In the early afternoon in the crystal castle that belongs to Twilight and her friends, Matt is up on a ladder, placing one side of a banner at the top of a pillar. On the other side, Shining Armor is using his magic to lift up his part of the banner. Once they are put in place, Matt climbs back down, standing next to his friend to look upon their accomplishment.
HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY CLEMENTINE AND DAWNING SHIELD!!!!
“You know, I could have put the sign up myself.” Shining Armor chuckles.
“Yeah, I know. But I wanted to help out. Don’t want to feel like a lazy slob.”
“That’s impossible. With you always working at Sweet Apple Acres, and Applejack staying at home to take care of Clementine, you are NOT a lazy slob.”
“True.” Matt looks away from the sign, “But Pinkie Pie took most of the baking and other party planning duties, Rarity is making outfits for our foals, Twilight is letting us use this castle for the get together, Fluttershy wants to put on a Petting Zoo, and Rainbow Dash is….wait…what IS Rainbow Dash doing?”
They look up to see Rainbow Dash using the castle pillars as an obstacle course, confusing the two fathers. Rainbow then flies into the throne room, performing loops around the thrones at a fast rate of speed, before going into the center and rocketing up into the high ceiling.
With a confident smile, she checks her flight time, pumping her hoof in victory.
“Yes! Flew through the entire castle in fifteen seconds. I know what Spitfire would say.” She clears her throat, preparing her Spitfire imitation, “Fifteen seconds? That’s a new academy record. Meet me in my chambers in five minutes for your reward.” She then changes to her normal voice, “But, Spitfire!” she feigns surprise and shock, “You’re married! To a stallion!” Back to Spitfire voice, “He doesn’t have to know. Maybe he can join us.” Back to normal, “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!”
“Rainbow Dash!” Matt calls out, interrupting her little fantasy.
“Wha?” she glances down, seeing the raised eyebrows of Matt and Shining Armor, “Oh, hey guys.”
“Just what in Equestria are you doing?” Matt asks.
“Bad question.” Shining Armor whispers, “She’s probably going to say…”
“Umm…being awesome, of course!” she answers.
“I knew it. Give me twenty bits.” Shining Armor holds out a hoof, expecting currency.
“I didn’t even agree to a bet.” Matt slaps Shining Armor’s hoof away, looking back up at Rainbow Dash, “Can you be more careful as you’re being awesome? I don’t want anyone knocking down that sign. Kind of worked hard on it.”
“Fine, fine…” Rainbow Dash sighs, “You know, you were a lot more fun when you WEREN’T being a big soft overly sweet and mushy husband and father.”
“Hey, I can still be a lot of fun! Just ask Applejack. I’m the funnest human in Equestria!”
“You’re the ONLY human in Equestria, dude. That’s not a hard title to obtain.” Rainbow Dash chuckles, “Speaking of humans, are your parents showing up, or what?”
“Of course they are. They’re arriving in the hour. Aren’t you supposed to be helping out with something?”
“No.” she waves off the question, continuing the fly around the throne room. “I didn’t agree to help out. I’m too busy…”
“Being awesome?” Matt grumbles in annoyance.
“Exactly. Being awesome is a twenty four seven kind of job.”
“How much do you get paid for being awesome?”
“Nothing. But the feeling is always great.” she looks down at Matt’s disapproving face, “But…if you want me to help out…I suppose I’ll assist Pinkie Pie put the games together.” she glides past the two, mumbling, “You guys are no fun.”
“I heard that.” Matt calls out, stopping her, “I may be a father now, but I am loads of fun, even if I am being a big soft…whatever else you said.”
“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash smiles mischievously, liking the possibilities of this conversation. She rockets towards Matt, getting in his face.
“Yeah!”
“Prove it.”
“Oh, I’ll prove it. I’ll prove it so hard that…”
“Sweet Celestia, just make out already.” Shining Armor rolls his eyes.
“ARE YOU KIDDING?!” Rainbow Dash and Matt look at Shining Armor, shouting the exact same thing at the exact same time.
“I mean…um…Applejack can join too. Cadance and I will foal sit Clementine as you guys work out your sexual tension.”
“Sexual ten…” Rainbow Dash quietly says, before shaking her head in a rapid pace, “You are so weird!” she goes back to Matt, “Okay! You and me…we’ll see who can finish all the party games the fastest AND get the best score! Are you in?”
“I am SO in!” Matt smiles, “What do you get if you win?”
“Um…I don’t know, but I’ll think of something! And you?”
