//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Perfect Time for an Origin Story! // Story: Their New Life In Equestria // by HAZESHIFT //------------------------------// Chapter 7: Perfect Time for an Origin Story! “I didn’t know that Princess Twilight knew how to use the Royal Canterlot Voice,” Erina said as she walked between Gaia and Hope trying her best not to laugh at their opposite moods, Hope being cheery and happy while gaia been downtrodden and somewhat miserable. “Oh she’s known it for years, it’s just not a fact Mom likes to make public and so she rarely ever uses it,” Hope told her as she trotted along waving back to ponies who waved as she walked by. “And by rarely ever we mean it’s her ‘you’ve done something wrong voice’,” Gaia added as his mood started to shift back to normal. “So does that mean she only uses it for when either of you get in trouble?” Erina asked. “Well us, our dad, Aunt Pinkie, Aunt Rainbow, Uncle Shiny, Uncle Flintlock, Spike, Discord…” Gaia started rattling off a small list of names, his eyes glazing over slightly as he remembered past event. “Oh and don’t forget the whole house of nobles that one time,” Hope chipped in. “Your mom used it on the entire house of nobles?” Erina gasped slightly, she hadn’t heard of that from her parents. “Yeah something to do with titles and land properties. Apparently it irked her and she yelled at them with it for five minutes straight. She couldn't speak for a week after that...or that’s at least what Dad told us. Whenever we ask her she just segues to a different topic and ignores us,” Gaia said shrugging. Erina just took his answer for what it’s worth and took a moment to think. So far many of her questions had been answered, but there were still a few lingering in her mind. “So I was wondering-” “You seem to be doing that a lot today,” Gaia interrupted her. “You don’t have to be shy, coy, or subtle if you have a question you want to ask just go ahead and ask,” “O-ok. well I was just thinking about how since your physiologically different from your sister, how is it that you use magic?” She asked “Oh that...well the short answer is with my hooves,” he said coming to a stop. He lifted a forehoof and Erina watched as it was consumed in a magical fire like glow, it’s glowing mix of yellow and orange contrasting against his blue fur. “From what my mom was able to figure out, on the inside I’m no different from an Alicorn. All the magic foci are where they need to be and everything but instead of wings and a horn get an extra set of hooves. Although I can’t do magic the normal unicorn way but in a way I can make it look like it,” “What do you mean by-” Erina started to say then stopped herself when she looked up. The glow that she had seen around his hoof now sat on his forehead where she assumed if he were an Alicorn or a unicorn a horn would be. But instead of a blob-ish conical structure Gaia’s magic instead to the form of a brilliant yellow V that ran parallel to his forehead. “And before you ask, no i don’t know why it’s shaped like this. My Dad doesn’t even know. And personally I wouldn’t want to change it even if I could, I think it looks cool,” Gaia said before he relaxed and his magic dimmed and went away causing Erina to realize she was staring. “Ok so you do magic with your hooves...which is why none of those colts were seriously injured I take?” Erina asked as the three began to walk again. “Correct, it’s a spell dad taught me many years ago, helps keep damage to a minimum.” “Damage to the ponies you hit or to the area you’re fighting,” Erina asked and when Gaia did nothing but smirked back she figured that she probably didn’t want a straight answer on that. So instead she chose to ask Hope a question. “So Hope can you also do magic with your hooves as well?” “Oh yeah I can do it both ways, Dad also taught me when Gaia was first figuring it out. He said it would be better for Gaia if he had some competition...you wanna see?” The perk Hope put into asking should probably have tipped Erina off to something but instead her curiosity won over. “Sure why not, a demonstration would be nice,” Hope let out a bit of a squeal when Erina agreed and before Erina could blink hope had spread her wings and flew just a few feet away. She touched down on her back hooves while using her wings to give her balance and keep her upright. She brought her hooves together and pulled them back to her side. “Ka-” Erina was a bit mystified when Hope began to chant something but that all went away once she felt the pull of magical energy and saw it form before her eyes right in the space in front of Hope’s hooves. “Me- Ha- Me-” a small blue ball grew with each syllable Hope said. “HA!” Hope pushed her hooves forward and a the ball of energy turned into a beam and shot into the sky, destroying the few clouds that were unfortunate enough to have floated into its path. “....That was….amazing,” Erina told Hope, her eyes still widened in shock. “Thanks, I know the chanting might have looked weird but dad said you have to do it for effect or at least he said something like that,” “Our dad is weird like that,” Gaia said and Erina nodded in return and once again they were on their way. “So do you have any more questions?” Hope asked as they hit the edge of the market, the library in sight in the distance. “Well I had one more, although I kind of asked Gaia it earlier. It was about if you two were as-” “Hope there you are!” The three of them stopped at the interruption and turned to find a cream colored mare galloping towards them. “Oh hi Ms. Rose! Is there a problem?” Hope said as she moved up to greet the mare. “Only somewhat. I know you and Gaia are heading home but do you think you can-” “Of course I can help. Show me what’s happening,” Rose smiled at Hope’s words and lead her over to a flower stand. Gaia and Erina followed behind, the latter curious as to what was happening. “We just got these flowers to bud but it’s been days and nothing’s happened,” Rose told Hope as she showed her the few small pots. In each was a flower that looked ready to bloom but remained closed. “Are they are rare type of flower?” Hope looked each one over, giving each a small nudge. “No they’re just some of the common types we normally have. This has never happened before with them,” “Ah ok then, I think I know what the problem might be,” Hope smile gave Rose hope and allowed her to step away from the stand as Hope took over. Erina watched as Hope moved the little potted plants closer together. She sat so she was eye level and then she did something Erina had a hard time understanding, she talked to them. Erina blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes just to make sure she wasn’t missing something. “Oh hi how’s it going? Mmhm. Yeah it is nice weather isn’t it?” Erina looked at Hope and then at the other ponies walking around who were looking at the scene and deeming that everything was alright kept on their merry way. “I don’t...what….I can’t…” Erina