//------------------------------//
// An ordinary day in Canterlot 
// Story: Twilight's Family 
// by ApexSixtail 
//------------------------------//

While she was talking, she had turned around and was startled to see Rainbow Dash only a few feet away from her, with the rest of her friends right behind her.
“Twilight, dear, is everything O.K.?” A female voice from inside the house called after the scene had died down.
“Yes, Mom, just startled by my friends suddenly showing up.” It sounded strangely like Twilight emphasized the word friends.
“Well excuse me, but you’re the one who bolted out of Ponyville without so much as an explanation as to where you were going.” Rainbow Dash accused Twilight, hovering in the air and crossing her forelegs to emphasize her point.
“Rainbow, I did tell you and A.J. where I was going when I asked you to watch Spike.” After she said that, a look of realization alit Twilight’s face. “Where is Spike?” The same look of realization appeared on every other face in the group except Rarity. 
Taking the cue, Rarity spoke up, “Relax darling, I dropped him off with Cherilee and asked her if she would see that Spike went with Sweetie Bell to our parents’ house until we returned.” As she finished her explanation, everypony in the group let out a huge sigh of relief. Then Applejack and Rainbow Dash started to look sheepish as Twilight gave them a slight glare.
“Well, thank Celestia that somepony took responsibility for the small things,” Twilight said in a slight huff. “Now then, what was it that made you find me here at my parents’ home?”
“Well, we were just concerned about you seeing as how you bolted off like something was on fire.” Applejack said.
“Well, as you can see, nothing’s on fire and I’m fine.” Twilight waved a hoof first at the house, and then pointed to herself.
“What’s on fire?” an older mare exited the domicile and joined the group, concern on her features at the mention of fire.
“Nothing, Mom, just a little misunderstanding.” Twilight turned toward the new pony to the group. “Mom, these are my friends from Ponyville, Applejack.”
“Howdy.” Applejack tipped her hat.
“Rarity.”
“Hello.”
“Pinkie Pie.”
“HI!”
“Rainbow Dash.”
“Hey.”
“and Fluttershy.” Fluttershy’s greeting was barely audible.
“Girls, this is my mother, Twilight Velvet.”
“Hello, welcome to Canterlot and our home,” Twilight Velvet greeted the ponies.
“So, now do you believe that nothing is wrong?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Another misunderstanding?” Twilight Velvet asked her daughter.
“The girls thought that something might have been wrong because I was so anxious to see you and Dad.”
“Well, did you give them reason to think that something was wrong?”
“NO!”
“Well, you did leave in a hurry,” Rainbow Dash added.
“Rainbow, you’re not helping.”
“See Twilight, you did lead them to think that something was wrong.”
Twilight let out a long sigh. “Look, I’m sorry if you thought something was wrong with my family, but as you can see, everything’s fine.”
“So, everything is OK?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“Yes.” Twilight Sparkle answered.
“O.K. as in fine, wonderful, hunkie dory?” Pinkie asked, taking a step towards the younger Twilight.
“Just peachy,” Said Twilight answered.
“Peachy keenly terrific?”
“Yes, Pinkie, everything is just fine,” Twilight Sparkle said, exasperated.
“So, you know what that means?” Pinkie asked, getting into her friend’s face.
“Oh no, here it comes,” Applejack said as she and the rest of the Ponyville ponies started to cover.
“A party!” Pinkie exclaimed as she pulled a party cannon out of nowhere as proceeded to fire it, that is if Twilight Sparkle hadn’t magically cut the pull cord. “Hey, what’d you do that for?”
“Sorry Pinkie, but section 248 paragraph 7 of the Canterlot city charter states, no loud parties without Canterlot City Board approval.”
Pinkie Pie seemed to deflate a little until Rarity put a fore leg over her shoulders. “Cheer up Pinkie, it was bound to happen sooner or later. A reputation like yours was bound to travel, especially after the last Gala.” At the mention of the Gala, all the girls and Twilight Velvet herself shuttered for a moment.
“Well, since I’m guessing that you girls have nothing else planned for today, if you want you can come and help me with my errands and at the same time I can show you around the parts of the city I grew up in,” Twilight Sparkle offered. 
“I think that would be simply delightful darling,” Rarity said as the rest of the group agreed. Together, the six mares started their journey into the heart of the city. 