“Well…Shining Armor had a pretty…” SMACK goes Rainbow Dash’s hoof across his face. “I’m kidding! Geez!” He wipes the side of his face, thinking about a possible reward. “If I win…you do a Sonic Rainboom at our foal’s party.”
“Deal!” she bumps her hoof with his fist. “I am so gonna win this one.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Matt boast.
Rainbow Dash flies out of the castle; off to Sugar Cube Corner to help out Pinkie Pie. Once she is out of sight and out of mine, Matt lightly smacks Shining Armor over the head. Shining Armor flinches, looking back at Matt with an expression of confusion.
“What did I do?”
“Make out already?” Matt turns back to the throne room, grumbling under his breath, “Telling me to make out with Rainbow Dash…Jesus H Christ…trying to get me into trouble…”
“Who’s this Jesus, and why is he trying to get you into trouble?”
The afternoon rolls around a couple hours later. Pinkie Pie is bounding along the castle, placing balloons and setting up the games with Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy puts the finishing touches on the petting zoo, which is a giant fenced off circle with a cavalcade of critters.
Donut Joe and Pinkie set up the craft services table, which is packed to the brim with tasty treats, along with a various assortment of sandwiches.
Applejack and Cadance have arrived, looking at all the decorations with a smile. Soon, others have arrived as well, such as Big Macintosh, Twilight, and The Cutie Mark Crusaders, with Sweetie Belle bringing along her coltfriend, Button Mash.
Matt’s Parents have arrived as well, with Matt running up to them warmly.
“You guy’s made it!” Matt smiles, hugging them both.
“We weren’t going to miss our granddaughter’s birthday.” Dad looks around, wondering where Clementine is. “Where is she, by the way?”
“Rarity is keeping Clementine and Dawning Shield behind closed doors.” Applejack walks up. “Says she wants ta surprise us.”
“Hey, Mr. Williams! Applejack!” A familiar and friendly voice shouts from the front of the castle. Matt looks to see Quill Pen and Ditzy Doo waving at him and Applejack.
“Quill!” Matt waves back, walking to them. “How are you doing?” he gives him and Ditzy a welcoming hug. “I wasn’t sure if you guys were coming.”
“I have to admit, I was surprised that you gave us an invitation to begin with.” Quill says, “After all, we only talk once or twice.”
“Once or twice is all I need to consider you a friend. Besides, the Apple Family considers you a friend too.”
“Good ta see ya two, Quill.” Applejack smiles her pearly whites.
“I brought muffins!” Ditzy holds up a box of freshly baked muffins. “I made them myself. Is that okay? I wasn’t sure if you had enough treats.”
“There’s always room for muffins!” Applejack says happily, taking the box. “Oh, hey. Where’s your son?”
“Slip Wing?” Quill inquires, looking down in an area where he thought his son was. “I thought he was right next to us.”
Suddenly and dramatically, the lights shut off, leaving everypony in the dark, causing confused murmurs. Quill continues to look for Slip within the darkness.
“Fillies and gentlecolts!” Rarity’s voice booms throughout the castle walls. “It is my great pleasure to introduce to you…the star guests of the evening. Please give a round of applause to Clementine Rosemary Apple, and Prince Dawning Shield!”
A spotlight shines in the middle of the throne room, revealing the two foals. They are wearing fancy and well-crafted garments that could only be made by Rarity herself. They are detailed, and lovely to behold.
Dawning Shield, with a white coat like his father, and a blue mane with a streak of purple and another of magenta in the middle, like a combination of Shining Armor and Cadance's manes, stands proud like the royalty he is. He’s only a year old, but he already shows signs of a disciplined and hardened leader.
Clementine however, is nibbling at the tiara that was given to her. She slathers the headpiece with drool, as she makes sounds that sound like the word nom.
The crowd oohs at Dawning Shield and awws at Clementine.
“She looks so cute.” Applejack says, pressing her cheek against the kneeled Matt’s shoulder. “She thinks the tiara is candy.”
“We should probably tell her thaWOAH!” Matt doesn’t finish his thought, as a little Pegasus comes flying past his head. “What the heck?”
“Slip Wing!” Quill calls out, “Come back here!”
The little colt, flying through the air, but unseen by the light, soars past the crowd, who are ducking and weaving to avoid getting hit by the young Pegasus. Dawning Shield and Clementine look around for the party disruptor, with the tiara still in Clementine’s mouth.
Finally, Slip Wing, a nearly two year old colt with a dark grey coat, a brown mane, and brilliant blue eyes, comes bumbling into the light, rolling around on the floor in a bit of a crash landing. He gets up quickly, shaking the tumble off like it was nothing with only a goofy and proud smile adorning his face.
