//------------------------------// // Tea and Talking // Story: Draconic Troubles // by Davesknd //------------------------------// My Little Pony is owned by Hasbro, not me. This !FAN!fic is edited by the extremely awesome and talented Alicia Jewel! „Grounded? That seems a bit odd for a divine punishment." Rarity said in surprise. Rainbow Dash and herself were being briefed on Celestia's sudden appearance while explaining themselves what exactly caused Twilight's outburst. Applejack was trying to follow everything, while Pinkie was scribbling plans on a piece of paper, she found. Not than anypony but Pinkie could possibly follow her trail of thought. Nor did she actually follow the plans. At least not all the time and not to the word. It was more some kind of a ritual for her. That was what gave her parties their distinct feel: They were conceived, prepared and executed by and through complete chaos. Anypony could organize a party. Pinkie threw everything in one place, ripped a few things away and allowed the results to bloom. Like a Franz Kafka version of Zen-gardening. Just without the torture machines. That was one of the reasons why Rainbow Dash always supported her in every way. She had seen what Pinkie's connection to the heart of chaos could do to her. And she did not want Mr. Turner to return ever again. Currently she was busy listening to Applejack, while shoving more paper and pencils to the party pony. "I guess the jokes about her sending people to the moon villy-nilly did get a bit out of hand." Applejack answered "And Twi really didn't want to join us?" Rarity shook her head. "She was really angry. And it is a completely new book. You know her… studies first." In this moment, Spike returned to the quartet. He had been upstairs, bringing his boss some tea and few grass brownies. "Sorry about that, guys." He said, having heard Rarity's comment "But she is trying to research four different sourcebooks at once. I'll go fill my junior assistant in for the night. Then I keep you company." "Wait… is Twi making any progress with the book?" Applejack asked. "She hasn't even opened it yet." Spike grimaced. He had become distracted by his chores. Bringing Twilight food and taking care of four guests had taken his mind off the near future. That and the fact that there was still a slight chance that everyone left before Rarity. Not very likely, but a dragon can dream, darn it! Spike had just left for the main hall, as the ponies heard a knock on the backdoor that led into the kitchen. Rainbow Dash reacted by racing to the door and opened it. In trotted a yellow Pegasus with pink hair and a huge purple scarf around her neck. "Hello, everyone!" Fluttershy said… loud and clearly? "Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed and rushed over to her. "Darling! I was so worried about you!" Fluttershy smiled brightly at her, even though Rarity could swear that something was wrong. That scarf did NOT fit the season at all! And that shade of purple did not go well with Fluttershy's hair! Oh, and she knocked loudly on the BACK-door, spoke up when greeting them and had been forming the word "HELP" over and over with her lips. But darn it, that scarf was hideous! With a quick yank of her head, Rarity removed the scarf and revealed… Angel! The little bunny had been hiding partially in the scarf and partially in Fluttershy's hair. He had a bandana around his head and held a sharpened carrot to Fluttershy's neck. An Exclamation mark appeared above Rarity's head and the rabbit jumped off and hid behind the teapot. Rarity looked up. "Oh… forgot to deactivate the Fashion offense spell." She discarded the scarf and looked at Fluttershy in puzzlement. "I'm so sorry, Rarity! I just felt something sharp against my neck and then someone writing pictures on my neck! I was so scared! He told me to come here!" Fluttershy wailed very silently and turned to angel "And you, angel! You snuck up on me and held me hostage, just so you could take me here so I could…" she looked around "relax and have fun with my friends!" "YOU FIEND!" Pinkie yelled. The diabolic bunny grinned maliciously, took a few swings with his carrot and finally returned it to its sheath (his mouth). "I'm glad you are all right!" Rarity said finally "I was worried about you. Come, have a seat and some tea. We were just talking about…" "Twilight?" Spike offered "She is upstairs researching like a crazypony." "I understand that she doesn't want to take part in a social event." Fluttershy admitted. "I doubt that she would be able to with a new book. And from the princess nonetheless. In Canterlot, that usually ended with her moving into our favourite doughnut place and living off coffee and sugar for several days." Spike licked his lips while his eyes rolled up in memories "Good times..." Applejack had been eyeing Rarity for the last few moments and finally asked. "You even have a spell to remind you to be fussy?" "The third spell, I ever learned!" Rarity stressed "Right after tracking gemstones and removing itches from places a lady cannot touch in public." "There are spells to scratch your own haunch?" "Of course there are... even though a lady should not talk about those." Rarity answered with a bit of indignity. "What is Twilight studying?" Fluttershy asked into the group, trying to prevent another Rarity-Applejack confrontation. "Good question..." Spike added "She didn't even ask me to