//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Time for a Date // Story: Royal Princess on a Date // by JusSonic //------------------------------// Chapter 1: Time for a Date "Okay! Ready and go!" Rainbow exclaims as she flew around the top floor of the castle of the Rainbow Friendship Kingdom. The Pegasus and her friends are helping the Sparkle/Mare family in redecorating their new home after their previous one, the Golden Oaks Library, was destroyed by Tirek when he escaped from Tartarus. "Almost done with the paint, Applejack?" Twilight ask as she and Ben goes into a room to see Applejack and some of the ponies of Ponyville painting up a room. "Getting closer, sugar cube," Applejack remarked with a grin. She put down the last of the paint. "Aaaaan' it's done!' "Eeyup," Big Macintosh exclaims with a proud smile on his face. Twilight and Ben smile in approval. It's great to have friends to help redecorate the castle to help the two, Spike, Nyx, Phobos and their pets settled in; A while later, the whole castle is soon done. "Okay, it's done, everypony!" Twilight exclaims as various ponies finishes with their jobs came in. "Thanks for the help. This castle looks great." The ponies cheers on, with Rarity speaking, "Well, you are our princess and friend. We will be able to help you out." "Got the snacks," Pinkie exclaims, bouncing in with a huge tray on her head. After putting it onto a table, the pink pony calls out, "Dig in, ponies! There's enough for everypony!" The ponies didn't waste time in helping themselves to a snack or so, as a reward for helping out. Twilight smiles, sighing, "It's great having a new castle and all...but I missed my library one." "Yeah, I missed my basket." Spike said gloomly. "And all those books! Oh, the library ones, the ones I kept as memos...they will never be replaced! All of them are gone thanks to Tirek!" Ben just laughs a bit as he took out a familiar bag, the same one that the stallion brought with him to put his own stuff in the day that the stallion first moved into the library. Nyx and Phobos just grin as if knowing a little secret. "Twilight, sometimes it amazes me how you often you forget. I knew Tirek will come calling sooner or later...so while you head off sulking in the Everfree Forest and the others are telling ponies to stay indoors, I quickly uses my magic bag to put everything in the library, telescope, all your books, the beds, everything." Ben explains to Twilight with a grin. "We put in useless papers and a fake telescope so you wouldn't lose focused on the fight with Tirek, mommy." Nyx said with a grin to her mommy. Twilight and Spike are surprised but smiles, relieved that Ben and Nyx have saved everything that was thought to be destroyed in the library when Tirek blew it up. "And now, as I said before, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!" The magic bag opens. Ponies quickly move back as a lot of stuff came out of it like mad. Books, telescopes, letters from Celestia, stuff that were thought to be destroyed by Tirek are going into certain places in the castle, a library to put books in, a lab with Twilight's science stuff, beds in the bedrooms, kitchen stuff, etc. Everything is in there. Soon a while later, everything is in place, making the ponies gasps in awe and amazement. Rainbow exclaims, "Whoa!" "Like I said before, daddy, what a way to pack and unpack," Nyx exclaims with a smile. "And I'm so glad we saved everything." "Yep and like I said before, how else can you fit stuff in one bag, let me ask you that." Ben said with a proud smile as he pushes a portrait right into place. "It's great and I'm happy you saved everything!" Twilight exclaims, nuzzling Ben a bit. "Now we officially moved in." "Yeah, and that leaves the biggest task of them all..." Ben and Twilight nods, knowing what the former is preferring about. It's inevitable. It's time to start ruling. -------------- The Council of Friendship begins having sessions on figuring out how to spread friendship throughout Equestria, through interesting ways. Some of the ideas of course involve training citizens to fight against the enemies, like the Apocalypse Ponies or the Dark Mystic Ponies or Grimmore's Army whenever they came calling. "So egghead, how about updating my security system," Rainbow ask Twilight with a smile. "You know, so we can see our enemies coming?" "No, Rainbow Dash; you will just use your system to spy on ponies." Twilight said with a frown. "In fact, I thought the princess told you to take it down after the business with Lorcan was over especially when Chris McClean used your system for his unofficial season here." "Aww, come on, Twilight! At least give us an advantage." "No, Rainbow Dash; And again, I told you no about your amusement park idea! We don't know where to put it or even got the budget to give you to even help build it!" "Fine, but someday, foals will like my own idea of my theme park." Rainbow remarks, sitting in her chair with a pouty look. "An idea, Twilight, Darling," Rarity