For the next couple of days, everypony went out of their way to make Midnight and Twinken's mom, Faerie Tail, as comfortable and as welcome as possible. The next morning after she'd woken up at the hospital, after getting a clean bill of health other than doctor's orders to take it easy and as stress-free as possible for the next week, Midnight and Twilight brought Faerie Tail and Twinken to their castle and had a nice breakfast where Midnight answered as many of his mom's questions as best as he could.
It was telling her that Ignitus was missing and hadn't been seen or heard from for so many years that turned out to be the hardest, but thankfully, the arrival of Joe (after Twilight sent him a message letting him know that his sister was finally awake) did a lot to help Faerie Tail after hearing about her husband. It was all so very much for the older mare, and a part of her felt such a heartache that she'd missed out on so much. On her older son growing up and becoming a prince alongside Twilight, although she was a little ecstatic to hear they were engaged, and missing out on her colt Twinken's foalhood, missing his first words, first steps, and all the other firsts, but she felt so proud to find out he had become the pupil of Princess Luna, whom she was surprised to hear had returned a few years ago, and so many other things!
Twilight stepped back to let the family reconnect and passed the time with her friends, helping them out or just hanging out with them, that Midnight didn't really see much of Twilight for a bit as he helped his mother ease back into life.
"Tell me more," Faerie Tail smirked while Joe groaned as they all sat at Midnight's favorite table at Pepper Pony's for an afterschool pizza after Midnight had picked Twinken up after class, and now they were listening as Chili Spice happily recounted to Faerie Tail about her favorite dates with Joe.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho, and then the big oaf made such a flop and everypony in the restaurant was covered in custard!" Chili Spice recounted, causing all of them, her, Faerie Tail, Midnight, and Twinken to laugh as Joe groaned in embarrassment.
He'd missed his sister but he hadn't missed moments like these... all that much. Sighing, he managed to laugh along with his girlfriend, his sister, and his nephews and when it calmed down, he looked on at Faerie Tail, "It still feels... a little surreal, to have you back, Faerie! I'd missed you, but I didn't realize just how much until you looked at me and said my name!"
"Oh Joe..." Faerie Tail scooted over and leaned into him to give him a hug, Chili, Midnight, and Twinken responding with a very thick:
"Awwwwwwww...!!"
The brother and sister parted their hug and gave them all a sibling stink eye that only spurred more laughed, and Faerie Tail sighed, "I must have said this over a dozen times already, but... I can't believe so much has happened! Princess Luna came back, Princess Celestia is married, Shining Armor and Cadance got married and they're off ruling the Crystal Empire, and both of my boys and my honorary niece are such amazing ponies! Not to mention my son and my little brother have both found their special someponies- Oh! I'm still wrapping my head around it all."
"Hey, technically you stopped aging while you were asleep all that time," Joe raised a brow and pulled a smirk, "so I think now... that makes me your big brother."
"Oh you certainly are my 'big' brother," Faerie Tail responded with a similar look before poking Joe in the belly, "It shows, thanks to all those doughnuts, I'm sure."
"Hey!" Joe protested, only for Chili to nuzzle up to him, cheek to cheek.
"Oh, I don't mind a pudgy pony," she teased but in a loving way, "It just means there's more of you for me to love!"
Faerie Tail and her sons all laughed at the stupefied look on Joe's face as he uttered, "I don't know whether to laugh or cry..."
"So Joe, Chili Spice," Midnight spoke up, "tomorrow, me and Twilight are hosting a pancake breakfast at the castle with all our friends. Would you like to come?"
"Thanks for offerin', Midnight," Joe gave Chili Spice a smile, "me and Chili have some things t' talk about. See, I'm actually considerin' movin' here t' Ponyville!"
"Really, Uncle Joe?!" Twinken got a big smile, "You're gonna come live with us here in Ponyville?!"
"Well, Twinken, the thing is," Chili Spice responded, "Joe and I are thinking of going into business together in addition to our... growing relationship."
