Cotton Candy scrambled about, trying to make everything perfect. As Pecan Pie busily added her own special flair to the decorations, Allegrezza hung the stage lighting, while Largo set up his sound system.
Spike stood sentinel over the food spread on the service table, ever since he’d overheard his grand-nephew mention how “bitchin’ it would be” if somepony put a little rum in the punch.
In less than five hours the small team had transformed the community hall into what would be, in Pecan’s words, the best birthday party ever!
Cotton had originally been disappointed; many of the girls at her new high school were only interested in attending the birthday party when they believed it would be hosted at the castle. When the invites went out, she only received a few affirmative RSVPs. Cotton tried not to let it get her down; she wanted to enjoy her sweet-sixteenth. The small, giggling pony next to her—making faces any time Cotton frowned—certainly helped keep her spirits buoyed.
“Pweecam!” Cotton attempted to speak as the little filly squished her cheeks. “Pwease swop zat!”
“Nopey dopey!” Pecan Pie snorted as she squeezed Cotton’s cheeks. “It’s your birthday, and Auntie Pecan says, ‘No frowns allowed’!”
“I’m woo yeaws owder wan woo!” Cotton muttered, trying to escape the filly’s vice-like grip. “Wet we gow!”
“Only if you smile!” Pecan giggled, before stretching forward and licking Cotton on the nose.
“Ahhh!” Cotton screamed. Pecan finally let go and bounced off, giggling as she fled. Cotton smirked as she yelled, “Oh, I’m so going to get you for that, you little brat!”
Spike watched with amusement as Cotton took to the air and chased Pecan around the room. Both fillies laughed as they pelted each other with rolls of streamers.
Pecan Pie giggled as Cotton Candy pinned her to the ground. “Now I got you!” Cotton leaned over the filly, extending her own slobbery tongue. Revenge is a dish best served… moist? Cotton noted with some confusion, that despite the exorbitant amount of sugar consumed by the little earth pony, she had a distinctly ‘woody’ taste.
Pecan stood next to the pegasus with a confused look on her face. “Cotton, why are you licking the floor?”
“Ahhhh!” Cotton screamed again. “How did you—I was just—” Cotton’s eyes went wide in horror. “Oh gross, I licked the floor!”
Spike lumbered across the floor with a relatively tiny glass of punch. “Here you go, sweetie,” he said as he handed the glass to his daughter. “She’s a Pie; don’t ask, don’t question. Too much of her grandmother in that one!” he laughed.
Pecan had already exited the scene, rearranging the fallout from their streamer war in some fashion that made sense only to the pint-sized party pony.
“Lights and sound all good to go,” Allegrezza said as she sat next to Cotton. “Sorry I can’t stay; I have to get back to the dorm. Largo should have everything covered.” Allegrezza wrapped a foreleg around Cotton. “You have a happy birthday!”
“Thanks, Allie.” Cotton wrapped Allegrezza in a wing-hug. “Good luck with your finals.”
“Hey,” Allegrezza chuckled, lifting her chin in mock haute fashion, “I’m a Belle! I don’t need luck; music is in my veins.”
Cotton laughed as she let go of the hug. “Well, good luck anyway.”
“Thanks. See ya, Cotton. Bye, Uncle Spike!” Allegrezza waved as she left.
Ж
Cotton was glad to see her old elementary school friends again; she had kept in contact with them mostly through letters. To her surprise, Crimson Star escorted Tesla Coil to the party, hoof-in-hoof.
Sugar Sprinkles hadn’t changed from the bubbly little filly Cotton knew. Cotton noted that the already puffy filly had rounded out a bit more with age. It made her all the more cuddly to hug, something Cotton did at every opportunity.
Aegis Ward and Starry Knight walked in with a kind of swagger, and immediately laid eyes upon Cotton’s new friends. They probably would have made a move, too, had it not been for the stern look from one of the griffon tiercels from Cotton’s high school.
“Tesla! Wow, I can’t believe it.” Cotton turned to Crimson. “And you didn’t think to mention this in any of the letters you’ve sent me? Hmmm?” Crimson blushed, pawing at the floor, while Tesla laughed. “So, how long has this been going on?” Cotton winked at the blushing colt.
“Since the beginning of time!” Starry replied, smirking at his friends.
Tesla frowned at Starry, ignoring the brohoof he and Aegis shared, as well as Crimson punching him in the shoulder. “I guess you could say a while,” Tesla answered, “but we’ve only officially been going out for a few weeks.” She released Crimson’s hoof and pulled Cotton into a hug. “It’s been so long! I’ve really missed you!”
“Too busy with these Upper Canterlot bigwigs for us, eh?” Aegis chuckled. “Happy birthday, Cotton.”
