//------------------------------// // 6. Immediate Family Relationship Problems // Story: My Little Pony: How the Magic of Friendship Grows (Season 1) // by Majestical4729 //------------------------------// In Canterlot, Luster was leading her best friends to making the finishing touches of decorating the Ballroom, like the Ruler of Equestria wanted them to. "Is this good enough?!" Falcon Dive called to Luster, as he was about to hang a line of gems on the ceiling, in between the other lines of gems. "The position is just right!" Luster called from below, followed by Falcon hanging up the decor. "The floors are all waxed!" Alkali reposed, skating towards Luster with the floor-waxing skates on her claws. "Thanks to Alkali skating on my latest creation, the floor-waxing skates. Or basically, skates with a small container of floor wax attached to it, that comes out only when it is turned on. Otherwise, it would be regular ice-skates." Volcano explained. "All the flowers are neatly arranged," Nature Bloom stated. "The music is all double-checked, and ready for tomorrow!" Evergreen added. "Krona can't wait for her and friends to meet Princess Twilight Sparkle's brother!" Krona declared. "And her sister-in-law," Buffer filled in. "Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor may not be rulers of the Crystal Empire after Princess Flurry Heart's coronation," Sunshine Rays pointed out, "But they are still royalty." "Every reason why the decorations must be as perfect as we can make them!" Yellow Bright exclaimed. "Even if they aren't perfect, I can understand that you all did your best," a familiar voice said, drawing the Heroic Ten's attention to its owner, Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the ten creatures greeted as they bowed. "You all did a wonderful job making the Ballroom presentable for my brother and sister-in-law's visit tomorrow, and even if there is something that looked better, I accept this as the place where the party will be held, the way it is right now." Princess Twilight announced, "You all should be taking a break and have dinner before your stay in the rooms I reserved for you." "Thank you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and we certainly will be there with you at the party," Luster declared. "I know you will," Princess Twilight chuckled. Meanwhile, in the School of Friendship, Heads Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst were tidying up their office when they heard a knock on their door. "Come in," Sunburst told the creature outside, before the door opened, and a teenaged donkey entered. "Harmony! It's your first time visiting the Heads' office. So, what's the problem?" Starlight asked. "Well, for starters, your lesson about your daughter is really...knowledgeable.." Harmony stated. "Thank you for that complement, Harmony, but, usually, creatures visit the Heads to address issues, not complements," Sunburst told the donkey. "I'm not finished. You stated that you sent Luster away to Sire Hollow to be raised by your parents!" Harmony pointed out. "Only because we had no choice! We always have to take care of all the students here, and we barely have time for anything else but meals and sleep. Unlike the Council of Friendship, we cannot find a good replacement to replace us as the School's heads! So we cannot retire!" Starlight explained. "And how frequently did you visit her?" Harmony asked. "Well, we only visit her during school breaks when there aren't any students to take care of, " Starlight began, before her husband Sunburst finished for her. "And we only told her about why we took our job so seriously, and reflect about her life, or precisely, what we know about her life that our parents told us about before in our last visit." "Then what about the fact that you weren't there when she got her cutie mark, and never got to see her physically with that mark when she was a filly, because you weren't there when she performed that age spell on herself?!" Harmony asked. "Well, our parents were there, being the ones who took Luster to Canterlot. Luster brought her materials to create a small, toy version of the sunrise from the sea. Just like her first project of creating a mini version of the sunrise at sea look as real as possible. The first time she succeeded, she earned her suite mark, and our parents decided to enroll her in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, which was indeed, also known as Princess Twilight's School for Gifted Unicorns ever since the coronation." Starlight explained. "Like the first time, Luster's project was a success! Princess Twilight Sparkle was impressed to the point that she decided to make Luster her new star student, to Luster's extreme joy. Since Luster was a lot happier than she was when she got her cutie mark, her magic reacted with the magic she left in her project, making her unintentionally cast that age spell that made her a decade older than she chronologically was.Princess Twilight tried to undo the spell, but it was proven to be irreversible, and the doctors in Canterlot Hospital found out that since the age spell only made her ten years older and not including any additional days nor weeks nor months, she would still turn a year older on her birthday, which was still the same day as before the age spell." Sunburst ended. "Then when did you first see her with her cutie mark? After the age spell?" Harmony asked. "Only during the weekend on the week it happened...we were so shocked." Starlight sadly mentioned. "And upset that we never got to see Luster as a filly with her cutie mark at all, except for, seeing the photos of her before the age spell." Sunburst stated. "Most importantly, the last we got to interact with and physically see of Luster being a filly was...the last school break before it happened." Starlight