said, holding up a hoof of her own. "Yes, go ahead, Rarity." Twilight said, giving her friend permission to speak. "Well, I think we should take turns in being ambassadors to certain kingdoms in case there's any trouble like the Dragons, the Griffins, even the Mystic Realm as well. That way, we will not have to limit the role to just one." "Hmmm, that's an interesting idea, Rarity." Ben said, putting a hoof to his chin thoughtfully, "All in favor?" "Aye," Everypony in the group exclaims in the room, approving of the idea. "All oppose?" No one say or object to anything. "Okay then! Next item on the list..." Suddenly the sound of rock music is heard in the room, startling the ponies. Twilight sighs a bit as she said, "Excuse me for a moment." The mare got up from the table and heads to an intercom system that was installed, pushing a button. "Nyx, honey? Can you turn down the radio? We're having a session in here." "Sorry, mommy! The Shadowbolts' music is awesome!" Nyx's voice came through the intercom. After the music became lower, Twilight nods as she goes back to the table. "Okay, next item: these new responsibilities given to me by the princesses." Twilight unrolls the list, making the other ponies yelp as it rolls across the table, off it and going right out the door. Their eyes widen in alarm, freaking them out... That is a LONG list of responsibilities to deal with! -------------------------------- One of the duties Twilight is doing is sitting on her flank on her new throne while she and Ben waits for petitioners, ponies who want to make requests, etc. to come in. "Okay, Flash, who do we got?" Twilight ask Flash, wanting to get this started. "We got Miss Cheerilee of the Ponyville school," Flash said as Cheerilee comes in. "Yes, I know I am not your usual petitioner or royal guest...but I'm concerned about the broken playground stuff like the slides, swings, etc. that got damaged during Tirek's attack." Cheerilee said in concern. "I was hoping that maybe you could send some ponies to either fix it or repair them because they are too damaged for the children." "Of course I'll do it, Cheerilee, for the sake of your school and the children." Twilight said with a nod. "We will send Big Macintosh and some big ponies for repairs right away." Ben said with a chuckle. "I know how much you like to see Big Mac's big bod." "Oh, please. Don't." Cheerilee said blushing a bit, bowing to the princesses. "Hey, Miss Cheerilee," Nyx said, giving out a homework file to her teacher. "Sorry for being tardy. I was delayed in making this due to the recent events that occurred." "It’s okay, Nyx; I understand how much this is important to you." Cheerilee said with a smile, taking the file to check over later before leaving. "At least I took the tardiness better than you did, Mommy!" Nyx chirps, sitting near her mother. "Don't remind me." Twilight remarks with a frown. "Okay, what's next?" "A little dispute that needs to be settled." Flash explains as Lyra and Sweetie Drops came in with frowns, "Miss Heartstrings and Miss Drops." "You darn right we need to settle this!" Lyra snaps sternly. "We want this little thing to be settled right now." "Oh, no, you don't, Lyra!" Sweetie Drops scowls at her roommate as everyone watches right back. "You don't deserve him! I deserve him!" "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't those two..." Ben begins to say, but Twilight shushes Ben, not wanting him to interrupt. "Hey, listen! You don't care for him at all! I do! I always cherish him with all my magic and heart, unlike you who would just sell him any chance you get!" Lyra scowls right back at her roommate. From Twilight's suspicion, the two mares are fighting over a colt! "Ha! Yeah, right! Buck McWire deserves more than that!" Sweetie Drops snaps right back. "Wait, hang on. Who's Buck McWire?" Twilight asked a bit confused. She doesn't know any stallion like that in Ponyville. "Oh, you don't know?" Lyra asked the princess as she took out...a baseball card, "Buck McWire, famous batter for the Los Alicorns Earth Ponies; Number 15, limited edition, very rare!" "Wait, are you telling me that this dispute...IS OVER A BASEBALL CARD?!" Twilight asked the two mares, a bit in disbelief, one of her eyes twitch at this pointless dispute over a baseball card. "Well, yeah." Sweetie Drops said with a nod. "I want to sell it for bits, but Lyra wanted to keep it. So who gets it?" Twilight groans, slapping a hoof to her face. Ben shrugs, asking, "Listen, girls, as a prince of the Rainbow Friendship Kingdom, let me ask you this: you two are good friends, are you going to let something silly like a baseball card ruin your friendship? For all we know, there may be another card like that elsewhere so who knows if that's a limited edition or not?" Hearing this shocked Lyra and Sweetie Drops a bit before they started feeling guilty. Ben made a good point. "Yeah, I guess he's right." Lyra said to Sweetie Drops with a sigh. "Perhaps we should decide what to