In front of the moon princess was various pastry, freshly baked from the royal kitchen. It was probably a filly’s dream seeing donuts, tea, coffee, waffle cookies and all the Equestria modern patisserie could offer, especially so late in the day. Generally, Luna would be partaking generously in all of this -discovering new pastry was a guilty pleasure of hers- but like every dinner/breakfast with her sister it was a tense affair.
Even with her sister trying to make it a casual meal, with small talk about the mundane news of Canterlot or Ponyville. Luna was not at ease. She still did not felt like she deserved Celestia’s forgiveness about Nightmare Moon, and her sister refused to have a real talk about it. She kept saying that it was the past and they should focus on the future.
“Is something wrong, Luna? You still haven’t eaten anything.”
As much as she did not really like the idea of going against her sister -she was afraid it could be see rebellious act- she was concerned.
“Sorry, we...” Luna cleared her throat, it was still hard to stick to ‘modern’ equestrian especially when she let her feelings meddle in the conversation. “I learned that you force your student to stay in Ponyville. I was curious of why. That sounds harsh, did she do something to receive a harsh punishment? Cast away from her family here in Canterlot.”
There was an almost imperceptible flick on the left ears of the regal sun Princess, but it was enough for Luna to know it was maybe something she did not really want to talk about.
“I...Twilight is a wonderful pony. But I was afraid that without a nudge she will get back at shutting herself away. I might have told her firmly to stay in Ponyville for a while to enjoy the company of her newly acquired friends.”
“That seems to bring the ire of her family upon us. Could I dare say Captain Shining Armor and Mme Twilight Velvet were strongly hostile to this decision?”
Princess Celestia sighed. “I am afraid it’s an unfortunate consequence.” Her serene smile make its way back on her face. “But I am sure it was the best decision, after all, she is still in Ponyville and her diligent study of the magic of friendship allows her to overcome challenges like Discord.”
Princess Luna mused on the answer of her sister, on one hoof it was hard to deny the result of her actions, on another Twilight Sparkle seemed close to her family and breaking the bonds with what will officially be their family after Princess Cadance’s wedding was a concern. Maybe a small price to pay for Equestria peace?
“So do you feel ready to resume your duty, Luna? My nephew thinks you will do fine and I trust in you.”
Twilight was tucking Morning in her bed. It had started with a good day, especially after the previous relaxing day at the lake and the happy event of Dinky getting her cutie mark. The fillies had been really ecstatic when Twilight and Lyra came back with ice cream, happy to share the story and happy to devour the cold treat. But today quickly everything went dire after Twilight picked up Morning at school.
There was whispering among the foals and Dinky explained what happened during Granny Smith’s intervention. Other parents gave weird looks at Twilight and Morning. Surprisingly none asked her for an explanation and Twilight was fine with that.
Then, one hour after she was back at the library, an angry Applejack barged in and required her presence tomorrow at her farm to apologize to Granny Smith. Twilight agreed, but it was the start of more shouting when Applejack insisted that Morning should come too.
For Twilight, Morning had nothing to apologize and it was something that should be settled between adults. If she had somepony to blame, Twilight would choose her own mother that told this story to Morning. Dinner had been a quiet affair. Spike kept talking about the Cake Twins and Twilight promised to see them tomorrow after school since Morning was curious about them.
Twilight placed a kiss on the forehead of her filly “How you are feeling, sweetheart?”
“Tired.” replied shyly Morning.
“Tired? You look gloomy,” asked Twilight with concern.
“I said something I should not? Are you in trouble? I don’t want to lose you, mommy.”
Twilight get closer to her filly and said softly “Don’t worry, little star. I am sure everything will be fine tomorrow.”
Twilight was ready to leave the room when Morning interrupt her “Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“You are going to study, aren’t you?”
“Yes” Twilight could guess what Morning will say next, it was a question she asked herself more often lately.
“When are you done, will we get back in Canterlot with daddy?”
It was not the question she expected, but it was close enough “I don’t know, sweetie” Twilight looked at one of the pictures on the nightstand of Morning. She knew that in the drawer was pictures of the whole family, including her father. But this one was a picture taken by Lyra. It showed Dinky, her flank on display; a hoof passed around Morning neck. On the background were Ditzy and Twilight smiling.
“You are not happy to have Dinky here?”
Morning yawned and looked at the picture “Oh. Good night mommy.”
Twilight was surprised by her filly reaction. She planted a kiss on her forehead “Good night, little star.” and parted hoping tomorrow would be as she promised Morning.