"I wanna come live here an' all, but..." Joe looked conflicted, "I worked my butt off just t' open my doughnut shop in Canterlot! Not t' mention all the university students who swing by, they've kept my shop in business whenever things were gettin' tough. I don' wanna disappoint `em by movin' my shop here t' Ponyville, but now... you boys and yer mom are all here and-"
"Hire employees!" Midnight suggested, all of them looking to Midnight. "Hire somepony to manage your shop in Canterlot and expand your business here in Ponyville! Your loyal customers will get to keep getting your doughnuts during their university terms, and you can set up another shop if you want here in Ponyville. I'll even put in a good word for you with Mayor Mare about it."
"Huh... That's not a half-bad idea, Midnight!" Joe was starting to get excited as new ideas for his business plans started to hatch in his brain, "Even so, I think Chili and I are gonna be busy tomorrow."
"Suit yourself," shrugged Midnight before he looked to his mother, "What about you, Mom?"
"Well, I am living in your castle for the time being," Faerie Tail did a similar shrug but with a twinkle in her eye, "so why not?"
"By the way, Midnight, how's Twilight been doing?" Twinken asked, "I mean... she's been acting kinda busy lately."
"Yeah, I've noticed..." Midnight had a suspicion but he didn't want to cast any gloom over his family having a good time, "but I'm sure it's nothing serious."
The next morning however, as everypony enjoyed the stacks of pancakes, with berries, cream, syrup, butter, or even sprinkles, chocolate chips, and powdered sugar...
"These are delicious, Pinkie Pie!" Applejack complimented.
Pinkie rose her cream and berry covered face up and licked it all away, "Thanks! Twilight spent all night helping Cheesy and me pick the flavor!"
"I kept thinking we'd found the right one," Cheese added as he reached to one side and piled on more stacks of pancakes onto his plate, "but she insisted we make even more to try. And more. And more and more and more and more!"
"Yeah!" Pinkie confirmed, "It was like she never wanted to-"
"Leave?" Fluttershy inquired.
"Exactly!" the two party ponies nodded before Pinkie said, "Eventually we just ran out of time, so we just went with Everyberry Anychip Surprise!"
Pinkie whisper-shouted to Rarity, "The surprise is I lost a measuring spoon in the batter... Somepony's gonna get a very special pancake!"
"Up all night?" asked Faerie Tail, who was joining her sons, Twilight, and their friends for breakfast, "Is that why she's..."
She hesitantly turned everypony's gaze to Twilight... whose mane was a frazzled, dirty, twiggy mess and she was snoring while sitting up, and Rainbow offered, "Out of it?"
"Um I do't mean to sound unappreciative," Fluttershy said, "but has anypony else noticed that Twilight's been a little too helpful lately?"
"Now tha' you mention it, she was lendin' a hoof at Sweet Apple Acres th' other day," Applejack brought up, "and stuck around till near th' middle o' th' night!"
"Eeyup. She dug up fifty holes fer plantin' in some new trees," Big Mac added, "an' we only needed ten!"
"She spent an entire afternoon rearranging a single gem drawer at the boutique," said, Rarity, "An entire afternoon!"
"She came by my warehouse, saying she wanted to learn a little about my airships," Blueblood brought up, "and she kept saying she heard some kind of squeak and over-tightened practically any screw she could find in the whole building!"
"Twilight came over to the weather office and completely re-worked this week's weather schedule five times over," said Soarin, "even after I told her the schedule had already been settled!"
"You think that's weird? She raced me and Thunderlane like, a hundred times the other day," mentioned Rainbow Dash, "and lost every time. She just kept going! Best out of ten, best out of twenty, best out of a hundred!"
"Yeah, I'm all for hanging out with friends," commented Thunderlane, "but it was like she'd rather keep losing than-"
"Leave?" Fluttershy repeated.
"Yeah! Who does that?" Rainbow confirmed as they all looked at Twilight, still snoring but tipping her head over into her pancake stack... and then holding them as though they were a pillow.
"Well, everypony," Faerie Tail spoke up, "It sounds to me that Twilight must be having some kind of problem but instead of addressing it, she's avoiding it by spending time with all of you."
"Huh, I guess I didn't really notice how Twilight's been acting because of all the time Twinken and I have been spending with you, Mom," Midnight felt bad as he looked at his Twilight.
"Tha' makes a mighty lotta sense, Miss Faerie Tail," Applejack agreed as Pinkie chomped down a whole stack of pancakes, "Ah say as soon as she wakes up we find out what."
*HACK*
Pinkie spat out a mixing spoon that landed on Fluttershy's pancake stack, "I WIN!"