do with Buck." "Right, hold off on selling him unless we really need the bits." Sweetie Drops said before bowing. "Thanks, your highness." As the two took their leave, Twilight groans, "Well, that was pointless. Who's next?" "The Cutie Mark Crusaders," Flash said as the CMC group made up of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Twist, Dinky Doo and Pipsqueak came into the room. "Well, girls and boy, what brings you in?" Twilight asked the little ones curiously. "Can Nyx come out and play?" Pipsqueak asks hopefully. "Right, we have been planning on adventuring today and we got some new ideas for cutie marks." Sweetie Belle said with a cute squeak. "Well, maybe. Nyx, do you want to go out?" Ben asked his daughter with a smile. "Yeah, I'd love to!" Nyx replied eagerly with a nod. The CMC cheer as Nyx joins them before heading out. Twilight smiles a bit, saying, "Well, that wasn't so bad. Okay, who's the next to come in?" "Discord," Flash Sentry said. He yelps as Discord appears from out of nowhere, "Gah! Don't do that!" "Oh, now what kind of fun would that be if I don't?" Discord asks Flash with a shrug. Turning to Ben and Twilight, the chimera then ask, "So, you summoned me?" "Hey, there he is, Discord, our main Dragon like man!" Ben exclaims with a smile. "Actually, Twilight and I are glad to see ya. You're just the guy we wanted to talk to." "And what, pray tell, do you want to talk with me about?" Discord asked in wonder. "Well, we will be short and peaceful as possible. As you know, you have been an important part of Equestria since your reformation." Twilight said to Discord with a grin. "And despite some troubles you gave us, especially the previous betrayal which we forgive due to Tirek's manipulation, you are what we considered an important member of the family." "So Twilight and I did some talking and we wish to make you an honorary member of our family." Ben said with a chuckle, much to Discord's surprise. "Ben, Twilight, you really want me to be a part of your family?" Discord asks, feeling touched. "Sure. Things are now water under the bridge and Fluttershy would appreciate it if we do." Twilight said with a chuckle, "Probably great uncle." "Or godfather!" Discord exclaims, transforming into a pony version of Marlon Brando, speaking like him, too. "Make you an offer that you can't refuse." Twilight laughs a bit, shaking her head while saying, "Let's just stick to great-uncle. The godfather thing sounds like something out of a gangster film. BUT...we will think on that one, okay?" "No problem." Discord said. Then a thought struck him as he spoke, "In fact, perhaps I could make up something special for you as my way of thanking you for having me in your family." "If we think of something, we will let you know." Ben said with a smile. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much!" Discord exclaims after changing back to normal, shaking the parents by the hoof each. "You won't regret it, I promise; and to show my appreciation, frosting for everyone!" Discord explodes...causing everyone else to yelp as the whole room is covered in frosting. Ben wipes the frosting off his face as the spirit of Chaos and Disharmony appears, licking some of the frosting. "Sorry, I couldn't resist." Discord said with a sheepish smile. "It’s okay, Discord; At least this is something Pinkie would do." Twilight remarks with a slight chuckle, trying to keep her cool. "Well, I must go. Fluttershy needs some help with her falcons or whatever you called them." Discord said, disappearing from sight, leaving the room a mess. The prince and princess shrug as they use their magic to clean up the mess made by Discord. Ben calls in, "Bring in the next pony." A dirty farmer came in, holding out a hoof with brown stuff on it, saying in a Southern accent, "Howdy; Dirty McDirt fro' 'de Ponyville Manure Factory! Hoo doggy, have Ah got a problem fer yew!" Twilight and Ben cringe a bit at the hoof covered in manure. Even Applejack wouldn't be this dirty. --------------------- Twilight, a while later, is cutting a ribbon in front of a building as a bunch of ponies watch on, announcing, "I now announce this building...uh, what do you call this, Mayor?" "Oh, it's our Everfree Alarm System, in case any monsters or creatures from the Everfree Forest attack," The Mayor explains nicely to Twilight. Suddenly, an alarm went off. "Oh! There's one now!" Sure enough, a huge Boar, a giant pig who isn't bad but tends to cause accidents with its stupidity, runs around, smashing into stuff, causing the ponies to gasp and run. "Oh, I will handle this." Twilight groans a bit as she uses her magic to stop the Boar. "Come on, big guy, back to the Everfree Forest you go." Twilight trots off, taking the Boar with her. As Ben and Spike watches on, the Dragon said, "Wow. Twilight is sure taking the responsibility since she got her new castle." "Yeah, and that's what worries me, Spike." Ben said, noting how tense his love is. "Twilight is getting a bit tense." "Yeah, you're