---
Twilight was not alright. She had deposed Morning at school and went straight to the Apple family barn. Was waiting for her: two angry mares, a familiar orange one and her old grandmother. First
Applejack blamed her for not bringing Morning, considering school was not an excuse for proper apologies, then it was the older mare that just throw every insult she could imagine, including lot of tribalism against unicorns.
Twilight was a patient pony, but the verbal assault had been very violent. And after being told to never put a hoof on Sweet Apple Acre again, she teleported in her room to cry.
She cried, then stopped still unsure of why she was crying. Spike came check on her probably after hearing the pop of the teleportation.
“Did not go that’s well, hey?” he asked, his expression matching the small sadness of Twilight.
She simply nodded.
“There are still some of Ditzy’s muffins in the kitchen, do you want me to reheat one with some coffee?”
The ears of Twilight perked from their previous position of hanging low and she said with a small smile “Yes.”
“On it.” replied Spike and hurried out the bedroom.
Before the dragon closed the door, Twilight interrupted him, “Oh, one last thing Spike.”
“Yes?”
“I… am here for nopony, tell them... ”
“You are very busy.” he finished for the unicorn.
Spike get back later carrying a board with a muffin and a hot mug of coffee. Twilight caught everything with her magic and put them on her desk. She was currently eying a scroll, it was still blank. She took a bit of the muffin that tasted amazing, that bring another small smile on her face.
She crumbled what should have been a letter to the Princess, and picked up some comfort reading. She was still not sure about a lot of thing. Did that was the end of her friendship with Applejack? Her and Rainbow often bickered and there were still friends?
She was too conflicted in her head to even read the book she picked up. She was sad and mad at the same time, Granny Smith had insulted her family, and even if she probably did not go at length like the old mare to “protect mah family from inbreeding, good-fer-nothin’ unicorns lies” She cared a lot for her family. She would not mind just hugging Morning right now to get some comfort.
After one hour or more of brooding and not finding a comfortable position either on her bed or chair, somepony knocked on the door. Since it was not the sound of Spike’s claw, she did not answer immediately. But the repeated action brought Twilight to answer.
“I am not here.” she shouted at the door.
Twilight hear a small voice but did not manage to make what was said. “I did not catch that,” she said loudly at the door. After another inaudible mumble, she decided to open the door.
“Fluttershy?”
The butter coated pegasus emitted a meep of surprise at the other mare appearance, but she quickly regained her composure “I am sorry, I know you don’t want to be disturbed, but It’s important.”
“Ok?” answered Twilight, inviting the other mare to elaborate.
The eyes of Fluttershy opened wide “Oh? It’s Rainbow Dash. She is in the hospital. It’s… you should see her. I was at...” Fluttershy was not able to finish her explanation as Twilight disappeared in a flash of magic.
**
Asking the nurse at the reception where was the pegasus had been easy, Navigating the hospital have been easy. Excusing herself about bopping into other pony while dashing like a mad pony had been easy too. But now that she was in front of the right door she was worried. Was Rainbow Dash in danger? Did she crash again and this time it was more serious? Twilight took a calming deep breath like Cadance taught her before opening the door.
On the hospital bed was the pegasus mare with a bandage around her head, an eye patch and one of her leg was set in a cast. There was also a lot of paper forms scattered across the bed. At the side of Rainbow Dash was a dark coated pegasus with a straight mane, helping the mare with the form.
“Rainbow Dash! AAre you alright?” stammered Twilight, moving close to her friend.
“Hello, Twi. Don’t worry for me I am fine.”
Twilight was relieved seeing her friend talk and not sad, neither in pain “This does not like nothing” she said pointing at the eye patch and the cast.
Rainbow tried to bring her free hoof behind her neck, but she winced as she moved her head “Yeah, I should say you should see the other mare, but I got a good beating.”
Twilight gasped in shock “You get into a fight?! With who?”
“Duh, Applejack, who else?”
Twilight was not sure if she should be angry, happy or worried “Why?”
Rainbow did a small gesture to the stallion at her side and he poked the unicorn in the chest with one hoof. “Thank ‘Lane. I was moving some clouds near her house and I hear everything her stupid grandmother says to you. Really nasty stuff. So I after you were gone I went to Applejack to give her my two bits about her saying nothing. I mean come on! You don’t let your friend get spit on like this!”
The blue punched her bed with her free hoof “She just blathered her usual stupid family shit and well, we fight.”