Suddenly, his smile disappears, and his eyes go wide, noticing the little filly that sits before him with a headpiece hanging from her lips. Clementine creaks her head to the side, looking at him with curiosity. He creaks his head to the side, looking at her with all of his attention.
The crowd watches on at the scene of the meeting of these two foals.
Clementine drops the tiara, slowly walking up to Slip Wing, inspecting him like she would her human father. Slip steps back ever so slightly, as she gets right into his face.
A pause between the two. It could go on for years if nothing happens.
Clementine smiles, pressing a hoof on his muzzle.
“Boop.” she giggles.
The entire crowd awws at the cuteness. All except Matt and Applejack, who gasp in shock.
“Her first word….” Applejack whispers with pride.
“Boop….” Matt says, “You’re right. Her first word WAS going to be unconventional.”
Slip Wing scrunches his muzzle after Clementine’s booping, attempting to suppress an oncoming sneeze. He succeeds, only to look at Clementine with playful revenge on the mind.
“Boop.” he says, pressing his hoof on her muzzle.
Once his hoof is removed, her muzzle similarly scrunches up, but unlike him, she lets out a loud by extremely adorable sneeze. Like Slip, she looks upon her target for payback.
“Boop.” she gets him again.
“Boop.” he gets her again.
“Boop.” she gets him yet again.
Soon, Dawning Shield comes between the two of them, looking as if he’s the authority of the bunch. He watches them with tough and authoritarian eyes. He raises his forelegs and…
“Boop.” he presses them on both their muzzles.
All three laugh, tackling Dawning Shield and scurrying off into the crowd, where the lights come on throughout the castle. Rarity rushes after them in an attempt to save her work.
“Wait!” Rarity chases them, “You’ll frump up the ensemble!”
The crowd chuckles at the chase, before Rarity eventually gives up, accepting that foals will be foals.
“Oh fine.” she admits defeat, “I suppose I’ll iron them out later.”
Pinkie Pie seizes the opportunity to insert a CD into the player, blaring a mix of her own creation of party music, ranging from tracks by DJ-PON3, to even some music that she acquired through Matt giving her some of his collection. The party crowd gathers at the food table, with Ditzy’s muffins becoming a surprise hit.
“Oh my god.” Dad says, mouth full of chocolate chip muffin goodness, “This is amazing.” he turns to a proud Ditzy, “You made this?”
“Guilty as charged.” Ditzy raises her hoof in faux guilt, “You really like it?”
“We love it!” Mom chimes in, munching on a blueberry muffin.
“This will be a hot scoop.” Quill says with much enthusiasm, “Parents of The Human in Equestria Love Ditzy Doo’s Muffins.” He nudges Ditzy for approval. “What do you think?”
“I think you need to enjoy the party, and not have that big brain of yours all focused on work.” she playfully pushes him.
“Okay. Play now, work later. No problem.” he smiles, “Come on, you minx.” he grabs Ditzy, bringing her over to the dance floor. The two dance with great energy, without a care in the world that they look absolutely goofy while doing it.
Other party members join in on the fun; Matt’s parents included.
While some were dancing, others were planning games that Pinkie Pie put together. All of them were designed for foals, but that didn’t mean the more grown up ponies couldn’t contribute.
There was Pin The Tail On The Pony, a Shark Tank with inflatable non-deadly sharks, Bobbing For Apples, Sticky Darts, and Whack A Tirek, a game with a bunch of angry looking Tirek dolls popping out of a hole, and the player has to hit him with a small foam chair. It was Matt who came up with that idea, due to having experience with villains and weaponized chairs.
Donut Joe trots around the part, looking for a certain special somepony. He spots her; Rarity, sitting at the punch bar, sulkily drinking some of the aforementioned beverage.
“Hey there.” Joe says with a smile, “What’s the look?”
“Oh. Joe…” Rarity sighs, “I made those ensembles with the utmost care and precision, and they are now in the possession of foals that are running amok. They seemed fine when I put them on.”
“Rarity…” Joe wraps a foreleg around her, “They’re foals. Of course they were going to be a little rambunctious. If it’s any consolation, I thought the outfits were spectacular.”
“Darling…you think everything I make is spectacular.”
“And I mean it every time.” he chuckles. “How about you wipe that somber expression with some of my world famous donuts?” Joe points her to the table full of the wondrous pastries.
“Oooohhh….” Rarity’s eyes glisten with happiness and hunger, as she marches towards the table. Other ponies have approached the area, but she pushes past them. “Back away! I must make sure that these aren’t poison, so that I may save all your lives.”
