Chapter 3:
Castle Sweet Castle
Outside of Fluttershy’s cottage, Fluttershy was doing cleaning up her giving her animal companions pets with Twilight helping out as she is currently cleaning a muddy ferret by brushing water and soap onto him trying to make sure Fluttershy’s pets are squeaky clean just like Fluttershy asked of her while Fluttershy at the same time is giving a goat a bath too. Twilight then brushed Harry the Bear’s teeth clean before helping Fluttershy dry one of the pigs with a towel by rubbing his back clean with the two using their teeth to do it together.
Even though the two got covered in mud and dirt in the process they both managed to get the job done in no time and it was worth getting their fur and manes dirty over in the end.
"Phew!” Fluttershy said in relief as she wipes away the sweat from her forehead. “Thanks for helping me get them so fresh and clean, Twilight."
"No problem, happy to do it!" Twilight happily responded as she thought nothing of her good deed.
"You probably can't wait to get back to your castle and take your own bath, huh?" Fluttershy mentioned noting her fur and mane is all dirty.
Twilight's eyes widened hearing this before quickly changing her expression to a eager expression. "Aren't there more animals that need cleaning?"
Fluttershy arched an eyebrow at Twilight's eagerness to stay as she expressed an eager grin.
"I think you and I are the only ones left, and I can't wait to get the mud out of my mane." Fluttershy answered as she placed a hoof on her mane.
Twilight grew anxious wanting to stay a longer when she noticed Angel Bunny behind her and quickly pushed him into a mud puddle with her back leg. "
“Oh, no! Angel got dirty!" Twilight spoke with faux surprise. “I'd better stay longer to help give him a bath too!"
Twilight immediately tended to Angel with another eager smile as she began scrubbing the bunny behind the ears in the bucket of soapy water after placing him in the bucket of warm water and soap.
Fluttershy out of kindness and politeness could stand by and comply with her wishes after buying her lie although she does find something a little off with this.
By the time sunset falls down, Twilight is still muddy and cleaning Angel rubbing him squeaky clean with a towel while Fluttershy had the time to clean herself up.
"Thank you ever so much for staying to give Angel a bath too, but, um... I think he's dry." Fluttershy politely told her she can stop.
Twilight finally complied and removed the towel off of the annoyed bunny as his fur became as puffy as a result of the excessive drying. At this point, Fluttershy had to find a way to get Twilight to go home. As much as she hatted to admit it, the princess had overstayed her welcome just a bit too much.
"Goodness! It's gotten late! You really didn't have to stay all day. Not that we don't appreciate it. Isn't that right?" Fluttershy kindly appreciated Twilight’s help but was trying to insist that she leave feeling she has overstayed her welcome at this point.
The bunny only grunted in annoyance as Twilight not wanting to go back to her castle levitated a feather duster and started cleaning the bird houses inside the cottage.
Seeing that her message is not coming across to her Fluttershy decided to try a different approach.
“I for one am exhausted." She then faked a yawn "Plus, I really need to rest up for that big pancake breakfast tomorrow. And I'm sure you have to get the castle ready." Fluttershy added seeing that Twilight is still focused on sweeping the dust off inside the cottage.
Twilight suddenly stopped dusting and dropped the feather duster onto the floor immediately facing her to voice her thoughts about her new castle.
“No! The castle's... fine!” She immediately exclaimed as she briefly looked away. “But maybe I'd better see if Pinkie Pie needs help with the pancakes!” She then said with a smile as she flies ahead to meet up with Pinkie Pie.
As soon as she was out of Fluttershy’s sight her smile dropped to a frown as she voices her thoughts about going back to her new castle.
“I really don’t want to go back to that castle.” Twilight said to herself downcast feeling she doesn’t deserve it.
Ever since she got the castle she has been avoiding it not just because it doesn’t make her feel like she is at home but because she doesn’t feel like she has really earned it after everything she has done as Midnight Sparkle. To her, trying to help out her friends the best she could is her way of atoning for her crimes even if it means staying a long as she can.
She helped dig up fifty tree planting holes for Applejack even though she only needed ten but she said nothing just to be polite as the last time she yelled at her for making a mess at her farm during her first Winter Wrap-Up in Ponyville she ran off in tears feeling like a failure for all of her attempts just to try to help her.
She spent an entire afternoon at Rarity’s rearranging a single gem drawer much to Rarity’s dismay that she purposely took an entire afternoon to do so.
