//------------------------------// // The Perfect Gift // Story: The Day My Life Began // by Authora97 //------------------------------// “Mia, friendship emergency.” This was what I said when I ran into the palace that Monday afternoon. I had done my job, yelling the foals another story of my adventures with the Doctor. Lilac was with me, since I knew my daughter wanted to meet another Princess. She was very excited about coming to Canterlot. It had been three weeks since the Voice Over thing. So far, everything was good. Back home we were having the last few days of school before Winter Break. I was gonna try and make if so their Christmas and mine synced up, so that meant spending two weeks as Morgan Spencer. Yeah, not looking forward to that. Morgan Spencer, not Christmas. I love Christmas. Second favorite holiday. I was putting together everypony’s gifts. Not gonna say who is getting what. Lilac’s getting a thing, Care’s getting something, my family, the Mane 6, Spike, the Princesses, Cheerilee, and the Wonderbolts(z?). Oh yeah. I had a lot of shopping to do. Twilight’s birthday was tomorrow, and I had nothing to give her. Mia gave me a curious look. During the past three weeks, I had been popping in every few days. The guards knew who I was, and that I was there to see Mia. Unless I was there after sunset, then it was Luna. Her and I have actually been having some fun. At Night Court, I had been helping with some numbers. Did you guys know that Luna is in charge of the foals of Equestria? The Foster Care System is run by her. I had helped her work out the budget. Not the first time I helped a princess with a budget. (Princess Annalise still owes me a favor) We also still have weekly meetings. Tuesday’s are now my favorite day. Last week, I took her to see the North Pole with Scott Calvin as Santa. She thought it was hilarious, especially because I made Celestia play Scott. (If I had a bit every time Lune made a cake joke) “What’s the problem?” Mia asked, kindly. Man, she was really nice. Lilac hopped off my back, gaping at the Princess. “Hi Princess.” The light pink alicorn looked down at my daughter. “Oh! You must be Lilac! Raspberry’s said so much about you!” Oh, yeah. I had become one of those mom’s who brags about her kid’s accomplishments. Lilac painted a mural of all the Crusaders yesterday on the side of the treehouse. ‘The Fearsome Foursome’ she tilted it. The four of them all doing the things they were good at, but hadn’t figured out they were their special talents. I wonder if Lilac knows her special talent. She can’t get a cutiemark, but is it the same with dragons? Do dragons just do things without really thinking about if they’re good at it or not? Did they just run about like humans did, doing everything until something clicked and hoping it was your thing? Hope she doesn’t have to do that. I had to wait twenty years before I knew this was my lifestyle. “She does?” Lilac asked. “Of course! She must be very proud of you.” Mia smiled in the way Princesses are known for. “Yes. Definitely proud.” I admitted. “Friendship emergency!” Mia nodded. “Oh? What is it?” “Sparkle of Twilight’s birthday is tomorrow, and I have nothing to give her!” I panicked, trying to stop myself from panicking. “Tomorrow?” Mia asked. “Oh my! That’s exciting!” I nodded, still internally panicking. “Her and her friends are coming up tomorrow during Fancy Pants’ garden party. I have to think of something to give her!” “Raspberry, come down. I’m know Twilight, and she will love anything you give her.” Mia said calmly, walking over to her coffee table (the terrible one I still wanted to change) where tea was sitting. “Decaf tea?” I asked. “For you, yes.” Mia gestured at the other couch (the Roman one that was put in after my first visit) for me. “I remember your opinion of my Jasmine tea.” “It tastes like dirt.” I repeated my opinion. I trotted to my seat. “Mommy, how do you know what dirt tastes like?” Lilac asked. I smiled at her clever wit. “And, wouldn’t it be more like mud, since tea is water?” I nodded, pointing a hoof at her. “Good questions. Excellent questions.” I turned to Mia, picking up my cup of tea. “Present. Brainstorm?” Mia tapped her chin with her hoof. “Hmm. She likes books.” “She has a library.” I pointed out. “Exactly! She’ll love