The guests murmur at the highly unlikely possibility, but they take too long to call her out on her lie. Rarity has dived into the donuts, munching on a good majority of them. Ponies try to get her to move, but they only get one word out of her.
“MINE!”
“Donut Joe! Help us!” Sweetie Belle says in a panic, “My sister is eating all the donuts!”
“I can’t stop her, sorry.” Joe shrugs, “The last time I tried, she bit me.”
“She bit you?”
“Well, it was more of a nip, but…” Suddenly, Clementine, Dawning Shield, and Slip Wing tackle Donut Joe, laughing during their tumble. “Ack! I’m being attacked by adorable foals!”
The three wrestle with the pastry chef, hoping to find some more sweets on him, due to Rarity hogging up the plates. Before they could discover if he truly was holding out on them…
“Clementine…” Applejack sternly says, getting her off of Joe.
“Dawning Shield…” Cadance removes him with the same tone of voice.
Slip Wing flies off of Joe, tumbling into the darkness for more mischief. Clementine and Dawning Shield, tired from their chasing around, begin to close their eyes. Applejack and Cadance hold their foals with care and with loving smiles on their faces.
“Ah take it y’all have the same problem, too?”
“Yeah.” Cadance chuckles, “Little Dawn here can’t stop running around the castle. Ever since he learned how to walk, he’s been galloping non-stop. We managed to get the castle foal proof, so he doesn’t hurt himself, but I still worry about him.”
“Clem is the same way. She also has a habit of tryin’ to eat things she can’t have for the time bein’’. Apples are a problem. She always wants the real thing, but ah don’t think her teeth are strong enough yet. It’s only apple sauce and fritters for this little filly.”
“Help! Foal on my head! Foal on my head!” the unmistakable perilous voice of Matt is heard. The two mothers turn to see Matt struggling with a laughing Slip Wing on his head. After a minute of desperate struggle, he pulls the mischievous foal off, maintaining his laugh and smile. “Oh, you…” Matt feigns anger, “When I tell your parents…”
“No!” Slip Wing shakes his head rapidly, “Play! Play!” he reaches for the sleeping Clementine.
“Clem is sleeping, Slip.” Matt says, “You two can play later, okay?”
“Boop!” he bops Matt on the nose.
“Okay, let’s go find your parents.”
“You don’t need to look very far.” Quill and Ditzy arrive to retrieve their son. “Sorry for any trouble this little colt has caused.”
“It happens.” Matt chortles, handing him over to Ditzy, “You take care, Slip.”
“Play!” Slip demands.
“No…REST.” Ditzy cradles him, “That’s what you need.”
Matt watches Ditzy carry the increasingly sleepy Slip Wing away, seeing that it doesn’t take long for rest to befall the young colt. A tap is felt on his back, prompting him to turn around to see a sight he should have been expecting since this morning.
“Hey, Matt!” a familiar voice calls out to Matt.
He turns around to see Rainbow Dash, with a smirk on her face, signaling to him that the challenge would soon be on. Applejack nudges Matt on the side, getting his attention.
“Ya gonna challenge Rainbow Dash?”
“She said that I wasn’t any fun anymore.”
“Wha? Well, ah never…” she harrumphs, “You are LOADS of fun! Just ask Clement…” Clementine is asleep, “Well, if she was awake, she would agree.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll show her who’s boss.”
“Don’t get too carried away, now. She can be a might competitive.”
“I won’t.” he kisses her on the forehead, “Wish me luck.”
“Ya don’t need it, ya big goof.”
They make their way to the play area, where they look over all the games that are on display. The two decide to start with Pin The Tail On The Pony. Other guests notice this challenge of the pony and the human, gathering around to see who will come out on top.
Pinkie Pie hops in front of them, dressed up as a gaming announcer.
“OOOOH! Are you two going to be playing all my games?!”
“Yes.” Rainbow Dash replied.
“The games I worked super-duper hard on to be fun and exciting?!”
“Yes.” Matt responds.
“The games in which I spent hours on end to put together and….”
“Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash interrupts, “You spent like ten minutes putting these games together.”
“I did?” she taps a hoof to her chin, “Well, it FELT like hours on end. Oh well. Game on!”
She hops away, humming a jaunty tune. Matt and Rainbow Dash look at each other with determined and energetic looks on their faces.
“You ready for this?” Rainbow Dash asks in a more than game tone.
“I’ll do my best.” Matt responds.
“Your best?!” she snorts, “Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and buck the prom queen.”
“Have…have you been watching my movie collection lately?” Matt wonders, instantly recognizing that line from one of his favorite movies, The Rock.
“I’ve been hanging with Pinkie Pie when she babysits Clementine, yeah. Why?”