She also raced Rainbow Dash a hundred times by letting her win the first time around before winning the next race and just kept going with challenging Rainbow Dash with sharing victories in races even though she has been letting her win half of them before she finally ended it all when she won best of a hundred races.
She would then make to Sugarcube Corner to where she met up with Pinkie Pie so she can help prepare for their pancake breakfast in the morning. Just when they think they have found the right ingredient Twilight still wanting to buy as much time as possible insists that they make more to try to the point it took them all night until Pinkie decided to go with every berry and chip they had while her friends really enjoyed the pancakes she helped create she on the other hoof dozed off and feel asleep at the table due to a lack of sleep as she then fell face-first into her pancakes and rested her headed onto them like a soft pillow until she was woken up by Pinkie’s loud cheering as she celebrated finding a measuring spoon that got mixed up in the batter in her plate of pancakes.
“I win!” Pinkie exclaimed causing Twilight to awaken from her doze with a pancake on her horn.
“Huh?! I'm pancake! I mean, awake... “ She spoke with a smile in embarrassment as her friends look at her in concern.
“Uh, Twilight? Is there somethin' you wanna tell us?” Applejack asked first.
“You know how much we appreciate all you do for us…” Rarity kindly spoke next as she removed the pancake from Twilight’s horn to which Pinkie quickly junps up and eats. “…and we simply adore having you around... but... we worry you might be... ahem... avoiding something else?
“Oh, has it been that obvious?” Twilight commented as she looked away seeing that she has to tell the truth as the others nod in agreement. “I've been... the thing is... I know it's silly, but I... I've been avoiding... this place.” She hesitantly and honestly answered as she raised her hoof around the room.
Hearing this causes Rarity to gasp at Twilight for saying that.
“Why in Equestria would you want to avoid such a gorgeous castle?” She asked Twilight as she raised a hoof to around their surroundings.
“Yeah.” Pinkie added agreeing with Rarity. “This place has everything!” She said as she raised her hoof and jumped up into the air. “Big tall ceilings that make you feel tiny! Shiny new floors that are cold to the touch! Brrr!” She said as she looked at her reflection in the floor, placed the side of her head on the floor before shivering from its chills. “And it even has loooong empty hallways!” She added as her voice and last spoken word echoes throughout the hallways.
“The castle is amazing.” Twilight spoke not even denying its beauty. “But it just...” She added with a sigh as she briefly faced Pinkie “…It doesn't feel like home.” She finished as she laid her head onto the table looking a little depressed.
“Oh, is that all?” Rarity asked with an amused chuckle. ”Why, you simply need to decorate, darling. Make this space your own!”
“It’s more than that.” Twilight countered as she continuing speaking. “Another reason why is because…” She also hesitated to speak her next words “… To tell you the truth, I don’t think I really deserve any of this.”
“But why darling?!” Rarity spoke in shock. “Why would you say that?”
“Because of all of the things I did as Midnight Sparkle and even though everypony around me in Ponyville and Canterlot forgive me for the most part I still can’t get over I still need to work harder to prove it.” Twilight answered as she briefly looks at Rarity before looking away in shame and looking at her reflection in the table which briefly shows her reflection as Midnight in the table. “That’s why I stuck around as long as I can with all of you to help as much as I can to further make up for my mistakes.”
Hearing this this causes the others to react with saddened surprise hearing this from Twilight seeing that this is the reason why she wanted to stick around for as long as she can. As even though they made up she still doesn’t feel like she really deserve any of the praise she has received since then.
“So that’s what this here’s all about?” Applejack asked in surprise before continuing in a sympathetic tone. “But you’d already made things right when you saved our lives from Tirek.”
“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash agreed encouragingly and sympathetically. “You were willing to sacrifice your own life to save us. You don’t have to feel the need to excessively spend time with us to prove a point.”
“Remember those three parties I promised I throw for you.” Pinkie added as she recalled the parties she threw for her recently redeemed friend.
“I do.” Twilight acknowledged. “It's just so daunting! Look how big it is!” She further spoke as she raised a hoof to around the room again. “I-I don't even know where to start!”
“You can start by letting us do it for you.” Rarity suggested as she moved the plate of pancakes before she could bury her face into them again. “We will make this the castle of your dreams while you go to the Ponyville spa for some much needed rest and relaxation.” She further added as she pulls up a mirror for Twilight to look in. “I'm saying this with love, but... have you looked in a mirror lately? I've never seen you look this... mmmm...” Rarity struggled to find the right words to describe her current appearance.
