum in thought. “That’s not a bad idea, though who would we get to write the song? I’m no good with words Sweetie.”

Sweetie beamed and giggled softly, gaining the attention of the other members as they turned to each other and shrugged at their friend’s excitement. “Well, I know just who to ask for a song!”

Spike turned his head in confusion. “Who?”

Sweetie turned to him and pointed a hoof at him. “You!”

Spike blinked, raising his eyebrows slightly. “Huh?”

Sweetie Belle continued giggling. “You can write the song, you’re good with words!”

Spike’s irises shrank to the size of pins as his eyes widen to the size of saucers. With his mouth gaped, he waved his hooves frantically to the unicorn filly. “Oh no! Not me! No can do! Nuh uh!”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and crossed her front legs as she furrowed her eyebrows in frustration. “Spike, you know you are a good writer... so why not?”

“I never wrote lyrics before! I know how to write a poem or a short story, but a song is totally out of league here!”

Sweetie Belle grabbed hold of Spike’s hoof and squeezed it gently with both of hers. “Please, Spike!” Sweetie pleaded to him, pushing her lower lip out and making her eyes moist. “Pretty please?”

Spike felt his face heat up. He could hear Light and Pip giggling. “S-Sweetie, writing words and writing notes are different things. I can’t write music!”

Sweetie thought a moment. “I know a lot about music! I bet I could write the notes!”

“That’d be cool!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Ah can sing it again, if you like!”

Pip and Scootaloo cringed at this. “How about Sweetie sing it?” the earth pony suggested quickly, remembering all too well the last disastrous talent show. “If she knows so much about music...”

Sweetie’s eyes shrunk to the size of pencil points. “In front of everypony? The whole school?”

“Well, it might actually be th’ whole town,” Apple Bloom clarified obviously, unaware of her friend's fear, “dependin’ on who shows up...”

“Uh-uh, no way!” the unicorn filly said quickly. “I can’t be up in front of everypony!”

“But your voice is so good!” Scootaloo insisted. “And we already know Apple Bloom’s special talent isn’t singing...”

“Hey, what’s that supposed ‘ta mean?” she asked angrily.

“What if I help her with her singing?” Sweetie asked quickly. “I bet I could teach her to sing good.”

“But you wouldn’t have to if you just sang it yourself!” Scoots countered. “Please?”

“No,” Sweetie answered stubbornly. “I’ll help Spike write the song, and I’ll teach Apple Bloom to sing. You, Pip, and Light can work on the stage.”

“But that makes no sense!” Scootaloo yelled. he turned to Pip and Light. “Help me out here!”

“I’m sure Apple Bloom will do fine,” Light said politely, in a tone that made it clear he wanted to stay as uninvolved as possible in this.

“Well... I guess if anypony could teach Apple Bloom to sing, it would be Sweetie,” Pip relented.

“Then it’s settled!” Apple Bloom knocked on the podium. “We start on the stage tomorrow after school!” She stuck her hoof in the air and breathed in.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Talent Show Contestants!”

“Yay!”

After Apple Bloom walked out on off the podium, Light turned to the window and saw the sun setting. “Looks like it’s time for me to go now.”

“Aww...” Scootaloo sighed out, but heard some giggling from the background and immediately straightened herself. “I mean! Why you have to go now?”

Light shrugged, “Blaze is going to pick me up now. It’s getting late you know?”

Scootaloo looked out and saw the sun setting. She perked her ears and stood up from her seat. “Guess you’re right...”

Spike sighed and looked down on the floor. “Guess I’m going to get into trouble now,”

“Why?”

Spike went to his saddlebag and pulled out a letter, with Cheerilee’s writing on it. “First day of school and having to send a note back to my mom, she’s not going to be a very happy mare.”

Sweetie Belle reached out for Spike, placing a gentle hoof to his shoulder. “I’m sure your mom will understand, Spike. That meanie Diamond Tiara is the pony who is meant to be in trouble.”

Scootaloo huffed and she cringed at the mention of Diamond Tiara’s name. “That and imprisonment!”

Spike sighed. “I hope you’re right...”

The Ponyville Clocktower was a bit of a landmark in the small town. Light had found Blaze waiting for him at the base of the structure, looking more relaxed than the colt had ever seen him.

“Hey, little bro,” he said, affectionately ruffling his mane. “How was the first day of school?”

“Pretty fun,” Light said. “Except for this one filly...”

“Diamond Tiara?” the older pegasus asked as he lifted Light up onto his back. At his little brother’s nodding, he sight. “Twilight told me about her, said she figured she would try to give you trouble.” As he spoke, he lifted himself off the ground, flying up to the top of the tower and landing in front of the large bell.

“Well, after Bloodwing, she was nothing,” he said confidently.

“That’s my boy,” he said. “Now, let’s just relax. I got your favorite...”

Light licked his lips as his older brother produced two bars of sea salt ice cream, handing one bar to his brother.

“Awesome!” he said, taking the bar and beginning to lick.

Blaze took his own bite, looking out across the city. Here, in the late afternoon, the town was still at the height of it’s activity, with ponies moving around, in stands at the market hawking their wares, and ponies sitting at the outdoor restaurant, enjoying a quick meal.

He grinned. “This was a good choice. Nice, quiet... everypony’s friendly... I think we’ll stay put when the Princess lets me go.”

Light swallowed his latest bite. “Does Twilight know you’re out here?”

“Yep,” he answered. “She’s allowing it since I’m taking care of you. In fact, my curfew is off tonight for a special occasion.”

“What?”

“I’m not sure of the full story, but Rainbow Dash’s father is in town. Apparently the two had a falling out, and now the others want to throw a party so they can kiss and makeup. Twilight thinks we should be there since it’s a community thing.”

“Twilight...” Light said. “...She scares me.”

“What? Why? She’s a cutie,” he mused.

Light blushed a bit at that. “She seemed really mean when I saw her,” he said. “She was going to kill you.”

“Kid... that’s not a Twilight thing. That’s a ‘get between a mother and her kid’ thing. Heck, I’d probably be more violent with anypony that tried to hurt you,” he said, giving a playful noogie.

“You mean it?”

“Every word.”

Light stared at the sunset and let loose a small smile. His ears perked as his head raised up suddenly. “Say, we got this talent show happening this Friday!”

Blaze nodded as he looked to the little colt. “Really? What did you guys think of?”

Light turned to Blaze and rested against his back to the clocktower. “Well we thought of a song; Spike’s going to write it and Apple Bloom is going to sing it, with Sweetie Belle’s help she says.”

“What you gonna do?”

Light shrugged as he placed his hooves to the back of his head. “Well, I’m going to help out with the stage along with Pip and Scootaloo.”

At the mention of Scootaloo’s name, Blaze’s eyes became slightly dilated. “How is the little filly doing?”

“Well...” Light looked down as he scrunched his lips. “To be honest, she looked horrible, like she hasn’t slept in ages...”

Blaze let out a sigh as he leaned back to the clock tower too. “Well, that’s no surprise there.”

Light’s ears perked and he looked to Blaze, arching an eyebrow. “Really? Why is it not a surprise?”

Blaze was quiet for a moment. “Twilight said... you know, maybe I shouldn’t say,” he decided, biting off the last bit of ice cream on his stick. “If she didn’t want to tell you, that’s her business.”

Light nodded, finishing up his own bar. “Well, when’s the party?”

“In a few hours,” he answered, standing. “In the meantime, why don’t we take a tour around Ponyville?”

Twilight looked over the note from school while Spike stood before her, looking at the ground guiltily. After a moment, she lowered the note. “What spell did you cast?”

Spike was surprised, but at the same time realized that he shouldn’t be. “I don’t know,” he said timidly. “I was just so mad at Diamond Tiara, that I...” Spike clenched his teeth and stomped the ground.

“Spike, stay calm!” she said quickly. Spike gaped at her, his anger forgotten. She seemed... scared?

“Spike, the spell Miss Cheerilee is describing here is powerful... it’s not something you’re supposed to do. If you can really summon things like that, then I think we better up your training for a while.”

Spike blinked. “You’re not mad?”

Twilight shook her head. “As powerful as it was, it wouldn’t have hurt Diamond Tiara any more than a good, hard buck would have. Unicorn magic has a bit of a failsafe in it. You have to be clearly thinking to truly hurt a living creature. Even if you had hit her, she would have been fine. And I know it’s hard to keep your temper when ponies act like that... it’s what allowed your magic to go off. But we are going to work on controlling your temper, okay?”

The colt nodded. “Yes.”

Twilight smiled softly and pulled him in a firm hug, and she felt tiny hooves returning the hug. “Spike, I know this may seem hard, but it will improve with time and practice. I know you can master your magic.”

Spike looked up to her face. “How do you know?”

Twilight kissed him on the forehead softly. “Because I’m your mother, and a mother will always believe in her son.”

Spike beamed as his eyes became slightly moist, but her wiped it away quickly. “Ok Mom, I’ll do my best!”

“Good. Now why don’t we get started? We’ll start with the basic meditation...”

“.. and that over there is the marketplace.”

Rarity and Fluttershy were walking side by side with Rainbow Spectrum as they pointed out to the various point of interests in their town. Rarity looked to Spectrum’s eyes and saw a nostalgic look in them.

“Ponyville... it hasn’t changed much, has it?” Spectrum whispered as they continued walking to their destination.

“I beg your pardon, sir?”

Spectrum chuckled softly as he shook his head. “Nevermind, just me thinking out loud... and please, call me Spectrum.”

Rarity smiled at the stallion turned her head to face what laid before them. “I guess we’re here.”

Spectrum looked up and saw a building that resembled a cake in the form of a house. “Why did you bring me here? Is this place not closed now?”

Rarity shook her and giggled slightly. “Oh it only closes in about thirty minutes from now. Right, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy jumped as her eyes darted from one corner to the other. “Eeep! Um, yes!” she whispered as she looked away from the company.

Spectrum scratched his head slightly. “Is there something I should know?”

“Nothing at all, Mr Spectrum.”

At that point, Pinkie burst out the door, looking at the trio of ponies with panic. “You’re here now? No, no, I’m not ready! I still have sooo much to get ready before...”

“Pinkie,” Rarity said sternly. “This isn’t what we agreed on. Please wait inside until we’re finished.”

Pinkie blinked for a moment, then smiled nervously. “Oh, right,” she giggled, turning back to the bakery.

“Pinkie...” Rarity added. “You did keep Rainbow Dash’s... relationship with her father a secret, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “I Pinkie Promised, didn’t I?”

Rarity nodded. “Good, now then, go on back to whatever it is you were working on.”

“Okie Dokie Lokie!” she chirped, slipping back into Sugarcube Corner.

Spectrum knocked his head to the side at the unusual scene that had just played out before him. “What exactly is going on here?”

Fluttershy kicked the dirt at the ground. Oh, um... well, you see...”

“We’ve been talking about how it would be best to go about helping you,” Rarity assured. “We decided that it is best if you and your daughter were to just sit down and talk things out.”

“Did she agree to this?” he asked hopefully.

“I’m not sure,” Rarity admitted. “But she will, eventually. I know her, we can at least talk her into sitting down with you.”

“I would really appreciate that,” he said earnestly.

“We want it to happen tonight,” the unicorn continued. “Pinkie is in there, preparing a place where the two of you can sit and talk this out.”

Spectrum’s eyes widened and his breathing became hoarse. “This is all too sudden.”

Rarity furrowed her eyebrows as she bit on her lower lip, seeing Spectrum like this. “I know this seems fast, but I believe you waited long enough for being with your daughter again.”

“Yes...” Spectrum smiled slightly and looked to the sunset. “What must I do in the meantime before this ‘party’ starts?”

“Hmmmm....” Rarity squinted her eyes as they were scanning Spectrum’s body thoroughly and a grin was slowing forming on her muzzle.

“What’s that look for?” Spectrum asked her as he looked away nervously from Rarity’s gaze.

Rarity grabbed hold of Spectrum’s hoof, “I think it’s time we go to Aloe and Lotus before they are closed for the day!” She then galloped with Spectrum behind her and Fluttershy did her best to keep up too. Rarity stopped in front of another building that resembled her own carousel.

“And we’re here! So glad they are still open!”

Rarity marched on in with Spectrum in her hold and she stopped by the counter to see a pink earth pony with blue hair wearing a white headband.

“Oh hi Rarity, good to see you again. If you wish to make an appointment, there’s a spot available tom-”

“No can do, this is urgent!”

Aloe tapped her chin and leaned her head forward. “Rarity, I’m so sorry to say this but we are nearly closed for today to tend to you and-”

“It’s not me that needs you and your sister’s help, it’s him.” She pulled Spectrum to the front and Aloe’s eyes widened at the sight of him.

“Um...” Spectrum eyes darted from Rarity to Fluttershy and then to Aloe. “Hi.”

Aloe facehoofed and sighed as she stepped away from the counter and went to the front where the three ponies were. “How long do we have?”

“About half an hour max,” Rarity answered.

“Treatment package?”

“Platinum, on me.”

Aloe nodded and smiled as she went inside another room and came out with another earth pony who resembled her. “We’ll take good care of him.”

Rainbow Dash had been staring at her ceiling for the better part of an hour, as if there was some hidden pattern in the clouds that she had not yet seen. Of course, even though she was seeing the ceiling, she wasn’t truly looking at it. She was more focused on her thoughts.

Even since that day when she had left her father, it had seemed the best, most obvious choice she could have made with her life. Escape the over controlling nature of an abusive parent, live wild and carefree. If she hadn’t, she’d have never met Fluttershy, who remained her best friend, or Gilda, who gave her so many happy memories that she couldn’t completely resent her, despite their unpleasant falling out. She’d have never moved to Ponyville, and as a result would have never met Twilight, or Spike, or Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie.

And she’d have never known about Scootaloo... correction, Scootaloo would have never been made, at least with her DNA. Bloodwing would have chosen another, and then who knows what would have happened...

But now, her father was back in her life, and he wasn’t leaving. To add insult to injury, her friends were insisting that she talk to him. Him! They didn’t know, they couldn’t know... were they idiots or something?

You’re the dumbest one in the group, a voice whispered in the back of her head. How many times have you dived head first into something and the others had to pull you out of it? I’m pretty sure you remember Mare-Do-Well...

She shivered. This was different. They were being sweet talked. Couldn’t they see through something so obvious?

Twilight can, the voice spoke again. I seem to remember her being the only one not to gush over a total bitch because she was letting her wear a frilly dress...

She threw a pillow over her head and started banging it with her hooves, hoping to drown out the little nagging voice. It only chuckled.

Typical Rainbow Dash... ignoring everything that could prove you wrong. That’s why you left Twilight broken and alone... that’s why you handed your daughter off into the hooves of a complete psychopath...

“Shut up, shut up,” she grumbled under her breath.

“Mom?”

Lifting the pillow of her head, she saw Scootaloo’s wary eyes looking at her. She quickly looked at the pillow which was now drenched in her tears and she tossed it to one side and quickly wiped the remaining moisture off from her eyes.

“Hey Scoots. What’s up?” she asked her daughter, putting on a fake smile for the little pegasus.

Scootaloo arched eyebrow and looked to the discarded pillow and then to her mother. “What happened, Mom?” she asked Rainbow as she walked up closer to her.

“Huh? Oh that!” Rainbow looked at the pillow and then rubbed her hoof behind her head, chuckling nervously. “That’s nothing, ok? It’s just me relieving some stress is all.”

Scootaloo looked at her mother dubiously and shook her head sighing. She then walked up closer to her mother and hovered to reach her neck.

“Scootaloo? What are you-”

She was cut short as Scootaloo hugged and nuzzled her. “Its ok, Mom. You can cry... cry as much as you want, I still think you’re the coolest.”

Rainbow Dash stood still there and looked at her daughter’s tiny orange head that was still nuzzling her cheek. The shock was soon replaced as her lips quivered and her eyes became wet. She held onto her daughter and cried into her shoulder. The cry soon evolved into sobbing as she was beginning to tremble from the crying.

Scootaloo smiled softly and let go of her mother and landed on the floor and saw Rainbow Dash wiping her tears away as a genuine smile was present on her face. “Feel better?”

Rainbow laughed and nodded, looking down in her daughter. She reached out for her daughter and folded her wings over her, pulling her in close. “What did I do to have such an amazing filly for a daughter?” she asked her and she nuzzled Scootaloo.

Scootaloo smiled softly, nuzzling her mother in return. “Just by being the most awesome mom there is.”

Rainbow kissed her daughter’s forehead. “I love you so much, Scootaloo.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

A knock at the door interrupted their thoughts. There were only two ponies that visited Rainbow Dash with and frequency: Fluttershy and Derpy, and the latter tended only to deliver her mail.

So then, by the time Rainbow Dash had reached the door, she knew exactly who was on the other side.

“Oh, um... hello, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said nervously.

“Let me guess,” the cyan pegasus said with a heavy voice. “You want me to go talk to my dad, right?”

“Oh, well, yes... Pinkie is throwing his ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party tonight, and we thought now would be the best time to...”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Rainbow Dash said angrily. “Does the whole town know who he is? What happened?”

“Oh, well, not exactly... we didn’t tell anypony why you left home, but they know he’s your dad.”

Just as Dash was gritting her teeth, Scootaloo asked, “Your dad is here?”

Her mother jumped and turned around, apparently just now remembering she was there. “Um... yes,” she said slowly.

“Oh, you haven't told her?” Fluttershy asked.

“No, I... listen, Scoots,” she said slowly, talking to her daughter. “My dad and me... we kind of had a fight the last time we saw each other. I got mad at him... me and him need to sit down and have a long talk.”

“Y...you’re going to forgive him, right?”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Um, well... I really don’t know, kid... we’ll see.”

“Please, Mom?” she asked. “I really want to have a grandpa!”

Rainbow Dash blinked. Of course, it came down to something that simple. She couldn’t help but smile. “We’ll see, kiddo.”

Fluttershy giggled as well. ”The party’s starting in thirty minutes at Sugarcube Corner. We’ll leave Spectrum in the upstairs loft until you two can talk.”

“I never said I’d come,” the cyan mare pointed out angrily. The response she got was Scootaloo clinging to her leg.

“Please, Mom? Please!”

“...Okay. But this is his only chance,” she told Fluttershy firmly. “His only.”

“You look marvelous!”

Spectrum looked at himself and was amazed by what the two spa ponies had done to him. Where once there were scratch marks, smooth skin and fur were now present. His mane was awfully brighter than it was a few days ago when he first arrived here. His feathers were preened and were softened as he stroked them with his hoof. When he looked into the mirror, he looked twenty years younger at least.

Aloe stood at the mirror and beamed as she saw the expression on the stallion’s face. “I hope this is to your liking, sir,” she asked him.

Spectrum nodded and smiled at the earth pony. “This is much better I’d say, then what I looked like previously.”

Rarity stood up and walked to his side. “Well of course, darling! You must look presentable if you are going to be at a party that we are throwing for you.”

Aloe ears perked and her mouth gaped slightly. “That party Pinkie invited me and Lotus to, is for him?!” she asked as she pointed a hoof to Spectrum.

Rarity nodded, “Yes, why do you ask Aloe?”

Aloe clapped her hooves and let out a ‘squee’ sound as she came towards Spectrum and Rarity. “Then by all means, this is on the house!”

Rarity chuckled as she placed a hoof to her mouth, suppressing the grin forming. “I see you are practicing my speciality. Very impressive.”

Aloe nodded and turned her head to the door as Lotus came out. “What time is the party you say?”

Rarity’s eyes became alert as she looked up to the clock and gasped slightly. “Oh dear! We are going to be late! Spectrum, come along now please!” she told him as she went out of the building, followed closely by Spectrum.

Spectrum trotted up to Sugarcube Corner, with his escort at his side. “Alright, Darling, here we are,” Rarity proclaimed, gesturing to the modest little bakery. “This is where the festivities will be held.”

“Dashie is here already?” he asked nervously.

“No, no, Darling,” she clarified, using her magic to open the front door. “Nopony is here just yet. I’m going to take you upstairs so you can...”

In a flash, Pinkie leapt from the bakery and tackled Spectrum to the ground. “What are you doing?” she shrieked.

“G-going inside...”

“What? You’re the guest of honor! You can’t see the party before it’s ready!” she exclaimed, pulling a blindfold from nowhere and wrapping it around the frightened stallion’s eyes.

“Pinkie...” Rarity said patiently, “Don’t you think you’re going a bit overboard? We really don’t need...”

“Rarity,” Pinkie said, sounding scandalized, “this is the most important party I’ve thrown since the ‘Happy Birthday, Scootaloo’ party! If anything goes wrong, Rainbow Dash and her daddy might not make up! And that would be extra bad! Everything’s got to be perfect!”

“But... how am I supposed to get upstairs blindfolded?” Spectrum asked.

“I’ll lead you up!” Pinkie said, grabbing his hoof and pulling him up. “Don’t worry, you won’t bump into anything! Nopony lives upstairs but me and the Cakes!”

“...This is starting to sound like something out of Sweeney Trot,” Spectrum said slowly.

When Rainbow Dash arrived ten minutes later, she found Rarity at the entrance, checking her hooves for dirt for the fiftieth time and muttering about wanting to be inside. When she saw her friend, her mood brightened considerably.

“Ah, good, Rainbow Dash, you’re just in time.”

The mare in question landed, letting Scootaloo hop off her back. In a flash the pegasus was at the unicorn’s hooves. “Is he here? Is my grandpa here?”

“Oh, yes, dearie,” Rarity answered, a bit stunned. “But I think your mother needs to speak with him in private first...”

Rainbow narrowed her eyes to Rarity, but soon let out a sigh and ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Just wait for me outside, this won’t take long ok?”

“Ok...”

With that, Rainbow and Rarity entered the Sugarcube Corner. But before she could even get a glimpse of what was going on inside, Rainbow’s vision became dark as she felt cloth bind her head and over her eyes.

“Hey! What gives!” she demanded as she tried to take off the blindfold, but heard giggling behind her. “Pinkie...”

Pinkie Pie pushed Rainbow forward and up the stairs. “You’re welcome! Now let’s just go someplace else for a moment, party’s not ready yet!”

Rainbow felt the steps of the stairs as she was being forced upwards. “Pinkie, if I fall thanks to this I am so gonna-!”

Pinkie pulled off the blindfold before Rainbow could finish the sentence. “We’re here!” she yelled out to her friend as they were both inside Pinkie Pie’s room. The only other pony who was there was Spectrum, who was still blindfolded.

“Pinkie, is that you?” he called out as he tried to take off the blindfold, but found the knot behind was too tight to be pulled off.

The pink pony came up behind Spectrum and simply pulled it off to reveal Rainbow Dash standing before him. He gasped slightly and almost immediately closed his mouth in the presence of his long-lost daughter.

Rainbow Dash was not doing any better. Where once she saw a sickly rainbow-maned stallion in Fluttershy’s house for the first time in over a decade, now she saw him look as healthy and clean as he did since her youth. Thinner for sure, but Fluttershy had apparently fed him enough that he didn’t look quite as scrawny as he had a few days ago. Rainbow scrunched her lips as her eyes darted from one place to another and she was starting to sweat profoundly.

“Um... hi?” It was more a question than a statement.

There was silence for a few seconds before Rainbow Dash responded. “Hi.”

There was another long silence.

“...I’mgonnagogetsomecakeseeyabye!” Pinkie said quickly and darted away from the awkward conversation, much to the envy of the Rainbow family.

There was another awkward silence.

“Dashie...” Spectrum started, then stopped. He took a deep breath, then continued. “What I said to you... it was stupid.”

“No, really?” Dash said bluntly.

Spectrum winced at her statement, but pushed on. “I was just... I was afraid of losing you, like I lost your mother. I... when I found out that you left, I had decided to let you be a Wonderbolt...”

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

The stallion glanced around the room before sighing. “I guess you don’t,” he admitted. “Please, I came all this way. These last few years nearly killed me...”

Dash looked her father over again. “You look like you’ve recovered...”

“Your friend Rarity insisted,” he explained. Rainbow Dash found that easy to believe at least. “I didn’t even know where you were until I saw your picture in the paper... the Element of Loyalty... I couldn’t believe it.”

“It took you two years to get here? We didn’t live that far up north.”

“I can’t fly anymore,” he said sadly. “I didn’t have the strength after you left. Fluttershy has been trying to help me back up...” He was silent for a moment. “Please... I would have been here next day if I could.”

Rainbow Dash studied her father’s face for a moment. He looked sincere... maybe he was. But she wasn’t about to let her guard down. “Do you know about Scoots?” she asked.

He nodded. “Fluttershy told me.”

Then Fluttershy should be grateful we’ve been friends so long, she thought. “I’m not leaving you alone with her.”

Spectrum looked crestfallen. “Are... are you saying no?”

“...I didn’t say that,” she said finally. “Did Fluttershy tell you about... Scootaloo’s birth? About...”

He nodded. “She told me everything. It sounds like a nightmare.”

“It was. When I gave Scootaloo to those agents, it nearly killed me. She screamed that she hated me. That hurt worse than any crash I’ve ever had.” She was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know if you’re telling the truth... but if you are, I don’t want to put you through that.” She relaxed a little, but only a little.

Rainbow Dash then found herself being held by Spectrum in a firm hug. She stared at him with shock in her eyes, raising a hoof to push him away. Instead, the hoof encircled him and she returned the hug.

She started to blink as her eyes became slightly moist, but no tears were present. She took a glance at his wings and gasped slightly at the sight. Even with all the care the spa ponies could give him, his feathers looked as though they were roughly pulled out and replaced with old decaying ones. Maybe he really is telling the truth... maybe he really did go through Tartarus when I left... maybe... maybe I’ve hurt him even more than he did me on that day...

The door of the room opened and Pinkie came trotting inside. “You two done now alrea-” she stopped midway as she saw father and daughter in a hug. Her lips started trembling and out of nowhere she pulled out a handkerchief and started blowing on it as she cried. “So beautiful!” she yelled out and wailed as she sobbed. She stopped abruptly as a smile replaced the tears. “Come downstairs you two! We’re ready!” she said as she walked out, leaving the two pegasus alone with confusion on their faces.

Dash let go of Spectrum and gulped as she scrunched her lips and blinked furiously. “I think that’s the cue.”

“Is she always like this?”

Rainbow Dash nodded as she chuckled. “You have no idea!”

“Mom?” a voice said from out in the hallway.

Spectrum brightened up. “Is that Scootaloo?” he asked excitedly.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Yes it is... even though I specifically told her to wait outside. Well, you might as well meet her now. Scoots?” she called to the hallway. “Come in here. Your grandpa wants to meet you!”

Scootaloo bounded into the room. “Where?” she asked excitedly. “Where? Is he...”

She stopped, and suddenly looked scared. “What? Did I do something wrong?”

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow, then looked at her father. Suddenly, she understood her daughter’s confusion.

Spectrum’s pupils had shrunk to the size of pencil points. His mouth nearly hit the floor. He actually sat down, unable to stay upright.

“What’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Spectrum blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing her correctly. “She looks just like her... Dashie... she looks like your mother.”

Chapter 7

“... and then he said “She looks like your mother”!”

Scootaloo’s friends listened intently to her brief summary about the party as they were on their recess. They decided to spend it by playing underneath the biggest tree near the school grounds, though instead of playing they merely sat in a semicircle around Scootaloo underneath the tree.

Pip, who lying on the ground with his forehooves underneath his chin, let out a whistle. “Blimey! Your grandfather’s a former Captain of the Wonderbolts?!”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo replied as she nodded her head furiously, beaming proudly. “I now know where my mom gets all her talent from!”

Spike tapped his chin as his eyes went skyward. “Still, Rainbow didn’t seem too keen on him being here in Ponyville...”

“Well...” Sweetie Belle chimed in, but hesitated for a moment. “Well from what Rarity told me, it was all a misunderstanding... like when Rarity and I fought at the time of The Sisterhooves Social, sure I was angry at her for being mean to me but she really came through for me. Like he’s doing right now.”

Apple Bloom nodded as she sat on the grass. “Right! Family always comes first! That’s the Apple Way!”

Pip sighed softly and rolled his eyes. “Right...”

“Beg ya pardon?”

“Nothing! Anyway...” Pip looked over to Scootaloo, “What’s the story now between your grandfather and mother?”

Scootaloo shrugged, blowing her hair out of his eyes. “I really don’t know...”

“Well whatever happens...” Light chimed in as stood up and stretched his legs. “I hope this all works for you Scoots.”

“Thanks, Light,” Scootaloo said softly as she looked up to him and smiled. She sighed and rolled on her back as she looked up to the tree’s leaves, bathed in the sunlight. “So what are we gonna do about the talent show this Friday?”

“Well, I think we should-”

“There they are!”

Six heads turned, then fumed at the sight coming toward them. Diamond Tiara and her crew were walking toward them, looking angry.

“Aw, hay,” Apple Bloom muttered, grateful her older siblings weren’t around to hear her language.

“You ugly blank flanks got me in trouble!” the pink filly sneered.

Silver Spoon didn’t look as happy about the whole thing as her best friend did. “Diamond, let’s just drop this...”

“No! I can’t let them...”

“Ah, there you are,” Cherilee broke into the conversation. She came trotting up to the group, giving Diamond Tiara a knowing look. “I see you found Apple Bloom and her friends. Good filly.”

Diamond Tiara gulped. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee.”

“So, I assume you were just about to start that apology to them, am I right?”

Diamond Tiara looked at her rivals, who were all giving her the smuggest grins she had ever seen. “Do I have to?”

“No,” Cheerilee answered. “Your father and I discussed other options. We thought maybe a few weeks of stacking shelves and scrubbing floors in his store might make you a more polite pony.”

Her eyes widening, Diamond Tiara turned to the six Cutie Mark Crusaders. Through gritted teeth, she forced out, “I’m sorry.”

Immediately, she turned and ran for the school, but the teacher blocked her way. “What was that? I don’t think they quite understood you.”

Gritting her teeth again, she turned back to them and managed a more audible “I’m sorry.” The group laughed. It sounded like she was choking on something spoiled and rotten.

“That’s better,” Cheerilee said. “Now inside. You have detention to do.”

The teacher herded the foals in the door, with Diamond Tiara giving one last hate-filled glare at the six before heading inside.

Light shook his head, turning to the others. “Does it actually hurt her to show some compassion to other ponies?”

Spike simply shrugged as he smirked. “I dunno, though it’s not impossible. You should see what nobility in Canterlot is like.”

“If she went there and started acting all high and mighty, she wouldn’t last a minute,” Scootaloo said as she looked back to the building, trying to see if she could find the tormentor in one of the windows.

“Rarity said those ponies in Canterlot are so uncouth and are complete ruffians!” Sweetie Belle said, impersonating Rarity’s way of speech.

The others laughed to this, until Apple Bloom stopped laughing. “We better hurry on in! Don’t wanna be late now!”

“Right!”

With that the six foals made their way to the classroom, starting a new lesson.

“... and then Princess Celestia come up into my room and apologized to me for what she said. To be honest, that was one of the only times I have seen her cry.”

Twilight sat on her pillow, sipping away on tea as she recounted her adventures to Blaze who was sitting opposite her enjoying a cup of tea of his own.

“Woah... you know that makes me wonder, if the Princess knew there was a threat in Equestria... why allow a wedding to happen at the same time?”

Twilight blinked and arched her eyebrow slightly. “It was really a political thing. A lot of the elite donated money and demanded it go through regardless. It didn’t matter to them if there were more important things going on, they wanted the chance to do some social climbing.”

Blaze rolled his eyes. “How did you put up with that?”

“The Princess protected me from a lot of it. She wouldn’t let me date anypony before I was eighteen because she knew how many of the nobles would try to manipulate me to marry their sons and get the influence.”

He shuddered at that. “Are they really that ruthless?”

“Celestia keeps them in line... mostly. They’re good at politics, but the Princess is better.” She looked down in her teacup for a minute. “She told me that she forgets it’s not a game sometimes. That’s what it seems to her after centuries of outwitting them. She told me she really should have just ignored them and put a hold on the wedding until it was all over, but she thought she could handle it... it was a mistake.”

Blaze took a sip of his tea, and his gaze fell upon a picture of Twilight and Spike in the Crystal Empire. “So your son was also the hero of the whole Crystal Empire fiasco?”

Twilight giggled softly as she placed her tea down. “Yes, surprisingly so...”

“Bet he got spoiled a lot for that.”

Twilight groaned as she rolled her eyes. “You have no idea! My parents and my brother spent our entire trip in Canterlot buying him everything he wanted! I think he gained about ten pounds on sweets!” She was silent a moment more before speaking. “Although, after everything he’s been through before he turned into a pony, I guess he deserves to be spoiled at least once...”

“I’d imagine,” the pegasus muttered, taking a sip of tea. Twilight blushed, realizing it was probably not the best idea to expect sympathy from a pony who spent the last few years a prisoner.

Clearing her throat, she went on. “So... how did you meet Light?”

Blaze placed his cup on the saucer and readjusted himself on his pillow, lying on his back and looking up to the ceiling. “I met him at the orphanage... in Manehatten.”

Twilight was surprised by this fact, with her eyes widening. “You’re from Manehatten?” she asked him curiously, finishing her tea before placing it on the table.

“Yeah... not exactly the greatest place, especially if you had a domineering family from which you ran away from,” he muttered softly and chuckled. “Enough about me, Light and I met at the orphanage when he was still in diapers. Amazing how young ponies can be when they are abandoned...”

Twilight’s mouth hung agape as she looked at Blaze in astonishment. “That young... but, how did you come to Canterlot?”

Blaze rose himself from his lying position and sat on his haunches as he sighed. “Did you know that some orphanages are so broke they sell the youth to factories?”

Twilight gasped and placed a hoof to her mouth. “How could they ever-”

“I don’t know,” Blaze chimed in and looked down on his finished cup. “Also, if you had no name, you were assigned a number. Light had no name so he was given a number, like somepony’s property.”

“So... where did he get his name?”

Blaze smiled softly and looked at Twilight. “I named him, ‘cause he deserved a name. I was the one to look after him since nopony would, I literally raised him. You know how a pony sometimes questions a reason for being in a place when it doesn’t seem obvious? Since Light came into the picture, I guess I found my reason,” he said as he stood up and showed Twilight his flank. “See this cutie mark?” he asked her rhetorically, showing off his cutie mark that depicted a shield of fire. “The day I got this cutie mark was the day I protected Light from those rotten orphanage caretakers who were planning on selling him to some low life. That was also the day I ran... and took him with me.”

Twilight scrunched lips as her eyes turned moist, sniffing a bit to keep the tears from coming. “You and him have really been through a lot...”

Blaze dropped to his pillow. “Well, I don’t like to think of the past that much. I only care about the future, and so long as Light’s well in the future I don’t give a windigo’s ass what happens to me.”

Twilight blinked in response to the sheer bluntness of the statement. “How can you not care?”

“I don’t have much else to live for,” he muttered. “Haven’t for awhile. Or ever, really.”

“There has to be something?”

“Protecting Light from the orphanage, then from Bloodwing, I haven’t had time for much else.”

“But you're free now. Don’t you want to go out and live?”

“Can’t really do that until the Princesses lets me go,” he muttered. “I’m still a prisoner until they decide I can be trusted.”

“Well, what then? You’re a Wonderbolt, don’t you enjoy that?”

He shrugged. “It’s a job... really, anything’s better than Bloodwing.”

She shook her head. “I hope that changes... and anyway, I’m surprised Princess Celestia let an orphanage like that run...”

“She’s not a god,” he reminded her. “She can’t know about everything. Last I heard, that place was shut down... or somepony else took it over. Either way, it’s not being run the same way anymore.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” she muttered, taking a sip. Then she thought a moment. “I take it Light got caught up on everything? Doctor’s check ups, his tutoring, everything?”

“Yeah... I went through all of the requirements for me to keep Light... and I applied for his specialized education scholarships after he graduates primary school.”

“Any idea what his special talent might be?”

He frowned a bit. “Honestly... he says he wants to try flying... but he never learned how, really...”

“I can arrange a tutor for him,” she said, “if you’re too busy... and if Rainbow Dash doesn’t want to do it.”

“I can find time soon...” he trailed off. “Wasn’t there something we were supposed to be doing?”

Twilight paused. Then, her eyes widening, she looked at the clock, and realized their fifteen minute tea break had lasted the better part of two hours.

“Sweet Celestia, we’re behind schedule!” she grabbed Blaze and pulled him into the next room. “We have to get moving! We have research to do, papers to file...”

I hope she’s on break now...

Spectrum’s hot air balloon, on loan from Pinkie, landed on the floating ground of the Wonderbolt Training Camp where a number of new recruits were doing their daily routines for the Wonderbolt. His eyes squinted as he looked over the training site, trying to find a cyan pony like him. He spotted her, going through an obstacle course as though it were foal’s play.

Spectrum smiled proudly as his eyes turned moist. He reached in for a locket and opened it, revealing himself and Melody inside.

Melody, if only you could see how amazing your girl’s become...

The sounds of sirens brought Spectrum’s mind back to the training site and he saw the recruits stopping their duties as a voice echoed across the camp.

“Lunch break, one hour!” the voice called out, from what Spectrum could tell it belonged to a mare. He looked down and saw the recruits flying in all different directions, though most of them went into another building. He saw that his daughter stayed behind to train some more.

Spectrum sighed and stretched his wings. When they spread, he felt jolts of pain coming from them but he ignored them. He flapped them slowly, easing the pain by a slight degree.

Wish I could use them now... he thought to himself as his brow furrowed in glum. He turned to the hot air balloon that he borrowed from Pinkie and arched his eyebrow as he wondered where Pinkie got it to begin with, and where she kept it.

Spectrum tucked his wings back in and marched to the entrance of the camp, where two pegasi security guards were standing post. He noticed that the two of them looked awfully bored, with one them looking drowsy as he could barely keep his eyes open.

When Spectrum was before them, they stood at attention and looked with withering glares at the visitor. “Sir, unless you have a special permit to be here on these ground, we advise you to leave or be taken in for question by law-”

Oh geez... they still so strict on even the training grounds? “I’m just here to see my daughter.” Spectrum deadpanned as he backed away slightly from the guards moving in closer with their glare.

“Sir, I will not repeat myself! Leave or-” the one guard felt a jab in his ribs. “What, Comet?!” he asked his fellow guard, who looked as though he seen a ghost.

Comet walked to his friend’s side and inspected Spectrum’s frame, until his eyes fell upon his cutie mark. Comet gasped as he dropped his spear and his wings flared. “Holy mother of Equestria!” he shouted out loud and immediately flew through the gate. “Captain! Captain! You better come here quick!”

Within moments, Spitfire was front and center. “What’s wrong, cadet? Do we have a trespasser? Sir, remove yourself before...”

And she then she got a good look at him.

As the leader of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire was expected to constantly keep the air of a stern and competent commander at all times. She prided herself in keeping a clean record of that behavior for years.

However, nopony was perfect.

“...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” she shouted out as she took hold of his hoof and shook it furiously, before her eyes glittered in stars and she clapped her hooves together.

“Ohmygoshit’sRainbowSpectrum!SirIwasamajorbigfanofyoursIhadallyouractionfiguresandsawallyourshowsyouconvincedmetobecomeaWonderboltandnowyou’restandinghereinfrontofmeandit’ssoawesome!IalwayswantedtomeetyoubutyouretiredrightbeforeIjoinedandInevergotthechancebutnowyou’rehereandit’slikeadreamcometrueand...”

Suddenly she stopped. She straightened herself, then calmly turned to the guards. “You didn’t see that, right?”

“Ma’am, no ma’am,” the guards chanted, sounding amused.

“Good, because if you went around telling ponies you saw things you didn’t see, I would have to put you on KP.”

“Ma’am, yes Ma’am.”

“Good,” she said simply, turning to face Spectrum. “It’s... an honor to meet you, Captain Spectrum.”

“I’m not a captain anymore,” he said simply with a soft smile. “I’m just here to see my daughter.”

The orange mares eyes widened. “Your daughter’s a cadet? Wait...”

She turned and looked at Rainbow Dash, who was sitting some distance away, having lunch. Surprise crossed her features. “I thought there was something familiar about her...” She turned back to her idol. “But she never mentioned you. I would think that would be something she’d want to brag about.”

He sighed. “We’ve... we’ve had our disagreements.”

Spitfire bit her lower lip as she saw Spectrum frowning a little. “I’ll be right back,” she said to him, as she flew off to where Rainbow was eating away at her dandelion sandwich. Spitfire landed nearby and cleared her throat. “Rainbow Dash! Front and center!” she shouted out to her.

Rainbow’s head jerked to Spitfire and she immediately swallowed all that was in her mouth, flying over to her captain. She landed before her and saluted to her. “Ma’am!” she said as she stood still in place.

“Dash, you have a visitor today.”

Rainbow arched a brow as she turned her head slightly. “Ma’am? Aren’t visitors not allowed up here?” she said as she remembered she couldn’t invite her friends to come and see her perform or do her other duties.

Spitfire smirked as she chuckled slightly. “True, but this one’s an exception,” she said as she pointed her head to the gate and saw Rainbow turning her gaze to it. She saw her cadet sweat slightly, her eyes widening. “First time I met you, you told me you had no family at all.” Spitfire said, keeping her smirk and soundly eerily calm.

“C-captain- I can explain-”

“We’ll talk later,” Spitfire chimed in as she walked to Rainbow’s side. “First things first, spend some time with your dad in this lunch break. That’s an order.” she said as she looked back to Spectrum, who was signing an autograph for the two guards at the entrance.

Rainbow sighed as she grumbled. “Yes, Ma’am,” she answered her captain and walked off.

“And Rainbow,” Spitfire called out in her casual tone. “I suggest you look after him ok? His wings look rather sore,” she said as she looked back at Spectrum and could not help but flinch at the sight of his wings.

Rainbow nodded and continued her way towards her father.

Soarin floated to Spitfire’s side and landed next to her. “What’s going on here? I could have sworn you did a fan-filly scream.” he asked her as he looked to his captain and best friend.

Spitfire blushed and giggled, placing a hoof to her mouth that soon pointed to the gate. “Cause of that,” she said as she saw Spectrum and Dash walking off.

Soarin’ blinked. “Is... is that...”

Spitfire nodded. “He’s Rainbow Dash’s dad!”

“No. Way,” he said, his eyes widening and his mouth curling into a smile that belonged on a foal 25 years younger. “That is so cool! Why’d she never mention it?”

“Apparently they had a falling out,” she said.

Soarin thought a minute. “A runaway, huh? We should have looked into that more carefully. And idea why she ran off?”

“No, and don’t ask her. It’s none of our business now. Besides...” She watched father and daughter talk, “I think they’re going to talk this out just fine.”

“You came all the way up here?” she said angrily.

“I wanted to see you, Dashie. I was hoping we could have lunch and talk some more.”

“So you came into restricted airspace? You’re lucky you’re not in jail right now!”

At this, Spectrum actually stuck out his chest in pride. “Luck had nothing to do with it. I’m apparently quite popular here. Spitfire’s a big fan.”

Rainbow Dash tilted her head skeptically. “Really?”

At this, Spectrum turned to Spitfire, who was still looking at them, and blew a kiss her way. The orange pegasi gasped, clutched her heart, and fell over with Soarin catching her, hearts appearing in her eyes.

Blowing on his hoof, he wiped it on his barrell. “Still got it.”

Rainbow Dash had to pick her jaw off the floor. “How... what? How...”

“I was a real mare’s stallion back in the day. You should have seen how I swept your mother off her hooves...”

And with that, his confidence was gone, replaced with a pained look. He looked at the ground. “She would have been proud of you.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “How’d you meet her?”

Spectrum smiled slightly as he looked upwards to the clouds in the sky. “It was just an ordinary day of training for me... I was perfecting my signature move when I first met her. She was sitting on top of the hill where I liked to hang out, near Ponyville her home and-”

“Wait! Mom was from Ponyville?!” Rainbow chimed as she looked her father with shocked eyes that were the size of pins.

“Yeah,” Spectrum answered and chuckled. “Amazing how that town also became your home...” Spectrum shook his head slightly. “Anyway, she was very shy in front of me when I first spoke to her that day. It was also the day I asked her out on a date. From there, my life was never the same again.”

Rainbow Dash listened intently to her father and she rested her head on her hooves as he continued on talking.

“Your mom had one of the most amazing singing voices ever. Even though most ponies couldn’t hear her voice in the crowd’s cheering, I could always hear it when she called my name. Thought it would be appropriate too for where I would ask the greatest question in my life.”

Rainbow blinked and turned her head slightly. “What kind of question.”

Spectrum smirked as he looked to his daughter. “To marry me.” he said simply. “To many fans it was another show in Cloudsdale, but to me it was one of the best moments ever.” he said as he once again looked up to the sky. “I did my signature move, the Rainboom Spectrum, and wrote in the air ‘Melody, will you marry me’. I still remember how much she was crying in joy when she flew up to me and chanted ‘yes’, before she was kissing me for the remainder of the show and-”

“Ok, I don’t wanna hear the private stuff please!” Rainbow said as she closed her eyes and tried to erase the images that crossed her mind.

Spectrum smiled softly and took out the locket and showed it to Dash after opening it. “That’s her right there with me, and you are right there,” he said as he pointed to Melody’s belly that was swollen. Melody’s coat was orange and her mane was purple that reached to her shoulders. Her eyes were the same magenta color that her daughter had whilst her cutie mark was a musical note with birds in the back. In the picture she was being held by Spectrum as she gave the camera the softest smile that Rainbow had ever saw on a pony.

Rainbow’s eyes became slightly moist as she looked at her mother. “She’s beautiful.”

“She is. She was. She had me wrapped around her hoof, and she knew it, even if she never took advantage of it.”

“...How’d she die?”

Spectrum was silent for a moment. “She... she died in childbirth.” he said softly as he looked back to the picture and let loose a single tear. He heard the movement of grass and saw his daughter standing up with her irises the size of pins. “Dashie?”

“I... I killed my mother?” Dashie whispered as she found it hard to breathe. “I-I killed my mom! I-”

“No!” Spectrum jumped up and held his daughter close, stroking her mane softly. “Dashie... Dashie, please, don’t think of it like that. I never blamed you for what happened to her, and neither should you.” He spoke to her softly and felt her calm down before letting go. He could have sworn he saw tears, but he didn’t press the matter.

Rainbow blinked rapidly as she breathed slowly. “...Why didn’t you ever tell me? I always asked you, and you just told me not to worry about it...”

“I didn’t want to upset you,” he said simply. “I...” he sighed. “I think I ended up smothering you. After losing your mother, I couldn’t stand losing you too. I did everything I could to protect you...” he said as he looked away from his daughter’s gaze. “But I guess I ended hurting you more because of that...”

Rainbow regarded his words. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

“...Yes. At your cuteceñeara. I thought it would be time. But you ran off before... before you got your cutie mark,” he bit his lips, holding in to not break down in front of his daughter.

There was silence for a moment. “Do you think you could talk Spitfire into letting you come back up tomorrow?”

Spectrum’s ears perked and he raised his head sharply. “Sorry?”

Rainbow looked away coyly as she placed a hoof to her chin. “Well, it’s just... I want you to see me perform and...”

With that, he smiled. “I don’t think it would be too hard... in fact, I was going to ask her if I could use their gym to get back into shape. Flying again would be pretty nice...”

“You could re-enlist,” she suggested happily. “Be back flying!”

He laughed, shaking his head. “No... I’ve had my fun. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll stick around Ponyville... I’ve worked enough, I’ve been through enough. I think it’s time I just enjoyed life.”

She laughed in response. “Think you can’t keep up with me?”

“I could,” he smiled, his former confidence returning. “I knew some moves back in the day... I bet I could be back on my wings pretty quick...”

“Is that a challenge?”

“...No. It’s an offer,” he said simply. “I’m going to teach you some of my moves. They got me to captain, they can get you there too.”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

“... Alright, ponies! We got allo’ work to do if we are even gonna stand a chance to win a price this year!” Apple Bloom shouted out to her five friends who were standing before her.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and groaned. “Can we just get on with it?! I need to build the stage already!”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Righ’! You and Light get snapping!” she said as she pointed her hoof to a pile of wood. “Ah’ll guide ya if you get stuck.”

With that Scootaloo and Light flew off to the pile of wood, scurrying through it to find the proper pieces to begin construction.

“Spike?” Apple Bloom brought the purple unicorn’s attention to her as he looked to the stage. “You got lyrics ready yet?”

Spike trotted over to his saddlebag and pulled out some notes with his magic, that has improved greatly thanks to the tutelage of his mother. “Right here,” he said as he passed it over to the yellow earth pony. “It’s about half-way there, but I’m getting there.”

Apple Bloom rushed through the lyrics, with Sweetie Belle looking from behind as she squinted her eyes to get a closer look. “Wow Spike! These are really great!” Sweetie Belle smiled broadly at Spike as she finished the last page with her friend.

Spike’s cheeks burned brightly for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s nothing big, really. Just simple stuff.”

Sweetie Belle giggled softly, seeing Spike’s blush. “Well, I’m sure this will help us win the talent show.”

Apple Bloom smirked slightly before turning her attention to Pip. “Pip, Ah’m not sure what ye can do fer us at this moment but-”

“I can do some painting on the stage.”

Apple Bloom blinked and looked back to Light and Scootaloo working hard on the stage, noticing the lack of color. She scrunched her lips and tapped her chin in thought. “Well... ok, just say which colors ya need,” she told him as he gave a salute and walked off to the pegasi duo.

“Alright girls, let’s get started!”

Spike made a mental note to ask his mother if it was possible for ears to bleed as Apple Bloom tried belting out another verse of his song. Pressing his ears as far back as he could will it, he gritted his teeth. “That’s... not exactly what I was hoping to hear when I wrote it.”

“You need to round your mouth,” Sweetie instructed. “Like you have a small ball in there. Try it again.”

Apple Bloom sang the note again. There was some shrillness, but it came out clearer.

“That was... better,” Sweetie assured.

“Better than what?” Scootaloo snarked.

“Scoots, just build the stage,” Spike muttered. “And this time, make sure you follow that carpentry book my mom gave you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m following it.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Scoots snapped. “Ask Pip and Light, if you don’t believe me. They’re helping too.”

“Fine, I believe you.” She looked out into the sky. “It’s getting pretty late anyway. I think we better start heading home.”

“What?” Pip said, suddenly jerking to attention. “Already?”

“Afraid so,” she said. “We’ll meet up after school tomorrow. We still have a lot of work to do.”

“Alright then, Cutie Mark Crusaders, today’s meeting is officially over. Everypony head home, and we’ll meet up here tomorrow after school.”

With that, the group said their goodbyes. Spike and Scootaloo raced home for their magic and flying lessons, Light went to meet Blaze at the clocktower, Sweetie went to visit Rarity, and Apple Bloom grumbled about the chores that awaited her.

And Pip, the last one to leave, shot a look at all his friends retreating. Sighing, he began walking away.

Chapter 9

I hope this works!

Sweetie Belle sprayed the perfume she given by Rarity, once on each side of her neck. She quickly put the bottle back into her saddlebag and walked towards the stage that was being constructed, with the help of three of her friends. Three friends were doing construction, and another was pointing out flaws in the construct.

“No, no, Pip! It goes that way!” Apple Bloom shouted out to the spotted earth pony, who was placing planks on the wrong side.

Pip groaned as he picked the planks up and carried them to the spot Apple Bloom pointed to. When he was done, he looked at Apple Bloom irritably as his eyes started twitching. “Happy now?”

“Much better! Scootaloo! Can’t you set the lighting right!?”

Sweetie shook her head and giggled, walking up to where Pip was sitting. “Sorry, Pip, but do you know where Spike is?”

Pip pointed to the back with his head. “That way he be,” he said as he took a bottle of water and finished it with one go. He took a sniff in the air and turned to Sweetie. “Oi! What’s with that fruity smell in the air?”

Sweetie Belle smiled as she rolled her eyes playfully. “Oh, it’s nothing really...” she said coyly as she shuffled her hooves.

“If you say so, just next time though... a shower in the morning always helps.”

Sweetie’s eye twitched as her jaw locked, forcing a smile in its place. “I’ll be sure to remember it!” she said through her teeth and rushed off to where Spike was. He’s so going to get it!

Spike was at the back of the construct, sitting by a table and writing a few notes with his quill being held with magic. Last night wasn’t very pleasant, and even though his mother helped him out as best as she could... he still felt hollow.

As he finished the last page, he felt a soft hoof on his shoulder and turned around to see the happy face of Sweetie Belle.

Spike smiled in return and placed his quill down in the ink. “Hi there Sweetie, what can I do you for?” he asked her as he turned around to face her, noticing something different about her.

“Oh, I just wanted to go over the lyrics to the song again,” she said slowly. “We only have three more days to work on it.”

“Sure...” He sniffed the air again. “What’s that smell?”

Sweetie blushed. Trying her best to be coy, she spoke. “Oh, it’s just a little something Rarity suggested for me. What do you think?”

“It’s okay,” he said, returning his attention to the music sheet in front of him.

Sweetie stood there, unable to move from shock. It’s okay? That was the best it had gotten? That was Rarity’s advice?!

“You think this should be in this tone?” he asked her as he gave her the note he was working on and saw her reading through it.

Sweetie sighed. “Yes... I think it sounds perfect.”

“And are you sure Apple Bloom can get it?”

“She better,” Sweetie sighed, her heart not really in the conversation. “I mean, I learned all of my singing just by picking it up. I’m sure she will too.”

Spike sighed. “Well, we better take it from the top. Hey, Apple Bloom! Come on, practice time!”

“Sure thang, Spike,” the red maned filly said, rushing over to meet the two unicorns. “So where are we startin’?

“Right at the beginning, at the top of the...”

Suddenly, there was a too loud cry of “Oops!” that was far too nasty sounding to be genuine. A splash of blue paint covered all the music sheets.

The cries of the Cutie Mark Crusaders barely disguised a laughing Diamond Tiara, who had been the perpetrator. “Looks like my paint got spilled all over your music, oh how terrible.”

“That was mean, Diamond!” Spike said. “We’re going to tell Miss Cheerilee!”

“Oh, but it was an accident,” she said, in a tone that didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “Can you prove I spilled it on purpose?” With that she turned around and trotted off, laughing triumphantly.

“Why that ornery little...” Apple Bloom began, but Spike silenced her.

“Don’t worry, my mom made me make copies of everything,” he said, digging through his saddlebags. “Says it helps in case something happens, and boy was she right.”

Sweetie sighed in relieve. “That’s good... but honestly, doesn’t she ever learn?”

Light, having finished his work and seeing what happened, floated down and glared to where Diamond Tiara had trotted off. “I say we teach her lesson, a lesson she’d never forget. How about ants in her sandwich?”

Pip shook his head. “Nay that be too cruel to the ants. Water balloons, anypony?”

“Turn her mane into spaghetti?”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie turned to each other when the colts came up with different means of punishment and they nodded with their brows furrowed.

“Now hold yer horses there, we ain’t gonna do none of those stuff ye hear?” Apple Bloom chimed in to the colts discussion.

Spike turned his head sideways in confusion. “Why not? It’s what she deserves in the end, or have you forgotten how much she’s gotten away with in the past?”

Light nodded and turned to Apple Bloom. “It’s not wrong to stand up for yourself and teach a bully a lesson...”

“Aye!”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Still it’s not right doing bad things to ponies just because they're stupid,” she said plainly, and arched her brow when she saw the others laughing. “What did I say?”

“You just gave a perfect description of Diamond Tiara.”

“I did?”

Spike sat at the table again. “A stupid bully is what she is,” he said to her, not seeing her blush. “Now let’s get back to work shall we?”

The library was quiet today. That was the way Twilight liked it.

But Blaze didn’t know that. The last few days had been filled with talking when there should have been working. Hour-long conversations had been reduced to Twilight handing Blaze his daily tasks and telling him to get to it. To him, it seemed that something was wrong.

Finally, their lunch break came. Used to Spike cooking for her, Twilight had instead sent her new helper to fetch sandwiches and hay fries from the local diner. They sat at the Sparkle family’s kitchen table, happily eating their food.

“...Is everything alright?”

Twilight lifted her head at the question. “Hm?”

“You’ve just been quiet all day. You’re usually more talkative than this.”

A faint blush crossed Twilight’s features. The fact that he could mistake her for talkative was a sign of just how much they had spent together the last few days.

“I’m just... I’m worried.”

“About Spike?” Blaze guessed. “Don’t be surprised. I haven’t seen you be worried about anything else.”

She nodded. “I... I’m worried he’s not getting everything he needs here...”

That surprised him. He arched an eyebrow. “He’s living with somepony who’s backed financially by the Princess. What could he possibly not be getting?”

“Love,” she answered sadly.

Now Blaze was truly confused. “What are you talking about? If anything, you over coddle that boy.” He stopped and considered his words. “That’s just my opinion. I’m not trying to tell you how to raise him, but... from what I’ve seen, you sure smother the kid.”

Twilight sighed. “You weren’t here before he became a pony, you don’t know. I... I haven’t always been the best mother.”

He nodded knowingly. “You’ve made mistakes... look, I’ve made mistakes with Light, too. If I had had any sense, I probably would have stayed in that damn orphanage.”

Twilight looked at him. “How can you say that?”

“Better the draconequus you know than the draconequus you don’t,” he said. “I knew how to handle the orphanage. Bloodwing... he was another story entirely. We might have been miserable, but at least we were safe.”

Twilight stood up from the table and just turned away from Blaze. She could hear him stand up from the table too and making his way to her. She just looked down on the ground, not looking to where Blaze was now.

“Hey, talk to me... what happened?” he asked her softly.

Twilight sighed and sniffed slightly. “Spike... had a nightmare.” she said plainly, sniffing more and could feel moisture in her eyes. “One of many nightmares... about him not being real... him being fake...”

Blaze bit his lower lip as he remembered the conditions Spike was born into the world. “And you feel helpless because of him still having those nightmares?”

Twilight nodded as a tear landing on the ground. “Yes... and I even remembered how I treated him in the past...”

Blaze arched his brow slightly, confused by Twilight’s confession. “What do you mean in the pa-”

Twilight looked up to Blaze, her eyes brimming red from the secretion of tears. “I mean- I... I’ve done so many things that ended up hurting him. Like... every time a book fell on his head or a whole shelf landed on him, I never took the time to see if he was ok... I just told him to clean it up, meanwhile I was just going with my friends to wherever. Like Cloudsdale for Rainbow’s Young Flyer competition... or even my birthday in Canterlot. My own birthday I forgot about my boy!”

