A beautiful deep purple filly sat reading in the library. Her mane and tail were almost like her mother’s. It was a lovely deep indigo but without the pink and purple stripes. Her purple coat was so dark that the deep indigo of the mane and tail were the lightest coloring on her. She was all but black.
Right now, one could tell despite appearing engrossed in the book, there was a sad look on her cute little face, her mothers didn’t miss it.
“What’s wrong Luna?” asked Cheerilee. “Why aren’t you out playing with your sister and cousin? It’s summer vacation, you should really get out for some exercise.”
“They don’t want to play with me mama,” said the filly, “Cici and Zap say I just keep them grounded and they need to fly so they can learn to be as good as Aunt Rainbow.”
“Oh Sweetie,” said Twilight, “I’ll have a talk with them, they shouldn’t leave you out of their games.”
“But they’re right, I can’t fly,” said Luna, looking away from her book out the window to the sky at ponies flying by. “I can’t do magic like you, I can’t do anything special. I’m just a nothing pony.”
“Honey!” exclaimed Cheerilee, “you aren’t a nothing pony.”
“What makes you say that?” asked Twilight.
“I can’t do anything fun like Pegasi or Unicorns. I have to walk everywhere, I have to pick up things with my mouth.
Just a useless Earth Pony.”
“Excuse me?” responded Cheerilee with a small smile.
“You know what I mean mama,” said Luna. “Pumpkin and Pound won’t even play with me any more,” said Luna, “they say they’re too old to play ‘little foal’ games.”
A tear was rolling down the filly’s face.
“Oh Honey,” said Twilight as she and Cheerilee embraced their daughter.
“Why don’t you go to the kitchen,” said Cheerilee, “Mama T just made some cookies. Go get a couple and some milk. Would that make you feel any better?”
Luna smiled a weak smile.
“I guess,” said the filly, as she went to the kitchen.
“We need to do something to help Luna,” said Cheerilee. “Feeding her cookies won’t fix everything. We don’t want to teach her to solve problems, all she has to do is stuff something in her muzzle.”
“I know,” replied Twilight, “we can’t have our daughter growing up thinking she isn’t anything special just because she’s an Earth Pony. As we know, Earth Ponies are special.”
Twilight kissed her wife letting her know she appreciated Earth Ponies.
Before they broke the kiss, the bell at the library door sounded as the door opened and a mint green Unicorn with lyre cutie mark entered.
“Good morning Lyra,” said Twilight, “how are you doing?”
“I’m doing fine,” said Lyra, “How are you girls today? I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“We’re good, “ said Cheerilee, “just little adjustment issues with Luna. It’s to be expected at this age.”
“Is there something we can do to help you Lyra?” asked Twilight.
“I just wanted to get a music book so I can do some practice,” said Lyra. “I’m looking for something by Trotkovsky.”
“Over this way,” said Twilight.
Twilight pointed out the books and Lyra went about looking them over.
About five minutes later, Luna came back into the main library. Looking at Lyra, the filly smiled.
“Hello Aunt Pinkie,” said Luna.
Twilight and Cheerilee looked at Luna and then at the mint green Unicorn. Lyra had a shocked look on her face, but it quickly turned into a smile.
“Pinkie?” said Twilight and Cheerilee together.
There was a green flash around Lyra then it was Pinkie standing there.
“You got me again Luna!” laughed Pinkie, “I can’t get away with anything around you.”
Luna trotted up to the pink pony and hugged.
“It’s ’k Aunt Pinkie, I love my favorite aunt and I’m always glad to see you,” said the filly.
“And I love my favorite niece,” said Pinkie.
“How do you do that Luna?” said Twilight.
“I don’t know,” said Luna, “I just know when it’s Aunt Pinkie trying to be tricky.”
“And you don’t think that’s special, Sweetie?” asked Cheerilee.
Luna blushed and smiled.
“It would be if there were more Changey-lings around,” said Luna.
“Lets hope that never happens,” said Pinkie with a sad look.
“Why not Aunt Pinkie?” asked Luna.
“Not all Changelings are as nice as Aunt Pinkie.” Said Twilight, “for right now, that’s all that needs to be said.”
“Yes mama,” said Luna. “As long as Aunt Pinkie is nice.”
“I’ll always be nice to my friends and especially my special niece.” Said Pinkie hugging Luna again.
Just then the bell at the door sounded again, alerting to another pony entering.
“Trixie,” said Twilight, “what brings you by?”