sadly cried out. "That's the problem I came here to tell you about." Harmony told the Heads of the school, "You barely spent time with your own daughter that you actually wanted to have!" Starlight and Sunburst could not help but express shocked looks on their faces, before turning to each other, looking troubled. After the series' theme sonf intro played, Starlight responded to Harmony's sentences, "You really do have a point, Harmony! We didn't spend time with our daughter, like real parents would!" "When we actually wanted a daughter, seeing how happy most of our friends were having their babies!" Sunburst added. "Seeing Big Mac and Sugar Belle happily having their son Big Sugar, was just the start." Starlight explained. "Followed by Fluttershy and Discord, Rainbow Dash and Soarin, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, Applejack and Caramel...we just could not help but wish that we could have a child, too." Sunburst continued. "We actually wanted to have a child the very moment we were married," Starlight sighed, "But we knew that having one would prevent us from being able to do our job of looking after every last student and worker at the School! It's a big responsibility! Ever since more and more creatures came." "And since we could not find a good replacement to handle our jobs...we figured...and planned to send our baby to Sire's Hollow to be raised by our parents, since they had the freedom to take care of her." Sunburst ended the story. "I understand that your actions were for the sake of others, sacrificing the life you wanted so the many creatures at school won't suffer from having an unworthy head running it." Harmony told the unicorn couple, "But still, I can't believe that you don't seem to spend much time with your daughter, when she's living with you nowadays!" The Heads of the School of Friendship felt embarrassed to realise how distant they were to their biological daughter, especially when she was physically not even a metre away, living in their castle. "Well, we still have to run and take care of everything in the School..." Starlight explained, "And Luster Dawn always have her nine best friends looking out for her!" "It's good to know that Luster doesn't need a babysitter, so we won't have a lot to do with her around." Sunburst added. "But still, the main point is, you don't spend much time with her! You are very distant from her! You don't even join her and her friends for meals like you said so during the lesson about her!" Harmony pointed out. "You really do have a point. We really are, very distant rom Luster because of our job." Starlight sadly noted. "But now that you made us realise it, maybe we can change that." Sunburst continued. "Thank you, Harmony, for making the time and effort to...somewhat confront us about this problem we had this whole Tim." Starlight told the teenaged donkey. "You really do value creatures' relationships with one another, like a good creature would." Sunburst complemented, "For that, we are going to let the whole school know what you did." "If you are comfortable with it, that is." Starlight pointed out. "I would be honoured to have my deed known by all the other students, to help them improve." Harmony told the Heads. "Good, because we have some planning to do." Starlight announced. The scene changed to showing the outside of the Castle of Friendship from the front view, and the moon going down, making way for the Sun. The Sun soon went down, as the moon rose up, showing that a whole day flew by, and it was evening. "That party was a blast!" Alkali exclaimed, walking to the Dining Room with the rest of her best friends. "And really worth going to, I mean, we finally met the other royalty of Equestria, physically! And interact with them!" Volcano commented. "And got to take a picture with Princess Twilight Sparkle's family!" Yellow Bright added. "Best day ever!" Krona declared like a yak. "But, dinner is still going to be just like regular dinner every night." Luster told her best friends, opening the doors with her magic, and finding a shocking surprise that made her take back her latest sentence. "Luster! You and your best friends are back!" Starlight cheerfully greeted. "And we already got your dinner ready!" Sunburst added. "And, for the first time..." Starlight began, before she and her husband said in unison, "We're going to have dinner with you!" The Heroic Ten all had shocked expressions while Luster said, "I really take back what I said about regular dinner like every night." The scene faded black before returning to normal within a second, showing a close image of Starlight and Sunburst sting by the table, as their shocked biological daughter trotted to them, "Mum, Dad? What's going on?! I mean, you NEVER joined my best friends and I for meals!" "You're always busy working at the School?" Falcon Dive sarcastically reminded. "And taking care of all the students and workers?" added Sunshine Rays. "And all the lessons, classes, field trips..." Nature Bloom contributed. "And all the events?" Buffer resumed. "And the preparations for the events?" Alkali continued. "And all the facilities?" Volcano finished. The married unicorn couple giggled, before Starlight replied, "We do have to take care of the School, but we still have free time at night!" "And instead of just enjoying private time as a couple, we figured to use it to be with you, Luster!" Sunburst told his biological daughter. "Me?! But...I'm not a little filly anymore! Although, I chronologically am one, and will be if it weren't for that..." Luster began, before her mother finished the sentence for her. "Age spell?! We know that! We're your parents!" "Even though you did not raise her?!" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Sending her to Sire's Hollow to be raised by your parents?" Yellow Bright added. "Making Luster think that friendship is a waste of time!" Krona continued. "And made her think that the Council of Friendship weren't friends anymore?" Nature Bloom pointed out. "When they are close friends with you?!" Sunshine Rays resumed. "Look at how much friendship knowledge that your daughter don't have because she was not raised by you!" Buffer summarised. "Calm down, every creature, they have a logical reason for sending her away and not raising her, and not telling her much!" Evergreen told her best friends. "Because they have a School to run? We know that!" Falcon Dive responded. "It's true that we didn't spend much time with her all this time." Starlight began, before Sunburst finished the sentence for her. "But recently, one of our students, Harmony, made us realise that, and how distant we are from Luster." "So we decided, that from now on, we're going to join you all for dinner, every night!" Starlight announced. "And that's not all!" Sunburst continued, "Since Luster would usually spend the day hanging out with friends, or learn more spells, we decided, to help her learn those spells!" "But...what about School?!" Krona asked. "You're the Heads of it!" Volcano reminded. "So you are in charge of it!" Buffer continued. "And that means you ned to take care of everything there!" Sunshine Rays stated. "No pressure, really." Evergreen respectfully told the Heads. The married unicorns looked at each other for a second before turning to the creatures, "Don't worry, we will take turns being with Luster." Starlight assured. "And, if she had the time, we'll allow her back to School grounds to help out as our assistant!" Sunburst added. "You mean..." Luster asked, before being cut off by her mother. "You get to check on the mail, help the students in any way you can, organise the School Library, and most importantly, report to the Heads' office very frequently!" "Which means you will finally be able to spend a lot of time with us!" Sunburst ended. "I don't know..." Luster replied, expressing uncertainty, "Princess Twilight Sparkle wanted me to learn about true friendship, and she saw that my best friends are indeed good friends that can and will help me do just that!" "Not to mention that we helped her defeat Eclipse Instant and saved all of Equestria and Beyond?" Falcon Dive sarcastically reminded. "Including you two?" added Nature Bloom. "And recently helped an author create the currently out popular and best book in all of Equestria and Beyond?" Evergreen added. "You all did those together!" Starlight pointed out, "Spending lots of time with Luster!" "But do you think we can have some time with her? We are her one and only parents," Sunburst asked, "Plus, what reputation do you think we will have, if we kept on being distant from our own biological daughter?" "Can you please give us a minute?" Luster asked her parents, before huddling up with her best friends. "Heads of School have a point!" Krona began, speaking like most yaks would. "They are the Heads of a school that teaches friendship and good relationships!" Yellow Bright added. "How can they have a job like that, if they can't even have a good relationship with their own daughter?!" Alkali dramatically asked. "It would be pretty embarrassing and not good to lack the value that you teach." Sunshine Rays stated. "And all of Equestria and Beyond knows what they did to Luster!" Buffer pointed out. "If they don't have a good relationship with her soon," Volcano began, before Falcon Dive finished the sentence for him. "They will be known for being the weirdest heads-of-a-school, ever!" "Teaching values the they lack in a situation known by all?" Evergreen stated. "But, they have hundreds of students and things to take care of!" Luster reminded, "I can't spend time with them and distract them!" "And as some creature selfless, we must never choose our own good over others' good!" Falcon Dive declared, before sighing, "We probably should agree with their new decision and suggestions today." The Heroic Ten approached the Heads of their former school, with Luster telling her parents, "Mybest friends an dI agreed to go with your decision, Mum and Dad." "Great! And since you don't have anything to do tomorrow, we're allowing you back to Achool grounds to be our assistant!" Starlight cheerfully said. "But...now that Luster became and still is a famous heroine, what do you think the other creatures will do when they see her?!" Sunshine Rays asked. "Remember what happened during her first week," Nature Bloom reminded. "Students keep paying attention to her! Attracted to her!" Krona declared. "They may have gotten over that," Volcano began, before Alkali finished the sentence for him. "But that is before her graduation, and her reign as heroine!" "Now that she's even more famous, do you think every creature will act normal around her?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Most likely will not!" Yellow Bright answered the question. "Don't worry, we can and will handle that!" Sunburst assured. "Are you sure? Because during Luster's time as a student there, it was not you, but us, who got her through every problem!" Evergreen pointed out. "That was only because she was a student! We can't keep on giving her special treatment in the School!" Starlight explained. "The only reason we offered her residence in the castle is because some students do not reside in the School! Some of them are from Ponyville and not far away!" Sunburst pointed out. "Back to the main point, an assistant who isn't a student will be alright to get special treatment unlike every other student, but not too special that they feel like it is unfair! So, what do you say now?" Starlight asked. "If it can save your reputation, I agree to part with it." Luster answered. The next day, Luster and her parents depart the castle