//------------------------------// // Chapter 15: Growing Family // Story: The Mystic Fox // by Mysticfox //------------------------------// Chapter 15: Growing Family. "So what now?" Merrin asked as we left the castle gates. "Well now we can head home. Rosy should be out of school soon." I said as I looked up at the clear sky and smiled. Alya slid out of my hair and started flying around happily. "Hey Merrin, how's your flying?" I asked with a smirk. "I'm no wonderbolt but I can be quick when I want to be." She said as she proudly stretched her wings. "Cool how about we fly home, It's not far at all." I said with a smile as she gave me a confused look. "I'm not letting you ride me." She said bluntly, making me try not to laugh. "Pfft ha no, no I'm not going to ride you haha." I said as I slowly lifted into the air. "Oh you can fly...wait you can fly!?" She asked before hopping into the air. "Yep along with other things. Word of warning be prepared for weirdness." I said as we flew over the city and I could hear low beats coming from a roof below us. "Like what?" She asked with a confused look as a large smile came to my face when I noticed a rooftop party with Vinyl in her booth. "Oh you'll just have to see. Come on." I said as I grabbed her hoof and dragged her to a cloud above the party and looked down at the techno pony bobbing her head with the music. "Wow that party looks fun." Merrin said as I made a mask for her with a white and blue scale pattern. "I'm glad you think so. Here, put this on." I said passing her the mask. "Um why?" She asked while looking over the mask. "(Poof) Because we're goin to do a drop in." I said as I turned into my big fox form before sending an arrow of light pointing up down to vinyl. "Cool you can turn into a fox?" She said as I pulled my mask out and looked down at Vinyl. Vinyl looked up at me and with a wink from me she did a hoof pump. "Oh I can do a ton of things. Here you'll need this too." I said as I gave her a tambourine and made a black ball of magic in my paw. "Why?" She said before looking down at Vinyl as the music stopped. "ALRIGHT PARTY PONIES I got a special guest tonight that I'm sure you'll love. So make some noise for FOXFIRE." Vinyl said before pointing a hoof at the cloud. "That's our que. Just go with the beat and have fun. BLACKOUT!!" I shouted as I threw the black ball down and it made a pitch black dome over the party. I jumped off the cloud with merrin and landed in the booth with Merrin at the side and started the music. (PLAY: daft punk's One More Time.) As the music slowly picked up I sent out my mark making it glow with a black light. "One more time." I sang as I sent out strands of neon lights and when the bass dropped my mark sent a wave of light that when it hit the ponies it made the colors glow.  "EVERYPONY LET'S DANCE!!" I shouted over the crowd and looked over to Merrin, who was glowing a deep blue as she played the tambourine. As the ponies bounced to the beat I sent out laser lights that shifted with the music.I used my magic to distort my voice and began to sing while I bobbed my head. Even Alya and Tammy joined the fun, Alya was flying around the dome making a trail of pink light as she twisted and turned, Tammy jumped around the ponies like a bright orange ball. The ponies loved it as they glowed like a very colorful moving black light poster. I even notice Vinyl jumping backstage. Then when the music slowed I closed my eyes and made a keyboard of light that I played while I sang. When the tambourine started to play I looked over to Merrin who got into the music. I noticed a wave of light pass over her and her colors change. She was still a deep glowing blue but now she had a light blue pattern that looked light highlighted blue scales and her mane was waving like fire. I could help stare and sing as she played. I slowly stepped out of the booth while the music played and when I got to Merrin she stopped playing as I grabbed her hoof and lifted into the air while I sang. We began to twirl in the air making a trail of light behind us. I couldn't look away from her eyes while we danced in the air. When the music started to pick up we began to fly around the party as more pegasus began to fly at our side making a blacklight rainbow as we flew back to the booth. The ponies danced and bounced with the music as Merrin stood next to me playing her tambourine while I worked the booth. It felt great to have her with me as we played together that Never noticed my color was glowing light pink. When the music came to a close I found myself lost in her eyes and couldn't look away. The black dome faded when the song ended along with my mark and the crowd awed in disappointment as the colors returned normal, snapping me back from my trance. (End song) "HAHA GIVE IT UP FOR FOXFIRE!!" Vinyl shouted as the crowd went wild and Vinyl gave me a wink and a fist bump