“Nothing…just…I never expected you to say something like that. It does fit you, though. Speaking of which, was Applejack the prom queen?”
“No.”
“Dang. Makes that comeback impossible, then.” Matt grimaces in disappointment,“Who was prom queen back when you were in high school?”
“Fluttershy was the prom queen.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
The two begin their little competition right out of the gate, when Pinkie Pie put blindfolds over their eyes for Pin The Tail On The Pony. Rainbow Dash managed to win the game within seconds, while Matt bumbled about, nearly wandering into Fluttershy’s petting zoo and placing the pin on an easily agitated bear.
Luckily, Fluttershy was able to turn him around to go the other way, where he eventually got it, but the point was already Rainbow Dash’s three minutes beforehand.
Then came the shark tank, where Pinkie set herself up on the prop board, waiting for someone or somepony to strike the target, which will collapse her into the pool of non-deadly inflatable sharks.
Matt, experienced with these kinds of games, as he attended many carnivals when he was younger, won the game on the first shot, sending Pinkie down into the dunk tank. To play it up a little, she screamed in faux terror, before going to a little overboard by pouring red food coloring into the water.
Rainbow Dash took longer to hit the bull’s eye, but it was obvious that Matt won this round.
When Bobbing for Apples came around, Matt thought for sure he had this one in the bag. However, what he didn’t count on was the superior jaws of the pony species, as their muzzles have a better reach than his human jaw.
Matt dived his head into the bucket of apples, hoping that he would grab one within seconds. Through the muffled noises of being submerged in water, one was clear; the sounds of applause and cheers. He brings his head back up, seeing Rainbow Dash standing victoriously with an apple in her mouth.
He got her back in the game of Sticky Darts, aptly named because the usual sharp pins of the darts were replaced by suction cups. It was a close call, but it was Matt who received the high score in the game.
Finally, came the biggest challenge of them all. The challenge that would prove which one of them is the best, which one will ultimately win this battle of the species.
The newly created game, Whack A Tirek. Matt submitted the idea a couple months back to Pinkie Pie, who was more than happy to create a game based around his admittedly foolish choice to hit one of the most dangerous beings in Equestria with a piece of furniture. The game is remarkably similar to another game that Matt was very familiar with in his world, the renowned Whack A Mole. He likes this new iteration much better.
The lights of the game flash, Matt and Rainbow Dash get their foam chairs ready.
And…the battle is on!
Matt and Rainbow Dash furiously whack away at the little Tireks that pop up from the board, with sound effects of the demon crying out in pain and suffering. Matt and Rainbow Dash enjoy hearing the villains cries of agony, as they both hate his guts with the power of a million suns.
The scorecard rapidly rises from their beatings, with the numbers being nearly neck and neck between the two. It’s anyone’s game at this point, and the crowd absolutely loves it.
All but Clementine, who is comfortably asleep in Applejack’s forelegs.
Soon, the final blow is dealt. Victory music plays as the game comes to its spectacular end. The scores are tallied by the computer monitor, and…
Matt is the winner!
“YEAHHHH!!!!” Matt throws his hands up in victory. Rainbow Dash groans in disappointment.
“Aw, man! I thought I had you!”
“To be fair, it was close.”
“Yeah, but just barely.” she sighs, “Okay. You won fair and square. The foals get to see something really awesome to close out this birthday bash.” She calls out to the crowd, “Everypony! Come on outside for something cool!”
Everypony and body comes pouring outside. Applejack and Cadance nudge their foals awake. The yawn, looking up at the sky with curiosity. They see Rainbow Dash looping around with great agility and grace. However, that’s not what the main event is.
“Check it out, everypony! The Sonic Rainboom! Happy Birthday, Clementine and Dawning Shield!”
Rainbow Dash launches into the air at supersonic speeds so fast, that the fabric of reality would surely break if she didn’t stop. Not long after reaching the maximum speed, she goes even faster, not leaving a sonic boom behind, but a beautiful and expansive sonic RAINboom.
Rainbow’s Friends have seen this incredible display already, but it never ceases to impress them. As for Clementine and Dawning Shield, they look as if they have seen the most incredible thing that life has to offer for them.
Matt kneels down to her, patting a hand on her mane and giving her a kiss on the forehead.
“Happy Birthday, Clementine.” he says softly.
“Happy Birthday.” Applejack says as well, with the same soft and loving tone.
Clementine looks upon her smiling parents, which makes her smile a wide and playful smile. She tells them how much she loves this birthday, and them, in one simple action and word.
“Boop.” she puts her hooves on their noses.