“Twilight...”

“I even nearly had him drowned for a prank!” she shouted out as she stomped the ground, inhaling sharply and looking down fast. “How could I been so stupid?!” she asked herself, remembering the shivering whelp in her forelegs as she cradled him and the other ponies looking down in shame of what they contributed in. “I didn’t treat him fairly!” she shouted, not daring to look up. “I-I literally used him! Instead of him being my assistant, I treated him like a slave! I never brought him along for anything! When he actually did, he was there to work!” she cried out and a small pony of tears formed on the floor. “A-and even after he told me he loved me like a son, and even though I promised I would love him like a mother... he suffered so much because of me and I can’t even help my son! ” she clenched her teeth as more tears fell. “I-I..”

“Twilight...”

She fell to the ground and planted her head in her legs. “I’m a bad mothe-ee-ee-eer!” she wailed out and began to sob, though paused for a moment when she felt a hoof on her chin and looked up to see Blaze’s worried face looking at her.

Blaze lifted her head slightly and closed his eyes before opening them to see them slightly misty. “Come here...” he whispered as he help her up, and held her in a firm hug. He felt her cry into his shoulders and he folded his wings over her as she continued to bawl out and wailing.

For a while, the two sat there, their work forgotten. It was clear that Spike’s nightmare had opened Twilight’s emotional wounds once more, her guilt of her past with her son, had been reopened. Blaze thought over his words carefully. He had become skilled at two things during his imprisonment: fighting, and comforting Light. He tried to apply the latter here, but could not make it feel the same. Twilight was not a foal that needed comfort and hope, she was a grown mare that needed reassurance that she was doing things right.

“Twi... listen,” he said slowly, picking his words with deliberate care. “I think... I think what you’re going through is... well, it’s something everypony with a foal to take care of thinks of themselves at some point.”

Twilight looked up, her tears bloodshot from crying. “You think?” she asked. “Even you?”

He smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. Twilight wasn’t even sure she was seeing it, it held a lot of bitterness and regret. “Light counted on me, and all it got him was four years in a cell.”

“That wasn't your fault!” she protested. “Bloodwing was the one who...”

“I was the one who took him from the orphanage!” he said, suddenly angry. He pushed Twilight away. Not hard, but enough for her to get the message and back off. He began pacing, looking for something to kick that his employer wouldn't get mad at him for. “If we’d stayed put, we’d have been miserable, but we’d been safe. He’d have had enough food to eat, a place to sleep... I could have done the responsible thing and trained in my special talent long enough to get a real job after turning eighteen, then adopted him legally. But no, I ran off, and look what happened.”

“You were young,” Twilight tried to reassure him. “It was...”

“Twi, look, I know you mean well, but I had a responsibility,” he shook his head. “I took it without thinking of what I had to do.” He thought a minute. “Was it your choice to take care of Spike? Or did the Princess make you?”

“...Both,” she said. “The Princess decreed it, but I wanted to raise him. I thought it was so cool, having my own pet dragon.” She shuddered. “I thought of him like he was some kind of pet or something.”

She looked at him, expecting a judgemental stare, but she found only an understanding look. “I think that’s how I thought of Light... somepony to take care of... not as a pony...”

Twilight bit her lower lip and looked at Blaze who was now looking away from her. She didn’t know what to do in this situation, not having read up on anything like this before. Something clicked in her mind, and her body moved by instinct. When she reached Blaze, her head was nuzzling against his neck. The ethereal neck band around him didn’t seem to respond by her touch.

Blaze looked down on Twilight nuzzling him with wide eyes. He did not retreat from her, nor push her away. Her touch was welcoming, warm as though she had been sunbathing. Blaze saw her eyes closed and a soft smile on her muzzle as she continued to nuzzle him. He gulped slightly when he nuzzled her in return. Her hair was soft as the summer’s grass and the smell of fresh lavender invaded his nostrils when he took a whiff of smell from it.

After a few moments from nuzzling each other, they separated from each other’s hold and both were blushing madly shuffling their hooves. Twilight was the first to clear her throat and looked up to see Blaze looking at her with half hooded eyes, causing her to giggle slightly. “I-Well... I’m sorry for that, its just-”

“Don’t be,” Blaze chimed in. “You just saw me down and did something to ease the stress... like I did with you.”

Twilight nodded as she smiled. “Yes, I suppose...” she said as she looked away from Blaze’s azure eyes. “I guess we both made some mistakes with our foals.”

Blaze sighed. “Yeah, we sure did... but I guess we learn from those mistakes and become better ponies?”

“Yes...” Twilight trailed off as her gaze went from Blaze’s eyes to the rest of the room, before landing on the clock. She jumped as she screamed, with her eyes nearly popping out and and her hair became a mess.

“What is it?!” Blaze asked her as he looked around the room to see what frightened Twilight so much.

“That!” Twilight pointed to the clock with a shaking hoof. “It’s so late in the day! We need to get all the books sorted before the library closes, or ponies won’t know where to get the book they're looking for!” Twilight shouted out as she marched to the library as fast as she could.

“Hang on a second Twi-” Blaze felt a tug at his neck. ”Light!” and he was dragged along to where Twilight was busy sorting out the library, for the twelfth time that week.

Spectrum looked at his daughter doing flips in the air. She was doing each one with the appropriate speed, never letting her height dip even for a moment. The older pegasus grinned. “Excellent... very good. You’re doing well.”

Rainbow Dash took a heavy breath as she choked out her words. “Why are... you having me... fly all this? This is basic warm-up stuff.”

“The basics are always, always the most important thing you can learn. Not just from flying and sports, but to anything. If you forget them, or get sloppy at them, it makes doing the complicated things all the more difficult. Now, do another set of flips, and then we’ll move on to speed training.”

“I already... know that,” she continued saying, through labored breaths. “I know, it’s in every Wonderbolt manual out there. ‘Every year, go back to basics.’ I know. I do these exercises every day.”

“Well that’s good,” he nodded. “But if you don’t get better at them, you’re not going to be able to pull off my moves. Trust me, there was a ton of practice that I had to put in before I was any good.”

Finally finishing the last set, Rainbow Dash landed near her father, breathing heavily. “What... what is this move anyway?”

He smiled. “It was my signature... the Rainboom Spectrum. Really drove the mares wild when I did it...”

“...You know, just because I have this mane doesn’t mean I want to attract mares,” she said dryly.

He winced. “You got that too, huh? Let me tell you, I had three wingponies try to set me up with their brothers before I finally met your mother.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but grin. “Flight school... everypony thought me and Fluttershy had something going on. She was just my roommate... That little incident with the noodles didn’t help too much either.”

Spectrum tilted his head. “Noodles?”

She winced. “Don’t ask... please don’t ask.”

Thankfully, Spectrum didn’t. “This move I’m teaching you will allow you to light up the sky with color.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “I already have a move like that... the Sonic Rainboom.”

“Really?” he said flatly. “Well, let’s see it.”

Rainbow Dash shot into the air with all her power and flew as fast as the could to the highest point possible. She stopped and found breathing to become difficult, due to the lack of air with the height she was at. She squinted her eyes and dived down to where her dad was. Rainbow clenched her teeth as she flew faster with every second, until she finally heard a booming noise and a rainbow ring spread across the sky, with a trail of rainbow coming from behind her. She braced herself as she opened her wings wide, slowing down enough to land safely near her father.

Spectrum stared at the sky smiling, a single tear escaping his eye. He quickly wiped it away and walked to his daughter. “That was impressive, well done... looks like you mastered the Sonic Rainboom,” he said.

Rainbow rubbed behind her head smiling. “Well it wasn’t that easy to be honest, I did it once when I was in the Flight Academy... that’s how I got my cutie mark too!” she said as she pointed to her flank.

The stallion’s mouth was agape for a moment before chuckling, and the chuckling turned to laughter. Rainbow’s brow furrowed as she pursed her lips. “What, you don’t believe me?!”

Spectrum shook his head as he stopped laughing. “No no! It’s just...” he paused for a moment before he looked at Rainbow with moist eyes, startling her slightly.

“Dad?”

“It’s just my wish for you came true in the end...”

Rainbow arched her eyebrow as she scratched her head. “Your wish for me? What was that?”

Spectrum walked to his daughter’s side and sat on his haunches as he looked up to the sky, not saying a word.

“C’mon Dad! Just tell me al-”

“When your mother was carrying you inside her, I could hear your heart beating and wished for something...” he said softly, not turning to his daughter’s face. “I wished that you would become the greatest Wonderbolt Captain ever...”

Despite herself, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile. “That’s so corny...”

He shrugged. “You saved Equestria through the power of friendship.”

“...Touché,” she sighed. “So, did Mom dying really get you that overprotective?”

He nodded. “I... I’m sorry. I know I’ve said that about a thousand times already, but it’s the truth. I couldn’t stand losing you, too.”

Rainbow Dash shifted awkwardly. “Did Mom approve? Me being a Wonderbolt?”

He nodded. “She wanted you to go on to great things in life. I’m sorry you never got the chance to meet her, she would be so proud of you... and would have loved Scootaloo.”

“Didn’t Mom have any family? Any parents or anything?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Her father was a farmer who got killed in a diamond dog raid. Her mother died of natural causes a few months later. She had nopony else but me... I guess we were alike that way.”

Rainbow Dash had to agree with that. He knew her father’s parents were both Wonderbolts as well, and they had both died in a training accident. Most would have taken that as a sign that they should stay away from flying, but Spectrum had been made of tougher stuff than that. She had to admire her father’s nerves.

Yet with her mother’s death, he had changed drastically from the Wonderbolt he was. All to protect her. Rainbow’s scrunched her lips as she sniffed slightly, her eyes becoming wet all of a sudden. She sat down next to her father and looked up to the sky too.

Spectrum turned to his daughter and saw her moist eyes. His brow furrowed slightly, thinking of a way to cheer her up. An idea flashed before him and he ruffled his daughter’s mane playfully, and heard her giggle at this.

Rainbow laughed as she swatted it away playfully. “C’mon, Dad! I’m not that young to be ruffled with,”

“No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my little Dashie,” he said as he turned and looked up to the sky.

“Dad...”

“It’s getting late... I have to do my own exercises if I’m ever going to get back up into the air.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “...Alright. I think I’ll head back to Ponyville, give Scootaloo her own lessons... if I can pull her away from her friends long enough.”

He smiled. “You think I could spend some time with her? She is my granddaughter, after all.”

Rainbow Dash was silent for a moment. “Scoots is putting in all her time on that talent show project of hers, and I’d like to wait until that’s over before bothering her with anything else.” Rainbow said, but noticed her father’s down look. “But why don’t you come along for the talent show?”

Spectrum tapped his chin and gave a mocking-thought look. “Hmmmm...” he hummed as he sat on his haunches and closed his eyes. He didn’t notice Rainbow looking at him with cocked eyebrow as she tilted her head slightly. “That sounds great to me,” he said finally as she opened his eyes.

The cyan mare nodded as she smiled. “Great! Will you be alright from here?” she asked, with her voice carrying some concern for her father.

He only looked at his daughter and grinned. “For the first time in a while, I think things are going to be just fine.”

Chapter 10

Just about everypony in class had a hard time sitting through Miss Cheerilee’s classes in the best of times, but in the recent weeks the ring between the first bell and the dismissal was becoming unbearable. After all, there was a perfectly good talent show to get ready for and here they sat, listening to Cheerilee go over the Griffin Wars from nearly 400 years ago. Scootaloo didn’t see the need for it. There had not been a real war on Equestrian soil in nearly 200 years. Any that tried got dismissed like the changelings.

“And so, the next battle took place it what is now the Appleloosian planes,” Cheerilee droned on. “The griffon forces were hoping that they could sneak their forces and supplies across the deserts undetected. They ended up overestimating their own abilities. The desert was a hotter climate than they were used to, and the buffalo tribes were even less welcome of outsiders than they are now. The expedition was caught on the borders and defeated quite easily. Because General Stonebeak put all his resources into the plan, it marked the beginning of the end for the griffon forces.”

Spike groaned as another paper ball hit the back of his head. After the incident with Zecora, and realizing that Pinkie hadn’t known what a griffon was, his mother had pushed for better history education in Ponyville. That meant more work for the foals, and the ones that cared to took it out on him. He had a sneaking suspicion that Diamond Tiara’s prank from that morning had been partly in retaliation.

There were the occasional pencil scratches as the half that cared enough took notes. Scootaloo was planning on simply getting it from Spike or Sweetie later, so she didn’t bother.

She looked to the side, where Light was scribbling his own notes. She had tried copying his the other day, and found that he had copied literally everything the teacher had said, including the sneeze she gave off when she had gotten chalk dust on her muzzle. When they had tried explaining to him he didn’t need to be that articulate, he said he wanted to make sure he got everything. He didn’t want to mess up.

Honestly, he seemed genuinely afraid of Cheerilee sometimes.

Scootaloo shook her head and turned back to her teacher. Light seemed pretty jumpy about a lot of things. Then again, he had been a prisoner of Bloodwing. Only she could know just how horrifying that was.

“So class, who here can tell me what year the Peace Treaty was signed?” Cheerilee asked her class, but no pony raised their hooves in the class. Not even Spike, as he was just sitting there with a plain look on his face.

Cheerilee sighed and placed a hoof to her temple. “Alright...” she said as she looked around the classroom. “Light?”

Light jumped in his seat slightly with wide eyes looking straight at Cheerilee. “Yes, Ma’am?!”

Cheerilee blinked before shaking her head slightly. “Light, could you please tell us what year the treaty was signed in?”

Light looked to his notes desperately and looked at each one fast. His friends all looked at him with concern, Scootaloo especially. They turned to each other before hearing Light’s voice speak up.

“1560 Equees.”

Cheerilee smiled softly. “I’m sorry Light, but it was 157-”

“No no please! I’m sorry I got it wrong!” Light yelled out and covered his face. He could hear the snickering of Diamond Tiara, but he felt a gentle hoof on his shoulder and saw Scootaloo looking at him.

“Light, it’s ok...”

Cheerilee stood there looking at the white pegasus with concern in her eyes. She bit her lower lip lightly as she looked onto Light. She looked up the watch above and sighed in relief. “Class, recess.”

The foals all departed from their desks, though five of the foals went to Light’s desk before he could march on outside.

“Light, what’s going on?” Scootaloo demanded.

He blinked. “What do you mean?” he asked nervously.

“I mean you got a question wrong and you freaked out,” Scootaloo said through gritted teeth, hating having to repeat herself. “What’s going on?”

“It’s... it’s nothing.”

“It ain’t nothin’, Light. Tell us what’s wrong!”

“That’s enough,” Miss Cheerilee spoke up, coming over to the group. “the five of you go out. I’ll have a word with Light.”

“But Miss Cheerilee...” Scootaloo began.

“Out!” she said firmly. “You can talk to him later, I’ll talk to him now.”

Scowling, Scootaloo walked out of the schoolhouse, with the others following behind her, shooting worried looks at him.”

Sighing, Cheerilee turned back to Light. “Sweetie... is everything alright?”

“Y-yeah... everything’s fine.”

Cheerilee sat next to Light and looked at him. “Light, lying is not a nice thing to do,”

Light moved away from Cheerilee fast. “I’m sorry Ma’am! I-” he fell out of his desk and landed hard on the floor beneath him. Light groaned as he was rubbing the back of his head, with Cheerilee helping him up from the ground.

“Are you alright, Light?” she asked him as she dusted him off, her eyes never leaving his. For a second, she thought she saw fear there.

Light nodded and shaked his wings to rid of the dust he collected from his fall. “I’m alright, Miss Cheerilee... can I go out to play now?”

“Yes, of course.”

With that, Light dashed out of the classroom. Cheerilee stood there and sighed as she shook her head, looking somberly at the exit. She walked back to her desk and sat on the chair behind it. Cheerilee observed some notes from previous lessons, all in an attempt to help ease her mind. It didn’t work.

That poor colt...

Cheerilee looked to the window on her side and saw the foals playing and enjoying their recess. She also saw Light playing with his friends on the swings. Cheerilee couldn’t help but smile, seeing how happy he was out there compared to in here. She also saw how his friends were able to cheer him up the moment he was tensed or upset. Cheerilee shook her head and chuckled softly, looking to a picture of herself and her friends when they were foals back in school.

Blaze was tired. Of course, that was to be expected, he was undergoing military training on top of the half a day he had put in at Twilight’s library. Still, when he heard the term koala being used, he hadn’t quite expected this. Being forced to climb flank first up a pole was an unpleasant experience, as was being forced to stay perfectly still.

“Alright, koala, predator’s gone. You can come down now.”

Blaze let go of the pole, falling to the ground and hoping he didn’t break his neck.He crashed into the pillow that was left for him.

“Good job, koala,” Spitfire noted. “Rest up, you’ve earned it.”

Blaze didn’t give the mandatory “Ma’am, yes Ma’am,” he was far too tired to do so. Luckily, she seemed forgiving today, and simply walked off to the next recruit.

He stared into the sky for a good few minutes, trying to let his racing heart catch up and his sore muscles to stop burning. It wasn’t until something blocked his vision that he responded to anything.

“Well, looks like they’re working you hard.”

“...Twilight?” he said between breaths. “Wh... what are you doing here?”

“Checking up on a prisoner,” she said sweetly, levitating a water bottle to him. “Here, I figured you could use this.”

The stallion greedily took the bottle and downed the liquid. After a minute of chugging, he finally removed the brim from his lips and breathed heavily. “Thanks... I feel better.”

He sat up, and Twilight sat next to him. “How’s training going?” she asked.

“Aside from the fact that Spitfire’s out to get me? Not bad,” he muttered sarcastically.

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not that bad...”

“She’s running me twice as hard as anypony else,” he argued.

“You think’s that might be because you’re only here half a day?”

“...Touché,” he agreed.

Twilight giggled and motioned her head to the door. “Come along then, need to get some ‘information’, you,” she told him as she looked him in the eye.

Blaze shook his head as he took a towel wiped the sweat from his forehead and made his way to Twilight. “Lead the way, parole pony.”

Twilight and Blaze walked out of the door, closing it after they left. Rainbow hovered down from her workout and looked on to where the two ponies left. She furrowed her brow slightly, being concerned as to why Twilight was here in the first place. First her dad comes in and trains her and the other future Wonderbolts, now Twilight comes in to check up on the convict.

“Hey rookie, something wrong?”

Rainbow jumped and turned sharply to the voice calling to her and immediately saluted to Spitfire. “No, Ma’am!” she said loudly and didn’t look her in the eye.

Spitfire looked over to the door and smirked lightly. “You don’t need to worry yourself about that pony. Your friend is strong enough to take care of him if he goes rogue...”

“I dunno about that...” Rainbow whispered as her eyes gazed at the door again.

“Pardon?”

“Nothing, Ma’am!”

Spitfire nodded and pointed to where Spectrum was now busy instructing ponies in a wing power obstacle course. “Rookie, why don’t you go and run that course again and show those slackers how it’s done!?”

Rainbow saluted and began to walk to the course, until she felt a hoof on her shoulder and stopped to see it was Spitfire’s hoof. “Ma’am?” she asked her as she arched her eyebrow slightly.

“How are things between you and him?”

Rainbow blinked. “Oh, things are...” she looked to where her dad was hovering over to a group of colts, giving them instructions and sending them off. “Ok, I guess...”

“Rainbow,” Spitfire spoke in a calm tone, taking off her glasses and looking at the cyan pony with half-hooded eyes. “After today, can I see you in the office? We still need to chat about some things...”

Rainbow gulped as she looked downwards. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Unseen by anypony else, Twilight and Blaze ducked into the living areas for the recruits staying at the base. They sat in the living area, vacant thanks to all the recruits out in training, and simply looked at one another for a moment.

“So... any reason you brought me here?”

She shrugged. “Just thought you could use the rest... and I figured you’d need something to do between now and picking the foals up.”

He grinned. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were looking for an excuse to come talk to me.”

She blushed a bit. “Well... okay, I am.”

Now he blushed. “Wh... what?”

“I just enjoy talking to somepony about parenting... Rainbow Dash has been pretty quiet about it, she’d rather talk about the Wonderbolts or something.”

“...Oh,” he said, not sure whether he was relieved or disappointed. “Is something else wrong?”

“Well...” she rubbed the back of her head. “Do you worry about Light getting his cutie mark?”

He tilted his head. “...Kind of. He hasn’t gotten a chance to find out who he is... I guess I do worry about it. But those things come in time.”

She sighed. “Spike... he was afraid he couldn’t even get a cutie mark, since he wasn’t born a pony... what do I say to something like that?”

Blaze sighed. “You got me there... I’m not sure where I’d begin with that one.”

Twilight sighed again and looked down to the ground, feeling somber at that moment. “I guess there’s nothing I could say, because nopony ever felt what he went through at all...”

Blaze nuzzled Twilight softly. “Well the important thing is, he’s got a great mother looking out for him and his happiness,” he said to her.

The lavender mare’s cheeks burned brightly the moment Blaze’s nuzzle began and ended as she chuckled softly and sighed in relief. “I guess you’re right...”

“I know I’m right.”

“Yeah right...”

“See what I mean?”

Both ponies laughed for a while, until they stopped and Twilight looked at Blaze with a soft smile and half opened eyes.

“What?” Blaze asked her curiously, though he couldn’t look away from Twilight’s eyes. She’s so cute...

Twilight shook her head and chuckled. “I really enjoy your company, Blaze,” she said as they both got up from where they were hiding.

It was Blaze’s turned to blush, luckily for him his red coat hid the burning cheeks. “W-well, it’s my pleasure, seeing as you're really helped me and Light out...” he told her. “But I seriously have to get back to the training now, or the captain is going to have my flank for skipping class too long.”

Twilight nodded as she and Blaze walked on to the door. “Alright, I’ll see you again tomorrow?”

“You know you will.”

After a long day of training, Blaze dragging himself across Ponyville to the schoolhouse where he knew his adopted foal was waiting. “Light? Light?” he called.

The white pegasus waved a hoof from the playground, where he was in a group with his friends. “Blaze? Is it time to go already?”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Already? Kid, it’s two hours after school. Come on, it’s time to go home.”

“What?” Spike’s voice came from in the group. He turned his gaze upward, looking at the setting sun. “This isn’t good. Apple Bloom still isn’t getting the song at all.”

“Sure, I am!” the farm filly’s voice spoke up. “Listen!”

A minute later Blaze decided it was safe to remove his hooves from his ears. He looked to see Apple Bloom looking at him eagerly. “Wasn’t that great, Mister Blaze?”

“...Uh...” he said, wondering what to say. “I... uh... Light, it’s getting late, we better go, it’s getting late. You want your ice cream, don’t you?

“Yeah!” he said excitedly, racing toward him and climbing onto his back. “See you guys tomorrow!”

“Cool, maybe we can finally get this done,” Spike muttered. “We better just wrap this up anyway. Mom will flip if I miss a magic lesson.”

“Yeah! I need to get to flying lessons too with my mom!” Scootaloo shouted out as she packed her saddlebag and hovered over from the group towards the sky. “Will check you tomorrow!” she bid her friends farewell before turning to Light. “Bye Light,” she said softly and flew away before Light could reply.

The white pegasus’ ears perked when he heard the chuckling of Blaze. “Well well... I always knew you were a filly-killer.”

Light’s cheeks burned and he blinked rapidly. “She’s just a friend, Blaze!”

Blaze laughed and ruffled his hair and he trotted away. “Whatever you say, Light, whatever you say...”

“Um, excuse me?”

Blaze’s head turned to the voice that was calling and he saw a fuschia earth pony walking up to him and Light.

“May I have a moment of your time please, Blaze?” Cheerilee asked him politely as she stopped in front of him and Light.

Blaze smiled and nodded, lowering himself to the ground to let Light off. “Say Light, wait here for a minute.”

“Uh...”

“Got it memorized?”

Light nodded and walked off to where Pip was still playing at the swings. Blaze and Cheerilee walked a distance away from the foal before Cheerilee turned her head to his.

“I see everything is working out for you two here,” she said innocently, seeing Blaze’s smile.

“Way better than a few months ago, that I can tell you...”

Cheerilee sighed and looked back at Light, seeing him and Pip on the swings. “It’s just... Light has been rather jumpy lately...”

“Define ‘jumpy’?”

Cheerilee looked up to the sky and took a breath of air before continuing. “In a few of our classes, when he receives a question and gets it wrong... he panics as though he will be hurt in someway or another.”

Blaze sighed, shaking his head. “I should have known... I don’t think he’s ever going to get over everything that’s happened to him.”

Cheerilee cocked an eyebrow. “Yes... I heard about what happened... Twilight provided me with a rough outline,” she answered the pegasus’s questioning glare. “As part of your probation, I’m required to report on whether or not Light looks like he’s been taken care of.”

“...I see,” Blaze said slowly. “And what do you think? Am I taking good care of Light?”

“I believe so,” she assured. “The child is clean, well fed, and considering his past, remarkably happy. It isn’t perfect, but after what he’s been through I doubt he could be any better. What I wanted to know is, does he react that way whenever he makes a mistake in your presence?”

He shook his head. “No, never. But I’ve been there for him through all that. He sees me as his safe zone.” He actually sighed at that. “I’m really not looking forward to the day I actually have to punish him for something. How’s he going to react?”

“I suggest you talk with his psychiatrist about that,” she said. “I’m here on another matter. Does he feel safer around anypony else? Besides his friends?”

He thought a moment. “Well... he is pretty calm around Rainbow Dash. I think it’s because he met her when she broke him out. And Fluttershy’s pretty good with him, too, but that’s no surprise.”

Cheerilee nodded. “I was wondering because I was hoping to make his experience here at school more comfortable. I was hoping to find a way to do that.”

Blaze turned to where Light was and simply smiled. “I think he’s found a way already. One of the simplest ways to conquer any trauma...”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow and looked to where Light was and turned back to Blaze. “What may that be you think?”

“Friendship.”

The mare blinked a few times before smiling softly and looking back at Light, seeing how happy he was with one of his friends. You really do make a great brother. Cheerilee shook her head and looked back at the red pegasus. No, you make a great father figure to Light...

“Well, I think I’ll leave you two be for now.” Cheerilee said to Blaze as they made their way to the two foals.

Blaze nodded and walked to Light. “Hey Light, time to go.”

“Alright. See you tomorrow, Pip.”

“Cheerio,” Pip said plainly as he waved to his friend.

Light up on Blaze’s back and Blaze started flapping his wings, becoming airborne. “Thanks for the chat, Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee waved before her eyes went wide and she rushed inside to the school building, leaving Blaze and Light staring at the empty space until she came out with a note in her mouth. She handed the note to Blaze who took it and handed it to Light.

“There is a Parents/Teacher Meeting happening soon, that note has the date and time on it.”

Blaze saluted to the teacher and hovered a bit higher. “Thanks! See you then!” he said loudly as he and Light flew off into the distance.

Cheerilee chuckled and went back to the school building, though she looked to the swing and Pip was not there. She looked around and there was no sign of the colt, leaving her confused as she tapped her chin wondering where the colt could be.

I hope he’s ok... I still haven’t met his parents yet.

The Ponyville clocktower was quickly becoming Light’s favorite place in town, next to the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse. It had been a nearly nightly ritual for him and his adopted big brother to come here every evening to enjoy a bar of seasalt icecream. Still, even after having done it for coming up on four weeks now, the young colt found that today, it wasn’t as enjoyable.

The simple reason was that, in all the years he had known Blaze, he had learned to read his emotions, his attitudes. And today, he was carrying himself with an attitude that suggested he had something important to talk about.

“Light...” he began. The younger pegasus moaned as quietly as he could, dreading what was coming next. “Miss Cheerilee told me a few things about what happened in class today.”

He blushed, looking down at the half eaten, slightly melted treat whose stick was wrapped around his hoof. “I... I’m sorry...”

“Sorry? For what?”

Light looked at him, just to double check his expression. He was serious. “It... well, it...”

Blaze reached over and patted his head encouragingly. His colt had grown since they had met, and while he was no longer the same barely reasoning toddler that had wrapped himself around his hoof like at the Orphanage, sometimes he needed the comfort.

“I... I know it’s stupid to still be afraid. We’re free now, and everypony in Ponyville treats us nice... it’s stupid for me to worry.”

“Kid... you’ve been through a lot,” he said. “We’ve been through a lot. It’s perfectly natural that you be a little freaked out.”

“But... but you’re not freaked out!”

Blaze was quiet for a minute, sitting back. “Light... to be honest, I was when this first started... and I kind of am now.”

Light looked at him with wide eyes. “H-huh?”

Blaze took another bite before answering. “To be honest... I thought for sure Twilight was going to kill me when she didn’t need me anymore. She didn’t, she never would. But I thought it, because we’ve spent so much time where we’re the only ponies we can count on. I thought everypony in Ponyville would hate me for being a criminal, and none of them do.”

Light shifted. “Were you worried about everypony hating me too?”

He shook his head. “You’re young enough that nopony would blame you. I knew you’d be safe here.”

Light smiled softly as he looked back to the sunset and took another bite of his ice cream.

“Besides, who would hate a cute little colt like you?” Blaze asked as he ruffled Light’s hair chuckling.

Light swatted the hoof away and grinned at Blaze. “Gee, thanks!” he answered and both of the ponies were laughing for a few moments. Light finished his ice cream and reclined back on the tower’s wall, feeling a little tired as his eyes were half open.

The red pegasus reclined also and relaxed his forehooves to the back of his head. “So you foals really gonna do a song on the talent show this friday?”

Light hummed as he nodded. “Yeah, Apple Bloom is gonna sing it...”

“I think the audience will need ear plugs for that song alone.”

Light suppressed a laugh as he snorted. “You have no idea! We were actually thinking of getting Sweetie Belle to sing the song,”

Blaze arched his eyebrow and turned to Light. “That little filly unicorn?”

“Yeah, she has a good voice I hear... and considering Spike’s writing the song, I think it’s better that she sings it.”

Blaze grinned slyly as he looked to Light. “Does she have certain feelings for the little colt?”

Light looked back at Blaze grinned too. “Yeah, it’s so obvious... heck she even put on perfume to get his attention!”

The red pegasus laughed out loud as he was pounding his hoof on the tower. “Oh boy! Let me guess, he didn’t get it?”

Light simply shook his head and saw Blaze laughing again before it stopped. “I’m not so sure if he realized it, but I think he will soon...”

Blaze simply shrugged. “Who knows, some ponies take forever to see the obvious. That or they deny it like you do...”

“What?!”

He grinned. “Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I saw you shooting that look at Scootaloo.”

Light’s white coat was beginning to get the slightest tinge of pink. “Wha? Uh... b-but...”

“Oh, come on. I don’t try giving me that whole ‘fillies have cooties’ thing, I raised you better than that.”

And now Light was turning crimson. “W-well... she is the first filly I’ve seen in years... besides Yellow.”

Blaze shivered at the name. “Yeah... I can see how any pretty face would look good after her... if it weren’t for the fact that Bloodwind was even worse, I think she’d have turned me off of mares.”

Light didn’t laugh. “I don’t think Scootaloo would like me like that...”

Blaze looked at him. “And why not?”

“She’s so cool... she’s always doing something brave... like when she pulled me back into Bloodwing’s lab to help you...”

“That wasn’t brave, kid, it was stupid,” he said sternly. Blaze winced a bit before his expression softened. “You just need to learn the difference... go on.”

Light squirmed a bit. “Well, even if it was stupid, she was brave enough to go do it... and look at me. I’m afraid to even get a question from the teacher wrong.”

“You’ll grow out of that...”

“I know, but...”

“Light,” Blaze suddenly interrupted. “I want you to promise me you’re going to talk to Scootaloo about this soon.”

The colt blinked at the request. “Wh-why?”

“Because you lost too much of your life with Bloodwing to hold back on living now. I’ve never been happy about crushes anyway... no reason why you can’t just come out and say something.”

Light gulped, wondering how he was going to get out of this one. “Uh... wh-what about you? Do you have a crush?”

“...Maybe,” he said slyly. “But it’s not shyness that’s holding me back.”

“Then what is it?”

“It just isn’t the right time right now,” he said simply. “And that’s all I’m going to say about it. Do as I say, not as I do. Got it memorized?”

“You got it!”

Blaze nodded and looked back to the sunset. “It’s getting late, time to go home now.” he told Light as he got up and spread his wings, jumping into the air with Light following him back to their home.

Spike walked out of his room, sighing as he rubbed his eyes. After hours of reading and doing homework, he had finally finished just before it was supper time. He walked down to the ground floor and saw Peewee on his perch resting. When his hooves touched the wooden floor, Peewee lifted his head and flew towards his owner, landing on his back and nuzzling the back of his head.

“Slept well, Peewee?”

The phoenix nodded and flew back to the perch, pointing to a bowl that was empty.

Spike nodded and headed towards a cupboard, grabbing some bird seeds from it using his magic. He was grateful that his magic had developed to a point where he could hold and carry things firmly as though he had hands.

“Here you go, big boy,” he said as he poured in the seeds, and the phoenix dunking his head in to feed.

“Spike...”

Spike’s ears perked as he turned to the sound of his mother, calling from the other side of the room. He placed the bird seed back in the cupboard and walked towards his mother, who was reading and studying out of an old textbook of magic.

“Yeah, Mom?”

Twilight turned to her son and set down the quill. “You want to help me with supper tonight?” she asked him politely.

“What about magic lessons?”

“Well, consider this a lesson in the practical world,” she told him simply as she got up from her chair. “After all, I want you to learn to cook again... I miss your nachos.”

He grinned. “I miss cooking,” he admitted. “Why don’t we make them? Do you know all the ingredients?”

“I found your recipe cards,” she answered. “I got all the ingredients, and the nachos seemed like the easiest thing to make. Now let’s get started.”

Spike saw that, indeed, there was already corn tortillas, vegetable oil, and salt ready, with the recipe card hanging over it in plain view. As such, his horn lit up, and with great effort he lifted the oil and placed it next to the stove. With greater effort, he opened the cabinet and removed a frying pan. Twilight simply remained to one side, giving simple words of encouragement as he tried his best.

He pulled out a measuring cup as well. Twilight measured the two cups for him, then acted as a safety net while he poured the oil in the pan. Twilight set the stove, then the two of them began quartering the tortillas.

“Mom?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“...Is there any kind of magic sickness I could catch from using my magic?”

In an instant his mother was down at his level, looking him straight in the eye. “Spike, if you think you have magic sickness, you tell me immediately. Do you have headaches?”

He shook his head no.

“Any feelings of weakness?”

Again, no.

“Out of control magic spurts?”

The third no was accompanied by a sigh of relief from her. “Well then, you don’t have any of the symptoms of magic sickness. Something else must be wrong. What are you feeling?”

“Well... sometimes it’s like my stomach is doing flip-flops.”

“Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?” she asked.

Spike shook his head, slightly flinching at the thought of throwing up. “Nothing like that, but sometimes it feels so light and sometimes I can’t think properly...”

Twilight cocked her eyebrow her titled her head, looking confused. “When do these things happen exactly?”

“Well, it started a few weeks ago but now it seems to get even worse.. everytime I’m near Sweetie, or even think of her it’s-”

Spike’s words were cut off as his mother hoisted him from the ground and she held him close to her chest, hugging him tightly. When she loosened the hug, she was still holding him in the air to her level and wore the widest smile she could muster.

“Oh, Spike! You’re growing up so fast!” she said as some tears escaped her eyes and she was again holding him and nuzzling him furiously.

“Um, Mom? What’s wrong?”

Twilight set Spike on the ground and quickly wiped her eyes clean of the tears and looking down on her son still smiling broadly. “Nothing’s wrong Spike, you’re not sick at all.”

“I’m not? But wha-”

“You’re in love.”

Spike’s mouth was agape as he stared at his mother. He blinked profoundly as he started to connect the dots in his mind. He slowly closed his mouth and fell on his haunches as he rubbed his forehead.

“Well... I guess I must be...”

“Sweetie is a very nice filly.”

Spike nodded in agreement smiling. “Yeah, she is. I mean, she’s cool and all, but she’s also kind, has a pretty voice and she always talks to me about anything. She is very pretty too and-”

Twilight just looked at her son with proud eyes and an everlasting smile on her face. Oh my boy, how fast are you growing up? she thought to herself, with her smile slowly vanishing as another thought crossed her mind. But now I have to have the ‘talk’ to him...

“Spike,” she began slowly. “I think it’s great that you’re trying to find a special somepony. But that means I need to talk to you about something.”

Spike tilted his head in confusion. “About what?’

Twilight took a deep breath. “Well, when a mare and a stallion love each other very much...”

Sweetie walked through the door, fuming a bit. Her sister Rarity was waiting, with a large grin on her face. “Well? How did it go? Did Spike like your perfume?”

“He said it was... nice,” she groaned. “Just ‘nice’. It didn’t work at all!”

“Ah, stallions,” she shook her head. “They can be pretty thick-headed sometimes... of course, so can mares. You just need something extra-special to get his attention.”

“Like what?” she asked flatly.

“Well...” her sister said with an excited twinkle in her eye, “I’ve been working on something special for you since last night.” She began excitedly pushing her sister via magic over to her work area. “I thought my baby sister’s first crush deserved something special.”

Sweetie opened her mouth to ask what it was, but the words died in her throat when she saw it.

A child-sized ponnequin was displaying a simple dress, black with pink lace around the bottom, wrapped in a bow just above her tail.

“It’s... it’s beautiful!” she squeed.

“I’m so glad you like it,” she said simply. “I thought you could wear it to the talent show Friday.”

“I... you think that would work?”

“I think so,” she said. “You’ll be the most beautiful mare there, trust me.”

Spike’s eyes widened in utter disgust as Twilight showed him another full color photograph. “And this is something else you can catch. We call these...”

“Okay! Okay! I promise I won’t do it! Just make it stop, please!”

“Are you sure? There are still seventeen more to...”

“I’m sure! Please!”

Twilight’s magic dissipated and she turned to see Spike’s face turning slightly green. “Spike, are you ok?” she asked him innocently as she lowered herself to his level.

Spike forcefully gulped and shook his head, the colour on his cheeks changing back to normal. “Am now, but my wow!” he said as he looked to his mother. “Did grandma show you these things too?!”

Twilight nodded as her eyes looked away, with her cheeks tinted red. “That and more...” she said softly, shuddering at the memory of her mother and father giving her the talk. “They even showed me photos of my birth,”

The colt flinched slightly, clenching his teeth as he shuddered too. “That must have been a disturbing sight.”

The mare giggled at Spike. “You have no idea, your grandparents didn’t know that when I said ‘stop’, I meant ‘stop’.”

Spike laughed along with his mother, but fell silent when a thought came to his head. He looked down to the floor with moist eyes, something that Twilight noticed immediately.

“Spike, what’s wrong?” she asked him.

Spike’s eyes traveled to some photos of him still as a dragon, from the moment he was hatched to some where he was older and in Ponyville with Twilight. One picture that made him look away immediately was one with his mother, her friends and him in it. But the image of him was cut and pasted on it, as though he were never meant to be there.

“It’s just...” he began and turned back to his mother, his lips quivering slightly. “I don’t have any pictures like that and-”

His words were cut off as Twilight scooped him up and held him close, nuzzling him furiously. “Don’t ever speak like that again Spike, please...” Twilight said softly. “It doesn’t matter if you have pictures or not of how you came to this world,”

“But-”

“The important thing is, you’re here now,” she said as she kissed his forehead and looked him in the eye. “And that I love you.”

Spike snuggled into his mother for a moment, before she spoke again. “Why don’t we go and eat those nachos? I’m sure after all that, you could stand to eat something.”

Later that night, once Spike had gone to bed, Twilight had stayed up, pacing the floor. She knew what needed to be done. There was no denying it anymore.

She levitated a quill and ink bottle onto her desk. Quickly, she began to write.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I am writing to formally ask that Blaze be reassigned to another parole officer. I am sorry to have failed you, but I feel that complications have arisen, and I am no longer qualified to best judge when he is fit to re-enter society. I’d like this to take place as soon as possible, for I feel the longer I have my power, the more likely it is that I will do something foalish.

Your most faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle.

Looking over the note once, she nodded in approval and called Owlowiscious over. She levitated the note into his talons and, after the promise of a few extra protein pills among arriving, he flew off toward Canterlot.

She watched her number two assistant fly off toward the capital city. Then, taking a deep breath, she began searching the library, until she found the title she was looking for:

Dating (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love the Wine)

Chapter 11

In the classroom, only two words were on the blackboard that day: SELF STUDY. Cheerilee was at her desk marking tests and the foals in her class were doing anything but studying. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were at the back of the classroom, busy discussing their talent show performance.

“Say Spike, why you so quiet?” Pip asked him curiously, seeing the unicorn colt hasn’t spoken a word.

Spike just shook his head. “Nah it's nothing, except just me trying to erase some images...”

Upon the word ‘images’, the others turned to Spike. Each of them had a different look, mixed in with curiosity. “What kinda images?”

“Images that come from... ‘the talk’.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jerked back as they closed their eyes in disgust. “Twilight gave you the talk too?!” Sweetie asked him, and Spike nodded his head. “My parents gave me that! That along with old family pictures!” Sweetie squeaked as she looked grim from the memories.

“Granny Smith had that done to me, along wit’ pictures of me, Applejack and Big Mac. She didn’t know when to stop, not until she heard me in the bathroom...”

Scootaloo, Light and Pip looked to each other. Each one shrugging until they turned back to their other friends. “What’s ‘the talk’?” Light asked innocently as he had no idea what they were talking about.

“Um,” Spike began to speak, looking to Apple Bloom and Sweetie who just looked away from his gaze. “Ask Blaze tonight, I’m sure he will tell you,”

Light looked at Spike with furrowed eyebrows until he sighed. “Ok,” he said and looked back at some papers. “Anyway, let’s go over the performance again shall we?”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo said as they looked to the lyrics Spike wrote, and to the plans of the stage that was near completion. “I say after school today, we’ll be able to get our stage ready,”

“We better, or we’re sitting ducks for tomorrow’s performance.”

“More like sitting losers!”

The six foals turned to Diamond Tiara, who was accompanied by a nervous Silver Spoon. The prissy earth pony sneered at the six foals as she looked to the lyrics and to the plans they had on their desk.

Light came in between Diamond Tiara and gave her a deathly glare. “Mind your manners!”

“Hmm... no, I don’t think I will. I think I’ll keep calling you a wuss.”

“Really?” Miss Cheerilee’s voice rose over Diamond Tiara’s, causing her to tense up. “Then I think I’ll extend you detention an extra week. And I think I’ll tell your father that working in his shop over the summer would be good for you.”

Diamond Tiara turned and gaped. “What? But... but...”

“That’s final, Diamond. I’m tired of your attitude. Now then, I believe you owe them an apology.” She turned her hardest glare at her.

Gulping, Diamond Tiara turned, said “Sorry,” as crudely as she thought she could get away with, then stormed off, her posse following behind.

Shaking her head, Cheerilee turned back to her students. “I’m hoping she’ll see her habits do more harm than good eventually. Are the six of you alright?”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” they said in unison.

“Excellent,” she said. “Then keep up your work. I’m looking forward to whatever is is you come up with.”

As she walked off, Spike turned to Apple Bloom. “Okay, let’s take it from the top again. Are you sure you can get this down?”

“Ah’m sure, Spike,” she said. “Ah may not be as good as Sweetie, but Ah’ll get it!”

“I still say Sweetie should sing it,” Scootaloo spoke up. “Come on, it makes no sense to teach somepony else when you sing just fine!”

Sweetie gulped and began sweating. “B-but... up there in front of everypony! I can’t handle that!”

“Come on, it won’t be so bad...”

“Uh-uh, I’m not doing it!”

Scootaloo sighed. “Fine,” she muttered, turning back to Light and Pip about the stage.
Spike looked to where Sweetie Belle was trying to teach Apple Bloom how to sing certain notes correctly. He couldn’t help but smile, seeing her smile and her bright green eyes. Spike shook his head and scooted in closer to where the two were sitting.

“Ok Apple Bloom, now you try it,” Sweetie Belle told her friend and sat back a little.

Apple Bloom opened her mouth and began to sing softly, though the volume was growing by each second and when she reached a certain note every pony in the room covered their ears from the screeching sound. Apple Bloom looked around the room meekly and she lowered herself in her desk more, with her cheeks burning bright.

“Sorry.”

Spike turned his attention to Sweetie Belle, who was shaking her head slightly as she rubbed her forehead. “Hey, Sweetie.”

The filly’s eyes looked to Spike and she couldn’t help but blush a little when he was smiling at her. She smiled back softly and blinked fast. “Yes, Spike?”

The colt began to swear slightly and his words were not forming so well in his mouth. Why am I so nervous with Sweetie now?! “I was just wondering...”

“Hmmm?” Sweetie’s head leaned forward. Why is he so nervous, unless!

“I was wondering if you, um...”

He’s going to ask me on a date! Sweetie beamed suddenly as she started batting her eyelids. “Yes?”

“Do you think we can-”

Spike’s words were interrupted when Apple Bloom rushed in between them and showed some notes to Sweetie. “Ah think Ah finally got this right, Sweetie!” she said excitedly, only noticing Sweetie’s withering glare at her friend. “Sweetie?”

Spike was pulled back by Light, who wanted his opinion on the stage. He sighed and looked back at Sweetie, who was fuming at Apple Bloom.

“Oh well...” he whispered and turned back to his other friends.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Apple Bloom waved her hoof before Sweetie’s head.

Sweetie smashed her hooves to the desk, making Apple Bloom jump back.

“Oh come on!!!”

Blaze was stunned when he reached the door of the Ponyville Library. On the wooden barrier was a note that read “Library closed today for some personal business.”

Blinking, he opened the door. “Twi? Twi, what’s going on?”

“I’m up here,” she called from another room. “In the dining area.”

Confused, he began heading in that direction. “Are you still going to need me today?”

“Yes. Actually, I wanted to talk with you about something very important.”

As Blaze entered the dining room, he stopped again. Twilight had placed out a spread on the table, and there were cups of tea on the cloth. Twilight was seated in one chair, looking nervous. “Please, take a seat.”

Puzzled, the modified pegasus began to do as he was told, though with some reluctance. “Uh, Twi... what’s going on? Is something wrong?”

“Kind of... I need to talk to you about something...”

His eyes widened. “Did I lose custody of Light?”

“What? No!”

“Am I going to jail?”

“No!”

“Then I fail to see how this could be bad news.”

“It’s not... well, maybe it is. I don’t know how you’re going to react to it.”

“Well, just tell me and we’ll see.”

Twilight took a deep breath. “Blaze... do you like hanging out with me?”

“Of course,” the pegasus said. “You might be my best friend... but that’s because I don’t get much of a chance to hang out much yet.”

Twilight nodded. “And I enjoy having you around too,” she said. “And that could be a problem.”

Blaze arched his eyebrow, looking at Twilight’s eyes. “Because I’m a convict and you’re my parole officer?”

Twilight nodded, but looked away as she rubbed the back of her head. “That’s partially the point...”

“Partially?”

“I’m your parole officer. I was told not to get too attached to you. Me being your friend is bad for the job... and it could mean trouble for you. You could be seen as trying to manipulate.”

Blaze’s eyes widened. “What? But... I would never...”

“I know that, but the parole board might not be so forgiving.”

“So, what are you going to do about that?”

“I’ll get to that in a minute,” she said, shifting a bit. “I need to ask you about something else first.”

“What’s that?”

The lavender mare gulped as she scooted closer to Blaze. “Have you ever had a friend who you liked very much?” she asked him, softly though.

“Hmmm,” Blaze tapped his chin and looked up to the ceiling. “Well, with friends in my life there have been only a few... you included. But yeah, I liked them very much. Like you, I like you very much.”

Twilight’s cheeks went red as she smiled and giggled. “Thank you, I like you very much too.”

Blaze nodded as he took a sipped on his tea. Why is Twilight so nervous today? Was it something I said?

“But I like you not as a friend...”

The red stallion spat out his tea and turned sharply to Twilight, with his eyes widening. “What did you say there, Twilight?”

Twilight sighed and she took another sip of her tea, before gulping it down. “Blaze, it’s just for how long now I've always admired you for how dedicated you are. Not only that, but you are self-sacrificing for insuring Light’s happiness and for always being there for him. I know your life hasn't had the good beginning, but you always take on every challenge it throws at you,” she said as she came closer to the stallion, never leaving eye contact. “You’re also a very good friend to me, even though I thought you would despise me for being a parole officer and your superior for work. When I needed a shoulder to cry on, you were there for me. You make me laugh and make me happy when I feel down. You also make me feel more special than I thought of myself...”

Blaze sat there, mesmerized by Twilight’s words and by her light purple eyes. He felt his breath becoming slower and he moved his mouth, though no words were coming out when he tried to speak.

“Twilight... what are sa-”

Rainbow Dash was feeling the burn now. It was another in a long line of hard training days, but she could manage.As she sweated out the last of her liquid, Spitfire approached her. “Excellent work today, rookie. I’m really liking your style.”

“Ma’am, thank you, ma’am!”

“You’ve been doing so good, that I’m going to recommend you and Blaze for the Advanced Training Regiment.”

“Thanks, I... wait, what?”

“Was there a word in that sentence that confused you, rookie?”

“Yes,” she answered, being unexpectedly short with her commander, “the ‘you and Blaze’ part!”

“He’s an excellent partner for you.”

“He’s only here half the time!”

“And in that half he still manages to put in the training and keep off. I admire his dedication! I think the two of you would make excellent long-term partners.” Spitfire answered with a smirk.

Rainbow Dash gaped. She could handle putting up with Blaze with training... but making a career out of hanging out with him? She wasn’t so sure she wanted that.

“But... Ma’am...”

“No buts, Rookie,” the commander snapped. “If you have a problem with it, take it up with Blaze.”

Rainbow scrunched her lips as she saluted. “Yes, ma’am!” With that, Spitfire flew off, leaving Rainbow behind. The cyan furrowed her eyebrows as she thought of how a stallion like him could ever be her career partner.

“Dashie?”

Rainbow’s head turned sharply. “What!?” she shouted out, not knowing who it was. She widened her eyes to see Spectrum back away slightly from her. “Oh! Sorry, Dad!” she said hastily as she walked closer to him.

“It’s fine,” he said as he waved his hoof. “What’s got your tail in a twist?” he asked her, seeing her irritable face.

Rainbow sighed as she looked to her father. “I was assigned for the Advance Training Regiment...”

Spectrum smiled broadly as he hugged his daughter. “That’s great! I had to work for years just to get there!” he spoke loudly holding his daughter, but he felt her body wasn’t reacting well to the news. He let go and turned to her face. “So why is that a problem?”

“Blaze is in it, too...”

The stallion arched his eyebrow as he tilted his head. “The red colt who helped you and your friends out?”

“Before that, he was working for that sick pony...”

Spectrum nodded as he closed his eyes. “And you don’t trust him that much?”

“Yeah!” Rainbow yelled as she looked away. “Now I’m his partner, too!”

“Why not go and talk to him?”

Rainbow nodded as she looked up. “I will, but I wonder where he is now... I was told it was his day off today,”

Spectrum turned to the direction of Ponyville. “Maybe you should ask your friend Twilight? She’s the parole officer, isn’t she?”

“Hey, yeah!” she spreaded her wings and took off to the air. “Thanks, Daddy!” she shouted out to him as she flew off to Ponyville.

Spectrum just stood still there, a small smile forming on his face that soon beamed. She called me daddy again...

Rainbow Dash landed in front of the Golden Oaks Library, determined to convince Twilight to undo the decision to make Blaze her partner. She thought of going through the front door, but she was angry. She wanted to talk to Twilight now.

She circled around the tree trunk, looking for the appropriate window. Remembering the layout, she found it quickly. And she burst through.

“Twilight, I need to talk to you right...”

She gaped.

Twilight was laying on her couch... directly under Blaze, who was braced over her, with her forelegs wrapped around his neck. And before the interruption, their lips had been touching.

For a good half a minute, the three ponies just gaped at each other, their eyes widened, their cheeks reddening. Finally, Blaze spoke.

“Um...” Then he sighed. “This is exactly what it looks like.”

And then Rainbow Dash fainted.

Rainbow Dash slowly awoke to a strange slurping sound. Groaning and moaning, she awoke to see something that made her wish she was unconscious again.

Blaze and Twilight were on Twilight’s couch, kissing. And not a quick, loving peck, but slovenly kissing, likely with tongue.

“Aw... aw!”

“Hey, how about some privacy?” Blaze complained.

Before Rainbow Dash could voice any other objection, the door opened, and Fluttershy entered. “Everypony, I have an announcement. I have a new coltfriend!”

“What?” Rainbow Dash said. “What? But... who?”

A flash of white light answered her question. “Me!”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened even further. “Discord?”

“Yes! Fluttershy’s kind and caring nature has transformed me! I now only want to do good thanks to her love!

“But... it’s so unlikely!” Rainbow yelled out to the draconequus. “You must have brainwashed her you sick-”

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy shouted to her friend, glaring at her eyes. Her eyes narrowed every second, causing Rainbow to slump down to the ground. “Leave Discord alone!” she spoke to her and when she stopped glaring at the cyan mare, she floated up to Discord’s level. “Come here, you,” she said with her voice sultry and her lips locked with his as they began to smooch up a storm.

Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches, with her jaw hung open. The door knocked again and her head turned slowly towards it. This time it was Applejack who entered, and she looked confused when she saw Discord and Fluttershy together.

“What in tarnation is happening here?!”

Rainbow sighed in relief, flying quickly to her friend. “Discord did something to her Applejack! We need to-”

“Whoa there, sugarcube! Just looks like they in love, like I am,”

“Wha-”

“Honey, are you in here?” Dash’s ears perked when she heard two male voices calling from the door and her eyes nearly popped out when she saw who it was.

“The Flim Flam Brothers?!”

Flim and Flam entered the building and stood beside Applejack, placing their front hooves onto her. They looked to see Discord and Fluttershy together and gave a simultaneous whistle. “They sure are smooching up a storm there, ain’t that right, honey?” Flim asked Applejack as he stroked her mane.

Applejack giggled as she blushed. “Kinda makes me jealous that they’re so proactive.”

“What’s there to stop us?” Flam asked her rhetorically, bringing his lips to hers.

“Hey no fair! We all have to share!” Flim shouted mockingly as she joined in, his trademark hat falling from his head.

“No... no!”

“Yes, yes!” Pinkie said, jumping in. “Ooh, meet my coltfriend!”

“Not you too! Who is it?”

A trail of black energy seeped in, and Rainbow Dash tensed. “No,” she said as it came closer. “N-”

“Honk!” King Sombra suddenly declared as his energy pinched Rainbow Dash’s nose. As she backed up, stunned, Sombra rolled on the ground, laughing like a schoolcolt. “Ha ha! Got you!”

“Wh-what?”

“Pinkie Pie has taught me to laugh! To think, all the killings, enslavements, and general misery I’ve caused could have been avoided if somepony had been around to give me pillow talk!”

“Pillow talk?!”

“Oh yes, Pinkie’s really wild in bed.”

“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t like it, Sombry,” she cooed, nuzzling him.

Rainbow Dash felt like she was going to faint again. “But... but...”

“Oh don’t worry, Dashie, we found you a coltfriend too.”

“What?”

Pinkie pointed behind Rainbow Dash. She turned...

“No, no,....noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Yep,” Bloodwing said, wiggling his eyebrows. “Com’ere, Dashie!”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..."

"...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-”

A splash of water cut her off.

Rainbow’s head jerked up as she shivered, her eyes darting to every corner. Twilight stood before her, looking concerned and Rainbow launched herself forward. She held onto Twilight, sighing in relief.

“Thank Celestia you’re alright, Twilight!” Rainbow said as she let go of her friend, drying herself off with a towel Twilight offered her.

Twilight arched her eyebrow as she looked confused. “Of course I am alright, Dash, why wouldn’t I be?”

As she finished wiping her face dry, Rainbow bit scrunched her lips. “‘Cause I could have sworn I saw Blaze taking advantage of you before tripping out!”

“What?! There’s no way he would do that!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Well I don’t know about that, but I swore I saw him kissing you and-”

“He did,” Twilight chimed in, her cheeks burning as she blinked. “Well... it was really me that started it...”

The cyan mare gulped as she cleared her ears. “What’s that?”

“What she said was, she kissed me,” a voice behind Rainbow came and she turned to see Blaze standing behind her before flying off to Twilight and nuzzling her. “I just merely returned the gesture,” he said with a kind smile, as his eyes never left Twilight’s.

Rainbow’s mouth tried to speak, but no words were coming out. “H-How long was this going for?”

Twilight shrugged and she smiled broadly. “About a day.”

The red stallion kissed her cheek and drew her close. “A little longer for me...”

“Really?” Twilight asked as she looked at him, smiling and planting her lips to his cheeks. Her ears perked when she heard loud breathing and she turned to Rainbow. “Rainbow?” she asked curiously, seeing her friend’s wide eyes and small pupils.

“Is she ok?” Blaze whispered to her ear and decided to walk towards Rainbow and wave his hoof to her face. “Hello~”

“I... I... aw wah mah...” Rainbow Dash mumbled incoherently as her brain tried to catch up with what was going on. “You two... dating?”

“Glad to see you’ve finally joined the conversation,” Blaze snarked. “And yeah, Twilight had good enough taste in stallions to chose me.”

“How modest of you,” Twilight said playfully giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Okay... eww,” the cyan pegasus noted, turning away. “Disgusting sights aside, Twi, don’t you think that maybe this isn’t a good idea? I mean, you’re his parole officer for Luna’s sake! Don’t you think you have a bit of a conflict of interest?”

“It would be, if I hadn’t resigned from the position last night,” Twilight assured.

Rainbow Dash looked at Blaze, waiting to see surprise on his face. There wasn’t any. “It’s true,” he said, with a fake disappointing tone. “I guess my charms were too much for her.”

Rainbow Dash felt a shiver go up her spine. “But...”

“Blaze, why don’t you go get some more tea and we’ll talk about this?”

“Sure thing,” he said, giving another peck on the lips before departing to the kitchen.

Sighing, Twilight turned back to her friend. “I know how this must look, Rainbow Dash, but you heard what I said. I have no more authority on when Blaze gets free. He has no reason to seduce me anymore.”

“No reason? Twilight, you’re the pony that’s most buddy-buddy with Princess Celestia, except maybe Luna. Don’t you think maybe he’s trying to take advantage of that?”

“...That thought did occur to me,” she admitted, “but I don’t think so. He’s been really genuine and sweet... I think if you got to know him better, you’d like him.”