making me blush a bit. "Until next time, stay bright." I said before I jumped into the air and flew away towards home with Merrin laughing joyfully behind me. "That was so much fun." Merrin said before she did a barrel roll. "Yeah (Poof) you looked like you had a blast." I said as I changed back to normal. "I did. At first I was nervous but when the music started I felt excited and just wanted to move with the music." She said as she flew around me. "Well I'm glad you had fun and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last. Oh and I hope you like parties because I know one pony who probably has a random welcome party ready." I said before I noticed storm clouds over town. "Looks like it might rain." Merrin said as we flew under the clouds. "I don't think we were supposed to have rain today plus I can sense a large amount of magic in the clouds and it doesn't feel nice." I said as I began to look around for my friends. "Hey Fox it looks like ponies are gathered in the center of town." Merrin said as she pointed down to Twilight and a light blue unicorn standing face to face with a crowd of ponies standing around them. The weirdest thing was Rarity and Applejack had mini versions of them hiding behind a rock with a larger version of Applejack. "Lets see whats goin on." I said as we descended into town. I felt something off about the blue unicorn but I couldn't put my finger on it. As we landed I looked around and couldn't find Rosy and began to worry. "Twilight what's going on and where is Rosy?" I asked as Merrin and I landed beside a zebra with a mohawk. "Oh Fox there you are we've been looking everywhere for you." Twilight said before the Blue unicorn stepped up. "So this is the so-called Mystic Fox that little pegasus filly told the great and powerful Trixie about." Trixie said as a red glow came from the ruby alicorn shaped amulet. "Twilight who is this and where is Rosy?" I asked as I glared down at Trixie. "This is Trixie, a stage magic unicorn who almost destroyed ponyville when her lies ultimately brought an ursa miner to town thanks to a couple of nitwits." Twilight said before Snips and Snails ran by with their horns attached at the tips. "Alright just going to fix that." I said before I zapped the stuck unicorns, freeing them before turning my attention back to Trixie. "I will only ask you one more time. Where. Is. My. Daughter?" I said as I felt my anger rise while I stepped close. (Thump) "Nevermind." I said after Rosy slammed into the back of my head. "Hi dad." She said as she hugged my head while Tammy and Alya hugged hers. "Hey there kiddo. Oh hey after we take care of this stage hoof I got a surprise for you." I said as I scratched her behind the ears. "Hey who are calling a stage hoof, Trixie is the main act." Trixie said before sending a volley of lightning towards me. I quickly teleported Rosy and the critters over to the girls right before the lightning struck causing a cloud of dust to form where I stood. "Ha that'll show you." Trixie said proudly as she smirked at the dust cloud. "Show me what? What static electricity does to someone's hair, do you know how long it's goin to take to straighten out this mess now?" I said as I poked my now large white afro. "OH THE HORROR, THE HORROR." Rarity said before she pulled out her couch and dramatically passed out while Rainbow and Rosy rolled on the ground laughing. "But how?" Trixie asked in disbelief. "Probably a long shower and plenty of brushing." I said with a smile. "Grrrr not what Trixie meant." Tixie said before Twilight stepped between us. "That's because your amulet isn't strong enough to hurt him but mine is." Twilight said as she pointed to a green swirl pattern amulet around her neck and winked before sending purple lightning at me. I couldn't tell what she was up to but I went along with it. "OW STOP, I GIVE, I GIVE! MAKE IT STOP!" I said as I fell to my knees clutching my sides in the act. "I can even change him into a completely different creature." Twilight said before shooting a magic beam at me. "(Poof) Oh come on. Now I look like a sheep that missed a shear day." I said as I tried to walk but ended up rolling around while most of the ponies laughed. "Well, Tixie looks like my amulet is stronger than yours. HEY!!!" Twilight said before Trixie pulled the amulet off Twilight. "With this amulet I shall rule all of Equestria. Mahahaha!" Trixie said as she pulled her amulet free and replaced it with Twilights. "Now my subjects, gaze upon the even greater and powerfuller Trixie." Trixie said with a cackle before Rainbow swooped down and snatched the amulet from her hoof. "Hey! I don't need that old Alicorn Amulet. I have this!" Trixie said before zapping Rainbow with lightning. I knew Twilight had this handle so I sat down with Rosy and a surprisingly quiet Merrin then pulled a few jars from my bag. "Stop it! Tha— that tickles!" Rainbow said as she laughed. "Tickles?! That was supposed to make you writhe in agony! This amulet is defective! Give mine back!" Trixie said before Rainbow flew over to the zebra and shut the amulet in a small chest. "Sorry. This is going back into hiding where it belongs." Rainbow said before Twilight wrapped her forearm around Trixies neck. "By the way, Trixie, the amulet around your neck? It's one of Zecora's doorstops." Twilight said as she tapped the green stone making it fall off and break on the ground. "So thats her name.