//------------------------------// // A Cute Little Terror // Story: Family Planning Center // by MythrilMoth //------------------------------// Time passed for Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Star Sweeper, as it did for everypony. Twilight often wished she could slow down time, despite some of the more aggravating aspects of parenthood. Ever since she had brought Star Sweeper home from the hospital, the spunky little filly had been full of a boundless and inexplicable exuberance that defied every parenting book she owned, as well as the seasoned expertise of her own mother. Star Sweeper would awaken as soon as the sun crested the horizon, brimming with an immeasurable amount of energy that Twilight and Spike simply could not keep up with. That left them only one option: They needed somepony, or several someponies, to help them raise a foal who could run most ponies into the ground within an hour. A foal who wasn't even two months old yet. It was about a week after their get-together with her friends that Twilight noticed Star Sweeper's antics really begin to kick into high gear. Maybe it was the static environment of the library beginning to grate on the energetic foal, maybe it was something else Twilight's research couldn't account for, but Twilight found that if she couldn't be in a minimum of eight places at once, Sweeper was likely to cause some localized disaster in her search for entertainment. Poor Spike still had bruises in places unsuitable for polite conversation from the last time Sweeper had decided it would be a good idea to explore the topmost shelves of the library. As she half-jumped, half-flew from shelf to shelf, she sent dozens of heavy books cascading to the floor, resulting in a massive reshelving and a trip to the hospital for Spike's broken tail. In the very same room the incident had taken place in, a group of nine mares assembled to deal with Twilight's dilemma as the foal in question slept peacefully upstairs after another monolithic feeding from a physically and mentally drained Twilight. “Everypony?” Twilight asked to draw the attention of the mares as she finally descended the stairs to meet with her task force consisting of not only her closest friends, but also Cheerilee, Octavia, Vinyl Scratch and Lyra Heartstrings. “It appears as though my daughter is Tartarus-bent on becoming an unstoppable force of chaos, and I need all your help to at least slow her down a little.” “Come now Twilight,” Rarity scoffed, “surely your daughter cannot be such an unruly little scamp.” “Tell that to Spike,” Twilight said with a look that stilled the dismissive comments of the others. “He's probably going to have a kink in his tail for the rest of his life because of the incident last week.” “Ah'll say,” Applejack deadpanned. “Ah heard the noise all the way down at th' market.” “Oh dear,” Rarity said fretfully, eyebrows knit and forehead creased. “I know this is a lot to ask, but I really need all the help I can get right now,” Twilight said tiredly. “I asked you all to come here because each of you can potentially use your special talents to help bleed off some of her energy... or at least point it in a constructive direction.” “Wouldn't you say she's a bit young to begin dabbling in some of our specialties?” Octavia asked skeptically. “To be honest, Octavia? Not really,” Twilight said with a wry half smile. “Not when she's already started talking.” “Really?” Cheerilee asked, eyes wide. “She's barely a month and a half old! Most foals can't talk until four or five months.” “I guess she takes after her mother,” Rainbow said with a snicker. “Already an egghead at her age!” “Rainbow...that's not funny.” Twilight sighed. “To be honest, I doubt even the Royal Guard could cope with what she can accomplish in an afternoon, not to mention the rate at which she learns new things.” “Then what do you think we could possibly do to help?” Octavia asked. “Well...I was hoping you could show her something that would catch her interest long enough to stop her adorable rampage,” Twilight replied with a blush. “Adorable rampage?” Fluttershy asked, a barely contained smile lifting the corners of her mouth. Twilight answered with a sheepish grin and a nervous giggle. “Well, I don't know about all that, but it sounds like the kid's alright in my book. Celestia knows I was a hellion of a foal and I settled down when I found something I loved,” Vinyl said with a chuckle. “You can count me in at least.” “You call this 'settled down'?” Octavia asked incredulously. “I've had to nail my photos to the wall because of you!” Vinyl just laughed in response. “You can count me in too,” Lyra chimed in with a grin. “I can't keep still for long unless I'm playing my harp, so I think I can relate to the filly. Although I must say I don't have much experience with foals.” “I'm not sure if I can be much help,” Octavia said with a sigh, “but if Vinyl of all ponies can give it a shot, I can certainly can try.” “Atta girl,” Vinyl said with