it!” “She lives in a library.” I pointed out. “She has plenty of books.” I groaned, falling back onto my back. “The only thing I can think of is a bookmark, with Starswirl on it!” “Can I get a bookmark?” Lilac asked. “And a cookie?” “Cookie, yes. Bookmark, we can find you one later.” I sighed, dragging a hoof over my face tiredly. Mia gave me a kind smile. “Raspberry, Twilight will love anything you give to her. You’re her friend.” “No I’m not.” I said before I could stop myself. “She doesn’t really like me that much. I need to get her a perfect gift that will show her that I consider her a friend.” Wow, maybe this couch was a bad idea. Felt like I was at a psychiatrists office. “I have friends. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Lune, you.” I sucked in my lips, making them pop. It helped me think...sue me. “You know sometimes you get a feeling in your gut, like a compass pointing you one direction or another? But, it’s pulling you too? Like your destiny?” Mia nodded, after a pause. “When I was about to get my cutiemark.” “Exactly!” I cheered. “It is exactly like getting your cutiemark! Right now, my gut is telling me I have to get Sparkle of Twilight a worthwhile gift. One that will show her I really want to be her friend. I have never wanted to be somepony’s friend like this before! But, my instincts are telling me I need to be.” “Mommy, that didn’t make any sense.” Lilac commented, taking a bite of her cookie. I gave her a yellow gem from my bag. Lilac took it with a delight ‘ooh’. “Yeah. I didn’t think it would.” “Raspberry, sorry if this is a rude question, but what exactly is your special talent?” Mia asked. So many ways I could twist that sentence. “I help ponies.” I answered. “I help them when they need.” “And do you think Twilight needs help?” Mia asked, giving me a questioning look. She sounded like a mentor, guiding me along. It felt really nice to be guided for a change. I thought about my answer, thinking of how best to word it. “I think...I think Twilight...” “Are you sure it’s Twilight who needs the friend?” Mia asked. “And not you?” That made me stop. Damn, she was right. “I want Twilight to be my friend.” I felt like I was fucking five years old again, telling my mom what you I wanted for my birthday. Mia smiled. “Do you know why you want Twilight to be your friend?” I nodded. “She was alone, for a really long time. She didn’t think friendship was important, that she didn’t need it.” I started speaking from experience. “That is was a luxury she couldn’t afford. That is was something she could never dream of having. Then she found friends.” “Raspberry, do you want to be friends with Twilight because of Killjoy?” Mia asked. I froze. Here it comes... “Mommy, where is Auntie Killjoy?” Lilac asked. I gulped. “Hey, honey, did you know the Princesses have some paintings by Vincent van Hoof outside?” Lilac dropped her jaw. “Really?!” I nodded. She ran out the door before anymore could be said. “No.” I said to Mia. “No, I want to be friends with Twilight, because I see so much of myself in her. I just...I just don’t want her to feel alone.” Mia just looked towards the door, a curious frown on her face. “Does Lilac know?” I answered with silence. “Raspberry, why haven’t you told her? She should know.” Mia said. “Where does she think Killjoy is?” “On a wild adventure.” I answered, holding in my emotions. Not a good time to cry. “I want her to be happy, now. Not sad.” “Why?” Mia asked. “Why hide the truth from her?” “She’s already lost her grandparents and uncles.” I said. “She can’t lose her aunt and mother too, Mia.” “She hasn’t lost you.” Mia comforted. “She never did.” I nodded, sucking in my lip. “She needs her mother, I have to go on like nothing is wrong, because she can’t know Killjoy is...that Killjoy is...” I gulped. “I’ll wait til she can handle it, then tell her. She can’t know before then.” Taking a deep breath, I shook my head to get rid of pesky emotions. My usual enthusiasm was back. “Now, what should I give Sparkle of Twilight for her birthday? Would a day planner work? She might like that.” Hours had passed, and the sun had set. Mia and I had gone on a shopping spree in town. Lilac was still looking at Vincent paintings in the palace. Celestia found her at one point, as I was told in a dragonfire