What's the one thing Dimension Lords typically hate more than their own fellows? The Magisters of Time, a bunch of self-rightness snobs, who hate our guts in return. Yet we can't wipe one another out due to the fact that both factions are needed to help maintain the balance of reality, so we often choose to avoid one another unless there's an affair that requires a member of both sides to be present. Regardless, for some reason, maybe due to eons long mutual loathing, one side can instantly recognize the presence of the other, no matter who they are or what form they take, it was just instinctual. Which is why I could tell that this alicorn colt was one of those, as he was giving off a vibe that screamed that particular fact.
"Nebula, meet you soon-to-be-cousin, Chrono Stream!" Luna exclaimed as she flourished a hoof towards said colt.
"I see you're already planned on adopting this filly," Celestia said in a deadpanned tone. "Oh, the nobles will have a fit when they hear of this."
"Forget that simple-minded rabble, for today is yet another glorious night! And right after Nightmare Night! Perhaps we can have a third night of glory in a row tomorrow night!" Luna shouted with glee.
"While I'm glad that you are happy, Luna, I hope that it isn't a third alicorn foal showing up. I don't think Cadence is ready to be a parent anytime soon," Celestia said, as I noticed at the edge of my vision that Cadence was heading coming to my side. Instead of acknowledging her presence, I chose to simply trot up to this 'colt', until my muzzle was mere inches away from his, as our impromptu glaring contest continued, his muzzle taking on a rather deep scowl. That was when I noticed that I was shorter than him by an inch. Why did I always end up being the short one in everything.
"Umm... aunties? I think something is wrong with the two foals," Cadence announced, drawing the attention of the two biggest mares towards her, giving me a moment to say something to the time nut.
"What are you doing here?" I quickly whispered through clenched teeth.
"None of your business, but I could ask the same for you," Chrono whispered back.
"What do you mean, Cadence?" Celestia asked.
"Well, I'll be honest then, I have no idea why I'm here," I shot back.
"Typical for one of you dimensional egomaniacs," Chrono said as he sneered at me.
"Pretentious time-obsessed snob," I whispered back.
"They're glaring at each other," Cadence stated, causing the eldest two to turn their attention to us as we turn our attention towards them, our scowls dropping as we looked at them in curiosity, though I'm certain that we were both keeping an eye on each other.
Raising an eyebrow, Celestia asked, "Have you two met before?"
"Never seen him in my entire life," I answered before Chrono could even open his mouth, causing him to frown at me.
Luna, on the other hoof, just looked at us with scrutiny for a moment until her eyes brighten as she pointed a hoof at us, exclaiming, "They were trying to assert their dominance!"
This caused all of us to direct our focus at Luna, as Celestia replied, "That is just a ridiculous thing for you to sa—"
"I was asserting my dominance," I interjected, causing Chrono to just frown at me as Celestia gave me an exasperated look.
"Then why, pray tell, were you asserting your dominance over a colt that is going to be your cousin?"
"Cause I wanted to let him know who's boss out of the two of us," I stated, causing Chrono to let out a sigh of annoyance.
Eyes shifting between the two of us, Celestia was about to let out a sigh when some kind of puff of dust came to her from out the door, reforming into a scroll that she grabbed with her magic. "Ah, it seems my student or one of her friends has sent me a letter," Celestia said as she opened it, her mood brightening briefly before it darkened, a frown coming onto her face.
"What is wrong sister? Is one of the Elements in trouble?" Luna asked with a concern look on her face after seeing Celestia's own expression changing.
"No, but this is a letter from Pinkie Pie, addressed to the newest member of our family," Celestia answered, causing me to tilt my head.
"There's a letter already addressed for me? And here I was hoping to be that black sheep of the family that no pony pays attention to," I commented, causing everyone to give me a queer look, even including Chrono. "What? I never said I was a normal pony, even if I'm an alicorn. So are you going to tell me what it is, my future aunt-to-be?"
Staring at me for a moment longer, Celestia finally said, "It just says, 'You're going to smile, and you will like it.'"
Humming to myself, I said, "Good thing I said challenge accepted."
Looking at me in shock, Celestia just walked over to me, hugging me with a hoof as she said, "Welcome to the family..."
"Nebula."
"Yes, Nebula, welcome to our family," Celestia continued before letting go as she head over to the door. "I'll see you three at breakfast, I'm going to have the chefs prepare some extra cake today."
As Chrono's eyes brighten, he trotted after Celestia as Cadence said, "But your doct—"
"Don't care, I need my cake!" Celestia countered as she went out the door with Chrono in tow.
