Blankets...? Booties for the foal’s hooves...? Bibs...? Toys...? Princess Luna raced through Canterlot stopping at store after store, ponies stared after her still wary of her and certainly not used to seeing her during the day. Normally she would be a bit self conscious about it but she was on a mission! Through the dreamscape she had learned Twilight's friends had thrown her a baby shower and for her Godchild! She understood why they might not invite her of course but still... The idea still hit her hard, after everything she had done to Twilight and Rick they still wanted… Asked! Her to be their foals godmother, her!
She smiled to herself as she looked over a collection of gold and platinum baby blocks, no too ostentatious... The sales ponies in each store were very helpful eagerly looking for a sale as they directed her from overpriced item to gold plated knick knack each more suited to life in a palace over elaborate and decorative hardly suited as a foal’s plaything at all...
She stepped back with an irritated grunt her horn glowing as she teleported away leaving several very confused sales ponies behind... The house she appeared before was quite plain but well built written on the mailbox out front was 'The Sparkle's', the house her sister had gifted them. "Why didn't I think of that...?" She sighed opening then closing the gate behind her as she looked around the property.
More trees...? Flowers...? Shrubbery’s...? Hardly a gift for a foal but for the foal’s home... She teleported herself inside quite sure they wouldn't mind the intrusion, the couch she had given them as a housewarming present sat alone, there were a few other pieces of furniture and bookshelves all empty a few kitchen items but largely the house was bare... I could furnish this entire place! Fill the bookshelves! They would be so surprised when next they came! She thought to herself but quickly backtracked, that would be too much... It's not a competition after all.
She wandered around a bit more ending up in their bedroom and huge four poster bed; she looked around the room peeking into the tiny empty adjoining room sunlight streaming through the window. She smiled laughing lightly. "You are a crafty one sister..." Giving them a house with a nursery before they even knew of their pregnancy...
She felt his presence approach and pulled her head out of the room turning around as he manifested before her bowing deeply.
"Princess Luna! It's so good to see you, I must apologise for not being here to greet you when you arrived."
She gave him a stern look with a gentle shake of her head and then a smile. "Alizarin..."
"Oh... Ah, apologies again... Luna. What brings you here?"
"Twilight Sparkles friends have thrown her a baby shower and as they have asked me to be a godmother to their foal I felt I should get them something as well! But it's so hard to decide!" She sat down with another sigh. "I'm just not that good at this kind of thing..."
"Prin... I mean, Luna. Perhaps you are looking at this the wrong way?"
"What do you mean?"
"As I understand you are responsible for their 'compatibility' enabling them to have a foal in the first place correct?"
"Well yes..."
"And they were beyond thrilled as I understand I must concur then that any gift you could ever give them would only pale in comparison. Not to say they wouldn't appreciate anything you gave them, quite the opposite. What I am saying is you need not worry yourself so over it. They will love whatever you give them and with you as the foals Godmother watching over him or her from afar and within the Dream I know he or she will love you too..."
She sat there staring at him shocked and surprised. "I... I never thought of it like that... Thank you Alizarin!"
"No need for thanks, truly it is only through my interactions with you and Princess Celestia that I am able to come to these conclusions."
"Is that your way of saying your only telling me what I already knew?"
He smiled. "Something of that nature, perhaps with a small bit of my own insight mixed in..."
She giggled smiling at the translucent pony before her. "Thank you Alizarin, for always being there for me... For us, I'm so sorry we forgot about you for so long..."
"Nonsense, you had your own... Problems. All things considered I couldn't be more pleased at how things have turned out, the loss of your parents notwithstanding... I still have the archives to look after though truly they need little tending, you and Princess Celestia to converse with, even friends of my own in Twilight and Rick Sparkle! And stewardship over their beautiful home and my time in town with the townsfolk, I believe they are beginning to get used to my occasional assistance. There is nothing more I could ask for."
"I am glad to hear it." She sighed stretching with a small yawn. "But I still don't know what to get them..."
"I can only speculate but I imagine a new parent wishes for nothing more then the safety and well being of their new child."
"You’re right of course..." Her eyes opened wide as she smiled. "You’re absolutely right! You’re a genius Alizarin!"
"Well I don't know about that... What exactly are you referring too?"
"Safety... With you here they would have little to fear but..." Her horn lit up channelling power through her and the entire house.
"What are you doing?" He asked looking around with interest.
"Mmm... Rounding off corners, softening edges for when you’re not around, and..."
He stepped back as she channelled into the floor an outline of her cutie mark appearing and expanding encompassing the whole of the house and property fading as the spell was completed as she sank down exhausted.
"A ward... And quite a powerful one I see, very well done Luna this shall keep their foal and whole family as well as the property and house well protected for many years to come. I'm sure they will..." He looked over at her but she was asleep curled up on the floor, he smiled to himself drawing the curtains and transferring the blanket from the bed onto her. "Sleep well my Princess, if only your parents could see the mare's you and your sister have become... Twilight and Rick made an excellent choice of Godmother..."
I felt a sudden chill run up my back for a moment, I shook it off with a grin someone must be talking about me somewhere I chuckled. It was a beautiful day not a cloud in the sky or a trouble on my mind as I did a bit of browsing at the open market looking for a few odds and ends to supplement tonight’s dinner. A breathless Lyra came galloping up skidding to a stop in front of me gasping for air. I gave her a moment to catch her breath and she looked up at me worried.
"I... Came as quick as I..."
"Take your time Lyra, no rush..."
"Yes there is! I just saw Trixie get off the Train...!"
Crap...