Twilight felt on her rump. She was doomed, she could probably repair in some way her friendship with Applejack, but she made two of her friends fight and considering Rainbow Dash state it was not small bickering. Worse Princess Celestia could consider that she failed her mission at keeping her friendship and take her away Morning.
Thunderlane spoke “Miss Sparkle, are you alright?”
Twilight wiped the moisture at the corner of her eyes “I… am fine. I happy you are fine. Everything is fine” she eyed the paper forms providing a welcome distraction “What are these?”
Rainbow smiled with a large grin which looked really weird with one bandage holding a small ice pack on her cheek “Oh, you will like this! You see AJ always bother us to prioritize her farm because her family founded the town, and Cloudsdale always bothers us with complaints from the other farmers. So with Thunderlane, we were reviewing his mess of paperwork.”
“Your mess, boss.” the stallion smirked.
“Yeah, yeah, I though I paid you to do it for me?”
“You don’t pay me” jabbed back Thunderlane.
Twilight interrupted the exchange “So, what are you doing?”
“I don’t know yet, maybe found something to make them paid additional taxes or something.”
“You should not do that, friends don’t seek revenge upon other.” Twilight nearly shouted but quickly deflated “I was so worried for you, and you are you here…” She did not finish her sentence and broke into a sobbing mess on the floor.
She slowly curled into a ball on the floor muttering, “I don’t want to lose you.” while stroking her tail.
Thunderlane poked the mare “Are you alright?” getting no answer from the mare, he carried her on the empty bed near Rainbow Dash.
“Should I call a doctor?” he asked the other pegasus in the room, worries clear in his face.
Rainbow Dash just shrugged “Don’t know, first time I saw her like this.”
They decided to do nothing and after hearing Twilight muttering words like “my little star” between “I don’t want to lose you”. Then she quickly felt asleep.
Rainbow Dash punched again the bed in anger “I am gonna murder AJ and her dumb family.”
“Gonna gets out here first, boss,” the stallion chuckled.
The mare glared at him “Yeah, yeah. I should fill the form to make you the boss so you can stop calling me that.”
Thunderlane laughed, expecting the other mare to join in, but she remained fixed at one form in front of her.
“Seriously?” he asked.
“Dunno, maybe. Let’s find something in this first.”
Thunderlane and Rainbow Dash kept tossing paper around, Thunderlane was trying to organize everything in stacks, but it was hard with the lack of free space and Rainbow tossing occasionally a form in annoyance.
After an hour, there was a knock on the door and another pegasus entered the room.
“Hello, Ditzy.” Thunderlane smiled at the mare.
“Hi, Derpy” simply said Rainbow Dash.
Constating the state of the blue pegasus, Ditzy gasped “Oh Celestia, are you alright?”
Rainbow waved a hoof “I am fine, don’t worry.” then pointed at Twilight.
Derpy noticed the sleeping form of Twilight, rushed to her side “Oh the poor dear, what happened?”
Thunderlane answered, “We are not sure. Too much stress? She is not hurt, just sleeping.”
Ditzy nudged Twilight with her muzzle to see if she was responsive, she saw a small reaction of the mare and said softly “Wake up Twilight.”
The unicorn slowly opened one eye groggily “Hu.”
“Are you alright?” Ditzy said stepping away from Twilight but she got grabbed by the two forehooves of the mare.
“I don’t want to lose her” cried the mare, her head buried in Ditzy neck. Confused the pegasus mare put her wings on the unicorn back and started smoothing her like she could do with her filly after she had a bad dream.
After getting some smoothing, Twilight realized what she was doing and blushed “Oh, I am sorry, Ditzy.”
“Even big filly need a hug some time” Ditzy replied with a smile, offering a tissue from her saddlebag for the mare to wipe her tear.
Ditzy turned her head toward Thunderlane “Well, I have a letter for the one of you” She dug in her saddlebag to retrieve a letter and the notepad.
Thunderlane rise up from his sit, grabbing the proffered notepad, sign it and took the letter.
The gray pegasus noticed Twilight getting up from her bed “Would you like to stay?” She winked at Twilight making a mention of her head toward Rainbow Dash “I can take care of the fillies if you want.”
Twilight smiled at the implication, but shook her head “No, no. I think it will be fine. Don’t run into problems with your job for me.”
---
After Ditzy was gone, Twilight apologized for her nervous breakdown. Rainbow Dash had just laughed and said that at least she did not mess up with the whole town. The small nap had been relaxing and calming, but it had the insidious effect and forcing Twilight’s body to tell her mind to get more rest.