As the girls turned up a street that Sunburst Avenue crossed, Applejack looked up at the street signs. “Rodeo Drive, wow! Twilight, how come you never told me they have a rodeo drive in the middle of Canterlot?” Ah’d have begged ya to let me come here sooner.”
Twilight started to explain the street that they were on. “Applejack, it’s pronounced Roh-day-oh” 
“We’re on Rodeo Drive, oh Twilight why didn’t you tell me your home here in Canterlot was a stone’s throw away from the fashion Mecca of Equestria?” Rarity looked at Twilight with eyes that were both pleading and disappointed at the same time.
“Probably because you would have scheduled your life around my trips home, or at least asked me to pick you up something every time I came home,” Twilight ranted for a second. Then, seeing the hurt in Rarity’s eyes, Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. “Look Rarity, my times at home, I don’t even let Spike come because it is rare that my family can get together. I never know when my dad will be off on business, or when my brother can get a day off from the guard, or any one of a multitude of reasons that I don’t get to see all of my family, so when I come here, I like to keep my schedule free as much as possible on the rare chance that all five of us can be home at one time.”
“I’m sorry too, Twilight. I should have respected your family time and not pushed for you to become my errand girl. Can you forgive me,” Rarity looked at her fellow unicorn with guilty eyes.
“Already done,” Twilight said as she pulled the white unicorn in to a hug. After a moment, they broke the hug and continued on their way.
As they were walking, Applejack sided up next to Twilight. “That’s not the only reason you never told her about this street, isn’t it.”
Twilight sighed, “Yes, you’re right. With all the mannequins in the windows, this street always gave me the chills.” All six mares, yes even Rarity shared a laugh.

After only a few blocks, and to Rarity’s dismay, Twilight lead the girls down one of the street that intersected the famous fashion route. After walking down this new road for a block and a half, Twilight used her magic to open the door to bakery and walked in, the rest of the group following suit.
“Twilight Sparkle, long time no see,” The stallion from behind the counter called out. Still not used to being the center of attention, Twilight blushed, thankful that the dining part of the bakery was nearly empty. Only one older couple sat at the booths enjoying their pastries.
“Hey Donut Joe, just here to pick up my order,” Twilight said to the stallion.
“Sure thing, be just a sec.” With that, Donut Joe disappeared into the back of the shop.
“Hey, I remember this place. Didn’t we come here after the gala?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Yes,” Twilight replied. Not believing her, the girls looked out the front door. There only about ten blocks away down a street leading away from the bakery was the palace.
“You know, Canterlot isn’t really all that big once you know where you are and where everything is.”
“Are you serious?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We walked around forever just to find the street, and here we here are right back where we started.”
“Hush Rainbow Dash, it was not that long of a search.” Rarity admonished the Pegasus. “Besides, we did get to see more of the most fascinating city in all of Equestria.”
In reply to Rarity’s statement, Rainbow Dash just huffed, “Cloudsdale is better.”
“Personally, my personally personable likes the personalities in the personable town of Ponyville.”
“I’ll second that, I think,” Fluttershy added.
“Whatever, can we just get what you need and go?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Hold your horses, I’m coming,” Donut Joe said as he reentered the storefront and placed a rectangular box on the counter. “Here you go Twilight, one custom made birthday cake.”
Immediately, Pinkie was at Twilight’s side. “Ooh, a birthday cake. Who’s birthday is it?”
Donut Joe started to reply, “It’s Twilight’s…”
“Neighbor! It’s for my neighbor. You know how I like to do things like that,” Twilight said rather quickly and with a nervous laugh and smile.
Pinkie Pie looked at her with a suspicious eye for a moment. Everypony else was silenced by shock as to the way Twilight was acting. Suddenly, Pinkie’s expression change to one of super happiness. “Okie-dokie Loki. So when do we get to meet this neighbor?”
“They’re on vacation,” Twilight said with a triumphant smile, thinking she had just ended the conversation.
“So you’re getting them a cake while they’re on vacation?” The element of Honesty just had to point out.
“Well, it’s…” Twilight struggled to come up with an excuse.
“The only time I could get to make it,” Donut Joe saved her. “Speaking of, Twilight come here, I want to show you something that just came in.” He opened the access door and allowed Twilight behind the counter and into the back room. Once he followed her to a distance out of earshot, he looked her dead in the eyes. “Let me guess, you never told them?”
“No,” Twilight admitted.
Donut Joe chuckled, “Wow, congratulations Twilight, finally a secret you can keep.”
“Hey, I can too keep secrets!”
The stallion laughed quietly for a moment before speaking again. “You know sooner or later you’re going to have to tell them.”
“Yeah, I know, but…”
“Let me guess, you’re just waiting for the right time.”
“No! Well, yes, partly. It’s just…I’m worried about how their thoughts of me will change.”
Donut Joe put an arm over her shoulders. “Twilight just tell them. If they look at you any differently than they do now, then they don’t deserve to be your friends.”
“Yeah, but-”
“No buts, Twilight, tell them.”
“Fine, once we get done with my errands, I’ll tell them, I Pinkie promise.”
“What’s a Pinkie promise?”
“Just believe me, it is one promise that you don’t break.”
“Well O.K. then, and just remember,” the stallion started. Twilight gave him a look that told him he didn’t need to finish his thought.
As Twilight and Donut Joe exited from the back room, Twilight levitated the cake onto her back and looked back at the shop proprietor, “Thanks Joe. You girls ready? I still have a few stops to make.” With that, she walked out the door. After exchanging looks, the rest of the group followed.