//------------------------------// // Letters and Signatures // Story: Cousins // by TheAlmightySage //------------------------------// Archivist's Notation: If you're gonna Favorite the story please please please Like it as well. I'm not trying to be egotistical, but those Likes are surprisingly encouraging. ------//////------ Letters and Signatures "You're here! You're here! You're here!", Dreamy repeated excitedly as she hopped around a still slightly dazed Ditzy. The Doctor watched in mild amusement after recovering from the slight shock of seeing the grey filly affectionately tackle his assistant off her hooves. The scene reminded the Doctor a bit of the times Dinky would excitedly welcome them back after a few days of TARDIS travel. "Dreamy? What's all the ruckus about?", Solution Pie inquired as she trotted to the front door. "Auntie Ditzy is here!", Dreamy smiled up at Solution Pie as Ditzy got back up on her hooves. "And so is the Doctor", the Doctor helpfully pointed out as Solution trotted out the door. "Celestia forbid somepony not mention you", Ditzy snarked as she rolled her eyes. "Now Ditzy I'm just being polite and introducing myself", the Doctor defended rather pathetically. "Uh huh", Ditzy replied about as convinced as usual as she picked up the letter and dusted it off. "What? It is too polite", the Doctor further attempted justify his self insert. Ditzy merely eyed the Doctor in a disbelief as obvious as a Sontaran in a Silurean marching parade. The Doctor was quickly trying to think of another strategic verbal defensive maneuver, when their postal recipient provided a helpful distraction. "Um not to be rude", Solution Pie interjected politely with a quirked eyebrow, "but what brings the two of you here to Tumberville?" "I brought you a letter!", Ditzy beamed as she held up the pink envelope in her hoof. "Direct from Ponyville?", Pinkie Solution Pie blinked in surprise as she accepted the letter from Ditzy. "Yep. The Tumberville mail portal thingy isn't working right now", Ditzy explained as Solution Pie read over the letter with raised eyebrows. "A Cousin Reunion?", Solution Pie said aloud as she read the pink letter. "So you're Pinkie Sense was right", Dreamy giggled, "Oh oh oh can I come with you?" Solution Pie hummed as she folded the letter back into it's envelope weighing her options carefully. "Hmm I haven't seen Pinks in three years. It'd be nice to see how she's doing, but since its a reunion Surprise and HB will definitely be there too", Solution Pie looked down at Dreamy, who was pleading with her usual pouty face, Solution Pie smiled and ruffled Dreamy's mane, "However, if I don't go I can guarantee HB and Surprise will show up to drag me to the reunion." "So are we going?", Dreamy giggled as her mane was ruffled. "You betcha!", Pinkie Solution Pie beamed at her assistant. "Yay!", Dreamy and Ditzy replied together to the good news earning an amused laugh from the Doctor and Solution Pie. "As soon as we your parents permission that is", Solution Pie amended after a moments thought. ---///--- "So invitation delivered and acceptance of said invitation confirmed. Sign at the top then initial at the third box", Ditzy said guiding Solution Pie to the appropriate signature spots on her EPS confirmation papers as Dreamy clung to her aunt's leg in an affectionate vice grip. "Okay that's all the signatures I need. Thanks", Ditzy smiled after double checking her papers carefully. "No problem Ditzy. Now then Dreamy we really do have quite a bit of packing to do if you're gonna come with me to Ponyville", Solution Pie explained to her assistant, who still clung to her aunt, "And Ditzy and the Doctor still have the other invitations to deliver", Solution explained in hopes to avoid having to retrieve her Dreamy hug pry bar (patent pending, so don't even think about it). "Aww, but they just got here", Dreamy looked up with a heart melting pout. "She's right Dreamy. I still have two other deliveries to make", Ditzy confirmed as she hugged her dear niece, "but I'm sure we'll see each other once you two get to Ponyville." "Okay auntie Ditzy", Dreamy smiled as she let go of her aunt's leg. "Don't worry Dreamy there should be plenty of time for you to visit me, Dinky, and Sparkler while you and Miss Pie are staying in Ponyville. So I'll see you there", Ditzy said as she tucked her clipboard into her saddlebag giving Dreamy