"Hey dad! Daad!"
My daughter, three stories above me.
"Scootaloo, get down from there! It's nearly dinner time!"
"Dad! Come up here. I want to show you something cool." She disappears above the eaves, I sigh and go flying after her. She is sitting on the roof on her haunches with a 'cat that jimmied the canary factory freight door' grin.
"Honey bunch, you know what the landlord said. If you knock any more roof tiles off we'll be charged for repairs."
"Hehe, the place with the missing tiles kind if looks like a duck!"
"It's the duck that's going to cost me my damage deposit. Now what is it?"
She scrambles to the west side of the building. "Take a look!" I follow behind slowly as she is far more nimble. "See, they moved Cloudsdale further south and you can see it from here."
It is an impressive sight, the city of clouds bathed in an orange and pink sunset with the usual rainbow cascades trailing down. It was far away but the larger columns and buttresses were visible.
"Look, dad. The street lights are coming on... Think Rainbow will take me there to see a Wonderbolts show someday?"
"I'm sure she will, darling. You haven't been since you were a little foal. It'd be good for you." I watched my daughter as she took in sights from this still relatively new vantage point and dreamed big. I am not certain if she was destined for a growth spurt anyway or if Dash's regimented nutrition and exercise plan spurned it on (or maybe it came form that elusive magic that comes from finally living out your dreams) but she had grown considerably in the last few weeks. Even he wings had filled out even if they were still a bit stubby. She was close to being a true adolescent.
"We can stay up here a while more if you'd like. As long and we stay out of sight to the ground-dwellers." She beamed at me, perhaps glad not to be lumped in with that group anymore.
"I'd love to see the ruins Twilight found out in the Everfree! Think there are giant pony statues and stuff? I think I spotted some in the distance when we were sleeping over at Fluttershys' cottage!"
"Sounds majestic but under supervision. I'm not sure what kind of flying beasties live out there. Plus you wouldn't want Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to get jealous if you went off crusading without them."
"I bet Cherry Berry would take us out in her balloon if we got the bits together!"
"Start saving your allowance now, dear."
"That's not a problem. We brainstormed up some odd jobs we can do last meeting. Got to do something with the industrial sized pet blow dryer."
"The wha?" I massaged my temples. "Maybe I don't want to know."
A bit later I was putting dinner together when there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!" Scootaloo rocketed toward the living room. I heard a muffled conversation. "Daad! Some mare is here for you."
I wiped off my hooves and made my way over. If I had known who was coming to visit I would have checked my mane or something for a familiar milk chocolate-colored unicorn was paying me an unexpected visit.
"Good evening, Martin."
"... Helvetica! Please, come in. I see you've met my daughter, Scootaloo."
"Yes, nice to finally meet you."
My darling daughter looked at her quizzically.
"What brings you to Ponyville?"
"I'm on assignment, actually. The Daily send me to get some pony-on-the-street opinions on our future princess before the coronation and what better place than those ponies who know her best in her home town. You're the only pony I know here so I thought this would be a fine start. Sorry to arrive so late, I came on the afternoon train."
"Scootaloo, Helvetica is a journalist. Pretty neat, eh?"
She grew suspicious. "You don't write a gossip column do you?"
"Celestia help me if I ever do. No, I try for more informative stories."
"Well good."
"Um, would you like to join us for dinner? We're taking a break from Scoots' training diet but I'm afraid it's just odds and ends."
"I would love to; I was able to stop by your marketplace on the way here for some wine, olives, and cheese."
Scootaloo made a face which I hoped the charming unicorn would be polite enough to ignore. "Great! It will be just a moment. Honey bunch, could you find our guest a seat and keep her entertained?"
"Yeah, dad." She made sure to sound fatigued like this was a huge chore. I let it pass and returned to the kitchen to quickly wrap up our meal, now for three ponies.