stood dumbfounded and feared she would finally lose it before she felt a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s ok, calm down. Just take a moment and think. You’re smart just figure it out,” She heard Gaia say and she began to calm down. She wanted to ask a question, but as was the case today before she could ask someone called out. “Ah Gaia there you are! I’m having a bit of a problem. I know you’re in a rush but do you think you could give me a quick hoof?” Erina looked at the stallion calling to Gaia from a few feet away and the large hunk of what she could only assume was marble next to him. “Eh sure why not I’ll give it a crack but no commission this time! I’ve told you a hundred time I don’t need it!” Gaia told the stallion as he walked up to the block and put a hoof to it. Erina watched as Gaia’s eyes seem to glaze over. She remembered from his fight what the presence of his magic felt like. And from the short distance away she could feel it again but this time instead of lashing out is was slowly moving through the slab tracing some kind of pattern all the while Gaia was doing the same thing as his sister was with the plants. Erina quickly looked back to Hope and noticed that the plants she had been talking to had changed they were starting to bloom. Erina eyes widened as she finally came up with an answer to her own question. “Alright that should be it,” Gaia’s words drew Erina attention. He waved the stallion form earlier over and pointed to a single spot on the marble slab. With the edge of his hoof he drew an mark into the stone easily like it was made out of clay. “That’s the spot...and remember no commissions on this. Donate it to charity or something,” he said as he walked back towards Erina, She watched as the stallion stepped up to the slab with a chisel and hammer. He placed the chisel right where Gaia’s mark was and hit it in. The cracks quickly spread outward around the whole of the slab and with a sound Erina never heard before chunks of marble fell away and a rough shape of a statue was in its place. “Hey you’re getting better at that bro,” Erina never noticed Hope walk up beside her and she whipped her head around and if the statue thing hadn’t made her jaw drop the plants did. Not just a few minutes ago the were closed up tight and now they were in full bloom and ready to be sold. “So...you talk to plant? And you talk to rocks?” Eirna said simply, the sentence sounding so weird to say even with what she just witnessed. “That’s a very simplified way of putting it but, yeah kinda,” Gaia responded before he resumed walking towards the library. “Just like him to leave out specifics,” Hope rolled her eyes as she nudged Erina with a wing to get her to start walking again. “Aunt Celestia has the sun and the day. Aunt Luna has the moon and the night. Aunt Cadence has love. Mom has Magic...or Friendship depending on how you like to split it. Even Andromedus, Tesla, and Flurry Heart have their ‘semblances’. That’s what i decided to call them just so you know. But for Gaia and I being twins we get to split one. We get Nature, I get everything that’s organic as you saw with the plants and Gaia get’s everything that’s inorganic,” “Oh really? Is it that simple?” Erina was still a bit too shocked to come up with a better response. She had seen a lot this day but this was clearly what she thought was the icing on the cake. “Well no not really...although I can see your still shocked from well everything that’s happened. It’s not that we can just talk to things like plants, rocks, animals, et cetera. We also draw our power from them and can also give our power to them. It’s a unique experience even with the half lock on our powers and magic,” “Wait...what do you mean half-” Hopes last sentence immediately sounded weird to Erina who asked but for what seemed like the fiftieth time today she was cut off ”Oh look we're finally back!” Erina hadn’t noticed during Hope’s little bit of exposition that they were already back at the library “Yeah and I can already tell that mom’s inside. Let’s just hope she’s not waiting to pounce on me right as I walk through the door,” Gaia said somberly. Erina raised an eyebrow but then she looked at the door more closely and found that there were cracks in it radiating out from the door knob. I’ll take the brave first steps inside and show Erina around as much i can while you fix the door Hope,” Gaia opened the door and stood aside to let Erina in first. Stepping through the doorway Erina didn’t quite know what to expect. BUt as she finally got her first good look at the inside of the house/palace/library it was the first time this afternoon that her words did not fail her. It wasn’t grand or extravagant. It wasn’t decorated with the most expensive tapestries, pottery, or shiny baubles. Although it did appear to be a little larger on the inside than the outside. She could see the several room the made up the ground floor. There was obvious library section where it was pretty much wall to wall bookshelves. The second area she saw was a kitchen on the opposite side from the library and in between them where there wasn’t a hallway or something else was what she guessed was the living room which had some nice and comfy looking furniture in it. “Was this what you were expecting?” Gaia asked as he took off his saddlebags and set by a small table next to the biggest couch in the room. “Honestly I think after awhile I stopped trying to expect things. Do you mind if i have a seat?” Erina slid her saddlebags off as well as Gaia waved to the couch as he walked off to the kitchen. “Yeah Mom and Dad aren’t exactly the fancy Canterlot elite ‘everything needs to be sparkling white marble with gold trim and the most expensive stuff to go with it!’ kind of ponies. I’m pretty sure that Dad wanted all the furniture to be beanbags but Mom wouldn’t have it,” Erina said laughing to herself as Erina climbed up onto the couch. When she had looked at it the couch did look comfortable but now that she was sitting on it she began to think her guess was wrong. While there was a softness to it she could feel she also felt some kind of hard bits. She poked around with her hoof just to make sure she wasn’t imagining anything and sure enough when she pressed down she felt some kind or round hardened bumps. “Well I don’t mean to be that ‘filly’ but maybe your dad might have had a point. There seems to be something kinda weird in the couch.,” “First of all it’s ‘on’ the couch. And second, sorry I don’t have the muscle consistency and density of a pony or stuffed animal,” A new voice coming from below her made Erina tense up. Slowly she turned her head to the right and looked down. The first thing her eyes locked on was another eye staring up at her from the corner of its vision. And without a moment's thought she screamed and jumped at least a foot into the air and managed to tumble over the edge. Thankfully though Erina did not land on solid wood or crystal but on a