She was still worried about her friends, but she had to put a smile on her face to not worry Morning and Dinky. She did not want the Morning to feel guilty for something out of her control.
She reached the school and like this morning, there were many parents that give her weird look. Twilight knew that they wanted to probably hear the story Granny Smith was hiding. She sighed internally, knowing that she could not excuse herself this time. The fillies and colts were more interested in leaving the school.
Morning and Dinky joined her, but they were accompanied by a smiling Cheerilee. The smile was not totally genuine. “Ha hello, miss Sparkle, may I have a word with you?” She gestured at the school house with her muzzle.
“Sure, can you wait here quietly?” Twilight smiled to Morning and Dinky. Both nodded and Twilight followed Cheerilee inside the school.
The teacher brought her, not in the classroom, but her own desk that was more isolated than the classroom. She invited the mare to sit on a chair while she took place in her own.
“Sorry, to bring you here, but I have some questions for you. Since a lot of parents bothered me with that. Why Morning said that Granny Smith was lying?”
Twilight crossed her hooves, she was a bit nervous. “You want the whole story?” Cheerilee nodded so she started “Alright. You have to know that it’s from my mother doing some research. After Princess Celestia moved the capital to Canterlot and the Everfree started growing wild, the lands in the area lost most of their values. The owners, mostly noble, managed to sell parcels to anypony dumb to think it was a good deal. It quickly worth nothing. But some time ago, A rich stallion decided to fulfill his dream of owning land and offer more than money to his family. He spends a lot of bits in studies to see how viable what will become Ponyville could be, and after some time convincing the authority and the crown, he finally gets everything to start his project of building a new town.”
Twilight paused in her lecture “The stallion was generous and was willing to sell parcels of the land to ponies willing to follow him in his project. That when the Apple family came. They were not willing to pay a single bit, considering that the zap apple tree were the mark of the land belonging to them. Well, that what was considering their motive for the whole ordeal. They send one of their younger members to seduce the son and the heir of the family”
Cheerilee interrupted her “Sorry, but I am not a foal. who was the stallion?”
Twilight sighed “Trevor Rich from the Rich family.”
The teacher’s eyes opened in shock and brought a hoof in front of her mouth. “Oh, so...”
“Well, the rest is not really a foal tale. The son get convinced to give the whole Ponyville area as a engagement gift, and some months after, his father die, then himself disappeared in the Everfree Forest. Luckily for the Rich family, the brother of Trevor asked the crown for preventing the Apple Family to get his brother dream. But there was not enough direct evidence against them. Princess Celestia decided to let the Apple Family have the orchards, but they always had to work with the Rich family to sell everything outside Ponyville.”
Miss Cheerilee closed her mouth, “Wow, you are sure about that? I never heard of that before. We always had Granny Smith version.”
“Yes, I know it does not depict the Apple Family in a bright way, but as the Princess teach me, don’t judge ponies from their past.”
“A good lesson.” Cheerilee paused to fidget with a paper on her desk “Now, you put me in a bad situation. You know I am in the city council?”
Twilight was not sure why Cheerilee asked that, she was the one that helped the town to bring the school students to visit Canterlot so she deal with some ponies of the council, Cheerilee included “Yes.”
Cheerilee pushed the document in the sight of Twilight who panicked a bit seeing what was the paper “I did not want to pry into your private life, but I found that while searching something. Why lying about Morning Star? It’s a noble task to adopt a filly.”
Today was definitely not a good day for Twilight, at least, this was something she could handle, she just had to tell Cheerilee what she told Ditzy.
“I know that will sound crazy, but… Princess Celestia does not like this to be know. You see Morning was originally an exercise for me. The Princess wanted to see if I was able to teach what I was taught. Morning was a young orphan gifted with magic, but the more and more I was giving her lesson, the more I get attached to her.”
“I can relate to that,” said Cheerilee with a smile.
“When I asked if could adopt her, the Princess thought I was too young, not ready for what come taking care of a filly and that she will be a distraction from my studies. I was sad, but my parents adopted her in my stead. Now that I legally have the age for adoption, well she is… mine. But please don’t tell ponies yet… Princess Celestia thinks it could hurt my credibility as her student if I was hiding thing.”
Cheerilee put the paper back in one of the drawer “Don’t worry. I was just worried something happened to your parent and you were forced to take care of her. Still that sounds silly. I don’t know why Princess Celestia will be against such a kind act.”
Twilight forced a smile “Thank for your concern. Is that will be all?” she asked while rising from her chair.