Cotton giggled. Despite the years since the entire gang had gathered, it felt like they’d seen each other only yesterday. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Cotton led the group across the dance floor to her other friends. “Everyone, these are my friends from Central Canterlot Elementary—this is Aegis Ward and Starry Knight,” Cotton said, beginning the introductions. “And this is Tesla Coil, Crimson Star, and Sugar Sprinkles.”
“You wear colors?” the griffon asked, turning to Crimson. “Who do you run with?”
Tesla laughed as Crimson brushed a hoof against the old blue bandana on his upper foreleg. “Oh, umm, I don’t run with anypony. I just wear this as a reminder.” When the griffon cocked a brow at him, Crimson just said, “Long story.”
Cotton punched the griffon in the shoulder. “I told you, just because there are a few rough ponies downtown doesn’t mean everyone runs in a gang.” She turned to her old friends, as the three mares chuckled at the griffon’s expense.
“Tell that to Boulder and his gang,” Aegis quipped.
“Eh, he doesn’t count,” Crimson argued. “And Brick didn’t turn out too bad.”
“This flock of feathers is Steadclaw,” Cotton laughed, putting a hoof around the flushed griffon’s neck. She then pulled a red-coated pegasus with an orange mane and a white-coated unicorn with a two-toned blue mane into a sidelong hug. “And these are my main girls, Flarechaser and Harmony Wishes.”
Flarechaser started, “Daisy wanted to come, but—”
“Yeah, I know, she told me,” Cotton cut her off. “Family gathering she’s not allowed to miss. Must be an Earth pony thing. Speaking of which, the excited blur is my little cousin Pecan.”
Starry began, “How is she your—”
“Yeah!” a voice bellowed across the hall, cutting off Starry’s question. “The party has arrived!”
Cotton turned just in time to see Holly and Gala burst through the door. She cantered across the floor to meet them. Wearing tinted sunglasses, the two Apples had their manes styled outrageously, spiked with too much hair gel. Cotton laughed at the way the two looked; if only their grandmother could see them right now!
“Heya, cuz!” Holly grappled Cotton in a headlock. “Long time no see!”
“‘Cuz’?” Aegis asked, as he and Starry gravitated towards the new arrivals. Cotton rolled her eyes.
“Honorary cousins? Step-cousins?” Cotton puffed out her cheeks, annoyed at Aegis’s question. “Shut up, it’s complicated! Anyway, these are some of my other cousins, Holly and Gala.”
“Cotton’s an honorary Apple, to the kiz-ore!” Holly said, giving Cotton a soft noogie.
A blur, a rush of wind, and a buzzing sound, somewhat resembling a ‘Hi Holly hi Gala’ rushed past them, and the two of them looked down to find themselves holding a cup of punch each.
“I see someone let Pecan get into the sugar already,” Gala laughed. “Well, down the hatch!” In one fell swoop, she gulped down her punch.
Cotton put a hoof to her face as she giggled, suppressing a snort. “And of course, my cousin Largo is up on the stage, doing the music for us tonight.”
“Speakin’ of, yo, Largo!” Holly called out. “When you gonna stop playing this horseapple music and put on somethin’ real?”
Ж
Aside from a few minor mishaps—Largo swore that old Sapphire Shores album was not his—the party was in full swing. Pecan set up a few of her grandmother’s signature games, with a few pranks thrown in. While Sugar Sprinkles successfully pinned the tail on the pony, Steadclaw slashed through a piñata that refused to break open, and got pelted with a burst of confetti—courtesy of the Pie family party cannon—when Pecan yelled at him for cheating.
Holly and Gala alternated dancing with Aegis and each other. Harmony Wishes stepped in and out of dancing with Starry, who had also gotten his hooves on Flarechaser. They were in turn out on the dance floor with Crimson and Tesla, who refused to separate. Sugar Sprinkles attempted to dance with Steadclaw, but neither of them seemed completely engaged in it until Cotton joined them.
When Largo stepped off the stage for a drink, Spike poured him a glass of punch and stirred it with his talon. “Specially made for you, mister DJ,” Spike told him. When Largo cocked a brow, the dragon said, “That’s the closest to ‘spiked’ punch you’re going to get, bucko. You certainly aren’t putting any rum in there.”
Largo rolled his eyes. “Oh come on, Uncle Spike. That’s beneath you.”
“So is you looking for alcohol at your age. You know that if I ever catch you, your parents will be the first to know.”
Largo sighed in defeat. “Okay, okay. Can I at least have another glass? I don’t know where your claws have been.” Spike laughed and poured him another cup of punch, then Largo hopped back on stage and grabbed his microphone. “Alright, everypony. Time for a nice slow dance.”