a good bye hug before she went to fetch the Doctor. --//-- "Now then Dreamy we have packing to do!", Solution Pie declared as she closed the door, "You get the books and I'll get the suitcases." "Ma'am! Yes, ma'am!", Dreamy declared with a mock salute before she darted up the stairs giggling. Pinkie Solution Pie smiled as her assistant went up stairs then glanced over at a photo of her and her cousins on the coffee table. It was from when they were at a Pie Family Reunion from several years ago, shortly after they all got their Cutie Marks. The photo showed four matching pink fillies and a white blonde pegasus, all of them with bright smiles as they held each other in a tight group hug. She sighed softly thinking of fond memories of games, adventures, and frustrations her and her beloved cousins would often cause when they were younger. She ignored the bittersweet tinge of memories from the reunion after the one in the photo brought to her mind with a deeper more thoughtful sigh, "You only sent out three invitations Pinks." Pinkie Solution Pie slipped her glasses off her looking them over between her hooves as she thought over the situation. She knew it would be good to see and be with her three cousins again together after so long, but she couldn't completely dismiss the thought that only three invitations were sent out, not four. It wasn't entirely a surprise though; the last encounter between Pinks and her had almost guaranteed to create a divide between those two that would.... "Pinkie which books did you want me to get for packing?", Dreamy called from upstairs pulling Solution Pie out of her thoughts. "I'll show you once I get up stairs Dreamy", Solution Pie slipped her glasses back on then sighed once more; deciding she could dwell on her cousins and how to fix that situation later, for now there were preparations to put in order. ----////----- The Doctor, for his part, had been patiently waiting the paperwork out by watching the various Tumberville counterparts of some the ponies he knew from Ponyville as they meandered about the town square tending to various errands. Until Ditzy tapped him on the shoulder smiling with her usual bubbly brightness, "Okay Doctor we're ready for the next stop." "Splendid", the Doctor smiled back as he got up and trotted along with Ditzy, "So where might our next stop be, my dear mailmare?" Ditzy fished out the letter squinting as she read the address, "Hmm our next address is for Surprise Pie in Tumblerville, Cloudsdale." "Ooh Tumblerfied Cloudsdale that ought to be fun", the Doctor replied excitedly as he and Ditzy approached the TARDIS, "I can finally test out those antigravity horseshoes I invented." "Um Doctor didn't the last set you made end up floating into space?" Ditzy inquired with a bit of concern. "Well not space technically. They only made it up to the mesosphere before disintegrating and that's only 49.7 miles above the surface of Equis", the Doctor explained as they entered the TARDIS. "Fifty miles?!", Ditzy exclaimed, "Doctor not even the strongest pegasi can go that high!" "There's still enough oxygen in the air that I can breathe even at that altitude", the Doctor said dismissively as he closed the door then trotted to the control console. Only to be intercepted by Ditzy who leveled her best cross eyed glare at the Doctor as she hovered between him and the console. "Oh Ditzy don't give me that look", he groaned only to be countered by Ditzy's glare and defiant snort. "It's not safe Doctor", Ditzy stated as she poked him in the chest to emphasize her point, "Plus you know I'm not that fast of a flier." "Fine fine I'll test them some other time", the Doctor conceded with a sigh, painfully aware Ditzy was stubborn enough to hold her point for as long as needed to win an argument; as proven by one particularly heated spat between Ditzy and Sparkler (Ah the joys of teenagers). "Good, the last I need is to go chase you down while you float away like a balloon", Ditzy said with a satisfied nod as she flapped over to her favorite chair. "Yes, mother", the Doctor groused as he set the destination into the TARDIS' control console. "Don't take that tone with me Doctor or I won't make you those strawberry jammy dodgers", Ditzy said wagging a hoof at him. "Oh that's hardly fair...", the Doctor started in a petulant tone before the TARDIS' engines drowned out his protests. End of Chapter