rather fluffy pillow.. Erina guessed it was just good luck but that train of thought stopped when she noticed a shadow fall over he. She looked up to see the figure of whatever she had been sitting on/she took in his brown mane and weird colored skin and she watched as two limbs reached towards the ceiling as he stretched and it wasn’t until that she saw that the figure didn’t have hooves but instead had hands that Erina once again to remember the old story her father had told her years ago. ____________________________________________________________________________ “Daddy?” “Yes sweetie?” “You said in another story that there was this being in Ponyville...what did he look like?” “Well sweetie, unlike us ponies he stands on two legs which makes pretty tall,” “As tall as princess Celestia?!” “Just about last time I checked. But he doesn’t have hooves either, instead he has what he calls hands and feet, think like the claws of a griffin except softer and not as sharp. He doesn't have any fur and his skin is a kind of...pinkish color. He does have a mane although it’s a very plain brown. But I think the most distinctive thing about him is his eyes. That shade of blue just seemingly able to see through you and your intentions…” Erina watched as her daddy stop talking and just stared at the wall for a bit. “Daddy?” Her voice broke her dad's concentration and he realized what he had been doing before smiling at his daughter once again. “Well enough about that. How about we go see what Mommy is doing?” Her father said before she felt herself being lifted by his magic. She giggled in response as her father carried her to find her mother. ____________________________________________________________________________ “Oh hey Dad, I didn’t know you were napping there sorry,” Hope’s cheery words snapped Erina out of her flashback and she once again found herself on her back on a cushion behind a couch with an immensely powerful being standing over her but not yet facing her. “It’s ok Hope, at least you didn’t try the same stunt your brother pulled,” Erina heard him talk to Hope. His voice seemingly normal, it kind of reminded her of her father but without the accent her father had. “Oh yeah we saw the end of that. Oh and if you hadn’t guessed, we have a guest,” Erina guessed that Hope had meant her in her last statement. “Ah yes the one that thinks that I don’t make a very good couch,” Erina winced slightly as the being slowly turned around. When they finally came face to face Erina understood what her father had told her all those years ago. He looked down on her and she could see his blue eyes taking her in, not just her physical appearance but seemingly all of her. “Sorry about the scare earlier but once you said that thing about being uncomfortable it was to hard not to resist. Do you need a hand?” He chuckled before extending a hand down to her. Erina looked at it for a second once again remembering her father’s words before she gave him her hoof and he pulled her to her hooves so she could get off the cushion. “Oh right where are my manners? Introduction, Dad this is an upperclasspony of ours Erina Lulamoon. And Erina this is our Dad, Dan Allen” Erina watched as Dan cocked his head to the side before his eyes went wide. “OH! Trixie’s and Blueblood’s little girl! Man you really grew since last time I saw you!” Erina almost shrieked as Dan excitedly reached for her. And she almost did the same when she felt his hands grab her, lift her, and pull her into a hug. It was at this time that Erina knew what it was like for her stuffed animals when she was growing up….it felt nice. “Ok Dad I think that’s enough now, put her down,” Erina heard Hope say and felt Dan freeze up for just a moment before she felt herself being lowered back to the ground. “Oh right yeah sorry, I’m a bit of a hugger,” Dan said to Erina shrugging. “That’s...okay. So you know my father and mother?” Erina asked after Dan had apologized. “Well yeah we’ve been friends for plenty of years...plus my wife has history with your mother and I have a bit of history with your father,” Dan looked away while scratching the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. “Oh I know all about my mother’s…’altercations’ with princess Twilight. And Father did tell me that something happened between you and him,” Dan winced slightly before looking at Erina with one eyebrow raised. “Oh so he told you about that did he? How much do you know exactly?” “Not much really, he only told it to me as a bedtime story when I was younger and I’m sure he left out lots of details. The most he would ever say is that you ‘taught him a lesson’,” “Oh ok….I guess that a nice way of putting it i mean it’s kinda difficult to tell ...when Gaia will be back with drinks! Hey buddy great time to change the topic of discussion,” And fumbled with his words until he saw his son walk into the room with a tray of drinks balanced on one hoof. Upon being called on and hearing the end of his father’s sentence he looked to his sister with a raised eyebrow. “They were going back and forth about how Dad knows Uncle Blueblood, and what happened between them before we were born,” Hope told him “Oh right that…he probably put him in the hospital if I remember the story correctly. Lemonade?” Gaia shrugged with one extra foreleg and extended out the drink tray with the other, not caring that his father had blanched a bit at his words. Sure Gaia was correct but Dan didn’t exactly want to tell Erina that in a fit of super justifiable rage he had gone completely “HULK SMASH” on her father “Oh..I see,” Erina said as she accepted the drink. She took a long sip, not looking at Dan as she seemed to enjoy the drink. “Well I guess that was to be accepted,” She said after the sip giving Dan a polite smile before once again taking a seat on the couch, although this time without sitting on someone. “Look Erina, I can understand if you’re mad, justifiably so. But the thing is th-” “Oh I’m not mad,” Erina interrupted Dan as he sat in a chair across from her. Hope pulling herself up on to the other side of the couch while Gaia wandered back to the kitchen to put the tray away. “Uh what?” Dan asked confused “Well when I was a much smaller filly I might have believed what Daddy told me but i like to think that i’ve become more intelligent and aware of the little lies parents tell their children. Plus I spent some time in the royal library and look things up a couple of years ago. Medical records don’t lie,” Erina responded to Dan who gave her a bit of a blank stare. He opened his mouth to respond but the whole scene was interrupted when a nearby door slammed open. Erina along with everyone else turned to the doorway and the pony now standing under it, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Erina had never met her officially, only seen her from afar and in pictures but up close she it was a completely different experience. She could see some of the resemblance from Gaia and Hope that had been