a playful nudge and a big grin. “I would love to teach anything I can to such a bright filly,” Cheerilee said. “You know we're in!” Rainbow said, the rest of Twilight's friends nodding in agreement. “Thanks, everypony,” Twilight said with a relieved sigh. “And I apologize in advance for any physical or property damage that may happen.” “Oh come on, Twilight,” Pinkie said with a laugh. “How much trouble can she really be?” * * * * * It was two days later when Twilight walked up to Lyra's house, Star Sweeper and a bulky bag of foal care supplies in tow, and knocked on the door around ten in the morning. “Twilight!” Lyra said excitedly upon opening the door. “I'm so glad you agreed to let me look after her first.” “Well, we all talked about it and we thought somepony who could keep up with her would be a good place to start, so you, Pinkie and Vinyl were the obvious choices,” Twilight said with a chuckle as she looked over her shoulder at her suddenly shy daughter, who was trying to bury her face in Twilight's mane. “Star? This is Lyra, one of Mommy's friends. She's going to look after you for a while, so make sure you're on your best behavior, understand?” Star pulled her head back a little and gave a small nod; Twilight smiled before turning back to Lyra. “If she breaks anything, please let me know and I'll fix it. It's the least I can do.” “Don't worry about it, Twilight,” Lyra assured the slightly anxious mother. “I've got everything under control.” “I'll leave her in your care then,” Twilight said with a smile as she set the bag down and levitated her daughter off her back. “Everything you'll need for her is in the bag, including fresh milk under a stasis spell and her favorite fairy tale book in the unlikely event she gets tuckered out enough for a nap.” “Alright.” Lyra turned her attention to the small filly in front of her. “Are you ready for a big day of fun, Star Sweeper?” The filly shied away a little before Twilight nudged her forward with a smile. “I'll be back in the afternoon, honey, but be sure to be on your best behavior for Lyra,” Twilight said before kissing Star on the forehead and giving her an affectionate nuzzle. Star, reassured, turned and walked inside as Lyra made room for her to pass. “That's really interesting,” Lyra mused aloud once the filly was inside. “What?” Twilight asked. “That you talk to her with so much respect and reason,” Lyra replied. “Well, even foals deserve to be treated like ponies.” “What do you mean?” “Just because she's a foal doesn't mean she isn't pony,” Twilight explained. “She's entitled to respect, even if she's not even two months old.” “Huh...” Lyra said ponderously. “I've never thought about it like that before. Tell you what though, Twilight. You'll never catch me treating a foal like a foal ever again. Like you said, they're ponies like we are. They're just a little younger is all.” “Exactly!” Twilight beamed. “Just don't forget to keep on your hooves with her. When she gets going, she's unstoppable.” “I got everything under control,” Lyra reassured Twilight before waving goodbye. Once she shut the door, Lyra turned around to discover that Star had wandered off into the depths of the house. “Star! Are you ready for a great day?” she called out. Silence. Something was up. She just knew it. Lyra left the foyer and began moving about the house, looking for the foal. As she made her way about her home, the familiar and welcoming suddenly felt intimidating and frightening. *There's nothing to worry about...just an adorable little foal here for half a day...* “AH!” she cried as she finally found the foal. “Star...you scared me! What are you doing here anyway?” The foal had found her way to the kitchen and had jumped onto her back from the counter a couple feet away. Star grinned and giggled in response. “Well, now that I found you, do you want to go do something fun?” Star hopped a couple times on Lyra's back and giggled excitedly. “I'll take that as a yes,” Lyra said with a laugh of her own, turning around and carrying Star upstairs to her practice room. “Do you like music, Star?” she asked as she looked over her shoulder to the foal, who tilted her head in curiosity. “Well, if you hop off, I can play my lyre for you. Does that sound good?” Music was new and unexplored territory for Star Sweeper. Whenever she would go over to Fluttershy's house to play with Drifting Leaf, the bird choir would occasionally be found practicing for some upcoming event or even just for fun, but it never really interested her as they would largely ignore the rambunctious pair. So when Lyra set her on the ground, took a seat on a small padded stool, and levitated a dark case over to herself, Star was rather excited. Lyra popped the clasps on the hardwood case and gently removed her well-loved instrument with her magic. The lyre itself was constructed out of softly glowing cherrywood with an elegant silver inlay. One could tell at a glance that the instrument was well used, tenderly cared for and loved