(Crunch)" I said before biting into my snack and passing some around to other ponies. "But... How did you do those spells? Nopony can do those spells!" Trixie said in disbelief. "You're right. Not even me. Zecora taught me so much about magic while I was in exile. She even taught me when not to use it. My magic alone wasn't powerful enough to take on the Alicorn Amulet head to head, so I needed to use a different kind of magic – the magic of friendship. I also knew that the only pony who could get the amulet off your neck was you." Twilight said sincerely while looking to all her friends. "Aw I like that.(Crunch)" Merrin said sweetly before taking a bite of her snack. "But... what about the pony with the ten instruments?" Trixie said pointing to pinkie with a multitude of instruments around her and somehow has no mouth. "How...how does she do that?(Crunch)" Rosy asked before taking a bite of her snack. "That's not magic. That was just Pinkie Pie." Twilight said before giggling at our goofy friend. "What about that cotton ball thing." Trixie said pointing at me. "Hi, I'm Fox. Wanna pickle?" I said as I levitate my jar over to her. She gave me a surprise before slowly lifted a pickle from the jar. "Um...thanks.(Crunch) Mmm good pickle." Trixie said as she munched my pickle. ( :'-) ) "Yeah I'm still working on that." Twilight said as she pulled out a pickle. Pinkie popped out next to me with sad puppy dog eyes and I couldn't take it. I focused my magic in my paw and zapped her face giving her mouth back. "YAY!(Crunch)." Pinkie said as she crushed me in a hug. "Pinkie my spine, My...spine." I said as I tried to pry her off me. I looked over to Merrin and grinned, sending a shiver down her spine. "Pinkie look, a new pony just moved here." I said pointing a paw to the now confused mare before Pinkie dropped me. "Oh I knew getting a Welcome To Ponyville party ready today was a good Idea." Pinkie said as she quickly gave the surprised pony a hug and party hat. "Oh darling you simply must let me fix your mane, it's just gasly." Rarity said before making a brush and spray bottle appear. "I'm all yours Rarity.(Poof) a braided ponytail please." I said as I changed and scooped up Rosy before sitting in front of the fashion pony with Rosy in my lap. "Um dad who's this?" Rosy said looking at my friend in a party hat. "This is my new friend Merrin. Due to some unfortunate event she is left without a home so I offered her a place to stay." I said sweetly as I smiled at Merrin. "So she's goin to stay with us?" Rosy asked with an excited bounce. "Yep. Um why is Aunt Tia coming down, I was just up there." I said as a gold and white chariot with two guards flying down from Canterlot. "Oh Princess Celestia is bringing some delegates from Saddle Arabia and I'm in charge of entertainment." Twilight said proudly as Fluttershy walked up with some animals.  "Well as soon as Rarity finishes my hair I'll head that why. Hmm maybe I'll make them a snack while they watch the show." I said as I began to think of something to make. "Oh darling, I'm already finished and I must say with the right suit you would look quite dashing." Rarity said as she held up a mirror. I never noticed how long my hair actually was. It was slick back with my bangs on my right partially covering my right eye and the ponytail was tied with a dark blue ribbon at the top and bottom. "Wow Rarity, this looks awesome and I think I know what kind of suit to wear." I said before I set Rosy to the side and stood up. I used my magic to make a tight fit silk white dovetail suit with a dark blue trim and tie with a deep sapphire clip and matching slacks. "Well now we must not keep our guests waiting. That would be simply rude of us." I said like a proper English gentleman. "And you broke another one." Spike said as he poked a fainted Rarity while the others laughed before heading to meet the princess. Rosy fluttered up to her perch behind my head as Alya flew into my shirt pocket and Tammy sat on Rosy's head as Merrin walked beside me. Soon we were all in town square watching Twilight prepare for the show while Rosy, Merrin and I took care of the food. "Alright, it's all ready." I said as I placed a silver dome cover over the last dish and placed it on a cart with five other dishes. "Wow Fox you cooked those fast and I never even heard of that kind of