"HUH?! I'm pancake!"
Twilight had woken up, a little dazed as a pancake hung over her face after it was skewered by her horn. Her mind clearing a bit, "I mean, awake!
Clearing his throat, Midnight said, "Twilight? Is... there something you'd like to tell us?"
"You know how much we appreciate all you do for us," Rarity said kindly as she removed the pancake from Twilight's face (Cheese leaping up from beneath the dining table to snatch it in his teeth), "and we simply adore having you around. But we worry you might be... avoiding something else?"
"Has it been that obvious?" sighed Twilight, noticing the looks on everypony's faces, "You see... the thing is... I know it's silly but I... I've been avoiding... this place."
Twilight gestured to the castle around them, causing Rarity to gasp in shallow horror, "Why in Equestria would you want to avoid such a gorgeous castle?!"
"Yeah! This place has everything! Big tall ceilings that make you feel tiny!"
"Shiny new floors that are cold to the touch. BRR!"
"And it even has loooong empty hallways!"
Hallways! Hallways... hallways.
Then Cheese slunk over with a look of realization, "O-kay, I get it now."
"The castle is amazing, but it just..." Twilight sighed, and felt Midnight place his wing around her, as she looked up into his understanding smile.
"It doesn't feel like home, does it?"
"Oh-hoh-ho, is that all?" Rarity chuckled, "Why you just need to decorate, darling! Make this space your own, you and Midnight!"
"Look how big it is, though, Rarity," Midnight waved his foreleg about in indication. "Where would we even start?"
"Well..." everypony looked to Faerie Tail, "I suppose I could lend a hoof. I did used to be the librarian of the Royal Library in Canterlot Castle. I can't tell you the many-many times I rearranged so many books, furniture, bookcases..."
"Mom, you're under doctor's orders to relax this week, remember?" Midnight reminded his mother, "Look at this place, you can't decorate it all on your own!"
"Which is why we will help your mother, Midnight," volunteered Rarity. "With her guidance, we will make this the castle of you and Twilight's dreams, while you take Twilight to the Ponyville Spa for some rest and relaxation."
"Yeah, Twilight, you really look like you could use it," Twinken blurted out.
"Shouldn't you be getting to school?" Rarity gave Twinken a look for his rather forward comment, which caused him to stick his tongue out at her before Rarity treaded lightly with Twilight.
"I'm saying this with love, but..."
She levitated a mirror, "Have you looked in a mirror lately? I've never seen you look this..."
"Frazzled?"
"Yes, that is absolutely the word I was going to use!"
Seeing what a wreck she was, Twilight caved, "I guess I do need a little help, and so does the castle."
"I guess we're going to the spa," chuckled Midnight, "maybe we'll make a little date out-"
"Oh no!"
Everypony turned to see Spike in the doorway, a blanket in one arm and a pony doll that looked suspiciously like Rarity in the other, as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, "Did I miss the pancakes?!"
He hurried forward and climbed up onto the table to help himself, "I sleep like a baby under that cold, cavernous ceiling!"
"Spike! I'm so glad you're here!"
Pausing in mid-bite, Spike looked to Rarity with a smile, "Really?"
"Yes! You're accompanying Midnight and Twilight to the spa."
"Great! I've been meaning to get my claws done," Spike was up for it although nopony noticed Midnight sighing with mild irritation as the little dragon stuffed his face... until he noticed the looks everypony was giving him.
"Oh... you mean now."
Taking some pancakes for the trip, Spike walked out the door with cheeks full, Twinken following as he said, "I need to get to school anyway. Thanks for the reminder, Rarity."
Twilight and Midnight followed them out, Midnight looking back to his friends and mother, "I'll try to keep Twilight away for as long as possible to give you all time to do your thing. Good luck, everypony! And Mom... you're guiding, not working."
"No worries, Midnight," Rainbow Dash waved off his concern, "We'll keep an eye on your mom."
"Don't you mean I'll be keeping an eye on all of you, Rainbow Dash?" Faerie Tail gave Rainbow a maternal teasing look.
"Mother..."
"I promise, honey, I'll be hooves-off the whole decorating session," Faerie Tail promised.
Just before he stepped out, Midnight looked to his mother and raised two primary feathers to his eyes and pointed them at her, as he slowly slipped out.