//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: On a scale from one to ten...Eleven...oh... // Story: Their New Life In Equestria // by HAZESHIFT //------------------------------// Chapter 6: On a scale from one to ten?...Eleven?...oh… “So Erina, you used words like ridiculous, crazy, and impossible….got anything else left in the tank?” Gaia asked as what was left of the group came within viewing distance of Sugarcube Corner. “Um… I honestly don’t know,” Erina managed to reply as she wobbled from side to side. “I don’t even know what word one would use to describe the situation of riding on someone’s giant pet alligator...” Everyone chuckled as they watch Erina move back and forth with each step the twenty foot alligator took. “Are you sure it’s all right to be doing this,” she asked Doppler, who moments ago had zipped around a corner and came back with the large creature and urged her to climb up. She sat still trying to use her hooves to find some kind of grip on the scaly back. “Oh yeah it’s totally fine! Gummy loves giving rides!” Doppler jumped aboard the reptile closer to his head and began to pet the alligator while he kept on walking. “He’s just a big old teddy bear...only if the bear was a reptile not a mammal...and if instead of fur he has scales...and slit pupil eyes… Oh and he has no teeth!” From her position Doppler managed to reach a hoof under the large gator’s head and lift it. Erina got a good look at the seemingly dead looking eyes before doppler opened his mouth with ease showing that he was all gums and no teeth. “Then how does he eat?” Erina said as she tilted her head to get a view of the large mouth in front of her. “Oh I don’t know.” Doppler said matter of factly and turned around. Erina looked down to Gaia who gave her a shrug with two of forelegs. “Don’t look at me, when it comes to her family there are certain questions better left unanswered. And if you have a follow up question asking about how mom lets it slide, she came to peace with not knowing after getting stung by bees, falling into an apple cellar, having multiple objects falling onto her including; a potted plant, an anvil, a cart full of hay bales, and a baby grand piano,” he said giving her a look to show he was being serious. “Oh...I didn’t-” “And then she almost got eaten by a hydra, almost fell to her death running away from said hydra, and then apparently through the power of rage ignited her mane and tail into pure flame.” “I don’t… I don’t know how to respond to that.” Erina said after Gaia was finished explaining what Erina could assume was one of Princess Twilight’s most painful days. “All you have to take from that, is that when it comes to Doppler and her family sometimes there are questions better left unanswered for fear of your physical and mental health,” he told her. Erina ruminated on his words taking some looks between him, Doppler, and the alligator. Deciding to take his word on it, she decided to ask a question that she had been thinking about for awhile. “So Gaia, can I ask you something about you and your sister?” she asked looking forward to where Hope was walking ahead and talking with Flair. “Yeah sure go ahead.” two of his arms shrugged as he kept walking, it was a weird sight for Erina. “So your sister is an Alicorn, and I’m assuming by the things I saw earlier you’re an equivalent to it. Are you two aspects of anything?” She asked watching how Gaia gave her a look after. ”I mean like you know how Princess Celestia has the sun, Princess Luna has the moon, Princess Cadence has love, Princess Twilight has magic or friendship depending on how you want to spin it, and even Prince Andromedus is learning more about his apparent connection with the stars… So I thought I’d ask if you and your sister have found your connection to anything like that.” “Yeah I figured you would ask that sooner or later. Kinda glad you did too. If you had asked my mom she would give you an hour long lecture at minimum,” he said laughing. “But to answer your question, yes, Hope and I do have a connection to this world. Would you like to give a guess as to what it is first? Here’s a hint, take a good look at our names, not full names mind you,” “Well your Gaia’s Fury, and your sister is...” Erina paused remembering that she had not heard Hope's full name “Oh yeah, sorry, forgot that you might not know that one. Nature’s Hope, by the way,” Gaia quickly interrupted, giving her his sister’s name. “Nature’s Hope….” Erina sat quietly thinking while they kept walking. Both names could be referencing many things. “Is it-” “AND WE’RE HERE!!!” Doppler shouted interrupting Erina drawing her line of thinking from Gaia and his sister to the building right in front of them. Erina had seen it before from afar when they were on the train but now upclose, it was a much different sight to behold. The building just screamed bakery when one looked at it up close. Besides the fact that it tried it’s hardest to look like a gingerbread