passed down through her. Her purple mane with a pink streak in her bangs. Her longer regal looking horn, majestic wings, and somewhat tired looking eyes. Erina watched as she quickly scanned the room before his eyes locked on Gaia and the tiredness turned to fire and rage, Gaia giving an audible gulp when he locked eyes with his mother. “Gaia, there you are. How was your first day of high school?” She smiled what looked like a motherly smile but Erina could see the traces of anger behind it as well as a bit of rage in her words. “Oh hey Mom, school was great, there were a couple little hiccups but nothing I couldn’t handle,” Gaia replied nervously. “A couple of hiccups? Care to explain what they were?” Twilight asked her son and pressed forward a little slowly closing the gap between them. Even though Gaia was big for his age Twilight still had a bit of height on him due to her being an Alicorn and being able to grow taller than most normal ponies. “Well I accidently bumped into someone before we got into the building, then Hope had a bit of a fit when Apple Core used the ‘T’ word, and then there was this thing with this one colt during lunch...and I think that’s about it,” Gaia said recounting some things from his day, though Erina noticed the his mother looked a little nonplussed, like she was expecting something more. Erina felt like she should say something but she wasn’t sure about her timing. “Oh, is that all?” Twilight Asked again. Dan and Hope exchanged glances with one another while this took place and slowly started retreating to an acceptable distance. “Well that’s all that happened during school...after school on the other hand…” “Is this the part where you tell me why and how you picked a fight with twenty other colts, twelve of whom happen to belong to noble families?” Twilight’s tone finally changed from curious to angry, her smile flipped into a frown and the aura around her changed some much the Erina unconsciously took a step back. “Well actually it was a fight with one colt...and then he happened to bring nineteen more colts with him after I scared him off the first time. See during school there was this thing with a filly, and this colt just wouldn’t let it go and then after school he followed her so I followed after him and then-” “Oh so this was over a filly? You sent twenty colt to the hospital with varying injuries over a girl? Did you even think about the consequences of you actions beforehand? I had the parents of each one of them in my ear shouting as soon as they heard the news from the guard that reported it. I couldn’t say that I wasn’t expecting this but still-” “Um...excuse me?” Erina finally broke her silence bringing the attention of Gaia and Princess Twilight onto her. Unlike Gaia who she had been around all day Princess Twilight had a completely different presence about her. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but even though everything Gaia is saying is technically true but he is leaving crucial details out. First off I was the one he bumped into before school started which somehow inadvertently through a couple other weird series of events led to us sitting together at lunch where this colt came up to me and tried to include me in his crazy plans once again. I rebuked him but as he kept pushing on Gaia stepped in between us and eventually did the same thing after school. So it’s my fault that Gaia got into a fight and I feel like I should apologize for causing you any trouble for my actions and inactions,” Erina said not noticing how quiet the room was around her while she spoke. She gave a slight bow at the end then looked up to find Princess Twilight staring with a bit of surprise. “Oh yeah introductions. Mom this is Erina. Erina this is my mom, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and all other titles.” Gaia said stepping in between the two. “After the fight and after the guards and Andromedus showed up to do ‘clean up’ we headed for the train and Erina followed us and the train left when she started doing this semi-threatening I want answer routine. And the once we were on our way Doppler decided that we should show her around Ponyville,” Gaia told his mom while making some vague hoof gestures thinking everything was ok before he looked at his mom and noticed that she was now staring into space slightly with an emotionless look. “Uh...mom?” Twilight slowly turned and walked over to a bookshelf. Everyone glanced at each other as she slowly came to a stop, her magic flicking on and a tendril of magic reached up and grabbed hold of a picture frame. Erina never got a good luck of what the picture was before it reached Twilight’s hooves and she cradled it to her chest. “Uh kids? Maybe you should give Erina a tour. I think your mom might be having a mi-” Dan never finished his sentence as a violet aura wrapped around his shirt collar and forcefully pulled him to Twilight, dragging him across the ground. “He’s just growing up so fast,” Twilight said as Dan came to a stop a few inches from her. Dan looked up to find her with tears in her eyes as she was holding a picture of both Gaia and Hope as foals. “Where did the time go? It seemed just like yesterday i was grooming him and teaching him how to control his magic and now-” The words were caught in her throat as she began to have a breakdown. Dan managed to get to his elbows before his head was caught in her aura and he was pulled in face to face with Twilight. “And now it’s his first day of highschool and he’s already bought a filly home!” Twilight yelled dropping the photo and grabbed Dan’s head with both forehooves. Gaia and Erina who had moved along with hope to a hallway off the main area poked their heads back in when the heard Twilight’s exclamation. Both of them looked wide eyed at the scene Twilight was creating before looking at one another. “Ok Dad was right, mom’s not in the best mindset right now. Agree to forget everything we just heard and move on?” Gaia asked as he watched his mother break into crying hysterics. “Agreed,” Erina replied turning around and started to follow Hope down the hallway they were in which was lined with various pictures. Erina had to keep track of which one was which hough as some were just normal family photos with Twilight, Dan, Gaia, and Hope posing with smiles while other were more of the family in different situations that most ponies would not consider normal. Erina also noticed that these photos were dated and as she went along the dates started to go backward and she watched the family get younger and younger. It wasn’t until the end of the hallway that Erina came across two photos that made her stop. Side by side they sat and if anyone just passed by without thinking then nothing would would come of it but if you were actively looking like she was then your thought process came to a halt. In the first photo was Dan and Princess Twilight sitting on one side of a table alongside Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor and on the other side sat the leader of the Changelings, Queen Chrysalis. Erina looked at the timestamp on the photo and if she remembered her current history correctly, then this was when the Changelings made peace with Equestria. The photo next to it was time stamped similarly but was much more personal. Twilight Sparkle was laid up in a hospital bed looking disheveled and like she had been through Tartarus. Dan was next to her looking like he did in the previous picture, A little roughed up with some medical bandages wrapped around him in various spots. And just beneath them were two small bundles. Erina strained her eyes to focus on the two little bundles and after a minute she was able to make out two little newly born foals one sleeping peacefully with a pair of wings and a horn and another stretching four fore legs to the sky. “You two were born on the day the the signing of the Changeling Peace Treaty?” Erina asked looking between the two pictures, becoming a bit puzzled when he saw on the timestamp that the picture of the signing was later than the picture of the one with the foals. “Oh yeah like minutes before. Mom still says that giving birth to us was the more stressful part of that day,” Hope said looking at the picture with a fond smile. “Yeah with the way Dad tells us we were the whole reason he ‘convinced’ Aunty Chrissy,” Gaia said while laughing not noticing the stare Erina was now giving him. “Ok two question. First, Aunty Chrissy? And secondly, would you care to elaborate on that?” “Well I could but it would just be easier to show you,” Gaia said walking over to a door and opened it Erina followed him inside and watched as he moved over to the wall where some kind of panel with. With a quick few presses the room lit up and Erina found herself in a small home theater room. “Welcome home Gaia and Hope,” A voice called out from nowhere frightening Erina causing her to jump and inadvertently land on a nearby pillow. “Wha! Who? Huh?” Erina head whipped around as she looked for the source of the voice not caring about the snickering of the twins. “Well looks like you scared another visitor Jarvis,” Gaia said and Erina watched as a small sphere of light came out of the panel on the wall. “Sorry about startling you miss Erina and I also apologize for not greeting all of you when you entered the house, your father had Elise and I working on something together,” “Eh no problem Jarvis it's fine...although I think you're still mysticizing Erina,” Hope said as The globe floated in the air before a book passed through it. Erina craned her neck in several directions as she used her magic to pass a book through the globe,” “Well it wouldn’t be the first time that this has happened...although not by someone of your age,” Erina stopped the book when she figured that the globe was talking to her. “Although I’m not sure how Elise will take your actions. “Who’s Elise?” Erina asked before she felt a little bit of a strain against her magic. With a slow and seemingly practiced turn. The book she had been using had now opened and on the screen in large yellow letter read the word ‘Hello’. Erina looked at the word before closing the book and setting it down on the coffee table next to her before finding a seat on the pillow she had jumped to when Jarvis had spooked her. I’m a calm yet strained voice she said “So what did you want to show me exactly?” asking Gaia as Hope floated over a small tray of snacks and drinks. “Oh right,” Gaia realized “Hey Jarvis can you play our birthday tape?” “The whole thing?” Jarvis asked. “Yeah from the beginning. It’ll help give some context,” Gaia said before finding his own pillow. Erina looked to the screen in front of them as it lit up and whatever Gaia wanted to show her started. The tape began to play and the first thing she saw was the room of a library, she guessed it was the sometime before this house became part palace. ____________________________________________________________________________ “Oh hey I finally got the camera working!” Erina heard Dan’s voice come from somewhere off camera before everything on screen started to move, she guess that most of this was going to be from his point of view. “Hey Twilight I finally got it!” the screen shook as It was moved throughout the library until Twilight came into view, she was younger and just a bit smaller than Erina had seen minutes ago. “Twilight smile and look pretty for the camera!” Twilight turned to face the screen her smile showing off the amount of sarcasm she could give off with a stare “Oh look pretty huh? I thought you said I always look pretty?” Twilight said and Erina felt like she could feel Dan’s shoulder’s slump. “Don’t twist my words back on me. Anyway what do you think, just in time for Hearth’s Warming! Now we can start having a bunch of home movies full of embarrassing moments of our friends, families, and us,” the camera moved closer and closer to Twilight as he spoke giving an extreme close up of her face as he finished to which she just rolled her eyes before pushing the camera back a little. “Yeah yeah I get it you big goof now go make sure you’re packed, we’re leaving for the Crystal Empire tomorrow,” She said and Erina could she her horn light up. “Hey using magic isn’t fair put me down!” The screen stayed still as the camera was put on the floor gently and then Dan floated into view suspended in a magic aura before he was moved of screen. “Jarvis shut off the camera,” Twilight said before walking away and there was an abrupt cut in the film. The next scene was more festive as it came to a very big Hearth’s Warming setup. “Alright everybody camera’s on so remember if you do something dumb it’s recorded forever,” the camera view swung until a large group of ponies came into view. Erina could see the everypony sitting next to a large group of unwrapped presents and another large pile of crumpled wrapping paper. “And if anybody wants to ask why we’re doing this for the last presents it’s cause i don’t want to have to fast forward through this in the future,” “Hey Dan have you seen Flurry Heart?” the camera turned and focused on Cadence and then immediately turned back to the pile of crumpled wrapping paper and a hand pointed to it before the pile started to shift and then a small head popped out from the top with a piece of paper stuck to her little horn. “Oh,” Cadence moved in front of the camera and plucked Flurry from the pile a quickly cleaned her up before the camera moved again and was now focused on the group of ponies. “Ok everybody I’m next,” Twilight stood up and moved over to the large Hearth’s Warming tree which still had a good amount of presents left under it. Twilight magics lit up and quickly an envelope floated out from somewhere under the tree and up to the camera. “Dan this is for you...it’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while,” The camera looked between the envelope held in Dan’s hand. “...ok?” Slowly another hand came into camera view and