for the School, with Luster feeling anxious. It had always been her best friends who got her through everything, but none of them were around. "Don't worry, Luster! You still got company at your side!" Starlight told her daughter. "I guess you're right." Luster nervously chuckled, before entering the School. Many students, seeing their former schoolmate, who was currently a famous heroine, were all pleased to see her in the school, that they all started chatting with their friends, to Luster's discomfort, knowing that most of their conversations would be about her. The Heads then made an announcement in the Main Hall, where most assemblies would be held. "Good morning, students and staff!" Starlight began, "Today, as you can see, graduate Luster Dawn, the biological daughter of your Heads, and a famous heroine member of the Heroic Ten, has returned to School grounds." "And from now on, she will be your Heads' assistant who will help out all around the School with all sorts of problems. Otherwise, you will mostly find her in the Heads' office." Sunburst added. "But, Mum, Dad...I can't be around for..." Luster tried to tell her parents that she could not work as their assistant everyday, especially when she had to physically learn friendship with her best friends outside School, but her mother cut her off. "And if there's any trouble, and she's nearby, go to her and not through a long way to find us." The school bell rang, meaning that classes were starting. The students and teachers all departed the Main Hall, leaving Luster and her parents alone. "So Luster, now that we're the only creatures around, what should we do as a real family?" Starlight asked her daughter. "We already are a family?" Luster reminded, "Biologically a family, and, shouldn't we just be doing our work?" "Well, there aren't any events around the corner, except for a field trip that Professor Smolder and Professor Ocellus will be taking their students on...a few days later. So, we don't have much that we need to do, other than wait for some creature to tell us about an issue." Sunburst pointed out. "But, since it's my first day as assistant, shouldn't I be doing what needs to be done? As in, what I have to do?" Luster asked. Starlight giggled, "Oh, Luster, you really are so adorable, hardworking since little." "If you really want to do something, you can organise the School Library," Sunburst suggested. "School Library?! Oh yes! Yes! Yes! Why didn't you say so earlier?! I'm going to!" Luster announced, immediately galloping towards her destination. "And we're going with you!" Starlight cheerfully declared, causing Luster to halt. "But...but I can do it alone!" Luster complained. "It's a lot faster and better when you have more creatures!" Sunburst pointed out. "Fine, I might as well accept your help." Luster said in a depressed tone. The scene changed to the School Library, after Luster levitated one last book onto the shelf where it belonged. "There! The last Equestria and Beyond History book, with all the others, in the Equestria and Beyond History Column!" Luster declared. "And all we took is half an hour! Told you that the more creatures, the faster and better!" Sunburst proudly said, hugging his wife up close. "Now that the books are all where they belong, we can finally send some family time together!" Starlight cheerfully added. "But, I haven't got a hang of the role of assistant here! Don't you think I should understand it before I do something else?" Luster asked. "Oh, Luster! When no creature has problems, it's free time for us!" Starlight assured. "Then, I guess I can go back to my spell casting learning in the Castle..." Luster began, before her parents panicked a bit and Sunburst cutting her off. "No! I mean...you can chat with us!" "Spend time with us! After all these years!" Starlight added. "Well, I was indeed raised by grandpa Firelight and grandmum Stellar Flare in Sire's Hollow before the School for Gifted Unicorns...never having much interaction with you, except for when you visited me to show concern for me after learning about that age spell...so, I guess I can..." Luster began, before she heard a terrified scream nearby. "AAAAH! A cockroach! Some creature do something!" an Earth Pony filly shrieked, huddling close to her friends, as the large pest crawled towards them. Like a heroine, Luster rushed to the students' rescue and froze the cockroach, causing them to cheer and praise the new assistant. "You're my hero, Luster Dawn!" the filly exclaimed, hugging the unicorn. "She's a real hero! I mean...heroine!" another student reminded. "She saved us all from Eclipse Instant on her graduation day!" another student stated. As more and more creatures gathered around Luster, she nervously told them, "Thanks for he praises and complements, every creature, but, I'm only here to be the Heads' assistant. So, instead of worshipping me, you should just come to me if you have any problems, only when I'm near." "Then can you help us graduate?" a male zebra asked. "Can you help us learn better communication?" a dragon asked. As the students began asking more and more questions, Luster shouted, "Quiet! I will settle your problems, one by one, but if you are really lacking on your studies, you can go to Professor Scootaloo's classes for the students in need! All other problems that have nothing to do with lessons, is what I will settle." From afar, Starlight and Sunburst gasped to see their daughter so responsible and strong. After the students left, Luster approached her parents, "Alright, I got an after school meeting for half an hour, a short period of time that grants the students the chance to tell me all the issues, and then, when time's up, I'l solve them. I just hope that the issues aren't too difficult to solve..." "Well, great job on your first day, Luster! You're