house with an additional cupcake on to of it, when one got closer the aesthetics stayed the same. At certain angles the building looked like its edible counterparts. “MOM! I’M HOME!” Doppler shouted as she barreled through the door, a slight crashing noise accompanying her. “Is this….normal?” Erina asked pointing to where Doppler once stood. The reaction she got was that that everyone, even ponies who were just passing by, burst into laughter. “Sorry…” Gaia started once he stopped laughing and managed to catch his breath. “You just happen to stumble into one of the biggest inside jokes in Ponyville.” He told her while wiping a tear from his eye. Though before Erina could ask a piercing squeal came from inside the bakery. Erina acted immediately, dashing into the bakery assuming that the squeal was one of distress,but instead, when she got inside she realized two things. The first was that the air was literally sweeter inside the building, it was like with every breath she was inhaling sugar. The second thing was the the squeal she heard was not a squeal of distress, nor was it just a single pony who was squealing. Doppler was entangled in what Erina could assume was a very loving hug with a very pink pony whom Erina guessed was Doppler’s mom and Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie. Erina wanted to say something, but figured that the volume at which both of them were squealing in happiness would easily drown her out. Suddenly she felt a poke on her shoulder. She turned to find a black stallion holding out a pair of headphones for her. She took them from him when she noticed that he was wearing a pair of them on his head. She put them on and found that she no longer heard the piercing squealing and instead found peaceful silence. Turning back to the stallion she found him holding a sign for her to read. “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner.” Without any sound, Erina couldn’t really tell if she was speaking or just mouthing the words. “The name is Flintlock Spark.” As if he were reading her mind, when Erina read that line. The stallion pointed to himself and gave a very slight bow, “And since you came in after Doppler, I can assume that you met my lovely daughter at school, yes? Well the one she’s squealing with over there is my lovely wife and her mother, Pinkie Pie. I’m sure that once they're done she’ll love to talk to you Erina—” Erina stopped when she read her name as the last word on sign. With disregard for everything else she ripped of her headphones and asked, “Wait, how could you possibly know my name?” She all but shouted at the stallion, who, despite her outburst, still smiled his patient smile. “Well that’s easy you silly filly,” A hoof tapped her on her shoulder again and when Erina turned she came face to face with Pinkie Pie, “I know everybody that comes in and out of Ponyville. And I must say it’s been a really really long time since you’ve been back Erina. You’ve gotten so big!” Erina didn’t know what to say or do as the mare grabbed her and gave her what she could guess was the tightest hug in her life. She could only guess because the hug had caused her to lose some feeling in her body. Once Pinkie released her she took in a deep breath before she addressed the mare's comment. “Um, I think you might have the wrong pony Miss Pie, I’ve never been to Ponyville before.” “First off, none of that ‘Miss Pie’ fluff stuff. Do I look prim and proper? Or old to you?” Pinkie asked not just to her but apparently to everyone in the room with how many heads violently shook no. “ You can call me Aunty Pinkie Pie...or Aunty Pie...or Aunt Pinkie...or some combination of those three things, understand?” Erina was able to give a quick nod of confirmation before Pinkie started again. “And of course you’ve been here before silly, it was just a really long time ago before you could remember anything. I even have a picture of it see?” Pinkie pulled a photo out of nowhere and moved along side Erina to show her. Erina stood flabbergasted as it took a moment to notice herself in the picture, it was a bit hard seeing “herself” in the picture was a small wrapped up sleeping foal being held by her mother and father while a large number of ponies crowded around them. A banner reading ‘Happy first visit to Ponyville after your birth-day!’, the time of the photograph apparently not being on the actual day of her birth but some day after it. “Yeah, your mom might have toned it down on the theatrics over the years but she asked if I could go all out with this party...even if you couldn’t remember it since you slept through most of it. But a party is a party… Plus now that you’ve finally come back, we can make up for lost parties!” Pinkie cheered throwing some confetti in the air. “Awww, not now Aunt Pinkie. It’s way too early in the week for a party.” Gaia said as he came through the front door of the shop with the group. After G had gotten through, Gummy poked his head in and stared