“I know... but Twi, he helped the guy who nearly killed my daughter!”

“That pony nearly killed my son, too,” Twilight pointed out, “and Blaze was just as much a victim of Bloodwing as we were. You wouldn’t have done any less for Scootaloo, would you?”

Rainbow Dash was silent for a long while. “...If Bloodwing had won, thousands would have been killed. I’d want to save Scootaloo first, but...” she trailed off. “I want to say I’d do the right thing, but... I don’t think I would have.”

“So... you’ve thought about it, too?”

Rainbow slumped down on the couch as she sighed, placing her head on her hooves as she rubbed her forehead. “I heard from Scootaloo what Blaze went through just to keep Light safe and all... I will admit, that is loyalty right there.”

Twilight nodded as she sat next to Rainbow. “Wait. Where did Scootaloo hear all this?” Twilight asked as the thought came to her head.

The cyan pony smiled as she shrugged. “From Light, she’s always hanging around him when they’re together with their friends,” Rainbow’s ears twitched when she heard Twilight giggling. “What’s so funny?”

Twilight stopped as she cleared her throat. “Nothing, it’s just so cute... he’s a sweet little colt, that one,” she said as she smiled at her friend’s confused face.

Rainbow arched her eyebrow, until her eyes widened. “You don’t mean!” she said and saw Twilight nod. “Oh no! Oh no no no! There’s no way I’m letting my foal da-”

“Oh relax, Rainbow,” Twilight said as she waved her hoof. “It’s nothing to panic about,” she said as she placed a hoof to Rainbow’s shoulder.

As Rainbow calmed down, she could hear the chattering of china coming from the kitchen and saw Blaze exiting it with a teapot and three cups. “Hope you all like green tea, my speciality,” Blaze said as he placed it down on the table in front of the mares. “I see you calmed down at least,” he said to Rainbow as he saw her eyes gazing to the tea.

Rainbow shook her head and furrowed her eyebrow at the stallion. “I’m keeping an eye on you and your colt, if-”

“Woah woah! What did Light do now?”

The cyan mare opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sound of the door opening downstairs and closing. “Mom, I’m home!” she head Spike’s voice call out from downstairs and heard other foals downstairs with him.

Rainbow sighed as she got up. “Nevermind! Just know that I’m keeping an eye on you, if anything happens to Twi-”

“Yes! Now can we just act like mature ponies here, please, Rainbow!” Twilight chimed in as she levitated her cup to her muzzle and took a sip of the tea. “You have got to try this tea, Rainbow, it’s delicious.”

Blaze grinned as he hovered and placed his hooves to the back of his head. “C’mon, it's just green tea is all.”

Rainbow shook her head and grabbed her cup, sipping the tea carefully. Her eyes widened as she gulped it down. This really is good tea...

“Are you sure we need to do this?” Scootaloo whined for what must have been the fifth time on the way to the Golden Oaks Library.

“For the last time, yes,” Spike snapped. “Tomorrow’s the show, and I want to make sure everything is alright.”

“It’s fine! I’m telling you, the stage is perfectly fine. It’ll stay up.”

“Like your last stage did?”

“Yeah, well... that’s different!”

“I still want Mom to double-check your calculations.”

“But...”

“Aw, Scoots, give it a rest,” Apple Bloom scolded. “I really don’t want to end up fallin’ through the floorboards like last time.”

The pegasus filly fumed, but stayed quiet as they walked.

“‘Sides, I don’t think it’d hurt ta look it over,” Pip added.

Scootaloo’s scowl stopped any concurrences.

Spike was the first at the library door. When he opened, he was greeted to a sight of his mother sitting and chatting with Blaze and Rainbow Dash, with a tension he could feel bristling in the air.

“Kids, you’re home!” Twilight noted.

“Yeah, we were hoping...”

But Twilight cut him off, much to his surprise. “Rainbow Dash, could you take Scoots, Sweetie, Pip, and Apple Bloom into the book rooms? We need to have a talk with our kids.”

That statement confused the group of foals. Rainbow Dash cast a wary glance at Blaze before sighing. “Come on,” she said, “I’ll help you find whatever it is you’re looking for.”

The six foals blinked and looked to each other, shrugging before four of them followed Rainbow Dash to the other room. Sweetie and Scootaloo looked at Spike and Light one last time before entering the room, with Rainbow closing it.

Spike and Light stood before Twilight and Blaze, feeling nervous as both foals were shuffling their hooves. “Um, Mom?”

Twilight smiled and looked down to her son. “Yes, Spike?”

“Are we in trouble for something?”

The lavender mare giggled as she closed her eyes. “Oh no, not at all,” she said before opening her eyes again, her smile vanishing for a moment. “Unless Cheerilee has a letter for me that you-”

“Oh no, we didn’t do anything bad in school. Honest!” Light chimed in for Spike as he stood next to his unicorn friend.

Twilight sighed and smiled again. “Oh good, anyway,” she said before clearing her throat. “There’s something Blaze and I need to tell you two, seeing as you two are family to us,”

Spike and Light blinked before turning to each other. Light’s blank face suddenly beamed in happiness for a moment before turning to Twilight. “Has his parole ended!?” Light eagerly asked as he hopped up and down.

Twilight smiled sadly with her eyelids half-hooded as she shook her head. “Unfortunately not, Light, sorry...”

Light’s jumping stopped and his ears drooped, with his smile being replaced with a frown. “Oh... ok...”

Spike patted Light’s shoulder, before looking at his mother. “Well, what is it, Mom?” he asked her as he let go of Light.

It was Twilight’s turn to be nervous, as she smiling with her lips scrunched and darting her eyes. “Well, you see...”

Spike turned his ear to her. “What was that?”

“The truth is, I...”

“What Twilight is trying to say, boys... is that we’ve decided to start dating.”

Spike and Light tilted their heads as they blinked. “Huh?”

“You know, fillyfriend and coltfriend?”

Both of the little colts widened their eyes quite a bit. “What?”

“Look, I know this is going to be a big change for you two,” Twilight said soothingly, “especially if this ends up working out. But these are going to be changes for the better, you wait and see.”

“But... but if you two end up...” he couldn’t choke out the word, “then that would make Light... my uncle!?”

“I’m too young to be an uncle!” the little pegasus wailed, dropping to his knees pitifully.

“Huh, good point,” the adult colt mused. He thought a moment before sighing. “I guess it can’t be helped. Why don’t I just make you my son instead? Everypony at the orphanage was saying you should be anyway.”

Light looked at the pony that cared for him for so long. It was true, in many respects he had been like a father to him. Still, after referring to him as his brother for so long, the title just seemed awkward.

“Well... I...”

Twilight sighed. “Look, I know this is a big shock. Maybe we just need some time to simmer. Why don’t the two of you go and finish up your talent show presentations, and we can talk more tomorrow after the show?”

Both colts wanted to talk about it now, but... what would they say? Their guardians had just dropped a rather big revelation on them, and were now acting like it was just a normal, everyday occurrence.

“S-sure,” Spike choked out.

“R-right,” Light concurred.

And with that, the two colts turned and raced into the other room as fast as either of them could go without actually running.

Blaze gave a sigh. “Well... I think that went well.”

Twilight sighed as she smiled inwardly, her eyes looking downwards. “Well, we just dropped this onto them all of a sudden... I wouldn’t be surprised if Spike was a little mad at me now.”

“How do you figure?”

Twilight giggled again before turning her attention to her stallion. “Remember what I told you of my brother’s wedding?”

“Yeah...”

“He didn’t tell me in person, he told me via a letter... on the day before no less.”

Blaze’s mouth went puckered as he heard this new information. “Wow, and you had to plan out the wedding in a span of a day too?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes...”

“What a doofus move to be honest,” Blaze blurted out before closing his mouth fast. “Sorry...”

Twilight could only chuckle as she shook her head. “It’s alright, he did make up for it... with lots of apologies.”

Blaze chuckled along side her before stopping and looking back to the door. “What you think your friends are gonna say about it?”

“About what?”

Blaze smirked as he rolled his eyes, choosing to place his lips on Twilight’s. He let go of her and looked her in the eye. “About us...”

Twilight smiled softly, placing her hoof to his cheek. “I’m certain that they will understand. They are my friends, after all.”

“Rainbow Dash was very understanding..."

“She’s just worried about me, that’s all,” Twilight answered him as she brought her lips closer to his. “Besides, I’m happy to be here with you... and my friends want me to be happy too.”

Blaze tapped his chin as his eyes went upwards. “Good point!” he said before kissing Twilight again, this time with her melting into the kiss. He wrapped his wings around her as they held each other in their embrace.

Spike sneaked a peak at his mother and Blaze kissing, and he felt sick. He had always heard stories from Sweetie Belle about how disgusting it was to see her mom and dad kiss, and he thought it was exaggeration. But actually seeing his mom do it brought on a bit of revulsion. He shook his head as he rushed downstairs, pulling a face of a disgust as his mouth contorted.

“I can’t believe... ugh!”

“I know! Blaze... dating... Twilight!” Light said dramatically as he sank to his haunches and looked down on the ground, eyes widening.

Spike turned his head sharply to him with a scowl on his face. ”Hey! What’s wrong with my mom?”

“Other than the fact that she’s a psycho?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked as his gaze never left Light.

Light looked back, glaring at Spike as he stood up and came closer to Spike. “She attacked my brother! She could have killed him!”

“Oh, you mean after she found out he was a felon?” Spike retorted with face dangerously close to Light’s.

“You watch it!”

“Y’all both watch it!” Apple Bloom demanded as she appeared between the two colts and pushed them away, silencing them with a withering glare of her own. “Now, what’s the big deal? So they’re datin’. Twilight’s a nice pony, even if she does go crazy sometimes.”

“She does... oh who am I kidding?” Spike sighed. “But at least she’s not a con!”

“Hey! My brother...”

“Stop it!” Sweetie demanded. “Both are you are being idiots!”

“But...”

“No!” Sweetie said. “We have a talent show to get ready for, so both you just save it for later!”

The two colts looked at each other before giving a sigh.

“Fine." Both colts said in unison, as they walked past Apple Bloom and Sweetie who were planting their hooves to the faces.

Scootaloo and Pip looked to the others and then to each other, arching their brows.

"Did we miss something?"

Chapter 12

As the sun rose from the horizon, shining through the windows of the Ponyville Library, Twilight Sparkle stirred from her sleep as beams of light shined in her eyes. She rose groggily from her sleep and rubbed out the dust from her eyes.

A smile formed on her muzzle as she stood up and walked towards the mirror, seeing her disheveled look and her unbrushed hair.

She chuckled as she lifted a brush. “Can’t be seen like this,” she said to herself as she brushed her mane, to its normal style. She blinked and squinted her eyes as she turned her head from one side to the other. I wonder if he’ll like it with a different look?

Twilight stepped out of her room, hearing snoring coming from the room above her. She walked upstairs and popped her head inside, smiling softly at the sight of Spike sound asleep. Twilight moved her way towards her son and nuzzled him softly, awaking him from his sleep.

“Morning, Spike,” she whispered to him, only receiving a groan from him as he turned to the other side. “It’s time to wake up, Spike,” she said a bit louder.

“Five more minutes, Mom...”

Twilight shook her head, grinning as an idea came to her head. “Sweetie Belle is waiting for you downstairs...”

Spike skyrocketed out of his bed, landing on his rump next to Twilight. His head went from one place to the other as his eyes widened. He stopped when he heard his mother’s suppressed laughter. He furrowed his eyebrows as he sighed. “That’s not funny...”

“I-I know, I’m sorry,” Twilight said as she swallowed her laughter, helping her son up from the ground. “But today is the talent show, and you need to be energized for that...”

“I know, I know! I just hope my lyrics don’t stink.”

Twilight placed a hoof on his shoulder and looked him right in the eye. “None of that now, you’re writing is far from mediocre, Spike... the same goes for your lyrics. You must just believe in yourself and you will be fine, you hear me?”

Spike nodded. “Yes, Mom...”

“Good,” she said as she removed her hoof. “Now why don’t you start breakfast for us?”

“Should I include Blaze behind you?

It was Twilight’s turn to panic as she turned sharply behind herself with her eyes nearly popping out of her head. She saw nothing, but heard Spike laughing from behind. She turned slowly and was met with her colt on the floor rolling in laughter.

“Classic payback!”

“Very clever,” Twilight said with a grin. “Now please go start breakfast before...”

A knock at the front door interrupted her. She sighed. “...before anything can happen today. Don’t worry, I’ll get it.”

As Spike went to the kitchen, Twilight trotted down the stairs, opening the front door. “I’m sorry, the library is...”

“Make way for her royal majesty,” a guard droned as Twilight saw who it was.

“Princess!” Twilight exclaimed, giving a bow. “I wasn’t expecting you! Please, come in.”

“Wasn’t expecting me? I find that hard to believe,” Princess Celestia said playfully as she entered, leaving her guards outside. “You write and tell me you want to leave your duties as a parole officer. Might I ask why?”

Twilight squirmed a bit, avoiding her mentor’s gaze a bit. “Well... it’s just... me and Blaze, we kind of... started dating...”

There was a silence that hung in the air. For a few moments, everything stopped.

Then, Celestia engulfed her student in a feathery embrace. “Twilight, I think that’s wonderful!”

She blinked. “Really?”

“Twilight, I think it’s great that you’re finally beginning to find love. I must say I am a bit surprised at your first, but I was hoping that you would find true love one day.”

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m... I’m glad you approve.”

Celestia’s eyes became slightly moist as she smiled at her student. You’re growing up so fast, my most faithful student... From the little filly I taught, you've turned into a very beautiful mare... she blinked more as her eyes watered more.

“Princess?”

The alicorn blinked away the build up of tears and chuckled softly as she looked to Twilight, who was showing concern as she furrowed her brow.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes Twilight, just a little dust in my eye,” she said dismissively as she raised her muzzle to the air, taking a sniff. “I believe that Spike is finished with your breakfast?”

Twilight looked back to the kitchen, smiling as she nodded. “Yes, would you like to join us, Princess?”

Celestia shook her head as her lids became half-hooded. “I’m sorry Twilight, but I must be off now... there is much work to be done today,” she told her student as she nuzzled her. “I will see you again, Twilight.”

“I will see you later too, Princess,” Twilight said as she led Celestia out to the door and saw her take off. She sighed as she walked back inside, the smell of Spike’s breakfast filling the library.

Celestia looked to the ground from the sky and saw a familiar red pony walking alongside a white foal in the direction of the library and she decided to drop before them.

Blaze and Light stood still as a rather large pony landed before them and they both bowed to the pony they recognized as Princess Celestia. “Yo! I-I mean...morning, Princess,” Blaze uttered out as he kept his head down, looking to Light who was doing the same thing.

“Please be calm, Blaze, I just wanted to greet you,” with that said, she saw Blaze raising his head from his bow and looking to the princess. “And I wanted to congratulate you, too.”

Blaze cocked his eyebrow. “Congratulate me on what Princess?”

“Is his parole over!?”

Celestia looked to the eager Light, her smile fading as she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Light, but it isn’t,” she said and saw Light’s smile turning to a frown as he slumped to the ground. “I just want to congratulate you on finding love in my student.”

Blaze’s cheeks burned, lucky for him though it was difficult to see him blush. “Oh! That... thank you very much, princess.”

Light’s eyes looked to the ground as he fidgeted with his hooves. “It’s not that great...” he muttered to himself, luckily nopony heard him.

“Hey Light, why don’t you go on ahead?”

“Ok.”

Celestia waited until the little colt was safely out of hearing distance before turning to speak. “I must say, I was hoping my student would find true love one day. I’m very happy for her.”

“I’m glad to hear... we were worried how you would take it.”

“...Blaze, do you know what the Sun Run was?”

The red pegasus blinked. “No, I don’t.”

“It was a particularly painful method of execution found back in the days when Commander Hurricane’s father lived. He retired the method, of course. Would you like to know the method?”

“Well, I’m not really...”

The Princess got to eye level with Blaze. “I think you want to hear what it was.”

“...Sure,” Blaze said, sounding uncertain.

“Well...”

Blaze was nearly as white as the Princess by the time she was done.

“Now, obviously, we don’t practice such barbaric tactics in modern times. But if, say, somepony were to get me angry enough, through, let’s say, upsetting a pony I love like she was my own child, I might be tempted, in a moment of irrational thought, to revive the punishment.” She looked at him carefully. “Do we understand each other?”

“Yes,” Blaze said weakly with a squeak.

“Good, we’re in agreement then. Now I must be off. You take care of Twilight, alright?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Came the equally weak reply.

Celestia then took off, leaving a frightened Blaze alone.

Blaze looked up with his lips quivering as he slowly looked back to the library. What did I get myself into?!

Spike finished his breakfast before his mother finished hers, and he took his plate to the sink. Using his magic, he cleaned the plate and placed it on the rack. He heard a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!”

Spike went to the door and opened it, revealing it to be Light on the other side. “Oh... morning,” he said flatly to him.

“Morning...”

Twilight came in view and she smiled when she saw Light. “Oh, Light! Good to see you!” she said as she looked up and didn’t see Blaze. “Where is Blaze?”

“He just had a word with Celestia, he should be coming over now,” Light said as he walked in and turned to Spike. “Ready to go?”

Spike rolled his eyes and groaned. “Like I have a choice,” he muttered as he used magic to left his saddlebag and placed in on his back. “Let’s go,” he said to Light and both of them made their way to the door, but stopped when they saw a red stallion standing there.

Spike arched his eyebrow when he saw the sunken eyes of Blaze. “Woah, you look like you seen a ghost!”

Twilight blinked and scrunched her lips as she went to check on Blaze. “Blaze, what’s wrong?”

“N-nothing wrong!” he answered her immediately and gave two quick kisses to Twilight’s cheeks. “How you been, though?”

The lavender mare giggled as her cheeks turned red and she averted her eyes from his. “Better now that you’re here,” she whispered as she gave him a kiss on his lips.

“Urgh! Get a room, you two!”

Twilight’s eyes opened as she departed from her kiss and she looked at Spike’s frown with humour. She walked up to him and she nuzzled him, giving him a kiss on his forehead causing him to blush. “You better go on ahead before you’re late for school, Spike.”

“M-Mom!” Spike stammered out as his cheeks continued to burn. “Not in front of my friends!”

Light chuckled at this sight, before he was brought in a hug by Blaze.

“You better rush or you’re gonna be late, Light!” he said and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Light’s eyes widened in shocked as jerked away from Blaze. “W-what was that for!?”

“I can’t give my boy a goodbye kiss?”

“But...ugh... I’ll see you later!”

With that both colts shot out the door and ran toward the schoolhouse, hoping to avoid their incredibly embarrassing guardians.

“Your mother is ruining my brother!” Light wailed. “He’s gone all sappy!”

“Oh, cry me a river!”

“Both of y’all, cut it out!” Apple Bloom scolded. “Th’ show is tonight! We need ta get to work!”

The two colts looked at eachother, then sighed. “Fine. Come on, Apple Bloom, let’s see if you can get the song this time.”

As Spike walked off, Light watched him go feeling a little angry.

“It isn’t Spike’s fault,” Scootaloo reminded him. “He doesn’t like it, either.”

“I know,” Light sighed. “I’m just so... I mean, things were finally great! We were free and safe, and Blaze would have gotten out of his parole soon. Why did this have to happen now? Twilight ruined everything!”

“What’s so bad about Twilight? Sure, she can be boring sometimes, but she’s royalty! If her and Blaze hook up, you’d be the richest colt in town, next to Spike.”

“I don’t care. I just wanted things to be quiet.”

“Look, it’ll be fine. Twilight will be a great family member, you’ll see,” Scootaloo told him softly.

Light sighed as he closed his eyes, opening them up again and looking to Scootaloo. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Scootaloo,” he told her and gave her a nuzzle on the cheek as he went to the stage where Pip was.

Scootaloo stood still there as she stared at Light, not moving one bit as she slowly raised a hoof to her cheek. Her ears twitched when she heard giggling, and she turned Sweetie Belle standing behind her.

“You look so funny!” she squeaked between her giggles.

Scootaloo puckered her lips and rolled her eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said to Sweetie Belle, who was not relieving her mirth.

Sweetie Belle finished and placed a hoof to her shoulder. “You really like him don’t you?” she asked Scootaloo as she looked to where Light and Pip were.

“Well, duh! He's my friend, after all!”

Sweetie Belle groaned as she placed a hoof to her face. “Don’t play coy with me! You want to be his special somepony!”

Scootaloo huffed as she widened her eyes, looking from one corner to the other. “Nuh-uh! None of that mushy stuff!”

Her unicorn friend shook her head with a smile. “I see it on your face all the time you look at him, there’s always that grin on your face every time you give him that look.”

“Oh, like how you look at Spike all the time?!”

It was Sweetie Belle’s turn to blush as her eyes nearly popped out of her skull. “Who told you that!?” she whispered to Scootaloo, but was only met with a snicker.

Scootaloo cleared her throat. “C’mon! It was clear as day the other day when you yelled out ‘Oh come on!!!’ in class,” she told her and looked to see Spike being frustrated with Apple Bloom’s appalling voice. “Why don’t you tell him?”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Spike!”

Scootaloo’s mouth was covered by Sweetie Belle’s hoof as she tried to silence her, but Spike’s attention turned to them and he walked towards them. Oh no! What am I gonna do!? Sweetie saw Light and a grin formed on her face. “You want to tell Spike, I’ll tell Light, then.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Light!”

Scootaloo tackled her friend to the ground in a desperate attempt to keep her quiet. “Okay, okay, you made your point. Just... keep quiet, okay?”

Sweetie smiled. “My lips are sealed.” As the two fillies rose from the floor, she spoke again. “I don’t get why you like Light, though... he doesn’t seem like your type.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well... he’s kind of a wimp. No offense.”

Scootaloo blushed. “Well, yeah... but he’s nice. And... I don’t know. It’s weird.”

“Rarity’s always going on about how weird love is. She keeps saying you can’t control it, but I think that’s just her being all mushy and weird.”

Scootaloo gave a haughty laugh. “Ha! I’m never going to get all namby-pamby like your sister!”

Across the classroom, the former editor of the Foal Free Press let out a sneeze.

“You’ll see, me and Light will be different.”

“We’ll be different about what?”

Scootaloo froze, her face turning crimson as she whirled around to see the object of her affection looking at her curiously.

“Light! I... uh...”

“She was talking about the stage you two are making,” Sweetie said quickly.

“Yes! Yes! The stage! We weren’t talking about anything else! Just the stage... that we’re building... right now. So let’s... uh... let’s go do that.”

Scootaloo quickly ran toward the construction area, leaving Light confused. “I think Blaze was right... mares are weird.”

Blaze signed his name in a few more places. Twilight took the form and looked it over again.

“Everything seems to be in order... but you know this can’t go through until you’re off parole, right?”

Blaze nodded as he sighed. “I know that,” he said, standing up from the chair he was sitting on. “But you know, what’s a few weeks to me, anyway?”

Twilight blinked as her eyes went moist for a moment, before returning ridding the wetness with her lashes. “Well, all I can say is that I think it’s the right thing to do...”

The red pegasus chuckled as he went over to the couch and chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose so...” he turned to the clock and saw it was four in the afternoon already. “Time will fly, that’s for sure...”

Looking to the clock, Twilight smiled a bit before turning to the kitchen. “I’ll be right back,” she told Blaze, giving him a wink before moving into the next room.

Blaze sighed as he reclined on the couch and looked up to the roof, his eyes drifting lazily. He felt a slight irritation coming from his neck and placed his hoof to the source, only to be blocked by the magical collar that was still in place there. He rolled his eyes as he groaned, letting his hoof fall down to the side.

One of the many joys I will have when this thing is off... ridding myself of that itch.

His ears turned to the sound of hooves coming from the kitchen and he saw Twilight walking out with two plates held in the air thanks to her magic. Both plates had sandwiches on it, rather large sandwiches.

“Here you go Blaze, hope you like it.” Twilight gave Blaze his plate and she sat down next to him.

Blaze turned to the Twilight, smiling at the mare. “You shouldn’t have...” he said to her as he took hold of his meal and took a generous bite out of it, swallowing it after chewing on it. “This is great, what you put on here?”

“Oh, just some lettuce, avocado, green peppers, cucumber, tomatoes and some paprika to spice it up,” she answered him as she recalled each ingredient.

“Where’d you learn to cook like this?”

Twilight giggled as she finished her bite. “Well, I just saw these cooking cards for meals and just memorized them all...”

He grinned. “Needed to learn to cook since Spike can’t do it for you anymore?”

She blushed. “Well, there’s that, too,” she admitted.

Before the conversation could go on any further, the front door opened with a ring of the greeting bell. Just as Twilight was rising to greet the new customer, she was startled to see a pony she had never met before.

“Is Blaze here?” the pony asked, pushing her half-moon glasses up her face. She had jet-black fur and a dark-blue mane, and her body, cutie mark included, was covered in business attire.

“That’s me,” the stallion said. “Who are you?”

“I am Ms. Autumn Lily, your new parole officer.”

Suddenly Blaze felt nervous. “Oh... uh, I see. Well... how can I help you?”

“I simply need to go over a few things with you,” the pony declared, lighting up her horn. A clipboard levitated in front of her as she readied a quill. “Do you have any plans once you are released?”

He shrugged. “I’ll probably stay with the Wonderbolts... pay’s good, and coming here in the offseason would be a good place to raise Light. Why?”

“Light himself. You’re filing for custody of him, I wanted to make sure you had his interests at heart. Stable occupation is part of that. No problems with anypony in town?”

“None. Everypony seems to like me... well, they don’t say anything to my face.”

“Alright, then,” Autumn Lily lit up her horn once more. Blaze suddenly felt a strange sensation. It took him a moment to realize what it was. The collar. He had gotten so used to it that its absence felt strange to him. It was laying on the ground, where he and Twilight just gaped at it.

“Just like that?” Twilight said.

“Just like that. Celestia told me it was a mere formality that he were to be put under any sort of restraint anyway. We now consider this matter resolved. You two have a nice day.”

And with that, the pony walked out the door.

“Ms. Lily, wait!” Twilight said, running out the door. But when she arrived, their mysterious visitor was gone.

Blaze walked up from behind Twilight and stood next to her, looking baffled at what just transpired. “Now that was odd...”

Twilight could only nod as she looked up to the sky and gasped softly. “We’re going to be late for the Talent Show!”

Blaze blinked as he saw the sun set over the horizon and sighed. “Well, we better hurry then... otherwise we’re both going to be in trouble,” he said as he turned to where Twilight was, but she was gone. “Twilight?”

With a flick of her magic, Twilight came from behind Blaze. “I just had to lock the library,” she told him as she held a checklist in front of her. Her eyes darted through the list before raising them to meet Blaze, who was now standing before her arching his brow.

“You have a checklist just for today?”

“Of course! Today is special day for Spike and Light...”

“And their friends.”

“True,” she said as she walked past him, using a quill to check off some boxes on the list. “Oh, wait!” she shouted out as she stopped abruptly and turned to Blaze with her eyes widened. “I forgot something!”

Blaze raised his eyebrows and stopped behind Twilight. “What?”

“This.”

Without any warning, Twilight planted her lips to Blaze’s and slowly closed her eyes. Blaze’s wide eyes closed too and he brought Twilight in closer. As their lips stayed connected, Blaze could feel Twilight’s tongue begging entry. He gladly complied and the taste of strawberries roamed for the duration of the kiss. When both of them let go, Twilight batted her lashes as her cheeks burned with her giggling.

“The first kiss in your freedom,” she said softly and felt the gentle hoof of her stallion caress her cheek.

Blaze smiled softly and gave Twilight a nuzzle followed by a kiss on her cheek. “Glad to have you in my life... got it memorized?” he asked her as he pointed to his head.

“Always...”

From a safe distance away, Autumn Lily watched from the air, her wings keeping her in the air. Despite her doubts over the instructions she had been given, she was now utterly convinced that the right call had been made. Twilight Sparkle was known for making good judgements in the past, after all.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she began to grow, her legs and wings restoring themselves to their proper height. Turning into her mortal form was always so tedious.

Stifling a yawn, Princess Luna flew back to Canterlot. It was far past her bedtime. She looked back over her shoulder and saw the figures of Blaze and Twil lined up to see the show. She laughed merrily as she flew off into the distance

Sweetie peered out from behind the curtain at the crowd of ponies lined up to see the show. She felt dizzy. She was so glad it was Apple Bloom going out there and not her.

Shifting, she readjusted the dress Rarity had made for her, once again creasing out the wrinkles in it. She couldn’t let it get messed up before Spike saw it.

“Sweetie?”

The young filly gave a jump, letting out a little squeak as she turned to see Spike looking at her curiously. “What... why are you dressed up like that?”

Sweetie felt her cheeks heat up. “Uh... Rarity made it and insisted I wear it.”

“It... it looks nice,” Spike said awkwardly.

“Th-thank you,” she sputtered out.

There was silence.

“It really does look nice,” Spike said, half-wishing a meteor would land on him and alleviate the awkwardness of the situation.

“Yeah, it really does,” Sweetie said, wishing the same thing, only it involved a group of timberwolves running through the stage.

There was another awkward silence.

Sweetie looked at Spike. He looked back. They just stared at one another.

Then, gulping, Sweetie leaned forward and kissed Spike on the lips.

Spike stood still there, frozen on the spot as his whole face become red and hot. His eyes widened as Sweetie’s kiss lasted. When she finally released him of the kiss, all he could do was blinked and a smile formed against his will.

Sweetie Belle giggled and shuffled her hooves as she looked down from Spike’s gaze. Both ponies’ ears perked when they heard a whistle from behind them and saw Pip standing there with the biggest grin he could pull.

“Now that’s one fer yer foals to hear!”

Spike furrowed his brows as he glared and growled at Pip, who was chuckling as he waved his hooves.

“Cool yerself down! Ah’m just breaking yer shoes, Spike, ‘bout time though fer ye two lovebirds...” he said gave a pat on Spike’s back.

“Ok,” Spike said and looked back at Sweetie, who was still flushed in the face. When they made eye contact, she looked away coyly and looked back at him with her cheeks burning anew.

“We got a problem!”

Sweetie, Spike and Pip turned to Light, who was flying towards the group with Scootaloo right behind him. When they landed, Light stood in front of Spike catching his breath and wiping his sweat away from his forehead.

“What’s the problem?”

Light and Scootaloo looked at each other, concerned dormant on their faces before turning to the others. “It’s Apple Bloom!” Light said as he turned around and saw Apple Bloom approach them slowly.

Sweetie came to them and cocked her brow looking at her earth pony friend. “What’s wrong with her?”

When Apple Bloom opened her mouth, she let out a wheezing sound.

“Don’t tell me...” Sweetie Belle said as she backed away from her friend, with her eyes becoming wider by the second. “She lost her voice?”

“Yes.”

“Then... then what are we supposed to do?” Sweetie cried. “The show’s now! What are we...”

“Sweetie!” Spike suddenly declared, “You could sing it!”

“...What?”

“It’s perfect! You know all the words and you sing great!”

Sweetie blushed at Spike compliment, but also at the thought of going onstage. “N-no, I can’t...”

“Apple Bloom?” Miss Cheerilee called. “You’re up.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Pip said firmly, beginning to push Sweetie to the curtain. “Come on, we need you.”

“What? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!”

It was no good. Spike and Pip both pushed her out, through the curtain and onto the stage.

The statues in Celestia’s Garden could move better than she could at that moment. As she looked at the crowd, and dozens of faces looked back at her, she was silently praying she would hurry up and faint to save herself the anxiety.

“Come on, we need you.”

Remembering Pip’s words, she gave a nervous swallow. Closing her eyes and trying to pretend she wasn’t there, she sang.

“There is a place, where the grass is what's for dinner.” She prayed the notes were coming out okay. “Charmed, fun, and wild, there must be something in the water. Sippin' rainbow juice, talking Elements of Harmony. Our bronies, hang out too, ‘cause they know we're awesome fillies.”

She felt her body move around. She was losing herself in her singing. “You could travel the world, but no one can groove like the girls with the hooves, once you party with ponies, you'll be seeing Rainbooms! O-oh o-oh o-ooh!"

“Equestria girls, we're kinda magical! Boots on hooves, bikinis on top. Furry coats, so cute, we'll blow your mind Aoaoah oh, aoaoaoh! Equestria girls, we're pony-fabulous, fast, fine, fierce, we trot till we drop. Cutie marks represent, now put your hooves up! Aoaoah oh, aoaoaoh!”

Sweetie dared not open her eyes, but at the sound of hooves stomping, she opened them slowly. She was greeted by the cheering of the audience stomping their hooves to the ground, emitting a thunderous applause to the filly on stage. Sweetie looked around her and saw some familiar faces, until her eyes fell on Rarity who was openly crying as she was cheering for her little sister. Sweetie’s own eyes began to turn watery as she started to sniff the tears of joy away. She gave a final bow to the ponies before rushing off to backstage, where she was greeted by her five friends.

“That was so awesome!” Scootaloo yelled out as she gave Sweetie a soft noogie but stopped when she was pushed off by Sweetie.

Sweetie could only blush as she sniffed with a few droplets of tears coming from her eyes. “I never knew I was that good...”

Spike approached her and placed a hoof to her shoulder smiling. “Well, your voice is one of the best I’ve ever heard...”

Without warning, Spike tackled by Sweetie as she hugged him tightly and nuzzled him. “Your song was amazing, Spike! Those words just clicked to me!” she told him in her squeaky voice and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best!”

Light chuckled as he looked on to the two ponies. “Looks like Spike just found his special somepony,” he whispered to Scootaloo was only nodded.

Apple Bloom laughed as she saw Sweetie still hugging Spike. “Well Ah’m glad you sang that song there... Ah couldn’t do it to save Equestria!”

Sweetie and Spike’s eyes went wide as they turned to Apple Bloom. “Your voice... wasn’t sore?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Well, Ah thought since Sweetie had a better voice than me, only fit she sang that song...”

Pip smirked as he approached the two. “She came to me, Light and Scootaloo to tell ye two that her voice was out of order and ye did the rest,” he said proudly as he smiled broadly at the stunned unicorns.

“Do I feel sheepish...” Sweetie muttered as she looked down on the ground, shuffling her hooves.

“And, well,” Apple Bloom said nervously, “maybe another pony talked me into it.” She glanced nervously at Rarity, who was coming backstage at that moment.

“Sweetie, darling! That was wonderful! Oh, I’m so proud of you! You sang like a little angel! It was so wonderful!” She took her sister and kissed her on the cheek, causing her to blush.

“Aww, Rarity, you don’t have to...” Then she trailed off. “I feel tingly all of a sudden... Spike! You got your cutie mark!”

The lavender colt jumped, then looked at his flank. Sure enough, there it was, a piece of parchment and a quill, all contained in a red heart, on his flank.

“Wow! It is there!”

“Oh my gosh, Spike!”

Spike tensed up. His mother scooped him up and peppered his cheeks with kisses. “Oh my boy, I’m so proud of you! Getting your cutie mark! Oh, it’s so special!”

“Ah! Hey! Stop it, Mom! Quit it! Mom! Not in front of my friends!”

Sweetie, let me check something,” Rarity said suddenly. Using her magic, she lifted her little sister’s dress up. She gasped. “Sweetie... your cutie mark is there, too!”

Sweetie’s eyes widened as she looked. It was a music note, a beamed note, also encased in a red heart.

“I got my mark! Guys, I got my mark!”

“Sweetie, that’s wonderful!” Rarity cooed. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Oh my gosh,” Twilight said suddenly. “That means we have work to do! We need to talk, Rarity, I’m sure they’ll both want their own parties. We need to set dates, send out invites, get Pinkie to start baking cakes...”

“Hold on!” Sweetie said. “I don’t think I want my cuteceañera yet!”

The adults stopped and looked at the filly. “You don’t want a cuteceañera? Sweetie, whatever for?”

“Cause we all need to get our cutie marks before we celebrate! That’s the Cutie Mark Crusader way!” Sweetie said to Rarity, with her friends standing by her side and her holding Spike close with her hoof over his back and him doing the same.

Rarity and Twilight looked at each other before blinking and smiling before nodding. “Well, if that’s what you wish, we’ll wait...”

“Oi! Why do yer two cutie marks look alike?” Pip asked as he looked between Spike’s and Sweetie’s.

Twilight arched her brow as she took a look too, before gasping and smiling. “I’ve read this before! When a colt and filly both get their cutie marks at the same time and same place, they are bound together forever!”

Sweetie and Spike raised their eyebrows, turning to each other before looking back at Twilight. “Meaning...”

“You’re soulmates!” Rarity shouted out as she beamed, pulling her own hair in ecstasy. “Oh, this is so wonderful! My little sister finally finding her special somepony for life!” she yelled out as she took hold of Twilight. “And to think, it’s with your precious son!”

“What’s this about soulmates?”

The ponies all turned to the source of the new voice and saw Blaze coming from backstage entrance to be met by six foals and two mares.

“Blaze!” Light shouted out as he tackled the elder stallion. “Where were you, huh?!”

“I was on stage with Twilight, watching Sweetie sing,” he said and turned to Sweetie. “By the way, well done on that voice of yours... must have practiced hard?”

“Actually, she didn’t practice at all.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Light answered him and took notice of Blaze’s neck. “Hey Blaze, where’s your collar?”

Blaze only chuckled as he walked past Light and stood next to Twilight. “Well, since Twilight here stepped down as parole officer and I got a new one... the new parole officer, Autumn Lily, found it best to end my parole and release me back into society...”

“You mean-”

“That’s right, I’m free.”

Light beamed as he tackled Blaze again, but Blaze was ready this time and grabbed hold of the little white pegasus. Both pegasus were laughing, with Blaze ruffling Light’s hair. The hug lasted for a few seconds before they let go, with Light joining his friends again.

“Oh that’s wonderful!” Rarity exclaimed. “Will you be staying in Ponyville?”

“I think so...” he said as he tapped his chin. “Light here has how many friends and I do not want to deprive him of that,” he said as he looked to Light standing with his friends. “Also, I want to stay around my fillyfriend too.”

Rarity blinked. “You have a fillyfriend? Who?”

“Why don’t you ask Twilight?” Rainbow Dash huffed, flying up with her forelegs crossed indignantly.

She blinked again. “Twilight? Twilight and Blaze? Oh that’s wonderful!” she cheered. “Oh, Twilight, darling, I always thought you needed a stallion in your life.”

Twilight stared at her blankly. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh nothing,” Rarity said quickly. “Well, let’s still go out and celebrate! Why not take a trip to the spa?”

Twilight only smiled, looking from the two newly cutie marked foals and her coltfriend. “That sounds like a good idea.”

Chapter 13

“Spike was really happy getting his cutie mark,” Twilight said as she lay on her stomach with Aloe massaging her back, to which she groaned in relief as all the stress was ebbing away from her body.

Applejack smiled as she was being treated on her back too, with Lotus continuously hitting her back softly. “Ye said it, ooh...” she said as her voice vibrated thanks to the massage. “Any foal is happy as a pig in the mud when they get them cutie marks.”

Rarity removed a cucumber from her eye as she looked to Applejack. “Darling, for Spikey-Wikey, it meant more than just finding his special talent,” she said as she placed the cucumber slice back into her socket and reclined backwards as she sighed. “For him, it’s proof that he is a pony through and through.”

“Kinda cute how Sweetie Belle got hers on the same night as Spike did, wouldn’t ya’ll say?”

Rarity beamed as cucumber slices were removed from her eyes. “It is so romantic! My baby sister finding true love and her hidden talent on the same night!” she said as she literally jumped in the air. She stopped smiling when she saw all the ponies staring at her, to which she cleared throat and regained some of her composure. “That is also why I have decided to teach her proper ladylike etiquette.”

Twilight rolled off her table as her massage was over. “Well, I do have a book on that somewhere in the Hobbies and Interests section,” she said as she walked to a chair where Aloe began to work on her hair.

Rarity rolled her eyes and planted a hoof to her face. “Twilight, darling, not everything can be solved with books...” Rarity told her.

“I suppose...”

Rainbow, who had been given a preening on the other side of the room, listened to her friends as she furrowed her brows in irritation. “Well, whatever... what we need to do is celebrate Spike and Sweetie’s cutie marks.”

“And you know what that means!?” Pinkie chimed in as she popped out of nowhere behind Rainbow’s back. “P-A-R-T-”

“Not yet Pinkie!” Rarity and Twilight told her simultaneously, silencing the pink mare in an instant. “Sweetie told us specifically that there will be no cute-ceañera or cute-mitzvah until all their friends get their cutie marks, too.”

Rainbow blinked and smiled as she was impressed by Sweetie’s decision. “Well, ain’t that loyal of her...” she said softly. “Still, we should do something today... Who’s up for Sugarcube Corner?”

“That sounds good...” Applejack noted. “We should grab the foals out of the clubhouse...”

“I can’t make it today,” Twilight said, a light blush appearing on her cheeks. “Blaze and I... we decided to have our first date today.”

“Oh, darling, that’s wonderful!” Rarity exclaimed, rubbing her hooves together. “Oh, you’ve chosen something nice, right? I think that fancy restaurant on the outside of town...”

“Actually, we decided on something low-key. We’re just going to have a picnic in the fields...”

“A picnic? But Twilight, that simply won’t do. This is your first date... your true first date! You simply can’t squander it!”

“I’m not really happy in fancy settings, and neither is Blaze. We’re just going to spend some time together, talking. The books in the library...”

“Darling, you can’t go by books!”

“This comin’ from th’ filly who reads them romance novels twenty-four seven?” Applejack muttered. She ignored Rarity’s glare. “Y’all can have it out in the orchards, if ya want. Ya can even help yerself t’ some apples, but not too much.”

“Thank you, that sounds lovely.”

“But Twi-light!” Rarity whined, only to be silenced by Pinkie’s excited bouncing.

“Ooh! You gotta tell us how it turns out! Are you gonna steal a kiss? Are you gonna do more than kiss? Are you gonna let him get luck...”

“Pinkie!” came a collected cry.

“What?”

“Uh... I need to get going,” Twilight said, starting for the door. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” she said as she rushed out of the spa, the door slamming hard.

“Pinkie... I can’t believe you would ask that,” Rarity groaned.

“It’s Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash muttered, rubbing her forehead. “Disturbing mental pictures aside, does anypony else think this is a bad idea?”

“Ah don’t think so,” Applejack said as she looked on to the door where Twilight just exited out of. “That there Blaze is as honest as mahself and my family are,” she said smiling softly.

Rainbow rolled her eyes as she sighed and grumbled in frustration. “That stallion was a convict and nearly got my daughter killed, along with Spike-”

“Now hold on Rainbow,” Rarity interrupted her as she waved her hoof dramatically. “Blaze only acted so because of Light being held against his will, surely you would have done the same if you were in the same position?”

Rainbow was silenced as she looked down to the ground and sighed. “I suppose...”

Fluttershy, who had stayed silent for the duration of the conversation, came over to Rainbow Dash’s side and placed a hoof to her shoulder. “Um, Rainbow...” she said softly as she looked nervously to her friend. “I think we should should trust Twilight’s instincts here, since she is correct most of the times...”

Rainbow looked up to the ceiling as memories came flashing back to her when Twilight was correct on a number of occasions. “I guess...”

“Besides! It’s not like Twilight and Scootaloo are in danger like last time!” Pinkie yelled out as she jumped over the place.

“Scootaloo?” Rainbow asked curiously as her brow arched. “What she has to do with it?”

Pinkie giggled as she rushed over to a confused Rainbow. “Scootaloo's gonna have a special somepony~”

Rainbow’s eyes widened as her jaw became agape. “Wha-”

“It’s cute how she and Light, two best friends, are starting to get snuggly-wuggly!”

“How do you know, Pinkie?” Applejack asked her as she made her way to the two ponies.

“Pinkie Sense!” she replied with a wink.

A silence followed as she smiled, and Rainbow’s wings furled as she shook her head vigorously. “Oh no! There’s no way that my girl is dating right now!”

Rarity jumped towards them, with her eyes wide and she looked to everypony there. “Is Scootaloo also seeing somepony?! Is it that adorable Light?!”

“No!”

The other ponies were a bit taken aback by Rainbow Dash’s vehemence. “Rainbow Dash... you can’t honestly hate Light, too.”

“...No, I don’t,” she admitted. “I was fine with Blaze getting out of going to jail, but I assumed... you know, I wasn’t going to see him after he got out of parole. Now he’s dating my best friend, his foal is dating my foal, and he’s my wingpony in the Wonderbolts. I never thought it would get to this point.”

“Well, relax, Dashie. I’m sure that after awhile you’ll see that all this isn’t as bad as you think.”

She sighed. “I hope you’re right.”

“Dum, dum, da-dum, dum, dum, da-dum,” Pip sang for the fifth time that day, trying to recreate the old wedding match.

“That wasn’t funny the first time you did it,” Spike said, trying to keep his voice even.

“Maybe to you it wasn’t,” the Trottingham native said with a smirk. “I happen to think it’s brilliant.”

“Yeah, you would,” Spike growled.

“Knock it off,” Apple Bloom said, “we got serious work to do. There’s still four crusaders without a cutie mark! We need to go find somethin’ else t’ work on!”

“Like what? The talent show’s over,” Light grumbled, “and no cutie mark!”

“Well, what haven’t we tried yet?” Scootaloo asked.

“Well, let’s see,” Apple Bloom noted, pulling out a large scroll. “Pig farmin’, underwater weldin’, cow ropin’, sewin’...”

“Ew, why are we going for something so girly?” Scootaloo demanded.

“Um, Scoots? You are a girl,” Light said.

“You know what I mean!”

“Well, we’re runnin’ low on things,” Apple Bloom said. “We better find our talents soon.”

Just as she spoke her words, the door of the clubhouse fell to the ground. All six foals looked to the shattered door and then looked at each other before looking to Apple Bloom.

“Well, I think we should do some repairs to the clubhouse first, before venturing off to find a cutie mark,” Spike said as he backed away from the others.

“Agreed, might find our blasted cutie marks even,” Pip said

“Yeah!” Spike replied.

“We could even add in a slide!” Pip said as he looked out of the window.

“That sounds awesome!” Scootaloo said.

Pip looked to Spike and Sweetie smirking. “Even a chapel we could add in... be the Cutie Mark Wedding Planners, first clients are Spike and Swee-” he was cut off by a smack over his head, which came from Apple Bloom. “What was that for?!”

“Ya know why!” Apple Bloom told him as she shook her head, heading back to the podium.

Scootaloo chuckled, but stopped when she looked towards Light. When Light looked at her, she quickly turned away towards Apple Bloom. “So we are going to fix our clubhouse?”

“Improve it is the correct term,” Apple Bloom said as she took her mallet and knocked the podium. “So who all agrees on fixing our clubhouse?”

“Aye!” everypony shouted out as the reached their hooves to the sky.

“Very well,” Apple Bloom said as she knocked her mallet again. “Now then, we all need to get ourselves some materials for the improvement.”

“Such as?”

“Wood, paint and other stuff...”

Pip raised his hoof. “Mind if I be in charge of the painting of our place?”

Light and Spike blinked. “You can paint?”

“Ye,” Pip replied as he lowered his hoof and saw the others looking at him. “What? I can...”

“Really?” Light asked indubiously as he arched his brow. “How come we’ve never seen you paint?”

“Because we’ve only been mates for a week? And all we’ve been doin’ is puttin’ on that talent show?”

“I guess that makes sense,” Light said.

“You think you can paint us a mural or somethin’?” Apple Bloom asked. “That’d make it look purty.”

“Oh, it could be a big picture of all six of us!” Sweetie added.

“Whoa, hold on,” Pip said, “I’ve nevvah painted somethin’ like that before!”

“I never sang in front of a crowd before, and look what happened,” Sweetie said, gesturing to her flank.

“...Right then, where do we start?”

Twilight hooked the earrings into her ears as she looked herself over in the mirror. She and Blaze had agreed on a casual first date, but she still thought that a bit of dressing up would be good. She debated styling her mane, but decided against it. It was a big step, and there was no need to change what he was already attracted to.

A knock at the door signaled her coltfriend’s arrival. Looking over herself once more, she went to the front door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

Blaze was a bit dressed up as well. A simple bow tie, nothing more, but it still made him look a bit more distinguished.

“I... I got you a corsage,” he said, presenting the gift on one wing.

She took it with her magic. “Thank you,” she said before popping it in her mouth. “Mmm... summer grown? Aw, you shouldn’t have.”

He shrugged. “I wanted something to be special on our first date. Ready to go?”

She nodded, exiting the library. “Come on, Applejack said we could have our picnic in her fields.”

Apple Bloom stood at the entrance of the clubhouse, inspecting the edges with a keen eye. She shook her head when she was finished and sighed.

“Guess we got lotta work to do...”

Just as she said that, she saw her friends in the distance with varied equipment and materials. Once all of them were inside of the clubhouse, Apple Bloom looked over every item that was collected and with a nod she smiled to her friends.

“Good work, y’all! Now we gotta be assigned to different roles to fix this here clubhouse!” she said loudly with her assertive voice. “Scootaloo and Light,” she pointed to the pair of pegasi. “Y’all in charge of replacing the wood on the roof and painting it over.”

“Ok,” Scootaloo replied as she shrugged.

“Got it,” Light said with a salute.

“Sweetie and Spike,” she pointed to the unicorns of the group. “Since y’all can do magic, we’ll need it to lift the wood up to the places we need to put it at and help with some alterations to the clubhouse too.”

“Alright,” Sweetie responded with a squeak.

“Yes ma’am,” Spike said as he grinned to the new challenge with his magic.

“Pip,” she looked to her spotted friend. “Ya help me with decidin’ the paint and where to paint the mural.”

“Righto.”

“Alright, hooves together, everypony!” she had her hoof in front of her, and the others joined in.

“Cutie Mark Crusader Carpenters, go!” they all shouted as they bumped their hooves together and went off to their assigned tasks. As Apple Bloom and Pip were busy planning at a table with the others lifting wood, Pip’s gaze drifted to the window where something caught his eye.

“Huh?”

“Pip?” Apple Bloom asked him as she lifted her head from the plans they were drawing up. “Whazit?”

Pip went to the window and peered out of it, with his eyes squinted as he looked to the distance. They widened a little when he saw what he was looking at. “Oi! Light! Spike!”

“What?”

“It’s yer mum Spike, and yer brother Light,” the colt said. “I think they’re out on a date.”

“What?!” the two exclaimed, temporarily abandoning their duties and dashing to the window themselves. Indeed, Twilight and Blaze were walking side-by-side, a picnic basket balanced on the pegasus’s back, as they walked into the trees.

“Don’t tell me you two are going to follow them,” Apple Bloom moaned.

“What? No!” Spike said. “I don’t want to see my mom making out with his brother.”

“And vice-versa.”

“Good, then maybe you two could get back to work. And for once, no arguin’ with each other ‘bout this.”

“Fine.”

“Okay.”

“So,” Blaze began to speak once he and Twilight sat on the blanket, on a hill overlooking the orchard. “What do we have for the picnic today?”

Twilight smiled as she flicked the basket open and removed several items from it; two sandwiches, two glasses and a bottle of fine apple cider. “I hope you like it, it’s my own recipe...”

Blaze chuckled as he took hold of his snack. “Well, if it’s you that made it... it is bound to be delicious,” he said with a smirk as he saw Twilight’s blush and he took a bite of it. “And I was correct,” he finished and he heard Twilight giggle as she was nibbling on hers.

Once they were done, Twilight decided to bring out a treat for them: strawberries.

“Where did you get those?”

Twilight shrugged as she smiled coyly. “I had them imported from Vanhoover, last minute delivery really...”

“Awww, you shouldn’t have,”

“Well, I just... I just wanted this date to be special, is all...”

Blaze reached over and kissed Twilight softly on her cheek. “With you here, this date is special beyond belief.”

Twilight’s cheeks became blood-red as she beamed, reaching over to return the kiss. “Thank you, Mr. Charmer,” she said with a wink. “It was corny, but I still liked it.”

“My pleasure, Princess.”

Twilight giggled and looked away, her mind thinking of something different aside from the date. “Blaze...”

“Yes?”

“I’ve tried to look up in books, but I just couldn’t find an answer... but maybe you might an answer.”

Blaze cocked his eyebrow as he looked to Twilight. “What is it?”

Twilight gulped as her eyes darted and she started to sweat nervously. “How long do you think we should be dating before we live together?”

The red stallion’s jaw hung as he heard this question, and he blinked numerously before closing his mouth. “Sorry?”

Twilight’s eyes darted again as she blinked furiously as she looked away. “N-nevermind what I asked!” she quickly added in and took the cider, pouring in a glass for herself and swinging it down her throat. “It’s just me being silly is-”

Her words stopped abruptly as she felt a wing blanket her, bringing her in closer to the stallion. She turned slowly and felt his him nuzzle her before she looked him in the eye.

“The thought is mutual, Twilight,” he said to her as her leaned in and rubbed his nose with hers. “Lets decide when we are ready for such a change later,” he said and kissed his on her lips. “Together...”

Twilight smiled and planted her lips to his again, holding them there for a few moments before releasing them. She looked into his blue eyes as she nodded. “You’re right...”

Blaze looked to the apple orchard, and he suppressed a laugh before chuckling with his eyes closed.

“What?”

Blaze shook his head as he looked back to Twilight. “Makes me wonder though, where would Light sleep? Doubt your son would be willing to share his room...”

Twilight stifled a laugh. “I’m sure they will be alright with living in the same room,” she said. “He used to sleep in a basket near my bed.”

Blaze actually arched an eyebrow at that. “He was okay with that?”

She giggled. “He used to be a dragon, remember? He wanted to sleep with his mother. I only got him into a basket when he turned two... uh, don’t tell him I told you that.”

“My lips are sealed,” he promised. Then he frowned. “But still, Spike and Light... they aren’t completely okay with this...”

“We just need to give them time. I know Spike, trust me. He can get used to it.”

“And what about Light?”

“That poor boy put up with Bloodwing for years. I think he’ll adapt.”

“True...” he admitted. “He doesn’t seem to like you too much, though...”

“Well, we’ll just let this simmer a bit, see if things improve. But if it gets to be a problem, I’m sure all we need is a good, long talk.”

“If you say so...” he said, leaning back. “What about your friends? And your parents?”

“Only Rainbow Dash is really upset by it, everypony else seems to like you. And my parents... good question.” She got scared. “My parents... they always told me they hoped I’d meet a nice, intellectual pony... I’m not sure how’d they react to me bringing you home.”

“Well, that’s just dandy,” he muttered.

“Hey, things will be fine. They know I’m a grown mare, they’ll understand.”

“And what about your brother?”

“Please, my BBBFF? After his wedding, I’m sure he’ll have absolute faith in my judgement.”

Celestia looked over the list of provisions brought before her. “Are you sure the Crystal Empire needs all this?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Shining Armor noted. “Sombra didn’t leave it in good condition.”

The sun princess sighed as she closed her eyes. “If only we had acted sooner back then...”

Shining waved his hooves to her as his eyes went wide and he shook his head. “Please Princess, Sombra’s gone now for good this time,” Shining said with relief in his voice as he smiled slightly, though he failed to see Celestia’s grim frown that flashed for a second. “Besides, Cadance’s handling things there perfectly... even bidding for the Equestrian Games to be held there.”

Celestia’s ears perked at this news. “That’s excellent,” she said with a soft smile. “If the games are indeed going to be held there, may I request a few VIP booth tickets?”

“We’ll be sure to do that,” Shining answered her. “Besides, we want to invite Spike back as a celebrity for the event,” he said with a grin. “Since my nephew did save the Empire...”

“You must be very proud of him? I know his mother is,” she asked as she chuckled.

Shining shrugged as he smiled smugly with his eyes closed. “Hey, in a few years when he is old enough... he should enlist in the guard,” he said as he looked out to the window. “He has what it takes to be Captain, I’d say...”

“Twilight may not approve, though...”

“Oh yeah,” Shining flinched, knowing how protective Twilight was over Spike. “But in the end, it’s his choice...”

“Indeed,” Celestia said as she walked towards the window, standing next to Shining. “By the way, have you heard from Twilight lately?”

Shining turned to Celestia, cocking his brow slightly confused at this question. “Not really, last letter I got from her was that she started sending Spike to school.”

Celestia nodded as she remembered the letter which Twilight sent a few weeks ago, detailing how she planned to send Spike out to school. Not only for academic purposes, but to make friends too, something that brought a smile to Celestia every time she remembered.

“Did you know she found love?”

“...What?”

She nodded. “That’s right. She finally found herself a special somepony.”

“Who?”

“Why, Blaze, actually,” Celestia answered with a wide smile, but it diminished slightly when she saw his twitching eye.

“...The convict?”

“Well, not technically a convict, but yes.”

Blaze finished his last strawberry and his last glass of cider, looking back at Twilight. “Well it looks like the sun is setting now...” he said as he looked towards the horizon.

Twilight nodded with half-hooded eyes as she was busy packing the glasses and blanket away in the basket. “Yes, maybe we should head on back...” Twilight said glumly looking rather down.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Twilight sighed as she looked back. “It’s just...”

“You don’t want this day to end, yet?” he asked her and saw her nod. He placed a hoof to his chin and looked up to the sky. He grinned as he looked back to Twilight. “Say, can you teleport that basket to the library?”

“Um,” Twilight started as she looked back to the basket and back to Blaze. “Yes, I can, why?”

“Do it quick...” he told her and saw her focus her magic on the basket, sending it away with a flash. “Good,” he said as he hovered and scooped Twilight up in a bridal style.

“Blaze! What are y-”

“Hold on tight!” he started flying upwards towards the clouds fast, feeling Twilight’s front hooves encircle his neck. Blaze looked around himself until he found a high enough cloud for both of them. He noticed Twilight shaking a bit, with her eyes closed as she hid her face in his chest.

“Say Twilight, do that cloud walking spell on yourself quick.”

“Ok!” she said hastily as her hooves started to shimmering thanks to the magic coming from her horn.

Blaze smiled as he rested Twilight on a cloud and sat down next to her. “What do you think?”

Twilight opened her eyes slowly and gasped at what she saw. She saw the sunset over the horizon, but as she stood there on the highest cloud she saw the surroundings bathed in the sunlight. The other clouds were mixed in colours of orange and gold, and the mountains looked at thought they were ablazed.

“It’s so beautiful up here,” Twilight said slowly as she rested against Blaze’s frame. “Almost makes me wish I was born with wings.”