“Frazzled?” Fluttershy spoke of what she thought.
“Yes! That is absolutely the word I was going to use.” Rarity agreed with Fluttershy.
“Ooh, I guess I do need a little help.” Twilight came to agree that she could use some rest and relaxation. “And so does my castle. And I just know you'll do a great job, because nopony knows me better than you.”
“We'll make this place feel cozier than hot cider on a rainy day.” Applejack reassured her with determination that they won’t disappoint her.
“There's gonna be cider?!” Rainbow Dash excitedly gasped at the mention of cider only to see that from Applejack’s glance towards her that she used it as an expression. ”Uh, I mean, let's decorate!” Rainbow awkwardly corrected herself as Spike enters the room while trying to wake himself up.
“Oh, no! Did I miss the pancakes?!” He exclaimed as he ran into the room as he dropped as Rarity doll on the floor. ”I sleep like a baby under that cold, cavernous ceiling.” He added as he eagerly was about to start chowing down on the pancakes until Rarity spoke up.
“Spike, I'm so glad you're here!”
“Really?” Spike asked as she faced her as if she meant she is really glad she is here as his heart briefly raced at her crush.
“Yes! You're taking Twilight to the spa!” Rarity answered.
“Great! I've been meaning to get my claws done!” Spike spoke as he chows down on a pancake but then sees her friends giving him the “come on Spike.” eyes.
“Oh, you mean now.” Spike realized when they really what him to do so as he stuffs his face with the other pancake in his claws.
Spike then shovels down two more pancakes while holding onto two more pancakes as he exits the room with Twilight following him.
As soon as Twilight and Spike left Applejack turned to the others with determination to lift their friend’s spirit.
"Come on, y'all we’ve got work to do!" Applejack said as they all walk out of the room and into the halls.
“Let's all work together
To make this castle shi-i-ine.”
Rainbow Dash sang as she raised a hoof in the air.
“Once we add some sparkle
It'll feel, it'll feel, it'll feel...”
Rarity sang as she shined one of the crystals on the wall as everypony sings together looking into the crystal’s reflection.
“It'll feel divine.”
“Crates of apples an' bales o' hay
Just makes ya feel at home.”
Applejack sang as she loaded a cart with a couple buckets of apples in tow.
“Furry friends and some popinjays
So she won't be alone.”
Fluttershy sang as looked over her critter friends with the intention of giving Twilight new animal companions to live with her in her castle.
“And we'll make, and we'll make, and we'll make
This castle a home.”
The Mane Five all sang together.
“There's nothing like balloons and confetti
To greet you every time you walk through the door.”
Pinkie sang as she slide down the stairs and gathered together a load of balloons on her way out.
“She'll need this and those
Posters of all my heroes
How could anypony awesome ever ask for more?”
Rainbow Dash sang as she gather her Wonderbolt trophies and posters and placed them into her saddle and looked at a statue in her house before taking her leave.
“And we'll make, and we'll make, and we'll make
A home she'll adore.”
The Mane Five sang as they made their way back to the castle.
“Bright curtains of flowing silk and lace.”
Rarity sang as she used her magic to place bows and new drapes on the curtains.
“This picture of me winning a race.”
Rainbow Dash sang as she hung up a picture of herself crossing the finish line victoriously.
“Party cannons to give her a surprise.”
Pinkie sang as she opened a surprise package of confetti as she placed presents and cupcakes on the table.
“Hoes and rakes and some more garden supplies.”
Applejack sang as she planting dirt onto the floor with flowers immediately growing and emerging from the dirt.
“Getting hugs from this nice, big, friendly bear.”
Fluttershy sang as Harry embraces her for a hug with some other animal companions he had in his right arm.
“Decorate with some gemstones bright and rare.”
Rarity sang as she decorated the walls with purple gemstones.
“More of this and that.”
Rainbow Dash sang as she hung up more Wonderbolt pictures.
“Don't forget the party hats.”
Pinkie sang as she happily hopped wearing multiple party hats on her mane, tail, and hooves as some of the animals follow her each wearing a party hat too.
“How could anypony awesome ask for more than that?
Applejack sang as she puts up a Spitfire trophy on a column as she twirled around in flight.
“Let's all work together.”