food." Merrin said as she watched from outside the widow of my cart. "Sis you ain't seen nothin yet." Rosy said as she helped put plates on the food cart. "Well honestly this is my first time cooking stuff like this and I'm kinda worried I messed some up." I said as I wiped some sweet off my brow and replaced my apron with my suit jacket. I'm kinda surprised I didn't get any stains on my shirt and tie. "If it tastes like it smells, I'm pretty sure they will love it." Rosy said happily as I placed a hot tea pot and nice gold trim cups on the food cart and pushed it out of my kitchen cart. "Alright here we go." I said as I began to push the cart up Celestia and the two delegates. "Oh Fox there you are. I was hoping I could introduce you to the delegates before you left Canterlot but I just missed you. Fox let me introduce you to Dra'ak and Align they are delegates from Saddle Arabia." Celestia said pointing first at a tall brown cult with a gold blonde Mohawk mane then to a tail light pink mare with a dark blue-gray mane. "It's a pleasure to meet you both I'm Sir Fox Lilly." I said with a bow. "Likewise." Dra'ak said with a bow before Align sniffed the air. "Sir Fox what is that wonderful smell?" Align said as she looked at the cart. "Oh It looks like my dear nephew has made us dinner this evening and I must say he has quite the talent in the kitchen." Celestia said with a proud smile and nod. "I hope you will enjoy tonight's dinner. Tonight I have made some eastern dishes that I think you might like. First we have Dolma made with fresh grape leaves and vegetables from my gardens. Next we have a Fattoush salad and falafels with a Sesame mint yogurt sauce. Then Tabbouleh with manakeesh cheese bread and for dessert Baklava with a sweet cream dip." I said as I used my magic to set up a table and placed out the food to the now shocked delegates. "The tea for the evening is a special spice blend of my own. I hope everything is to your liking." I said with a small bow. "These are dishes from our home land. Tell me how did you learn to make this wonderful dinner?" Align asked before taking a bite of one of her Dolmas. "The place I came from has a very similar culture and cuisine. I've studied some of their popular dishes in hope that one day I'll be able to cook them." I said happily as they began to eat. "This tastes wonderful Fox. Would you care to join us?" Celestia asked before taking a bite of her salad. "Thank you for the offer Aunt Tia but Tammy and Alya wanted to join the show." I said before Tammy hopped on my head and Alya flew out of my pocket then nuzzled the two delegates. "Is this a feathered serpent? I thought they went extinct centuries ago. Tell me how did you come by this adorable thing?" Align asked as Alya happily flew around their heads. "She was given to me by a forest guardian I met not to long ago." I said before Alya flew back to me. "Tell me are there other Mystic Foxes in this land?" Dra'ak asked while he ate his dinner. "Unfortunately no. I'm the only one of my kind left I'm afraid." I said sadly before Merrin stepped up to my side and leaned on my hip. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that. It must get lonely for you." Dra'ak said with a sad look. "Actually far from it. I may not have my own kind around but I do have family here that I would trade for the world." I said happily as I picked Rosy up for a hug while I ran my hand through Merrin's mane. "Yes family is a wonderful thing. I wish we could have brought our foals they would have loved to this show." Align said with a big smile. "Oh I didn't know you had foals. Next time be sure to bring them." Celestia said with a chuckle. "Hmm If you don't mind me asking what kind of foals do you have?" I asked as some ideas popped in my head. "Both are unicorn fillies. One is a dark ice blue with a light ocean blue mane and the other is the opposite light ice blue mane and dark ocean blue fur." Dra'ak said with a warm smile. "Alright let's see. They're both unicorn so I'm thinking sparkling stars." I said as I began to think of a good gift to send back to their foals. "Um Celestia, what is he doing?" Align asked when my magic began to form. "I believe he is making you some gifts." Celestia said as she sipped her tea. "I'm thinking earrings but just one for each. Let's see for the dark ocean blue filly I think an ocean blue opal with a platinum chain and borders maybe an ice opal in the center of the star and for the sister it should be opposite. Gold chain and borders with ice opal star and blue opal center. Yeah that would look great if they were on the opposite ears of each other. Oh and an ebony box to put them in." I said while my magic put them together and fell squarely in their box. "That's amazing. You made those from thin air with your magic. How do you do it?" Align said as I gave her the box. "Honestly I'm still trying to figure