“I was looking for my wife,” said Trixie with a smile, “I saw her in the distance change into Lyra Heartstrings, but she was soon out of sight. Then I thought I caught up to her at Sugarcube Corner. I came up behind her and kissed her behind her ear, and then took a bite of her donut then a sip of her coffee, when she said to me.
‘Hi Trixie, sorry but I’m not Pinkie. I saw me go by a little bit ago.’
I nearly fainted from embarrassment! So I bought Lyra a fresh donut and got her a new cup of coffee.
Luckily, Lyra is a pony with a sense of humor. Celestia forbid it to have been Cranky Doodle Donkey!”
All the ponies gathered laughed.
“I should’ve known you’d be here with your little marefriend,” laughed Trixie.
“I caught her again Aunt Trixie,” said Luna.
“I should borrow Luna sometime Twilight, just to keep up with Pinkie.” Said Trixie, “I’m still having to apologize for kissing Muffins!”
“Awww,” said Pinkie with a sly smile and hugging her wife, “Muffins didn’t mind.”
Suddenly it sounded like a herd of buffalo coming down the stair, everypony looked and saw a very pretty white Pegasus filly with pink mane and tail, and a red Pegasus colt with a Rainbow mane and tail. The colt was following the filly like a shadow.
“Celestia, did you and Zap come in through the balcony... Again?” asked Cheerilee.
“Mom,” said Celestia, “it was closer than us having to land and walk.”
“You’ve been told you shouldn’t be going through your mother’s and my bedroom without permission.” Said Cheerilee trying not to get upset about telling her daughter the same thing for the third time this week.
“And there’s nothing wrong with walking.” Said Twilight, “your mother and I’d appreciate it if you’d quit making your sister feel bad because of something she has no control over.”
“I’msorryLuna,CiciandIdidn’tmeantomakeyoufeelbad.It’sjustthatflyingissomuchfun,” said Zap his words running together almost too fast to follow.
“What?” said Twilight, Cheerilee, Pinkie and Trixie.
“Zap and I are sorry,” said Celestia, “we’ll try to make time to include Luna.”
“You’d better, because your mother and Aunt Trixie have been working on a spell which would ground a Pegasus for a week at a time,” said Cheerilee winking at the two Unicorns.
Twilight and Trixie glared at the two young Pegasi, their horns started to glow.
The kids didn’t know if it was an empty threat or if their flight could be taken away.
“Yes mom,” replied Celestia.
“YesMrs.Sparkle,” said Zap.
“Oh mom, did Aunts Celestia and Luna say hello in their letter?” asked Celestia, making sure she changed the subject.
“What letter?” asked Twilight.
At that moment they were interrupted by Spike running in from the outside.
“Twilight! Twilight!” said the dragon, then he stopped. His face contorted and his eyes bulged slightly.
“BELCH!” went Spike.
From Spike’s mouth, green fire issued and when it dissipated, a scroll appeared. Twilight caught it with her magic. It opened and floated in front of Twilight. She read it, Twilight was concerned, there hadn’t been a message like this one in years.
“What is it Honey?” asked Cheerilee.
All eyes were on Twilight.
“Princess Celestia wants all of us to go to Canterlot with our Elements of Harmony as soon as possible.” Said Twilight, “she wants us to bring our foals as well.”
Pinkie and Trixie looked at each other concerned. Trixie hadn’t been with their little group during any of the past happenings except as an adversary.
“I’m coming with you Pinkie,” said Trixie. “I swore to you your fate will be my fate.”
“I want you to,” said Pinkie to her wife.
Then Trixie turned looking at Twilight and smirked.
“Plus you may need the amazing, show-stopping ability of The Great and Powerful Trrrixie!” Said Trixie with her old bravado. Several small and harmless fireworks went off in the library which thrilled the children.
All laughed. Then Twilight looked at the kids.
“Zap Honey,” said Twilight still chuckling, “go find your mom and tell her we’re needed in Canterlot. Tell her it’s important. And tell her to bring her Element of Harmony.”
“SurethingMrs.Sparkle!” said the colt as he rushed to the door and was airborne before he was through the doorway.
Twilight looked at her daughters. With Luna being able to detect Changelings and Celestia always knowing when a letter was coming from the princesses, Twilight started to remember a conversation from the first time she and Cheerilee had shared love with Tia and Lu. There had been many times since, but this was the first time, the one when the princesses wanted to experience Cheerilee and her pregnancy.
Almost ten years earlier, in Canterlot...