Holly cried out, “Largo, you have got to be—”
“Naaaaaah, I’m just joshin’! Let’s rock this joint!” He pumped up the bass, letting an introductory drum beat lead into the next song.
Pony Rock!
“Alright, my jam!” Steadclaw yelled.
Cotton stared at the griffon incredulously. “Seriously? You like LMBFO?”
“Yeah, so what? It’s an awesome song!” the griffon shouted over the music, pounding the hoof of a certain hyperactive filly, who’d made her way to the center of the dance floor.
“Yeah!” Pecan cried in time with the song. “This one never gets old!” Hopping off Steadclaw’s lion paws, she twirled in the air a few times before grabbing the disco ball she’d hung up previously. The mirrored ball went from slow and steady into overdrive, creating a swirling light show, and Pecan followed up with a high-pitched “WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”
“You only like it ‘cause your grandma helped record it!” Cotton teased, looking around at the chaos before her, from her hyper cousin, to the supposedly stern tiercel, to the rest of her friends. She glanced over at her father, who just shrugged and waved a claw in the direction of the dance floor with a smile.
Don’t ask, don’t question.
The words held a slightly different meaning, but they still applied. It was her sixteenth birthday, after all. She was allowed to enjoy herself. She kept to the beat on the dance floor with her friends and let herself loose.
Over the noise, Cotton barely made out Harmony Wishes shouting to Flarechaser, “I can’t believe Daisy had to miss this!”
“I know! All the fillies at school were stupid not to come! Who needs the castle? This place is hoppin’!” Flarechaser laughed and kept dancing.
Cotton broke out into a grin. In the next instant, she saw Pecan leap from the disco ball to the stage and grab Largo’s microphone.
“Every day we’re partyin’!”
Cotton laughed and strayed over to Holly and Gala, still dancing with Aegis. Soon, all the party-goers found themselves in a circle around Steadclaw, who was in the middle of his starting run of a breakdance competition, while Largo kept the music going.
Spike stood in the corner, sipping on a bucket of punch with a smile on his face. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. The party was in full swing, the guests were behaving themselves, and best of all, his daughter seemed to be enjoying herself. No lasting damage had been done to the community hall, at least nothing that a few bits from the royal reserves couldn’t cover. Overall, he was one satisfied chaperone.
Jump up, stomp down, everypony hit the ground!
Spike glanced over at the dance circle to catch the end of Cotton spinning around and pointing a hoof at Sugar Sprinkles, who took her place in the circle and bounded around a bit before pointing to somepony else.
“I’m thrilled that everypony’s having fun.” Spike looked down to his side to find Twilight hidden behind his wing, her horn glowing so they could keep the conversation without screaming.
“Twilight! Checking in on me, huh? Think I can’t handle a few teenagers?” he chuckled.
“Not at all. I just wanted to see how Cotton was doing. She seemed a little down earlier today, but it looks like things have turned out quite nicely,” Twilight said with a smile.
“It certainly seems so. Why are you hiding back there? I’d bet some of them would love to meet you!”
“I don’t think that would be appropriate, do you? Wouldn’t it take the focus away from Cotton?” Twilight asked him.
“Well, she’d be the best pony to ask,” Spike answered. “You still know that telepathic communication spell, don’t you?”
“I try not to use it. It feels like I’m prying into somepony’s brain,” Twilight said.
“Well, it’s the only way I can think of to ask your niece about your presence at the moment.”
“Speaking of presents,” Twilight started, “I ought to—”
“Shhhh! Not now!”
Twilight deadpanned at him, “None of them can hear us, Spike.”
“I know, but it can wait until later,” he said. “The party is ending soon anyway. Do you want to ask Cotton if she wants to see you or not?”
“Alright. Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you. One second,” Twilight responded. She stepped behind Spike and closed her eyes, lighting her horn further. Cotton, it’s Aunt Twilight. I’m standing in the back with your father. I stopped by to see how the party was going, and I’m thrilled to see you enjoying yourself. Your dad suggested I make myself known, but I don’t want to take away from your fun. I’m happy to leave if you wish—I can see that you have your father under control—but I would also be happy to meet your friends if you’d like. It’s your decision; simply stay with your friends if you’d like me to go. If you’d like to introduce me, go to the punch bowl, and I’ll meet you there. Twilight opened her eyes and turned back to Spike. “It’s up to her now.”
“Well,” Spike said with a smile, “Cotton’s ears perked up, she told Largo to cut the music, and she’s leading all her friends toward the serving table. Does that mean anything to you?”
Twilight smiled. “It seems introductions are in order.”
Ж
“Woah!”
“No way!”
“Oh, everyone at school is gonna be soooooooo pissed they didn’t come!”