like a piece of Lyra's very soul. It wasn't as fancy or complex as a lot of the instruments out there, but that suited Lyra just fine. She plucked the strings, tilting her head slightly as she gently filled the air with an almost ethereal sound as she checked to see if it was in tune. A slight frown crossed her face as she plucked a pair of strings and tuned them accordingly before she nodded with a content smile. “There we are,” Lyra said, grinning at nothing in particular. “You ready, Star?” She nodded as Lyra settled down and closed her eyes a moment before the lyre began to play. As the first ethereal notes came from the harp, the chaotic torrent of Star's foalish thoughts slowed to a tranquil ebb and flow, and her eager expression gradually shifted to one of relaxation. This was not lost on Lyra; she knew exactly what Star was feeling, because she experienced the same thing when she was her age. Soon, she finished her song and watched as Star seemed to come out of a waking dream. “How was that?” she asked. “Pretty cool, huh?” Star nodded enthusiastically with a copious amount of giggles to show her approval. “You think you can sit still for another song before we do something else?” Another enthusiastic nod that almost caused the filly to topple over answered her question. “Alright, Star, here we go,” Lyra answered with a chuckle of her own as she settled down to play another song for her rapt audience. * * * * * Several hours later, a slightly worn down Star Sweeper met her mother at the front door of Lyra's house. “You seem to be a little tired, Star!” Twilight exclaimed happily. It was the first time she had ever seen her daughter coming back to her even slightly tired, as the foal usually exasperated not only her mother, but every other day-care mare in Ponyville with her boundless energy. “Did you have a good time with Lyra?” Star replied with a slightly weary but bright smile. “She wasn't any trouble at all, Twilight,” Lyra said with a depreciative laugh, both at Twilight's supposed over-dramatization and her own temporary fear of the foal. “Once I took her to my practice room, she couldn't get enough of me playing my lyre.” “Huh...” Twilight mused. *Maybe I can play some music for Star to keep her occupied for a little while at the very least...* “So she's a big fan of music, huh?” “Definitely,” Lyra replied, grinning, “Reminds me of myself as a foal. You couldn't keep me nailed down unless there was music nearby to keep me rooted.” “I'll definitely have to keep that in mind when I have Star for the full day,” Twilight said, a weight seemingly lifting off her withers as she leaned down to nuzzle her daughter warmly. “She gets stir crazy if she's at home all the time, so I take her to the day care or drop her off to spend some time with Fluttershy and Drifting Leaf. I really wish I had the energy to keep up with her, but...I wouldn't change her for anything.” “I can see that motherhood really suits you, Twilight,” Lyra said as she felt a sudden onset of the warm and fuzzies. “I really wasn't sure what to think when I heard the rumors about you going to the Center to become a mother, but I think it really suits you. Keeps you grounded in the here and now instead of being lost in your studies all the time.” “Thanks, Lyra,” Twilight said as she blushed furiously. “I still tend to get lost in thought though, but not the way I used to.” “That's good to hear,” Lyra said, smiling mirthfully. “But she does seem to be one heck of a hoofful.” “You can say that again,” Twilight said as she rolled her eyes. “I think it's time for us to head back home for the day. Thanks again for everything.” “Not a problem,” Lyra said, smiling. “Feel free to ask me to look after her anytime you need me to.” “Will do, Lyra,” Twilight said as she lifted her significantly lighter bags over her haunches and settled Star onto her withers. “You're welcome to drop by just to hang out, too. I'd be happy to play host anytime.” Lyra said, waving as Twilight turned to leave. *Maybe it's time I thought about a foal of my own,* Lyra mused as she watched the pair and felt a sudden lack of fulfillment in her life. *Maybe in a year or two...just so I can set back enough bits to live for a while with just me and my foal.* * * * * * Twilight tossed fitfully in bed. Try as she might, she couldn't seem to get to sleep. She had put Star Sweeper down for her nap almost an hour ago, and yet she had the feeling something wasn't quite right. Her ears twitched, picking up soft, haunting piano music wafting up the stairs. She smiled. "Mmm...that's nice..." After almost a minute, her eyes shot open. "Wait a minute...there's no piano in the library!" She bolted out of bed, racing down the stairs. She skidded to a stop as she found herself not in the familiar reading room of the Golden Oak Library, but on a smooth, polished mahogany stage in a grandiose concert hall. A spotlight illuminated the center of the stage, where the most beautiful, elegant grand piano she had ever laid