“Almost?” Blaze asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Hey, wings are nice, but I’ll take my horn, and my magic, anyday.”

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged.

“Still, it’s nice to...” she trailed off. Twilight’s ears perked and she turned her head around. “Do you hear something?”

Blaze paused. “No, why?”

“I could have sworn I heard somepony calling my name just now... it sounded angry.”

“Oh, you’re just imagining things,” Blaze said, taking her hoof. “Come on, let’s just sit back and enjoy the view.”

Blaze laid back. Twilight snuggled next to him. “Yeah. For right now, I think that’ll be alright.”

“Say Twilight, you want to know something?”

Twilight looked to Blaze curiously as her brow rose. “What is it, Blaze?”

Blaze planted his lips to hers, causing Twilight’s lashes flustered to a close the kiss continued. When Blaze lips parted, he smiled and caressed her cheek with his hoof. “You’re so beautiful...”

With her eyes becoming moist from the words and from the sun’s rays, Twilight smiled softly as she leaned into Blaze’s muzzle. “Thank you,” she said and kissed Blaze, with both ponies melting into the kiss. She felt his soft wing encase her back as she was brought in closer and she decided to wrap her hooves around his neck as her lips never left his.

Chapter 14

Apple Bloom skipped on the path towards the clubhouse, with her eyes closed and humming a melody. She could hear the birds chirping away and the sound of the wind blowing against all the apple trees in the orchard. Once she heard the voices of her friends in the distance, she opened her eyes again to find all five of her friends outside the clubhouse talking.

“Top o’ the mornin’ to ye, Apple Bloom!” Pip called out as he trotted towards her, giving her a brief hug. “So wha’s the agenda on today’s meeting?”

The filly giggled as she blushed a little and smiled. “Wait until we’re all inside, it’s a surprise,” she answered Pip as she walked past him.

“Righto.”

Once all the foals were inside the clubhouse, which was still under construction as Apple Bloom stipulated, Apple Bloom came up to the podium and cleared her throat to gain everypony’s attention.

“Everypony, ma sister Applejack wants to organize another camping trip soon and she said y’all are invited!”

The foals cheered at this news, but the most vocal one was Pip. “Nice one! Ah haven’t been on a camping trip since... ever!”

Scootaloo chuckled at his enthusiasm. “Well, you will enjoy it... just like how Sweetie, Apple Bloom and I enjoyed our fillies’ camping trip,”

Spike leaned in on the conversation. “Wasn’t that the same one where you got nightmares of the Headless Horse thanks to some ghost stories by the campfire?” he asked sarcastically as he smirked at Scootaloo’s blush, that soon turned into a withering glare. Spike let out a ‘oof’ as Sweetie bumped him in the ribs, shaking her head as she furrowed her brow. Spike rubbed his head on the back as he chuckled nervously. “Sorry...”

“You really had nightmares because of some ghost stories?” Light asked curiously as he arched his brow at Scootaloo.

“To be blunt, yes...” Scootaloo replied deadpanned, but turned her head sharply as she heard Light suppress laughter. “Well, you would have nightmares too had it been told to you like my mom told her ghost stories!”

Light only shook his head as he wiped the tears away from his eyes. “You haven’t seen Blaze tell his ghost stories, now that is something to die for...”

Apple Bloom knocked on the podium to get everypony’s attention again, sighing in minor frustration at her friends. “There’s just one thing, y’all need to bring a parent with you on the camping trip...”

“What?” Pip said. “Why?”

“Applejack said somethin’ bout not bein’ able to handle six foals on her own. She’ll be comin’ fer me, an’ we already got Rarity an’ Rainbow Dash comin’. The rest of you need ta ask your parents.”

“Aw, Mom hates the outdoors,” Spike grumbled. Then he thought a minute. “Unless there’s somethin’ out there to study...”

“I bet Blaze would love it! He always promised to take me camping...”

“...My parents won’t be able t’ come,” Pip said slowly.

“Wha? Why?”

“They hate camping,” he answered, a little too quickly. “‘Sides, I don’t need nopony holdin’ my hoof, I can take care of meself.”

“Mah sister said you needed an adult, no exception.”

“What! But...”

“Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash said that she was gunna talk Fluttershy into commin’ if somepony couldn’t make it.”

“No, I can’t!” Fluttershy said, panicking.

“Come on, Fluttershy, it’s camping! You love animals!”

“I love nice, cute animals like squirrels and chipmunks and rabbits. I don’t like big, mean animals! There are timberwolves and cockatrices out there! I just can’t handle big strong brutes.”

At that point, the bear who had been sitting in the circle of animals, gave a loud roar. Fluttershy flew up to it. “No! No! If you want seconds, you point.”

The bear tried roaring again, only for it to get bopped on the nose. “No. Point. Don’t raise your voice to me!”

Sagging his shoulders, he pointed to a second helping, which Fluttershy easily got for him. “There now, see how much nicer that is?”

Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow in frustration and flew up to her friend. “Please Fluttershy, all of Scoots’s friends are coming but Pip might not be able to...”

Fluttershy bit her lower lip as she looked at her friend. “Why wouldn’t they?” she asked her meekly.

“I don’t know,” Rainbow replied with a shrug. “But it’s good to have a backup plan! C’mon, Fluttershy! Can you do this one favour? If not for me, for that little colt?” Rainbow asked her friend again.

Fluttershy looked to her animal friends, who all nodded at her. She sighed and turned back to Rainbow. “Ok, I’ll do it...”

“Yes!” Rainbow shouted out as she hovered. “I’ll tell Scoots and the others the good news!” she said as she flew out of the cottage’s window.

The cream-coloured pegasus stood there shuffling her hooves in thought, until she beamed at a thought that came to her mind. “I’ll just ask his parents if they won’t rather come to their son’s camp!” she yelled out, in a whisper. She flew to Angel and lowered herself to his level. “Angel Bunny, could you please look after the house for me? I’ll just be at Twilight’s quick,” she whispered to her rabbit friend, who gave a simple salute. “Thank you.” with that, she was off.

Angel grinned as he turned his head to the other animals, rubbing his paws in glee as he hopped towards the food storage, helping himself as the other animals looked at each other with concern.

“So...” Blaze began as he finished packing books into a shelf for Twilight. “Anything else you need me to do?”

Twilight looked up her list and smiled demurely at her coltfriend. “We can take a break now.”

“We? What’s this ‘We’ stuff? I’m doing all the hard work...” Blaze said sarcastically as he grinned.

“Well I’m just a weak little mare who only has her smarts to help her in the world today,” Twilight pouted playfully at him, blowing him a raspberry.

Blaze chuckled as he walked up towards her, holding her close. “Well fine then, how about I give you a job-well-done kiss?” he asked her as he planted his lips to her, which she gladly accepted.

Twilight closed her eyes slowing as she continued the kiss with Blaze and encircled her hooves around his neck. She felt herself being lifted from the ground, as her hind legs were no longer touching the floor. Once she and Blaze stopped to breath, she looked at him with half-hooded eyes and smiled softly at her stallion.

Bam!

The door to the library swung open, and Shining Armor was standing on the other side, looking annoyed. “Twiley, we need to tal....”

He trailed off as he saw the position his little sister was in. Both ponies looked back at him, Twilight blushing and Blaze sweating nervously.

“Um... we decided to come visit...” Cadance said from behind her husband, sounding equally awkward.

Blaze could not have been off Twilight faster. “Yo, Captain Armor... Princess Cadance...” he said, hoping her marefriend’s brother was less creative about tortures than her mentor.

“Twiley...” Shining Armor said through gritted teeth. “Can. I. Talk. To. You. Alone?”

“...Sure,” Twilight said, not liking where this was going. Shining Armor followed his sister as closely as possible, turning back to give a death glare to Blaze, who gulped nervously.

As the door slammed, the two remaining ponies looked at each other awkwardly.

“Um... Princess,” Blaze said, finally remembering to bow.

“Rise, please... you’re Twiley’s coltfriend, just call me Cadance.”

“Um, yes ma’am... Cadance... I... I kept it above the waist, I swear!”

“Shiny... look, I know he might not seem like an ideal coltfriend...”

“He’s a felon!” Shining Armor shouted. Twilight thanked Celestia she had the foresight to cast a soundproofing spell over this room.

“He was practically acquitted!” she argued. “And besides, he’s nice, and funny... and he has a foal of his own! He can help me take care of Spike!”

“Twilight, he was all over you!”

“Yeah, and I wanted him to be.” She blushed, not feeling comfortable talking about this, especially with her brother. “He gave me my first kiss... it felt good... I...”

“Okay, stop, please!” Shining waved his hoof, flinching a little at the image of Twilight kissing. “Look, I’m just concerned about this whole thing, okay? I mean, I really think you’re making a mistake here...”

Twilight stared at him deadpanned for a moment, scrunching her lips. “Even after all we’ve been through, you still don’t trust my decisions?”

Shining bit his lower lip as he saw the look in his sister’s face. “Twilly, that’s not what I meant...”

“Sure sounded that way to me.”

Shining planted his hoof to his face. “Look, Twilight, all I’m saying is that you should be more careful at who you befriend, especially at who you love...”

“Something you learned the hard way, right?”

The white stallion did not answer, instead he drooped his ears and looked down on the floor in guilt. “How far do you really want to go with this?”

“What kind of question is that?” Twilight asked him as her tone became annoyed.

“I’m asking you if you really feel strongly attached to-”

“I do.”

“Do you even l-”

“I do.”

“So you love him?”

Twilight slowly nodded her head and smiled softly. “I do...” she whispered and looked back at the door, where Blaze was waiting with Cadance. “And I’m sure he does too...”

“I really do love her...”

Cadance sat on a pillow having a cup of tea with Blaze, smiling broadly at the honesty and love the stallion was displaying.

“She is an amazing pony,” Cadance told him as she took a sip of her tea. “I was her foal sitter after all.”

Blaze laughed nervously as he too took a sip. “She talks about you all the time...”

She giggled. “She should... I was her sister even before I married Shiny... she was so sweet and adorable, I just loved sitting for her.”

As Blaze took another sip, he spoke. “So... you’re okay with me and Twilight...”

She was quiet for a minute. “Honestly... before the wedding I might have had my doubts. But Twilight saved me, and Equestria... I trust her judgement.”

“Well... Shining Armor doesn’t seem to like me too much.”

Cadance giggled. “Blaze, you could be a world-class philanthropist and gentlecolt, and Shining Armor would still be trying to protect his sister. He’ll warm up, you’ll see.”

“I hope so... Princess Celestia didn’t like me much, either...”

“Oh, she’s fine with it,” Cadance waved it off. At Blaze’s surprise, she giggled. “You’re the first pony to date Twiley because any colt that wanted to try got the same threat. Auntie does it to drive off the social climbers. You’ll be fine as long as you really love her.”

“So... I’m not the only stallion to get the Sun Run threat?”

Cadance shook her head. “But hopefully you’re the last. Twiley deserves a nice stallion, and Spike needs a father...”

The library bell chiming alerted the two ponies to a new presence. “Oh, um... hello Princess, Blaze...”

“Hey Fluttershy!” Cadance said warmly. “Nice to see you again.”

“Um, likewise. I just came by because I need to check the town records... to look up something...”

Blaze placed his cup on the saucer and hovered towards Fluttershy. “What exactly are you looking for in the town records?”

Fluttershy fiddled with her hooves looking down on them. “I need to look up the name ‘Willheart’.”

The red stallion cocked his eyebrow at the name, until the name clicked in his head. “Oh! You mean Pip?”

“Um, yes...”

Blaze went over the town records cabinet and looked up the name in the ‘W’ section. “What are you looking for exactly Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy gulped as she looked up nervously. “I want to know where he and his parents live... because I...”

“Yeah?”

“I want to ask them if they wouldn’t rather go to the camp with him...”

Blaze blinked at the mare before cracking a smile and chuckling. “So you’re going to ask them to go instead of you looking after him?”

“... yes...”

“Well ok,” Blaze replied, rolling his eyes at the nervous mare. His eyebrow arched in confusion as he leaned his muzzle closer to the cabinet. “That’s odd...”

Cadance, who had been listening to the two, went over to where Blaze was. “What is it?” she asked curiously at Blaze’s confusion.

“There’s no ‘Willheart’ anywhere in the folder...”

Cadance and Fluttershy looked at each other before looking at Blaze, each of them looking at him with concern. “What does that mean?”

At that moment, Twilight and Shining came walking out of the other room and saw the three concerned ponies at the town records cabinet. “Did we miss anything?” Twilight asked as she walked up to the others, with Shining in tow.

“There’s no ‘Willheart’ in the ‘W’ folder...” Blaze repeated to his marefriend, looking over to see the withering glare of Shining.

Twilight gulped and rushed off to the folder and went through it fast. She looked up at Blaze with her eyes widening every second. “Isn’t ‘Willheart’ Pip’s last name?”

“Yeah...”

“...My records are incomplete...” she said, stunned.

“Oh no,” Shining Armor moaned, which Cadance quickly went up to her sister-in-law.

“Twilight, don’t worry, it’s not that big of a deal...”

“Not that big of a deal? Cadance, those are official records! I could have lost something important like tax records or medical histories! It’s not just a little problem!”

“So, write the Canterlot Archives and have them send a copy over to you,” Shining Armor said calmly. “That’s why the records are duplicated there.”

“Yeah... but the last transfer was a year ago... I must have lost something...”

“Um, well... maybe it’s not your fault...”

The assembled party looked at Fluttershy. “What do you mean?”

“Well, have you ever met Pip’s parents?”

Twilight shook her head. “But... Fluttershy, do you think Pip’s living alone? That’s crazy!”

“Not really. Scootaloo managed to live alone without anypony noticing, and nopony’s met her parents. You’ve met all of Spike’s friend’s parents except his...”

Twilight thought a minute. “Now that you mention it, I didn’t hear about a family moving into town... Pip just kind of showed up one day...”

“Did you get a record of them?” Blaze asked.

She shook her head. “The mayor didn’t give me the records until after the NightMare Night when Princess Luna visited.”

“Well, then, I really want to know what’s going on.”

“Maybe you could ask Miss Cheerilee,” Twilight suggested. “I can go by the mayor’s office and ask her about it.”

“Um, thank you.”

“It might be a good idea to keep this from the foals, at least for now,” Twilight added. “No need to scare them over what could be nothing.”

Blaze nodded his head as he looked to Twilight. “Good point... half of them have enough stress already...”

“Exactly, Fluttershy...” she called to her friend who gave a slight yelp. “You mind going with Blaze to Cheerilee quickly?”

“N-not at all...”

“Thank you, Cadance...” she turned to her sister-in-law. “Will you come with me to the Mayor’s office?”

“Certainly.”

“Hey! What about me?!” Shining protested as an annoyed scowl covered his face.

“Shining...” Twilight started, closing her eyes and drawing in a long breath before looking at her brother again. “Please stay here and watch the library for me, okay?”

“I-I-”

“Thank you!” with that; Twilight and the others were out of the door, leaving a stuttering Shining Armor all alone. His jaw was agape for a moment before he pursed his lips, growling at his sister.

“Twilight...”

Twilight sighed as she and Cadance were trotting down the path towards the Mayor’s office. She turned to Cadance’s stomach that had become more dilated over the weeks since she last saw her. Twilight smiled inwardly closing her eyes, happy at the thought of becoming an aunt soon. Her bright mood turned sour when she remembered how Shining reacted to her and Blaze being together, along with his so-called ‘advice’.

“Twilight?”

The lavender mare’s head turned to Cadance as they had stopped walking and she was met Cadance’s concerned half-hooded eyes.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?”

Twilight merely shook her head, blinking before looking to Cadance. “I’m just... I’m surprised by Shiny’s reaction to me finally having a coltfriend of my own! He was the one who told me I needed to get out more!”

She giggled. “Oh, Twiley, big brothers can be like that. He’s just looking out for you. Give him some time, and things will be alright.”

She sighed. “I hope so...”

“Cheer up, you know Shiny, he’s your BBBFF, remember?”

Twilight couldn’t help but grin at the foalhood term. “Yeah...”

“Besides, look at it from his perspective. You’re dating somepony that doesn’t have the best reputation. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he wasn’t at least a little worried about you, right?”

Twilight sighed, then, smiled. “I guess you’re right. Okay, I’ll have a better talk with him when we get back. Oh, maybe we could all have dinner tonight? The four of us, plus Spike and Light. It’ll be great!”

“How is Spike, anyway?”

With that, Twilight grinned. “You’ll never guess what happened...”

Blaze and Fluttershy walked away from the schoolhouse with no more information than when they went in.

“Okay, this is starting to seem suspicious to me,” the stallion said. “Miss Cheerilee was completely clueless.”

“What do we do now?”

“Maybe you should go talk to Pip about this,” Blaze told Fluttershy as they were trotting onwards.

“Um, that might be a good idea. Oh, what do you think will happen if he really doesn’t have a home? What should I say to him?”

“I don’t know,” Blaze sighed. “Why ask me?”

“Well, you and Twilight are parents... don’t you know how to handle foals?”

“We haven’t exactly run into anything like this...”

Fluttershy bit her lower lip as she looked down to the ground, thinking of what to do. “I-I think maybe I should ask him tomorrow... Pip that is...”

Blaze shrugged at this. “I think that is the best move,” he said, his ears flickered for a second and turning to his side. He narrowed his eyes to bush that was moving suspiciously, but decided to turn to Fluttershy. “You know Twilight’s brother?”

“Shining Armor?”

“Yeah,” Blaze responded, picking up a pebble from the ground. “I got the funny feeling he doesn’t want me around her...”

Fluttershy gasped as she widened her eyes to the statement. “B-but that’s crazy! He would never...”

With that, Blaze threw the pebble to the bush hard. What followed next was a yelp and out came Shining, holding his forehead tightly with his hooves as he clenched his teeth and eyes were shut. He rubbed the forehead and gave a venomous look at Blaze, huffing before rushing off to the library.

As she saw what was happening, Fluttershy merely shook her head to the elder brother of Twilight. “Of course... I could be wrong...”

Chapter 15

Pip was in a position that every foal his age dreaded to be in: he was bored. Unbelievably bored. A “there’s nothing for me to do” bored that foals his age thought was the worst thing ever.

It was early Sunday morning, and his friends were all stuck doing other things. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were wrangled into doing chores for their sisters, Spike and Light were dragged off by their parents for personal days, and Scootaloo had opted to spend the day giving her old scooter a much-needed tune-up. That left him alone and he hated it.

Kicking the ground, he walked through the apple orchards, enjoying the scenery and occasionally considering picking an apple, but deciding against it. The Apple Family made it clear that he was to ask for any food before taking it, and he wasn’t keen on getting banned from the farm.

He was just considering heading to Sugarcube Corner and getting the free cookie offered to foals when he noticed one of the grown-ups flying towards him.

“Oh, hello Pip,” Fluttershy said gently. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Hey, Miss Fluttershy,” the colt said. He was a bit confused. He didn’t know Fluttershy well, so it perplexed him why she would seek him out. Still, even a casual glance at her was enough to put him at ease. “How ‘r you?”

“Oh, well... I actually need a little help around my cottage. Do you need some extra bits?”

“Yes,” the colt said with the level of excitement colts aways give when referring to spending money.

“That’s good. I need a helping hoof, and the other foals are busy today. And with the camping trip coming up, I thought I could get to know you a little better.”

Realization hit him. Oh yeah, that. He had forgotten. “Well... I s’pose...”

“Good. Come on, my home isn’t far from here.”

The two walked in silence for a minute, both looking at each other when they were sure the other wasn’t. “So, um, Pip... do you like camping?”

“Ain’t never been,” the colt said. “Nevah had the chance.”

“Oh, that’s too bad... I bet it’ll be fun.” She smiled what she knew, from experience using it on upset animals, was a calming smile. “I bet Applejack has all kinds of fun things planned for us.”

“What do you even do when you’re camping?”

Fluttershy pondered this, looking up to the sky and tapping her chin. “Well... you talk around campfire at night, telling stories... sometimes very scary stories,” she said as she shuddered from a few memories of her camping days. “Oh and you also make s’mores and stargaze.”

Pip beamed at the mention of ‘stargazing’. “I love to stargaze at night!”

“Oh?” Fluttershy was a bit surprised at the colt’s enthusiasm. “How so?”

“Princess Luna’s the best princess, after all!” he replied as he jumped and tapped his hooves together. “She can do much with the stars and the Moon too... Celestia only raises and lowers the sun, pretty dull if you want my opinion on a career for eternity...”

Fluttershy giggled as she saw Pip talking about how he favoured Luna over Celestia. I’m glad Princess Luna has such a huge fan...

“Say, Miss Fluttershy... what else does a pony do on camp beside those nighttime activities?”

The mare blinked as her attention was brought back to the outside world and she smiled she started counting off a number of activities in her head. “Well; there’s always swimming, rowling, hiking... oh there’s also birdwatching!” she squeaked out. “That’s pretty nice to watch all the birdies in the wild... but not only that, all the critters too and even other parts of nature!”

Pip’s eyes widened in wonder as he broadly smiled to the mention of animal watching. “I always wanted to see bears in the wild, or even come up close to a manticore... even a hydra!” he shouted out in excitement, but stopped when he saw Fluttershy’s scared face. “Something wrong?”

Fluttershy shuffled her hooves and shook her head nervously. “I-I’m just... a little... scared of those big beasts...”

Pip was gobsmacked. “You serious? You work with animals all your life and you are frightened by them?!” he asked Fluttershy, who only nodded. “That is unbelievable...”

“Well, I might be scared of them... but I will help them out if they are hurt,” she replied confidently as she smiled softly.

“Really?”

“Absolutely...”

The Wonderbolt Arena was a popular destination for tourism, even among people who were not sports fans normally. Because of this, Wonderbolts were allowed to bring in guests on certain days, and Blaze was taking advantage of this by showing Light around the Arena.

They were currently out in the middle of the field, Light balanced on his brother’s back, looking around.

“Wow... everypony here’s gonna be shouting your name!”

“Like there was ever any doubt,” Blaze said confidently. “Captain Spitfire says I’ve been doing pretty well, says she’s going to keep me as Rainbow Dash’s wingpony permanently. Bet the two of us will be unstoppable, don’t you think?”

“Yeah! When’s your first show?””

“About a month, kid. Until then,” she smiled, walking over to the obstacle course, “how about you give it a try?”

“M-me? I don’t know...”

“Come on, kid, a few months ago you busted back into Bloodwing’s base, and now you’re scared of a little obstacle course?”

“No! But... you think I’ll make it through?”

“Maybe... but Spitfire’s always saying, it’s more important to get better. Now come on, why don’t you try it?”

Gulping, Light leapt off his brother’s back and looked at it. Through his nervousness, he heard his brother calling, “Hey Snowflake, can you give me a hand?”

The muscular pegasus flew over and began turning the crank connected to the course, allowing all the obstacles their movement. Blaze looked down at his little brother. “Now remember...”

“Private Blaze!”

Blaze jumped and snapped to attention as Spitfire trotted over. “What’s going on here?”

“Ma’am, I was letting my little brother try the obstacle course, ma’am!”

“Really?” Spitfire said, showing a smile despite herself. She eyed the colt, who looked both starstruck and intimidated. “Well, let’s see what he can do.”

Light gulped and turned to Blaze, who gave him a nod and a reassuring smile. The colt stepped towards the obstacle course cautiously, standing before the starting line.

“Oh, and the record to beat is 03:00...” Spitfire told Light playfully as she flew next to the starting line and raised her hoof to the air. “On your marks...” she shouted out, and saw the colt entering a stance. “Get set...” she continued and Light bit his lower lip, with a bead of sweat coming down from his forehead. “Go!”

As soon as the word ‘Go’ was shouted out, Light speeded onto the course as fast as he could muster. The lack of goggles made it difficult for him to see, as the wind pressure to his eyes made them watery. He blinked continuously, wiping them away with his eyelashes only as his hooves were used to help him steer and stay focused on the course before him. When he came to a sharp turn, he pulled in one of his front hooves to his chest, cutting the corner perfectly whilst maintaining speed. With flagpoles he encountered however, he found some difficulty as he collided with a few passing through them.

Meanwhile, the adult ponies were looking at Light impressively. Blaze was the amazed by Light’s performance, as he stood silent with his eyes never leaving the flying colt.

“That colt is really good...” Spitfire commented to herself, flying next to Blaze’s side and gazing at Light still.

“Yeah...”

Light reached the last stretch of the obstacle course, seeing the others standing there. He saw Blaze smiling broadly at him, causing him to fly even faster than what he had before. Light began to feel more pressure build up on his muzzle, as though something was blocking his path. He continued to push onwards, beating his wings faster increasing his speed. His body felt like it was squeezing itself through a wall of rubber, until finally he broke free.

Once he did though, a loud bang was heard, followed by him rocketing towards the finished line.

“Light! Slow dow-”

Blaze’s words were cut off when Light accidentally flew into him. Blaze let out a ‘oof’ as he and Light toppled backwards from the collision. Blaze groaned as he lifted his head, feeling one of the biggest migraines he had ever had.

The same could be said for Light, as his eyes were going in circles from the dizziness, before he shook it out of himself and got off the red stallion.

“S-sorry, I’m so sorry,” the colt pleaded. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Blaze said, through his headache. “I’m fine. Don’t worry, kiddo.” He got to his hooves, dusting himself off.

Spitfire put a hoof on the young foal’s shoulder. “That was outstanding work, kid, real good. I think you have what it takes to be a genuine Wonderbolt someday.”

“Really? How can you tell?”

“I have an eye for these things, kid. Plus, that mark on your flank says otherwise.” The last words had an obvious smile to them.

Light froze. “Wh-what?” he stuttered, turning around. He looked at his backside and his jaw fell open.

His flank now showed a patch of black. Inside, there was a ring of light, beaming against the dark background. Another beam shot through the ring.

On his flank was his special talent, flying.

“I got my cutie mark! I got my cutie mark!” he cheered jumping up and down. He threw himself at his surrogate big brother, who returned the hug in earnest. “Did you see? I’m going to be a great flyer, just like you!”

Blaze smiled, hoping that he wouldn’t start crying tears of joy. He wasn’t quite that sappy yet. “If I have my way, you’ll be better than I ever was. I’m very proud of you, kid.”

Spitfire put on her sunglasses. It wouldn’t do if she was caught crying too. “Private Blaze, you have my permission to be on leave for his cute-mitzvah. Make it good, hear?”

“No, no,” Light said, “I promised I wouldn’t have my cute-mitzvah until all the Cutie Mark Crusaders got their cutie marks!”

Spitfire lifted an eyebrow. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“A club he’s in,” Blaze said with a smile.

“We help ponies get their cutie marks!”

“Oh, really?” Spitfire said, actually sounding intrigued. “How do you do that?”

“We do all kinds of things until we find what we’re good at!”

Spitfire smiled as she looked at Light, lifting her glasses again to reveal her eyes. “Well, when you are old enough... come and apply for the Wonderbolts, you hear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Such a well mannered colt... Spitfire turned to Blaze smirking. “Well Rookie, you’re off for the duration to plan the cute-mitzvah for the little colt here... and you can expect me there, too...”

Blaze blinked before arching his brow and tilting his head sideways. “Come again?”

“Did I stutter? I said the Wonderbolts will be there to give this colt and his friends a performance, seeing as he is family to you and you have contributed in saving Canterlot a few months ago...”

“Woah...” Blaze muttered before grinning in appreciation. “Thanks, ma’am...”

Spitfire cleared her throat again, turning to Blaze. “Well, I must be off now... you two enjoy the rest of your Sunday,” she told Blaze and looked to Light, who couldn’t stop smiling at the mare. This caused her to blush for a moment before smiling at the colt. “Don’t you want to show your friends your cutie mark?”

Light gasped as he looked back at his cutie mark and to Ponyville’s direction. “Yeah! I gotta show it to them, especially Scootaloo!” he shouted out to himself. “Blaze, can I go see her?”

“Fly on, kid... don’t let me stop you...”

“Thanks!” with that, Light was off into the distance, leaving a trail of light in his tracks. Blaze chuckled at Spitfire’s confused face.

“Did he say Scootaloo?”

“Yeah, she’s a very close friend...”

“As in Rainbow Dash’s daughter?”

“The same, and his fillyfriend...”

Spitfire suppressed a laugh as she placed her hoof to her mouth and looked to where Light flew off. “That’s too cute...”

“Well, they aren’t dating yet...”

“I see. Puppy love. You got it when you were a foal?”

“No, I was a little busy fighting for my survival,” Blaze answered with a dry tone.

“Oh, um... ah.” For the first time, Blaze saw Spitfire flustered. It didn’t last long though. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I had next to nothing growing up.”

“I’ve heard. Everypony talks about how you climbed your way out of the slums in Manehattan.”

She nodded. “I didn’t fly until I was a few years older than Light. Growing up, there was nothing to do but wander the streets.” She sounded lost, but not in memories. In thought. “I would see kids doing all sorts of things, but my family could never afford it. I always said I was going to do something for foals like that when I made it big...”

“...Ma’am?”

“Go catch up to your little brother, Private,” she said. “And tell him thank you. He has just given me a terrific idea.”

The tension in the library was so thick that one could cut it, slice it, and package it to sell, according to Pinkie Pie. The earth pony had stopped in to check out a cookbook and suspected that if something were placed near Shining Armor, it would catch fire.

His sister wasn’t in a much better mood. The dinner last night had gone over... well, nopony could really say. Civil words were all that was exchanged, but there was certainly an undercurrent of disapproval coming from both stallions. Cadance did her duty as the Princess of Love to try and patch things up, but magic wouldn’t help. There was no previous history between the two to mend here.

Now, that morning, with Blaze up at the Wonderbolt Academy, Shining Armor had tried hinting, subtly he thought, that perhaps Twilight would like to meet some of the soldiers in his unit.

Cadance sighed. Shining Armor asking his trainees which one wanted to date his sister surprised all of them, as the last one who mentioned that she looked cute was scrubbing floors until his hooves had been filed off. And yet here he was now, saying that a new recruit named Flash Sentry seemed like a fine young stallion.

“Shining...” Twilight began speaking, closing her eyes slowing as they furrowed in frustration. “Why are you doing this?”

Her brother looked to Twilight and he pursed his lips. “I’m just showing you that you can do better.”

“Really?” Twilight snarled at him dubiously, arching an eyebrow. “Then why try to set me up with a guard I have never met before when I am already with a fine stallion!?” she shouted out accusingly to him. “For all I know, he could be a sick pervert wanting the rump of Celestia’s student.”

Shining widened his eyes in surprise and contorted his face in disgust. “My guards are not like that! My guards, heck any decent stallion from Canterlot is better than an ex-con-”

“He didn’t have a choice!” Twilight stopped her hooves to Shining, causing the stallion to step backwards in minor shock. “He has been stuck in a rotten orphanage, he saved a little colt from a life of slavery, and the only reason why he had to work for a mad scientist was to protect Light!” Twilight shouted out to her brother as she advanced on to him, like a cat cornering a mouse in the corner.

“So he says, he might be lying-”

“He isn’t lying about his life!” Twilight shouted at as she defended Blaze, with her eyes becoming moist from rage. “Even Celestia and Luna know he is telling the truth! If they believe him, and I believe him... why can’t you!?” she demanded of him, but no answer came.

Shining Armor gulped as he looked at Twilight’s fiery eyes. He thought of a means to counter his sister. A thought did occur to him that he thought was brilliant. “W-well, it’s not like you’re always correct with judging a pony’s character!” As he said those words, the stallion smirked at his sister backing away and he thought he finally gotten through to her.

“Are you serious?” she retorted as she leered at her brother. “And what makes you a better judge of character?!”

Shining glared at Twilight as he lowered his head to her level, starting daggers at her. “I know when to see the obvious, Twilight!”

“Ha!” Twilight barked out as a smile formed on her face. “Just like when you nearly married an insect, had me disowned and turned everypony I love against me just to put on a grand show for a changeling!?”

At this point, Shining was sweating profoundly. “That’s not fair, Twilight! I was brainwashed!”

“In other words, you couldn’t do your job right! And don’t talk to me about not being fair! It wasn’t fair that I get abandoned for trying to protect you!”

“And so what? I don’t get the same courtesy? I’m just trying to protect you!”

“Yeah, and that excuse might fight, except that you disowned me for trying to do the same for you!”

“That was different!”

“How?”

“Well, for one thing, Cadance wasn’t a...”

“Don’t say it!” Twilight yelled. “I’m getting tired of hearing it!”

By this point Cadance decided to try and step in. “Okay, maybe we should take a few deep breaths...”

It had little effect on the two bickering siblings.

“Twiley, think a minute. You don’t date anypony for over twenty years, and your first relationship is with a pony who worked for the guy who kidnapped your son. What am I supposed to think?”

“How about that I know what I’m doing? That I’m not dumb enough to just risk my heart and my son’s safety to a random stallion? That maybe I’m really in love?”

“Well, that’s just it. You're in your first relationship, and love makes you act irrationally...”

“Yeah, I think you proved that at your wedd...”

“Don’t say it!” he snapped.

“Okay, really,” Cadance said, desperate to stop this. “Maybe we better just break off a bit and cool off...”

“That actually sounds like a great idea,” Twilight said. “Maybe Shiny should just go back to Canterlot and quit trying to run my life!”

Silence hung in the air as Twilight breathed heavily in anger.

“You know what?” Shining said at last. “Maybe I will.”

“Good, don’t let the door hit your flank on the way out” she told her brother as she walked past him, giving him one last glance as she went to her books.

Shining snorted as he held his head high and walked to the door. “Don’t come crying to me when your heart gets broken!” he yelled out as opened the door, but yelped as he felt a sharp sting on his flank. He turned around and saw Twilight standing at the door frame.

“And don’t come crying to me when you can’t solve your own problems, you useless moron!” she responded and slammed the door hard.

As Shining stood up from the ground, Cadance appeared to his side as she teleported herself outside. The look on her face was a combination of sadness and disappointment, with her eyes moist and half-lidded. She helped her husband up and both were walking away from the library, with Shining giving it one last look with his eye twitching in anger.

Fluttershy smiled softly as Pip was interacting with the animals at her cottage. She saw the little colt playing with the puppies when he finished cleaning their parents’ dog houses and gave them food. As she continued looking at Pip though, she felt a tug at her mane and looked down to see Angel pulling it.

“Oh, Angel...” she said softly as she lowered to his level. “What is it?” she asked him and he made a gesture that looked like he was reading out of a book, before pointing to Ponyville. “Oh yes! I need to pick up something from Twilight!” she squeaked out, and flew towards Pip. “Pip, I’m going to quickly pick up something from Twilight... will you be alright here?”

Pip nodded as he sat on the floor, where the side of his face was licked by a puppy. “I think I’ll be fine here, Miss Fluttershy,” he answered her as he petted the puppies, getting a playful bark out of them.

“D’aww.” Fluttershy couldn’t help smile at the adorable sight. “I’ll be right back.” with that, she flew off towards Ponyville, albeit slowly.

When she was gone, Angel hopped towards Pip. He crossed his paws and tapped his foot at the colt having fun with the dogs. When he finally got his attention, Angel made a gesture that seemed to say he was in charge of this place when Fluttershy was not here.

“Say, lads,” Pip looked to the puppies, as he got up. “I think it’s time you learn of the Hare Hunt we celebrate in Trottingham!”

Angel’s face fell when he heard Pip speak those words, and he immediately hopped away.

Chapter 16

Twilight had never been so angry. She tried remembering Cadance’s calming techniques, but a thousand deep breaths wouldn’t have been enough to calm her at that moment. It all came back to her brother.

Why can’t we just get together once and it be pleasant? If some creature isn’t trying to kill us, he’s making a complete and total donkey out of himself. I swear, where does he get off...

“Twilight?”

Twilight jumped and whirled around. Fluttershy had entered the library, so quietly that she hadn’t heard her.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I just came by to pick up that book I ordered, um, if that’s okay. I can come back...”

“No, it’s okay,” Twilight said with a sigh. “It’s over here.”

As Twilight searched through her reserves for Fluttershy’s book, the butter-yellow pegasus spoke. “Um, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Shiny.” Suddenly, all of Twilight’s anger came forward again. “He was trying to set me up with some guard of his and make me dump Blaze. He kept trying to tell me how to run my life, so I told him to get out! Can you believe that?!”

There was silence for a minute as Fluttershy worked up the nerve to speak.

“Um, well... I guess I can, kind of. He... he didn’t have any right to, of course, but... you’re his little sister, I can understand he’d be worried about you.”

“I know, but... argh!” she screamed. “I’m just so... so...”

“Twilight! Please calm down!” Fluttershy said quickly, not wanting the library to be turned upside-down with her in it.

“I... I’m sorry,” she said, calming herself a bit. “But... I don’t know, I’m not sure I want to see my brother anymore.”

“Twilight, please don’t talk like that, you love your brother.”

“I’m not sure anymore.”

“Twilight? Remember the wedding?”

“Don’t bring that up!” she snapped. “It’s not the same!”

Fluttershy sighed and flew a little closer to Twilight. “Remember when you bursted in and accused the imposter and Shining told you not to come to the wedding?”

Twilight nodded as she frowned at the memory. “And you all walked out without saying a word thinking I deserved that, and later I came in bursting in with the real Cadance as we escaped from the underground caves where I thought I was going to die...” Twilight reminded Fluttershy, with the latter biting on her lower lip in guilt as she looked down to the ground.

“Yes... and do you remember what we did before the wedding reception?”

“You all came apologizing to me and vowing to never doubt me again, in tears...” Twilight said as she turned to Fluttershy, giving a sad smile. “I remember you crying the most and saying you don’t deserve to be the Element of Kindness...”

Fluttershy chuckled at the memory. “Do you remember what happened afterwards, after Princess Celestia came in and apologized too?”

The lavender mare nodded as she shrugged. “Shining came in, apologizing and giving a long speech on how wrong he was and how family should always come first... he literally bowed to me as he said those words!” she said as she remembered her brother prostrating before her, bawling his eyes out before she lifted him from the ground and held him close as they both cried in each other’s shoulders.

“Right... you both have done things you have regretted,” Fluttershy said softly as she smiled. “Yet you came out stronger and closer cause of that, and I’m sure if you both apologized you will come out of this ok.”

Twilight sighed as she absorbed her friend’s advice and she looked up to the ceiling with her eyes moist. “I just wish he would stop calling Blaze evil and all, he doesn’t deserve such treatment...”

Fluttershy nodded as she agreed with her friend. “Shining just doesn’t know Blaze like you and I do,” she answered her friend and sat next to her. “We both know that Blaze is a good pony, but Shining doesn’t know that because he hasn’t been around Blaze like we have...”

“True...” Twilight muttered, before her eyes widened and she turned to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, do you agree with me and Blaze being together?” she asked her friend, and was shocked when Fluttershy laughed at this question.

“I think it’s great that you have a stallion like Blaze in your life,” she finally said to her friend after her laughter ceased. “The fact that Blaze sacrificed so much just to keep Light safe is just one of the many things that make him a good pony in the end.”

“I wish Shining would see that.”

“He will, if you go talk to him again.”

“No,” she said firmly.

“But Twilight...”

“I’d be willing to forgive him,” she assured. “But it’s him who has to come talk to me. If I had been wrong about Cadance, you would have expected the same from me. You all came to me after the wedding. I’ll forgive him if he’s really sorry.”

Fluttershy was silent for a moment. “Well... I suppose that makes sense. But what if he never comes and talks to you because he thinks you don’t want to see him?”

“Cadance will come by soon to talk to me. I know her. She may have left with Shining Armor, but I guarantee she’ll come talk to me next, to make sure I’m okay. I’ll tell her I’m willing to talk to him.”

“Ah, well... okay.”

“Well, enough about me, how’s Pip? Did you get anything out of him?”

“Oh my, he’s at my cottage right now. I just left to get this book. I better get back to him.”

“I sent his info to the Canterlot and Trottingham orphanages, to see if anypony has heard of him.”

“Oh, good. I’ll, um, try to get him to say something. I really better go.”

“Go on. I’ll see you later.”

Fluttershy flew off. Taking a deep breath, Twilight looked out the window. For a moment, she considered going and finding Shining Armor, but remembered her promise to Fluttershy and decided to stay put.

Shining Armor fumed. His own sister had kicked him out of her home just for trying to protect her. Now, sitting on this hotel bed, he looked back, trying to figure out how everything went so wrong.

“What is wrong with that mare?!” he asked himself as he shook his head in frustration. “She is so unbelievable at times!”

“Shining...”

Shining jerked his head back as he groaned. “She’s hardly known that stallion for a few months now, and suddenly she loves him completely?!”

“Shining...”

“Can’t she see she’s being used in this situation by a sick con-”

“Shining Armor!” Cadance shouted out with the famed ‘Canterlot Voice’, as she expanded her wings and her magic shined brightly. She saw Shining finally becoming still and she sighed calming down. “I think you just went a little too far with Twilight today...”

Shining took a step back as he eyed his wife in shock. “You’re kidding me, right? How can you say that-”

“Shining, let me finish, please,” she interrupted him with a little stricter tone, silencing him once again. “I know you think Twilight is making a big mistake, but from what I have seen and heard... I think she will be perfectly fine with Blaze Stream.”

“Cadance-”

“Please, Shining,” she raised her hoof, muting her husband again. “I was also skeptical at first when I heard what was going on... until I talked to Blaze and realized there’s more to him than what we thought.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Cadance smiled playfully as she looked upwards, shrugging and chuckling. “Don’t tell him or Twilight this, but I used a truth spell on him...” she said, but was met with a frown from her husband. She groaned as she furrowed her brow too. “With politics, you hardly meet anypony who is completely honest and truthful when proposing movements and when capital is ‘required’, Shining.”

Shining rolled his eyes, but agreed with his wife on the political part. “Fair enough... but what did you learn of him exactly?” Shining asked her.

“Surprisingly, a lot..”

“Really?” Shining responded indubiously as he cocked his eyebrow. “A lot is a little vague.”

“I know,” Cadance said, “but believe me, in this case, a lot is good. Blaze is a pony who lives for others.”

“What?” Shining was gobsmacked that his wife would side with ‘the enemy’. “But... he’s a criminal!”

“No, he was forced to act like a criminal because the pony he lived for was in danger. Back at the orphanage, Light was all he had, and he protected him well. Now, he has Twilight, and he’ll protect her just as well.”

Shining stepped away from Cadance, lowering his head slightly as he eyed his wife. “...Are you sure?”

“Shiny, Blaze is a good pony,” Cadance spoke softly as she nuzzled her husband. “This is the first time he’s ever had a stable lifestyle. A home, a job, income for himself and Light... and friends. And soon, he’s going to have a real family. If this relationship works out, we are going to be the only family he’s ever had beside Light. We can’t be rejecting him when he needs us.”

“But... what if he does end up trying something?” Shining asked as his eyes looked down on Cadance’s head.

“Then we’ll handle that when we come to it,” Cadance said. “But honestly, Shiny, you can’t keep being like this toward Twilight. Even after she turned eighteen, you practically threatened any guard who even said she looked cute. She’s saved Equestria four times already, I think she can handle somepony trying to take advantage of her.”

Shining Armor took a deep breath. He thought back to when Twilight was a toddler, who would giggle and laugh when he played with her. He remembered when she had met Cadance for the first time, when she hid behind Shiny until Cadance could work her charm and win her over.

That was no longer Twilight, he knew. But it was the Twilight he always thought of when he thought of his sister.

“I guess I’m not one to talk,” he sighed. “At our wedding, I thought Twilight was selfish for not wanting to let me go... but I’ve been wanting her to still be that little filly who looked up to me.”

Cadance placed a hoof on his. “I know what you mean. I miss those days, too. But Twilight isn’t a foal anymore. She doesn’t want or need your protection, or mine anymore. She wants our friendship. So let’s go back to the library and be friends.”

“...You think she’ll want to talk to me?”

Cadance just smiled. “I’m sure she’ll be willing to talk.”

Spike smiled broadly as he was trotting back home to the library. He heard his uncle and aunt were in Ponyville and he wanted to see them again. What he saw when he approached the library, however, was Fluttershy walking out and looking glum as there was no smile present on her face. The little colt cocked his eyebrow and wanted to ask what was going on.

“Hey Fluttershy, what’s-”

Before he could finish, Fluttershy flew off quickly in the direction of her cottage. Spike simply shrugged as he stood there. She probably didn’t hear me. Once he got to the door, he went inside and found his mother looking depressed.

“Mom?” Spike called out worriedly to her as he walked to her, seeing her lift her face only by an inch. “What’s wrong?”

Twilight sighed and gave her answer, not in words but in a gesture. She reached out to her son and held him close, nuzzling him. “I-I just had a rough day, that’s all...” she said to him dismissively, but Spike arched his brow again.

“Did you and Fluttershy have a fight?”

“No, not at all... in fact she tried to make me feel better...” she told him as she let go of him.

Spike’s eyes widened and he furrowed his brow as he frowned. “It was Blaze, wasn’t it?! What did he do-”

“No, Spike!” Twilight chimed in, raising her hoof to silence him. “It was actually Shining and I having an argument.”

“Uncle Shiny? Why, though?”

Twilight turned her head away slightly as she stood up from her haunches. “How would you feel if I told you how to run your life, saying who you can be friends with and who you can’t be friends with, Spike?”

Spike blinked and looked down, thinking hard on the question. “I wouldn’t be very happy, I like my friends. But... I guess I’d trust you, since you’ve always taken care of me...”

“Right,” Twilight replied and a nod as she looked down on him. “And how would you feel if I told you to stay away from Sweetie Belle because I didn’t like her?”

Spike’s eyes widened. “But... Sweetie’s nice! I really like her! And why wouldn’t you like her, she’s always been nice! You...”

Twilight shushed him with a hoof to his mouth. “I know, Spike. I’m not telling you to not see Sweetie anymore. And I’m proud to hear that you would think for yourself, even though you trust me. That’s a very grown-up attitude. But your uncle seems to forget that I’m not a little filly anymore.”

Spike blinked. “You mean, he doesn’t like Blaze?”

She sighed. “He doesn’t... he kept trying to set me up with one of his soldiers. So I told him to leave.”

Spike kicked the ground a little bit. “Mom? I... well, about Blaze...”

“You don’t like him, either?”

Spike looked at his mother. She wasn’t disappointed or angry, or even sad. She just seemed like she wanted conformation for something she had already suspected.

“Well... no,” he admitted.

“And why’s that?”

“Well...” Spike squirmed a little. “It’s always been just you and me,” he admitted finally. “Ever since I was hatched. And now everything’s changing...”

Twilight wrapped her forelegs around her boy and pulled him in the moment she saw the tears beginning to form. She softly stroked his mane as he continued.

“You’re so happy with him... I’m afraid. What if you forget me?”

“Spike, please don’t think that. Listen, it’s true I’m going to spend time with Blaze... I’m going to spend time with Light, too. So maybe you’ll lose time with me. But you don’t need to think of it that way. Think of it as getting a father, and a brother. You like Light, don’t you?”

He nodded.

“And you’ve always wanted a father, haven’t you?”

He was silent. “I don’t know... I never thought of it...”

“You’ll like it, I promise.”

“But...”

Twilight kissed him softly on his forehead and looked at him again. “Please trust me on this, Spike...”

Spike smiled softly and reached for his mother’s neck, encircling it and nuzzling her. “I will try, Mom...”

"And Spike," she said softly, seeing him turn his head to her. "No matter with who I spend time with, you will always be my number one assistant," she kissed him again on the forehead. "And my beloved son."

Twilight and Spike sat there for a few moments before a knock on the door brought them out of their state. Spike made his way to the door and opened it with his magic, and found his uncle Shining Armor standing there with Cadance.

“Hey there, Spike,” Shining greeted his nephew by ruffling his mane and gave him a quick hug, before Spike was brought to Cadance.

“I heard from Twilight about your cutie mark, Spike,” she told him soothingly as she held him close, taking a quick glance at it as her smile broadened. She looked at Twilight and then to Shining, before her gaze landed on Spike again. “Say Spike, why don’t you tell me more about how you found your cutie mark?” she suggested to him and opened the door.

Spike turned to Twilight, and saw her smile and give him a single nod. “Ok,” he answered with a shrug and made his way to the door. “I’ll see you later, Uncle,” he told Shining as Cadance and him walked out of the library, leaving Twilight and Shining alone in the library.

Light and Blaze landed before their house, both ponies laughing merrily at today’s events.

“Spitfire seems like a cool captain,” Light told Blaze before he looked back at his newly acquired cutie mark.

Blaze shrugged with his eyes closed smiling. “She has her moments, but she can be-”

“Strict?”

“I was gonna say ‘a hard plot’, but that’s a nicer term.” Both ponies laughed, before Blaze took a look at the sky above him. “So what you want to do for the rest of the day?”

“Hmmm...” Light tapped his chin and squinted his eyes in thought, until he smiled when an idea came to him. “I’ll go see Scootaloo! I promised her that I would show her my cutie mark if I got it before her, and she promised the same to me.”

Blaze suppressed a laugh. “Awww, that’s so cute of you, Light...”

Light’s brow furrowed as he glared at Blaze, pursing his lips. “Knock it off, will you?” he told the elder pegasus. “I bet you’re gonna go to Twilight now anyway with me gone for the day.”

He shrugged. “Believe me, kid, you’re going to want to spend time hanging around Scootaloo once you sweep her off her hooves.”

Light blushed. “Cut it out,” he protested, but Blaze poked him again.

“Going to lay on the charm, just like your big bro, huh?”

Light batted the hoof away, but laughed all the same. “I said, cut it out!”

Blaze did just the opposite. He tackled him to the ground and dug his hooves into his sides. “Come on, tell me, you’re planning to go give her a big kiss, aren’t you?”

“Knock if off!” Light was laughing.

“Can I be best stallion?”

“I said, knock it off!”

“Maybe we can hold the wedding the same time as the cute-mitzvah. It would save money...”

Finally Light broke free and scurried out of reach. After stopping a bit, he turned to his older brother nervously, half-expecting to be followed.

Blaze just waved him off. “Okay, kid, you can go play. Be back inside before dark, okay?”

“Cool, see ya, Blaze!” he said, running off.

Fluttershy sipped her tea as, across from her, Pip did the same.

“You were a big help to me today.”

“Weren’t no problem, Miss Fluttershy. I coulda used the bits,” he said.

“Yes... it looks like I’m going to be the one watching you on the camping trip coming up.”

Pip’s ears perked at this and he cocked his eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy answered as she sipped on her tea. “I’ll be your guardian on the camping trip,” she let out a yelp as Pip jumped high in his seat.

“Alright!” he shouted out midair, but stopped when he saw Fluttershy’s timid form. “Sorry, didn’t mean to give ye a fright...”

The cream-coloured mare laughed softly as she rubbed the back of her head, blushing hard at the embarrassing moment. “It’s okay,” she told him as she took her cup again. “But Pip, I would like to know one thing...”

Pip smiled at Fluttershy eagerly. “Anything, Miss Fluttershy.”

“Why can’t your parents be on the camping trip?”

The smile vanished just as quickly, and Pip looked at Fluttershy with a blank expression. “They’re too preoccupied with their work...”

Fluttershy titled her head at this, looking confused. “They’re not off on weekends?”

“Yes,” Pip answered her fast, albeit too fast.

She blinked at his answered and her brow started to furrow slightly. “What kind of work do they do, Pip?”

Pip started sweating as Fluttershy continued to stare at him, her eyes never leaving his. Is this the ‘Stare’ Apple Bloom warned me about? Bloody Tartarus! “They-they-”

A loud yelp was heard behind them, making Fluttershy turn sharply at a crying puppy who ran away from Angel Bunny. Fluttershy gasped, flying quickly to the puppy and scooping it up in her hooves.

“There, there, are you okay?” she cooed at the puppy, gently stroking the fur. “What happened?”

The puppy pointed to Angel, and Fluttershy turned her stare at the furry assailant.

“Angel Bunny! Apologize right now!”

Angel merely shook his head and crossed his paws, turning his head sharply in one corner and closing his eyes.

“Angel!” she said, showing anger, a rarity for her. She sighed and turned to Pip. “I’m sorry, can you...”

She stopped. Pip was gone.

She gave a sad sigh. then, remembering who had caused her to lose him, she turned her attention back to Angel. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Angel stuck out his tongue.

Fluttershy responded by grabbing him by his ears and lifting him up. As the bunny kicked and protested, Fluttershy carried him to the “time out” corner and plopped him down inside, closing it tight.

“Now you stay in there and think about what you did,” she scolded as Angel produced a tin cup from nowhere and rattled the bars.

Fluttershy looked out her front door just in time to see Pip disappear over the horizon. She sighed, but didn’t chase after him. Pip couldn’t run forever.

Scootaloo had been enjoying the view on top of the Ponyville Clocktower when she saw Light drop by, and invited her up. It was getting late, and the sun was beginning to set, giving everything a warm glow.

But Scootaloo barely noticed that.

“You got your cutie mark!” Scootaloo said happily.

Light showed it off. “Just wait, I’m going to get into the Wonderbolts, and I’ll be the best one yet!”

“Second best,” Scootaloo said. “My mom’s a Wonderbolt, remember?”

“Well, yeah, and she’s good, but I’m going to be better!”

“Will not!”

“Will too!”

“Will not!”

“Will too!”

“Will not times infinity!”

“Will too times infinity plus one of whatever you say period!”

Both ponies looked at each other, before both snorted and finally started laughing. Light rested his back on the clock tower and looked on to the sunset before him with a smile.

Scootaloo smiled too, but not at the sunset. She just looked at Light and found herself blushing. Ok, I know this is so lame to feel so... but you’re really cool, Light! She found herself leaning forwards to him, her eyes blinking rapidly as the blush was increasing on her cheeks. Why am I feeling so girly right now?! All reason left her when she neared his cheek.

“Say Scoot-” Light turned his head to Scoots, but found his words muted when her lips touched his softly.

Girly Mushy Moment! Reaching Danger Zone! Abort! Abort! Yet her body didn’t respond, and she stayed in her position for that moment. Her eyes started closing slowly as the warmth in her body was overflowing.

Light was frozen in place and he could not react at all. Oh my gosh! She’s kissing me! What do I do!? What do I do?! Wait! Why am I complaining!? I like Scootaloo! His eyes closed too for the duration of the innocent kiss, but opened again when he felt his lips were free. He looked at Scootaloo, smiling softly at her and seeing her return a coy smile to him.

Scootaloo decided to nuzzle Light and leaned her head onto his shoulder. She felt a wing drape over her back and looked up to Light as they both were enjoying the sunset.

“There’s something I want to tell you, Scoots...”

“Yeah?”

Light blushed as her looked at Scootaloo. “I like you...”

Scootaloo started giggling and her body reacted by nuzzling Light with her eyes closed, smiling broadly. Stupid body! You’re so not loyal now! This is too much mushiness! But... She found herself staring at his blue eyes that were radiating thanks to the sun’s last beams. I guess for today, it’s okay...

“I like you too, Light...”

Light smiled broadly as he nuzzled Scootaloo in return, with his wing still over her. “... You realize Pip is never going to shut up about this, right?”

“Don’t remind me,” Scootaloo groaned. “But look on the bright side. We outnumber him now. Maybe we can get him to shut up.”

“Or pair him with Apple Bloom,” Light joked.

Smiling, Scootaloo kissed his cheek. He blushed.

It was an incredibly awkward moment. Never, since that infamous rehearsal, had the tension between the two siblings been this bad. Twilight felt the anger flared up in her, but she remembered what it was like being on the other side of this argument, so she kept it in check.

Meanwhile, Shining Armor was realizing exactly how his sister must have felt, and made a mental note to apologize again for that too.

“Well, let’s hear it,” Twilight said, trying to keep her voice even.

Shining Armor shifted a bit. “...I’m sorry,” he said, barely making the words leave his throat. He paused. Twilight motioned for him to go on. “Twilight... I really just want what’s best for you. And...” He paused. Twilight could tell he was picking his words carefully. “So... when I heard who your coltfriend was... I wasn’t happy. But... I forgot you aren’t the same pony that used to follow me around. If you really think Blaze is going to be on the level, then... then I trust you.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Well... you did say everything I wanted to hear,” she said, her expression softening slightly. “And I guess I can understand you freaking out about all this... even though I didn’t wait until I was about to get married to tell you about him.”

Shining Armor thought about pointing out that Twilight didn’t actually tell him, but wisely decided against it at the moment.

“Well... alright. You are my brother, Shiny, and I do love you. So...”

There was silence again.

Then Shining approached Twilight and held her close, closing his eyes as he never let go. He felt Twilight’s hooves return the hug and a genuine smile was present on both siblings faces for the time hug lasted.

Chapter 17

“... and that, class, is how Equestria and Gryphonium came to peace.”

Cheerilee continued to speak about history that branched over a thousand years to the foals in her class. She noticed how some of them were trying to keep themselves awake, others having become bored and simply took part in their own activities.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were a part of that group. After the weekend passed, Scootaloo and Light told the others about their newfound relationship. As expected, Pip was the first one to have a laugh whilst the others didn’t seem to care much at all.

Scootaloo, however, had the distinct feeling that her mother was now always watching her. She regretted telling her mother about her coltfriend, partially because of Rainbow Dash being ‘cautious’ with her daughter seeing some colt.

The sound of the bell emitted across the room, alerting the foals of the day’s end. Cheerilee simply smiled as she shook her head, seeing all the foals eagerly rushing off to the exit to continue their day.

“So what should we do now?” Scootaloo asked her friends, as she was walking closely next to Light.

Pip smirked as he chuckled. “We could try out to be wedding planners for you and Light,” he laughed more as Scootaloo gave him a withering glare. “Or perhaps speak about future foal names-” he felt a force collide with his head. He let out a groan and looked up to see Apple Bloom standing next to him with her hoof at the ready. “What you do that for?!”

“Ya know why,” Apple Bloom merely told him as she walked on past the colt. “Still, it’s just me, Pip and Scootaloo here left blank... so Ah don’t know what else we should now...”

“Hmmm...” Spike was in deep thought as he scratched his head. “I think we should just do what we do best...”

“What may that be Spike?” Sweetie Belle asked him curiously.

“I think we should-” his words stopped when he saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance of the school grounds. “Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s my mom doing here?” he asked himself out loud, and saw another figure next to her too. “With Blaze?”

“We didn’t get into trouble lately,” Light said as he saw the two ponies before him. “Cheerilee didn’t say anything about this...”

Twilight motioned for Spike to come over. Nervously, he began moving forward. Light, figuring this had something to do with him as well, followed suit.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, but me and Blaze have been talking, and we decided that we need to spend some time together if this is going to work out.”