After a brief moment of silence, I stated, "I take it those two are obsessed with cake?"
Hearing my inane question, Cadence jerked her head in my direction as she said, "Nebula! After the way you acted, you thou—"
"They are indeed, it makes me wonder how much of the state budget is spent on cake," Luna interjected, causing Cadence to look at her for a moment before dropping her head in defeat.
"This is going to be a long day..."
"Are you sure you don't want to see your aunt raising the sun?"
"I'm not a fan of bright lights, and I don't have a pair of sunglasses on... hoof."
"...Really?"
"Yes, really, which makes everything convenient for mom since she is the princess of the night after all," I said while waving my hoof around, as Cadence and I were waiting in the dining room for as the rest were attending to the task of lowering the moon and rising the sun, sitting at opposite ends of the table. Rather odd to see the solar cycle of a world being managed by a pair of ponies, but hey, I've seen stranger things in my tenure as a Dimensional Lord, so I just took it in stride.
"But then you can't play with other foals your age nor spend time with your cousin," Cadence stated, causing me to quirk an eyebrow at her.
"So you're saying you want to see a battle for dominance between Chrono and me?" I asked, causing Cadence to sputter for a moment.
"I... what? Were you really trying to assert dominance against each other? Why? You two just met!" Cadence declared, frustration sweeping into her voice with each passing word. Before I could reply, the rest of the family arrived, with Luna taking a seating next to me while Celestia sat parallel to her, while Chrono sat directly across from me, leaving Cadence the odd one out on the other side of Celestia.
As the servants came in, putting food on the table, Celestia cleared her throat, drawing my attention as she said, "Before we start breakfast, I think it's time we hear about Nebula's story," causing everyone to turn their attention towards me.
My face taking on a deadpanned expression, I answered, "Fine, my story is I died and was reborn in this body." Getting blank stares in response, I just shrugged as one of the servant ponies placed a stack of pancakes on my plate.
As I picked up a bottle of syrup, Cadence broke the silence as she said, "That's a terrible joke."
Pouring syrup on my plate with ease, while Chrono stared at my hooves in annoyance, I replied, "Take it as you will, I got nothing about my past to say, cause I don't have one prior to appearing in that garden. That or I have intense amnesia instead, who can say? But I don't think I have that."
Looking at each other for a brief moment, Celestia responded, "You're rather nonchalant about all this..."
Dabbing a bit of butter on the pancake, I said, "Well, considering that I'm going to be adopted by royalty, and I can't do anything else about my current circumstances, why care about it? Might as well roll with it and enjoy life to the fullest."
Glancing at each other, Luna declared, "Well, at least she's honest?"
Sighing as she rubbed a hoof against the ridge between her eyes, Celestia said, "Very well, we will deal with the issue of your past another time, there is a matter of the fact that you've chosen to adopt a nocturnal lifestyle like my sister. You do realize that you won't be able to enjoy the activities a foal normally partakes in during the day? Along with the fact that you won't be able to interact with other foals as a result?"
Pointing a fork at Celestia, causing her to blink, I countered, "You're asking that question, but you also forgetting to think about this: Is it a good idea to have this callous alicorn foal hanging around other foals where she could be a bad influence on them?" before cutting a fourth of the pancake with a butter knife, stabbing the fork into it before stuffing it into my mouth, much to Cadence's disgust.
Baring a slightly surprised expression, Celestia replied, "That... it is not normal for any foal to consider themselves a potential, bad influence..."
Swallowing my food, I responded, "Well, I never claimed to be a good pony, per se, but let's be realistic here. I know I'm not acting like a normal foal, based on your reactions so far. I'm betting that you three are starting to think that I'm unsuitable for social interaction with the public. You're probably right about that. I could have pulled a facade to make myself appear as a normal foal, but that's too much effort that I really not in the mood to even attempt, so I rather get this all out on the table and let you three decide what is best for me. Also, I don't like bright lights, and since's the sun is a big ball of bright light, I rather deal with the softer light of night than day."
As I stuffed another portion of my meal into my mouth, Celestia gave Luna an exasperated look, who returned it with a forced smile, as she stated, "Well, you wanted her as your daughter, I hope you have a plan for her in mind."
Her smiling faltering for a bit, Luna pointed a hoof out towards the ceiling as she declared, "Do not worry, my dear sister! Of course I have a plan on how to handle little Nebula."
As everyone in the room stared at Luna with doubt, which caused her smile to falter even more, I just stuffed the rest of my pancakes into my mouth as I thought, This can turn out two ways: She succeeds and I become a functioning member of society, or I'm declared too messed up and committed to a mental institution... my money's on the latter.