bring her any reference books. And why did she have to –decipher- it?" "Oh! It's probably just..." Rainbow started. "A manual!" Applejack added. "About how to make the most fabulous and manifique..." Rarity tried to continue. "WELCOME PARTY IN EQUESTRIA!" Pinkie finished "That was fun! Let's do another one! I pack into my suitcase..." "A welcome party?" Spike asked with a raised eyebrow. "No, silly. You have to continue my sentence. And you can't pack a welcome party in your suitcase. Unless you have a very big suitcase. Or you welcome your socks! Speaking of socks! Have you noticed how much ponies seem to like them nowadays?" "For whom are you throwing a welcome party?" Spike inquired, not intimidated by Pinkie's randomness. "PRINCESS CELESTIA!" Rainbow blurted. "Since she can now..." "Drop in anytime..." Applejack added "We have to have a compact party on standby!" Rarity finished. "Oh, why do you play without me?" Pinkie asked with a sad face. Spike looked each of the three ponies in turn. His eyes gazed upon Rarity biting her lips, Applejack giving him the most forced grin in Equestria and Rainbow developing a sudden interest in the ceiling. "You three are acting really suspicious. Why do you finish each other's sentences?" he inquired, "Because they are mean and won't let me play!" "I don't think that this is the reason, Pinkie Pie." Fluttershy consoled the pink pony. It was at this moment that the front door opened very silently and twelve little hoofs clopped through the main hall of the library. Luckily for them, the nocturnal assistant was currently taking care of Twilight, the traps were disarmed and the trapper was trying to catch some answers. "What are you three hiding?" Spike pushed. "It's..." Rarity started "For Prince Blueblood!" Rainbow quickly added. All eyes were on her. At the same time, Rarity's cheek muscles lost all tension. THE NAME! "We didn't want to say his name, since he was so terrible at the Gala and Rarity is still traumatized. But he is royalty and stuff, so we have to make a welcome party." Rainbow explained. "Oh, please!" Spike answered "As if Rarity was still so miffed about that lo... Rarity?" The unicorn was staring right through any object between her and the end of the universe. Her mouth hung open and her lungs seemed to run on minimal power. "You really didn't need to break Rarity for the sake of argument..." Spike muttered in defeat. "Oh my... she is in shock!" Fluttershy examined, walking around the frozen unicorn and probing her with her hoof. "The last time I had seen her like this was when Lotus at the spa gave her the minor makeover instead of the usual." "She froze in terror over not being... fussed around enough?" Applejack asked with a grunt. "How can a great ruler like Celestia have a nephew like... that?" Rainbow asked with a sigh. "They are not related." Pinkie answered. "How do you know?" Applejack asked in surprise. "I sent her a letter, asking this exact question." Pinkie responded with a grin "Just that I used longer and more honest words. And drew a very detailed picture of him being drenched in Cake... right next to a hive of fire-ants." "So... how does this work then?" "The princess never had any kids, but she adopted several on occation. That's how all the noble families got into existence." Pinkie announced happily "Then she wrote something about his family turning into big separatists and deciding to keep their line pure and having children only with each other. But I still couldn't figure out what exactly she meant with -inbred beyond repair-." "But it is still difficult to believe that his name alone can have this much of a reaction on her." "Oh, Applejack, you have to understand how much of an impact he made on her. He did destroy every fillyhood fantasy about the handsome prince finding her, she ever had." Fluttershy explained, without leaving Rarity's side. "It was even worse for her than it was for me." Without anyone truly noticing, Angel's left ear twitched once. "I mean, I only wanted to see some pretty flowers and befriend some animals." Flutershy started, and quickly added "Really rare animals that I had never seen. And they didn't like me."She sighed "I would have liked them all. Loved them all, in fact. But they didn't love me... and then I did some horrible things!" A tear formed in the Pegasus' eye "I tried to set up traps and hunted them like a monster! A monster... a terrible, terrible..." Time seemed to stop for a second, as Angel bunny jumped in front of Fluttershy. The silence that followed the backpawed slap he gave her was deafening. Now everypony plus one dragon were in shock. Fluttershy dropped her gaze as angels paws formed signs. Signs he had formed many times before. They ended with something that seemed like a demand. Fluttershy started to mumble, just to be silenced by the same gesture again. Her voice slowly rose and she started, very quietly again, only for Angel to demand again. Finally Fluttershy swallowed and started: "Those animals have never met anypony but their keeper and Princess Celestia. They are not used to company and would have been afraid of anypony. I shouldn't blame this on myself. I have many friends who love me." Angel nodded very slowly. Then his paw extended and gently padded Fluttershy's muzzle. Fluttershy nodded too and looked around, seeing all the frozen visages. "Oh... too loud?" Alternate Title: MOVE, Mare, out of the way!