Light and Spike cocked there eyebrow and looked at each other blinking before turning back to Twilight. “What do you mean?”

It was Blaze who spoke next. “You’re both important to us. We agreed this wouldn't work unless you two were happy with it.”

“So we decided to have a bit of a family outing, so to speak.”

Spike shrugged. “Well... I guess that sounds pretty good. Let’s go.”

“Not so fast,” Blaze said. “We’re not all traveling together.”

The two froze. It was Light who said, “W-what do you mean?”

“We’re going to split up,” Twilight said. “Spike, I want you to go with Blaze.”

The former dragon’s eyes opened wide. “What?”

“I want us all to be a family,” she explained soothingly. “That’s why I want you to spend some quality time with him. And while you two are having fun, I’m going to take Light.”

“H-huh?” Light said. Almost immediately he dashed to Blaze. “Can’t we just all hang out together?”

He shook his head. “We already do that enough. You need some one-on-one time.”

“But...”

“Relax kid, she won’t bite you.” There was an unspoken “She saves that for me,” that caused Twilight to blush.

“C-come on, Light,” she stammered out, trying to suppress her giggles. “We can have fun. Anything you want... that doesn’t involve wings, obviously.”

Light looked up to Blaze, seeing the elder stallion give him a single nod. He turned to Scootaloo and saw her smiling, telling him to go without words. He gulped and made his way to Twilight. “A-alright...” he said softly as he stood next to Twilight.

Spike furrowed his brow slightly as he took looked to Twilight, only to be greeted with a warm smile. His friends were also smiling. “Fine,” he groaned out as he made his way towards Blaze, seeing a grin on the stallion’s face.

“Good!” Blaze said enthusiastically and scooped Spike up, resting him on his back. “I suggest you brace yourself tight.”

“W-what do you mean?” Spike asked fearfully as he was too surprised by Blaze putting him on his back.

Light snorted as he withheld a laugh, seeing Spike on Blaze’s back. The laugh stopped though when he found himself enveloped in an aura of lavender. He let out a yelp as he found himself placed on Twilight’s back too.

Twilight merely turned her head to Light and giggled at the foal’s face. “Just stay there for the moment, okay?” she told him and she received a few nods from him. She walked up to Blaze and nuzzled the stallion before giving him a single kiss on the lips, hearing the foals groan in slight disgust. “We’ll see you later, okay?”

“You got it,” he said as he saluted to Twilight, and turned around flaring his wings. “Hold on tight, Spike!” he shouted out as he flew upwards fast into sky. Spike screamed as he rode on Blaze’s back, the latter doing a circle in the sky before flying off into the distance.

Light blinked before he was brought back to reality by Twilight nudging his head. “Light, just hold onto me for the moment, okay?” she said as he horn started to glow, forming a sphere around them. Light’s eyes darted from one place to the other and he held onto Twilight, feeling a lack of oxygen as the sphere closed in on them. With a pop, they were gone.

The remaining foals stood there looking at the empty space. Pip merely shrugged as he closed his eyes. “So what should we do today?”

“We could all go mountain climbing!” Scootaloo suggested eagerly as her wings flared up, but she was met with silence.

“How about something safer lass?”

“Sugarcube Corner, anypony?”

“Eeyup!” Apple Bloom mimicked her brother’s signature answer and they made their way towards the town.

Light was blinded as his namesake filled his eyes in a burning flash. He clung to Twilight’s back, scared at what was happening, until he heard her giggle. “Okay, you can open your eyes now.”

He did, and he gaped. Surrounding him were gigantic buildings and ponies were walking around him everywhere. From a short distance, a castle could be seen with its design elegant and welcoming to all who wished to approach it.

“Canterlot?” He said incredulously. “How did we get here?”

“Teleportation,” she said as she began to walk down the streets, Light still on her back. “I thought you might want to come see the capital when you’re not having to worry about Bloodwing.”

He looked around at the tall buildings in awe. “What do you do in Canterlot?”

“There’s all kinds of things. Shopping, the arts, museums... we can do whatever you want to do, sweetie.”

Light shifted. “Back at the orphanage, we sometimes had performers come in, but I always wanted to see a stage show. Could we...”

Twilight smiled. “The theatre it is, then. I think Coltago is still playing, how about that? Or even Cats?”

“Maybe... I kind of wanted to see Spider-Colt The Musical. Could we?”

“Well... I don’t see why not...”

Spike was sure he was going to die.

Clutching Blaze for dear life and really missing having fingers one more, he silently vowed never to get his hooves off the ground ever again if he survived this trip.

But at last it was over, and the two landed on the Wonderbolts training ground.

“You brought me here?” Spike asked, confused.

“Twilight told me you were disappointed you couldn’t see a Wonderbolts show yet, so I thought you’d like to see them practice, if we can’t go to a show.”

“That does sound pretty good,” Spike admitted.

Blaze grinned as he walked on before Spike. “Follow me,” he motioned Spike to follow and the two were walking towards the training area. Once they entered the area though, they were halted by the captain of the Wonderbolts themselves.

“Rookie, I thought I told you that you had leave for the cute-mitzvah planning... what you doing here today?” Spitfire asked Blaze curiously as he removed her glasses and looked at him with her brow furrowed.

“Well, Ma’am... I just thought of showing this little colt here how the legendary Wonderbolts practice,” he said as he pointed to Spike.

“Who might you be?” Spitfire asked Spike, ignoring the laugh coming from Spike.

Spike grinned as he looked at Spitfire. “I’ll give you a hint, my mother is Twilight Sparkle...”

Spitfire gasped as she removed her sunglasses completely, staring at the colt before her in shock. “Spike?" she asked and received a single nod from him. "Wow! I-I heard what happened but wow," she inspected his whole body, making him slightly uncomfortable. "You really did turn into a cutie..." she said with a giggle and a broad smile.

“S-stop it!" he replied in embarrassment, blushing slightly.

Spitfire backed away from Spike, laughing a bit. "So why isn't Twilight here if I may ask?"

"She's taking Light out and I am taking Spike out," Blaze answered her

Spitfire smiled at the answer. "I see..." she then turned to Spike and grinned. "Well then, let me show you around with Blaze."

"OK."

With that the three ponies made their way to the stadium of the Wonderbolts and saw the other trainees exercising their tricks and doing other obstacles too.

Soarin saw the three ponies and decided to glide down towards them. “Hey Spitfire, who’s the colt? This your colt, Blaze?”

Blaze looked as though he was dealt a blow to the chest, but he grinned back at the pro Wonderbolt. “Nope. My colt is currently on an outing with my fillyfriend... and this here is my fillyfriend’s colt... Spike.”

“Spike... Twilight Sparkle’s Spike?”

Spike nodded at Soarin, smiling at the stallion. “The same.”

“Heh, I heard that something happened to you... but wow, this is something I haven’t seen yet,” he responded enthusiastically at Spike. “So why are you two here?”

“...Mom thought it would be a good idea if we spent some time together,” he said, trying to hide his apprehension at the whole idea. “And I wanted to see you perform...”

“Say no more,” Soarin’ said. “Watch this, I’ll give you a sneak peek at a move I’ve been working on...”

Light lowered his head as he and Twilight walked out of Spider-Colt: The Musical. “Well... that was disappointing.”

“Seemed too ambitious for a stage show,” Twilight sighed. “But I think we can still salvage today. Why don’t we grab a bite to eat? It’s nearly noon.”

That did, in fact, remind Light that he was hungry as his stomach gave a carnivorous growl. “What’s there to eat in Canterlot? Blaze said it’s nothing but a bunch of frou-frou food.”

“Oh, really?” Twilight said. “Well, remind me to give a good long lecture on Canterlot etiquette. Anyway, we’re going to have lunch with Princess Celestia.”

Light perked up. “The Princess herself?”

“The one and only.”

Light was quiet for moment. “That sounds good. I never really got a chance to speak to her, but I always wanted to...”

“I’m glad. I’m sure she’ll want to speak to you too.” As they started walking toward the palace, Twilight couldn’t help but ask, “Are you feeling a little more comfortable?”

“... Yes,” he admitted. “You’re not as scary anymore.”

“Thank you...” Twilight tried to take the compliment as she forced a smile. “You know I’m only like that when I’m protecting Spike.”

“Yes...” Light answered, shivering a little when as he remembered Twilight’s fiery rage when he met her the first time.

“And if it works out with Blaze, you’ll get that protection from me, too.”

“Really?”

Twilight nodded. “I don’t just want your brother, I want to have his family as mine. You’re his little brother, you mean a lot to him. You’re a big part of his life. That means you need to be a big part of my life, too.”

Light stood there in awe at what Twilight had told him. He smiled broadly at Twilight, closing his eyes. “Thank you,” he replied happily, but was surprised when he was brought into a hug.

So warm... he thought to himself as he stood there with Twilight holding him close.

“Now then, let’s go to the castle...” she spoke softly as she and Light went towards the castle of Canterlot.

Spike sat there in a circle with the pro Wonderbolts and Blaze, having lunch with all of them. He was surprised to see the Wonderbolts acting so casual when they were not performing or practicing, but this didn’t bother him one bit. Laughter came from the stallions of the group as they were discussing topics that ranged from relationships to embarrassing moments.

Soarin laughed as he leaned into Spike, showing him a few pictures. “Check out Spitfire’s foal pics!” he showed the colt his captain’s baby pictures.

Spike and Blaze looked at the pictures before bursting out in laughter at the ridiculous faces Spitfire made when she was a foal. “That’s classic!”

Spitfire blushed furiously as she grabbed the pics, tucking them away. “Soarin! I swear, if we weren’t best friends, you’d so be fired!”

Blaze, hearing this information, blinked and his brow arched. “So wait... aren’t you two dating?”

Soarin suppressed a laugh before clearing his throat. “Nah, we just very good friends... since we were young.”

“And he has his eyes on another mare,” Spitfire chimed in with a playful grin. “Should I tell them who it is?”

“N-no! I don’t have my eyes on any mare at this moment, thanks!” he said hastily as he finished his pie fast, with his cheeks burning.

Blaze whistled as he smirked. “You’re a pretty bad liar, Soarin...” he told his superior, laughing at the endless red marks on his cheeks. “Tell me who she is?” he asked but the only reply he got was Soarin shaking his head rapidly.

Spitfire scooted closer to Blaze and whispered in his ear. “It’s your partner.”

“Rainbow Dash!?”

“Sh!” Soarin said, glancing around. “Nopony can know yet!”

“I should say not,” Spitfire said, suddenly looking serious. “That could cause the press to jump to certain conclusions...”

“Like what?” Spike asked confused.

“Well, I’m not saying this would happen, but Rainbow Dash could be seen as seducing a high-ranking Wonderbolt to get ahead. And that would lead to accusations of Soarin thinking with his...” she trailed off when she remembered she was talking to a foal. “The point is, it would look bad. That means no moves until she graduates training. Understand?”

“Relax, I got it,” Soarin said. “It’s the only reason I haven’t made a move yet.”

“Going after a filly eight years younger than you, huh?” Blaze said, playfully teasing his commanding officer, who just waved him off.

“Hey, I’ll have you know mares like distinguished stallions.”

“Uh-huh,” Spitfire said dryly. “But enough about Soarin’s love life, how’d you manage to get Twilight Sparkle?” Spitfire asked. “Every noble and their father wanted her.”

He shrugged. “Guess I got lucky.”

“Plus, she probably knew better than to try social climbers,” Soarin commented.

Blaze shivered. “Actually, I think Celestia might have kept quite a few of them at bay...”

They looked at him with arched eyebrows. “Did she... was she not happy with you two dating?”

“She was fine with it,” he said, “but told me that if I ever broke her heart...”

“Don’t tell me,” Spike said, cutting in. “The Sun Run?”

Everypony looked at Spike. “Yeah, the Princess put everypony that tried to date Twilight through it. I heard her give it a few times. I hope she never actually does it.”

Blaze bit his lower lip as he gulped nervously. “I hope so too...” Blaze spoke softly as he looked down on the ground, vivid images of the Sun Run running through his mind.

“Relax,” Soarin patted his back and chuckled. “As long as you treat Twilight like a princess, you should be in the clear...”

“Thanks,” Blaze replied dryly. He rested his back on the ground and looked up to the sky above him. “I wonder how Light and Twilight are doing?”

Light was in a trance. A trance of awe. As he and Twilight made their way slowly up to the castle, Light got the chance of viewing the city of Canterlot without having his life at risk. Many buildings he passed through were so tall, they could have reached the clouds above.

The city was bustling with ponies at their work or merely enjoying what pleasures were available to them. Light felt intimidated by the majority of the ponies in Canterlot though, as many of them were on the upper class and thus viewed anypony below them as either a nuisance or as dirt itself.

Twilight noticed the colt’s curiosity, seeing his head turn to view everything that was around him. She smiled warmly at this, and decided to point at some of the points of interest and mention them to him.

“... and over there is the Canterlot Art Gallery, lots of famous paintings and sculptures are housed there. The Pona Lisa, The Venus de Hilo...”

“Woah...” Light muttered as as he stared at the collosus of a building, and arched his brow as a thought came to his head. “How many times have you been in there, Twilight?” he asked politely as he turned to face Twilight.

Twilight smiled as her eyes went up to the skies. “Well, I lost count after thirty...” she replied with a giggle, seeing Light’s shocked face. “When I was a filly, I would always ask my parents if we could go out to there or the library...” she told him as they continued trotting. “Spike would also come along, he was just a baby back then...”

“No kidding.”

“I still remember on one outing, Spike cried so much for no reason at all and my parents couldn’t make him stop...” she chuckled at the memory of Spike crying in the baby carrier he was carried in.

“How did you get him to be quiet?”

“All it took was me holding him close, and he immediately fell asleep.”

Light blushed, turning away. “It must have been nice for him...”

Twilight nuzzled the colt closely. “I know, you’ve had a hard time. But things are getting better now, aren’t they?”

He shifted away. “Well, yeah...”

Twilight tilted her head. “But?”

He sighed. “It just isn’t fair!” he suddenly shouted out, surprisingly Twilight as she took a step back. He clenched his teeth as moisture started to build up in his eyes. “Spike, Sweetie, Apple Bloom... they all get great memories! All I have is the orphanage, then Bloodwing.”

Twilight took a step towards him and lowered her head to meet his eyes. “Well isn’t that all the more reason to start enjoying your life now?”

Light looked at her. “Well... yeah.”

“You’ve already got your cutie mark, you have five good friends who care about you, and you have Blaze... and...” Twilight suddenly blushed, blinking her eyes. “Maybe me, too, if you’ll let me be a part of your life.”

Light was quiet for a minute. “I... I think I’d like that.”

Smiling, Twilight kissed him on the cheek, then levitated him onto his back. “Come on, we don’t want to keep the Princess waiting.”

Spike was amazed. As cool as Cloudsdale looked from cloud level, it looked even better from a pegasus’ view. He gazed over the buildings, looking down at the scenery.

“Enjoying the view?” Blaze called to him.

“Yeah! This is awesome!”

“Thought you’d like it,” Blaze said. “I used to take Light flying before...”

“...Bloodwing?” Spike asked, receiving a nod. “Sorry.”

“Not your fault,” he said, continuing on. “But I’m glad to see you and Light getting along. I don’t think he’s ever had a friend his age before you guys.”

Spike nodded, trying to hide the fact that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been his first friends his age too.

“And for what’s it worth Spike, I’m sorry...”

Spike turned to Blaze’s head as he held onto him. “Huh?”

Blaze turned his head to meet Spike’s eyes. “About kidnapping you, having you used by Bloodwing, nearly dying-”

“Woah, hold it!” Spike raised his hoof to silence the stallion. “You did what you had to do for Light, and besides, it wasn’t you who did it...” he replied, grimacing in memory of a familiar yellow pegasus.

“I suppose...”

“Besides, if anypony should be with my mom, I’m glad it’s you.”

Blaze arched his brow in confusion. “Huh?”

Spike looked down to see the clouds and the other pegasi flying in the sky. “I mean, I know my mom hasn’t always been popular with the colts. Even when they were interested, they only wanted her for power,” he said as he remembered the many colts and stallions, including the lecherous Blueblood trying to court Twilight. “But you love her for her, and that’s what it really should be about...”

“Wow, that’s really mature of you, Spike...” Blaze said, impressed by the colt’s maturity and level-headed thinking.

Spike looked away from the stallion’s eyes. “It just also scares me...”

“Why does it scare you?”

“I...”

“Speak to me, kid. What’s wrong?”

Spike rolled his tongue in his mouth, as his hooves clutched onto Blaze’s back. “It’s just, it was always just me and Mom since I came into the world... and yet when she moved to Ponyville, I felt like I was being replaced by her friends,” Spike said as he remembered what happened before he told Twilight how he really felt about her.

“You’re scared I will replace you?” Blaze asked as he received a single nod for an answer. “Do you know that Twilight always speak about you when she and I are together?”

“Really?”

“You bet,” Blaze said with a grin, as he soared through the clouds. “She can’t stop talking about you, really... She’s worried about you, you know?”

Spike tilted his head, confused. “Worried?”

He nodded. “The same reason I worry about Light. We’re both worried if we’re raising the two of you right. And Twi... she’s just worried if you’re taking everything alright.“

“I... I guess I feel better about everything than I did this morning.”

“Well, that was the point of all this.” He looked up at the sun, which was starting to sink on the horizon. “Wow, look at the time! We better get moving back to Ponyville. Your mom wants us back in time for dinner.”

Light debated taking another pastry, but Twilight had made it clear he wasn’t to spoil his dinner. Still, they sat there in a bowl as Twilight and the Princess talked, tempting him.

“Light?”

The small colt jumped, looking back up at Celestia. “Y-yes?”

“I was just asking you how you’re adjusting to life in Ponyville.”

“It’s great,” he assured.

“It sounds like something’s bothering you,” Celestia said, her tone showing an unspoken question.

Light was silent for a minute. “I wanted to ask you something...”

“Of course, my little pony, what is it?”

“...Why weren’t you able to shut down the orphanage sooner?”

“Light!” Twilight said, “you shouldn’t ask...”

Celestia held up a hoof to silent her student. She then leaned in closer to him. “Light, sweetie, I’ve lived hundreds of years. And in that time, I’ve grown very wise. But I’m not a God, even though many treat me as one. I am not omniscient, and while my rule has made things near perfect, it simply isn’t enough.”

“But... me and my brother were suffering there...”

Celestia sighed. “Let me tell you a story, one my mentor used to tell me to teach me. Long ago, on a beach, a wave washed a good deal of starfish onto the shore. A young unicorn colt saw them and began flinging them back into the ocean, one at a time. A passerby noticed and told him his efforts were futile, as he couldn’t save them all, he’d make no difference. He responded by picking up another, tossing him into the water, and saying, ‘I made a difference for that one’.”

Light tilted his head. “I don’t understand.”

“Just like that colt on the beach who couldn’t save every starfish, I cannot save everypony. I can merely do what I can. That’s all anypony can do. That’s why I encourage all my little ponies to be thoughtful of others. So they can do what I cannot.”

Light looked downwards as he thought over Celestia’s words in his head. “I-I guess it’s like my brother always said... ‘Everything happens for a reason’...”

Celestia gave a sad smile as she blinked. “Light, I know you haven’t had the best beginnings in life... and for that, I am truly sorry,” she spoke to him softly as she stood up from the table and approached the colt. “However, that doesn’t mean that your life cannot be happy right now and in the future,” she said in her soothing voice as she craned her neck down to his level.

“I suppose...”

“I think a personal tour of the castle will make this day memorable for you, Light,” she told him, indicating him to stand beside her. “Are you coming along, Twilight?”

“Of course, Princess!” Twilight answered her mentor as she stood up from the table to walk alongside Celestia and Light.

Light meanwhile, was staring at Celestia in awe at how much majestic she was up close. A part of him felt intimidated by her tall figure and by the aura she was emitting, yet another part of him felt comfortable around her. It was like having the sun in pony form next to you.

“You ready, Light?” Celestia asked him as she looked down to his small body with a gentle smile. He reminds me so much of... him...

Light grinned with his eyes closed as he chuckled. “OK!”

Spike yawned as he reclined his back on the clock tower Blaze and Light used to hang out. “It’s really awesome up here.”

“Glad you like it,” Blaze said. “And now the cherry on top,” he added. He passed him a bar of ice cream, which Spike took.

“What flavor is this?”

“Sea Salt, me and Light’s favorite.”

“Sea salt? That sounds... icky.”

“Try it, you'll like it.”

Spike looked at the bar for a minute before biting into it. In an instant his face lit up, his eyes widening. “This... this is great!”

“I thought you’d like it,” Blaze noted, taking a bite of his own bar. “Me and Light never get tired of it... maybe the three of us could get your mother and we can all try it.”

“That would be cool!”

“Don’t tell her we had it, though, she’d probably get onto me for letting you eat that before we ate dinner.”

Spike laughed. “Yeah, she really cracks the whip on me.”

The two ate for a bit, watching the scenery.

“Did Rainbow Dash take it well? I mean... Light dating Scootaloo?”

“Well... better than me and Twilight dating. She never had anything against Light, so it wasn’t as big of a deal... but...”

“But?”

“Well, I’m starting to think Rainbow Dash is even more protective than Shining Armor.”

Spike widened his eyes. “Whoa... how?”

“She grilled him for an hour asking him all kinds of questions. Fluttershy and Spectrum managed to calm her down, but... well, I think she’s going to be a little jumpy for a while .”

“Poor Light...”

Blaze just closed his eyes as he shook his head chuckling. “Yeah, and the funny thing was that it was Scootaloo to initiate it... the kiss, I mean.”

Spike turned his head sharply to Blaze, pupils shrank to the size of pins. “Scootaloo said it was Light who kissed first!”

“No way! She was the one who pushed the wheel down the hill with that!” Blaze started laughing. “Guess it’s typical of a filly like her to twist the truth in...” Blaze scratched his head in thought. “What was that word? Oh right! Mushy moments...”

Spike smirked as he rubbed his hooves together, snickering at the same time. “I’m so gonna tell the others about this-” Spike stopped when he felt a hoof on his shoulder and turned to see Blaze give him a stern look.

“Rather not, Spike,” he told the unicorn colt without any of the present mirth in his voice. “Some fillies act tough, but they are really soft on the inside... like Scootaloo is,” he said with some authority in his voice. “So take it easy on her, ok?”

“Ok,” Spike replied as he nodded to Blaze’s words.

Blaze grinned as he ruffled Spike’s hair and laughed. “Never judge a book by its cover,” he said as he removed his hoof that was swatted away by Spike. “Got it memorized?” he asked rhetorically as he pointed to his head.

“You got it,” Spike answered, fixing his mane that was now messed up. “By the way, why do you always ask that?”

“Ask what?”

“‘Got it memorized?’”

Blaze sighed as he rested he rested his back on the clock tower, with his front hooves crossed behind his head. “Just a way for ponies to remember me...” he said softly as he let loose a small smile, with his eyes gazing out to the sunset.

Spike knew not to ask any further, and followed Blaze’s lead as he too reclined on the clock tower. After a few moments, he let out a yawn as he stretched his hooves to the air.

“Looks like Light and Twilight are back,” Blaze said as he looked down on the ground below, seeing Light on top of Twilight’s back. Ain’t that cute? “Guess we better go down to meet up with them Spike,” he stood up and lowered his back to Spike’s level. “Hop on.”

“Ok,” Spike slowly got onto Blaze’s back, holding onto the body firmly as Blaze stretched his wings and glided down to the ground.

“Ah, there are my colts,” Twilight said, giving Blaze a quick kiss on the lips, earning an “Eww,” from both Light and Spike.

“You have fun today, kid?” Blaze asked.

Light nodded. “We went to Canterlot, and saw a play, and we even met the Princess!”

“How about you, Spike?”

“We went to Cloudsdale, and met the Wonderbolts. And Blaze took me flying!”

“That’s nice. Well, we better get to dinner. Come on, we’re all eating at that small restaurant on the edge of town. You two can tell me all about it.”

Celestia hated paperwork, and pawned as much of it off as she could get away with. But not this one. This one she took special interest in.

She couldn’t help but chuckle. The last time she had prepared adoption papers, they had been purely superficial, invented so her faithful student could never know the truth about her powers. But this time, this time it was important.

Blaze had been trying to push it through ever since he showed up at the castle with Light, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo in tow. Now, on the cusp of getting it, he had asked for a big change to it.

Smiling, Celestia impishly edited the document, carefully removing every mention of the word “brother”. Now, there were new words replacing it, words that proved to Celestia, once and for all, that Blaze was not the same pony he was when they had first met.

Referring to Blaze, the word became father. Referring to Light, it became son.

Twilight’s eyes widened, her mouth twisting into a grin. “No way,” she said, with a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

“Sh,” Blaze said, looking around. He was thankful Twilight had sprung for a private table. “I promised Soarin and Spitfire I wouldn’t tell.”

Spike laughed. “I wish I could see the look on her face when he asks her out. She’s always squeeing over those posters of him...”

“I am so tempted in telling Scootaloo about this...” Light muttered as he looked skywards, imagining the reaction of Scootaloo with Soarin being with Rainbow Dash.

Blaze laughed as he smirked. “He’ll have to deal with Rainbow Spectrum first, though,” he said as he took a sip from his glass of cider. “On a serious note, I wonder if Rainbow is ready for that kind of thing...”

“I’m certain she is,” Twilight assured her coltfriend as she took a bite of her asparagus. She suddenly giggled as she rubbed her hooves together. “I think we should try and set up a date with him and her!”

“Wouldn’t that be like breaking a promise?”

Twilight waved her hoof at Blaze. “It would be a surprise date.”

“Hmmm...” Blaze placed his hoof on his chin in thought. “Well, that doesn’t overstep my promise in not telling her or anypony about this,” he whispered before grinning broadly. “I think playing matchmaker will be interesting.”

Spike and Light looked to the two grown ponies as they were busy scheming. They looked at each other before shrugging and returning to their meals.

The waiter came in with desert for each pony. Chocolate mousse for Light. Trio of sorbet for Twilight. Malva pudding and custard for Blaze. Peppermint tart for Spike. The waiter also brought in a letter for the ponies, addressed to Blaze.

“Who is this from?” he asked curiously as he took the scroll from the waiter’s magical aura.

The waiter cleared his throat as he answered. “We don’t know, sir, it just appeared before our host,” he said with a heavy posh accent.

Blaze sighed as he held the scroll, feeling a little cautious with the paper. “Thanks, anyways.”

“Will you be needing anything else, sir?”

“Not right now, thank you.”

“Very well.”

With that the waiter left the four ponies alone to ponder what was in the letter. Blaze looked at Twilight. “Know anypony who would know we were here?”

“Well, I told the Princess we were going to eat here...”

Blaze’s eyes widened. In a flash he ripped open the letter, finding the elegant hornwriting of Princess Celestia.

Dear Blaze,

I have the most fortuitous news for you. Now that your parole has gone through and you’ve been cleared of all charges, we see no reason why you shouldn’t be allowed full custody of Light. As such, we’ve approved the adoption papers, and they will arrive on your door by tomorrow morning.

Light’s eyes widened as his brother read the words. “Really? You mean it? I’m adopted?”

“Looks like it,” Blaze smirked. “And there’s more."

And I assure you not to worry, the changes you requested the other day were processed in time. When you receive the papers, the adoption will be exactly the way you requested it. I wish you and Light the best, now and in the future.

Warm wishes,

Princess Celestia.

P.S. Remember, Sun Run.

Blaze gulped, sweating a little. “Looks like I’m still not in the clear,” he sighed, as Light tilted his head.

“What was she talking about, changes?”

Blaze looked at him for a minute. “Okay, honestly, kiddo, if things work out between me and Twilight, you wouldn’t want your best friend to become your nephew, would you?”

Spike and Light looked at each other. “That would be kind of weird,” Light admitted.

“Yeah,” Spike agreed.

“And I have been the only pony to take care of you for years, right? Ever since you were barely old enough to know who you were.”

“That’s true...”

“So, I asked Princess Celestia to make some last-minute changes to your papers. I decided it didn’t make a whole lot of sense to sign up as your brother.”

Light cocked his eyebrow at Blaze. “What are you saying?” he asked nervously, feeling his wings unfurl slightly from the wait.

“Light,” Blaze said as he smiled softly and blinked to reveal slightly moist eyes. “I signed the adoption papers to make you my son.”

There was a pregnant silence in the room after Blaze’s words. Light’s pupils expanded as he stared at Blaze with his jaw agape. “Y-you want me as your son?”

Blaze smiled broadly as he nodded. “You bet, I mean...” he paused for a moment lowering his head. “I always seen you as a son since I took you under my wing and heck, why not make it official...”

Light only blinked at him for the moment, with a smile slowly creeping on his face. “That sounds good to me.”

As they left the restaurant, Blaze escorted Twilight back home with the colts walking in front of them as they were talking. He draped his wing over her back and felt her snuggle closer as they walked side by side.

“Well, I enjoyed today,” Twilight spoke softly as she nuzzled Blaze’s cheek. “Light’s such a wonderful colt.”

Blaze caressed Twilight’s cheek with his muzzle before he kissed it. “So is Spike, he’s a real good colt, that one...” he whispered in her ear, nibbling it softly and earning a giggle from her as they reached the library.

Light looked back at Blaze and Twilight having their special moment, rolling his eyes as he only chuckled. “Guess we got a lot to talk about tomorrow with the others, huh, Spike?”

“Got that right,” Spike replied, glancing back at his mother and Blaze kissing. “Still, rather cool now with the whole adoption thing being settled.”

“Yeah... wonder what Scootaloo will say?”

“Forget that. What will she say about Soarin having a crush on her mom?”

Light shook his head as he raised a hoof. “We promised not to tell anypony about that, after the plan...”

Spike raised his eyebrows. “Oh right, well I wonder what will happen?”

“Who knows?”

When they finally reached the library, Blaze looked back at Twilight holding her close. “I’ll see you tomorrow again, got it memorized?” he asked her as he placed a hoof on her chin.

“For you, always...” she answered and kiss him fondly on his lips before letting go.

Blaze smiled and turned his attention to Spike. “Well, see you later, kid,” he told the colt as he bumped his hoof against Spike’s and ruffling his mane a little.

Spike only laughed a little as he nodded smiling. “Sure thing.”

“Good night, Light,” Twilight whispered, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“Good night, Twilight...” Light said softly, a small smile and a blush on his cheeks present. He shook it off as he and Blaze took flight towards their home. The flight was silent, but pleasant as both Light and Blaze were smiling. They finally landed before the house’s door and tucked their wings in as they went inside.

Blaze yawned as he closed the door. “Well, looks like it’s time to go to bed,” he said as he turned to Light, but went silent when he saw Light looking down on the ground. “What’s wrong, Light?” he asked as he furrowed his brow in worry and lowered himself to Light’s level.

Light didn’t reply with words, but rather in a gesture as he suddenly clutched onto Blaze’s neck and held onto him. Blaze’s shocked expression softened as he smiled and returned the hug. A myriad of words were flooded in Blaze’s mind as he pondered what to say next, but only a few stood out and he finally knew what to say. “I love you, Light.”

“I love you too, dad.”

Chapter 18

“Alright, y’all, is everypony ready?”

Six foals were lined up with saddlebags loaded with survival gear. Six adults were lined up, five looking happy and one looking very annoyed.

“But darling! I simply cannot fit everything into two saddlebags...”

“Rare, I told ya, ya ain’t gonna need any of that stuff! It’s called campin’, roughin’ it! Now get out there an’ quit yer belly achin’!”

“Well, I should say...”

“Alright, come on,” Rainbow Dash said, “I don’t want any fighting here.”

Blaze, his own saddlebags resting on his back, just rolled his eyes and turned to his marefriend. “Are they always like this?”

“Afraid so,” she sighed. “Thanks for agreeing to this.”

Blaze shrugged. “Hey, always promised I’d take Light camping.” Then, with a playful grin, he whispered, “besides, the only stallion in the woods with five cute mares? Sign me up!”

Twilight gave her coltfriend a playful smack. “It’s going to be none if you keep that up.”

“Alright, y’all, remember the rules,” Applejack spoke up. “Ya get in yer tents at lights out while we’re hikin’. Ya tell everypony when yer leavin’ the campsite.”

“And none of you foals better leave on your own,” Rainbow Dash added, giving Scootaloo a warning look.

“And that’s another thing. Each of ya has an adult here. Stick with ‘em, and do what they tell ya. These woods aren’t anywhere near as dangerous as Everfree, but it still ain’t a good idea ta just go off wanderin’.”

At this warning, Fluttershy scooted closer to Pip. The young colt looked up at the mare, who flashed him a warm smile. Gulping, Pip turned his attention back to Applejack.

“Keep yer pace, and carry yer own things. Ya hear that, Rare?”

“Yes, yes,” the unicorn sighed, though she seemed less than thrilled about it.

“Alright ya’ll, let’s get a-goin’. I wanna hit the first clearin’ by sundown.”

With that, the ponies marched onwards to their destination. Spike and Sweetie Belle walked alongside each other, with the filly wearing a constant smile on her face as she listened to her coltfriend’s experience with Blaze.

“... that’s really nice that you got to hang out with Blaze,” Sweetie Belle said merrily as she trotted alongside Spike.

“Yeah, now that I have some idea of who he is,” he said as he looked back for a second seeing his mother with Blaze. “I think he’s a good match for my mom,” he muttered, but stopped when he heard a giggle. “What’s that for?”

“I think it’s also because you want to have a dad in your life, Spike.”

Spike blinked rapidly as he blushed. “N-no! I just think he would be good for my mom!”

“I’m right, am I?” Sweetie asked mischievously as she batted her eyelashes to Spike.

“No comment...”

Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Light were chatting up a storm about his adventures in Canterlot with Twilight. Scootaloo frowned a little when she heard from Light how much of a disaster Spider-Colt was. “Well, at least now I know not to go and watch that the next time I’m in Canterlot,” she said plainly as she shrugged.

“There are other things to do there, Scoots,” Light assured her with his soft smile.

Scootaloo looked up and smiled broadly as she giggled. Why do I always feel so girly when he smiles at me? “I suppose,” she replied and gave him a quick nuzzle, but felt him freeze in the spot. “Something wrong?” she asked as she arched her brow.

Light shook his head as his eyes went skywards. “I just get the feeling your mom is watching us all the time...” he whispered and took a quick glance to his rear, where Rainbow’s eyes were keeping the two under constant surveillance. This ended though when Scootaloo turned around to see her mother’s eyes fleeing their assigned view.

The magenta-maned filly sighed as she shook her head. “This is getting ridiculous!” she told herself as she turned back to the road ahead. “I think what my mom needs is a special stallion in her life as well...” she said as her eyes suddenly went wide and sparkling. “That would be awesome! Maybe I can set my mom up with some stallion... and I could have a dad!” she paused suddenly when she heard Light chuckle. “What’s so funny!?”

“N-nothing,” Light replied quickly to quell his fillyfriend’s temper. “It’s just, I think that’s a good idea... cause my dad and Twilight were talking about it a few days ago.”
“Isn’t it weird calling Blaze ‘Dad’ now?”

“Kind of... but not really. I guess he’s always been my dad...”

“Aw... you’re sounding like Spike after Twilight adopted him...” She thought a minute. Then she smiled. “Ooh! That means Spike’s your brother! And Twilight’s your mom!”

He blushed. “Well, kind of... not really yet. I don’t even know if my dad is going to marry Twilight!”

“Hey, next to my mom, Twilight would be the coolest mom to get! She knows all three princesses perfectly, and she knows all that magic!”

“Well, yeah,” he admitted. “It was nice talking with the Princess...”

“You could be a member of the Royal Family!” she said happily. “Just think, Prince Light...”

Now he really blushed. “N-no comment.”

Behind the two foals, Rainbow Dash got a slight nudge from Applejack. “Now, come on, sugarcube. Ya can’t keep coddlin’ her like that.”

“She’s my daughter. I can coddle her all I want.”

“Dash, ya gotta look at this logically. She’s not some defenseless filly. She lived on her own fer years, an’ she escaped Bloodwing just fine... twice in fact. I think she could handle a colt that got too big for his britches.”

“Light doesn’t wear britches,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Besides, she shouldn’t have to take care of herself. She’s a foal. Taking care of her is my job.”

“Well, part o’ that is knowin’ when it’s time to let her go free. I think you can trust her to keep her hind legs together.”

Rainbow Dash blushed at this. “I know she wouldn’t do that.”

“Then what’s the problem? Light’s an upright boy. It’s his bro... sorry, his pa that’s had run-ins with the law.”

She sighed. “I know...”

“Maybe yer havin’ the same problem Shinin’ Armor had? Ya don’t want her to grow up?”

Rainbow pursed her lips as she looked down. Her eyes suddenly became moist as she raised her head. “I guess...” she started, with her eyes looking back at Scootaloo and Light. Her lips started to quiver. “It’s just, she’s growing up so fast and I’ve only been her mother for such a short time it’s-”

“There there, Sugarcube,” Applejack chimed in, giving her friend a quick hug. “Ah know how it feels to see yer filly sprout up so fast,” she replied as she saw Apple Bloom with Pipsqueak. “What with me helping to raise Apple Bloom, Ah’m darn well the closest thing to a ma for the filly,” she said as she bit her lower lip and looked down on the ground with half-hooded eyes too.

Rainbow sighed, but smiled slightly as she looked back at how happy Scootaloo is with Light. “I guess I just need to let things flow for now, and if she needs me... I’ll always be there for her...”

“Exactly!” Applejack answered as she patted her friend’s back. “Ya know, maybe it’s about time ya get a stallion in yer life? Scootaloo could do with a pa in her life, Ah think!” Applejack said with a grin, seeing her friend blush and turn away.

“Darling, I think it was really kind of you for escorting little Pipsqueak on this trip,” Rarity told Fluttershy as they were walking alongside each other, the unicorn using groaning as she carried her saddle bag.

Fluttershy cocked her eyebrow at Rarity’s straining body. “Um, isn’t that saddlebag light enough?” she asked softly and curiously, receiving a head shake as her answer. “Maybe I could help carry your bag?”

“Fluttershy, dear! You are a saviour!” Rarity nearly bursted out in tears and gave her bag to the pegasus, who gladly took it and just walked on plainly onwards. “How is that much weight not bothering you?!”

“I work with animals Rarity, handling their food and giving them needed attention...” Fluttershy said with a soft smile, but her happy moment soon turned into worry as she placed a hoof to her mouth. “Oh dear, I hope Angel Bunny is taking care of things over there...”

“Fluttershy, you must relax... I am certain your animals are all safe and sound.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely,” Rarity spoke, but she looked away fast as she remembered the bunny’s reputation.

Despite everything, they managed to reach the campsite before sunfall. They had spread out the chores among them, and before the sun set the tents were pitched and the fire started. Marshmallows and chocolate were distributed, and s’mores were being cooked.

And of course, Rainbow Dash was telling her usual ghost stories. Or in this case, something much more terrifying.

“And as the camp counselors thought everything was safe, they went off into a nearby cabin. They were unaware that a rather large pony was coming for them. Wearing a hockey mask he retrieved from one of his previous victims, he carried a large machete with his magic. He came closer, saying nothing, because he never spoke. Still, these ponies had dared enter his territory, and they must suffer.”

The six foals and three grown mares shivered. Blaze had long since endured things that made any campfire story ineffective against him, and Twilight was the scariest thing in the woods, so the two were taking the opportunity to give quick kisses to each other.

“So, the large pony opened the door. The two ponies gasped, and before they could scream the large blade came down and silenced them forever. Some say this pony will come for you in the darkest of nights when you enter his territory. But nopony knows exactly where it is. It could be right... here!”

At that moment, a large axe swung down onto the ground near the campfire, being held in the wing of a large pony, flames erupting from behind him. Everypony jumped and screamed, beginning to dash into the woods. Dash laughed, falling off her log, Twilight laughed, and the masked pony laughed.

Removing the mask, Blaze laughed, extinguishing the flames behind him. “You’re right, that was fun!”

“That. Was. Not. Funny!” Rarity responded, coming back with gritted teeth.

“Then why am I smiling?” Rainbow Dash asked, smiling.

“Well,” Applejack said, trying to let her heart catch up with her, “I’d say it’s time to head to bed.”

“Aw, but I haven’t even gotten to the story about the pony with the clawed hooves!”

“That’ll wait until tomorrow,” Applejack said. “It’s time to turn in. We got another day of hiking ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Th-that sounds l-like a good idea!” Fluttershy said, dashing toward her and Pip’s tent. When she was inside it though, Pip was not there. She popped her head back outside and saw the little colt looking up at the stars. “Pip, it’s time to go to bed now,” she called out to him softly.

Pip turned his head to Fluttershy’s and sighed. “Al’ight,” he replied glumly and walked into the tent, where he immediately collapsed on his sleeping mattress positioning himself in a fetal position.

Fluttershy followed suite in lying down in her own mattress, but her eyes never left Pip’s body that seemed to be shivering even with the sleeping blanket on top of him. Remembering what her mother did for her when she was a filly, she scooted herself closer to the colt’s body and gently encased a wing over him. She could tell he was already asleep by his breathing, but he still accepted the wing gratefully in his slumber. Fluttershy smiled and slowly closed her eyes, welcoming the Sand-Pony to bring her into her dreams.

When the sun came over the horizon from the east, its beams of light traveled to the tents of twelve ponies waking each one in a different fashion. Everypony woke up refreshed and ready for the new day, all except one. The others heard a muffled splash from Rainbow’s tent, where she immediately came out looking mad. Mad yet hilarious.

Her face was covered in cream, along with her right front hoof. Applejack saw this and snickered before laughing out loud. “Talk abou’ a ‘Wake Up Call’, hey Rainbow Dash?!” she asked her friend who was busy washing away the cream with a bottle of water.

“Haha, very funny...” she muttered, and she heard her daughter giggle too. This in turn caused her to blush slightly before shaking it off and heading to her tent. “Breakfast time, everypony! After breakfast, we pack up and move out!”

Rarity’s face fell as her smile disappeared instantly from the words. “But Rainbow Dash! What about prepping for the rest of the day?! Shower, combing my mane, some makeup...” she paused when everypony was staring at her as though she grew an extra horn. “What?! It’s only natural for a lady to prepare for the day ahead...”

Sweetie Belle planted her hoof against her temple and groaned, and she leaned to Spike’s ear. “This always happens on every camping trip...”

Spike just shook his head. “I feel bad for you...” He furrowed his brow as he continued to watch Rarity’s ranting on ‘proper etiquette’. And to think I actually had a crush on her...

Luckily, Twilight was to the rescue. Via a book she levitated in front of Rarity’s eyes.

"Camping for the Novice," Rarity read out loud. "Whatever is this?”

“This book should help you get everything done without taking too long.”

“Oh goody!”

As Rarity started reading, everypony got back to work.

The hike was nearly unbearable. Not because of the effort in actually hiking, but because Rarity was whining the whole way through.

“They actually told me to skip the conditioner! Twilight, darling, how could you! I look like a wreck! So many hairs are out of place! I’m hideous!”

Blaze rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Twilight. “Is she always like this?” he asked curiously, still hearing her complaining.

“It can get worse...” Sweetie Belle chimed in as she decided to get away from her sister fast.

Twilight clenched her teeth as she frowned from the ranting. For the first time, Twilight felt sympathy for the Diamond Dogs.

By sunfall, they had set up camp again, and instead of a ghost story, they decided on a game.

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash said, “Truth or Dare?”

“Hmm... Dare!”

“I dare you to... go jump in the lake.”

“... That’s it? Sure, no problem.”

“Uh, Twi...” Applejack began, but Rainbow Dash hushed her as Twilight headed toward the lake. Taking a deep breath, she jumped in.

Immediately she was out. “Eels! Eels! Ew! Ew!” She was back at the campfire breathing heavily while the group laughed.

“You should see the look on your face!”

“Okay, I dare you to take a flight through those briar patches!” Twilight said angrily, pointing to the mess of bramble.

Taking a gulp, Rainbow Dash flew up and, with as much speed as she could muster, she flew through.

She returned to the campsite with a few nicks and burrs, and wisely decided not to dare Twilight again.

“Ma turn!” Applejack waved her hoof in the air and she started to cackle as her eyes landed on Rarity. “Rarity!” she started, making the said pony jump in her place. “Truth... or Dare?”

“T-truth!” Rarity uttered out as she didn’t want to get into any dares with Applejack, remembering the fateful sleepover she had.

Applejack groaned as her ears drooped and her smile vanished. “Fine... Is it true you have a marshmallow addiction?” she asked her friend.

Rarity was silent for a moment, as the air became dead quiet around her. She forced a smile and started laughing. “O-of course not, Applejack, darling! Marshmallows are so not the treats of a fine lady such as I!” she pointed to herself smugly, closing her eyes and waving her mane around to emphasis ‘fine lady’.

Sighing, Scootaloo waved her hoof in the air until she got the attention of the other ponies. “My turn! Light! Truth or Dare?” she asked her coltfriend who was sitting next to her, eyeing him mischievously.

“Dare...”

“I dare you to drink a whole bottle of hot sauce!”

Light’s jaw was agape and he turned to his father, who only chuckled at the odd dare. He gulped and nodded. “Alright, gimme that bottle!”

When he was given the bottle, he held it with a shaking hoof and he looked to everypony who eyed him with curiosity and a few were looking at him as though he was going on a death march.

Scootaloo just smiled innocently at Light. “Better get started,” she cooed at him batting her lashes playfully at him.

“Yeah, yeah,” Light muttered and twisted the bottle open, gulping first before taking in all the contents of the bottle. He swallowed it down his throat, eyes becoming wet as his mouth was becoming a blaze. He then looked skywards before fainting.

“Light?” Scootaloo called out to him and scooted closer, only to see Light’s eyes wide open and not moving. “Light!” Scootaloo shouted again, and everypony was panicking. Scootaloo reached out to him and held him close shaking him slightly. “Light! Light! Please be ok! Light-” she jumped backwards suddenly gasping, his head turned sharply to hers with a massive grin on his face.

“Gotcha!”

“That wasn’t funny!” Scootaloo said angrily as she shoved him playfully.

“Then why am I smiling?” Light said.

Rainbow Dash leaned into Twilight’s ear. “Looks like they’re picking stuff up from us,” Rainbow Dash smiled seeing the foals interact.

“Maybe a little too much,” Twilight mumbled.

Blaze draped a wing around her. “Oh, come on, lighten up,” Blaze said. “They’re just having a bit of fun.”

“My turn! Scootaloo, truth or dare?” Light said.

“Dare.”

“Let’s see...I dare you to...” he thought a moment, and then gave a wicked smile. “Dance. To the most sappy, slowest song that Rarity brought on that phonograph of hers!”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “What?”

“You have to. Dare. No choice.”

Scootaloo huffed. “Fine.”

“Oh, I have just the record,” Rarity said happily, digging through the records and ignoring Applejack’s mutterings of, “I can’t believe you brought all that.”

“Here we are. The Classic Love Ballad, by Sweet Notes.”

Scootaloo shivered. “Just get it over with.” She stood by the fire, waiting.

Rarity put the record on and moved the needle to play.

The notes moved through the air as she began to dance.

Scootaloo closed her eyes slowly as the melody vibrated through the air and she slowly began to sway her body in accordance to the song’s rhythm. Only the sound of the music itself was heard from her, as no other noise distracted her from the movements she was doing. The only other feeling that was known to her that time was touch, as she felt the warmth of the camp fire brush against her. When the song became faster, so did her movement. She did not open her eyes one bit during her dance. If she had, she would have seen the others looking at her in awe and a shimmer of light appearing from behind her. Especially Light whose eyes were sparkling in appreciation for the filly before him.

When the song ended, she inhaled a deep breath before letting it out slowing. Her eyelids opened eventually and she was greeted with many eyes staring. Scootaloo blushed deeply, her eyes widening. “W-what?!” she squeaked out, feeling awkward with the stare.

“That’s was awesome...” Light said as he smiled broadly at her. “You never told us you could dance like that!”

Scootaloo turned her head away, pursing her lips as she furrowed her brow. “I-it’s not that great!”

“Oh yeah?” Light replied, and pointed to her flank. “Then what’s that?”

Scootaloo blinked twice before slowing looking to her flank, and she gasped before letting out a deafening scream. The ponies around her covered their ears as they kept their eyes shut of the sound. When it was over, Scootaloo was left smiling and pointing to her flank in joy. Where once there was only orange fur, a picture of red dancing shoes adored her flank now.

“I got my cutie mark!” she shouted out again, hovering in euphoria for the moment. When she was done, she flew over to her mother and hugged her tightly. The hug was returned as Rainbow held her close, a few tears escaping her eyes. She looked down on Scootaloo’s tiny form, not noticing the ‘d’aww’ around her.

“Well done, Scoots,” she spoke and kissed her daughter’s forehead affectionately, letting go of the filly.

Scootaloo went over to Light’s side and hugged him too. She nuzzled his cheek before kissing it softly, resulting with some of the colts whistling. “Thank you.”

Light’s pupils shrank as he blushed too, scratching the back of his head. “W-what for?”

“If you didn’t tell me to do that dare, I’d have never gotten my cutie mark.”

“M-my pleasure, then,” he replied before pecking her cheek.

Apple Bloom and Pip just sat there and shrugged at their friend’s accomplishment. Pip looked to Apple Bloom. “Well, this just leaves the two of us to find our cutie marks...”

“Eeyup...” Apple Bloom answered, smiling inwardly before looking to the flames.

Rainbow Dash, however, was both overjoyed and silent. She was happy for her daughter to finally gain her cutie mark, but she just stared at Scootaloo getting too comfortable with Light.

“Come on, Dash,” Applejack whispered, “don’t ruin the moment.”

“I won’t,” she mumbled. “I... this is her moment. And I guess Light did help her get her cutie mark.”

There was silence from the two mares as the rest of the cutie mark crusaders crowded around Scootaloo, giving their congratulations.

“You seemed to get along with Blaze better last night.” Applejack told her with a smile on her face.

“We just pulled a prank together, that’s all.” Rainbow Dash replied plainly.

“Pranks’re what brought you an’ Pinkie together,” she reminded her.

“I thought Pinkie was annoying, not that she was a felon that kidnapped my daughter,” she said, though it was clear her heart wasn’t in her protest. “I guess he’s okay.”

Applejack smiled. “I think everythin's gonna be better after the trip, you’ll see!”

Scootaloo dashed up to them. “Mom, you think I could get in some dance classes when we get home?”

She smiled. “Sure, I’ve got more than enough bits saved up. I think we can get you all set.” She pulled her into another hug. “I’m willing to bet you’ll be the best dancer around by the time you hit my age. You are my daughter, after all; you’re made of awesomeness.”

Excited talks of the joint cute-ceañera and cute-mitzvah faded into talks of all the things the newly marked crusaders would accomplish.

“I’m going to write the best book ever,” Spike says. “Something sci-fi, but even better than those Galaxy Battle books.”

“Right, you want them crazy fancolts hatin’ everythin’ you put out?” Pip jeered, earning a smack from Apple Bloom.

“I didn’t think that through,” Spike admitted. “Maybe fantasy...”

“What, fantasy? Don’t tell me you’re going to write about humans. After One Ring wrote those books, they’ve been done to death,” Sweetie moaned.

“And ya’d have Lyra whinin’ that ya got the facts wrong,” Apple Bloom pointed out.

“...Is there anything I could write that ponies wouldn’t complain about?”

“Probably not,” Twilight noted, making a mental note to start teaching Spike how to accept criticism. “Ponies like to complain about things.”

Spike shrugged as he rolled his eyes. “I suppose...” he admitted quietly. “Sweetie Belle, what about you?”

Sweetie Belle shuffled her hooves as she giggled. “I want to a be famous singer,” she told everypony as she looked up to the starry sky. “I want to sing for the whole of Equestria,” she then looked at Spike and smiled coyly at him. “And I wouldn’t mind having you write my lyrics, too...” she said softly as she batted her lashes to him, causing Spike’s cheeks to burn brightly. Everypony was chuckling at this, before Sweetie looked at Light. “How about you, Light?”

Light crossed his forehooves to the back and rested his head against them. “I’m going to be the best Wonderbolt ever!”

Rainbow Dash coughed out loud, getting his attention. “In your dreams, kid, that spot is already filled.”

Light cocked his eyebrow. “By who?”

“By me,” Rainbow replied smugly, closing her eyes and holding her head up high.

“Says who?”

“Says me.”

“Alright!” Blaze chimed in, putting his hooves between them. “Enough, geez!” he looked at Rainbow smirking. “You have yet to see how fast my boy can go,” he said to her as Rainbow calmed down. “And Light, you’re still a bit too young to talk about being the best Wonderbolt.”

“I know...” Light muttered as he looked away from his father’s gaze.

“But don’t worry!” Blaze reached out to his son and started ruffling his mane. “When I’m done with you, you’re gonna leave other ponies in the dust with your skills... got it memorized?” he asked rhetorically as he pointed to his head and smiled.

Light beamed and hugged his father.

“Apple Bloom and Pip are the only two left that need cutie marks,” Spike said. “It shouldn’t take too much longer, right?”

“It better not be,” Apple Bloom muttered, staring at her still blank flank. “I was one of th’ foundin’ members, I shoulda gotten mine by now.”

“I keep tellin’ ya, ya can’t force a cutie mark appearin’,” Applejack said. “Ya need to just be patient. You’ll find it. You’re about the age I was when I got mine.”

“Anything you’re hoping for?” Sweetie asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe a manticore tamer, or a changeling stomper, or a...”

“Uh, maybe ya ought to focus on somethin’ a little less dangerous,” Applejack said hopefully.

“What about you, Pip?” Sweetie asked. “I bet you’ve got some ideas on what you want your cutie mark to be.”

“...You know,” Pip flopped down onto his back, staring at the stars. “I never really thought about it.”

“Not at all?” Scootaloo asked him curiously.

He shook his head. “I figure it’ll come ta me when it comes.”

“Then what do you think about?” Fluttershy asked him innocently, staring down at the colt on the ground.

“Nutten’,” he said.

“Really? You have no idea where you want your life to go?”

He shook his head. “Gotta get a cutie mark first, right? I’ll worry about it, then.”

Twilight looked at Pip a moment before leaning over to Fluttershy and whispering in her ear. “Did you get anything out of him?”

“No, not yet,” she whispered back.

Everypony was fast asleep. It was late in the evening when the ponies decided to head off to their tents and sleep as the fire was beginning to die down. Every tent was sealed to keep the ponies warm. All except one. Fluttershy’s tent was still open, even with her not being awake. A gust of wind entered the tent and brought the mare out of her slumber with a shiver down her spine. She got up and investigated for the reason of the chill. As she went to close her tent, her eyes fell on a vacated sleeping mattress and bag.

“Pip?” she whispered as she looked outside, seeing no sign of the little colt. She quivered at the sound of an owl hooting and shot her head back inside shaking. Fluttershy gulped hard, leaning her head back outside and looking around. “Pip?” she called out again, but no response greeted her.

Fluttershy gently exited from the tent and walked toward the dying flame of the campfire, hoping to find Pip nearby. “Pip?” she called out, but all that greeted her was the sound of crickets and the wind blowing through the grass nearby.

Oh dear... where is he?

Suddenly, her ears twitched as the sound of humming could be heard nearby. She turned her attention to the source and walked towards it. The melody became louder as she pressed on in the darkness, before finally coming to a stop on a hill.

Fluttershy looked towards her to see Pip sitting on his haunches, encasing his hind legs with his forelegs. She saw the colt looking up the starry skies and heard him hum a tune. A rather somber tune.

The mare decided to walk up to him slowly, hardly emitting any sound of her hooves touching the soil beneath her. She stood behind him, not noticed by Pip as his eyes never left the skies above.

“Pip?” With a hoof, she reached out to him and touched his back.

The reaction the colt gave was sudden, as Pip jumped in the air and turned around sharply as he tried to scream. No sound came from his throat, as he was too scared to react. When his eyes met Fluttershy’s, she could see how frighten the poor colt was.

“Pip! It’s me! Fluttershy!” she tried to calm him down softly, placing her hooves on his shoulders.

Pip inhaled and exhaled deeply as he came to his senses, blinked a few times before furrowing his brow at Fluttershy. “You gave me a fright there,” he said as he sat back down on his haunches.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, sitting down next to him. “Are you okay?”

“You’ve asked me that a lot,” Pip reminded her, smiling a little without mirth.

“And what’s your answer this time?”

“...No,” he admitted.

Spreading out a wing, Fluttershy wrapped Pip in an embrace of feather. “Why don’t you tell me all about it?”

Pip sighed, looking down and away from her eyes. “...I know what I really want, more than a cutie mark.”

“And what’s that?” Fluttershy asked.

“...I think I’d like a family.”

He waited for a shocked reaction, but knew it was foolish. Fluttershy had figured it out by now, he knew. “You never had one?”

Pip laughed again, but there was no joy to be found in his laugh. “I did once... but they left me.”

Fluttershy gasped as her eyes became wider in shock.“Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know... I guess it’s because they couldn’t find anyone to adopt me.”

“They were trying to get you adopted?”

The colt shrugged. “I think so... dad was always tellin’ mum she shoulda got somethin’ that started with an ‘A’. I can’t think of what else it could be...”

Fluttershy felt her blood grow cold. She squeezed Pip tighter. “Sweetie, when was the last time you saw them?”

“A month before the NightMare Night when Princess Luna visited. They set me in this old shack outside town and told me to wait until they got back.”

The pegasus’ eyes became wetter with every word Pip spoke. “Oh dear. How have you been feeding yourself?”

“Th’ same way Scoots did. Mr. an’ Mrs. Cake are always givin’ free sweets away, an’ the Apples don’t notice a few pieces missin’.”

Fluttershy bit her lower lip as she continued to listen to Pip’s story. Her wing became more firm with each second, never daring to let the colt go. “W-where do you stay, Pip?” she asked curiously, yet her voice was tainted in dread.

Pip looked sideways as his eyelids became half-hooded. “At the shack they dropped me off...”

“W-Why didn’t you tell anypony of this?” Fluttershy asked as her voice became cracked and she sniffed to keep her composure.

The colt raised his eyebrow as though she asked an obvious question. “And be sent to some random orphanage away from the friends I made here?” he asked her rhetorically and just looked down. “Besides, nopony in Ponyville wants a ‘thrown-away reject’-”

His words were cut off, with Fluttershy bringing him to her chest and holding him tightly as both her wings cocooned Pip. He felt moisture on his head and looked up to see Fluttershy sobbing uncontrollably with her lips quivering.