eyes on stood. Star Sweeper sat on the bench, hooves dancing over the keys. Twilight's jaw dropped. "What...?" She looked out over the seats. They were full of ponies, for she could see the soft reflection of the stage lights in the moistness of eyes and the slight swaying movement of silhouettes, but she couldn't see their faces. But that didn't matter. What was important was the hall was packed, and they were listening to her precious daughter's beautiful piano recital. She sat and listened, smiling. She closed her eyes and swayed. Several minutes later, the last notes of the sonata died down, and the thunderous clapping and stomping of hooves filled the air. Twilight opened her eyes, but the stage was pitch black. Then, a trilling note pierced the dark, followed by the thunderous pounding of kettle drums. The lights came up to full, and Twilight gasped in shock. An entire symphony orchestra had replaced the grand piano. Every member of the orchestra was Star Sweeper. Even the conductor was Star Sweeper. "What the—?!" Twilight cried. She watched as what had to be dozens of Star Sweepers energetically and furiously played the stirring symphony. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her mind raced. *What is this? The mirror pool? Discord? Changelings? What the horseapple is happening here?!* As the piece ended, to still more applause, the lights faded. Then, a new piece, different from anything Twilight had ever heard, exploded from the stage, as a laser light ball descended from above and began splashing broad, strobing swathes of multi-colored light all around the hall in a dizzying miasma which, bizarrely, seemed to be timed precisely to the music. As the brighter pulses of light illuminated the audience, she could see that every single pony in the seats was either her daughter or Lyra. The music and lights were strangely beautiful and frightening, and the surrealness of the hundreds of Star Sweepers and dozens of Lyras filling the hall made Twilight's mind list alarmingly to starboard on a stormy sea of confusion. The music swelled to its loud, exuberant finale, with the strobing lights flashing more brightly and rapidly than ever. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut against the painful display as the thundering music shook her bones. When the bright pulses she could still see through her eyelids subsided, she opened her eyes. One by one, every member of the audience dissolved into clouds of blood red sand. On stage, to Twilight's horror, the same thing was happening: within seconds, all but four of the Star Sweepers in the orchestra burst into sand, blowing away on an impossible wind. The remaining four consisted of a drummer, two guitarists, and a bass player. Smiling evilly, they began to play a thundering, terrifying song. If the previous piece was like nothing Twilight had ever heard before, this may as well have been what the hordes of Tartarus played to pass the time in the pits of despair and damnation. She felt something brush her side, and looked up. Nightmare Moon stood beside her. "This always was my favorite song," Nightmare Moon said, bobbing her head to the loud, pounding music. "Mine too," King Sombra said from Twilight's other side. "I should hire them to play my next wedding," Queen Chrysalis said from Sombra's other side. Twilight cried out, then opened her eyes. She blinked at the feeling of warm, cozy linens enveloping her body. "Huh?" she uttered, muzzle wrinkling. "It was a dream?" The realization soothed her racing heart, and she let out a weary sigh. The faint sound of music drifted up the stairs and into her ears. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks. "Oh no." Scrambling out of bed, she scrabbled frantically on the floor, trying to race to the door. Her hooves refused to find purchase underneath her; belatedly, her mind registered the tingling pins-and-needles sensation of paresthesia. With an irritated snort, she teleported directly into the library, dreading what she might find. As soon as the dizzying flash of teleportation faded, she blinked in confusion at the sight before her. Star Sweeper sat on the floor, giggling happily and merrily clapping her hooves. Before her sat Twilight's battered gramophone, from which issued the soothing sounds of chamber music. Owlowiscious sat perched on the carved wooden bust on the reading table, his unblinking gaze fixed on the foal. Twilight's frame sagged with relief, and a warm, motherly smile lit up her face. "Aww," she cooed. She trotted over and lay down next to her daughter, gathering her up with a hoof and kissing her on the head. "Mama!" Star Sweeper said happily, waving a hoof at the gramophone. "Wywa!" Twilight laughed softly. "Close enough," she said. Looking up at her number two assistant, she whispered, "Thank you, Owlowiscious." "Hoo." Owlowiscious saluted with one wing, then took off through an open window. As the gramophone played on, mother and child slept peacefully on the floor of the library.