Applejack sang as she as rolled a barrel of oats for some of the animals to snack on.
“To show that we have shown.”
Fluttershy sang as she hung up a bird house.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
Rarity sang as she levitated another drape.
“How we make, how we make, how we make
This castle a home
How we make, how we make
This castle a home
How we make, how we make
This castle a home!”
The Mane Five all sang together finish their touch-ups all in one room which all did not quite fit in as well as they imagined.
“Wow, girls! We did a... great job... together...” Applejack unconvincingly complimented their unsuccessful makeover while laughing nervously.
“We sure did... something.” Rainbow Dash awkwardly added.
“Together.“ Pinkie said in the same tone.
“All together.” Rarity also replied in the same tone.
“Fluttershy, I love that you brought so many animals.” Rainbow Dash unconvincingly complimented her
“Are these your trophies?” Fluttershy returned just as unconvincing as Rainbow flies up to her getting a look at them.
“I prefer to think of them as everypony's trophies but with my name permanently etched onto them.” Rainbow proudly commented as Fluttershy glances aside not sure if it is very ideal for Twilight’s vision of feeling more at home.
“My my, Applejack, bringing the outdoors inside, it's... earthy... “ Rarity unconvincingly complimented as she lifts up a rug sniffs at it while resisting the urge to throw up. “What a lovely touch! Are these quilts vintage?” She asked the farm pony.
“Nope, just old!” Applejack proudly answered as she shielded her eyes from the glare her shiny diamond coated drapes produced. “Unlike your sparkly window doohickeys which are... why, they're just swell!“ She complimented both nervously and unconvincingly.
“No one said anything about my hidden confetti cannons!” Pinkie happily noted that her touch-ups have got unnoticed before she remembered she hidden them. “Oh, right! They're hidden!” She giggled after reminding herself that.
“Hey guys, how do my claws look” Spike asked the Mane Five as he admired his cleaned up claws before reacting in shock to the mess they made. “Sweet Celestia!”
“Oh, Spike! Are you and Twilight done already?” Rarity quickly reacted to his immediate arrival.
“Don't worry, I ordered her the super-deluxe mane blow-out! She'll be a while.” Spike reassured her before turning his attention back to the room in question. “Man, this place looks terrible!”
“Phew!” The Mane Five all sigh in relief hearing that.
“Thank goodness somepony said something!” Fluttershy spoke relived that somebody spoke the truth.
“It's pretty bad, right?” Rainbow asked if everypony else is onboard with her thoughts.
“This place looks like a mishmash of knickknacks.” Applejack agreed not even denying they did a terrible job.
“Hmm, I suppose it is a little cluttered.” Rarity somewhat grudgingly admitted.
“What are you guys talking about? I think it looks super fun!” Pinkie questioned why as one of the hidden confetti cannons explodes startling the critters into running around in fright knocking down stuff in their panic.
“Whee!” Pinkie cheered as she joined in on the mayhem.
“Oh! Oh, no! Please don't do that! If you all just take a deep breath and calm down— “ Fluttershy tried to speak to them to stop panicking as one of the columns falls down in front of her as a couple of chipmunks grab ahold of one of the curtains.
“No! That bunting is embroidered by hoof! Don't you move one more paw!” Rarity warned the chipmunks not to even think of ruining her work only for it to prove futile as they use their claws to rip holes into them leaving their claw marks in it.
“Everypony, stop!” Rarity shouted which caused all of the critters to stop panicking including a wild running Pinkie as another banner falls down onto the ground.
“Okay, now it's a mess.” Pinkie finally came to agree that they made a mess of things as another confetti cannon explodes.
“What're we gonna do?!” Rainbow asked the others for a plan of how to deal with this mess.
“I dunno.” Spike honestly answered as he too doesn’t have a solution for this. “But Twilight's blow-out won't take that long. If she was avoiding the castle before, she'll never set hoof in here now!”
“Come on, guys, we've gotta do something! Twilight's counting on us!” Rainbow Dash spoke with determination to help her feel like she deserves her new castle.
“Spike, you've got to get back to that spa and stall her!” Rarity instructed Spike to keep Twilight busy. “Whatever you do, don't let her come home!”
“Like, forever? But we live here.” Spike confusingly replied and pointed out.
“Uh, yes, well, uh, maybe you could manage it 'til... sunset-ish?” Rarity awkwardly corrected herself of what she actually means by how long exactly as she pleadingly batted her eyelids.