opened the envelope. With what seemed like torturous pace Dan pulled out the contents of the envelope. Once they were out Erina eyes went wide, they were ultrasound photographs. She could see Dan’s hands shaking slightly as the camera panned back up. “T-Twi-Twilight?” Dan’s voice was shaky and Erina had to wonder if Dan was even holding the camera anymore. “They’re real Dan,” Twilight eyes were watering slightly and Erina could imagine Dan’s were the same since he wasn’t in frame. Mostly everyone around them looked confused before the whole room burst with yelling. Everypony in the room descended on Twilight with hugs, kisses, congratulations, and everything else they could think of. Meanwhile Dan and the camera view few of the had apparently realized what was going on and moods were changing quickly. “Remember when I went to the doctors a week ago? Well i went to confirm that...I’m pregnant,” There was a quick and sudden silence as all attention was brought unto Twilight before the hadn’t moved. “Dan?” the happiness on her face faltering slightly at the lack of anything from her husband. Slowly Erina noticed something was happening, the camera view was slowly tilting to one side it kept going and Erina saw Twilight look change again this time to a bit more confused than sad. The tilting grew faster until Erina realized what was going on. Within the span of the second the whole camera view turned sideways and the ground rushed into camera view. “DAN!” Twilight shouted and moved towards the camera as the screen blacked out. ____________________________________________________________________________ “What exactly just happened?” Erina turned to ask gaia who was snickering at the on screen events. “Well Dad says that he slipped but form the way mom tells it Dad was hit with so many emotions that his body shut down and he passed out on his feet and fell over like a freshly chopped tree...although she wasn’t sure if there was a sound effect to go with it,” Gaia said while trying not to burst into laughter. “We believe Mom for this one, but for the rest of it the video is proof enough,” he said pointing back to the screen. ____________________________________________________________________________ The video came back to the inside of the library but this time the pace was much faster. Dan was rushing around and breathing frantically as as hand reached out to grab a bunch of item and shoved them into a bag. “Gotta hurry gotta hurry,” “DAN!!!” a yell caused Dan turn turn quickly causing everything in the camera to blur. On a cushion sat Twilight except now she looked much bigger than before the video had cut out previously. Her stomach was swelled considerably and she looked like she was very much in pain. Erina guessed that this would be the day that Gaia and Hope were actually born. With a shaking hoof Twilight pointed over to a bag a few feet from her and Dan seemed to get that she had already packed for this. “Ok good everything’s packed, now let’s get you to the hospital!” Dan’s magic grabbed the bag and brought it to him as he moved over to Twilight and gently lifted her. “Are you seriously recording this?”” Twilight voice was strained as she asked looking straight into the camera, Erina felt like she could see the pain Twilight was in as she went into labour. “Now’s not the time to ask questions hun, just focus on your breathing,” Dan responded as he quickly but gently got her outside. The Camera pointed to the sky as he stretched out a hand and fired a blast of magic into the sky. Seconds later the blast exploded like a firework that took the shape of Twilight’s Cutie Mark. Seconds later two streaks could be seen approaching, one rainbow and the other silver. Rainbow Dash And Swift Gale came to an abrupt stop a few feet away looking ready as if they were prepared for this situation. “Crystal Empire, Canterlot, meet you guys at the hospital afterwards,” Dan said pointing to Rainbow Dash and then Swift Gale. The two gave a quick salute before they left as fast as they came. “Ok now on to the hospital,” What followed next was a long section of Dan hurriedly carrying Twilight to the Hospital, ponies being shooed out of the way and many diving out of the way themselves until Dan booted the doors to the hospital open and was met with a large group of all their friends and a ready bed for Twilight. “Hey everypony nice meeting you here,” Twilight attempted to joke but was cut off from laughing when she suddenly grabbed her stomach. “Oh there’s a contraction,” a nurse was by her in a second with a stopwatch to time her as they began to move her to the delivery room. The sudden crack of a sonic boom had Dan turning around as Rainbow Dash came to a skidding halt outside the hospital. A few feet from her two sets of magical pops went off and Shining Armor, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Twilight’s Parent’s, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia appeared each with different emotions playing across their faces. “Just in time-” Dan was cut off as they could all hear Twilight scream from outside. Dan immediately spun around and headed inside to the delivery room. A he passed by a nurse she handed him a robe which he quickly slipped on. He came into the delivery room as something move past his face and crashed into the wall behind him. “YOU!” Twilight was laid up in bed, hooked up to all the instruments she needed to be and her hind legs in stirrups. Her horn lit up and he was pulled forward till he was inches from her face. “WHERE WERE YOU!” her voice blasted, her hair was disheveled and every once in awhile she winced in pain. “Just waiting for everyone to get here hun. Everybody is here waiting to meet our new little bundle of joy, everything's gonna be okay. Here squeeze my hand if it hurts,” Twilight immediately grabbed his hand and squeezed it like she was trying to juice it. “Ok who’s ready to have a baby here huh?” The doctor walked in and Twilight glared at him which cause his happy demeanor to falter slightly. “Ok let’s see what we got here,” he moved to the head of the bed and began to look Twilight over. “Oh yes everything progressing along just fine….except-” “Except what!?” Twilight growled. “Well you seem to be progressing a bit faster than a normal mare. So unfortunately i think you’re past the point where we can give you an epidural,” the doctor said and immediately regretted as every instrument the was not fastened down began to float in a magenta aura. “Surely you don’t mean that doctor. Surely you just misspoke and I’m just in time to have an epidural?” Twilight’s said as she spasmed in pain every once and awhile. “I uh...I uh...I’m sorry Princess Twilight but you’re going to have to give birth the natural way,” “OH YOU’VE GOT TO BE F-AAAAAHHHH” Twilight scream and Erina could hear Dan grunt as his hand was squeezed tightly. “OH my! Let me take a look,” The Doctor looked again and quickly came back up. “Ok I was right you are progressing faster