right." Spike said in concern. "We should do something..." "Or rather, I shall." Ben said thoughtfully, getting an idea. Twilight is heard yelling as the Boar somehow got freed from her, running off with the Alicorn chasing it. "Get back here!" Twilight exclaims in annoyance. --------------- Twilight groans in exhaustion as she sat in her throne. The mare has been on her hooves almost all day, chasing that Boar, containing it, then do some more tasks like attending fund drives for her library (which would've sounded great to her except she was basically the ONLY ONE doing all the work), doing demonstrations like showing Ponyville how to use the weapons to defend themselves, doing fake bouts with ponies, all that jazz. Twilight on the other hoof did do some friendship side on the side, helping ponies not fight, argue and learning lessons...but these are getting a bit tiring for her. The mare knew how much responsibility it is to being a princess but not this much. As Twilight recovers, she hears the door, making her groan, "Go away. I don't want anything else today." "Hey, cool down, egghead, it's us." Rainbow said as she, the rest of the Mane Six, Ben, Nyx, Michael Trotter, Spike and Phobos came in. "Oh hey. Sorry Rainbow, but I can't give you your funding right now." "It isn't that, it's you." "Twilight, Ben noticed how you are getting a bit tense and tired lately." Rarity explains to Twilight calmly. "We know you got what it takes to be a princess, especially when it comes to dealing with problems." "I know. The princesses do it almost all the time and I am not an exception." Twilight said, sitting back in her throne. "What I wouldn't give for a day off but..." "And a day off you shall get, Twilight." Ben interrupted Twilight, much to her surprise and confusion. "I've noticed how tense you are getting so I talked it out with the others." "We're y'all gonna fit in yer hooves fer a while while yew take some time off." Applejack said to Twilight with a smile. "We are 'de Council o' Friendship after all. Therefore, 'de ruling shouldn't be limited 'ta just ya." "Right, we will do your duties too. We already know what to do by heart." Fluttershy said with a nod. "We will take certain turns on what to do involving tasks." "Well...that's great that you all will offer to help me and all...but what will I do in the meantime?" Twilight ask her friends in concern. If the princess is taking a day off, so to speak, what will she do? "Go on a date with me, Twilight. We can spend the day together, relaxing, enjoying each other's company and all that. And come to think of it, since when the hay had we been on a date?" Ben ask Twilight with a smile. The Alicorn Princess pauses to think about this, then she smiles. "Well, you're right, Ben. What happened today has been exhausting for me. Perhaps a date with you should help me." "We will hold the fort while you take the day off, Twilight!" Rainbow exclaims eagerly flying around in the air with a laugh. "And party while we're at it! Yahoo," Pinkie laughed, bouncing up and down eagerly. "Did someone say 'party'?" A familiar voice asks as Discord appears in a flash, almost blinding the others. "I can't help but overheard that our favorite new Alicorn Princess is taking a time off. Perhaps, as a token of my further appreciation for becoming a member of the royal family, I will help out in some way." "Well, we could use all the help we could get." Fluttershy giggles a bit. Twilight looks concerned upon hearing that. Sure, she trusted Discord but can the mare trust him to help ruin the Rainbow Friendship Kingdom? Michael, sensing Twilight's concern, spoke up, "Don't worry, Princess. Your friends have this." "General Trotter, we need to talk about the cloaked figure you're with." Twilight said with a frown. She remembers that cloaked figure that Michael was hanging with during the Muppet Show and ponders who that individual is. "I'm sorry, but that's classified. I promised Princess Celestia that I wouldn't tell anyone." "...Alright." "Just enjoy yourself." Michael assures the princess with a chuckle as he pushes Twilight towards Ben. "Besides...Ben really knows how to treat you." Twilight blushes, smiling as Ben hugs her a bit. Michael's right. Ben does know how to treat her.... --------------- Pinkamena is reading her book as she smiles as the mare senses what's going on. "Aww, so cute," Pinkamena giggles. "it seems Ben is going to take Twilight on a date while their friends help deal with things like opening bridges and dealing with what a Princess has to do" The others look a little worried as Golden Heart says, "A date is good but you think the others could use some help?" Pinkamena thinks and then gets up , speaking, "Well maybe we can help them out. Goldie, Omega and Gold Wing, you come with me. Havis, Sombra, Autumn, you hold down the fort while we are away." They nod as Pinkamena heads off along with Golden Heart, Omega and Gold Wing as the rest of the group stay and keep the place in check.