message, and was showing her around. When Lilac finds out about Morgan, I am so taking her to the Doctor to meet Vincent van Gogh. That’ll be fun. After three hours of painstaking shopping, we had finally found a gift for Twilight. I hoped she would like it. Now, it was time for Night Court. After putting my daughter to bed, telling her the story of when I saved Princess Rapunzel with a magic paint brush, I went to the Night Courtroom. The room was dark, with large windows to let light in. Imagine a courtroom, but with dark blue walls and moon insignias. I walked right up to the front, looking up at Lune with a happy smile. “Hey Lune. How are things?” The dark blue alicorn smiled at me. “Delightful, Raspberry Stardust. Have you come again to assist U-” She grimaced. “Me?” “You caught yourself.” I grinned. “Good.” To be honest, pouring my heart out to Mia was kinda...tiring. Relieving, but tiring. It felt to admit all of that stuff, but I felt exhausted by the effort of putting it together. Lune rolled her green eyes. “What dost thou wish to do?” “I brought Mad Libs!” I cheered in a sing-song voice. “I’m gonna need a verb.” Lune shook her head. “This game is foolish.” “Lune, com on! I feel like you aren’t even trying.” I mock pouted. “Night Court is to be a mature way to help our little ponies.” Lune stated. “My pencil is pink.” I joked. “Oh!” Lifting the pencil to the paper, I began to write. “Help...” There was a chortle from Lune. “You are incorrigible.” “Thank you.” I smirked. “Needed an adjective.” Lune sighed. This was the fifth night I had done this. What? I had been on stakeouts and those were boring. I had to have something to pass the time. “Dost thou need another term?” “An adverb.” “Friendly.” Lune suggested. I smirked. If Twilight doesn’t like her gift, then I still had Lune. The friend who was a demon, and then stopped. “Noun?” “Canterlot.” “That feeling of you not trying is coming back.” “If thou does not like My suggestion, then why dost thy ask for it?” Lune asked. I nodded. “Touché.” I scribbled down Canterlot. The mare was learning... It was time. Twilight was holding the box in her magical grasp. Rarity had just run off for the billionth time. The party was raging on. Lilac was playing pin-the-tail-on-the-pony with Pinkie. They didn’t really get why I was here at first. Pinkie had invited me to the party. She was like a shipper, but with friendship I swear. Twilight actually was the first to actually accept me in. It was super relieving, it gave me the confidence to give her the gift. Lilac made her a sparkly card. At least it wasn’t as big as the room. “Happy Birthday, Sparkle of Twilight.” Twilight read off the label. “Best Wishes, Raspberry.” I shrunk back a bit, nervous. Girl can take on Cora, but giving someone I cared about a gift made me shake in my boots. Fuck that. Twilight lifted the lid, staring at the gift. It was a necklace. It had a simple golden chain with six round charms. One purple, one pink, one red, one blue, one orange, and one purple/pink. “It’s an Element of Harmony necklace.” I explained. “Each charm is one of your elements. I didn’t have the time for the shapes, sorry.” Twilight just stared at the necklace. “Do...do you like it?” The purple unicorn looked up at me. Her horn glowed pink, picking up the necklace from it’s box. “Raspberry, I love it!” It was like Tom the Boulder had been lifted off my shoulders. “But, there’s something missing from it.” Twilight pointed out. I tilted my head. No, six charms, six Elements. That’s everypony. “You don’t have a charm.” Twilight said. My jaw dropped. “I...I don’t have an Element.” “But you’re still my friend.” Twilight trotted up to me, hugging me. I hugged her back. This made my heart start to work, damn. ??? There she was again. My Morgan. She was still so young, still so far away from meeting me. Oh, what to do, what to do. She was getting close with those ponies. She was letting them in. I can say from experience she doesn’t trust easily. They’ll learn soon. They will learn what I learned. Morgan always finds a way to stab you in the back. Her sister is dead proof. I have to get them apart. I have to make Morgan realize what she really needed. She had to become the one who was mine. Cause I swear, when she finally comes to my side, I would never let her go.