than normal. It’s time to begin your first set of pushes, get ready and push!” Twilight grunted and her magic spasmed out of control and whatever she had lifted crashed to the floor, Dan tried his best to stay calm but this was turning into a mini battle ground. “Ok Twilight just breathe, remember the breathing exercises,” “Oh screw you and your breathing exercises!” she yelled before grunting as she began pushing once again. “You don’t have to go through this-this nightmare of pain. This is ALL YOUR FAULT!,” She yelled at him and gripped his hand hard enough that Dan began to feel his bones creak under the pressure. “Ok I think we’re getting close, keep pushing princess, The Doctor said from his position “Twilight can you let up on the squeezing,” “Oh why does it hurt too much? IS THAT IT!” Twilight said as she seized Dan by the neck in her magic in her magic bringing him face to face. “I don’t wanna hear about pain from you! You don’t have to deal with this! Next time you're the one that get’s to carry the foal!” she yelled as she pushed and choked him at the same time the camera view bobbing up and down as he shook slightly. “Pin-kie Pie!” Dan was able to choke out the name and hoped she would appear. “Oh hey Dan, Twilight. How’s it-” Dan was able to wrap a hand around her muzzle to silence her when she magically appeared, Twilight didn't seem to care as she was still choking Dan and pushing. “Camera,” Dan sputtered and managed to hand the camera to the pink mare just in time for it to show him grasping at Twilight’s magic around his neck. “Ok I’m starting to see a head, get ready princess,” “I’VE BEEN READY YOU IDIOT! GRAAH!” Twilight pushed and the magic around her horn surged and Pinkie who was now holding the camera watched as thanks to the surge, Dan was launched through the wall of the delivery room and through several other walls. Several worried ponies looked in two directions, into the delivery room where Twilight was giving birth and through the several nice sized holes that Dan had left in his wake. Pinkie focused the camera on the holes for a bit before a newborn cry caused her whip around quickly. “It’s a girl!” The doctor shouted as nurses came over quickly to handle the little foal obstructing Pinkie’s view. “Wait hold on there's more keep pushing princess!” a few seconds later a second cry came to and Pinkie heard several gasps through the hole in the wall and that was when that part of the tape ended. Next thing Erina knew that video had started again and this time it was focused on Dan lying in a hospital bed with the bandages she had noticed from the earlier picture. “Ok Doc, hit him with the smelling salts,” Pinkie Pie said from behind the camera. A doctor walked up to the unconscious dan holding something in his hoof. The doctor reached up and put whatever he held in front of Dan’s nose. In a split seconds Dan’s eyes snapped open and he bolted upright, oblivious to any injury he might have had. He looked straight at the camera before he looked to his side and noticed a giant hole in the wall. Realization must have hit him hard because he launched himself out of the bed and out of the room through the hole. Pinkie followed behind him, the camera going up and down in arcs. Dan skidded around a corner and once the camera came around he stood in front of a large group of ponies all seemingly waiting for him outside the door. All of them quiet and smiling. They all parted as he moved towards the door, each putting a hoof on him as he walked by as a silent congratulations. He slowly turned the knob and stepped through, Pinkie following behind him while masterfully working the camera. Dan took a step into the room and froze. Twilight lay in the bed, not noticing his presence yet, her presence was still on the two little bundles huddled close to her. “Go, silly,” Pinkie whispered and a hoof reached out to shove at Dan’s leg. He took a slow step forward and then another and another till he stood next to the bed and Twilight's smiling gaze finally broke free and she smiled up at Dan. “Go on, they won’t bite,” She said as she noticed Dan’s hesitation. She reached out towards one of the bundles and slowly removed the blanket from it. The camera captured Dan as his breath hitched in his throat as he caught sight of the horns and wings and the wisps of a green mane. “Meet your daughter, Nature’s Hope,” Twilight gently lifted the filly and Dan held out his hands which Erina noticed were shaking slightly. Dan lifted her closer to his face and watched as the filly slept without a care in the world. “And this-” Dan gaze broke when Twilight spoke again and now Dan shifted Hope into the crook of his arm as he looked down once again. “Is your son, Gaia’s Fury,” Dan looked down looking at the little blue ball of fur who choose that moment to yawn and then stretch showing off his extra arms. Twilight once again lifted the foal up and Dan carefully took hold of him, holding him in the opposite armas his sister. Erina had to admit it was an adorable scene. Dan slowly moved over to one of the chairs in the room and sat down, cradling his newborn foals to his chest. His eyes never leaving their tiny forms as the huddled closer to his chest for warmth. Pinkie chose that moment to look to the door. Many ponies slowly filtered in, Celestia coming in last as to not block anyone. Erina wasn’t sure if Dan knew they were standing there since he hadn’t looked up at all since he sat down. Then something unexpected happened, a nurse squeezed into the room, and she didn’t look nearly as happy as anyone else in the room. She nervously moved over to Princess Celestia. She knelt down when the nurse showed that she had something to say. As she whispered into the Celestia’s ear the smile slowly faded from her face. Without a word she rose and motioned to her sister, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Slowly they left the room and the camera turned back to Dan who was now looking at the four who left. He looked down at his kids smiling as he sighed. With care he stood up and walked back over to Twilight, giving each one of them a quick peck on their forehead before gently handing them back to their mother. He looked up from them into Twilight's eyes before giving her a kiss and heading for the door. Pinkie followed him as he strode out into the hallway and straight up to the princesses and Shining Armor. They took no time to notice him and Princess Celestia was the first to speak up. “Dan this is something we can-” She never got to finish as Dan held up a hand. Pinkie moved the camera back and forth between them two as the stared at each other in silence before Dan spoke. “Who?” he asked noticing how everyone seemed to look towards the entrance of the hospital. Celestia sighed before she joined everyone in looking. “Chrysalis, and she’s not alone either. A sizable contingent of changelings have seemingly surrounded the hospital,” Dan ran a hand through his hair and sighed before he said “Ok