Spur of the Moment

by Typewrittensoul


A Deer

“M-m-marry you?” Twilight balked at Larkspur’s sudden proposal. Her left eye twitched as gingko leaves fluttered through the air in a passing breeze.

“Well, yeah,” the doe responded with a shrug. “I figured a powerful pony like you would make a perfect mate.

“A mate?!” Twilight exclaimed and stumbled backwards, befuddled at what she was hearing.

Larkspur hopped forward, further explaining, “Plus you’re nice and smart,”

‘How can she say I’m nice?’ Twilight thought to herself in alarm. ’We just met!’

“And also kind of weird…”

Twilight frowned and stopped moving backwards. ‘Wait. Did she just call me weird?’

“But a fun kind of weird…”

She furrowed her brow. 'It doesn't matter if I’m supposed to be a fun kind or whatever kind of weird. How am I weird?’

“Are all pony stallion guys as weird as you?”

“Pony stallion…?” Twilight looked forward and watched as the deer bumped into her, apparently not noticing that she had stopped moving. Twilight felt Larkspur’s snout touch against hers. She stared at the blue deer for a few seconds before her mind registered what she had just been called and she reeled back. “What? No! I’m not a stallion. I’m a girl!”

“Hmmm?” Larkspur blinked and cocked her head sideways. She looked at Twilight as though she was in the wrong. “But...the size of your horn...”

Twilight had a limited knowledge of deer society. While she had read plenty of things about them, Twilight knew well enough that it wasn't the same as meeting one, herself. She was aware that all deer grew horns—antlers, actually—but the does and stags were quite identifiable by not only their different body types but the size and structure of their antlers.

Though looking at it, Twilight thought that Larkspur’s so-called antlers were really more like stubs. They jutted out much like a unicorn’s horn did, but were only an inch or two long, and blunted. Twilight figured that she’d have a number of letters to send to the publishers of her textbook regarding some necessary editing. However, correcting the misinformed doe before her now was the priority.

In a flash, they were teleported to the library, and with a flick of her head, the groceries were floated over to the table.

“Oh gosh that was so cool!” Larkspur exclaimed in joy. She looked around her new surroundings with stars in her eyes.

Hearing a crackle in the main portion of the library, Spike hopped down the stairs from the bedroom where he had been hanging out, waiting. “Hey Twilight, what took you so-”

“Spike, get me the ‘Schoolfoal’s Book on Ponies’! Stat!”

“Uh...sure?” With practiced ease the baby dragon scampered over to the nearby ladder and moved it over to the proper section where the book would be. It took more time to climb up the several rungs to grab the children’s book than it did to bring it over to the pony librarian. “Here, Twilight.” He said while extending his arm with the book toward her. He glanced at Larkspur then turned back toward Twilight. “Say, who’s tha-”

The book was grasped in Twilight’ violet-color of magic before it was lifted out of Spike’s claws. The sparse number of pages flipped through to the proper page before being displayed to the waiting deer. “Look here, Larkspur. I’m a unicorn. Unicorns can also be female.”

“Larkspur. Got it,” Spike said to himself amidst a sigh and he casually left to finish reading his comic book upstairs.

The next few minutes consisted of Larkspur skimming through the children’s book, looking at the stylized pictures with quaint little descriptions that rhymed. “Oh…oh! Didn’t know that,” she admitted with fascination. “I just thought pony stallion guys were really, really pretty.”

Twilight blushed from that, not sure how to even react.

“So...you still wanna marry me?” Larkspur asked, closing in on the still-flustered Twilight once again.

“Didn't you say you were looking for a mate?” Twilight skipped back to keep distance. “Then since I’m a girl too, that wouldn't work.”

“Well, yeah, I guess that’s a good point. But...I mean, we could still get married, right? You being a girl doesn't change the fact that I still like you.”

Twilight blushed even more and sputtered from Larkspur’s shameless reply, not sure how to answer back at this point.

“Did...did I come at a bad time?” Twilight whipped rightward to see Junebug with several books tucked into her saddlebags standing at the front door.

Rushing over to the pony, in a couple of hops, Larkspur ended up within Junebug’s comfort zone. “Hi! I’m Larkspur!”

“H-hi, there. I’m Junebug,” she replied and leaned back with a nervous forced laugh. “Pleased to mee-...?”

Larkspur cocked her head and shamelessly asked, “Are you a boy pony or a girl pony?”