Cotton and her friends gathered at the punch bowl as Twilight approached them. Each of them dropped into a bow, except for Steadclaw, who simply dipped his head slightly.
“Hey Featherhead, don’t be so disrespectful!” Flarechaser whispered, still bowing.
“It’s quite alright, my little pony. I know full well that griffon habit is to never lower defenses, even in the presence of royalty,” Twilight said.
“Thank you for respecting our traditions, Your Highness,” Steadclaw replied, holding a claw across his chest and dipping his head once again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Flarechaser stared at him. “That’s the most formal language I’ve ever heard from you.”
“Hey,” Steadclaw answered, “just because some of our traditions seem informal doesn’t mean all of them are.”
Twilight chuckled. “Of course, I’ve never been fond of formalities anyway—” She looked over at Holly, Gala, Pecan, and Largo, who also bowed, with a cocked brow. “—and you four should know that, so please, all of you rise.”
“Everypony else was doing it,” Largo mumbled.
“If everypony jumped into Ghastly Go—actually, I shouldn’t say that. Knowing the four of you, you probably would,” Twilight said, shaking her head and eliciting laughs from her nieces and nephew.
“Oh yeah, totally would,” Holly replied. “Perfect for cliff diving.”
When Harmony Wishes and Flarechaser glanced over at Cotton with confused expressions, Cotton simply said, “All my cousins are nuts.”
Steadclaw cocked a brow. “Cousins? How?”
Cotton shook her head. Not again. “Don’t ask, loooooong story.”
“Those sound common in this crowd,” Steadclaw grumbled.
“They are. Sometimes it’s best to just take things at face value unless you’ve got time to kill,” Cotton replied. “Maybe you’ll hear ‘em another day. For now… Hey Largo, hop up on stage and let’s get Aunt Twilight on the dance floor!”
“Oh no-no-no,” Twilight stammered. “Cotton, you know I don’t—”
“Too late!” Cotton laughed as she flew up to Twilight and shoved her onto the dance floor with a wing, just as Largo turned the music back on with a hard dubstep. The rest of the teens surrounded her in a circle, all wearing grins.
Twilight let out a huff, then lit up her horn and glared at Spike. She is so your daughter, you know that? Spike put on a wide grin and just shrugged in response. Twilight rolled her eyes, then let herself smirk. She stood up on her hind legs and flared out her wings for balance, then swung her front hooves back and forth. The teens backed up to allow her some room, but all stared at Twilight with their mouths agape. When Largo looked over the top of his booth and saw his aunt making a fool of herself, everyone heard the scratch of the music being cut. Twilight looked at her audience for a split second before she said, “Hey, I tried to say I don’t dance. You should have seen the bipeds who tried to teach me!”
Sugar Sprinkles asked, “Minotaurs?”
Twilight shook her head. “It’s a story for another day. Have fun, kids!” She stepped back onto all fours and waved before she teleported out of the room.
Steadclaw let out a chuckle. “Wow. We’ve got some serious blackmail on your aunt, you realize that, right?”
Cotton laughed. “Pfft, nah. Everypony knows Aunt Twilight’s dancing is about as good as your grandmother’s old scone recipe.”
“Hey!” Steadclaw squawked, “Those scones are—”
“She said her old recipe, Featherhead!” Flarechaser interrupted.
“Oh… those. Yyyyeah, that sounds about right,” Steadclaw said with a shrug.
“Yeah, if you think I would smear my other aunt’s own recipe, you’re as crazy as she is,” Cotton added.
Steadclaw did a double-take. “What? You saying Aunt Pinkie Pie is your aunt, too?”
Pecan chimed in, “And my granny!”
Cotton snickered. “I got adopted into a biiiiiiiiiiiig family!”
“Wait, how is she your aunt?” Flarechaser asked Steadclaw.
“It’s a term of endearment,” he answered. “She’s not actually my aunt, but she got to know my granny enough that we started calling her one.”
“Sounds like there’re some long stories in your history, too, dude,” Crimson laughed.
“Still not as crazy as yours, I bet,” Tesla said, nuzzling under Crimson’s chin. Crimson put a hoof around her back and nuzzled her in return.
“Oh, get a room!” Aegis said, hoof-bumping Starry.
“I think that’s going to be my cue,” Spike said as he made his way over to the circle of teens.
“Daaaaad!” Cotton whined. “You’re not gonna be like that, are you? They’re just—”
“Oh no, not them. That’s my cue,” Spike replied, pointing at the wall. The clock’s minute hand struck twelve, followed by a bell chime.
“Ten already?” Cotton slumped to her haunches. “Geez, that whizzed by!”
“That it did. The Community Hall is closing up, so we need to as well,” Spike said. He leaned down to Cotton’s ear and whispered, “And we have another party to get to.”