really making us so proud." Starlight said, trying her best to look grateful. "And you did it without any company! Looks like you can really do it...without us." Sunburst stated, trying to smile and not frown. "I can't believe I finally handled being overwhelmed by a crowd without any of my best friends! Although, I still loved their presence and company. Anyways, I better prepare a list for after school issue meeting! To write down all the students' issues!" Luster told her parents, "Meanwhile, I better clean the school, as well. I mean, with a cockroach that large around, there's no doubt that the place can be...a little dirty." After Luster was out of sight, Starlight panic-asked her husband, "What are we going to do, Sunburst?! We brought Luster so close to us, but still can't spend time with her, like a real family!" "Even if she works here, I don't think she will be interacting with us as much as we can interact with each other." Sunburst told his wife. "She's more focused on her work! Like...us." Starlight sadly stated. "Too bad she can't just sit with us in the Heads' office. With nothing else to do, unless there's a problem." Sunburst commented. "Hmm...you know what Sunburst? I think we do have a way to spend time with Luster!" Starlight declared. That night, during dinner, Luster Dawn's parents made an announcement. "Guess what, every creature?!" Starlight asked in a cheerful tone. "We decided to take Luster on a World Tour around Equestria and Beyond for the next few days!" Sunburst finished. "What?!" Falcon Dive asked, spitting out his soup. "A few days?" Nature Bloom asked. "World Tour around Equestria and Beyond?" Krona added. "But...what about your duties?" Evergreen asked in a normal tone. "You know, take care of all the students and workers?" Sunshine Rays pointed out. "All the lessons," Volcano contributed. "And the activities!" Alkali continued. "The facilities..." Buffer resumed. "All of the things that have something to do with the School!" Yellow Bright dramatically stated. "You have a job to handle them all!" Buffer ended. "I'm sure the School will be fine," Starlight assured, "It still will receive the same food deliveries, the teachers all can be trusted, lessons will go fine...no big special events in our absence!" "But what about Luster's role as your assistant?" Falcon Dive asked. "She just got that occupation today, wouldn't the students find it strange that she won't be performing her duties for the next few days?" Sunshine Rays questioned. "If you two are so concerned..." Starlight began in a rage of impatience, "You two will be temporarily in charge of the School!" The Heroic Ten asked in shock, "What?!" "The Elements of Morality and Selflessness are most likely the creatures capable of taking care of everything! I guess we don't need anything more!" Starlight declared. "You can't just any-o-how put some creature in charge of a school!" Volcano pointed out. "Volcano has a point! Heads can't just put creatures in charge of School!" Krona declared like a yak would. "Especially when it's creatures who don't even have a job like theirs!" Buffer continued. "And I'm not really available! I'm working on Rules of Real Good Story Writing, a guide to writing the stories some creature moral would write! I've been writing it ever since we returned from our adventure to help Grandeur..." Sunshine Rays began, before she was cut off by the impatient unicorn couple. "Can we please get some time with our daughter?!" Sunburst angrily asked. "When she came to finally live with us, instead of interacting with us, her biological family, she's been interacting with all of you!" Starlight pointed a hoof at the rest of the Heroic Ten. "Right now, fixing our relationship with her is what truly matters to us," Sunburst stated in a serious tone. "Being willing to make her even more important than our job, will truly prove that we do care about her, like real friends and family would!" Starlight declared. "But...the School!" Alkali cried. "What do you think will become of it without you in charge of it?!" Buffer asked. "That's up to you nine, who will take care of it in our absence!" Starlight coldly told the creatures, while leading her daughter out, "Come on, Luster. We're about to leave for our tour tomorrow!" After the unicorns left the Dining Room, the nine creatures looked at each other, with none of them looking happy. The next day, in the School of Friendship, the students gathered in the Main Hall, where the Heroic Ten, minus Luster, stood where the announcers would stand. "Good morning, every creature!" Falcon Dive greeted in an energetic tone. "As every creature knows, Krona and her friends here are the Heroic Ten!" Krona declared in third-creature. "Even though there's only nine of us, since Luster isn't here..." Yellow Bright nervously mentioned. "She and her parents have some errands to make..." Evergreen explained. "And they won't be back for a few days." Buffer continued. "And in their absence," Alkali announced. "We will be looking out for all the issues and problems here!" Sunshine Rays declared. "As much as we can, because not all of us are available all the time..." Volcano mentioned, taking out a watch to signal his teaching assistant. The school bell then rang, dismissing the students from the assembly, while Volcano told most of his friends, "alkali and I got to go! We still got to teach our students at Improvement Academy!" "Safe travels!" Nature Bloom called out to her two departing best friends, before turning to the rest of their friends, "I hope we can figure out everything that has to be done..." At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, with the aid of the Cake Twins, were throwing a party that was to be Luster's delayed cute-ceanera, since there was never a party thrown to celebrate her earning her