“D-don’t you ever say that about yourself, please...” she said weakly to him, as she sniffed and blinked uncontrollably.

Pip was confused as he cocked his eyebrow at her. “Why are you crying, Fluttershy? I’m sorry if I made you-”

“No,” Fluttershy shook her head as more tears streamed down her face. “I’m crying for you, Pip.”

“For me?”

Fluttershy nodded as she gave a soft smile that was mixed in with her crying. “And you should, too...”

Pip tilted his head sideways as he raised his brow. “Sorry?”

“I’m telling you to cry...”

“Wha-”

“Please,” Fluttershy held onto him and nuzzled his head softly as her tears stained his coat. “Let it all out and cry...”

Pip was mute for the moment, staring at Fluttershy’s head before lowering it to be met by her cream coated chest. A myriad of images from past events before Ponyville flooded the colt’s mind . None of which were pleasant at all.

And he cried.

He cried hard, dampening Fluttershy’s coat with his tears. He felt both of Fluttershy’s wings wrap him in an embrace. He felt her kiss his forehead and give gentle reassurances.

“There, there, just let it out. You’ll feel better.”

It lasted another five minutes before he started to quiet. Fluttershy pulled apart and looked him in the eye. “There now, are you feeling better?”

He nodded. “...Can I have another hug?”

Fluttershy smiled. “Come on,” she said, leading him back to their tent. Once inside, Fluttershy got into her sleeping bag, and then pulled Pip into a hug. It was a bit of a squeeze, but they both fit, allowing Pip to experience a loving embrace.

“We can stay quiet about this until after the trip,” she whispered. “Once we’re back in Ponyville, we can go get your things. I can make room at my cottage for you.”

“R-really?” Pip asked hopefully.

She nodded. “It might be kind of a tight squeeze for a while, but I’ll manage. I’ve been wanting to add a room onto my home for a while for more animals, I’m sure making a room for you would work.”

“...Miss Fluttershy?”

“Yes?”

There was a long silence, so long that for a moment Fluttershy thought he had fallen asleep. But then it came.

“...Can I... call you ‘Mum’?”

Fluttershy smiled. Now she was crying. She kissed the colt... her colt... on the forehead. “Yes...” she whispered as she nuzzled him demurely with her eyes closed, streaming tears endlessly. “And Pip...”

“Yes?”

“...I love you.”

Chapter 19

Blaze whistled as he was beginning to trot towards the library, seeing as he still had leave from Wonderbolt training due to his son’s impending cute-mitzvah. He heard that Rainbow Dash was also given leave for her daughter’s cuteceañera, which she spent time on by taking long naps on clouds, training with her father Spectrum and booking dance lessons for Scootaloo. When he reached the library door, he leaned his ear to the wooden door to try and hear Twilight. The voice of Twilight was estinto, meaning she was either busy with an experiment or reading through a book.

He pushed the door opened and made sure not let out a creak from the hinges of the door as he made his way in. When he was inside, he slowly closed the door and started to look around for Twilight. He saw a pile of books, and heard pages turning. Blaze grinned maliciously as he sneaked up towards the books. With a steady hoof, he removed a few of the books and saw the back of his fillyfriend’s head. She was in deep concentration with her muzzle stuck in a book she was reading. He licked his lips as he lowered his own head next to hers, not making a sound at all.

“Hi Twilight!”

Twilight’s head rocketed upwards, her eyes bulging out as her pupils shrank. She let out a scream fit for a little filly as she turned her head to every corner. She calmed down when she saw Blaze, but immediately glared at him and punched him playfully on his chest as he was laughing.

“Don’t do that!” she pouted at him as she continued to hit him softly on his chest. “You know how easily surprised I get.”

Blaze smirked as he shrugged. “Makes you a very easy target...” he said as he rolled his eyes. “No wonder Pinkie loves pranking you.”

Twilight huffed as she pursed her lips. “W-well, I’m not the pranking type!” she retorted back at him. “And don’t you dare think of pulling one on me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said softly with an innocent smile, and Twilight could swear she saw a halo for the moment on his head.

She sighed as she planted her hoof on her face. “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to prank me?”

“That’s not what I am going to do,” Blaze said with no smile on his face.

Twilight blinked and cocked her brow. “Then what are you going to do?”

“This.” He pressed his lips to hers, causing Twilight to slowly close her eyes as she melted in the kiss and held Blaze close with her hooves around his neck.

“That... felt good,” Twilight admitted.

“And now, I’m going to do this!” And then he dug his hooves into Twilight’s side. She shrieked with laughter, rolling around and trying to escape his coltfriend’s grip.

“Blaze!” she shrieked. “Stop it! Stop it!”

“Make me!”

And then she did so. Suddenly, he was encased in magic and flipped on his back, pinned to the ground.

“There. Now what are you going to do?”

“...Smile that my marefriend has a kinky side?”

Twilight turned beet-red, dispelling her magic. Blaze just laughed. “Man, you’re so...”

And then the flames erupted on his wings. Moments later, a letter spit out of it, slamming against Twilight’s face.

“...Mail’s here,” Blaze said.

“I noticed,” she commented flatly. She levitated the letter up and unrolled it.

Dear Twilight,

The Crystal Empire is currently in the running for the location of the Equestrian Games. Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance have requested the appearance of the Elements of Harmony in an effort to impress the Equestrian Games Commissioner. Please note that this is a business trip, so they are all instructed to leave their children behind. They will receive tickets to the games proper of course. If you accept, please RSVP to this letter.

Kind Regards,

Princess Celestia

“A trip to the Crystal Empire, huh?” Blaze asked. “But we can’t bring the foals?”

“Guess not,” she sighed. “Still, they’d probably be bored anyway. I’ll get the girls, see if they’re willing.”

“Wait... who’s going to watch the kids?”

Twilight thought a minute. “Well, they’re not really that rambunctious. Surely they can handle being alone for a few days.”

There was a pause. Then, they both burst out laughing.

Blaze wiped a few tears from his eyes from the laugh. “Ok,” he started, taking in a deep breath. “Seriously though, know of anypony willing to foal-sit six foals?”

“I’m not sure...” Twilight furrowed her brow in thought. “I’ll ask the girls to see if they know anypony who might be able to help out.”

“That’s a good idea,” he said with a smile. “Want me to come along?”

Twilight nodded as she beamed. “But please, no more tickling.”

Blaze simply grinned. “That comes later.”

Angel Bunny sat in a corner fuming. His nightmare had come to life now. Fluttershy having a foal of her own.

Since the arrival of Pip, the little white critter had been demoted as Fluttershy’s most loved child. What also came with it were the other animals turning traitor on him and preferring Pip over Angel. Since then, he always had to keep a lookout for the dogs chasing after him under Pip’s guise of the grim ‘Hare Hunt’.

A moment of clarity was given to the rabbit with Pip away at school, though the attention and treatment he was use to was all but gone thank to the colt.

A knock on the door alerted the bunny, making him scurry towards it fast and opening it for Fluttershy. He almost reached it, but Fluttershy was a little faster than he was.

“Oh, um... hello, Twilight,” Fluttershy greeted her unicorn friend and looked to Twilight’s side to see Blaze standing there. “Hello, Blaze.”

“Good morning, Fluttershy,” Twilight greeted her friend, reaching over to give her a quick hug and walked on inside with her pegasus friend.

“Yo!” Blaze saluted her, taking a quick look around the cottage. “It always surprises me on how many animals live here with you.”

“Well, they don’t all live here permanently,” Fluttershy explained. “What can I do for you two today? Is Owlowiscious feeling okay?”

“He’s fine, this is about you,” Twilight said, showing her the letter.

Fluttershy took it and looked through it. “Oh dear. Who’s going to watch the foals while we’re gone?”

“That’s what we were hoping you could figure out,” Blaze said. “Any ideas?”

“Well... oh, I know! What about Rainbow Spectrum?”

Blaze blinked. “Rainbow Dash’s dad? You think he’d be willing? Is he even able to? Where’s he staying right now?”

“Oh, he still stays here with me, but he’s out of the house most of the time. He’s usually up at the training camp trying to get back into shape.”

“Well that’s a bust then,” Blaze sighed. “There’s barely enough room here for Pip. You said so yourself.”

Fluttershy sighed. “It’s true. The poor dear is going to have to sleep on the couch until I can have the builders come in and add another room. And Spectrum’s stuck in a sleeping bag.”

“Maybe not...” Twilight mused. “I have an idea. Why not have Spectrum watch them at Sweet Apple Acres? I’m sure the Apple Family won’t mind a few foals running around.”

“I guess that would work,” Blaze said. “We just have to run it by everypony else.”

“Oh, um, Twilight, have you heard back from...”

The unicorn shook her head. “I’m sorry, but these things take time. I’m sure it’ll be here soon.”

“You got yours in a day,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“They were fake, remember?” Twilight noted. “Adoption is a complicated process. Even with Princess Celestia pulling a few strings, it’s going to be a few days. Don’t worry, you’re already signed in for custody, and the rest is coming.”

“I know... I just can’t wait until it’s official!”

“How is Pip, anyway?” Blaze asked.

Fluttershy beamed in happiness. “Things are really going well for him,” she said, remembering the days since that fateful camping trip. “He seems very happy now and he’s a great help to the animals here,” she continued as she looked up and smiled broadly. “and every time he calls me ‘Mum’, I- I- I feel so happy!” she blushed with her eyes closed and floated in the air for the moment.

“I know how you feel,” Twilight replied with a smile of her own. “I still remember the day when Spike confessed how he felt about me,” she said as she stared off into the distance.

Blaze nodded as he listened to the two mares. “Having a foal in your life does that to you.”

Angel Bunny was glaring at the two visitors constantly, tapping his paw in frustration. By his internal clock, it was lunch time for the rabbit. He hopped towards Fluttershy and pulled on her tail.

“Ow!” Fluttershy turned sharply to her rear and looked down to see the discontented bunny looking up at her and pointing to his mouth wide open. “Angel, please be patient. I have guests here,” Fluttershy told him and turned back to her friends.

The white rabbit’s jaw hung open, before snapping it close and jumping furiously on the ground in frustration. He had enough. He jumped onto Fluttershy’s back and went up to her head, tapping it with his front paws to get her attention.

Fluttershy’s brow furrowed as she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, be right back.” she said to her friends, before grabbing the bunny by the ears and putting him back in the Time Out corner again. This marked the third time this week when he was sent to it. “Angel, you must learn to not disturb me when I have company here. Now think about what you have done,” she told the bunny with a strict tone as she gave him the ‘Stare’.

When she was gone, the bunny crossed his paws as he huffed. He then reached from behind his back and pulled out an harmonica, playing it as he stayed in the corner.

Blaze cocked his eyebrow as he looked on to the bunny. “Where did he get the harmonica?”

“You know, I’m not sure...” Fluttershy pondered this as she looked back at her pet in wonder. She shook her head, looking back to her friends. “But yes, I think you should go talk to Applejack and Spectrum about looking after the foals,” she said, her eyes looking downwards. “I just wish I could have brought Pip along,” she said softly, not hearing the crying of Angel from behind.

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy, Princess Celestia told us she will give us all tickets,” Twilight assured her friends. “Even for our foals.”

“Oh that’s good. I’d love to take Pip up to see something like that. I promised the poor dear that we would spend some time together doing something fun. He never had the chance, and it’s hard for a foal like that, you know.”

“You’re preaching to the choir,” Blaze said, a hint of hurt in his voice. “But I’m sure he’ll be fine. Until then, I think we need to focus on getting this weekend set up.”

Rainbow Dash sat across from her father, sipping out of her water bottle. Being on paid leave wasn’t going to prevent her from working out and practicing every day, she was far too disciplined to do anything else. Besides, it gave her a chance to be trained by her father.

She couldn’t help but smirk inwardly. A year ago, if somepony had tried to tell her that she would be looking forward to training sessions with her father, she would have laughed. Or hit them, depending on her mood at that particular moment. And yet here they were, having nearly daily sessions together.

Everyday was less awkward than the one before, and she found herself feeling more and more at ease with them, but there was still one condition that made her uncomfortable. After every session, she was required to sit down and have an hour’s conversation with her father. He rarely spoke back, he merely sat there and listened as his daughter ran down different anecdotes about her life. At first it was whatever came to mind, but it had recently taken on a chronological order, and it was getting up to Rainbow Dash’s final years of secondary school.

“And that’s how all that applesauce got into the dean’s sock drawer and how me and Gilda got kicked out of flight school.”

Spectrum sighed. “You should be thankful I still wasn’t around, I think I would have given both of you a good whipping for that.”

“I was seventeen at the time,” Dash pointed out.

“Still not an adult,” Spectrum smiled, taking a drink.

“So... are you still comfortable living with Fluttershy? Is there even any room left?”

He sighed. “Barely. I’m going to have to move out pretty soon. Even if Fluttershy’s willing, I think I’ve troubled her enough.”

“Have you given any thought to it?”

Spectrum shrugged. “Been checking the paper, nothing in my price range unfortunately,” he laughed, rubbing the back of his head. “Guess now that I’m back in shape, mostly, I ought to see if the weather team is hiring.”

Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip, looking to her father in worry. “Say, um... I think I can get you a spot on the team, if you really are willing?”

“Really?!" Spectrum beamed at his daughter. "Thank you.”

“And, about you moving into a place... how about-”

“Hey, Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow and Spectrum turned to see Blaze Stream flying up to them, carrying in his front hooves his filly friend Twilight Sparkle. When they finally reached the father and daughter duo, Blaze placed Twilight on the cloud before making their way to Dash and Spectrum.

Twilight blinked, seeing Spectrum and Dash together. She smiled awkwardly with a blush and stepped back a little. “Maybe we should ask you later-”

“No, no!” Spectrum waved his hoof and motioned the other two to come over. “Come on, take a seat.”

Blaze looked at Twilight and shrugged, walking up to where the other two were sitting and took his place next to them. “Nice day to be training today...”

“You bet!” Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk, taking another sip of her water. “So what you need, Twilight?” she asked her friend. Twilight gave her the letter and she squinted her eyes as she read through it fast. She let out a whistle, giving the letter to her father. “So the Crystal Empire’s bidding for the Equestrian Games, huh? And we’ve been invited to impress some commisioner?” she smiled as she crossed her legs behind her head. “Piece of cake.”

Spectrum nodded, looking up to the sky. “I remember when the Equestrian Games were in Cloudsdale once. Participated in them, too.”

“You did?” Rainbow Dash asked skeptically, cocking her brow at her father.

“I have the gold medals to prove it Dashie,” Spectrum responded, taking a look at the letter again. “Still... who’s going to watch over the kids?”

“That’s what we came here for actually...” Twilight said quietly.

“Oh?”

Twilight twisted her hoof into the dirt. “We were thinking... Spectrum, would you be willing to watch the foals for a weekend?”

Both members of the Rainbow family widened their eyes. “You want me to watch them? How? Where?”

“We were hoping the Apple Family would be willing to put you up. We just need you to watch over them for a few days.” Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash. “I know you and your father aren’t on the best of terms, but do you think you can trust Scootaloo to him for a day or two?”

“Actually... I think that would be fine.”

Spectrum looked at her daughter with surprise. “Really?” he said, hope in his voice.

“Yeah... actually, I wanted to talk to you about a lot of things... are you going to watch the foals?”

“...Yes, I’d love to.”

“Great,” Twilight said. “You two obviously have something to talk about, so we’ll go tell the others. We need to arrange this whole thing with the Apples, so I suggest visiting them afterward.”

Twilight and Blaze left afterward, in a bit of a hurry. This was a conversation they needed to have alone.

“Dashie... you’re really willing?”

Rainbow Dash nodded her head, finishing her bottle. “Actually... I think I want you to spend more time with her. She is your granddaughter.”

Spectrum smiled, his eyes were watering up. “I’d like that... really.”

“And, about you getting an apartment?" Rainbow's eyes looked away from her father's as she blinked, scrunching her lips before looking back. "I think, maybe... it would be better if... if... you came and lived with me.”

Spectrum felt his heart soar. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Rainbow replied, her lips quivering as she blinked continuously. “Dad... I’m so sorry I ran off like that,” she said, her eyes forming liquid with each blink she did. “I... I was young and stupid, and I didn’t think it would hurt you that much,” she spoke, looking down in sadness. “I... I want us to be a family again. So...”

Suddenly her father’s forelegs were around her, nearly crushing her in a hug. “Dashie... thank you,” he told her as he nuzzled her with his eyes closed. “And you don’t need to apologize,” he said, letting go of the hug and looking his daughter in the eye with his red-rimmed eyes. “This time, we’re together...”

Those words, along with everything that has happened to Dash since her father returned in her life, made things clear to her now. She sniffed as she began to cry and launched herself to her father, holding him tight as she was crying in his shoulder. She felt a gentle hoof on her head, stroking her head gently.

“I love you, Dashie...”

Rainbow Dash smiled broadly with her eyes closed. She raised her head and nuzzled her father, before speaking the words her father had longed to hear her say:

“I love you too, Daddy...”

Applejack was on her twentieth tree, bucking it hard for the apples it was bearing. With just one swift buck, all the apples came falling down to the buckets below collecting like raindrops on a stormy night.

Her brother Big Macintosh came walking up with his cart full of buckets and collected each one of them.

“This season’s been good to us so far, wouldn’t ya say?” Applejack asked her brother, placing buckets in her separate cart.

“Eeyup!”

“Whelp!” Applejack placed the straps of the cart on her. “Let’s head on back to the farm!” she told Big Mac, before they both made their way to Sweet Apple Acres. When the farmhouse was in view, Applejack squinted her eyes when she saw two familiar ponies standing in front of their house.

She decided to trot faster to her destination, reaching the farmhouse way before her brother did. Applejack unbuckled the straps from her torso and walked up to Twilight and Blaze.

“Well howdy there, Twi’! Howdy, Blaze!” she greeted each pony with her strong hoof-shake. “What can Ah do fer y’all today?”

Twilight used her magic and gave the letter to Applejack. “First, I need you to take a look at this.”

Applejack scanned the letter being held out in front of her by Twilight’s magic. “Well gosh, I’m not sure we can afford to go up there right now... work on th’ farm’s pretty tight.”

“Are you sure you can’t make it?” Twilight asked. “This is a summons from one of the Princesses herself. That’s not something everypony can claim to have gotten.”

“I know, but things are kind of tight right now...”

“It ain’t that bad,” Big Mac said. “You worry too much.”

“I’ve gotta be here...”

“Applejack,” Twilight said sternly, “remember Applebuck Season?”

Big Mac nodded. “Or th’ incident with the Sass Squash?”

“Sass Squash?” Blaze asked, eyebrow cocked.

“Don’t ask,” Applejack mumbled, a blush appearing on her cheeks. “I guess I could take a few days...”

“The harvestin’ is almost finished,” Big Mac said, “an’ I think we can get some members of th’ Carrot Family to help us out if it comes to it.”

“Well, there’s a second thing,” Blaze noted. “Do you think it would be okay if Spectrum were to watch the foals here on the farm while we’re in the Empire?”

“Spectrum?” Applejack said in surprise. “Dash agreed to that?”

“Apparently so,” Blaze said. “We figured they could all have fun here while we’re gone.”

“I guess that makes sense. Them young-’uns would have quite some fun runnin’ round here a few days. Big Mac, ya think ya could help Spectrum handle ‘em?”

“Spike ain’t bringin’ over any spellbooks, right?” the stallion asked, a little too quickly. The unpleasant memory of waking up in a pit with Cheerilee was not something he wanted to revisit.

“Relax, I have any books like that on a strict ‘No Foals Allowed’ policy now. You’re safe.”

“Well, I reckon it would be alright,” Big Mac said, looking thoughtful. “Maybe they could all have a sleepover in th’ clubhouse, an’ we could check on ‘em just before midnight...”

Twilight giggled, remembering her sleep over with Applejack and Rarity. “Hopefully, it won’t rain while we are away, remember, Applejack?” she asked her friend.

Applejack blushed again removing her hat from her head, covering her cheeks. “Ain’t letting that one go, are ya, Twi’?”

“What happened?” Blaze leaned in Twilight’s ear, confused as to what they were talking about.

“I’ll tell you later,” Twilight replied. “We just need to tell the foals about this,” Twilight noted to herself out loud, tapping her chin.

“Yer in luck,” Big Mac chimed in. “They’re all at their clubhouse, somethin’ about fixin’ it up I heard...”

“Great!” Blaze said, turning to the direction where the clubhouse was located. “Then let’s go and tell them...”

Apple Bloom was humming a tune, busy fixing the windows of the clubhouse from inside. The only pony who was inside with her was Pip, painting the walls of the clubhouse and working on the mural he was requested to do.

When she turned her head to Pip’s direction, she saw the colt smiling broadly as he was painting up a storm. Apple Bloom smiled too, happy to see her friend in such a state. “Ya seem happy as a pig in mud.”

“What gave it away?” Pip asked rhetorically, looking back at Apple Bloom.

“The smile,” Apple Bloom remarked, going back to her work on the windows. “Ya seem much happier lately, Pip...”

Pip shrugged. “I am indeed happy.”

“Ya need to smile more, though.”

“Oh?”

Apple Bloom nodded as she beamed. “Yeah,” she looked down to the ground, before looking back to her work. “Ah kinda find it cute...” she carelessly said out loud, gasping and covering her mouth as she blushed in embarrassment.

“Sorry?”

“Nuttin’,” she said quickly. “Uh, we best get ta gettin’ th’ clubhouse back up an’ runnin’,” she was already picking up the carpentry supplies by that time. “Ah’ll start patchin’ up th’ holes, you start paintin’ th’ back.”

Before she got a confirmation or a protest from Pip, she was off to behind the clubhouse to start working. Pip stood there for a moment, blinking in a non comprehensive stare, trying to figure out what exactly happened just now.

“Well, well,” Spike said as both Light and him strolled up to him. “It looks like there’s a new colt in the filly killer crowd.”

“Wh-what?” Pip said. “I ain’t sappy like that!”

“Maybe hanging around Fluttershy rubbed off on you,” Spike continued teasing. Light was quiet, but his smug smile was expressing all the feelings it needed to.

“Why do you gotta be doin’ this?”

“Gee, I don’t know,” Spike said in faux bafflement. “Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you’ve been teasing us about Sweetie and Scootaloo? Guess we need a triple wedding.”

“Stop it!”

“We could play seven minutes of heaven!”

“We... wait, what’s that?”

The two other colts looked at each other. “Honestly, we were hoping you’d know,” Light said. “We heard my dad whisper it to Twilight yesterday. She seemed embarrassed by it, so we thought it was some sort of game big ponies play.”

“Big ponies play romance games?”

“Back when I was growing up in the palace, Prince Blueblood told me there were all kinds of games only big ponies can play. But Mom caught him then, and she wouldn’t tell me any of them.”

Light spoke up. “Well, back when... you know... Yellow would always say...”

“Hey kids!” Twilight called out, walking up to them with her coltfriend by her side.

The colts turned to the elders ponies. “Hey, Mom,” Spike greeted his mother with a wave. “Hey, Blaze.”

“Yo!” Blaze saluted the colts and looked around the area. “The girls here, too?” he asked curiously.

“We’re here!”

Blaze looked up and saw the fillies of the Cutie Mark Crusaders coming down to meet Twilight and Blaze. “We’re not in trouble, are we?” Scootaloo questioned Blaze with her eyebrow cocked.

“Why do you kids always think you’re in trouble when we want to chat?” Blaze asked, scratching his head as he saw all the foals look up to the sky innocently as they whistled. “Anyway, nah, we just want to chat to you all about something that’s going to happen soon,” he said, looking to Twilight.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Yes... can you all come to the farmhouse in about an hour please?”

“Sure thing!” All the foals said simultaneously, smiling with their eyes closed.

“Perfect!” Twilight replied, clapping her hooves once. “Well, we’ll see you later,” she told the foals, and both her and Blaze started walking back.

“Hey, Mom?”

Twilight’s ears perked when she heard Spike’s voice. “Yes, Spike?” she turned around to face her son, looking down at him.

“What’s ‘Seven minutes in heaven’?”

Twilight’s cheeks turned beet red, and her pupils shrank too.

Blaze walked up and chuckled. “Well, Spike, that’s-” his words were cut off by a withering glare from Twilight. He gulped, chuckling again in nervousness. “We’ll tell you later.”

“Why not now, Dad?” Light asked, approaching the two sweating elder ponies.

“It’s... something special!”

“Really?” Spike and Light asked indubiously, raising their brow at Twilight and Blaze, who were retreating back slowly.

“Yeah, real special... gotta go.”

Light had never seen his dad fly off so fast. Spike had seen his mother run so fast, but it had been back when Blaze was still an enemy.

The three colts watched as the adults ran off. After a minute, it was Light who spoke.

“Do you think we’re going to get that weird when we’re old?”

As it turned out, the whole transition went smoother than any of them expected. That evening, close to sunset, six foals were at the train station to wave their parents off.

“Are you sure you have everything?” Twilight asked Spike for the hundredth time. “Toothbrush, blankets, brush...”

“Yes,” Spike sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Good. Now remember to do your magic exercises.”

“Yes, Mother,” he said.

“And remember, you are to forget about any game called Seven Minutes of Heaven.”

“But what is it?”

“Something Blaze isn’t going to get to play for awhile,” Twilight said cryptically. “It’s dangerous, anyway.”

“Dangerous? How?”

“Well, if I catch you playing it, it’s going to hurt. Understand?”

Spike gulped. “Yes.”

“Good.” She gave her son a kiss on the cheek.

Amongst the platform there was a lot of kissing, hugging, and saying goodbye, with the occasional promises to bring back souvenirs.

With the goodbyes said, the train was boarded.

The train let out a whistle and started moving away from its departure platform. Gaining speed with each second, the train let out two more whistles before it was running on full speed ahead. Twilight and Blaze decided to share a separate compartment, away from the rest of the mares. Rarity and Fluttershy opted on having their own compartment, whilst Pinkie and the others shared one.

Blaze looked out at the window, seeing the night sky in the distance and the lands before him as they were moving at high speeds. He yawned out loud, stretching his wings making his way to his bed. He caught a glimpse of Twilight, who was looking out at the window too with longing eyes.

He smiled softly, making his way to her. “Thinking of your colt already?” he asked her, placing his hooves around her neck.

Twilight nodded, with her eyes half-opened. “I just hope they’ll be fine, it’s all...”

“Well, Spectrum is looking out for them... and from what I hear, Big Macintosh is helping too,” he told her, giving her a peck on the cheek. “So don’t worry about it,”

“I guess you’re right...” Twilight smiled and turned to Blaze, nuzzling his cheek.

Blaze grinned, winking at Twilight. “Now what say we go to bed now?” he asked.

“That sounds wonderful actually,”

“Good,” Blaze reached out and scooped Twilight up in his hooves, invoking a yelp from her.

“Blaze!” she responded, Twilight’s voice barely audible as she was carried off to bed.

“What? I thought you liked this?”

Twilight pouted as she was placed in the bed. “Well, you’re still not getting ‘Seven Minutes of Heaven’ from me...”

Blaze cocked his brow as he continued to grin. “Well, you did speak of always wanting it, did you not?”

“I-I-” Twilight’s blush deepened as she turned away from Blaze’s gaze. “Still... it’s embarrassing that the foals are asking us about it!”

“Haha! Yeah, it is!” Blaze replied, chuckling as he rubbed the back of his head in defeat. “Still, you can’t blame them for being curious,” he said, climbing in the same bed as Twilight. “All part of growing up.”

“Blaze? What are you-” her words were cut off, with his lips touching hers. Twilight felt Blaze’s wing encasing her and bringing her in closer.

“Mph,” Twilight moaned, pulling away a bit. “Darn you. You’re lucky you’re so cute.” And then they kissed again.

Chapter 20

The ride up to the Crystal Empire wasn’t boring, at least not to Twilight and Blaze. They stepped off the train and onto the platform with smiles on their faces. Rarity and Fluttershy, who had been in the car next to them, gave them a few odd looks but said nothing.

“Whoa... you guys weren’t kidding,” Blaze noted as he looked around. As nice as Canterlot had been, there was a certain novelty to the Crystal Empire that the capital city could not mimic. The unusual inhabitants just added to the aesthetic.

“Yeah, well, don’t get too excited,” Twilight noted, looking over the schedule she had made for herself. “We probably won’t have time to sightsee. The Games Commissioner is notoriously hard to please. We’ll probably spend our entire weekend just showing her around.”

“Didn’t you say your brother was going to meet us here?” Rarity noted.

Blaze froze. “Her brother? Shining Armor?” he said, his pupils shrinking to the size of pencil points.

“Relax, I’m sure Shiny can behave himself,” Twilight said. “He should be...”

At that moment, the voice of the stallion in question drifted through the air. “Twiley!” Seven heads turned to see the Prince of the Crystal Empire trotting up to meet them.

“Shiny,” Twilight said, running up to nuzzle her brother. The other mares went to greet him as well, with only Blaze staying back, trying to make himself as invisible as possible.

“I’m glad you could make it up,” the unicorn said as he began leading his group of guests toward the palace. “We were hoping that having the Bearers represent this place would get it approved. The Crystal Ponies need a little pick-me-up after everything they’ve been through.”

“Wait,” Rainbow Dash said, “can’t Princess Celestia just decree where the games are held?”

“I’m afraid not,” Shining Armor said, shaking his head. “She signed away her right to do so a few decades ago, during one of her reforms.”

“Always getting closer to a democracy,” Twilight said happily.

“The games commissioner, Ms. Harshwhinny, is arriving later today,” Shining Armor continued. “It’ll be your job to show her around the Empire and convince her this will be an ideal location.”

“What do you want us to show her?”

Shining bobbed his head as he looked up to the sky. “Just show her around the empire, make her see it’s in grand condition before she meets up with Cadance and I to-” his words fell flat when his eyes landed on Blaze. The eyes narrowed as he stared at the pegasus, leaning to Twilight’s ear. “What’s he doing here?”

“I invited him, Shiny,” Twilight replied plainly, walking up to Blaze and pulling her coltfriend up to where the others were standing. “Anyway, what say we go meet Cadance now?” she asked all the ponies around her, not waiting for a reply as she walked on off. Her friends shrugged and followed her, leaving Shining and Blaze alone.

“Lead the way,” Blaze said as he grinned to the white unicorn, invoking a glare from Shining.

Shining leaned his head dangerously close to Blaze’s. “I got my eye on you.”

“Grow up.” Blaze retorted, deciding to follow the girls instead of the frustrated Shining Armor.

Cadance sighed, looking out at her window of her new throne room overlooking the empire. She was happy that her sister-in-law would be coming soon, but was also nervous with the commissioner and gaining favour from her to host the Games in the Crystal Empire.

Her eyes landed on three statues that have been crafted recently; one depicting her and Shining Armor, the latter holding her in the air like a javelin. The other with the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony standing together with their elements, and the last one was that of her nephew Spike. Cadance chuckled, remembering how the crystal ponies voted on making him an honorary member of the empire and naming a public holiday after him.

Her ears perked when she heard the doors to the throne room open. She slowly turned around and saw her husband standing in the doorway, with his sister and friends. Cadance smiled broadly, trotting up towards Twilight and the others.

“Twilight!”

“Cadance!”

Both ponies rushed up to each other, taking a stance and performing their signature greeting.

“Sunshine! Sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Both Cadance and Twilight giggled, hugging the other. Cadance nuzzled her little sister-in-law before letting go of her.

“It’s so wonderful to see you again, Twilight!” she said merrily, standing up on all fours again.

“You, too,” Twilight said.

Cadance’s gaze turned to Twilight’s coltfriend. “Blaze, good to see you, too,” she said, giving him a hug.

Shining Armor glared.

Blaze hoped he’d make it out of this weekend alive.

“Um, yes, good to see you too,” he said quickly, breaking up the hug as efficiently as possible without being rude. “We, uh, better get to work on this. Any idea when she’s going to get here?”

“Actually,” Cadance said, looking at the wall clock, “right about now.”

“Okay, girls,” Twilight said as they scanned the crowd. “We’re looking for a pony with floral print luggage.”

“Look, there’s one,” Rainbow Dash said, pointing to a rather simple looking pony with the luggage matching the description. “That’s her!”

“Hold on,” Twilight said, stopping her. Slowly, she walked up to this newcomer. “Excuse me, are you Ms. Harshwhinny?”

“I’m afraid not, darling.”

“I’m sorry, my mistake,” Twilight said, turning back to her group.

“Wow, it’s a good thing you asked her name,” Rainbow Dash noted.

“Yeah, can you imagine what would'a happened if we had shown some stranger around?” Applejack added.

“That would have been silly!” Pinkie chirped.

“Um, I think that might be her,” Fluttershy said, pointing to another pony with a floral suitcase.

“It’s worth a try,” she said, taking a deep breath and walking up to her. “Excuse me, are you Ms. Harshwhinny?”

“Yes, I am...” Ms Harshwhinny responded, shifting her scarf before looking to Twilight. “And you must be Ms Twilight Sparkle, I presume?”

Twilight flustered a little, blinking profoundly with a hint of red on her cheeks. “Y-you’ve heard about me?”

“My dear mare,” Ms. Harshwhinny said, smiling a little. “Anypony who lives in the major cities of Equestria has heard of you and your companions’ names,” she said, leaning in a little to Twilight’s ear. “Even your son is famous...”

“Oh! T-thank you...”

She looked to see all of Twilight’s friends standing behind her. “And I see the other Elements of Harmony are here to greet me, what an honour...” she said, with Twilight’s friends looking away and rubbing their heads with smiles on their muzzles. “Could you be so kind as to lead me to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, please, Ms Sparkle?”

Twilight ears perked before she cleared her throat. “A-actually, Cadance is at the moment preoccupied with royal duties.”

“Oh, I see...”

“In the meanwhile,” Twilight smiled wide to Ms. Harshwhinny. “Why don’t my friends and I show you around the city?” Twilight spoke softly, never breaking her smile.

Ms. Harshwhinny simply nodded and smiled briefly. “By all means, then,” she said, taking out a notebook and writing down something before tucking it back in her bag. “Lead the way, Ms Sparkle.”

“Right this way...”

Blaze whistled when he decided to look out to the city of the Crystal Empire. I can’t wait to show this to Light... He chuckled when he thought back to his colt, remembering how he and Light never went outside of Canterlot nor Manehatten. His ears flickered when he heard hoofsteps approach him, and he looked to his side to see Cadance.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Sure is...”

“Are you feeling alright? You seem nervous around my husband...”

“Gee, I wonder why,” Blaze said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“You know, for somepony with fire powers, you’re remarkably rattled by him,” Cadance noted. “Back during the Bloodwing incident, just one of you could cause the Elements of Harmony trouble.”

Cadance’s words caused him to jump a bit in surprise. His powers, the ones he had forgotten he had.

“It seems so long ago,” he said, looking out over the Empire. “Almost like it was a different pony it happened to.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I never thought it would be like this,” he said. “Over a month ago I thought the only way out would be either Bloodwing winning or me being arrested. It seemed so hopeless. I never thought I could give Light the life he deserved, let alone be there to enjoy it with him. Now look, he’s my son, he’s going to get a mother if things work out between me and Twi, I’m a Wonderbolt... it’s pretty overwhelming.”

He summoned some flames on his wings and looked at them for a moment. “I hated these powers. But I never thought I could be separated from them. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think I was normal.”

“Celestia couldn’t change you back?”

“She could, but wouldn’t. It’s part of the deal, I have to use them to serve Equestria if the need ever comes up.”

“Well, can’t you use them for tricks? I’m pretty sure the Wonderbolts could think of something flashy for you.”

“Believe me, I think Spitfire’s already on it,” he sighed.

“You don’t sound too happy about that.”

After a moment, he smiled. “You know, I’m actually happy I’m unhappy, if that makes any sense. Before I was free, Light was all I cared about. Nothing else mattered, because everything revolved around protecting him. Now... well, I still do that, but I have help. My fiends... I have friends now... they take some of the pressure off. I have time to be me again. I think... I think maybe that’s why Celestia required me to spend time with Twilight and the Wonderbolts. She knew I needed some time away from Light.”

Cadance smiled fondly at his words, walking slowly up towards him. “Friends will always help you out,” she said as she looked out the window, where she swore she saw Twilight and the others. “And love will always find a way...”

“I guess so,” Blaze laughed a bit, before his eyes looked up to Cadance’s hair. “Hate to change the subject, but why you have your hair studded in jewels?”

“Oh!” Cadance giggled, blushing a moment. “It’s for the commissioner, something of a ‘necessity’ my aunt told me...”

Blaze tilted his head, cocking his eyebrow. “You think she was just pulling your leg?” he asked plainly, taking Celestia’s joking behaviour into consideration.

“The thought had occurred to me...”

Before either pony could speak any further, the door opened up again. This time, Shining Armor entered the room. He was wearing his ceremonial armor, which were made of pure crystal.

“Cadie, the commissioner will be here soon and-” his words were cut short when he looked to the pony keeping his wife company.

“I’ll be there now, Shiny,” she replied to her husband, before turning her attention to Blaze. “It was nice talking to you, Blaze, but I must be off to-”

“Say no more,” Blaze chimed in, raising his hoof and grinning. “Go out there and wow the commissioner with that shiny hair of yours,” he told her with humor behind his voice, not noticing Shining glaring at him and a stress mark appearing on the unicorn’s forehead.

Cadance giggled again, nodding at his words. “I just hope I don’t look like an idiot with this,” she muttered, walking to the door with her husband. “I’ll see you later.” she said, before leaving the room.

Shining looked at Blaze again, narrowing his eyes at the pegasus. He walked out of the room, leaving Blaze alone with his thoughts.

As he shrugged with his eyes closed, Blaze looked back at his wings and flared them up again. He sighed, thinking of the power he held inside of him. I suppose I could practice with my powers a little, maybe not only for tricks alone... He looked out of the window again, furrowing his eyebrow to the horizon. Never hurts to be prepared for the future...

“Well then, I think I’ve seen enough,” Ms. Harshwhinny said. “I think this will be the perfect for the Games.”

Six pairs of eyes lit up in excitement. Cadance managed to stay better restrained. “You’ve truly decided?”

“The Crystal Empire is already becoming a prime tourism spot, and I had such a great time I believe that this will be the perfect place.”

“That’s great!” Cadance said. “Why don’t we step into my office and handle the paperwork?”

The group went silent as the Princess of the Crystal Empire led the Games Commissioner out of the rotunda. After a moment, when they were sure they were out of earshot, the crowd cheered.

“Yes, yes! We did it!

“And in record time too,” Rarity declared. “I must say, this trip turned out to be quite the success.”

“Then let’s party!” Pinkie said, pulling out a party blower and blowing it as hard as she could.

“Uh, Pinkie, maybe we outta save th’ fun stuff fer when th’ games are on,” Applejack deadpanned.

“Silly Applejack. You don’t need to save fun! There’s plenty to go around!”

“I must agree with Applejack,” Rarity said. “Why not just go out to dinner? The six of us, Cadance, and Shining Armor... and Blaze of course,” she added, turning to Twilight.

The lavender mare simply smiled. “That sounds good. I’ll go find him... and get the chefs to put on a meal for us.”

Blaze’s practice was a bit difficult. He had chosen the stadium where the games would be held to work out a bit. However, apparently Shining Armor had apparently told the guards to keep an eye on him, because they were watching him with an intense look that made him uncomfortable.

He finally got tired of it, and had just decided to land and head back inside.

Blaze huffed, as he caught his breath. He took a towel that lay on the bench and wiped the sweat of his forehead. He saw the guards still looking at him, with eyes never leaving their assigned spot.

“You know,” Blaze sighed, raising his eyebrow at the guard. “You don’t have to look at me all the time...”

“Captain’s orders, to keep a close eye on you.”

“Fine,” Blaze sighed out in frustration and was about to leave, when he saw the Shining Armor at the door.

“You done with exercise today?” he asked rather casually, not glaring at him one bit.

“Yeah...” Blaze replied cautiously, cocking his eyebrow. “Why the change of attitude?” he asked Shining curiously.

“I dunno what you mean.”

“Whatever.”

Shining cleared his throat before furrowing his brow slightly. “But I do have a challenge for you, if you not too tired.”

Blaze’s ears perked at the word ‘challenge’. “What kind of challenge?”

“A duel,” Shining replied plainly, smiling a little at Blaze.

“A duel?” Blaze repeated Shining’s words, with the latter nodding and keeping his smile. “With whom?”

“Me.”

The guard next to Shining was flabbergasted at the challenge’s conditions. He gulped nervously as his eyes widened, and he stared at Blaze who didn’t show any reaction to this. Does he even know the Captain’s record of victories in duels?

Blaze shrugged, closing his eyes. “Sure,” he answered Shining and opened his eyes again to reveal a glint of confidence in them.

“Good,” Shining said, as his smile turned sinister.

“Any other rules?”

“Just the basic ones. We stay in the ring. If you get knocked out, give up, or, and this better not happen, kill somepony, you're disqualified. Oh, and out-of-bounds counts as more than twenty meters above the arena, so no using your flying to get too high.”

“Makes sense.”

“Oh, and none of that freaky fire magic you have. This will be a pure strength battle.”

Blaze arched an eyebrow. “Afraid I might whoop ya?”

“No, I just want to keep this safe. I’m not even going to use magic. Deal?”

“Fine. After you,” he said, motioning for him to step toward the combat circle. Shining Armor went in with his head held high, with Blaze right behind him, looking equally confident but nowhere near as disciplined about it.

The two stood on the circular arena, standing face-to-face. Flash Sentry raised his wings. “Ready? ...Begin.”

In a flash, the two stallions lunged at each other. Shining Armor pulled his opponent in a headlock.

“See? I already got...”

He was cut off when Blaze gave him a swift kick in the gut. He wheezed and fell back, giving a groan. Blaze tried to follow up his attack, but Shining Armor didn’t get to be head of the guards by being easy to defeat,and countered Blaze's attack by pushing him to one side.

“Not gonna be that easy,” he smirked.

“Could have fooled me,” Blaze shot back. He was rewarded with a low kick that missed him completely, as he was up in the air much too fast.

Shining Armor rose to his hooves and stood there, waiting. Blaze would have to dive bomb him to attack.

He was correct, and though Blaze was much faster than he anticipated, Shining still got a hoof underneath his chin, knocking him back.

Both ponies ended up on the ground, Shining Armor rolling from being tackled and Blaze clutching his chin in pain.

“You’re better than you look,” Shining Armor praised.

Blaze moved his jaw and chuckled. “You’re not half bad yourself,” he returned the praise.

Shining stood up from the ground and narrowed his eyes as he smirked. “Why don’t we make this interesting?” he lit up his horn and began to charge magic in it. “I can use magic and you can use yours...”

Standing up from, Blaze looked on to Shining before his move moved again. A slow grinned formed, and his wings began to lit up in flames. The flames were not exclusive to his wings only, as his torso was also coated in flames along with his hair. “You won’t forget this,” Blaze merely told him, before vanishing from Shining’s sight.

Shining squinted his eyes to focus on Blaze’s location, before he heard the sound of fire sizzling to his side. Immediately, he put up a shield to withstand the hoof that Blaze readied for him. The hoof impacted with the shield, creating an explosion of flame.

Blaze grinned as he flew backwards, seeing Shining’s shield still holding. “That shield of yours is pretty good.”

“So is that fiery punch of yours,” Shining complimented his opponent with a wry smile. I just hope I can beat him without going all out on him... “Here I come!” Shining galloped towards Blaze, his horn shined bright. When he thought he was near his target, he released a laser of magic that went through the wall on the other side.

Having dodged in time, Blaze was shocked to hear a loud boom on the outside. If that had hit me... He had no time to react, seeing Shining prepare another one. Blaze’s brow furrowed as he focused his power, and his wings caught fire again. He flew upwards and tucked his wings in for a second, before unfurling them to release fire that created a barrier with them inside of it.

Shining whistled as he started sweating. “That’s a nice trick there...”

“You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Blaze decided to fly directly to Shining, with the latter stepping one side. When Shining thought he was going to turn around, he looked back to see Blaze missing. He looked around him but found him nowhere. Before he could react, Blaze jumped out of the flames and proceeded in sending projectiles at Shining. With the unicorn deflecting the attacks, Blaze decided to tackle him again.

With quick reaction, Shining charged up a beam and sent it Blaze who was a mere inch away from him. A loud explosion come afterwards, and the dome of fire dissipated. When the flames cleared, two exhausted stallions stood facing each other. Both stallions eyed the other before charging towards each other, screaming a battle cry.

“Knock it off!”

Suddenly a purple aura surrounded them both, lifting the two stallions in the air. Their protests died when they saw a very angry Twilight and an equally angry Cadance glaring at them.

“What in Equestria do you two think you’re doing?” Twilight demanded angrily.

The two full grown stallions, at that moment, looked like colts with their hooves caught in the cookie jar. “We were just, uh...” Shining Armor stuttered.

“Just having a friendly sparring match,” Blaze said quickly. “Yes. Just a friendly match.”

“Really?” Twilight said with a lifted eyebrow. “It seemed far from friendly to me.” She lowered them down, though she still seemed angry.

“Well, we’re stallions, it just got a little...”

“I thought I made it clear I didn’t want either of you...”

She trailed off as Cadance trotted over, with some difficulty due to her showing belly, and smacked her husband upside the head. “What were you thinking?”

“Dear...”

“Shiny, you’re going to be a father soon. Is that what you want to teach our foal? To go around beating up ponies he doesn’t like?”

“Dear, it wasn’t like that...”

“Shiny, nothing you say is going to stop me...”

As it turns out, Shining Armor didn’t try to say anything. He just swept his wife up and planted a deep kiss on her lips. Cadance went from being shocked to melting into the action.

As they pulled apart, leaving a dazed and swooning Twilight, Blaze muttered, “You’re good.”

“I can’t believe that!” Twilight yelled. “Cadance, how could you...”

Blaze decided to go for broke as well, sweeping Twilight off her hooves and planting a kiss on her.

They pulled apart. Twilight smacked him.

“Ow!” Blaze rubbed his chin soothingly to ease the stinging pain. “What was that for?!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed. “You know exactly why, you fight with my brother and use your pyrotechnics on him to-”

“Twilight...”

The lavender unicorn’s ears perked at Cadance calling her. She turned her head slowly to see Cadance not smiling at her. The alicorn shook her head with her eyes closed and opened them again to look Twilight directly in the eye. Twilight sighed and used her magic to heal Blaze’s stinging cheek.

“Just please don’t do that again,” she told him, bringing her eyes closer to his. “Got it memorized?” she mimicked his favourite saying.

“You got it.”

Twilight smiled and decided to repay him with a heartfelt kiss of her own, that both ponies melted into the embrace. When Twilight was free from his lips, she stood up with Blaze on all four hooves. Blaze nearly collapsed from standing as he suddenly felt pain in his front hoof. “Oh my gosh!” Twilight reached out for him and held him close. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, no worry... just a little sting,” Blaze replied, standing on the hoof again. His face contorted slightly as he felt a surge of pain.

Twilight furrowed her brow and used her magic to encase the hoof in a protective aura. She turned to her brother, glaring at him. “I’ll talk to you later,” the only reply she got from him was a gulp and a grim look on his face. “Blaze, let’s go back to our room...” she spoke softly to her colt friend and together they walked past Flash Sentry.

Shining looked as though he sighed a death wish when Twilight gave him that look. His head turned slowly to his wife. “I’m in so much trouble, aren’t I?”

Cadance merely sighed and nodded her head. “Yes, you are,” she said plaintively. “Oh, and Shining.”

“Yes?”

“You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” she gave him a quick peck before rushing off to meet Twilight and Blaze.

Shining’s jaw was agape and he fell on his haunches. His lips were quivering as he stared out to the beyond. Flash Sentry’s eyes darted to every corner until he saluted his captain and flew off with all haste. Shining merely sat there dumbfounded at what happened.

“Cadie...”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t hide her amusement as she watched Shining Armor walk back toward the palace. She laughed uproariously, finding the whole thing quite amusing.

Eventually the laughter died down and she kicked back on her cloud, looking down at the various other ponies flying and competing. She might join in tomorrow morning and fly a few laps, if she had the time.

She thought of her father. He would have loved this. It was almost a shame he couldn’t come.

She smiled as she thought of her daughter and him, having a good time with each other. She remembered seeing what a wreck he had been just weeks ago, a pitiful drunk missing his child. In just a short amount of time, he was looking like his old self, at least as close as somepony who had been through what he had been through could look.

She kicked back and looked at the stars which were just starting to come out. Her father and her were a family again, Scootaloo had a nice colt, her friends were all getting families of their own. So much was changing so fast.

And yet, just lying here thinking about it, she decided she was just fine with that.

Chapter 21

“... and that’s how I met your grandmother.”

Scootaloo sat on her haunches as she listened to her grandfather’s past. She was in awe at his past accomplishments, with a broad smile forming on her muzzle. My family is so awesome!

“Wow!” Scootaloo finally spoke loudly as she got up from her sitting position. “So you were a gold medalist at the Equestrian Games?”

Spectrum shrugged as he smiled confidently. “It was only the Cloudsdale Equestrian Games, but yeah, I won about four gold medals in each of the four events I took part in,” he chuckled at Scootaloo’s sparkling eyes. Melody, she looks just like you...

“Scootaloo!”

Both grandfather and granddaughter turned to see a speeding white pegasus flying towards. “Scootaloo, we’re finishing up the slide at the clubhouse! We need your-” he stopped when he saw Spectrum’s intimidating eyes.

Spectrum lowered his head and gazed at Light for a moment before looking at Scootaloo. “Who’s your friend?” he asked curiously.

“This is Light,” she pointed out and went over to nuzzle Light. “My coltfriend,”

“Is that so?” Spectrum asked and gave Light another intimidating look that made the poor colt’s knees weak. “So Light...”

“Y-yes, sir?”

“You seem to have quite a knack at flying?” he asked, taking the colt’s speed into account.

“W-well, my brother is training me at the moment and-”

“What do you want to do with flying?”

Light and Scootaloo blinked, both tilting their heads to the side. “Excuse me?”

Spectrum cleared his throat. “What do you want to do with flying?” his voice strangely turned colder, scaring both foals a little. “What is your dream?”

“I-I,” Light uttered out before gulping down and looking into the stallion’s eyes with a spark of confidence. “I want to be the best Wonderbolt ever!” he shouted proudly, surprising Spectrum who took a step back.

“Heh... just like me at your age... you’re going to do just fine, kid.” He ruffled his mane affectionately.

“Th-thanks.”

“Eh, you both get on with the clubhouse. You only have about another day.”

“No problem!” they said happily, running off toward the treehouse with cries of goodbye.

He looked at them running off and thought a moment. Light had the spark needed, at least as far as he could see. He needed to build up that confidence. He had a cutie mark for flying so he had potential.

“Ya seem interested in somethin’,” Big Mac noted, walking up to the intrigued pegasus.

“That kid...” he said slowly, eyeing Light until he was gone. A smile presented itself on Spectrum’s muzzle. “I think I found the pony I’m going to train after Rainbow Dash.”

The large stallion looked at him, who had just made it to the treehouse and was getting boards and nails into his grip by Apple Bloom. “Him? I must admit, I’m a bit surprised.”

He looked at him with an arched eyebrow. “Why?”

“Well, not ta be insultin’, but he’s kinda a wimp. I can’t really blame him, since he’s been a prisoner his whole life...”

“Wait,” he said suddenly. “That’s the foal that Bloodwing was holding hostage?”

“Sure is,” he muttered. “He’s kinda cowardly. Th’ first few weeks, he was jumpin’ at every little thing. He’s gotten better since then, but he still seems a little jumpy.”

“He just needs a bit of confidence,” he said. “I think I can do that. Maybe.” He was quiet again. “I never had to build confidence in somepony with PTSD.”

“Th’ colt needs ta build up himself a bit,” Big Mac agreed. “His bro... sorry, his pa is doin’ a pretty good job.”

He nodded. “I think I want to talk to him... what’s his name?”

“Blaze.”

“Well, I’ll see if it’ll be alright with him if I taught him a few things.” Spectrum yawned, stretching his hooves. “Do you have any of that famous Apple Cider my daughter keeps talking about?”

Big Mac grinned and nodded. “Eeyup! Follow me.”

Apple Bloom wiped the sweat off of her forehead, taking a breather to admire the works she has done to the newly added construct. The slide was coming along nicely, though it lacked the paint and the added bolts to keep it in place. When she was done inspecting the slide, she saw Light and Scootaloo approaching.

“That looks awesome,” Scootaloo looked at the near completed slide when she stopped next to Apple Bloom.

“I’ll say,” Apple Bloom agreed, turning back to the uncompleted project. “It just needs a few things before it’s all good to go,” Just as she said the last words, the others heard whistling and saw Pip coming towards them with a saddlebag and a cart filled with buckets of paint. “Perfect timing!” Apple Bloom told him gladly with a broad smile.

Pip grinned and unhooked the cart from his back. “Good thing I kept these away from me mum’s place,” his smile turned sour when he furrowed his brow. “Otherwise, that fallen angel rabbit would have tossed them away... blooming tosser!”

“What’s it like living with Fluttershy?” Light asked with a degree of interest, ignoring his friend’s grief with a particular bunny.

The earth pony colt smiled broadly as he looked up to the sky. “It’s great. I don’t have to worry meself about a meal every time or freezing in my sleep every night now,” he said as he sighed. “To finally have a proper mum in my life is such joy...” had he looked to Apple Bloom, he would have seen the filly nearing a sob with how awful he had it before Fluttershy took him in.

Apple Bloom sniffed and quickly wiped the moisture from her eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking. “Well, now since y’all are here, we need to get this slide of ours painted over,” she told her friends, reaching out for a bucket from the cart. “Let’s all get to it!”

“Wait a tic!” Pip raised his hoof in protest. “Where’s Spike and Sweetie Belle?” he looked around but there was no sight of the two unicorns.

Light shrugged. “No idea.”

“Maybe they’re having a mushy moment?”

Scootaloo’s words were like a switch. As soon as they left her mouth, the pair burst out of the clubhouse, looking red-faced from both anger and embarrassment.

“We were not!”

“We’re just fixing things!”

“You shouldn’t be making fun of us!”

“Yeah, we see you get mushy all the time!”

Now Scootaloo was blushing. “We do not!”

“Oh yeah? I heard you call him...”

Scootaloo’s hoof filled Spike’s mouth, her words coming out through gritted teeth. “Don’t. You. Dare. Finish. That. Sentence!”

“Why?” Sweetie said, now highly interested.

“N-nothing,” Light said, looking completely red. “Shouldn’t we get back to...”

But Pip was never one to pass up a chance to rib his friends about their love lives. “Aw, what’s wrong, Light? You afraid that yer...”

Scootaloo’s hoof decked him across the cheek. “That’s enough!”

“We need to get you a fillyfriend,” Spike sighed.

“What! No way...”

“Hey! Maybe I could get mah cutie mark in datin’ services!”

“Wh-what?” Like just about everypony in town, he knew about the incident with Big Mac and Miss Cheerilee. “No way!”

“Hmm... maybe Mom still has that book around...” Spike mused.

“I... uh... hey, Apple Bloom, maybe we should get back to work,” Pip said quickly, grabbing his paint. “I think I’ll get started on that mural.”

With that, the small Earth Pony ran toward the wall and started painting furiously, as if it could drown out the gossip.

Apple Bloom giggled at Pip’s antics, but the giggling stopped when she saw all her friends eyeing her with glee. “W-wha’?”

“Maybe we found the right filly for Pip...” Spike said as his eyes shimmering mischievously to the yellow filly.

Apple Bloom panicked and gulped nervously. “A-Ah’m gonna go get more nails!” she dashed off to the farmhouse, leaving the other four friends behind laughing. When the mirth finally died down, Sweetie Belle was the first to clear her throat and look back to where Apple Bloom ran off to.

“You really think she is a good match for Pip, Spike?” she asked her coltfriend, who was recovering from his laughing fit.

“Yeah, I got a feeling that they are.”

“A feeling?”

Spike shrugged. “My mom told me to always trust my instincts, and my instincts are telling me that those two are destined to be together.”

“Are you sure?” Light asked skeptically, looking back to the clubhouse where he heard Pip painting furiously. “What makes you think they’re compatible? They’re so different from each other.”

“Like you and your Scootie-Pootie?”

Scootaloo’s orange fur turned redder as she was filled to the brink with embarrassment and anger. “Spike!” she yelled out and charged to Spike, who decided to run for it. “Come back here!”

“In your dreams!”

Sweetie Belle sighed as she planted a hoof to her face, looking at Scootaloo hunting Spike down. She looked to Light who only smiled at the scene. “Aren’t you going to stopt her? He is kinda like your brother.”

“And ruin the comedy? No way. Besides, aren’t you going to stop Scoots?”

The unicorn shrugged. “Can’t stop that filly once she is fueled up.”

“Awww,” Light turned to Sweetie with a grin. “But you're his Sweetie Pie, surely you-” he stopped when he saw the withering glare from Sweetie Belle. “Uh... bye!” he flew off at the speed of his namesake, leaving the unicorn filly alone grinding her teeth.

“Must ‘ave been hard lookin’ after yerself,” Big Mac said sympathetically. “I can’t imagine how I’d react if I lost mah sisters.”

Spectrum was quiet for a minute. “How did your parents die?”

Big Mac was silent for a minute. “We were orphaned real young. I was only fifteen at the time. Mah pa died right after Ma got pregnant with Apple Bloom. Some dern filly ran into th’ Everfree Forest, an’ he chased after her. Some timberwolves got to ‘em. Ma was heartbroken, but she was happier when Apple Bloom was born. Then, a year later, she didn’t look at th’ weather schedule properly an’ was out when a thunderstorm was planned. Lightnin’ hit a tree, and...”

Spectrum nodded sadly. “I can imagine that was hard...”

“On all of us. It hurt Granny th’ most, I think. I hear it’s th’ worst thing imaginable to outlive yer foal...”

Spectrum shuttered at the thought of Rainbow Dash dying. “It is. Just losing her nearly killed me...”

“Granny loved her son, an’ she loved Ma like she was her own. She was mopey for a year, but she picked herself back up eventually.”

“I would never guess,” Spectrum said. “She sure seems happy enough.”

“At my age, youngin’, ya can’t afford ta be mopey,” Granny Smith cackled with a laugh, joining in. “I lost both mah foals, sure, but me bein’ mopey ain’t gonna bring ‘em back. ‘Sides, I only got another few years left, I figure I better enjoy ‘em.”