blankly in nothingness and Pinkie Pie came over and wrapped her forelegs around as much of his head as she could. While she did, the group quickly grabbed a table. “Aww fine, I’ll wait till Doppler’s first big shindig at the end of the week...but anyways, you kiddies stay there and I’ll get you some snacks.” Pinkie gave a quick wink before she sped into the kitchen in a pink blur with Flintlock’s black and blue blur following right behind her after he gave them a wave. “Well I must say Doppler your family is…” Erina paused trying to find a nice word for a somewhat delicate situation. “Creepy?” G started off. “Kooky?” Gaia followed up. “Mysterious and spooky?” Flair said. “Altogether ooky?” Hope was the last one to say something before Doppler zipped in front of Erina, completely blocking her vision “Completely insane?” Doppler said from a distance that was way too close for Erina. “Hey!” The table turned when they heard Pinkie’s voice shout at them. They turned to find her sticking her head out of the kitchen doorway. “We’re not insane. We have doctor’s notes,” she said as three pink hooves shot out from behind the doorway each holding a piece of paper, each labeled as a doctor’s note with some smaller writing that the group couldn’t make out from the table. “Oh and your snacks will be out in a minute!” Pinkie’s serious face flipped into a happy one in a flash before she disappeared back into the kitchen. “How did sh-” “Don’t ask.” The whole group cut Erina off as she started to ask about what had just happened. And before Erina could even think about what to say or do next Pinkie was back out and had a tray balanced on one hoof. “Alright here we go everypony!” as she set the tray onto the table with ease. “A nice little recovery shake for Gaia, heard about your little scuffle earlier. A couple fresh and nicely filled cannolis for G. A healthy muffin for Flair,” Pinkie fished three things off the platter and put them in front of their recipients. “One small birthday cake for Doppler, don’t give me a look missy we have a big dinner planned for later,” Pinkie said in one take not even having to look in her daughter’s direction as she placed the small cake down in front of her. Much to Erina’s surprise doppler simply shrugged before she dug into the cake with gusto. “Alright and a nice hot and fresh apple fritter for Hope and for our special guest Erina-” Pinkie trailed off as she laid a plate in front of Erina with exactly one cupcake. “We’ll start you off slow. Alright every pony enjoy,” Pinkie said as she ruffled Erina mane before she bounced off back into the kitchen. “Is...is she serious?” Erina said as she looked at the cupcake on the plate in front of her. her questions was apparently funny as it caused everyone else to chuckle. “That a very difficult question to ask about my mom. If I had to guess i would say just a bit yes...a little more so than that no….and just a tad of maybe,” Doppler stopped her consumption of her cake to answer Erina whose eyebrow only rose higher with the answer she was given. “but that doesn’t even make…” Erina stopped herself, remembering the advice she was given and stared at the cupcake. She picked it up and with a slight hesitance when she noticed everyone at the table glance her way, she took a bite. The next moment was pure bliss for her. The small bite she took of her cupcake took her to a nirvana that she had never known before. That taste was heavenly and Erina could feel her body reacting appropriately. Her eyes widened and her mouth went into a lazy smile as she held the cupcake with both hooves in front of her like a squirrel with an acorn. She took smaller and smaller bites, trying to savor every moment and make it last for eternity. And after what seemed like eternity the feeling ended and Erina mind came back to the present and when it did she noticed a couple of things. The first was that she was still sitting but she was no longer at the table or inside of Sugarcube Corner as well. The second thing was that she was moving. “Oh did you finally come out of it?” Erina jerked slightly as she turned and found Hope giving her a comforting smile. "I...wha? Bwuh?” “It’s okay, everyone goes into Postprandial Somnolence during their first trip to Sugarcube Corner,” Hope told her as she walked along side whatever Erina was sitting in. “Post what?” Erina asked not even comprehending the phrase spoken to her. “Food coma,” “Oh...was I really that out of it?” “Oh yeah you barely moved for minutes, just taking small bites out of that cupcake like it was your last meal or something,” Gaia spoke up from ahead and Erina turned to find him walking backwards and facing her. “Heck Aunt Pinkie even took a picture of it!” Gaia didn’t miss a beat as one leg went into his saddlebags and came out with a little square photo. “You look like a foal on Hearth's Warming!” he laughed as Erina took the photo and looked at it. She was sitting straight up, her eyes as wide as dinner plates