that out. Haha magic is a wonderful thing." I said happily as my mark began to glow. "That it is my dear nephew and speaking of magic it looks like Twilight is ready to start the show." Celestia said sweetly while sipping her tea. "Then I'll leave you to enjoy the show. I hope your fillies like their gifts. Come on you two let's get a good view." I said as I put Rosy behind my head while Tammy hopped on Alya before flying to Twilight. With them now on stage the show began. Twilight used her magic to levitate the animals and fly them around the stage with Alya as lead. At the end of the show Twilight was flying them around in a figure eight pattern when Alya flew above them and let out a stream of blue flames into the sky that was accompanied by fireworks sent up by Trixie. "Trixie?" Twilight asked in surprise. "It's the least I could do. I treated you and your friends so horribly when I was wearing that Alicorn Amulet. I just couldn't control myself. You can forgive me, can't you?" Trixie asked with her head held low. I could tell she really meant that and it made me smile. She may have an ego as big as Rainbow's but she has a good heart. "Hmmm. Sure." Twilight said with a soft smile. "Oh, good. Don't you think the Great and Apologetic Trixie is the most magnificent humble pony you've ever seen?!" Trixie said before throwing down a smoke bomb and ran. When the smoke cleared we could see her trip before running away. With that, her show was over. After a quick goodbye to Celestia and the delegates we all headed to the sugarcube corner for a short welcome party for Merrin who turned out to love cupcakes like Celestia and her cakes. Now I have a sleeping filly in my arms, two critters curled up in my suit pocket, and a pegasus with a stomach ache by my side. "How are you not sick, you ate like 30 cupcakes?" I asked as I pulled out my cart. It was well past sunset and I didn't want to walk through the forest so I'll use my cart door to get home. "My stomach will never reject cupcakes and that Pinkie can make some delicious cupcakes. So where are we goin?" Merrin asked after liking the icing off her muzzle while I made my cart grow. "We are headed to my house. See that forest?" I asked, pointing to the everfree getting a nod from her. "My house is in there but at night it can get pretty dangerous from what I'm told so I made a door on my cart that connects to my house." I said with a smile as I walked up to my cart door and opened it. "Whoa thats pretty neat." She said before sticking her head through the door. "Haha come on let go I need to put this one to bed." I said as I gently pushed her through the door before walking through and closing it. As soon as it was closed I picked up a really bad odor and from what the girl told me about the forest, that's not a good thing. "Merrin take Rosy and the animals and go inside the house behind you." I said as I quickly placed Rosy on her back along with my suit jacket with the critters. I focused magic into my eyes so I could see in the dark better and what I saw was four large wolves made of wood, leaves, and green magic but what scared me most was what was behind those four. It was another wolf but this one was a lot bigger and looked more solid like it was made from one tree. "What is it and why does it smell like something is rotten." She said as she held her nose with a wing. "Timberwolves." I said as they emerged from the tree line. "Yeah I'm just goin to go inside now." She said before running through the door to the house. "Alright now fellas I don't want to hurt you so how about y'all find your pry elsewhere." I said as I readied my magic as they began to growl and circle me. "Last chance." I said before one jumped at me. I quickly jumped to the side barley missing it's stake like teeth. "I did warn you." I said before sending a blast of magic at the one who tried to bite me. The blast hit dead center sending it into a tree breaking the wolf to pieces. As I turned to face the others I was blind sided by a wooden paw knocking me to the ground. "You guys are pretty good for a pile of wood. Oh shit." I said as one tried to slam me with its paws but I quickly rolled out of the way before I jumped up and landed a kick to its head breaking it and its body to pieces as the other two small ones circled me while the big one sat and watched. "I'll give you one more chance, leave or end up a pile of wood on the ground." I said as I watched them circle me. They both jumped at me, one from behind the other from the front. I smirked before I flew up and watched them smash into each other before falling to pieces. I floated down and came face to face with the large alpha and flared my magic but it remained calm. "Why are you at my home." I asked, staring right into his red eyes. "It appears the forest spoke true, the foxes have returned." It said before letting out a loud howl, marking