She was telling a story when I came our with the food. "...so that was when I hit the ramp, right? At that speed I must have cleared at least half a pony length of air! Then I spread my wings to bank to the right, bright my scooter skidding to a stop just in front of Quills and Sofas' showroom window."
"Impressive!" I wondered if she was referring to her tale itself or my daughters' enthusiasm. She must hear all kinds of stories and talk to ponies of all walks of life on the job.
"Dinner is served. Miss Quill as a Canterlot resident and society mare I am sure you have indulged in the delicacy of ants on a log before? We will be following that with lentil soup if it pleases you." I put on a false stuffiness that seemed to amuse my guest. Scootaloo just rolled her eyes.
"It would indeed. And I brought some candied cherries for Scootaloo if that is alright. My mother thought you might enjoy them."
"Mmm!"
"Bon appetite, then." Pretty much the only phrase I recalled from my Prench classes years ago.
Helvetica floated a celery stalk up and took an bite, taking her time with chewing and swallowing. "Hmm. The crispness of the celery matched with the smoothness of the cashew butter provides a most pleasant mouth feel. Sweet raisins, savory nuts, and the sharp tang of celery are quite nicely matched as well." She gave me one of those enigmatic smiles of hers and much to my delight a wink!
"What in Equestria are you talking about." Scootaloo had trouble enunciating with a mouth half full of cashew butter.
"I'm just being silly, dear. Criticizing the food as if it were a fancy meal."
"Criticizing? You don't like it?"
"Actually I am enjoying it. Reminds me of summer camp when I was a Filly Scout. I thought your father would think if it was silly if I analyzed it like fancy cooking since he knows my family likes fancy food."
"Why not say 'appreciate' then?"
"Criticism isn't always a bad word, it just means I'm using my judgement to evaluate something. It's just that negative critiques are often more popular amongst readers. It's a shame really. Propaganda didn't used to be a bad word either."
"Prop-a-what? And I thought Sweetie was a dictionary."
I laughed. "I hope you like the soup as well."
She raised an eyebrow. "As do I Martin."
"How's the family?"
"Mom has started training. She wants to participate in the Running of the Leaves next year and wanted to be in top shape." She turned to Scootaloo. "My mother used to be quite the athlete, like you."
"What did she do?"
"She was a courier. She'd take down important messages and then run them to where they were needed, sometimes over a lot of obstacles."
"Huh, sounds cool."
"Dad was made adjunct professor over at the college and is boring second year students who thought printmaking would be an easy A. Serif is at her wits end trying to stock enough Princess Twilight memorabilia. Coronation fever has gripped the capital."
"Why?" Scootaloo was contemplating a spoonful of soup but seemingly still tracking the conversation.
"A new alicorn princess is big deal it seems, dear."
"It's just Twilight. She's still the same Twilight just with big purple wings for some reason. Rainbow Dash says she can hardly even glide on those things!"
Helvetica balked. "You know Princess Twilight and Rainbow Dash?"
My daughter flashed a smug grin. "Dash is like my big sister. And my two best friends' sisters are Applejack and Rarity. And I slept over at Fluttershy's cottage and she saved us from a cockatrice with her freaky stare and Everypony knows Pinkie Pie."
"It's a small town." I added.
"Twilight's just our librarian though. She'll always be our librarian."
"Tell me a bit about her. What's she like?" She retrieved a small notepad and pencil.
"She's just Twilight." Scootaloo answered. "Like this one time mom sent me to the library to get a book on multiplying and dividing fractions and she found out what I wanted and for the next two hours had me in front of her chalkboard until I got it. She made me show me work an everything. It didn't even count towards homework!"
"Shocking."
"But other times she can be cool. She helped Rainbow get my flight training together and sometimes comes to the park to cheer me on. Almost makes up for he Miss Smartypants thing."
"Excuse me, the what?"
"The time she made the whole town riot over her rag doll."
"Which we try not to talk about." I butted in.
"Yeah everypony tries to forget about it except my friends and Big Mackintosh."