and staring straight ahead and a content smile as she the cupcake was supported by both her hooves an inch from her mouth. Erina stared at it for a moment before a someone clearing their throat caught her attention. “Oh and don’t worry about there being any copies. I made sure that was the only one,” Flair told Erina as she casually looked at the photo from where she was now walking beside Erina and Hope. “Oh thank you...I’m sorry but I forgot your name…” Erina said sheepishly , feeling embarrassed that she forgot somepony’s name. “Flair, darling. It’s okay I haven’t been very vocal today. I decided to leave everything to the more ‘bombastic’ members of our group and see how things went. And then from there I would decide to act in my own manner accordingly.” Flair explained to Erina whose eyebrows rose slightly at such smart planning “That’s very level headed of you,” “Well someone in this group has to don’t you think?” Flair said with a slight chuckle “Hey that’s not nice Flair. I can be level headed!” Hope cut into the conversation her cheeks puffing up slightly. “Hope sweetie, you freaked out when there was the slightest inclination of us being late and pushed us all to our lockers with a literal wall of magic,” Flair countered and Erina watched as hope froze. Her mouth open and hoof pointing as if to say something but for a few seconds she did nothing until blinked and put her hoof down. “Point taken,” she said and resumed walking. “So not that this conversation isn’t nice or anything but I have a couple questions,” Erina said. “Oh I assume you must. You were out of it for awhile while decided to get on the move again, this time minus Doppler,” Flair responded with a smile. “Well um, first of I haven’t really questioned how I’m still sitting yet moving. And also I was wondering where we were going to next?” "Oh well as for the how, you are in a wagon we got cause we needed to take some things to our next destination. Which if you want to find out where I suggest turning around.” Flair gave a nod and Erina turned around as instructed to find what looked to be some sort of carousel. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chique, unique, and magnifique as my mother would say, she had a thing for rhyming," Erina got out of the wagon as it finally came to a stop, she never realized until then that G had been pulling the wagon this whole time. She had heard of Carousel Boutique before but only of the second store in Canterlot, which her mother and her had visited numerous times. Her mother had told her about the original store and Erina made a mental note to check something off her bucket list whenever she finally got home. “Mom we’re home!” G called out as he picked up the package Erina sat next to in the wagon and Erina watched as the door opened and a unicorn mare walked out to greet them. “Welcome back darlings!” The mare walked up to G who bent down low enough for the mare to wrap her forelegs around his neck and give him a peck on the cheek. “Did you have fun at school dear?” She asked before she let go of the G. “Yeah mom it was a blast,” he told her as she walked over to Flair and gave her a hug as well. “It had it’s charm but i’m sure that over time I could make a few improvements, Flair told her mother as she gave her a hug. “That’s my girl, always looking to spice it up a little,” the mare patted her daughter on the head before looking at the rest of the group. She gave a smile to Hope and a bit of a frown at Gaia after looking over his clothing but when her eyes landed on Eirna she froze for a second. “Well I’ll be last month’s style, this is certainly a surprise!” she smiled as she walked up to Erina looking her up and down. “Oh hello ma’am I’m-” “I know who you are Erina, it’s just been so long,” The mare gave Erina a quick hug. “Last time i saw you you were such a tiny filly bouncing up and down in Trixie’s lap! Oh and please none of that ma’am stuff it makes me feel older than I am, it’s Aunt Rarity you got that?” she ended giving Erina just a bit of a serious glare “Yes ma-er Aunt Rarity,” Erina said “Wait wait wait. Trixie...where have i heard that name before?” Gaia cut in. “Erina Lulamoon…..Trixie Lulamoon…..WAIT I GOT IT! YOUR MOM WAS THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” Gaia shouted as he had a sudden revelation. “ “Gaia sweetie….did that seriously dawn on you just now?” Rarity raised an eyebrow as she looked between Gaia and Erina, Erina’s reaction mirroring her’s. “Well yeah but I can’t be the only one who-” “Figured it out when the teacher said her name in class,” Gaia’s head fell slightly when G called out as he brought the package inside his house. “I knew when we first met her during lunch,” Hope said and Gaia’s head a little more. “Same here ,” There was a quiet thud as Gaia’s head hit grass when Flair also responded. “And everybody else?” Gaia asked, his words coming out a little muffled with his face to the ground. “Well I think we can assume Doppler knew, practically immediately, and Core, Chroma, and Ember I think figured it out on the train.’ Hope said in a cheerful tone, feigning ignorance of her brothers current disposition. “Well while we wait for Gaia to finish his little pity party, I do know someone who would love to see you Erina. Oh Spike dear, come outside. There someone here you haven’t seen in awhile,” Rarity move back towards that house and waited. Erina’s eyes widened just a bit as she saw a shadow approach the doorway from the inside. As it got closer and started to come through she could see purple and green scales shine when the sun hit them just right. “Hi daddy,” Flair said as a dragon made his way through the doorway. “Hi honey, how was your first day of highschool go?” Spike said as got outside, a pair of wings flexing as he got into a more open space. “Oh it went just fine for the most part, I think we’ll all be able to handle it,” Flair answered as Spike reached over and patted her on the head. “That’s my Flair, oh hey Hope hey...Gaia?” Spike praised his daughter and then greeted his niece and nephew, although he ended up slightly confused when he saw Gaia. “What’s wrong with him?” “It has something to do with our guest dear,” Spike turned to his wife to find her pointing just to the right of Gaia. HJe looked to where she was pointing and his eyes went wide. “AH TRIXIE!!!” the dragon back pedaled until his spines hit the house, he reached and with his two claws took hold of Rarity and held her in front of him like a shield. “I DON’T WANT TO BE YOUR STAGE ASSISTANT AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN!” Spike shouted, feeling even more confused when all the reaction he got from the unicorn was a raised eyebrow. “Dad that’s not Trixie,” G said popping his head out of the door. “It...it’s not?” Spike replied lowering Rarity slightly. “That’s her daughter Erina who just happens to be our senior classmate,” “Oh,” Spike looked at Erina again, this time noticing that the color of her coat and mane were completely different from Trixie. “OH well that makes..sense,” “Honey?” Spike suddenly locked up and stared into the distance when Rarity spoke from her position, her voice as cold as ice. he craned his neck down to find Rarity glaring up at him. “Yes Rarity?” Erina slowly got closer as Flair waved her over and as she did she could seen a small sheen of sweat start to break out on the dragon. “Were you by chance using me as a shield, my love?” Rarity asked in a sing song way but still sounded cold. “Well I...uh I didn’t...I wasn’t-” “Put. Me. Down,” each word was heavily pronounced as Rarity gave the order to her husband. Erina could see Spike was now visibly sweating. Slowly he set Rarity down onto her hooves and let her go, only to then use his claws to smooth out her coat. “He doesn’t want to even think about what mom would do if she looked herself over and found one out of place ruffle on her coat,” Flair said to Erina as she watched the spectacle. Erina also found gaia and hope standing beside them chuckling, she herself had to admit it was kind of funny. “Thank you dear,” Rarity told Spike when he finally finished, he bent lower and Rarity returned the action with a peck to the cheek which caused the dragon to blush. And after he finally got over his blush he turned to the group looking at Erina. “So Trixie’s daughter huh?” Erina unconsciously nodded at his question, not totally sure if he was even asking her. “Dang...i’m getting old,” he said causing everyone around him to laugh. “Yes you are Spike, but it’s not making you any less handsome in my eyes. But as much as I think we would love to have time to talk to Erina and ask questions. I think we may be out of time,” Rarity said as she looked towards the town and at the slowly setting sun. “What do you mean Aunt Rarity? We got plenty-” “GAIA’S WILLIAM ALLEN SPARKLE FURY!!! I WANT YOU HOME RIGHT THIS INSTANT!” a voice boomed over everything from a distance, if any looked closely they could find that with the shout that everything shook ever so slightly from the bass produced. “-of time…” Gaia finished his sentence. he turned to his uncle to find him giving a salute as if he was going to go march to his death. “Well I guess we should-” “Wait for it,” Hope interrupted her brother, silencing him for a second before it happened. “AND BRING YOUR SISTER HOME AS WELL!” a second shout happened, this time a little lower than the original. “Ok now we can go! Come on Erina!” Hope said smiling as she began to trot off happily. After a few seconds Gaia began to follow her, although not as happily as his sister. “Before I go,” Erina said turning to Rarity, Spike, Flair, and G and gave a quick bow to symbolize her goodbye. “Can I ask what was that?” he question causing Spike to laugh out loud. “That...” he said in between laughs while wiping a tear from his eye “Was their mother,” he smiled as he saw Erina recognize his words before galloping off to catch up to them.