“Well... I guess that’s a good attitude,” Spectrum said smiling.

“Frankly, I figured you’d wanna be out there livin’ more. Ya pretty much wasted yer life after yer wife passed on, is what I hear.”

“Granny...” Big Mac said disapprovingly, but Spectrum waved him off.

“She’s right... if I hadn’t been moping around, Rainbow Dash might not have flown off.”

“Ya gotta be strong fer yer loved ones,” Granny said simply.

Spectrum gave off a laugh and nodded. “Yes, you’re right...” he took a sip of the apple cider. “I got to be strong for both my daughter and granddaughter.”

Granny Smith cackled another laugh. “To think yer a grampy already, yer as spry as fresh apples!”

“So they say.”

Just as Granny was about to speak again, Apple Bloom came running into the house with her face flustered and sweating profoundly. “G-Granny! Where are the nails?”

“Well, uh...” Granny tapped her chin, looking upwards in thought. “Ain’t they in the drawer?”

Apple Bloom scratched through the one drawer, until her face lit up as though she won the jackpot. “Gottit, thanks Granny!”

“Hold yer horses, Apple Bloom!”

The filly stopped in her tracks with Granny Smith’s authoritative voice. “Y-ye?”

“Why’re ye as red as Big Mac?”

Apple Bloom didn’t answer her, only shuffling her hooves nervously. “Granny, not now please...”

“Is It that there colt of young Fluttershy? He seems like a real catch th-” before Granny could finish, Apple Bloom dashed out of the house even quicker than when she came in. The old mare merely laughed again. “She got it bad, love finding her at such a youn’ age.”

Big Mac scrunched his lips as he looked out of the window. “If that colt tries something funny, he ain’t gonna-”

“Oh hush, ye!” Granny Smith interrupted Big Mac with a waving hoof. “Ye and Applejack need to find yerself ponies, Ah want to have great-grandkids before Ah go!” she told her eldest grandchild, who was now looking shyly away. “Didn’t ye say ye had a thing for that there primsy friend of Applejack? What’s her name, Rar-”

“Granny! Not now!”

“Rarity! That’s right! Ye always giving her a fine eye when she is with Applejack,” she remembered some occasions when Big Mac was near Applejack’s friends. “Perhaps Ah should ask that there Twi’ to make special brew of love cider just fer-”

“G-Granny!” Big Mac stuttered, causing her and Spectrum to laugh.

“And that, young ‘un, is th’ best part bout bein’ a parent,” she said sagely. She eyed Spectrum. “What ‘bout you? Any filly you thinkin’ ta get yer eye on?”

Spectrum shrugged. “I don’t know... I don’t think anypony could replace Melody. But...” he grinned a lecherous grin, one that wouldn’t be out of place on the old Spectrum. “That Fluttershy is pretty cute...”

He didn’t think it was possible, but Big Mac blushed even harder. “What? She’s young enough to be your daughter!”

“See, that’s the thing about being my age: you can date somepony that young and not break any laws. Besides, she has a cute flank.”

Granny howled with laughter while Big Mac blinked. “You're not serious, are you?”

“Of course not. My relationship with Dashie is bad enough without giving her a mother young enough to be her sister. Besides, I didn’t think I’d ever get to this point back when I was a teenager, but I think I’ll pass on getting another mare.”

“Too bad…” Granny started batting her lashes to Spectrum with a demure smile. “Yer such a spry thing.”

Now it was Spectrum’s turn to blush.

Night eventually fell on the farm. A large dinner that came with a lot of Apple Pie was served, and then they turned in, Spectrum taking the farmhouse’s guest room while the foals slept in sleeping bags in the clubhouse.

It had been late by their standards by the time they had actually fallen asleep. They all nodded off eventually, letting themselves enter Luna’s domain.

“Mmm... hmm...” Scootaloo began mumbling in her sleep. tossing and turning. “Mmm... no...”

Then she jerked awake, her heart pounding. She took a few deep breaths.

It was happening again. The nightmares had come back.

They had faded over the past few days, the excitement of life having got in the way. But here she was, away from her mother for the first time, and they had started up.

Scootaloo lifted her head and wiped her eyes away from the buildup of tears. When she removed her hooves from her eyes, she saw one of the sleeping bags empty. She looked around and finally saw the missing pony just outside the clubhouse.

Spike looked up to the stars and sighed. He didn’t feel tired anymore, thanks to the nightmare of his own. He slowly closed his eyes, but they quickly opened again when he heard hoofsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Scootaloo approaching.

“Can’t sleep?” Scootaloo asked casually, albeit softly to not wake the others.

“Yeah,” Spike replied dryly. “You too?”

Scootaloo nodded and took a seat next to Spike. “What’s your excuse?”

“A nightmare,” Spike said dismissively, looking up to the stars again. “Judging by the way you look, you also had one?”

“Yeah...” Scootaloo looked down and and shuffled her hooves. “I just can’t get that sicko out of my mind.”

“I know how you feel.”

Scootaloo bit her lower lip, looking to Spike. “It’s just... just when I thought my life would be perfect now, I still have all these nightmares...”

Spike titled his head, cocking his eyebrow. “Life’s not perfect,” he looked back to the sky again. “I should know that perfectly, having had to deal with lots of stuff in my life... and these nightmares aren’t really helping,”

“Yeah, finding out you're a creation for a failed experiment isn’t a confidence booster.”

“Neither is finding out you started existence as a doll.”

Both foals sighed and looked down to the floor. Spike was the first to speak. “Well, it’s also not the worst thing in the world...”

Scootaloo looked at him oddly, figuring out his words. “What?”

“I mean, at least we got family and friends to be there for us...”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo smiled softly, thinking back to all the happy moments she has had with her mother and her friends since the incident.

“You think Bloodwing really died?”

Spike’s voice was so low that Scootaloo could feel her ears straining to hear it, and yet at the same time it cut through the night air, being heard as clear as a bell. “You mean, do you think he’s still out there?”

“Yeah. What if there’s some clone out there or something? He wouldn’t even need any of his science, if he came across something like the Mirror Pool...”

“Please don’t talk like that,” Scootaloo said, pressing her hooves against her ears. “I don’t even want to think about it. It’s bad enough Black is still alive...”

“I wouldn’t worry. Every report my mom has gotten says that after being gentled, he’s been pretty unresponsive. The guards are having to force-feed him to even get him to eat.”

Scootaloo blinked, trying to picture the sadistic pony acting in such a way. “I wonder why.”

Now Spike was looking at her incredulously. “He was given the power to use magic and then lost it! I don’t know how you can handle it!” He reached up and prodded his horn. “I don’t think I could ever give this up.”

“I’m not an alicorn,” Scootaloo said quickly. “I don’t need a horn. Besides, I’m used to doing everything without hands, you aren’t.”

Spike grimaced at that. Then he realized he hadn’t missed having hands in a while.

“I guess... at the end of everything, it all worked out for us,” he said. “If Bloodwing hadn’t come around, I’d still be a dragon, you’d still be homeless, Light and Blaze would still be prisoners...”

“You’re acting like we should be thanking him,” Scootaloo commented dryly.

“No, not him,” Spike clarified. “Maybe the Creator...”

There was silence for a few minutes as both foals just sat, unsure of what to say.

“You think my mom will ever find somepony?” Scootaloo asked.

“Hm?”

“I mean... it would be kind of nice to have a dad...”

Spike bit his lower lip at Scootaloo’s moist eyes. He so wanted to tell her about how his mother and Blaze were planning a date for both Rainbow Dash and Soarin. But his mother made him Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony about it, even Scootaloo. Because breaking a Pinkie Promise is the fastest way to lose a friend.

“Well,” Spike rubbed the back of his head. “I’m sure Dash will find a proper stallion, sooner or later...” he said softly as he lowered his eyelids. “I mean, heck! She’s so popular, the other stallions are surely holding their eyes on her...”

“I suppose,” she turned her head to Spike’s. “Must be cool to have Blaze dating Twilight, he might as well be your father!”

Spike scrunched his lips. “It’s just so weird really, all this happening so fast... like we’re on a spinning plate and the whole world’s passing us by.”

“You sound like an old coot!” Scootaloo giggled, placing a hoof to her mouth.

“Am not!” Spike protested and yawned. “I’m off to bed, night night.” he bid Scootaloo goodnight and walked on inside, leaving Scootaloo alone with her thoughts.

Scootaloo looked up to the sky again, thinking back on her first camping trip how she had nightmares thanks to her mother’s story telling. I wish Luna was here to help us with these nightmares...

Your wish is my command.

Her eyes shot open as she lifted her head up sharply to the voice inside her head. She looked around, until she finally looked to the moon and saw the silhouette of an alicorn coming towards her. She gasped and beamed when she said alicorn landed outside the clubhouse, looking regal and yet friendly to anypony.

“Princess Luna!” Scootaloo came rushing down to greet the princess of the night. “What are you doing here?”

“We- I was flying over Ponyville when I heard the crying in you and your friends’ dreams and so it was my duty to see to it,” she lowered her muzzle down to the filly’s level and looked at her with caring eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“F-fine, I guess.”

“Young lady, it’s not very nice to lie...”

“W-well...” she trailed off, half out of embarrassment and half out of being unsure what to say.

“Are you afraid, my dear?” she asked. “Do you still live in nightmares about Bloodwing?”

“Well...” she gave a sigh. “I guess I still am. I don’t know why. I haven’t had a nightmare in weeks, and now this happens.”

“And why is that?” the Princess said kindly.

Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head in deep thought. “Well, I guess... I guess there was a lot going on.” Then she lit up. “I got my cutie mark! See, see!”

Luna smiled as the filly showed her the mark. Even thousands of years later, she remembered getting her own cutie mark, and excitedly showing it off.

“Yes, it’s very nice,” Luna said gently. “Do you suppose the reason you no longer had nightmares was because you simply moved forward with life?”

“Well... I guess that makes sense...”

“Indeed it does.” The alicorn pulled Scootaloo under her wing, putting her in a feathery embrace as she continued talking. “Scootaloo, I’ve had many horrible experiences in my life, before I ever became NightMare Moon. It was dwelling on these things that led to my fall. Ever since I returned, I’ve done my best to move on, and that is the advice I give to you. Fear will never bring you happiness.

“But... but it’s so hard...”

“Yes it is. Anything worth having is hard. Simply do your best, little one. Happiness will come with time.”

“You really think so?”

“I did not become co-ruler of Equestria for nothing,” the Princess said slyly, removing her wing. “If that is all, I must attend to Master Spike at the moment. He has similar fears I must alleviate.”

“Of course, Princess! And thank you again!”

With a wisp of smoke, Princess Luna vanished.

Chapter 22

With a groan and hesitant eyes, Blaze Stream awoke to the sun shining through his room. He looked out over the empire, where the crystals sparkled as the sun’s rays shone upon it. Blaze had to admit that it was beautiful, but when he heard a second voice next to him, he smiled down upon that which found even more beautiful.

Twilight fluttered her eyes open and looked up to the face of her coltfriend lying next to her. She smiled softly at him, feeling his hoof running through her mane. “Morning, Blaze,” she she greeted, closing her eyes to the touch of his gentle hoof.

“Morning, my princess...” he replied back, kissing her gently on her soft lips.

“You know I’m not a princess,” Twilight giggled, raising her head to be on level with Blaze’s.

“Too bad, would have been interesting to see you with wings,” he said, slyly placing his hooves to her ribs before engaging his attack via tickles.

Twilight laughed and squirmed, finally getting away from the menacing hooves. “Well, I don’t think I could handle the stress of being a princess.”

“I dunno about that. You seemed pretty fine handling that commissioner.”

“That was only one situation where I was making hundreds of checklists, setting up events for royalty, reorganizing the library-”

“About that,” Blaze raised his hoof to silence her for the moment. “I think we ought to only sort out the books in category from now on... makes things easier for both you, the librarian, and for the pony looking for a book.”

Twilight smiled sheepishly, her face imitating a tomato. “You really think so?” she asked, looking into his eyes.

“Yeah, I mean it’s cool to be organized in life... but too much of a good thing is equivalent to a bad thing...”

“Like medicine?”

“Like medicine,” Blaze mimicked Twilight to prove his point.

Twilight nodded and smiled before looking out to the window, taking in the beautiful view. “It’s a lovely day today, isn’t it?”

“Sure is.”

“Why don’t we go out around the Empire today? Maybe we can find some souvenirs to take back to Spike and Light.”

“You mean like a date? With your brother around? He’s probably got every guard in the city keeping an eye on us.”

“Relax, Cadance took care of that.”

“For how long?”

Twilight thought for a minute. “Good point. Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you and Shining spend some time together?”

“...What?”

“Yeah! When you spent some time with Spike, the two of you got along better. Maybe we need the same thing here.”

“Spike didn’t have the desire or ability to kill me!”

“And neither does Shiny... well, maybe the ability, but...”

“I’m not doing this.”

Twilight blinked. This had been the first time he had flat out refused to do something she wanted.

“Please?” she said, giving a pouting look.

“No.”

“Pretty please?”

“No.”

“Fine,” she said, getting serious. “Do it, or you're sleeping on the couch tonight.”

Blaze actually smirked at this threat. “...Twilight, there’s hundreds of empty rooms, you can’t banish me to the couch.”

“...Cadance makes this look so easy,” Twilight sighed. “Look, please do this? I know he’s acting stupid about this whole thing, but he is my BBBFF. I really want you two to get along.” she asked him nicely, sticking out her lower lip and moistening her eyes to impersonate a puppy’s.

The red pegasus sighed, planting a hoof to his forehead. “Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?” he asked himself out loud, before looking to Twilight. “Ok, I’ll do it.”

Twilight squeed and hugged him tightly, before loosening her grip and facing his eyes again. “Besides, if he does cause you trouble... you can defend yourself.”

“Are you insinuating what I think you are, Twilight?” he asked her, cocking his brow.

“Well, it’s not like he can easily beat you... I mean, by all accounts, you could have beaten him in that duel because of his attacks using too much magic,” Twilight explained to her coltfriend.

Blaze shrugged. “I suppose so,” he said, getting out of the bed and furling his wings. He groaned again, looking back at the wings. I guess I need to preen these again soon. His eyes widened and he looked to Twilight. “What you think your brother will say about the ‘outing’?”

“Absolutely not!”

Shining Armor stood outside his room, looking dreadful from having to sleep on the couch after a rough duel he had the previous day. He stared at his little sister Twilight as though she had grown another set of legs.

“Please, Shining, can’t you just do me this one small thing?”

“Twiley, I love you, but what you are asking me is just plain crazy...”

Twilight groaned, furrowing her brow in frustration. “Can’t you just forget about the other day?” she asked him, though the answer she had predicted already.

“Ha! Forget this?” he pointed to his battered body. “Besides, all I want to do today is just get some rest...”

“Rest? From what?”

Twilight and Shining looked to the side to see Cadance trotting up to the two of them, looking as cheerful as she would on any beautiful day.

“Morning, Cadance,” Twilight nuzzled her sister-in-law, before stepping back to allow her passage to her miserable husband.

“Good morning Shining,” she greeted her husband happily, not noticing the frown on his face.

“Hey,” he said, sounding rather flat and exhausted.

“What were you two talking about?”

“Well, it’s nothing impor...”

“I was suggesting that Shiny and Blaze spend some time together and get to know each other.”

Shining Armor’s eye twitched as he had unpleasant memories of when Twilight would bring up the plush toy that he slept with until he turned thirteen once, right in front of Cadance. It had been the single worst thing she could have said at that moment, but it only got topped by this one.

“That’s a good idea,” Cadance said. “I’m sure after a bit they’ll get along just fine.”

“I don’t know, I’m tired. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Gee, I wonder,” Shining Armor said, figuring that he had nothing to lose at this point.

Apparently, he truly didn’t. “Alright, look, I’m sorry about making you sleep on the couch. How about this: if you hang out with Blaze today, I’ll let you back in and...” Cadance leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Slowly, his pupils got smaller and his grin got wider.

“Well, if you insist, I will,” Shining Armor declared, suddenly looking happier about the whole thing. “Come on, Blaze, there’s a sports match downtown...”

The Prince of the Crystal Empire practically dragged the former convict out of the room. It was scarcely necessary, as there was a great deal more hatred Blaze would have to have toward another stallion before he denied him a bounty like that.

“You think this will work, Twiley?” Cadance leaned in to Twilight’s ear, looking at the two stallions that left.

“I’m sure it will,” Twilight assured. “Besides, do you want to spend every Hearth’s Warming Eve putting up with those two fighting? Every family get-together will be ruined. Best they get along now.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Twilight turned to Cadance, cocking her brow at her. “What did you whisper to Shiny to get him to agree?”

It was Cadance’s turn to turn red when Twilight’s question came to her. “Let’s just say, it’s one of the many marriageable activities we engage in...”

Shining and Blaze remained quiet when they were walking down the street towards their destination. Neither smiled nor frowned at the other, not even looking to their opposites. Shining’s eyes rose to the sky and he sighed.

“Great weather we’re having today,” he said casually, hoping to get a response at least from the pegasus.

Blaze merely nodded his head. “Yeeeeah...” he replied plainly, looking around the busy market they were passing through. “You know, I’ve heard stories of this empire. Thought it was all hogwash,” he commented, barely audible to Shining’s keen ear.

The white unicorn smiled for the first time in Blaze’s company. “Well, it’s amazing the things that happen in Twilight’s life, with her and her friends.”

“And family, too,” Blaze chimed in, turning his head to Shining’s. “Kind of weird how you and her foalsitter got together in the end.”

Shining’s lips curled in a squeezed smile, looking down for a moment before straightening himself. “Well, if it wasn’t for Twilight... I would have never met Cadance at all.”

Blaze chuckled, shaking his head. “If it wasn’t for Twilight, I would still be stuck working for that disgusting pig...”

“Yeah,” Shining replied dryly, remembering the reports of the conditions Blaze mentioned when working for Bloodwing. “Well, you only did it ‘cause you had no choice in the end...”

“Either that or have Light killed,” Blaze’s eyes turned furious for a moment as he scowled. “There was no way I was going to let that happen...”

Shining bit his lower lip, looking to Blaze. “You really went through a lot for that colt of yours, didn’t you?”

“And I was willing to go through more if it meant that he would have a happy life ahead of him at least.”

Shining Armor nodded, not sure what to add to that.

“You looking forward to your kid?”

Shining Armor blinked. “Excuse me?”

Blaze shrugged. “You were asking me about my kid, I figured it was a good place to continue on.”

He nodded. “Well... I think Cadance really wanted a foal... she was hinting at something, anyway, and she was frisky. This one night...”

“Ah,” he shushed him. “You only brag about that to a stallion if they can brag back, and I’m pretty sure in this case, you don’t want to know.”

Shining Armour shivered. “That’s right.”

“So... what? Looking forward to the kid?”

“Well, yeah...” he admitted slowly. “I guess...”

“You guess? Now’s not the time you need to be thinking about that kind of thing.”

Shining Armor glared at him, but it quickly evaporated. “Look, weren’t you worried when you took Light in?”

“No, I was fourteen and stupid back then. If I had worried, I would have stayed put in that orphanage until Celestia closed it down.”

“So... are you saying that worrying is good?”

“In this case, maybe a little is,” Blaze said. “Not too much worrying, though. I see parents worry all the time about what their kids are doing. You hear about all those adult blank flanks who are where they are because their parents smothered them to the point they never got to do anything.”

“Yeah... I had a few in my ranks back in Canterlot. They had nothing else they could think to do...”

“Exactly. So worrying means you’re thinking, which is good, but too much worrying means you’re over-thinking, which is bad. If you’re worried about being a parent, it’s good, just... don’t worry too much.”

Shining was surprised to hear such wise words from a stallion he thought was just a con. How many times have I been wrong, only for Twiley to correct me? He sighed and gave his first genuine smile to Blaze. “I guess you’re right.”

“So let’s review, worrying can be good but overdoing it is a bad thing...” he pointed to his skull, grinning. “Got it memorized?”

“Yeah, got it...” Shining said dismissively, looking ahead to a stadium. “Looks like we’re here...” He said as he went to the ticket booth, where he got two VIP tickets for free. “One of the many perks of being royalty.” he smirked as he handed his ticket to Blaze.

Blaze only laughed and mumbled. “Among other things...”

“Ooooh! This is so divine!”

Rarity groaned as she was given a massage by one of the employees of the spa in the palace. Cadance had suggested that since Blaze and Shining were out in town, she and the others would have a Mares’ Day Out. The first stop would be the spa in the palace.

Applejack was resting on her stomach as a masseur was tapping her back continuously. “Ya said it! Oh!” Applejack sighed out, her voice vibrating thanks to the massage.

Rainbow only smiled as her hooves were being down. “Yeah, this is... sometimes...” she muttered, feeling a little too girly.

“Oh Rainbow, why do you always object to anything that is mare-like?” Rarity asked her as she relaxed in the hot spring now.

“Just because...”

“Because?”

“Nevermind, ok?!”

From another hot spring, Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes to the friends. “This always happens when Rainbow does something ‘girly’,” Twilight commented to an amused Cadance.

Cadance merely giggled. “I wouldn’t complain too much,” she said softly, rubbing her stomach a little as a demure smile was present on her face.

“You must be excited,” Twilight asked as she knew what Cadance was thinking of.

“I am,” Cadance agreed, or at least she did through words. In her tone, it seemed to be another matter entirely.

“Are you worried about something?” Twilight asked.

Cadance pawed at the ground for a bit. “Well...”

“Darling, are you worried about being a mother?” Rarity asked.

“It’s not that so much. It’s... I’m worried about Shiny.”

“Why, is something wrong?” Twilight asked quickly.

“...Back when we were dating, I thought he was perfect... like a knight in... well, shining armor.”

“Hence the name!” Pinkie chirped.

Cadance nodded. “Yes, but... the day I was rescued, and found out what happened between him and Twilight, I was shocked. It seemed so unlike him. But I forgave him. He was brainwashed, after all. But lately... the way he handled Twilight dating Blaze... he seems irrational. I used to think it was cute how protective he was of his sister, but now...”

“I’m not really seeing too much of a problem,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. The others looked at her. “What? Shining Armor is clingy. We’re solving that problem already. I don’t get why we need to keep talking about it.”

“It’s just... I couldn’t picture him acting this way. He always seemed so kind...”

“You couldn’t picture him acting like a pony?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack scolded.

“What? Shining Armor isn’t perfect. I thought it was a given that nopony is.”

Cadance was actually stunned. “Well, I guess it never occurred to me...”

“So, you were expecting a completely flawless marriage where you never disagreed on anything and nothing went wrong?”

Cadance opened her mouth to say that wasn’t what she meant, only to close it when she realize that it was exactly what she meant. She just never realized how foalish it was until Rainbow Dash had put it so bluntly.

“You’re right,” Cadance responded, a steady smile forming on her muzzle. “Nothing in life is perfect, after all...”

Rainbow grinned and went into the bath Twilight and Cadance were in. “Yeah. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a happy life,” she told her as she patted her back.

“Your daughter is lucky to have you as a mother.”

Blood starting flowing rampantly in Rainbow’s cheeks as she looked away after the compliment. “Well, I try,” she laughed, rubbing the back of her head.

“And your coltfriend must be a very fortunate stallion...”

Rainbow blushed even further, her smile vanishing as she fiddled with her hooves in the water. “Well, I don’t have one...”

Cadance was shocked again by what Rainbow said. She turned to the others who only nodded, some more slowly than others. “Have you ever given it any thought?”

“I did, but... what with raising Scootaloo and training with my dad, I don’t see any time for that sort of thing!”

“Love always makes time for you,” Cadance whispered the wise words to the cyan mare’s ear. “Besides, I think there is somepony you have your eyes on...”

Twilight and the others’ heads turned abruptly to the news, and no sooner were they all crowding Rainbow like she had struck gold. Twilight and Fluttershy just remained still, the former not wanting to break the promise that she had made.

“Um,” Rainbow chuckled, her cheeks glowing redder with every second. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cadance.”

“Let’s just say, my talent does not lie...” Cadance replied, finding a little mirth in Rainbow’s situation and her friends’ growing curiosity of who the stallion might be.

“Ya gonna tell us, Sugarcube, or wha’?”

“Oh! Oh! Oh! Can we have a ‘Coltfriend and Marefriend’ party for you and the mystery colt? Can we!? Can we!?”

“Darling, don’t keep us in suspense!”

“I’m not keeping you in suspense... that’s the mysterious stallion’s job.”

As the girls kept talking, Twilight bit her lip to keep from blurting it out. Things were going to get very interesting for Rainbow Dash very soon...

It wasn’t often the Crystal Empire got to see any of the Wonderbolts perform. Being a fairly new province in Equestria, it wasn’t programmed into their tours. Still, with some push from Celestia, the Wonderbolts were making an appearance here, and Shining Armor and Blaze were currently watching from the skybox.

“So, basically, this is a Wonderbolt Show for the insanely rich?”

“Basically,” Shining Armor said, leaning in the one thousand bit worth massage chair provided for him.

“I don’t know, this seems like it takes the charm out of it...” Blaze said, though he took an hor'dourve from the plate a butler offered him.

“Relax, once the real match starts, there’s all the intensity of the bleachers without the obnoxious fans getting in your way.”

“Ah, I see, this is a way to look down on the common pony.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Shining Armor protested. “Do you have to make a joke out of everything?”

“Hey, relax, I’m just yanking your chain.”

“Yeah, and it’s getting on my nerves.”

“Okay, this is a step backwards,” Blaze muttered. “Isn’t the whole point for us to get along and you to get whatever it is you're into from your wife?”

“...Good point,” he said, remembering what was on the line. “Well, sports is a good stallion bonding activity, so this should work.”

Blaze sighed, leaning back. “So who’s competing?”

Shining Armor checked the program. “Fleetfoot, Rapidfire, Spitfire, Soarin, and Lightning Jack.”

“Soarin’s here!?” Blaze jumped out of his seat and pressed his face against the window and looked down on the Wonderbolts, identifying Soarin among the others.

The white unicorn’s arched his brow at Blaze’s sudden interest. “Yeah... why do you ask?” he asked Blaze, but the red pony was not listening.

“If Rainbow were just here...”

“What about Rainbow Dash?”

Blaze’s attention turned to a confused Shining, the latter standing up from his seat and joining Blaze. “Well, I can’t say...”

Shining furrowed in brow in slight frustration. “Why not?”

“I promised not to.”

“Oh,” Shining shrugged and took his seat again. “Take your seat, will you? The race is about to start...”

Blaze shrugged and took his seat again, reclining in the comfort of it. “Say, what do you think Twilight and the others are up to now?”

“Beats me...”

Cadance smiled and sighed as she took a bite of her own dessert: ice cream topped with mustard and pickles. She heard a groan from the others and looked to them with confusion. “Why are you all making such faces? This is so good!” she reached out a spoon and scooped up a generous portion. “Here Twilight! Try some.”

Twilight pulled her head back in disgust and shook her head. “I’ll pass, thank you,” she told her sister-in-law, both amazed and horrified at how she could digest such a meal. I’ve read books on odd appetites during pregnancy, but this...

“Are ya sure tha’ there is safe fer the youngin’?”

“Of course, Applejack. You know, I think apple sauce would work just great with this...” she pondered out loud.

Rainbow leaned into Applejack’s ear. “Don’t do it, please,” she whispered desperately to her friend.

“Ah’m not gonna let her touch it...”

“In fact,” Cadance mused, “I wonder... what’s the bulk rate at Sweet Apple Acres? What would a few thousand bits get me?”

“...Let me help ya with that,” Applejack said, picking up an apple sauce pan and dumping it onto the already-existing ice cream, much to the disgust of her tablemates.

“I think I’m glad I had my kids the non-messy way,” Twilight sighed.

“Ditto,” Rainbow Dash agreed.

“Well,” Cadance said with a sly smile, “that also means you missed out on the really fun parts...”

Twilight blushed heavily. “C-Cadance!” she shrieked. She kept forgetting that her foalsitter wasn’t exactly as wholesome as she had thought.

She shrugged. “I’m sure you and Blaze...”

“No,” she said too quickly, her blush deepening. “I-I mean... we agreed...”

“Calm time, Twiley, I was kidding,” Cadance chuckled.

“Still, Blaze is pretty handsome,” Applejack laughed. “Ya got any idea when you two are...”

“We agreed to wait a few months...” she muttered. “We already are moving pretty fast... I’ve already practically adopted Light...”

Cadance giggled. “You’re growing up. I remember when I was tucking you in at night...”

“Well... that’s why I was hoping Blaze and Shiny could get along... I don’t want them fighting every time we get together...”

“Relax, I’m sure those two are having a great time...”

“I don’t believe that!”

“I know... Soarin was totally an inch ahead! He won!”

The two continued expressing their disapproval at the outcome of the race while reclined back on their seats.

Blaze shook his head with his brow furrowed, frustrated of the outcome. “Well, can’t be helped, I guess… Rainbow Dash did say that Fleetfoot is the better derby racer.”

“Hmmm, though it can be argued that Soarin has more speed in the group…” Shining trailed off, thinking back to another race where Soarin won by a mile ahead.

“Not lately,” Blaze spoke blankly, reaching over for a drink of soda. “He’s losing speed with his diet of apple pies.”

Shining laughed at the statement. “Really? Well, in terms of speed, who do you think is better now?”

“Rainbow Dash, of course.”

“So you’re not putting yourself on the top speedsters?”

Blaze shook his head with a wry smile. “Didn’t say that, but if we had to include stunts and shows… I’d say I fall into the top category.”

Shining titled his head, looking at Blaze skeptically with an arched eyebrow. “You ever seen the Sonic Rainboom?”

“Nope,” Blaze shook his head, before grinning smugly. “But you’ve never seen the Pyro Ring…”

“That’s another thing that’s been boggling me,” Shining lifted himself from his reclining position and sat up straight. “How the hay do you do that? Pegasi don’t have magic to create stuff like flames.”

Blaze’s grin vanished, being replaced by a serious look on his face. “Actually, all ponies have a bit of magic inside of them, including earth ponies…”

“Huh?” Shining was confused, but continued to listen to Blaze’s words.

“From what I learned working with Bloodwing, all ponies have a source of magic inside of them… which varies from what race the pony is from. Pegasi magic is primarily concentrated in the wings, hence why we’re able to fly in the air even though our wings look too small to support our bodies. Earth ponies’ magic is primarily focused in their hooves, hence why they have an affinity to the soil they walk on… and why they make excellent agricultural workers,” Blaze counted down everything that he remembered, from the notes Bloodwing made and from others that came from an unknown source.

“What about unicorn magic?”

He looked at him. “You mean you never bothered to figure out how your own magic works?”

Shining Armor shrugged. “I just learned what I needed. I guess Twiley tried explaining it a few times, but I could never understand anything she was saying.”

“Well, a unicorn’s horn lets them pull magic from around them. Magic exists everywhere there’s life, even in the air. A horn is just a conductor that allows them to harness it.”

“So... what makes Twiley so powerful?”

“Just like earth ponies and pegasi, unicorns have magic in them as well. The horn allows them to absorb magic. So every pony already has a reservoir in them. Twi... I don’t know. The Princess analyzed her a few times from what I heared, but nopony was able to figure her out.”

“Uh huh... so how’d all this get you fire powers?”

“As crazy as Bloodwing was, he was a genius. He claimed he found research from somepony... he never said who... and built on their work, on how to access the magic deep within a pony and convert it to whatever usage they needed. It’s what he did to me...”

Blaze’s tone got Shining to drop the subject. Something told him that it was too touchy a subject.

“You think Bloodwing’s gone for good?”

“I know he is.”

“Why?”

“Bloodwing was a genius, but he was impatient... his mind was everywhere at once. His lab was filled with half-finished notes and projects. The only reason he stuck with the alicorn project for so long was because there were so many facets of it that needed to be figured out. When he got bored with one part, the next one relieved him of that. And even then, Black and Blue had to help him focus. Trust me, he wouldn’t have waited. He would have attacked by now.”

“If you’re sure...”

“If I wasn’t, I’d be looking for him myself. After all those years, I wouldn’t risk Light’s safety like that.”

Shining’s eyes softened when Blaze finished speaking. “Light means a lot to you?”

“More than my own life,” Blaze muttered as he reclined back on his chair. “Hence why I’m glad Twilight and her friends helped rid of Bloodwing’s work for good… got Light a better life now, and lengthened my lifespan considerably…”

“What? What do you mean by that?” Shining’s eyes cocked in confusion. “Were you dying over there?”

Blaze sighed, looking up to the ceiling with a somber look. “Even though that I gained the manipulation and generation of fire, it acted as a double-edged sword… shortened my life span with each usage,” he turned his head to Shining. “You saw what happened to Blue, with his over-usage of his magic…”

Shining grimaced as he remembered fighting Blue and seeing him turn into ice and shatter.

“The same would have happened to me if I overused my power.”

“Then why the heck are you still-”

Blaze raised his hoof. “Thankfully, Celestia is also smarter than what she looks…” Blaze smirked at Shining’s baffled look. “She knew how to have me use my magic and not have my lifespan depleted thanks to that, instead of gentling me like she did with Black.” He looked over to his wings and smiled softly. “I guess she saw some kind of use for them in the future…”

Shining shrugged with his eyes closed. “Well, don’t tell her I said this… but I think she’s playing with her cards too close to her chest.”

“Meaning?”

“She doesn’t tell you her whole plan until the very end,” Shining looked up to the ceiling too, sighing. “It’s like, she’s always testing us for some grand plan of hers…”

Blaze shook his head, thinking back on him meeting Celestia and remembering how she healed him personally. “Well she is gifted, no doubts there… but she is not a goddess…”

“Explain the immortality, then?”

“Alicorn physiology, exceedingly long life spans yes… but not invincible,” Blaze noted plaintively. “I think there was the matter of your wedding, where Celestia was wounded by the changeling queen?”

“...Right.”

“See? They’re powerful, but they can be killed. Still, theoretically, if nothing came across to challenge them, they could live forever.”

Shining Armor was silent for a moment. “It’s weird hearing you talk like a scientist.”

He shrugged. “Part of the deal. I had to help Bloodwing in his lab all the time. You pick things up that way.”

“Well, I guess I can see how you and Twiley got along.”

“Hey, even with what Bloodwing taught me, I can hardly keep up with her sometimes. When she finds out something big she starts rambling on, and I can hardly follow.” He thought for a minute. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for her morality, I think she could have done everything Bloodwing did and more.”

“But she wouldn’t... she doesn’t want to take over Equestria.”

“Neither did Bloodwing, really. He just wanted to figure out how things work. He saw Celestia as an obstacle and decided she needed to be removed.”

There was an uncomfortable silence afterward.

“Maybe we better go back to watching the races...”

“Cadance, please... hold still,” Rarity said as she tried to untie the mess that was Cadance’s mane. “Honestly, who thought up this hairstyle?”

“But... it looks good on me, right?”

“It looks about as good as this manestyle can look on anypony.” Rarity slowly turned the mirror towards Cadance’s front, and there was a dreaded silence that followed before Cadance’s jaw dropped.

“But... ah!” Suddenly the pink alicorn let out a wail and began sprinkling the floor with her tears. “I look hideous!”

“No, no, you look fabulous, darling!” Rarity tried to assure.

Pinkie giggled. “Yeah, like a real princess!”

“You’re just saying that!” Cadance wailed.

Twilight gulped and slowly trotted towards Cadance, trying her best to gently lift her up from the ground. “Please, Cadance, we can fix your mane and you’ll look so beautiful that-”

“Beautiful!?” Twilight stepped back in fear, seeing Cadance’s face turn sour as expired milk. “I’m so ugly Twilight! First I turn as fat as a whale and now I have a disastrous manestyle! Even Shining thinks I look ugly!” she fell into Twilight’s shoulder and started sobbing again, shaking uncontrollably.

Stroking her mane softly, Twilight looked up to her friends for help. She moved her lips, not daring to make her voice be heard by Cadance.

“What do I do?”

Fortunately, Fluttershy came to the rescue. “Excuse me, Cadance?” she spoke softly, causing Cadance to lift her head up to reveal red eyes. “If it will make you feel any better, why don’t we try to get your mane out of that mess again? I’m sure Rarity didn’t mean to make it that way…”

Cadance blinked, looking to Rarity for confirmation. The latter nodding her head furiously, wearing a broad smile. “You think this can be fixed?” Cadance asked Fluttershy.

“Absolutely, if anypony can fix it… it’s Rarity,” Fluttershy assured the princess of love, smiling gently.

“Alright…” Cadance removed herself from Twilight’s hold, but her eyes looked down on her visibly swelled-up belly. “But what am I going to do with this?”

Surprisingly, Fluttershy giggled at Cadance’s question. All her friends looked at her as though she was insane, and they looked at Cadance in fear of another wailing. “Cadance, you should know better than that. Your body is not just for you, but for your growing foal inside,” she placed a hoof to the belly. “Just remember, with everything you put into your body… it’s all for a good cause, for your foal.”

Cadance was silent for a few seconds, before letting out a little ‘oof’ and looking down on her stomach again. She blinked in surprise and slowly smiled again. “You’re right, Fluttershy. I’m sorry, all of you…”

Rarity waved her hoof dismissively. “Darling, you have done nothing wrong to warrant an apology to us. Besides, I’ve never really tested this manestyle before.”

“Wonder why it was thought of in the first place?” Rainbow asked out loud, wondering why this mane style was needed in the Equestrian Games biddings.

“You know, I’m not sure... but I guess it looks pretty good, right?”

At that moment, Shining Armor and Blaze entered, back from their long day at the track, and they suddenly stopped.

“Whoa, what’s with the mane?” Blaze asked.

And thus, the wails came out anew.

Back in Ponyville, Scootaloo sat with her back against a tree, one that she had made sure was pre-bucked. Yawning, slipped in between sleep and consciousness, the hot summer day not letting her decide which state would be preferable.

“What are you doing out here?” Light asked, walking up. “Did you already finish your part?”

“Not really,” Scootaloo answered sleepily. “Whenever I tried to cut anything, Apple Bloom kept saying I was doing it wrong, and she just took it from me and told me to find something else to do.”

“I know what you mean,” he said, sitting next to her. “She certainly knows what she’s doing... why did you guys never try building anything before?”

“We did! I built that stage!” She stood her ground a moment, then sighed. “I guess I’m not as good at it as she is.”

“Hey... you think maybe that’s her cutie mark?”

“I hope so. I want my cutieceañera!”

“I think our parents do, too. Dad and Twilight keep talking about how to make it good. I bet that’s what they’re doing right now.”

Shining Armor sighed as he pulled the covers up. How his wife had banished him to the couch when there were hundreds of bedrooms in the castle was beyond him. “Well... today wasn’t so bad...”

“Oh, shut up.” Blaze moaned, laying on the couch next to his. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter 23

Apple Bloom yawned as she wiped away the sweat from her forehead. She looked up at the treehouse and smiled proudly at the work that had gone into it. She was happy with the nearly completed clubhouse, and so were her friends.

“Looks like we’re almost done with it, wouldn’t you say?” Spike commented, taking a look at the construct before him.

“I hope so,” Sweetie Belle squeaked, looking down on her hooves. “Can’t stand splinters anymore!”

“Jus’ one test to perform!” Pip yelled out from the top of the tree house, making his way to the slide.

“Don’t ya dare-”

“Yippee!” Pip jumped onto the slide and sled down fast towards the ground. When his haunches landed ontthe dirt, he couldn’t help but laugh at how exciting it was. “Nice!” he turned back to the slide, nodding his head in approval. “Ye really outdone yerself, Apple Bloom.”

Despite being frustrated at Pip’s carelessness, she couldn’t help but blush at the compliment she just received. “I-it ain’t that amazing…”

“Come now,” Pip dusted himself off as he stood up. “Ye really have a knack for building stuff, and it shows with the outcome,”

Apple Bloom’s ears flickered as she turned away from Pip. “Well, ye did help paint the clubhouse…”

“Me art is mediocre at best.”

“What?!” Apple Bloom was shocked at Pip’s words. “It aint, it’s very good! Even that mural ye working on...”

Spike and Sweetie stood one side, watching the two ponies talk. “I think we should give them some time,” Spike whispered in Sweetie’s ear.

“Agreed.”

Both unicorns trotted off to find Scootaloo and Light, not seeing two menacing fillies coming towards their friends.

“Well well well! What do we have here?”

Like a dark storm cloud on an otherwise sunny day, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were heading towards them.

Apple Bloom stepped up first. “Get outta here! This is my family’s land! Yer not welcome!”

“Oh yeah? And who’s going to make us?” the pink filly jeered.

“Mah brother an’ sister’ll make you leave!” she shouted.

Before Diamond Tiara could react to that, Apple Bloom was surrounded by her five friends. “We won’t even need to wait for them. There’s six of us and only two of you!”

“Wow, get the blank flank patrol...”

“Four of us have cutie marks now,” Spike pointed out. “You’re kind of slow, aren’t you?”

“Whatever, you’re all still losers! That clubhouse is going to be a dumb old shack, no matter what you do! Isn’t that right, Silver?”

“...Wow, that slide looks cool! Did you build...”

A hoof to the shoulder and a glare stopped the silver filly in her tracks. The Cutie Mark Crusaders snickered, much to Diamond Tiara’s frustration.

“Yeah, well, it’s still stupid. I guess it makes sense some dumb hick would try to get such a stupid cutie mark, you can’t be much good at anything else.”

Pip came forward first. “You leave her alone!”

“Aw, you don’t like...”

“No, Ah don’t like it! So beat it!” Apple Bloom demanded from the two trespassers as she was leering at them.

“You think I’m gonna let some dumb blank flank tell me what to do?”

“Ey, at least Ah can still make sure my special talent isn’t anythin’ as stupid as wearin’ jewelry.” a slow grin formed on Apple Bloom’s muzzle, seeing Diamond Tiara blabber on.

“M-my talent isn’t stupid!”

“Ah guess you wouldn’t think that, would you? All you know how to do is live off yer pa’s money!”

Diamond Tiara huffed, her face turning red from embarrassment. “At least I have a dad, unlike you!”

An eerie silence soon followed, where all the crusaders including Silver Spoon looked at Diamond Tiara as though she had committed murder.

Apple Bloom’s eye twitched, her face slowly forming a scowl. “Wanna repeat tha’?”

“Oh yes!” Diamond Tiara snickered as she stepped forward, her bravado overriding her reasoning. “You don’t have a mother or father, never knew them, did you?! You were just raised by that old coot and those two useless ponies you call your sister and brother! Ha!”

“Tha’ so?”

“Indeed it is, you little-” Diamond froze as she heard an answer that did not come from Apple Bloom, the latter staring upwards to something that was casting a shadow over the pink earth pony. Diamond Tiara turned around and all the colour from her face disappeared.

Standing behind her was the same pony she had just made fun of. Big MacIntosh. He looked down on the filly as though he was the judge and jury of what was to come for her. Big Mac lowered his head to Diamond Tiara’s level, glaring into the filly’s eyes.

“So is this the little missy tha’s been harrasin’ ye fer so long, Apple Bloom?” he asked his sister rhetorically, only receiving a nod from her little sister. “Ya wanna explain why ye think it’s funny to make ponies sad?” he leaned in threateningly closer. “Preferably ma sister?”

“I-I-”

“Wha’? Cat got yer tongue?” Big Mac chimed in, his eyes never leaving Diamond Tiara’s. “Ah think ya need to be taugh’ a lesson…” he raised his head up from her level. “Let’s go and have a little word with yer Pa. He ough’a know what kinda trouble ya been brewing lately…”

“Wait-” Diamond Tiara was cut off as she was led to the road towards Ponyville by Big Mac. She called out to her friend Silver Spoon, but the latter was stuck in place.

When her brother gone, Apple Bloom rolled her eyes in frustration to the bully. Her eyes being moist though.

Silver Spoon stood there awkwardly as the Cutie Mark Crusaders glared at her. Finally, she muttered a quick, “I’m sorry,” and then ran down the road after her friend.

There was silence for a moment.

“Apple Bloom...” Scootaloo started.

“Just get back to work,” she said, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice.

“You sure? We could...”

“Yes! We’re almost done, let’s just get a move on!”

That got four of her five friends to leave, but not Pip. He stayed behind with her.

“Ya shouldn’t let that dame get to ya,” he said. “She’s just lookin’ ta cut down anypony that’s not her.”

“I know,” Apple Bloom answered flatly.

“You could have a cutie mark in anythin’, and she’d belittle it, ‘cause I don’t think she likes her special talent.”

“I know,” Apple Bloom said louder, her tone making it clear she wanted the matter dropped. Pip noticed, but kept pressing.

“Don’t you give it any second thought,” he said. “An’... ya know, Ah bet you’ll get th’ best cutie mark out off all of us.”

“... Light’s gonna be a Wonderbolt, Sweetie a big singer, Spike a great writer... Ah’m gonna be buildin’ shacks in this backwater town.”

“Your sis is a farmer, and look what she’s accomplished,” he pointed out. “Anyway, why ya gotta worry about that? You never cared ‘bout bein’ the center of attention ‘fore, least not that I can tell.”

“I... I dunno...”

“Maybe it’s just them two gettin’ ya down. You saw how much Silver Spoon liked the slide. I’ll bet once all th’ foals see it, nothin’ Diamond says will change their minds.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but giggle at Pip’s words of encouragement. She smiled at her friend and looked back at the clubhouse. “Yer righ’, Ah just have to do what Ah like to do,”

“Exactly! Now stop being so daft and down, and let’s get back to the thin’ that needs yer attention,” Pip told Apple Bloom as they both made their way to the clubhouse.

“Oh, Pip!”

“Yea?”

Apple Bloom leaned into Pip, planting a soft kiss on his lips. She stayed like that for a few seconds before removing herself and giggling. “Thank ye.” She ran off to the clubhouse, her own cheeks burning furiously at what she just did.

Pip stood still there, mouth agape at Apple Bloom’s action. A broad goofy smile was starting to form on his muzzle, that he quickly shook off and galloped on to his destination. He was grateful nopony was present to see him like he was now.

“Thank you again for helping out with the commissioner, Twilight.”

“It was my pleasure, Cadance.”

Twilight and her company were at the train station of the Crystal Empire, bidding Cadance and Shining Armor farewell. After Cadance’s words, Shinning stepped forward and hugged his little sister tightly.

“Love you, Twilley,” he nuzzled Twilight softly. “You remember to invite us for the cute-mitzvah when it happens, ok?”

“I will,” Twilight smiled joyfully, reassuring her brother. “I love you too, BBBFF.”

Next to Twilight, Blaze stood there smiling at the touchy moment between brother and sister. He saw Cadance stepping towards him and giving him a nod, with a gentle smile from her.

“Take care of her, will you?”

“You can count on it.”

In a surprising moment, Cadance hugged Blaze firmly. The latter’s shock slowly dissipating as he chuckled and returned the gesture.

“I hope you all can come visit for something other than business soon.”

“I hope so too,” he smiled. He then turned awkwardly to Shining Armor. “Uh, so... are we cool?”

The prince of the Crystal Empire smiled. “Yeah. I guess there are worse stallions for Twiley to end up with.”

“Thanks... I guess.”

“I just better not hear of any foals before you have a ring on her horn,” Shining Armor warned.

Blaze gulped. “Believe me, I would worry about the Princess’ reaction before I worried about yours.”

The two had a final hoof bump before the pegasus boarded the train.

Cadance gave her husband a kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad you managed to come to an understanding with Blaze,” she said sweetly.

“Well, he’s not so bad... for an ex-con.”

“Well, I think I owe you a little reward,” she said with a mischievous smile. “I guess I was wrong to send you to the couch last night. I think I need to... make it up to you.”

She began walking toward the castle, flicking her tail across Shining Armor’s nose as she did. As she moved, she made sure to sway her hips, like she had done back when they were teenagers.

The military pony stood stiff for a few seconds. Then, a wide grin split his face in half. Without a second thought, he skipped off after her.

The six foals that made up the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked upon their finished creation. It had taken a lot of work, but the result was worth it.

“Ya know, it’s weird,” Apple Bloom said.

“What?” Pip asked.

“This was a lotta hard work... I knew it would be. I had ‘ta figure out how to do all sorts of things I didn’t know how to do. But... I still had fun doin’ it.”

Pip shrugged and smiled at Apple Bloom’s words. “Well, it all comes down to doing what ye love doing, I suppose…”

Sweetie Belle nodded her head in approval, before looking down on her splintered hooves. “I just hope we don’t have to do this every week…”

Before Apple Bloom could speak, she saw a familiar figure walking towards them. She smiled broadly when she saw her brother coming towards the completed treehouse.

“Well Ah’ll be!” Big Mach viewed the clubhouse as though it were a work of art. “Ya’ll really came through wit’ this here clubhouse!”

Apple Bloom giggled at the compliment, with all the others feeling appreciated for their efforts in restoring their treehouse.

“Ya’ll should see Pip’s work!” Apple Bloom suddenly jumped towards Big Mac and dragged him to the other side of the construct.

“W-what?!” Pip stammered, standing next to the other colts. “Don’t, Apple Bloom! It’s not finished!”

“Liar! Ya told me it was!”

“Yeah, but-”

Apple Bloom groaned and rolled her eyes, continuing to drag her to the next destination. Pip sighed in defeat and walked with the others following Apple Bloom, feeling like he was going to be judged before court for an offensive graffiti display.

Big Mac merely chuckled at his sister’s enthusiasm, allowing himself to be dragged by the tiny filly. “Apple Bloom, Ah can walk just fine on my own…”

“Eenope!” Apple Bloom copied her accent. “Ya need to close yer eyes now!” Apple Bloom ordered her brother, looking at him with the most intimidating look she could master. The stare of a puppy’s.

Cute. “Alrigh’.” Big Mac complied and closed his eyes, continuing to smile at his sister’s antics. Fillies… ye gotta have insurance with them lot…

“Ok, now stand still, Big Macintosh!”

Big Mac stood still in his place, feeling his sister letting go of his hoof. “Can Ah look now?” he asked curiously.

“No!” Pip yelled out, desperate to not let the elder brother of his friend see the art.

“Eeyup!” Apple Bloom shouted out louder, slightly confused as to why Pip was so nervous.

Big Mac opened his eyes.

Pip froze in terror.

“Why, that looks amazin’!” the farmpony commented.

And indeed, it did. The mural had been a hard-painted piece, featuring all six of the Cutie Mark Crusaders in a field. Spike was sitting at one side, a quill levitating next to him, as he wrote. Beside him was Sweetie, sitting on a stand, singing, as depicted by a few notes flying out of her mouth. On the top, in the blue sky, were Scootaloo and Light. The colt was flying in a straight line, while the filly was flying in circles around him. Finally, there was Apple Bloom and Pip himself. Apple Bloom was surrounded by boards and nails, while Pip was simply standing there, looking on.

It was an impressive piece. Pip still needed work to refine his skill, but it was a good start.

“Why are you so nervous, Pip?” Big Mac asked. “This looks wonderful.”

“It does?”

The stallion nodded. “I’ll bet yer ma‘ll be proud,” he said. He looked at it again. “How come you’re not doin nothin’?”

“I... I don’t have a cutie mark yet. I didn’t know what to paint.”

“But Ah don’t have a cutie mark either,” Apple Bloom pointed out. “So how come ya drew me doin’ somethin’?”

“Well, you were so good, I figured...”

“Cool!”

The new voice caused everypony to turn heads. Twist was there, next to Dinky and Featherweight, looking on with awe. Silver Spoon was behind them looking awkward.

“What are you guys doing here?” Spike asked.

“Sthilver Sthpoon told usth that you made a really cool slide on the clubhousth,” Twist explained. “We wanted to see it.”

Apple Bloom blinked and looked to Silver Spoon, seeing the filly shuffle her hooves nervously. A small smile became present on her face.

“Can we try the slide?!” Featherweight asked eagerly, floating a little off the ground in excitement.

“Um-”

“Go fer it!” Pip shouted out, pointing to the slide with his hoof. A trail of dust appeared before him, as the four new foals ran to the slide and tested it out for themselves.

Apple Bloom pouted, sticking out her lower lip in frustration to her friend. “Why do ya do that?”

“What?”

“Ya know what!”

Before Pip could defend himself, a shining light appeared on both of their flanks before dissipating the next second. Apple Bloom and Pip blinked twice, slowly turning their heads to their flanks before smiling broadly and yelling out in cheer.

“Yes!”

Both ponies celebrated, grabbing the other’s hooves and jumping on the same spot chanting out the word ‘Yes’ non stop. When they finally stopped, they turned to their friends. “Look ya guys! We finally got our cutie marks!”

Spike looked at Pip’s cutie mark, seeing a paint brush and an easel in the background. Surprisingly enough the easel had a fruit on it, resembling a red apple. Spike turned next to Apple Bloom’s cutie mark and saw a mallet with an apple in the background. A red apple at that. Spike’s smile grew mischievous as he looked to his friends’ eyes.

“What, Spike?” Pip asked, slightly afraid at Spike’s smile.

“Nothing nothing!” Spike waved his hooves at them, leaning his head to Light’s ear whispering something. Light’s eyes squinted for a moment before he too smiled sinisterly and cackled at what Spike said.

“What is with you two?” Sweetie and Scootaloo asked their respectable colt friends, only to be answered with a whisper from each other. Both fillies eyes widened before a faint blush appeared on their cheeks.

“What in tarnation is wrong with y’all!?”

“It’s nothing,” they said quickly.

Apple Bloom didn’t have much time to press the matter before her brother gathered her up in his forelegs. “Mah baby sister finally got herself a cutie mark! Ah always knew ya’d get one soon! Oh, it’s too bad yer sister had ta leave fer the weekend, she missed this. Oh, she’s gonna be so proud too. We gotta get yer cutecenera ready...”

“Hey, yeah, that’s right!” Spike suddenly said. “Now that Apple Bloom and Pip have their cutie marks, we can finally have that party!” Then he froze in terror. “Oh no, Mom’s gonna flip on all the preparations! She’ll probably go all out and...”

“Relax, Ah’ll make sure that won’t happen,” Big Mac assured. “But we better get started anyway. Ah’ll go to th’ bakery and ask the Cakes fer a reservation. If we need ta change it later, we can. Ya think ya’ll can get along with just Spectrum watching you?”

“Sure thing,” Apple Bloom said. “We gotta try out the clubhouse's new features, anyway.” With that the filly dashed off toward the tree with her friends behind her.

Big Mac smiled, then trotted off toward the farmhouse to tell Granny Smith and Rainbow Spectrum what had happened. then he needed to go into town. It was the only time he had to buy his sister’s cutieceañera present without risking running into her.

A few hours later, just as the sun was setting on the horizon, Twilight Sparkle and her friends disembarked from the train, back home in Ponyville. They were greeted by their families, with Apple Bloom and Pip jumping and squealing that they had gotten their cutie marks.

As Spike predicted, Twilight went into an overload mode. After Big Mac’s assurances that he had rented a space at Sugarcube Corner, she immediately began making up an invite list, calculating how much food they needed, and deciding what to get each of the foals as gifts. In the end, Blaze pushed her home and convinced her to let everything settle.

That evening Fluttershy found in her mail the papers she would need to sign to officially become Pip’s mother. The little colt jumped for joy, and Angel wept at his nightmares coming true.

Rainbow Spectrum settled into his bed at Rainbow Dash’s home. After all these years, all was right.

Chapter 24

“Twilight, you gotta relax.”

“How can I relax?! Today, everything has to be perfect!” Twilight was flipping over her checklists for the preparations of the cutieceañera and cute-mitzvah that was happening tonight. She was sitting in the library at the table drinking coffee to keep herself up all night, something that Pinkie Pie never should have introduced her to.

Blaze groaned and flew over to his marefriend, taking the cup out of her hooves. “First of all, lose the cup.” He quickly entered the kitchen and flew up to her side. “Second of all, breathe. All is prepared for the party now, you going ballistic isn’t helping you or your foal…” he trailed off and decided to give Twilight a massage on her shoulder.

Twilight’s eyes fluttered as she groaned. “That’s good…” she whispered to him, before breathing slowly. “I just want my son to have a perfect party,” she told him as she slowly went through the checklist.

“I want my boy to have one, too,” Blaze said as his hooves continued to work on the tense shoulders. “But now is not the time to panic.” He squinted over her shoulder and saw the invite list. “Shining Armor and Cadance…” he thought out loud. “Are they coming?”

“Hmm,” Twilight nodded and turned to her coltfriend. “Cadance specifically asked me to invite them when all the foals got their cutie marks.”

Blaze whistled, amazed that she and her husband would travel all the way from the Crystal Empire to Ponyville just for one party. “Now that’s dedication…”

“Family always comes first for Cadance,” Twilight told him as she placed her checklists on the table. “That’s why she’ll be a great mother.”

“Just like you are.” Blaze gently pecked her cheek, receiving a giggle from Twilight as her face blushed.

“Flatterer…”

Blaze grinned and looked into Twilight’s eyes. Both his and Twilight’s flustered before closing when their lips were touching each other’s. Blaze felt Twilight’s hooves encircling him and bringing him in closer to her. He had done the same, before the door of the library opened.

“Say Twiligh’, do ya hav-” Big Mac froze when he saw the couple holding each other before letting go. “Ah’m sorry, Ah’ll com’ back later.” As Big Mac turned back Twilight called out to him.

“Wait! Big Mac, what is it?”

“Uh, well...” he said awkwardly, “I just wanted to see th’ party checklist, see if there was anythin’ else that needed doin’.”

“It looks like everything’s taken care of,” she explained. ‘But I guess you could visit Sugarcube Corner and see if Pinkie has everything ready.”

“Thanks, I think I’ll do that,” he said quickly, darting out of the room before anything could get any more awkward.

The couple was silent for a moment. “Do you think that maybe we get too affectionate sometimes?” Blaze asked.

“No.”

“Me neither,” he said, kissing her again.

Rainbow Dash was rather glad she could talk her fellow recruits into this, and quite surprised when her higher-ups agreed to it as well. Which is why the normally uneventful field just outside of Ponyville was currently playing host to Spitfire, Soarin, and a dozen other Wonderbolts.

“So, you think right here would be good?” Spitfire asked.

“Ma’am, yes...”

“Rainbow Dash, you’re the one who hired us. For the next few hours, we take orders from you. There’s no need for that.”

“Well.. I didn’t really hire you. You volunteered.”

“Details. Do you think the foals be able to see us well enough from here?”