then, here’s the plan,” He said as he started walking towards the front of the hospital the others falling in behind him. “Pinkie you stay inside with everyone else, the rest of us will head outside and Shining will put a shield around the hospital,” “And then what?” Princess Luna asked while switching between calming ponies down as they past and paying attention. “I’m just going to have a nice brief chat with her and then we’ll be all fine, Dan said causing everyone else to stop and raise an eyebrow at his statement. But he didn't bother to look at their reaction he just walked to the door and walked out. PInkie watched as Shining Armor and the Princesses followed him through the door and she moved up to a window to look outside. The sky was still as blue and sunny as when they had all gotten there but now there was a bit more black seeing as how a bunch of changelings hung in the air, their wings buzzing continuously. Form where she was Pinkie pointed the camera directly at the only changeling she recognized, Queen Chrysalis was in front off all her changelings with a smug grin. She was looking down at the group that slowly walked out from the hospital “Hey Jarvey, do you think you could-” “Make sure we could get audio from the outside, MIss Pie? I am already on it,” Jarvis’ voice came from out of thin air like usual “Aw thanks Jarvey, you’re such a nice AI, remind me to say something nice about you to Elise later,” Pinkie said with a giggle. “Setting a reminder for later, Miss Pie,” “Jeez you’re literal...any-who shh! It’s starting. Pinkie said As Chrysalis landed in front of the group and began speaking and thanks to Jarvis, Erina was able to hear what she was saying. ____________________________________________________________________________ “Well well well what do we have here? Have you all just decided to surrender and save me the trouble of conquering all of you?” Chrysalis said as she laughed to herself. “And to think nobody thought I would bide my time and wait till one of my most hated nemeses was incapacitated with something so stupid as giving birth to-” “OK! I’m gonna stop you right there!” Dan called out interrupting the changeling queen who looked surprised that someone dared to speak up. “Ah so you’re the creature I’ve been hearing so much about. So what tell me what’s your plan of action here, human?” “Oh well that’s easy, You along with Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor are going to sit down and work out terms of peace between changelings and ponies,” the speed at which everyone’s neck whipped around to look at Dan looked fast enough to cause whiplash.. Celestia was the only one out of the group whose mouth wasn’t hanging open. Chrysalis sputtered for a little before speaking again. “Oh you truly have a sense of humor like they say. So tell me, give the me the how and why of what I’m assuming is a hastily put together and pitiful plan,” Chrysalis laughed to herself as she stared down at Dan “Oh no plan really i’m just hoping to appeal to appeal to your parental sensibility,” “Oh really? And what makes you think that’ll work?” “Well I’m assuming you’re only doing this out of concern for all the other changelings, being that you feed on emotions and such. Am I right in that regard?” he paused to wait for her to nod and when she did he continued. “Now in a situation like this we both have a bit of common ground. As you probably know now and have planned, I just became a father. Right now my wife is laid up with my two literally brand new foals. And I’ll admit that there might be a little bias when say that they are the cutest things in the world. Now put yourself in my shoes Chrysalis, do you honestly think that there is any way in tartarus that I’m going to let you or your changelings lay a single hoof on them, their mother, and my family and friends?” Dan fist tightened and flames erupted around them, his eyes and hair went as white as Celestia and his neutral stare turned into a scowl that made Erina scoot back a little from her spot. “Now listen, I’m doing this whole peace thing because your only option is to fight me, and I’d really advise against that cause i will not hold anything back. I will decimate your forces And i will make you watch as I BLEEP BLEEP your precious little children and BLEEP BLEEP-” ____________________________________________________________________________ What’s going on?” Erina asked as Dan’s word were bleeped out with increasing frequency with the odd word being not bleeped and leaving her feeling confused. “Dad put some content blocks on some things because some of what he said was a bit...well the bleeps should give you an idea,” Gaia said over the video as his Dad kept going. “He just didn't want any young, impressionable, and curious foals learning some new words and then accidentally saying them at the dinner table,” Hope said chuckling as her father words were looking like they were having an effect on Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. Most of the changelings had stopped buzzing their wings and were now on the ground, some with jaws open in shock and other looked like their queen who was greener than usual like she was going to be sick.. ____________________________________________________________________________ “ AND THEN I”LL TAKE THE BLEEP-ING GROUND UP JELLO BLEEP AND MAKE YOU EAT THEM AND YOU’LL BEG THAT-” “Enough!” Chrysalis shouted, as tears formed in her eyes. “That’s enough...peace...please...I want peace please. Just...none of that...please,” Several changeling ran over to her and hugged her in fright as Dan stood in front of them, his aura as imposing as ever. “Alright ok, that’s good then,” And just like that Dan dropped his magic and went back to normal, his scowl changed back into a smile. “Alright then well then you should talk that out with them, I’m gonna go back and cuddle the crap out of my wife and kids,” Dan turned around and walked back towards the hospital as Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor walked forward a Chrysalis who was now slightly crying as she cradled a sobbing changeling ____________________________________________________________________________ “And that’s pretty much our origin story, we could show you more, like stuff about our magic surges, when we finally got better control of it, and how I learned to walk with an extra set of hooves. But unless you wanna be here for another...week and a half-” “A week and a half?” Erina asked “Dad liked to film a lot,” Gaia shrugged. “That’s completely true,” Dan said from the doorway causing the kids to jump. “Heck there was actually one more big surprise that happened that day. But it requires a bit of backstory about me, Chroma’s mom; Swift and another member of my guard squad. So I’ll save it for another time,” Dan said as the held the door open for the three as they moved out into the hall. “Well Twilight’s finally calmed down. So how about we try introductions again and then get you back home Erina?