cute mark. "It's really unnecessary..." Luster muttered loud enough for her mother to hear and hush her. "I'm sorry, it's just...cute-ceaneras are only for celebrating newly earned cutie marks! Not to replace one that should have been held a long time ago!" Luster pointed out. "As your parents, we should have been there to see you as a filly with your cutie mark!" Sunburst stated, levitating a photo of Luster when she earned her cutie mark, the day before the age spell. "Your grandparents took many photos of you and your cutie mark that day, and gave us some, they really were thoughtful." Starlight gratefully told her daughter. Luster groaned as she had to continue resisting the slight embarrassment of getting a delayed cute-ceanera when she was biologically a young adult. The next stop was Sweet Apple Acres, where the unicorn family sat down to have an apple meal. "Welcome every creature, for lunchtime at Sweet Apple Acres! The one and only time of the day when non-apples get to eat an apple meal, like they're in a restaurant!" Applejack announced. Big Mac and his brother-in-law Caramel then brought a huge table over, before Sugar Belle used her magic to levitate all the apple-themed food, placing them on the said table. "We got apple salad, apple cider, apple on rice, apple on noodles, apple on hay, apple in mashed potato..." "We can just come here anytime!" Luster whispered to her parents, but they were not buying it. "We can, but did we?" asked Starlight. "We didn't! So now we're doing it!" Sunburst told his daughter n a strict tone. The next destination on the unicorn family's list was Carousel Boutique, where Rarity, Yona and Sandbar worked and resided with their kids. Luster was soon playing dress up and photo shoot with her parents, trying on different outfits, and taking may photos. "You all looked absolutely divine!" Rarity commented, as she pasted one last photo in a photo file for the unicorn family. "Aw, thanks Rarity!" Starlight thanked her old friend. "Now, we can go to our next stop!" Sunburst added. "Fluttershy's Sanctuary!" Starlight announced. The scene changed in an instant, and the sanctuary itself was shown, still run by Fluttershy with the aid of her husband, Discord. Fluttershy introduced every animal in alphabetical order, like a welcome show for her visitors. "We have anteaters, bears, cats, dogs, elephants, frogs, giraffes, hippos, impalas, jaguars, kangaroos, lambs, monkeys, nightingales, ostriches, pelicans, quails, rabbits, snakes, tigers, uinta chipmunks, vultures, walruses, X-Ray tetra, yellow mongooses and Zenaida doves." Starlight and Sunburst applauded with Starlight exclaiming, "What a wonderful performance!" "That's one of the best welcome shows I've ever seen!" Sunburst added, "Right Luster?" "Yes, that show is...really spectacular...though it kind of reminds me of Nature Bloom's animals' performances... Luster murmured. "That's actually the basic animal performance. There are more animals than just the ones mentioned in this show." Fluttershy stated, "You can either see them, or pet and spend time with the animals." "We'll choose pet and spend time with the animals," Starlight replied. "Because we got a Wonderbolts show to watch later in Canterlot," Sunburst added. The scene then changed to show Luster and her parents in the special friends and family of the Wonderbolts sitting area, where they got the best view. Starlight tried to get Luster to cheer on the performers, but Luster gloomily commented, "They make me think of Falcon Dive and his flying skills." "What?! That is it!" Starlight angrily stormed off, taking her family with her. When the show ended, Rainbow Dash was surprised to see that her friends were not in the audience. "Starlight, Sunburst, and Luster left?!" Soarin approached his wife, expressing the same face she was having. Meanwhile, in the streets of Canterlot, Starlight told Luster, "You can't just keep on thinking about your best friends everything, Luster!" "There are a whole lot of creatures to care about! Especially those who are biologically related to you!" Sunburst added. "But, didn't we kept on saying what we are don't make us us, and who we are really does?" Luster reminded. "Well, yes...but, we really never spent much time with you, Luster! We just really have to!" Starlight explained. "And, we have a few days of nothing but vacation as a family! Come on!" Sunburst cheerfully said, dragging Luster with him. In a montage, Luster and her parents travelled all around Equestria and Beyond, visiting Cloudsdale Weather Factory, Appleloosa's town and apple orchard, Starlight's old village, Our Town, Luster's hometown, Sire's Hollow, the Harmonising Heights and Seaquestria as sea ponies, the Changeling Kingdom, the Dragon Lands, Griffonstone, Yakyakistand, and the Crystal Empire. "I don't see why I need to be here, I already met Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor!" Luster told her parents. "But you haven't met their daughter, Ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Flurry Heart!" Sunburst announced. "Your very own father served as her crystalliser, you so should have met her a very long time ago!" Starlight told her daughter. The next second, the royal guards blew the trumpets as the Royal Family of the Crystal Empire appeared. "Your Majesties," the unicorn family bowed, before Flurry giggled. "You can stop bowing now, Madam Starlight, Mr. Sunburst, and of course, famous heroine Luster Dawn." "Luster, we saw you and your best friends not so long ago at the party in Canterlot!" Cadence stated. "So, why would you come to the Crystal Empire Castle to see us? It's not even one and a half weeks ago!" Shining Armor pointed out. "My parents wanted to spend time with me," Luster answered. "Like a real family!" Starlight added. "Spending a good, close time and