“Yes, don’t make your daughter wait.” Cheerilee winked at the mare.
---
“No, No, Twilight. You are distracted, again. Let’s stop for today.” said Lyra firmly.
“I don’t have time for that!” shouted in reply Twilight.
Lyra put a hoof on the purple mare chest “Listen, Twilight. I live with the most stubborn earth pony alive, she can lose herself in work to avoid talking out her issue. You have the same look and nothing good will came out of practicing. I am not dealing with that.”
Twilight was taken aback by Lyra hardened stance, she shook her head “Sorry, I am sorry. I should not have shouted at you.”
Lyra smiled “It’s alright. So let’s stop?”
“Yes, yes, you are right.” Twilight moved upstair where was napping Spike. On a normal day, she would have scolded him, but she closed the library after lot of ponies came, more interested in gossip than books.
She watched the water boil in the kettle. Lyra was right, she had too much on her mind to work on anything. She was a bit scared too, what if ponies get curious about her own private life? There was no way they could learn the truth, the Princess was covering her track since it could harm too many ponies, including her. The whistling of the kettle pulled out her thought.
She got back in the basement with two mugs, a bag of tea leaves and the kettle. She was welcomed with the sound of the harp. She took a seat in silence to listen to Lyra. It was something she enjoyed. Lyra had moved her harp from Canterlot to her basement to practice from the wedding. The mint mare had asked because it was probably one of the safest places in Ponyville and was annoying to take the train just to practice.
When Lyra stopped, Twilight offered her a mug of tea. The other mare grabbed it with her own magic.
“I loved that in you,” Twilight said abruptly blowing on her mug.
“Sorry?”
“I could some time watch you practicing your lyre. You always have this small smile. I was tempted to told you about Morning.”
Lyra smiled “Bonbon told me the same thing, You loved me, then?”
“Maybe. Cadance asked to either trust you or stop our relation. But I was too confused, too risky. what if you didn’t like me? What if you told ponies about Morning?” Twilight sighed.
“Yes, I can understand” replied Lyra, she then finished her tea and get back at practicing the harp.
---
Morning was leaning on the border of the crib as was Dinky, their hooves resting on the top of it. They both watched the sleeping form of two foals, a small unicorn and a small pegasus. Both fillies eyes were wide opened in wonder.
“Girls, don’t put your hooves on the crib” scolded softly the voice of Twilight.
Morning complied, getting back on her four, followed by Dinky. But seeing that the bar of the crib blocked the view she levitated Woona on the head of her mother and hopped on her back. Twilight rolled her eyes but moved her barrel closer to the crib to let the filly have a better view.
“They are so tiny!” blurted Morning.
This time, it was Dinky that scolded her whispering from a similar post on her mother back “Ssh, don’t wake them.”
“Sorry” apologized the pink filly while the mares in the room giggled. She continued to just watch while the adult were whispering among them.
Morning and Dinky witnessed one of the foal fluttered her eyes open, opened her mouth wide and started crying, waking her twin brother. Morning looked at Dinky “Did we do something wrong?”
Mrs. Cake was the one the answer as she moved closer to the crib “Oh no, they are probably hungry.”
“And in need of a change” giggled Ditzy after taking a quick sniff with her muzzle.
Morning pinched her muzzle with her hoof and backed away from the crib, followed by Dinky. She watched Mrs. Cake picked the filly with her mouth and put her on the changing area. Her own mother picked up the colt with her magic.
“Let me help you with that,” Twilight said.
Dinky moved near Morning and whispered “You are lucky, Woona does not potty.”
“Woona is a grow up filly” giggled Morning while levitating back to her said plushie.
“Magic is very handy!” said Mr. Cake watching Twilight helping his wife with changing the twins.
Mrs Cake finished changing Pumpkin and picked up his brother to put them back on the crib “You sure are used to doing that Miss Sparkle. You must have helped your mother with your sister.”
The unicorn replied sheepishly “Oh, right, hehe. I helped my mother.”
Luckily for Twilight, Dinky poked her with a hoof “Yes, Dinky?”
“Why they are not earth pony?” this was the start of an improvised lesson on genetic from Twilight, to which Morning listened attentively.
***
Twilight was putting Morning in her bed after this tiresome day. For once she would be going to bed shortly after the filly, she did not really feel like studying too late. Before she left the filly bedroom, Morning asked her a question:
“Do you think I will have a little brother or sister one day? I want a little brother!”
Twilight giggled and smiled at the thought “I am pretty sure your daddy will work on it after his wedding.”