“According to Twilight’s calculations, it should be a good enough view, and she always has everything down. Right here would be good.”

“Then we’ll set up. All right, you bums, get your flanks in gear! Come on, hussle, hussle, hussle!”

The pagasi all jumped, running and flying around to get information. Satisfied, Spitfire turned back to her trainee. “You just give us the signal, and we’ll begin.”

“Now that’s something you don’t see everyday.”

Spitfire and Dash’s head turned to the new voice. Coming from behind Dash, her father Rainbow Spectrum trotted towards them. The other wonderbolts peaked over their captain’s back to see the living legend.

Rainbow Dash smiled at the new arrival. “Hey, Dad,” she waved at him. “I was just getting Spitfire up to date with the plans for tonight.”

“So I saw,” Spectrum replied, looking to the other wonderbolts who were staring at him. “Thanks for doing this for us.”

Spitifire waved her hoof at him. “It’s nothing, really. From what those foals have been through they deserve a proper show. Isn’t that right, guys?” she called out to the others.

“Yes Ma’am!” All the Wonderbolts answered to her in unison, except one.

Soarin was not looking at Spectrum like the others were, but rather at his daughter. He couldn’t help but stare at how beautiful Rainbow Dash was when she was smiling. Dash’s eyes met his and he quickly turned away, failing to see the light tint of red on her cheeks.

“What about you, Soarin?”

“W-what?” Soarin shook his head, coming back to reality.

Spitfire groaned and planted her hoof on her forehead. “Nevermind,” she mumbled and turned her attention to the other Wonderbolts. “Alright, guys! Let’s get into formation! In the air now!” With that, the Wonderbolts were all in the air, Soarin going in last stealing a glance at Rainbow Dash.

Spectrum, having noticed what was going on, looked to his daughter. “Amazing how the team is helping out with this?”

“Sure is…”

“Especially that stallion.”

“Huh?” Rainbow turned her head confused to her father, cocking her brow.

“Does he have a name?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Duh! He’s Soarin, he’s like one of the best Wonderbolts ever…” she trailed off remembering the past. “He was also one of the two junior-police ponies who found me; him and Spitfire,” she whispered, the memory still fresh. In secret, she was extremely grateful that he helped her out all those years ago.

“Well then, I think I need to give him my thanks then,” he said. “Did you know him well growing up?”

She shook her head. “He didn’t exactly get a lot of time to hang out back when I was growing up. I hardly saw him after he found me.”

Spectrum looked over at the stallion, and a split second later realized the stallion was looking in their direction. When he noticed the older pony watching he suddenly looked nervous and returned his eyes to his work.

Spectrum realized he had been staring at Rainbow Dash.

I see…

Sugarcube Corner had been working nonstop since that morning, pumping out cakes and pies for the party that afternoon. It wasn’t everyday that a six-pony cutieceañera happened, and so the Cakes were making the most out of it.

That meant Pinkie was stuck working overtime on the stoves. She loved baking, but even she had limits, and she was starting to reach hers. Still, the thought of the six little foals enjoying their special day kept her going.

Which is why she put on a smile when Big Mac walked through the door.

“Hey Big Mac! Come to check on the goodies? We got cake, cupcakes, pound cakes, shortcake, sponge cake, and...”

“Uh, no, that’s quite alright,” Big Mac said quickly. “Truth be told, I wanted to talk to one of you, an’ you’re the last one left.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’ wrong... it’s just...”

“Ohmygosh! Did Apple Bloom get in an accident?”

“Eenope...”

“Did Applejack lose another rodeo?”

“Eenope.”

“Did--”

“Miss Pinkie, please,” Big Macintosh said. “I wanted ta ask ya... about Miss Rarity.”

Pinkie’s eyes blinked before she tilted her head sideways. “Rarity?” She asked the towering stallion who nodded. “What do you want to know Biggie?”

Big Mac shuffled his hooves nervously before speaking again. “Ah was wondering, what kinda cupcakes she likes?”

“Oh!” Pinkie jumped to the variety of cupcakes and proceeded to put some in a box. “Here you go! She loves this flavour!” She passed the box to Big Mac, placing them on his back.

“Thank ya kindly.” Big Mac reached out for his saddlebag, pulling out a coin pouch. He was stopped when he saw Pinkie shake her head.

“Nopey dopey! They on me!”

Big Mac was stunned for a second before he smiled broadly. “Thank ya again. Really!” He told Pinkie as he nodded to her and headed out the door.

“Just be sure to give her a kiss on the cheek! Then you’re in!”

Almost dropping the box, Big Mac halted abruptly before catching the cupcakes with his hooves. Sighing in relief, he readjusted the cupcakes. His ears perked when he heard Pinkie giggling in the background. He furrowed his brow, though a bead of sweat was present. “Ah don’t know what ya thinkin’, Miss Pinkie.”

“Aww, don’t be like that Biggie! Just go for it!”

“Bye!” Big Mac called out before exiting the Sugarcube Corner with all haste, leaving Pinkie Pie laughing.

“Pinkie, what’s going on in there?”

Pinkie’s laughter stopped slowly when she heard Mrs Cake enter from the back of the building, her two foals on top of her back.

“Oh, it’s just Big Mac being funny is all.”

Mrs. Cake cocked an eyebrow at her apprentice, but decided to simply let it drop. She returned to cooking, hoping Pinkie wouldn’t do anything too crazy.

Everypony yelled Surprise, but it wasn’t much of one. The six foals that made up the previous Cutie Mark Crusaders knew that their parents, or sisters, in some cases, wouldn’t allow an occasion such as this to go uncelebrated.

The entirety of their class was all crammed into the bakery, with the Apple Family, Shining Armor and Cadance, Twilight Velvet and Night Light, Princess Celestia and her sister, and Rainbow Spectrum to boot, making for perhaps the biggest party Pinkie had put on in awhile. Six mounds of presents... large mounds of presents, they were all pleased to see... were sitting on the tables, their cutieceañera gifts.

First were the greetings. Nearly everypony had something to say to them. From Princess Celestia telling Spike how she had loved seeing him grow up in Canterlot and Luna adding that she wished she had been there to see it, to Fluttershy’s gentle coddling of Pip, to Featherweight and Namby Pamby giving Light a hoofbump for getting Scootaloo, to the entire Apple family lifting Apple Bloom up in celebration, it was a packed event. Even among everything, Spike didn’t miss Sweetie’s look of disappointment at her parent’s not being there, nor Rarity’s assurance that they must have had good reasons to that would have been more effective had her anger not tinged her voice.

The cake was one of the biggest Pinkie and the Cakes had ever made, nearly dwarfing the MMMM. It took all six of them blowing to snuff out the candles. The cake was sliced, and after an hour of socializing, it was time to open gifts.

Spike felt awkward. Having Princesses as his party guests meant he ended up with some expensive things: A real sword from his uncle (which Twilight immediately snatched away until stallionhood), an expensive pen and ink set, a new writing desk, and enough parchment to last the next four years. Apple Bloom got an entire library of carpentry books, thanks to a discount rate from Twilight, and a new set of tools. Pip got a brand new artist’s set and his own library of books. Scootaloo got a scholarship to a dancing academy. Light got his own flight suit and goggles, and a promise of enrollment into the Wonderbolt Academy in a few years. And Sweetie was offered the finest dress Rarity could sew, with gems and good fabric, plenty of sheet music to learn, and a microphone to practice with.

They were then led outside to see the Wonderbolt show put on for them, ending with the team writing their names in the sky. Finally, Princess Celestia presented them all with fine gold medals, dubbing them honorary knights and giving them her blessings in any future endeavor.

Apple Bloom sighed with a sad smile on her face. “Ah guess this is the end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, huh?”

“Not necessarily," Celestia trotted towards the foals and lowered her head to Apple Bloom’s level. “What you and your friends started is something that gives hope to other foals out there still lacking cutie marks.”

The foals looked to each other, blinking before looking back at Celestia. “What’re ya saying, Princess?”

“What I’m saying is that maybe you could make this group of yours well known to other towns and cities out there, branch out to the foals who are lacking cutie marks and friends.”

Apple Bloom and the others looked again to each other, smiling and nodding their heads. “Sure, we can do that!” Apple Bloom replied to Spitfire, who saluted the little filly.

Spitfire raised her head with a smile. “Good to hear, let me talk to the Princesses and see if-”

“Now hold yer horses there.” Applejack chimed in, overhearing the conversation. “Ain’t ma little sis’ too youn’ to be leadin’ a group across Equestria?”

“You’re quite right, yeah,” Spitfire nodded in approval. “I guess we’ll have to find somepony else until this filly is of age to lead the group.”

Applejack also nodded and raised her eyes to the sky in thought. “Works fer me.” She then turned her attention to the foals. “So ya’ll enjoying the party?”

“We are!” All of them shouted out in unison, laughing merrily.

Just as the foals answered Applejack, Cadance came out from the crowd of ponies. “Well, this was fun,” she said to Applejack and looked to the group of foals with a tender smile. Her head raised up suddenly as she gasped and placed her hoof to her mouth. “Oh my gosh! I almost forgot!” She walked fast towards her husband and whispered something to his ear. Shining nodded and walked with Cadance to the company of foals. “We have just have some last presents to give to you all.”

“Really?” Pip asked curiously, surprised that anypony besides his mother got him a present.

Shining nodded and concentrated his magic. When his horn glew bright, a flash of light blinded the foals for a second before six large gifts in wrappings were laid before them.

The former Cutie Mark Crusaders stared in awe before looking up the married couple, who nodded and gave them the go-ahead to unwrap their new presents.

Carefully, the six foals unwrapped the last of their gifts.

Inside each was a gift that Cadance had commissioned for the finest designers in the Crystal Empire. For the colts, three of the finest suits that the tailors could design, and for the fillies, three dresses of the same quality. They all shone like they were made of crystal, despite the fact that they could all tell that it was strictly fabric.

Spike’s was black with red trim, very similar to the suit he wore at the Grand Galloping Gala, long ago when he was still in the shape of a dragon. Pip’s was green with silver lining, while Light’s was gold with a white trim.

The fillies were reminded very much of their flower-filly dresses from the Royal Wedding. In fact, they seemed to be very much based on them. However, there was certainly more variety to their color. Apple Bloom had one of dark green and earthy brown, Sweetie’s retained the colors of her old dress, and Scootaloo held one of the best sky blues she had ever seen.

“What do you think?” Cadance asked.

“We love it!” the fillies exclaimed.

“I’m glad you do,” she smiled. ‘I’m hoping to see the six of you again soon, so I thought you might like something nice to wear for whatever Royal Event you get to go to next.”

“Thank you!” they said in unison.

It was at that point that they were swarmed by their parents, each wanting to see their child in their new clothes. Pictures were taking, and fun was had by all.

That night, Pip was tucked into Fluttershy’s bed once more. The little colt tried to take the couch, saying it wasn’t fair his mum have to sleep there instead, but she insisted. Soon she would have that new room finished.

As the last verse of “Hush Now, Quiet Now” was finished, Pip snuggled further into the blankets. In the back of his mind, he knew he was a bit too old for this, but he had never experienced the love of a mother in this way, so he bit it back.

As Fluttershy leaned down to kiss him goodnight, he sprung up and wrapped his forelegs around her. “I love you, Mum.”

Fluttershy hugged back. “I love you too, Pip.”

“Goodnight, Scoots,” Rainbow Dash whispered to her daughter, leaning down to give her a gentle kiss on her forehead. Almost immediately, Scootaloo was fast asleep and snoring lightly as lay in her cloud bed.

Rainbow Dash flew out of her daughter’s room and saw her father staring at the pictures displayed at the bottom floor. Dash glided down to where Spectrum stood and walked up towards him.

“Something wrong?” she asked curiously, cocking her brow as her father continued to look at all the pictures.

Spectrum only smiled and shook his head. “Nothing is wrong. Everything is good now.” He pointed to three newly added pictures; one depicting him and Melody who was pregnant, another with him and a filly Dash. The last one was him, Rainbow Dash and his granddaughter Scootaloo at her cutieceañera. A single tear escaped his eye, though he quickly wiped it away. “You make me proud, Dashie.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes turned most as a soft smile and blush appeared on her muzzle. She stood next to Spectrum and rested her head on his shoulder, with her eyes half-hooded as she began to look at the pictures too.

“I love you, Daddy.”

Inside the library, Twilight was sitting in front of the fireplace with her coltfriend Blaze. The latter’s son having a sleepover with Spike upstairs. Both ponies wore a tender smile as they looked into the inferno before them.

Twilight turned her head to face Blaze’s. She let out a sigh of happiness before speaking. “A lot has happened since you came here.” She told him, moving in closer to her stallion.

“Got that right,” Blaze replied, slowly draping his wing over Twilight’s back and pulling her in closer. “I’m happy that all this happened.”

Twilight giggled and nuzzled Blaze’s cheek with her eyes closed. “So am I,” she responded and gave him a gentle peck on his cheek.

Blaze turned to Twilight and looked her right in the eye, leaning his head closer to her his filly friend’s. “Twilight, you want to know something?”

“Yes.” Twilight nodded her head beaming at Blaze.

“I love you.” He leaned in and kissed her softly on her lips before departing. “Got it memorized?”

Twilight reached a hoof to his cheek, caressing it gently. “I love you too,” she replied and leaned into him, returning the kiss as she wrapped her hooves around him.

Epilogue

“And now... your end is near... Soon you’ll face the final curtain... And as you die... I’ll make it clear... I loved your pain, that much is certain...”

“Shut up in there!” A guard yelled, banding against his cell door belonging to a stallion who was arrested for being an accomplice to Bloodwing. The said stallion, Black, would not stop singing and laughing madly as he bounced off the walls without a care in the world. “Sweet Celestia, I thought I’d never want a pony to go back to being suicidal!”

Black grinned. “Don’t like my singing, huh? Peh, everypony’s a critic,” he sighed. “I think I’ll take your ears first, since you're obviously not using them.”

The guard refused to dignify that with a response. He remembered the day when a switch seemed to be thrown in his brain. Suddenly, he went from moping in his cell, having to be force fed and only getting up when he thought he could get a spear to impale himself upon to grinning and laughing wildly, constantly telling the guards exactly how he would kill them and their families, and in general acting like a pony who had lost his mind.

“I’ve lived a life of crime, killed stallions at every roadway. And more, much more than this... I killed them... my way!”

The guard soon felt a spit ball against his neck. His eyes burned in rage as she clenched his teeth and turned around to face Black was grinning. “Look you, either shut your bucking mouth, or I swear I’ll take my sword and turn you into a gel...”

The last half of that word was cut off by the guard losing consciousness, what tends to happen when a club has been stuck on one’s head. The other guard fared no better, and was knocked out almost as quickly.

There was silence for a moment.

“Aww... where’d the pretty music go?” Black asked, sounding like a disappointed foal.

At that point, the door opened, and a pony stepped in. At least, Black assumed it was a pony. He was covered by a cloak, so no features could be seen. He was quadrupedal.

“Black, I assume?”

Black’s ears perked. “Am I? I think I am...”

“Are you that far gone? I was hoping you’d be of some use to me.”

“What do you need from me, huh?” Black asked curiously, smiling broadly with his eyes darting from one corner to the other.

The pony in the cloak stepped forward and used to unshackle Black from his bindings using magic. When Black was finally free, he dropped to the ground with a thud before getting up to face the pony.

“Thanks alot! I’ll be going no-”

The pony suddenly spread wings out of his cloak, stopping Black in his tracks. From the darkness of where the hood was hiding his face, white eyes presented themselves to the dark earth pony. “I think you owe me, since I freed thee?”

Black groaned and rolled his eyes. “Sure okay, what you want huh?! Me to kill somepony? I have a lot on my death list at the moment.”

“I want you to help me… rectify Equestria.”

“Huh?” Black cocked his eyebrow at the unknown pony.

“Let us not discuss this here, too many ears.” He began to walk out before stopping. “Almost forgot.” He turned back to Black, using his magic to form an aura around Black that seemed be absorbed into his body.

Before Black could react, he fell to the ground groaning in pain. His forehead and back started bleeding as new appendages sprouted out of him. His legs were in considerable pain and he was close to screaming. The pain stopped and he breathed normally again, standing up to view his new body. Black was back in his alicorn form.

“That form is needed for what I plan,” the pony explained, seeing Black exit the cell.

Black starting chuckling bowing his head with his eyes closed, before laughing madly at the gift he received. His laughing stopped when he heard a groan below him and he saw the guards waking up. They did not get to face him, however, as he stomped on their chests. They died almost instantly.

“That was not needed!” the pony told him sternly, with Black glaring back at him.

“Well excuuuuuse me!” Black sneered at him. “I can kill whoever I-”

“Not when you are in a contract with me, you won’t!” The pony slapped Black hard, sending him to the ground. “You may use lethal force, however, if ponies get in the way.”

Black looked up from the ground before getting up. “What about the princess and her dogs?!”

The pony looked down to the floor sighing before answering. “If it comes to it, it can’t be helped.”

“Yes!” Black smiled smugly. “By the way, who the buck are you?!”

The pony removed the cloak and relieved what was under it.

“You!” Black responded in shock and surprise. “But you’re dead!”

“Death cannot stop a promise, and a promise is what I shall fulfill.” The pony said, placing the hood back. “Now come, we have work to do…"

Author's Note

So that marks the end of Halcyon Hearts... but the tale is far from over.
Special thanks to Co-author and friend Darth Link 22 and Editor Amras Felagund
Stay tuned for news of the new story of the saga, until then... peace! :D

Chapter 1

“You will never escape me, Subject Ten!”

Scootaloo ran as fast as she could, through the alleyways of Canterlot. Her wings were back to their miniature size, not granting her the gift of flight as all pegasi deserved. She was covered in grime and cuts, with sweat pouring from her body. She saw no end to the alleyways, nor any friendly pony to help her in her time of need.

“Mom! Help me!” she called out to her mother, Rainbow Dash, but she was met with silence around her. The silence gave birth to a menacing laugh coming from behind her, that was drawing closer. She turned to see Bloodwing advancing towards her, with his eyes glowing red.

Bloodwing spread his wings, and flew towards her. “You’re mine!”

Scootaloo galloped away as fast as she could, not daring to look behind her. She clenched her teeth, as her hooves dug deeper into the ground to accelerate her speed. Oddly enough, this only made her go slower then she had previously went, like her hooves were being stuck to the ground.

Then she felt the chains, clamping around her hooves and neck. She cried out in terror, but the sound was silenced by a cruel tug of her collar, choking her. She was being pulled back, toward the object of her fears.

She was forced to turn to him, and saw the sadistic smile etched onto his face. A face she did not want to see again in her whole life.

“Now I have you, my pretty~”

“No! No! Let go of me!”

Bloodwing punched her hard in the face, and he saw her cry out in pain as she started to tear up slightly. “You are my property, and as my property, I can do whatever I want to you.”

Scootaloo opened her eyes as they were tearing. “You’re gonna be in so much trouble when my mom comes and messes you up real good, you low-life loser!”

Bloodwing released a cackling laughter, that soon turned to a sick form of giggling. “Your mother won’t be able to help you, once I am done with you~”

With that, Scootaloo could feel her energy leaving her. She tried to squirm out of his hold, but it was no use. She cried more as she tried to scream, but no sound came from her mouth. She was only met with an icy cold feeling around her, and darkness soon invaded her sight.

Scootaloo’s screams filled her room as she bolted upright. She looked around the room. It was her room, nice and safe inside Rainbow Dash’s house... the house of her mother.

Not a second later the door burst open. “Scoots? Are you okay?”

Not waiting for an answer, the cyan pegasus flew to her daughter’s bed, wrapping her forelegs around her. “Scoots, it’s okay, it’s okay... I’m here.”

Unconsciously, the filly returned the hug, weeping into her mother’s barrel. “I... I had the dream again...”

A blue hoof gently stroked her mane. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Bloodwing’s gone, and if he ever came back, he wouldn’t get you again.”

The filly just continued to cry. The older mare was silent for a moment, then sighed. “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?”

Scootaloo’s wordless nod was expected, and she soon found herself being lifted up from her bed and gently carried to her mother’s bedroom. It had been three weeks since they had returned home from Canterlot, three weeks since her birthday party. In those twenty-one days, fifteen of them had ended with her curled up in her mother’s bed. Once the thrill of finally having a home and a family wore off, the trauma of the experience had sunk in, and the nightmares gnawed at her mind constantly.

She felt herself being laid on larger cloud bed. Soon, foreleg, wing, and blanket all joined to form a cover for her. She nuzzled in closer, and a smile appeared among her tear stained cheeks.

Rainbow Dash kissed her daughter on the forehead and watched her drift off to sleep, her heart both swelling with love and aching with pain. She loved her child deeply, and it pained her to see her such a wreck. The psychiatrist Celestia had assigned had said it would take time for her to properly heal, but she wished she could hurry it up.

Sighing, she placed her own head back onto her pillow, trying to get back to sleep. She needed to have a talk with that doctor tomorrow morning.

Spike was not royalty, not technically, but after three days in Canterlot he was starting to feel like it.

“I made you your favorite breakfast!” Twilight Velvet practically sang as she laid a plate of chocolate chip pancakes onto her grandson’s plate.

Licking his lips, Spike pointed his horn and concentrated. When only a few sparks came out, he sighed. He reached a hoof forward and concentrated. It glowed a purple aura, and for a few seconds it began morphing into a claw. But it faded quickly.

Sighing, he used his mouth to grab the plate, pulling it in closer and he dug into the pancakes, albeit having a few marks on his muzzle. “Thank you, grandma.” he told Velvet in between his bites.

Twilight Velvet nearly let out a high pitched ‘squee’ when Spike called her that. She could still remember the day when Twilight got accepted as a student to Canterlot Magic School for Unicorns, both gaining her cutie mark and becoming Celestia’s personal student. She could also remember how happy Twilight was in getting a baby dragon on that day too, something which she did not expect. The real shocker was when Celestia herself spoke in private with her and her husband, Night Light, about the baby dragon who was literally their daughter’s son. Thus on that day, they also became grandparents.

Twilight Velvet shook her head slightly, and looked on to Spike munching on the pancakes before him. She had heard about what happened to the poor child and how he had changed forever. She noticed Spike finished his breakfast, and made her way to the table. “Who is up for seconds?” she asked her grandson, seeing the glee in his eyes.

“Me please?”

Twilight Velvet walked up the frying pan and made another batch of pancakes, and stacked them all onto the same plate that Spike had eaten from. Just as she turned to the table with Spike on it, she was met with her daughter, Twilight Sparkle’s, annoyed look.

Twilight Velvet smiled nervously and looked to her plate of pancakes and back to her daughter. “Morning, sweetie, had a good night’s rest?” she asked her daughter just as she walked to the table and placed the pancakes on the table, drizzling it with chocolate sauce again.

Twilight Sparkle sighed and placed a hoof to her face, “Mother, I thought I told you not to constantly feed my son pancakes for breakfast.”

“Mom...” Spike began to protest, but Twilight kept talking over him.

“He’s not a dragon anymore, he needs to get use to eating a normal amount of food.”

“Oh, hush,” Velvet waved her daughter off. “It’s just one weekend, it won’t hurt that much.”

“You know, I don’t recall you and Father spoiling me and Shiny like this when we were his age.”

“Spoiling him? We are not!”

“Oh really?” Twilight said, arching an eyebrow. “What was that buying him a full set of hoofball gear yesterday?”

“Oh, he’ll need it for the exercise...”

“And that expensive quill and ink writing set?”

“Oh, well...”

“Or the fact that you've taken him to that ice cream parlor twice a day since we got here?”

“Twiley...” her mother said sharply. “He’s my grandson, and I have ten years of spoiling him to catch up on. Besides, we’re not doing anything too bad...”

At that point, Night Light came into the room. “Hey, kiddo! Ready for a trip with your grandpa today?”

“Yeah!” Spike exclaimed, leaping up and rushing to his grandfather, hugging his foreleg.

“Are you going to buy him something again? Honestly, with the amount of things you buy for my son, we won’t have much space to move around the library!”

Night Light scoffed his daughter with a waving hoof, “Well if I am, I’m not deciding. He is.” he pointed to Spike.

“Alright!”

Twilight hanged her head low in defeat, “Please let somepony help me, please...”

A knock on the front door was heard, and Twilight Velvet made her way to open it. Once the door was open, she gasped and hugged the pony that was on the other side. “Shiny! My boy!” she spoke with some tears of joy flowing from her eyes and felt the strong hoof of her son on the back of her head.

“Hi Mom, how things over here?”

Twilight Velvet let go of her son, and looked behind her to where the kitchen was. “We’re just having a family moment here,” she said, just as Twilight Sparkle’s voice came from the kitchen.

Shining perked up and as he came inside, he made a beeline to the kitchen. Once he was there, he saw Twilight and his father looking at him with wide eyes and mouths agape. “Twiley!” he exclaimed as he reached his baby sister and gave her a firm hug with her doing the same.

“Shiny! It’s good to see you again,” she said as she let go her brother, and saw him giving their father a bump on the hoof followed by a hug. “I thought you were at the Crystal Empire?”

Shining looked at his sister, with a smirk. “Well, we heard you were in Canterlot for the weekend, after the whole fiasco. So Cadie and I decided to drop in, hoping to see the Hero of the Crystal Empire. Speaking of that,” he looked down to where Spike was standing, and ruffled his green hair as he held onto the little colt. “How’s my nephew doing today?”

Spike chuckled softly, as the ruffling was slightly ticklish. “It’s going good, Uncle Shiny,” he said as he was let go of his uncle’s grip.

Shining smiled smugly as he rose to a high level. “It’s going to get even better, seeing as what I got for you.”

Twilight’s ears dropped and her eyes widened. “Oh no...”

“Wow, what you got for me?!”

“This!” Just as he spoke, he focused his horn on Spike. The colt began to glow in a bluish aura. The aura intensified and when it was done, Spike was left with a set of royal army kit. The special thing about this armor was that it was made of pure crystal.

“Cool!” Spike exclaimed.

Twilight put a hoof to her head.

“I thought a hero of his caliber deserved a hero’s armor.” He leaned down to his nephew and whispered, “Between you and me, armor drives mares crazy.”

Spike snickered at this. Twilight arched an eyebrow. “What are you telling him?”

“Nothing!”

“I’m sure,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’re going to spoil my son rotten.”

“Aw, let him have a week of fun,” Shining brushed her off. Then, after making sure Spike was distracted showing his armor off, he leaned closer to his sister and whispered, “I take it there’s none of that... greed stuff you told me about?”

Twilight shook her head. “No more than any other foal. I guess he lost the hoarding instinct when he became a pony...That’s really the only reason I let this go on, to be absolutely sure.” She looked back at Spike and raised her voice in alarm. “That’s not a real sword, is it?”

Spike was waving around a crystal sword that came with the set, trying to imitate the knights he had seen at practice.

“Relax, that’s just a rubber training sword... not that he should be swinging it around anyway. Put that back,” he chastised.

Grumbling, Spike did as he was told. “I just wanted to try it...”

“I’ll take you outside in a minute and show you. If you learn well enough, I’ll buy you a real one for your cute-mitzvah.”

Twilight’s eyes nearly went wide. The thought of her son running around with a real sword...

“You couldn’t consult me about a decision like that?”

“Oh, pshaw,” Shining Armor waved her off. “Getting a cutie mark means he’s a stallion, he can own a weapon at that age. Isn’t that right...”

He trailed off at the sight of his wife wrapping her nephew in a hug and kissing him several times on the cheeks. “Oh, you just look so adorable in armor!”

Shining kicked at invisible dirt, pushing out his lower lip. “I look cuter,” he mumbled, but he wasn’t acknowledged.

Spike stood on his hind legs, wrapping his forelegs around Cadance’s neck. “It’s so good to see you again, Auntie Cadie!”

Cadance returned the hug and nuzzled her nephew affectionately, “It’s good to see you too, Spike,” she said as she was hugging him. “Spike, can you please let go now?” she asked him politely, though she saw the slightly moist eyes of Spike and she bit her lower lip slightly. “It’s just this body isn’t just for me now.”

Spike turned his head, with his eyebrows raised, “I don’t get it...”

Twilight’s eyes shined with this and she approached Cadance and looked to her stomach, causing the pink alicorn to blush with a shy smile. “Cadance, are you?”

Cadance nodded her head, “I’m going to be a mother, just like you, Twiley,” she answered her happily, with tears of joy cascading from her eyes. She was soon joined by her husband, who stood by her side and nuzzled his wife.

Twilight clapped her hooves together in glee, with her eyes shining as bright as the stars. “Congratulations, both of you!” she hugged both her brother and sister-in-law, feeling two hooves wrap around her neck and a wing folding over her.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light approached their daughter-in-law and both gave their words of congratulations to the future mother and father before them.

Twilight Velvet sniffed, seeing as she couldn’t stop crying. “Now my boy will also be a loving parent, just like my little girl!” she shrieked slightly with a smile that would never cease on that day.

Night Light patted his son’s head and gave Shining a slight noogie. “That’s my boy!” he said, as he leaned in to Shining’s ear. “How many tries did it take?”

Shining’s face became pale for a moment before his cheeks burned bright. “Dad!”

Night Light laughed at his son’s face. “I’m just messing with you!” But the laughter became awkward as he was met with a withering look from his wife and daughter. “I’ll just keep my muzzle shut.”

Spike approached Cadance and looked at her stomach too, that now played a role in nurturing a new life. He looked at it in awe and wonder, boggled by how life could come from there. He then felt a slight chill running down his body and his moment of merriment was soon turned to sorrow, for the briefest of moments. Though Twilight Sparkle was able to notice this as she glanced at Spike.

“Something wrong, Spike?”

Spike jumped a bit. “Huh, what? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking...”

Twilight arched an eyebrow, but decided against pressing the matter any further, at least at this moment.

“Oh, let’s go out to eat tonight and celebrate!” Twilight Velvet clapped her hooves. “We just have to celebrate this!”

Dr. Healing Heart calmly looked over the pencil drawings Scootaloo had given him. They were all rather terrifying for somepony her age to draw, but they were an improvement, Nodding, he looked up at his patient, across the room to where she sat. “So, the nightmares...have they gotten any better?”

“It’s been happening every night,” Scootaloo cried. “I just want them to stop!”

The doctor calmly wrote in his notepad, occasionally floating a drinking glass up to his lips for a quick sip, but otherwise keeping his attention completely on his young patient. “That’s quite understandable. Tell me, do you still honestly fear Bloodwing? Do you think he might have survived?”

“I don’t really think so,” she answered.

“You ‘don’t really think so’? You’re not entirely certain?”

Scootaloo studied the foreleg rest of the chair she sat in. “Bloodwing... he was always trying something new with his experiments. Sometimes... sometimes I wonder if he could actually be able to come back from that.”

“How, exactly?”

“I don’t know!” she snapped. “I never understood how Bloodwing ever did anything he did, but he did them! I...” she cried a bit. “I always worry what he came up with. He never told me anything...”

She cried a bit. Healing Heart waited patiently for her to let her emotions out, writing down this new fear in his notes. “Tell me, Scootaloo, have you read Princess Celestia and Princess Luna’s assessment of Bloodwing’s lab?”

“Y-yes,” she answered timidly.

“Then you’re aware they concluded that Bloodwing had not perfected anything that could allow him to come back from what happened. Do you trust the Princesses?”

“Yes... but...” she swallowed, trying to find the right words. “No matter how good they are... Bloodwing could have...”

Healing Heart gently placed a hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder. “Scootaloo, there are plenty of ‘could have’s’ and ‘maybe’s’ in life. It’s understandable you would be worried, but you can’t let these things control your life.”

“I know...” Scootaloo answered in a small voice.

“Then repeat after me. ‘Bloodwing is not coming back.’”

“Bloodwing is not coming back.”

“Good, keep saying it. Bloodwing is not coming back.”

“Bloodwing is not coming back.”

“You need to keep repeating that to yourself, every time you’re scared. Understand?”

Scootaloo nodded. She saw the time on the clock behind Dr. Heart, with the doctor looking behind him too to view it.

“Our time is up it seems, for this week at least,” he told her as he archived the notes in a separate file cabinet that beared Scootaloo’s name. “Now you must practice what we spoke about today, and tell me if there is a result, ok?”

Scootaloo nodded again, taking a tissue and wiping her eyes before she blew into it. “Ok, I will try,” she said as she stood up and was led out by Dr. Heart to the waiting room where Rainbow Dash was sitting.

Just as Scootaloo hugged her mother, Dr. Heart cleared his throat. “I would like to speak to you in private if I may Ms. Dash?”

Rainbow looked up to Dr. Heart, before looking down to Scootaloo. “Scoots, I’m just gonna be a minute with Dr. Heart here. You wait right here, ok?”

“Ok, Mom.”

With that, Rainbow was lead to a separate room with the psychiatrist and with the door closed Dr. Heart turned to Rainbow. “I have concluded that Scootaloo will not be in need of any medication, though there still is healing to be done. I presume you know what your daughter is going through each night?”

Rainbow looked down, with her eyes becoming watery. “I do..” she whispered softly, though it could be still heard. “She’s been having so many nightmares and I feel so useless!” she spoke through her tears, something she did not show many ponies in her life.

Dr Heart sighed and gave Rainbow a tissue, which she gladly accepted. “The fact that you are crying for your daughter means that you care for her, more than your own life. That makes all the difference,” he told her, seeing her look up to his level.

Rainbow sniffed a bit before looking away and looking back into the psychiatrist’s eyes. “There’s is something I need to know though...”

“What you speak here today will not be spoken to others unless you want them to hear.”

“It’s just, for the last three weeks, she’s been sleeping with me most of the time. Is that... you know, healthy for her?”

Dr. Heart tapped his chin with his hoof for a moment. “It can be damaging,” he admitted finally. “By letting her do that, you’re not letting her face her problems. You might be sending the message that she’s not safe unless she’s with you.”

“Then... what should I do?”

“Next time she has a nightmare, be there for her, comfort her. Then, put her back to bed and tell her to be strong. Offer her a reward if she sleeps alone for a certain length of time.”

Rainbow Dash rubbed her head a moment. “Like, if she does it for a week, we can get something at Sugarcube Corner?”

The psychiatrist shook his head. “It’s not a good idea to reward foals with food. That could lead to obesity later in life.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “All these things I have to remember... my head hurts.”

He nodded sympathetically. “It’s a worry of every parent. You’re doing just fine, Ms. Dash. Just remember what I told you...and I should tell you to avoid corporal punishment, as well. Scootaloo’s coming along fine, considering all she’s been through.”

The cyan pegasus nodded. “Thank you.”

“Make sure Scootaloo gets plenty of playtime with her friends... and quality time with you. That should help her recover some. Other than that, I think the best thing for her is time.”

Rainbow Dash gave a motion that she understood. “Thanks, doc... I think I’ll take Scootaloo out to eat tonight.”

“You do that... and have a great week. I’ll see you both next Saturday, same time.”

“Spike, would you like some fried tomatoes?”

“Yes, please.”

Spike sat next to his mother and grandfather, in a family restaurant close to Night Light’s residence. It was busy with a number of ponies eating out that evening with their families, and the feeling of jubilation ran high in that place tonight.

“Where did you get that armor for Spike?” Night Light asked his son Shining, as he was sipping on his ginger ale.

Shining smirked before answering, “In the palace, there was this old vault that housed the old royal armor and I thought since Spike helped save the day with Cadie he ought to have had it.”

Night Light took a large gulp of the ale, laughing a bit. “Well I can say that my grandson is going to be a filly-killer with that now!”

Both Shining and Night Light laughed at the statement, that was not heard by the three mares and little colt who were busy discussing other matters.

Twilight Velvet could not cease her smile, even for a second when she looked at both her daughters. “How long are you due for?” she asked Cadance, eager to know the arrival of her second grand foal.

Cadance looked down on her stomach, “The doctor says at least another ten months from now,” she said as she took another bite of her potato, that was covered with sugar and lemon juice.

Twilight pursed her lips together as Cadance took a bite out of it and actually enjoyed it. She blinked a few times before turning away to face Spike, who she saw was enjoying the fried tomato and mixed hay and potato chips.

Twilight leaned down to Spike’s level, “You’re enjoying yourself, Spike?”

Spike swallowed the bite and looked up to Twilight, “I am, thanks Mom.” he said to her with closed eyes, failing to notice the wide smile Twilight was emitting.

Twilight then looked to the rest of her family, and cleared her throat to gain their attention. “Mother, Father, I want to thank you for having me and Spike over during this weekend.” she said to her parents, who she saw were both blushing. “Though tomorrow, Spike and I will have to return home to Ponyville.”

“What? Already?” Spike moaned.

“Do you really have to?” Twilight Velvet asked sadly. “It’s a joy having you around.”

“I’m afraid so,” Twilight sighed. “Spike starts school on Monday, and he needs to be home to get ready.”

Spike sighed. Of course, he remembered. Now that he was a pony, he had to go to school. There were things to learn now that it was sure he would never be leaving pony society. That meant no more picking up facts from browsing Twilight’s books, or plenty of free time for writing. There simply wasn't enough time.

At that thought, he winced. Time...how much did he have now? The thought had come to him a mere week after he received his new body. Did he have a dragon’s lifespan still? Was he going to live just a few decades? Would turning back into a dragon change that?

He had no answers, and he had been too scared to confront hi mother about them. He wasn't sure he’d like the answer. He wasn't even sure which answer he wanted.

“Besides,” Twilight continued. “Blaze is about to start his probation period, I need to be there to watch him.”

Night Light and Shining Armor gave each other a look. Both males of the Sparkle family held a wariness for Bloodwing’s former lacky, even if the position had been because of force.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay around him, Twiley?” Shining Armor asked. “He could be...”

“Shiny...” Twilight said in a tone that made it clear he should stop talking, “He was being forced to serve him, and as soon as he got a chance he left, and freed Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo in the process. I really don’t think I need to worry about him.”

“Your brother’s just worried about you,” Night Light said carefully.

“I know...” Twilight said, “but he shouldn’t. Blaze is actually pretty nice when you get to know him.”

“Weren’t you trying to kill him three weeks ago? I remember Princess Celestia had to hold you back...”

“Hey, Spike was in trouble, I had the right as a mother to act that way.”

Velvet patted her daughter on the shoulder. “That’s true.” She turned to Cadance. “You just wait. If anypony tries to hurt your foal, not even all your love will stop you.”

Cadance just brushed the back of her head with a forehoof. “Well, I’m hoping it’ll never come to that...” She then grinned slyly. “I don’t think we need to worry. I saw Blaze play with that little brother of his, and he seems pretty nice. Don’t you think so, Twilight?”

Twilight beamed at her sister-in-law, “Exactly! So I really don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Dr. Healing Heart is counseling them both after all, he’s predicted they won’t be much trouble,” she told her father and brother, who she saw were both looking at each other with frowned eyes.

“Well if you insist on that, but if he tries anything then I will-”

“Shining!”

“Sorry!”

Spike sat there in silence for the duration of the adults talking, furrowing his eyebrows as his eyes were focused on the food before him. A myriad of thoughts flashed before his mind, about the new changes. He sighed and continued eating silently, mulling over what his mother said earlier. He felt a hoof to his shoulder that brought his attention back to his surroundings, and looked up to see his mother looking demurely.

“I’ll talk to you later when we’re back home, ok, Spikey?”

Spike simply nodded his head, looking down from his mother’s gaze. He then felt her soft kiss on his forehead, and he could not help but smile slightly. Whatever changes came into his life, he knew he had his mother to lean on for support.

Scootaloo came flying down from her room, with her mane uncombed just like her own mother’s. “Mom! I’m going to out to play with my friends now!” she shouted out to the living room, where Rainbow Dash was busy cleaning up.

“Hold on just a second!” she yelled back to her daughter and came flying out, she then gave Scootaloo a firm hug and nuzzled her affectionately. “Be back by dinner, ok?”

Scootaloo just smiled. “Always,” she answered, and gave Rainbow a peck on the cheek. “Love you, Mom!” she flew out the window at top speeds.

Rainbow sighed and shook her head, wearing a proud smile. “Like mother, like daughter, hey?” she asked herself, caressing her cheek. She then turned to her living room and continued cleaning it, dusting all the trophies and photos of herself and her friends. New photos that were added were that of her and Scootaloo; flying together, sharing lunch, even her reading Daring Do to the little filly. She smiled contently at these pictures, feeling her stomach lighten as though butterflies were in it. A knock on the door averted her attention and she soon hovered over, answering it.

“Um... hi, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said slowly.

“Oh, hey, what’s going on?”

The yellow pegasus seemed nervous, twisting her hooves around in the clouds. “I... I need you to come to my cottage right now. It’s really important.”

Rainbow Dash blinked at her foalhood friend’s odd behavior. “‘Shy? What’s wrong?”

“Um... it’s hard to explain. Just... please come with me?”

“Sure.” The cyan pegasus lifted off. Let’s go.”

They were off in an instant, not even stopping to lock Rainbow Dash’s door, not that it was needed in a town like Ponyville. They flew along, the cyan mare wishing not for the first time that her friend was a faster flier, as she found herself constantly having to slow down to accommodate her.

Finally, they reached Fluttershy’s home on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Rainbow Dash reached it well in advance and was about to enter, but was halted by Fluttershy’s cry.

“Wait!”

Fluttershy picked up speed, landing in from of her friend and standing between her and the door. “I... I didn’t want you going in until I had time to prepare you for it...”

The rainbow-maned pony gulped, her heart racing faster. “Wh... what’s going on?”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Well... um... he... you might not be too happy to...”

“Oh for Celestia’s sake,” she muttered, pushing past her friend and reaching for the door.

“No, no, Rainbow Dash, don’t!”

It was in vain. The door was opened, and Rainbow Dash stepped inside, looking around the room.

When her eyes hit Fluttershy’s sofa, they widened, her irises shrinking to the size of pencil points.

There, laying on the couch, was a pegasus stallion. His coat was purple, with a cutie mark of a checkered racing flag on his flank. His eyes were a dull golden color, and his mane was a rainbow of colors, just like hers.

“D-Dashie?” the stallion spoke with his voice dried. Rainbow Dash recognized the stallion in Fluttershy’s house... her father.

Author's Note

Just to let you know, a cute-mitzvah is basically the male equivalent of cute-ceañera (since Quiceañera is only a girl coming of age celebration)

Chapter 8

“Alright Spike, let’s try again.”

Spike nodded as he concentrated his magic on a disc in front of him. His horn shined brightly as the disc was enveloped in an pinkish aura and levitated to the other side as Spike looked towards the destination. He placed the disc on its target and let go of it as his magic disappeared. He huffed a little as sweat ran down his forehead and he fell onto his haunches as he tried to catch his breath.

“Well done Spike!” Twilight said as she took a checklist and marked down ‘levitation’ with an X to the side. She noticed his condition as she peered over her list and smiled softly. He’s really putting in a lot of effort. “Let’s take a break, shall we continue after supper?”

Spike looked up and gave a tired smile. “Sounds cool to me.”

Twilight approached him and gave a soft kiss to his forehead as she hugged him. “I’m so proud of you, Spike,” she said softly. “You’re really putting in so much to get this right.”

Spike grinned as she looked up to his mother. “Well I had a good role model for that,” he answered her as he returned the hug, not noticing the blush forming on his mother’s cheeks. “So Mom, what’s for supper?”

Twilight let go of Spike and walked into the kitchen with him. “Well, I thought of trying something new,” she told him as she looked to a pot that was still on the stove. “A butternut and orange soup, with some rye bread.”

Spike took a sniff of air. “Hmmm, smells good,” he commented as he sat on the table’s end and looked to his bowl with a spoon at its side. He looked at the spoon and to his one hoof and focused his magic again as his horn glew. The hoof started morphing to that of his former dragon claw, with his feeling the control of each talon on it. Though as he did so, images began to show in his mind. Memories of that day when he was taken, when he was at death’s door, even before when he was still a dragon and shown contempt by other ponies for what he was. He started losing control of his breathing and blinked furiously as he looked down to the claw that was glowing. He felt his vision going and a buildup of tears.

“Spike!”

Spike’s head shot up and his horn stopped the magic, as the claw went back to a hoof. He looked up to his mother’s concerned face and was quickly wiping away the tears as he regained his breath.

“Yes, Mom?”

“Are you alright?”

He nodded and then his eyes travelled to his flank, biting his lower lip. “...Do you think it’s a possible for me to get a cutie mark?”

Twilight was stunned by the question. “Of course it is, Spike. You’re a pony, after all... Why would you think you couldn’t?”

“It’s just... I’m not exactly a normal pony, am I?”

“Well... no,” she admitted. “But I don’t think that matters. And not getting a cutie mark wouldn’t stop you from being a talented pony, would it?”

“...No,” he said slowly.

She gave him another kiss on the cheek. “Even if you never get a cutie mark, I’ll still love you. So will the other Cutie Mark Crusaders, and your grandparents, and Uncle Shiny and Aunt Cadance...”

Spike flinched a bit at the mention of his extended family. He thought of his aunt, and her announcement a few days prior. A foal... he was going to get a cousin.

“Spike? Are you okay?”

He shook his head. “Yeah... I’m okay.”

“Um... Rarity?”

The fashion designer sighed as she lifted her head from her work, wearing her red glasses. “Sweetie, I’m in the middle of designing a simply divine dress for Fleur. Is this really so important it can’t wait?”

“I was just wondering... how do you impress a colt?”

Fancypants, Hoity Toity, and Sapphire Shores could have trotted in at that moment with a fortune’s worth of commissions, and Rarity would still not have let her attention to her sister waiver. “A... a colt?”

Sweetie blushed. “Yeah... see... um, well...”

Suddenly, the filly found herself in a tight hug. “Oh, that’s so sweet! My baby sister’s growing up! Oh, I’m so happy you came to me for advice! So tell me, who’s the lucky colt you’ve set your eyes on?”

She blushed. “Oh... just some colt... from Canterlot,” she said quickly. “I saw him during the wedding.”

Rarity smirked. Not a lie, but meant to be misleading. She saw right through it.

“Well,” Rarity started to speak just as she went to one of her cupboards and levitated each bottle before her. She tapped her chin as she went through every bottle, taking in a sniff as before she finally stopped with her eyes wide. “This will do the treat,” she said as she passed it onto Sweetie. “Now just spray on each side of your neck once in the morning and you’ll be irresistible.”

Sweetie smiled as she viewed the bottle and sprayed it in the air, smelling it and finding the aroma quite satisfying. “Wow! Thanks Rarity!” she said as she gave her sister a quick hug and went up to her room.

A grin formed on Rarity’s muzzle as she looked on to her sister walking up the stairs. “I’m sure Spike will be yours by the end of the week!”

Sweetie nearly tripped on the staircase, looking back to her sister with her shrunken irises. “H-How did you?! W-Wha!? You! I-I’m off to bed!” she yelled out as she stormed to her room, slamming the door shut.

Rarity chuckled softly as she shook her head with her eyes closed. “She’s going through that stage already, huh?” she said to herself as she went back to her work and concentrated on it. Her mind fell on Spike as she remembered how he always helped her and how much he looked at her with the googling eyes. She found it cute, but he was just too young for her.

For a while, she avoided bringing it up, confident the crush would disappear like so many foalhood crushes. It had, though not in the way it was expected. When Twilight formally became his mother, Rarity found herself becoming an aunt. It was never spoken, but the relationship was now there. She sighed as she looked back to the staircase leading up to Sweetie Belle’s room.

I trust you will take care of him, Sweetie...

Light flew alongside his brother Blaze as they landed near a house that lay close to the center of Ponyville. Blaze opened the door and Light walked in past him as he relaxed on the couch.

“What we having tonight, Blaze?” he asked the elder pegasus who flew into the kitchen and began cooking up a storm as Light could hear the sizzling of pans and other cutlery being used.

“I thought we’d try some stir fry,” he said simply. “It should be ready in about thirty minutes,” he added, taking a quick sip.

“Well, what are we going to do until then?”

“Well, I need to watch this pot. You can go off and do whatever. Have you finished your homework?”

“Yes,” Light sighed. It had only been two days and he was already starting to hate school.

“Well then, how about getting started on that reading list Miss Cheerilee gave you? She said you needed to finish them all by the end of the year.”

“I can do that anytime,” he whined.

“Well then, do it now so you don’t have to do it later,” he suggested. “Besides, you’ll probably like it. I always wanted you to read more books before we ran into Bloodwing.”

“...I guess I could,” he said slowly, looking toward his bedroom.

“Pick the longest one first,” he instructed, “and get it over with. I’ll come by and help you in a minute. Who knows, it might be one I’ve read already.”

“Light? Come on, kid, it’s time for dinner.”

No answer.

“Light? Come on, food time.”

Still no answer.

Confused, the stallion walked into his little brother’s room to find a colt with his face deep in a juvenile chapter book, one that told a tale of a schoolhouse that was thirty stories tall.

He smiled. “Not so boring, is it?”

Jumping, Light looked up to his brother’s triumphant smirk. After a moment, he smiled. “Yeah... it’s a lot of fun.”

“Well, come on, kid. Dinner time.”

“Ok,” Light said as he marked his page and closed the book. He walked towards the kitchen to find a large plate of stir fry waiting for him, alongside was a glass of juice. Light took his seat at the table and began eating supper, with Blaze joining in at the opposite side.

After a few minutes, Blaze looked up to Light still enjoying his food and he smiled softly. “Say, Light?”

“Hmmm?” Light looked up to Blaze with some food still in his mouth, that he swallowed down the next moment.

Blaze cleared his throat and took a sip of juice. “The school treating you alright?” he asked him innocently, seeing the white pegasus fiddling with his fork a little.

“Yeah, school’s good, my friends are cool too. Aside from those four bullies who constantly try to make life miserable, it’s ok.”

Blaze arched his brow a little at hearing this. “They’re not being too hard, are they? Cause if they are, I’ll-”

Light waved his hooves in the air. “No no! They’re nothing compared to that creep, honest... they just have no life.”

Pursing his lips a little, Blaze snorted as a laugh escaped his mouth. “Well, I’m sure that they will learn eventually, easy or hard way.”

Light chuckled as he nodded. “Yeah.”

Blaze smirked a little before looking at Light, who was taking a sip of his juice . “So... any filly that’s got your attention lately?”

Light spat the juice out of his mouth, that strangely formed a miniature rainbow in the air. He looked up to his brother with burning cheeks and wide eyes. “What?!”

The red pegasus laughed as he pounded a hoof to the table. “I knew it!” he said as he regained his voice. “So, who’s the lucky filly to claim your heart?” he asked softly as he smirked and leaned forward over the table.

Light’s eyes darted from one corner to the other, letting out a huff and looking away from Blaze’s eyes. “N-none of your business!”

“Come on, tell me. Please?”

“No,” Light said stubbornly.

“Come on. Is it Sweetie? I mean, if she grows into the same mare as her sister...”

Light turned beet-red. “N-no... she likes Spike, anyway.”

“Whoa, really?” Blaze asked, a little surprised.

“Yeah, the fillies were all drooling over him when he showed up at the Clubhouse in that ridiculous armor... even Scootaloo lost her sense. And ever since then, she’s always trying to be around him. She thinks we don’t notice, but we do.”

Blaze laughed. “Oh man, poor Twilight would probably have a fit if she found out... would probably sit that poor boy through The Talk...”

“‘The Talk’?” Light asked, confused.

“Um... nevermind,” he said quickly. “So, what filly do you really have your eye on? Scootaloo? Apple Bloom? Some other filly in your class?”

“I... it’s nothing,” he said blushing.

“Tell me!”

“No!”

“Tell me, or you're going to regret it,” he said, giving a sinister smirk.

Light gulped. “You’re bluffing. You’re not really going to... yah!”

In a flash Light was tackled to the ground, his forelegs pinned. Before he could do anything, Blaze ran his feathers all across his little brother’s stomach.

“AAAH!” Light yelled, giggling. “S-stop it!”

“Tell me who it is!”

“N...n...no!”

“Tell me who it is or it’s going to get worse!”

“N...no! Please, I... I think I’m going to be sick!”

“Yah!” Blaze said, pulling away. “Geez, kid, are you...”

Light tackled his brother and began tickling him back.

Blaze squirmed a little as he laughed with Light tickling him. “So you playing it that way, huh?!”

Light grinned as he continued his attack on Blaze. “Well, this is just me responding to your assault on me!” he said as he furiously brushed his feathers on Blaze.

“There’s one thing you should know!”

“What’s that!?” Light asked, focusing primarily on his feathers’ actions.

Blaze suddenly grabbed Light with his front hooves and pulled him in, tickling him with his feathers again. “Always mind your surroundings!”

Light laughed as he tried to escape the hold he was in right now, but in the end he couldn’t get out. After a few moments, both pegasi lay on the ground laughing hard as their eyes watered slightly from the mirth.

The sound of the clock alerted Blaze and he looked up to face it, reading it to be ten o’clock. “Ponyfeathers! Looks like you need to go to bed now!”

Light sighed as he sat up and drooped his ears slightly. “Can’t we-”

“Sorry Light, tomorrow we can... ok?”

Light nodded and cleaned his plate at the sink, with Blaze doing the same. When they were finished, Light packed the plates back in the cupboard.

Blaze looked up and smiled. Heh, he’s becoming very independent. That colt of mine... “Remember to-”

“Brush my teeth, and set the alarm,” Light finished as he landed before Blaze. “I got it memorized.”

Blaze rolled his eyes as he smirked. “Yeah, I can see-” he was cut off as Light hugged around his neck. He returned the hug and let go of Light.

“Night, Blaze.”

Blaze nodded with half-closed eyelids. “Night, Light,” he said to the little colt who went up to his room and heard the water flowing from the tap inside the bathroom in his room. Blaze let out a sigh as he went back to cleaning the house a little until his eyes fell on the first picture he and Light had together. The picture also had Spike and Twilight in it, being the two colts’ first day of school. He let out a soft laugh as he held the picture close to him.

I wonder how she’s doing?

Spike looked around to find darkness. As far as his eyes could see, there was nothing but pitch blackness.

“Hello? Is anypony there?”

No answer.

Suddenly, he began moving forward. His legs all moved in sync. But not on his own accord.

“H-hey! W-what’s going on...”

Suddenly he was lifted onto his hind legs where he danced a silly dance. Again, he could not stop it.

“Wha... Help! Somepony, help me!”

Then, an audience in front of him. His mother, his uncle and aunt and grandparents, his honorary aunts, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, all sitting in theatre seats.

“Cool show!” Scootaloo commented.

“Make him dance! Make him dance!”

“What? Guys, help me! I’m... I’m...”

When he saw his hooves, he could not finish the sentence. They were wooden. He was wooden. And there were strings. Strings guiding up, up toward a marionette.

“That’s right,” Bloodwing growled. “Dance, you dumb puppet, dance!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Spike was bolt upright, breathing heavily. He looked at his hooves and saw they were no longer wooden, though this did not stop the tears that fell from his eyes. Spike bit his lower lip as memories and certain words flew through his mind, words such as ‘doll’ and ‘fake’.

The sound of the door opening made his ears perk and he looked to see his mother rushing to him and holding him close to her. He felt her soft hoof slowly stroking his mane and felt a gentle nuzzle from her. Spike held onto Twilight and began to sob uncontrollably.

“Shhhh... Spike, I’m here now... everything will be ok...” Twilight cooed to her little colt and looked into his eyes to see them red with tears. “Was it a bad nightmare again, Spike?” she asked him innocently, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Spike’s lips still quivered and all he could give was a nod, looking down from Twilight’s eyes.

Twilight caressed his cheek a little. “Spike, I know these nightmares are scary and hard to get rid off... but nightmares are all ill illusions. They’re not real, they're fake like-”

“Me.”

Twilight head jerked back slightly as her mouth was agape. She looked with wide eyes to her son and she blinked before reaching out to him again. “What do you mean, Spike?” she asked him softly, seeing him scrunch his lips.

Spike looked up to his mother and began to huff slightly, as he still scrunched his lips. “I’m not a real pony. I’m just a fake!” Spike shouted as his eyes became moist again and he pushed himself away from Twilight’s hold. “I’m just a doll that’s been given some smarts, a freak!”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Twilight placed her hoof to Spike’s and held onto it tightly. “Spike, you are not a fake. You’re not a doll either,” she said as she furrowed her brow in determination slightly. “You’re a unicorn colt Spike, and you’re my son. My brave and gorgeous son-”

“No, I’m not!” he said, suddenly angry. “I’m not a pony! I’m your magic! I just look like a pony! I... I...”

Twilight quickly wrapped her forelegs around him and pulled him into a hug. The tiny pony cried into his mother’s barrel, tears soaking fur. “Spike, please... don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

“But I’m not real!”

“Yes, you are. You’re laying right here with me. You’ve always been here.” She kissed his head. “You’re real to me.”

Spike just bawled into his mother for a time. Twilight gathered him up and rocked him carefully, like he was the most fragile thing in the world. Finally, after several minutes, the cries began to calm down.

“Spike... what brought this up?”

He hiccuped. “I... I was thinking about Aunt Cadance... how she got pregnant... that’s how a pony is supposed to be born. I... wasn’t. I was made. You used your magic to make me... on a-accident! I’m not only a fake, I’m a mistake!”

Twilight took hold of his shoulders and looked him right in the eyes with her brow furrowed. “Spike Sparkle, I never want to hear you talk about yourself like that again. You’re not a fake, you’re real. How you came here is irrelevant, you are here. You can think and feel and love. I can love you.”

She kissed his cheeks again. “If the Princesses, who have lived for over a thousand years, say you’re real, you’re real. If somepony like me, who has studied knowledge her whole life, says you’re real, you’re real. If a whole mess of ponies can love you like a pony, you’re real. From a mother’s stomach, or her magic, a mother still made you. And believe me, she could not be happier or prouder of you,” she whispered to him as she never let go of him in her embrace.

Spike cried a little more, his face never leaving her barrell. Finally, he looked up. “Can... can I sleep with you tonight?”

Smiling gently, Twilight lifted herself up, levitating her son onto her back. “Of course... just for tonight,” she said as she made her way to her bed and folded the blanket to one side. She levitated Spike and tucked him in as she climb in also. Twilight folded one of her fore hooves over him and felt Spike snuggle in closer to her.

“Th... thanks,” he said drowsily and closed his eyes. ”I love you, Mom,” he spoke before his words were replaced with a soft snoring and Twilight felt his chest move up and down against hers.

Twilight smiled demurely and sniffed slightly as a tear escaped her eye. She lowered her muzzled closer to his forehead and kissed him softly. “I love you too, my wonderful son.”