having a good, close relationship with each other!" Sunburst ended. "But what abut the School of Friendship?" Flurry Heart asked. "We're sure it's fine!" Starlight replied, a second before Luster got a letter magically sent to her. Dear Luster, Sorry about ruining you and your parents' vacation, but it is really urgent! Professor Smolder unfortunately caught a cold and sneezed fire all over the school, Professor Ocellus has to take double the classes that she originally has, and has a crisis making sure every student is present, and some of the students ran out of school when it caught the fire mentioned earlier! To make matters even worse, no creature knows which students gone missing, because the students don't stay in the same class in this School! They only attend certain classes at certain periods of time! Please, if you can make it, help us! Signed, your best friends. Luster read the letter out loud, making the Heads of the School gasp. "Are you still sure the School's fine?" Cadence asked. "A sick teacher? Fire at the School? And missing students everywhere?" Starlight asked in shock. "If only we were there, we would have everything under control from start!" Sunburst added, dramatically . "Being in charge is actually very important," Shining Armor told the Heads of the School of Friendship. "And it's never about being able to do whatever you want!" Cadence added. "Ever since my coronation, I had to make sure every last thing in the Crystal Empire is checked!" Flurry Heart explained, "From the biggest castle and buildings, to the smallest shelter! Also, I need to ensure all the residents here are indeed, residents! If they ever moved away, or if a new one came in, I must know and ensure that they have everything they need!" "Over the yeas we were rulers of the empire and caregivers of Flurry, we never let our duties or jobs go not handled." Cadence stated. "Especially with all the different creatures, we knew we can't just leave them unchecked, even to take a break!" Shining Armor pointed out. "We know family and friends are really important, but we have friends that are affected by our jobs!" Cadence said. "And like true, good friends, we will never take a wanted break and ignore them, thinking that they will be fine in our absence," Shining Armor ended. "All the students and workers at the School of Friendship...they're our friends, too!" Starlight gasped. "And we just chose spending time with our daughter to save our reputations over their needs?!" Sunburst said, dramatically fainting. "We're horrible Heads and friends for doing something like this!" Starlight exclaimed in a panicked tone. "Calm down, Mum and Dad, it's not completely your fault." Luster assured, "It's actually kind of my fault too, abandoning the real best to fulfil some of your desires that aren't even good ones...and not pointing out your mistake when I knew you shouldn't spend this much time with me, nor show that you really cared about me that you don't care about your job." "And our decision to choose our job over raising you maybe painful...but it really was for the best all along! Look at what spending time with you and abandoning the School has done!" Sunburst pointed out. "But it's not too late to fix the damage!" Luster declared. At the School of Friendship, Falcon Dive sprayed fire extinguisher all around the school, while Alkali took the sick Smolder down to the catacombs under the school library, the one place with nothing for the sick dragon's fires to destroy. "Don't worry Smolder! Just drink some orange juice for Vitamin C, eat lettuce to help strengthen your immunity system, and have plenty of rest!" Alkali advised, a moment before another sneeze was about to happen. Fortunately, Alkali had a pail of soapy water by her side, which she held up and swang to toss the soapy water at Smolder's face when the latter sneezed. "Soapy water, totally alkaline! Weak alkali, that is! And...alkalis can kill germs, including viruses." Alkali told the sick dragon. "Acids can do that, too." Smolder sarcastically responded. In the school classrooms, Evergreen assured the students, "Everything will be alright, calm down. Panicking and running out will just worsen things as your teachers will have trouble ensuring all of you are alright!" "Good news, every creature! Heads are back!" Krona declared. Starlight approached the students, "Every creature get outside the School and in front of the Castle! Hurry!" Sunburst quickly did a count and check of the students' attendance, by asking their names before allowing them to ass him. Using her magic, Starlight found all of the creatures in the School and evacuated them, with Falcon Dive being the final creature to leave the building. "Where's Professor Smolder?" a student asked. "Don't worry, Alkali took her to the catacombs underneath the School Library, where there's nothing to destroy!" Volcano answered. "And Alkali always brings her alkalis with her, she knows how to stay clean." Sunshine Rays addd. "Where's Luster Dawn?" another student asked. "She's busy finding the students who ran out of school," Buffer replied, a second before Luster appeared with all of the missing students in Ponyville. "Luster! You're back! Is that all the students?!" asked Yellow Bright. "All the missing students in Ponyville, now to help Nature Bloom and Professor Ocellus!" Luster announced. Ocellus was waiting anxiously for help to arrive, just before she saw Nature approaching. "Nature Bloom! Thank goodness you came! I was just lucky that one of the unicorn students could magically send letters to the creatures they are for!" "Don't worry, Luster will be here to find the missing students, if there are any! Just, check who's here and who's not!" Nature told the cyan changeling, giving the latter a list of students' names. As soon as the changelings found