“Anything for you, Rarity...” Spike lovingly agreed for his crush briefly floated into the air with hearts popping up in the air as he went off to do so.
“Okay, we all agree the castle is too cluttered, right?” Applejack spoke up.
“So why doesn't everypony take one of their own decorations out and we'll see how it looks?” She offered as everypony replies “Uh-huh.” in agreement.
Unbeknownst to them, Twilight who was currently getting her mane done at the spa was watching from her crystal orb. Even after being reformed, she still can’t help but keep tabs on everypony whenever she chooses or feels is appropriate to do so.
“While I do appreciate your efforts.” Twilight gratefully spoke to herself before sighing a little dejected at the thought of returning to her castle. “I’m not sure there’s anything that’s going to make me feel like I deserve living at the castle.”
As soon as she sees Spike come back she immediately puts away her crystal orb as she turns to face Spike.
“Spike, you're back!” Twilight immediately spoke in a cheerful tone as the blow-dryer comes off of her mane. “How do I look?” She asked as she showed her mane had been spiky style.
“Great!” Spike quickly yet nervously answered.
“And more importantly, how does the castle look?” Twilight inquired.
“Great?” Spike nervously lied to her.
“Well then, you just about ready to head on back.” Twilight asked as she got up ready to make her way back.
“Uh, I'm not... quite ready to go yet.” Spike nervously and quickly answered as she pulled onto Twilight’s tail. “Uh, why don't we have a massage? I was really hoping to get, uh... this thingy!” He added as he pointed to something in the brochure.
“The 'Extra-strength-hot-stone-deep-tissue massage'?” Twilight read as she got a good look at what Spike is pointing at.
“Yep!” Spike nervously replied with a gulp.
“I think I'll just have a traditional massage, but you go for it.” Twilight settled for a simple relaxation as she nods at one of the working ponies to confirm it as another one of the working ponies walks into the room.
“Did somepony order massages?” The pink mare with a bright blue mane questioned as Bulk Biceps plows through the wall to make his entrance.
“Yeah! Let's do this, little dragon!” He eagerly shouted as he used his pecks to pick up Spike as he walks through the wall again making another hole in the wall.
“Oh, I hate it when he does that.” The mare voiced her annoyance at Bulk doing that before kindly gesturing Twilight to follow her. “Come with me, princess.”
While it was pretty clear that Spike was lying to her and the girls are having a hard time trying to redecorate the castle to her liking, she decides to roll along with it and take as much time as she can before they are ready for her return.
After getting her massage she actually feels much more relaxed with her muscles feeling less tense than before.
“Great suggestion, Spike. I feel totally relaxed.” Twilight thanked Spike as he tries to follow behind yet is awkwardly walking with cracking joints due to getting the excessive massage.
“Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow...” Spike said in pain as he limbed forward.
“You want to hop on?” Twilight offered seeing Spike in pain. “Maybe I can get us to the castle faster.”
Spike still trying to keep her busy instead quickly runs up in front of her to stop her.
“Ow!” He exclaimed in pain for the last time before quickly correcting himself. “I mean... how... nice is this day? I was hoping we could take the scenic way back.” He asked wanting to take the long way back.
“I don't know.” Twilight responded unsure as that meant visiting her destroyed library.
“Come on.” Spike insisted as he rubbed his still sore back. “Walking is good for post-massage circulation.”
“Really? I've never heard that theory.” Twilight skeptically spoke as she turned to the direction of the library still seeing through his lies as she makes her the destroyed tree.
“I really miss this place, Spike.” Twilight sighed as she revisits what was once the Golden Oaks Library. “We had so many wonderful memories here.”
“We did, didn't we...?” Spike spoke in the same sad tone. “At least you did a little longer.”
“Oh, Spike, I'm so sorry.” Twilight apologized as she brought him in for an embrace. “Of course losing the Golden Oak Library was hard for you too. Even after I became Midnight.” She then smiled as she thought of an idea. “I've got an idea. Why don't we have the girls add some things to make the castle feel more like your home as well?” She offered.
“Really?” Spike asked.
“Yep!” Twilight replied. “Any ideas before we head back to the castle?” She offered as she spread out her wings ready to fly off somewhere.
“It's a... well, I want a... it's... I kind of need a... a bed!” Spike struggled to come up with something time consuming until he ended thinking of something at the last second.