‘I can feel your minds,’ thought Tia, ‘you don’t know how to address us after reaching this level of intimacy. In public it’ll be necessary to address us as you have. But alone, and in casual circumstances, we’ll always be Tia and Lu. We’d like it if now you’d consider us as sisters and lovers, but at a much deeper level, not at a carnal self-serving level.”
‘You won’t understand the depth of this now,’ thought Lu, ‘and it’s our wish you don’t fully understand this for a very, very long time, but our minds will forever be linked. This will also have consequences for the near future. You’ll understand in the right time.’
Back in the here and now...
‘So the our minds Lu referred to was not just Cheeri’s and mine,’ thought Twilight remembering, ‘our daughters are connected as well.’
Both Twilight and Cheerilee had noticed they always had some idea what their daughters were up to and where they were. And it appeared the reverse was true. It was the reason she and her wife now chose to make love only after they were sure the kids were asleep.
“Celestia Sweetie,” said Twilight, “there’s a message at the end of the letter to say hello to their favorite nieces and they cant wait to see you.”
Celestia and Luna both smiled.
Then Twilight addressed the adults gathered.
“Pinkie,” said Twilight, “would you fly out to Fluttershy and let her know we’re needed in Canterlot and could she please meet at the train depot. And bring her element as well.
I’ll go and get Applejack and Rarity.
Trixie, would you mind helping Cheeri to watch these little hooligans while I go to Carousel Boutique?”
“I’ll turn them all to toads if they even think of acting up,” said Trixie, the fillies gasped. But the way Trixie laughed, nopony took her seriously. “Pinkie Darling, when you go get your element, would you get my hat and cape while you’re out please.”
There was a green flash, Pinkie changed to Phantasm, she kissed her wife and went to the door and flew off. Twilight kissed Cheerilee and vanished in a flash of purple.
As Phantasm flew in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage, several ponies looked at the dark figure as she flew overhead. Most ponies were used to seeing a Changeling in their midst, and few had a problem with her gruesome appearance, knowing the heart of Pinkie Pie was underneath it all. Plus Ponyville was a town built on tolerance for all ponies.
But there was an unfamiliar dark gray Unicorn pony with gray mane and tail with a butterfly cutie mark who was very interested seeing the Changeling fly over. The stallion looked around him and saw a blue-gray Pegasus mare with crossed golden eyes.
“Excuse me Miss,” said the stallion.
“Hello,” said Muffins, always happy to talk to somepony new. “What can I do for you?”
“I don’t mean to be a bother, but what was that pony that just flew over,” said the stallion pointing at the receding form of the Changeling.
It was hard for the new pony to tell, but Muffins looked in the direction pointed out to her.
“Oh!” said Muffins, “that’s Pinkie Pie. She looks like that sometimes, they say she’s a Changeling.”
“A Changeling named Pinkie Pie?” the stallion said rhetorically, but Muffins thought he was still talking to her.
“That’s the name I’ve always known her by,” said the Pegasus mare, “I heard she has another name, a Changeling name, but I don’t remember it.”
“Do you know where she lives?” said the stallion.
“Of course I do silly!” said Muffins with a chuckle, “I deliver the mail here, in and around Ponyville. She and her wife live at the Pie’s rock farm several miles southwest of town.”
“Her... Wife?” said the stallion even more confused.
“Yes, her name is Trixie Pie,” said Muffins, “a very powerful Unicorn. She was a traveling showpony and a showoff and I’m sorry to say, a bit of a liar. But after a couple of run-ins with Twilight Sparkle, she’s become quite the nice pony and I hear she and Pinkie love each other more than anything.”
“Twilight Sparkle!” said the stallion excited, “so she and this Pinkie Pie aren’t on good terms?”
“Oh no,” said Muffins with a smile. “Pinkie is one of Twilight’s five companions who wield the Elements of Harmony. They, their wives, husbands and foals make up one big happy group. With most of them now related to the Apple Family through marriage or through child’s parentage.”
“So this Twilight Sparkle has a husband and foals?”
“No,” said Muffins, “Twilight is married to Cheerilee Sparkle, a mare. Cheerilee is the schoolteacher in Ponyville. But the two of them have two very beautiful fillies. My daughter Dinky foal-sits for them sometimes.”
“One more question Miss,” said the stallion, “and I’ll leave you alone. Where could I find this Twilight Sparkle?”
“Twilight, Cheerilee, their foals and Spike live in Golden Oak Library, almost in the heart of the city. Big oak tree, you can’t miss it!”