out who the missing students were by marking attendance, Luster appeared and used a spell to find the missing creatures by scanning their names, and summoning a magical compass like their last adventure. After all the students were found, Luster and Nature decided to aid Ocellus in bringing all the students through the remainder of their field trip. That evening, Luster teleported the classes that went on the field trip back into the School, where all the other students were waiting. The Heads then caught every creature's attention, as they had a new announcement to make. "Good evening, students!, workers, and every creature. Your Head-mare and Vice Head-stallion, have something to say to all of you," Starlight began, before Sunburst took over. "We made a big mistake, thinking that showing that we care more about our daughter than we care about our School and job will prove that we are good, caring parents, but we were wrong!" "We have to do what is best for all situations! And we just let our desires to save our reputation as heads of a friendship school by having a good, close relationship with Luster, make us abandon every creature affected by our job. This is a mistake that we will never make again." Starlight declared. "And, even though it can be embarrassing, this incident of the Heads learning a valuable friendship lesson, will indeed be in the next textbook of the School's History," Sunburst announced, "So no creature will make a mistake similar to it." "I have to say sorry too, every creature." Harmony said, showing up, "I thought that our Heads' distant relationship with their daughter is a problem, which is the one thing that caused all this chaos today to happen." "Harmon, we understand that you're just doing what you think is right," Starlight assured. "But you're not completely to blame, it was our decision to go...crazy and choose spending a lot of unnecessary time with our daughter." Sunburst nervously chuckled. "And show that you care about her more than you care abut the School?" Falcon Dive sarcastically asked. "Willing to just let the School suffer in your absence?" Sunshine Rays added. "Not leaving some creature with good experience run it?" Volcano contributed. "When you really don't need to go on a World Tour with Luster in order to get close?" Evergreen pointed out. "And you almost let the School go from fine to disastrous!" Yellow Bright dramatically stated, before switching to a normal tone saying, "But look on the bright side, everything's resolved." "I understand that you have to build a good, close relationship with me, Mum and Dad, but it's not spending time with me so frequently that makes my best friends' relationship with me so good and close!" Luster pointed out. "Friends would usually have some friendly chats!" Krona began. "And listen to what each other has to say," Buffer continued. "If a friend is having a bad experience or being troubled, true friends will comfort and help them!" Nature Bloom stated. "And friends don't need to play together, nor be together all the time!" Evergreen pointed out. "Like the Council of Friendship, they can meet once every period of a specific time," Sunshine Rays gave an example. "And they don't really need to go through lots of action and adventures to build a bond!" Falcon Dive resumed. "Like every creature, friends can just have a slice of life, and talk over meals," Yellow Bright finished. "There's always room in the Dining Room, I'm sure we won't mind the parents of one of us joining us," Volcano told the Heads. "So...you're all alright with us joining you for dinner every night?" Sunburst asked. "And breakfast every morning!" Krona declared. "Thank you, Heroic Ten, we will like to spend time with you over meals, and improve our relationship with Luster, and all of you." Starlight responded. "And if you still want me to be your assistant, I accept the job, and will do my duty unless an adventure or need for the Heroic Ten comes up," Luster told her parents, causing them to giggle. "We understand Luster, and this time, we should be the creatures writing a letter to Princess Twilight." Sunburst replied. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Today, we believe that we and our daughter Luster, have all learnt some valuable lessons. Luster learnt that no matter what, we must always choose what we know is the real best over supporting some creature's desires when the desires were not beneficial, even if those creatures were close ones. We learnt that lesson as well, alongside learning that if we wanted to show concern for some creature, we should have just spent free time with them, not spend lots of unnecessary time earned by abandoning our duties. This is a lesson that will be taught and reminded at the School of Friendship, so we an assure you, that many creatures will learn from it, and hopefully not make any similar mistake. Signed, your faithful student's parents, Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst The next morning, in the Dining Room, Luster's immediate family sat next to each other, chatting over their meal. "I'm glad that I'm finally working with you, Mum and Dad, even if it means we can't be together all the time there," Luster told her parents. "Don't worry, Luster, we still got time to chat on the way to work and back as we walk!" Starlight pointed out. "And we still got lunchtime in the afternoon to chat!" Sunburst added. "Tick tock, every creature! School's about to start!" Alkali reminded, holding up a watch. "School! Right! And I still got to help Cranky and Matilda's daughter, Harmony to make amends for the chaos yesterday!" Luster panicked. "And if you needed help, we'll be there," Starlight and Sunburst said in unison, as they surrounded their daughter with warm smiles. "Like real good friends and family would!" Luster commented.