the piles of wood glow green and reform. "Ok so you can speak. So tell why have you come to my home?" I asked as the other wolves disappeared in the tree line. "I came in search of the queen of your race." He said, his gaze not leaving mine. "Unfortunately she passed away about a month ago." I said sadly. "Tell me, I smell her scent on you, are you her offspring?" He asked after sniffing the air. "That I am." I said proudly. "Then you are king by right?" He asked as he stood and walked closer. "From what I understand, yes." I said as I readied myself for a fight. "Then the pacted still stands." He said happily before letting another howl and in a matter of seconds more timberwolves poured out of the forest but what came next surprised me, a large wet tongue knocked me to the ground as other wolves joined in barking in joy. "Hear me my pack hail to the master's offspring. You who inherited the throne and forest we will serve you as your loyal guards. Know this, to all those under your rule we shall protect as our own that we swear." The alpha said with a bow as I tried to pull myself out of the pile of happy and slobbery wolves. "Wait what?" I said as I finally got to my feet. "Long ago before ponies claimed the land around this forest, we have guarded it and its inhabitants. Your great ancestors made us from the natural magic of this world and wood collected from this forest." He said as he looked to his pack that I was now squashed in the middle as they all tried to get a lick in. "Do you happen to have a name?" I asked while I petted the wolves. "Yes. The previous Queen gave me the name Mr. Twiggles." He said proudly with his chest out and head held high. "Hahahaha yeah thats mom for ya. We once found an injured bird that she wanted to help make it better and name it Sir Cherpy." I said with a chuckle. "May I ask for you name my king?" He asked as I slipped out of a slobbery mess of wood. "I'm Fox Lilly. You can call me Sir Fox if you like." I said with a smile as he gently plucked an  from one of his branches. "Sir Fox as proof of our bond I wish to give you this. Please add some of your magic to this seed." He said as he held out his pew with the seed. "Ok so what's this do." I said as I picked up the seed and let my magic flow into it. Once that was done I gave the seed back. With a sharp claw he poked a hole in the ground and placed the nut inside before covering it with dirt.  "As all life returns to the earth, a new life grows." He said as a green liquid made of magic dropped from his claw onto the ground and seeped into it and the seed. In second a sprout popped up and quickly grew into a bush before breaking to pieces leaving a pile of twigs and leaves. "Um ok." I said as I looked down on the pile. "Give it a minute." He said before a blue light formed around the pile and the the pile started to move. Once the light faded what was left was a small wolf pup. "We timberwolvels do not hut and eat prey like the ponies believe. Instead we live of the natural magic of the forest and because this we can not leave it but this pup is different, with the mix of your magic and the forest's it can live off of your magic." He said as the pup begain to stretch and yawn before running to my feet and sat there looking up at me happily with his blue tunge hanging out the side of his muzzle. "Magic is definitely awesone. Hey there little guy." I said as I kneeled down to give him a quick scratch. "He will be your guard and never leave your side unless ordered to." He said as the other wolves gave me one more lick before heading back into the forest. "I think I'll name you Bramble." I said as he began to bark as he ran around me before sitting by my side. "I believe it is time to take my leave. I bid you a good night Sir Fox. Just call if you have need of us." He said before disappearing in the tree line leaving just me and Bramble. "Well bud welcome to the family. Now lets get inside." I said as we headed for the door and as soon as I opened it I was tackled by a worried Merrin. "Oh thank Celestia your alright." Merrin said as she nuzzled my side before quickly jumping back and holding her nose with a wing. "Oh my gosh you stink. It like a skunk sprayed a rotten egg then threw it at you." Merrin said as she backed away from me. "Aw but I wanted a hug." I said as I slowly walked towards her. "No stay back don't get your stink on me." She said but it was to late for escape as I pounced on her giving he a bear hug as Bramble licked her face. After some good laughes, a quick tour of the house and long hot showers I said goodnight to Merrin before laying down with the still sleeping Rosy and critter. Alya decided to curl up on my pillow next to my head, Tammy was next to Rosy and Bramble slept by my feet. As I began to fall asleep I couldn't help but to smile as I thought about how big my new family was and I couldn't be happier.