"I really think Big Mac's personal life wouldn't interest Miss Scrievener, honey bunch."
She just shrugged. "Can I have desert now?"
After our soup was consumed, Scootaloo snacking on cherries and the adults on wine and olives. "So what about you, Martin? What are your impressions of the new princess?"
"I knew of her before she moved here, that she was a dedicated scholar of eclectic interests. She arrived and banished Nightmare Moon and brought Luna back to us. There's the big things she and her friends have done of course. But personally? She has a boundless curiosity and loves to share knowledge with everyone around her whether they want to or not. That's an admirable trait for a librarian. She can be unsure of herself and obsessive but that comes from caring so much about doing the right thing. She can get carried away with herself. But it's her leadership skill and dedication to what is right that I think will make her a just ruler."
"How do you think she will do?"
I took a sip of wine. "She'll be a basket case with worry and uncertainty for maybe the first half year but her biggest successes result from help from her friends. They'll keep her hooves on the ground."
"I'd so like to meet them."
"Come to Sugar Cube Corner with me in the morning for coffee and you certainly will."
"They all gather there?"
"No, but Pinkie Pie will be there and the other four probably will at the welcome party she'll throw you tomorrow afternoon. Just make sure you approach Fluttershy gently, she's gotten much better but is still wary of the press and I can't make any promises about Rarity. I probably know her best but she's busy making coronation gowns on short notice and is likely stressed beyond imagining."
"I'll take that under consideration."
Scootaloo went into her room to draw and play for a bit while we adults chatted and exchanged shy smiles.
"I've got to put my daughter to bed, I'm afraid. I'll see you tomorrow? Can't miss the address. Looks like a gingerbread house with a cupcake cupola."
She packed up her things. "I wouldn't miss it. Thank you so much for the lead."
I paused at the door before she could leave. "Miss Scrivener I enjoy your intelligent and lovely conversation. I would like our next dinner together to not be under the shadow of dire emergency or for business reasons."
She stepped closer. There was that slight smile of hers that enchanted me so, that cunning look in her eyes. When she spoke that slight purr in her voice. "Mister Swallowtail, that sounds like a fine suggestion. Now that I have met your daughter we can make it a bit more intimate an occasion. See you soon, sweet dreams."
I was too tongue tied for any response.
Of course there was a party the next day at the Corner. Pinkie with her ineffable Pinkie sense made it a slightly more toned down adult affair lacking the usual party games. Lyra Heartstrings provided some string music not loud enough to drown out conversation. I spotted Bon Bon and gave her an apologetic nod from across the room which she returned with a tight lipped nod herself. The kind of look that related no hard feelings but that one doesn't wish to be too chummy. I was grateful since I had a reason to buy candy again besides Nightmare Night. The confectioner's temper was legendary so if there was a grudge I sure I would know.
Helvetica was mobbed with interviewees to her delight. I sat back with Scootaloo and the Crusaders and watched her work, deftly taking notes while keeping pleasant conversation flowing. Fluttershy was even demure yet receptive though she had to find a quiet corner as to be heard amongst the chatter. And Pinkie. Rarity made a brief appearance, practically herded through the door by Applejack. Her mane was not as disheveled as I expected. A. J. told me she took a bit of time to freshen up after she coaxed her out of housecoat and slippers. At one point she stiffened up with her pupils shrinking to pinpricks and dashed off to the Boutique. Inspiration must have hit.
All to soon it was time for her to make her goodbyes as to gallop off to make the last train to Canterlot. I saw her to the door. "Miss Scrivener, first a personal emergency and now a business trip. Could you make our next dinner a happy social occasion?"
"Mister Swallowtail, I would very much enjoy that. I'll let you know the date." She edged toward me, nuzzled my neck and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I've got to run now, sadly. See you soon!" I stood there in the cold night air outside Sugar Cube Corner, not even watching her go. Just replaying our lady few moments over and over.