//------------------------------// // 14: …. And the Magic of Friendship // Story: My Little Girl // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// The first thing Lauren saw as she entered the Sparkle’s home was the wall of photographs. Just by looking at them, she wondered if Twilight Velvet really isn't the same Twilight she knew from the show. For one, a huge give away is that in all of the photos, not a single one contained Ember, Twilight’s filly who wanted to fly despite not being a pegasus. In the photos, however, besides the younger purple Twilight was a white unicorn with a blue mane. A closer look and she found that some of the photographs showed that the white unicorn had become a guard in a series of armors. She also saw that in some of the pictures that it seemed to be close to his sister. “Our wall of memories,” Velvet said, smiling at what Lauren was looking at. “We’re very proud of both of our children you see. That there is our Shining Armor,” she pointed to the white unicorn in one particular photograph where it showed him in a red uniform alongside with a pink mare. “Who’s the other one?” Lauren asked pointing to the other mare in the picture. “That’s his wife, Princess Cadence. You know, we should have seen it coming a mile away.” “Why’s that?” Before Velvet could answer, they heard a whistle coming from another room. Velvet excused herself to get the tea. “Cadence was my babysitter,” Twilight explained where her mother left off. “You had a princess for a babysitter?!” Lauren exclaimed in astonishment. “Well, yeah,” Twilight said sheepishly. “After all, when it came to bedtime, she was a master at reading out bedtime stories to me when I was a filly. In a way, she was my first real friend before I came across Princess Celestia.” “Hey Twi, you wanna tell her the time how you got your cutie mark?” Applejack asked, “After all, with someone like Lauren around, do ya think she might be interested in ya tellin’?” “It’s an oddball of a story, I’ll give you that.” Twilight’s dad said, also adding, “The name’s Night Light by-the-way.” He offered a hoof over to Lauren, she bent down a little to shake it. Lauren asked what he did, “I’m an astronomer by profession. And my wife, as you might have guessed by some of these awards, is an author.” “And you may say I’m their editor,” Twilight chimed in. “I guess I owe it to her for my love of books.” “Are you sure you’re not confusin’ love with obsession?” Applejack teased. Twilight gave her friend a glare while her father couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Velvet came in with the tray that held the teapot and a few cups. “Do you drink tea?” she asked Lauren as she put it down on a table. “Well, not really. I prefer hot chocolate though.” “Sorry, I don't think we have any, do we?” the question was towards her husband. “I don’t think so,” Lauren told them that it was fine that they don’t have to give her anything. Twilight soon retold them the tale of how when she was very young, she longed to be accepted at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Of the nights she studied away at whatever books about magic she could get her hooves on. To the day when she explained the requirement of getting in was to hatch a dragon egg. For a while, no matter what she tried, nothing happened to make it hatch. Twilight told them that she was very near giving up until a miracle happened; she remembered there was an explosion outside that suddenly had made her magic come to life. Not only did the dragon egg hatched, but she makes a lot of interesting things happen as well like turning her parents into potted cacti. But it was during this power surge that the greatest miracle of all happened; Princess Celestia herself showed up and not only have restored things to order, but she was made right there on the spot her personal student. Not only that, but it was at that moment was when she noticed her cutie mark for the first time. Twilight was apparently caught up in the moment of remembering that joyous moment that she began hopping around the room chanting the word “Yes!” over and over. “Twilight,” Velvet said, but her daughter still kept hopping. “Twilight,” Night said, trying miserably to get her attention. “TWILIGHT!” they both shouted as one, this snapped their daughter back into reality. “Oh, hehe ha, sorry,” Twilight embarrassingly apologized. Lauren couldn't help but laugh a little. “Gotta say Twi, Y'all looked as happy as Applebloom on Hearth's Warming mornin',” Applejack commented. “Well, it was one of the happiest days of my life Applejack; it was when I started lessons with Celestia.” “You know Twilight,” Night said after taking a sip from his cup. “We were actually glad that you'd got some real friends for once. We were starting to get worried about you.” Velvet nodded, “You moving to Ponyville was, and still is, a mixed blessing. On the one hoof, you were away in a different town on your own. But on the other, as far as your letters went, you seemed happy there.” “I am, mom. I’m actually glad I stayed with being around with my wonderful friends.” “And I’m glad to have friends like you,” Lauren added. “You guys may be weird in your own way, but you're fun to be around. I’m rather glad I came here.” Twilight smiled. Velvet spoke up, “That’s very nice of you to say that dear. But just out of curiosity, do you have a family where you come from?” “Yeah, I…” Lauren stopped with a realization. How long has she been away now? “Uh-oh, Twilight, Applejack, I really need to go home.” “Huh? What’s wrong?” Night asked. “How long have I been here again?” Lauren asked. Twilight thought for a moment and guessed she probably has been here for a whole day. “A whole day! My parents are going to kill me! I've got to get home now!” “Alright then, just calm down,” Applejack re-ensured her. “If it’s home Y'all want, then we’ll do it.” Twilight Sparkle bid her parents farewell, but before they left, her mother said, “Come back anytime, Lauren!”