“I thought you said you sleep like a baby in the castle.” Twilight questioned him with a raised eyebrow of skepticism.
“Everypony knows babies are terrible sleepers.” Spike scoffed as he hoped onto Twilight’s back. “Let's go!”
With that Twilight immediately flew off in the direction of the mattress store while rolling her eyes and shaking her head in response to the words coming out of his mouth.
“Clearly he is trying to stall me.” Twilight thought to herself. “Well at least whatever the surprise is will be worth it.”
When the two got to the mattress store Spike looked at a number of mattress clearly stalling for time by lying on every mattress he comes across.
While Spike was looking at beds, Twilight secretly took a moment to herself to spy on the Mane Five through her crystal orb to see how their castle makeover improvement plan is going along where she sees that they are back to square one after having cleaned up their attempted efforts.
“Can't believe I let go of the portrait...” Rarity bitterly murmured to herself as she paced around. “If it had just been me…”
“What do we do? What do we do?!” Pinkie spoke in panic as she popped her face in front of Fluttershy and Pinkie. “If Twilight comes home now, she'll be like "What did you guys do?" And we'll have to be like "Nothing!" And then she'll be like "I was counting on you! Some friends you are!" And we'll be like... “ She concluded as she pretending to sound like she is crying and screaming.
“Well I’d be more disappointed than wanting to disown as friends.” Twilight commented her own thoughts to herself as she glances aside.
“Calm down, Pinkie.” Applejack reassured her that’s not going to happen. “We just need to figure out what we did wrong so we can make it right.”
“Well, I didn't do anything wrong! I did exactly what I would do if this were my home!” Rarity first insisted as she placed a hoof on her chest.
“But it's not your home. It's Twilight's home!” Rainbow pointed out to call her out for refusing admit what she did wrong.
“Where she keeps all her Rainbow Dash trophies?” Rarity pointed out that she is no better herself
“Touché.” Rainbow admitted.
“Maybe we're all a little guilty of making ourselves feel at home instead of Twilight.” Fluttershy admitted as they all hung their heads in guilt.
“No question about that?” Twilight commented bluntly to herself. “Doesn’t feel so good thinking about yourselves instead of others, does it?”
“Come on, y'all.” Applejack tried to get the others to think about how to fix all of this. “We just need to think about Twilight. What was it she'd loved about livin' in the Golden Oak Library?”
“Oh, everything! The books, the smell of books, the joy she felt from organizing books...” Fluttershy pointed out.
“That’s true.” Twilight nodded in agreement.
“Remember that time I crashed into all those books attempting my sonic rainboom after you guys just cleaned up?” She laughed as reminisced that memory. “That was good times.”
“Yeah, for you, maybe.” Applejack replied with an unamused frown.
“Took me a whole day just to clean it up again.” Twilight commented in the same tone as Applejack as she recalls the memory herself.
“Oh, and Applejack, remember when we were stuck having a sleepover there? That turned out to be so much fun!” Rarity recalled now enjoying the memory.
“Well at least while you two weren’t fighting half of the time.” Twilight commented in a mixture of delight and annoyance.
“Remember the time it got blown up to smithereens?!” Pinkie happily recalled as everypony lowers their heads at one of her most painful memories. Twilight watching glares at her for thinking that was the best memory. “Wait no that was the worst.” She immediately realized as she too hung her head for bringing up that memory.
“We had a lot of good memories there, though. That's what made the Golden Oak Library home.” Applejack smiled as the rest of the Mane Five reply “Yeah.” in agreement.
“That’s it.” Applejack immediately spoke as she got an idea of what they can do.
Having seen enough Twilight puts her orb away as she checks up on Spike so she can be surprised by what her friends come up with.
“How's that one? Too soft? Too hard? Too lumpy?” Twilight asked if Spike has finally found the right mattress he wants with a tone of bored irritation.
“Um... “ Spike hesitated before firmly answering. ”…Just right! I'll take it!
“Oh, thank goodness.” Twilight spoke relieved that he finally made up his mind. “I thought you'd never find one you liked! Let's find a salespony and get out of here.”
“Sounds good to meee—“ He happily spoke until he saw the Mane Five with shovels with Rainbow signaling Spike to continue stalling. “I... nn, um, uh, heh... did you hear that?” He mimicked squeaky springs. “Too squeaky! Better keep looking!” Spike spoke as he got off of the bed and walked off leaving Twilight groaning and face-palming at Spike for not making up his mind on what he wants.