Junebug cleared her throat and started to back away. “Uh...I’ll see you later, Twilight.” In one smooth motion she placed the last book she had in her saddlebag onto a nearby table and hurried out of the library.

Larkspur spun back at Twilight in confusion. “Was that a boy pony or a girl pony?” she repeated her question, hoping that Twilight could answer.

“That, little Larkspur, was a girl pony,” a warm chuckle followed a mare’s response as she stepped into the library. She was twice as tall than most of her little ponies, so she had to somewhat crouch through the relatively low height of the threshold’s archway.

“P-princess! You’re early!” Twilight gasped. “I thought that you’d be here at four o’clock like your letter said!”

“Hey there, Auntie Celestia!” Larkspur cheered while hopping in place.

Just as she was about to question what Larkspur meant, Twilight froze when she heard Applejack’s voice call out. “Well ain’t this unexpected!” She saw her friends enter the library next, with surprise to see the princess in their expressions quite apparent.

“Hello girls,” Celestia greeted the ponies warmly. She nodded her head and they replied in kind.

After each saying their hellos in turn, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak out concerning the wide-eyed guest looking at them. “Is she part of the delegation that’s stopping by here? Aren't there supposed to be more of them?”

“Yes she is, Rainbow!” Twilight said, a mixed feeling of anxiety and relief coursing through her and fighting for control. “Larkspur arrived a bit early, but the others are sure to be here soo-”

“Uh...not exactly…” Larkspur admitted while pawing her hoof nervously at the floorboard under her. She seemed especially conscious of the princess’ soft gaze.

Twilight narrowed her eyes and stared daggers at the blue deer in front of her. The anxiety now had a slight edge over relief. “Run that by me again?”

“Well, like...I’m not a spy or anything but...not really a scout, either...uh…”

"Larkspur is the daughter of a dear friend of mine," Celestia began to explain, stepping forward to reassuringly place her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. It seemed to do the intended effect of calming her, as the partly-raised hackles in Twilight's coat soothed out. “And so…”

A snort called everyone’s attention and all eyes moved toward Pinkie. She tried to cover her mouth but couldn't stop herself even when she saw no one else joining her. "Get it?" Pinkie snickered aloud. "She said deer!"

A moment past before a second, barely-restrained giggle escaped from Larkspur. The rest of the room remained silent as the two laughing girls approached each other.

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie!”

“Hi, Pinkie Pie! I’m Larkspur!”

“Hi, Larkspur!”

“Say, Pinkie Pie, are you named Pinkie because you’re pink?”

“...Oh. My. Gosh!” Pinkie’s eyes widened at the amazing, mind bending question.

Twilight cleared her throat, breaking the mood of discovery between the girls. Larkspur recognized the sort of expression that Twilight had in her eyes and made a beeline for Celestia, like a child escaping the ire of the strict parent for the safety of the more lenient one. "I know I wasn't invited but it’s a long way back home so even if you’re making me go back can I stay with Twilight, princess? Please, please, please, please pl-"

"If you insist." Celestia said and chuckled at the doe’s antics. "Lord Bristlecone isn't due for another few days, so I don't see the problem in letting you stay until he arrives."

“Another few days?” Twilight asked. “But wasn't the delegation supposed to arrive today? Five o’clock at the latest?”

“That’s correct, Twilight. It’s just that I received a letter from Larkspur’s father recently that he had to delay his departure. He was worried for the safety of his daughter since she disappeared. I’ll be sure to tell him what she’s up to, though.”

“Larkspur’s dad?" Twilight repeated. "Wait. That means that Lord Bristlecone is…?”

“My dad’s so silly, huh?” Twilight spotted the blue deer shaking her head and nudging Pinkie Pie. “I left a note that I was gonna be gone for a while. See, this one right...uh oh,” Larkspur said upon reaching into her bag and pulling out a folded piece of paper. “Oopsies~”

Pinkie Pie chuckle-snorted at the mistake and looked toward the others with a goofy grin and wide eyes. “Ain’t she a riot?! I love this girl!”

“Oh. Sorry, Pinkie, you’re funny and all, but I’m already betrothed t-” Twilight leaped forward to cast a closing zipper spell on Larkspur’s mouth, cutting off the end of her sentence.

Twilight forced a nervous chuckle as everyone's eyes settled on her. “She’s a riot, huh? Heheh…heh...”

Larkspur stared in wide-eyed wonder at Twilight’s feat of magic, mumbling excitedly much to the unicorn’s chagrin.