Eventually enough time had passed as Spike finally made up his mind on what he wants allowing the two to finally return home.
“Hello? We're home!” Twilight happily called out as she and Spike entered the room.
“Welcome home!” The Mane Five welcomed her in the same tone.
“Oh, I, uh... love what you've done with the place.” Twilight commented while barely hiding her disappointment. “You did such a good job of... preserving the integrity of the original design.”
“Aw, come on!” Spike exclaimed annoyed that he stalled Twilight for nothing. “It looks exactly the same! Do you know how hard it was to keep her from coming back here?! I never want to see another dust ruffle as long as I live!”
“Well maybe it would have been easily if you had honestly told me that they were having trouble finding out how to make me feel more at home here.” Twilight bluntly told him causing the others to react in surprise hearing this. “Yeah, don’t think I don’t what’s going on when I’m not around.” She said as she gives them a knowing look.
After recovering from her shock Rarity nervously laughed as she responded. “Well, It did take a teensy bit longer than we thought.”
“What really makes home feel like home isn't what it looks like.” Applejack told her as she removed her hat at placed it onto her chest as she looks at the others. “It's the memories you make when you're there.”
“So we've made something that celebrates the memories we've made with you since you moved to Ponyville.” Rarity added as Rainbow and Fluttershy open the doors to the throne room to reveal a chandelier with the tree roots of the Golden Oaks Library tree on the ceiling.
“The ornaments on the chandelier are reminders of all the fun we've had together.” Fluttershy told Twilight as she and Rainbow flew up to the ornaments on the chandelier.
“That one shows your party at the Golden Oak Library welcoming you to Ponyville!” Pinkie showed Twilight one of the ornaments showing the memory of her “Welcome to Ponyville” party.
“The time we shared donuts after the Grand Galloping Gala!” Fluttershy pointed to another ornament showing them having donuts with Princess Celestia after their first Grand Galloping Gala together.
“And here’s the time that you saved all of us from Tirek.” Rainbow Dash pointed to another ornament showing her defeating Tirek and then at another ornament of her being officially crowned Princess of Friendship for her heroism that day.
“We were hoping that being able to look at your beautiful old memories would inspire you to make new ones.” Rarity explained as she raised her hoof as they all looked up at the chandelier. “To help you further move on from your villainous past and remind you that you don’t need to feel that you have to work harder to earn our forgiveness because you already have.”
“And the best part of it is, it's made from the roots of the Golden Oak Library, so you'll never forget where you came from.” Applejack further explained as Twilight steps forward towards the chandelier as the Mane Five worry what she is thinking about all of this.
“It's exactly what the castle needed.” Twilight responded with happy tears as she turned to face them and then hugged them. And thanks to all of you, I am ready to make new memories here as well move forward for a bright new future.”
“Then let's start right now with a new memory cake!” Pinkie cheerfully raised her hoofs up as she ran over to fetch a cake. “Seven layer what's-that-flavor mystery surprise! These might be chocolate chips or they might be super-spicy black beans!
“Let's go to the dining room.” Twilight offered as they made their way into the dining room. “It's a little sparse, but at least there's a table and chairs...Whoa!” Twilight exclaimed in surprise seeing the extravagantly decorated dining room. “What happened in here? Last I checked, this place was empty!”
“I couldn't help myself! It was just begging for the personal touch!” Rarity admitted that she decorated it in her taste.
“Truth be told... I couldn't either. Your kitchen might have some rustic farm decor, Twilight.” Applejack admitted her involvement in the matter
“And there may or may not be some Daring Do posters up in your library.” Rainbow Dash also admitted.
“And some stuffed animals in your bedroom.” Fluttershy admitted as she leaned in towards her ear when suddenly a confetti cannon explodes.
“What was that?!” Twilight asked in surprise hearing that.
“One of Pinkie Pie's confetti cannons.” Applejack answered as she turned to the grinning pink pony.
“What? It's not my fault I hid them so well!” Pinkie said in her defense causing the Mane Six to all laugh in amusement of Pinkie’s antics.
“Oh, Pinkie...” Applejack commented as she laughed.
Thanks to her friends helping her feel more at home with the recently created chandelier, Twilight herself is ready to further move forward from her villainous past as her friends reassured her that they forgive for her actions as Midnight Sparkle and doesn’t need to feel like she has to be over-helping to make a point.