• Published 13th Apr 2015
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Morning in Ponyville - Skarsnik



The latest addition to the Sparkle family, Morning Star, takes to Ponyville with her sister Happiness isn’t all she'll bring into Twilight’s Ponyville life. Will the secrets this little filly carries change Twilight's relationships

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Chapter 9 - Date day, part 1

Previously on Morning in Ponyville:
Twilight Sparkle get back after her 21st birthday in Ponyville with a filly, Morning Star, introduced as her little sister but it turns out it's really her daughter. The filly made friend with Dinky Doo and Twilight made new friends in form of Lyra, Bonbon and Ditzy Doo. During a day at school, the filly reveals that Granny Smith was lying about the founding of Ponyville. The truth is the Apples tricked the Rich family and stole their land. Meanwhile, Twilight managed to set a date to spend a day with Rainbow Dash with whom she had a crush


Princess Luna ears barely flicked when she heard the door of her room open. Since her guards were here to filter any unwelcome visitor that only left three ponies that could enter unannounced, Prince Blueblood enjoyed his title and everything that went with it so he could not let the occasion of a formal announcement from her guards goes by. Her sister would mindful to startle her by just entering without even knocking. That only left one mare, a mare she was happy to get visits from.

Princess Cadance was the pony she misjudged the most on her first meeting. Luna had been surprised at how the other alicorn had just been happy to welcome another pony in her family. Cadance was the sole pony that talk to her like a friend and family. Princess Luna was not sure if it was because she had no history with the pink alicorn or Cadance was just a very welcoming pony. But she had a faint idea that she had another hidden goal in mind that just sharing time with a family member.

“Good evening, Cadance. I am over here” Luna called from a side room where she stored various art supplies.

“Ooh, what are you trying today?” a pink head entered the field of vision of Luna.

Luna stared at her painting, it was a tame scenery, a unicorn and a pegasus sited near a lake, their tails interwove, an obvious sign of two ponies in love. “Nothing, I just remembered an old painting that got his creator killed.”

Cadance craned her head above the easel to have a peek at the painting “How so?”

“It’s a story for another time.” as much as she was happy to talk about the ponies of old time, Princess Luna was not always in the mood for it “How was your day at this exchange fair?”

Princess Cadance groaned “Tiresome” she flopped ungracefully on a cushion she levitated from the main room “Sometimes I feel like this is some sort of punishment your sister gave to me and Blueblood. Maybe you should go next time.”

“Pass, I think that is the saying?”

Cadance smiled “Yes, yes. Anyway, it was like always, setting arguments between ponies that can’t use their brain most of the time,” she rolled her eyes “I swear.” she paused “At least I traded a lot of my stuff!”

“Your stuff. Is that a replacement word for your belongings?” Princess Cadance nodded “So what was your stuff?”

The pink mare beamed “Love letters and poems!” she laughed.

Princess Luna ears flickered “You write poetry?”

“Oh no no, I am pretty bad at it. I leave that to other. It was stuff I wrote when I was a teenager.” Cadance cleared her throat and raise her head.

“You are hot
Like your white coat
I want to feel you in my arms
So I can smell your mane”

Luna put a hoof in front of her mouth to hide the beginning of the laugh “A wise choice.”

Twilight was combing her mane for what was maybe the tenth time. It had to be perfect, this was an important day, she was nervous.

“You should stop doing that, you will just make it all dry.”

The mare stopped her movement, pointing the brush she was holding to her number one assistant. “Since when you know things in mane and tail care?”

“Hehe,” he just replied.

The mare smiled “You read a book to impress Rarity, don’t you?”

Spike gaze dropped to the floor “Yeah” He looked at the brush pointed to him “am I that predictable?”

Twilight released her magic hold on the brush and it felt on the floor “Are you alright?”

“Don’t worry about me. You have enough to worry about your date and all the Apple stuff.”

Twilight grabbed the brush again and put it on a nearby bookshelf. It was one thing to be nervous for what was maybe her first real date, but another to let down somepony from her family “Listen Spike, you are may not be my son, but I care for you. I can stop worrying about me for five minutes and listen to my number one assistant problem.”

“I told her” Twilight opened her mouth to speak but Spike cut her “Nah, not that.” He paused to let the mare recompose herself.

“She was talking again about Fancy and I tell her he was already engaged with Fleur.”

“Ho, did you…?”

“Na, I told her I saw that in one of her magazines.”

Twilight let out a sigh of release, Spike caught the action “You should stop worrying for nothing, you are Princess Celestia’s student. Why do you think ponies will mind you knowing other important ponies, especially your friends.”

“You don’t understand Spike. It’s… whatever, what happened them?”

The ears of Spike dropped on the back of his head “Not much. She cried and I told her I was always here for her.”

Twilight smiled “Oh that’s sweet.” but seeing the downcast expression of the dragon she restated “It did not go well?”

“I don’t know. She said that was cute, but I was maybe not a good partner for her.”

Twilight was a bit confused, it was something she expected to have to deal one day or another: Spike getting back in tears after Rarity finally stopped playing with his feeling for her. But he was not doing a big drama like Morning could do when something minor happened to her.

“You don’t feel so sad.” Twilight finally concluded.

“Yeah, I don’t know.” He paused looking at his claws “Lately I have been thinking of what Cadance told me.”

Twilight was a bit curious and asked: “What did she tell you?”

“To look at other pony interaction. Yes, I know it sounded like one of Princess Celestia advice.” He chuckled to himself.

Twilight pondered Cadance’s advice trying to know how it was relevant to Spike. Cadance had been a bit worried about Spike’s crush on Rarity, not because it was wrong for Spike to have young crushes but she had been concerned with Rarity toying with Spike’s helpful nature.

“I think I got it now.” continued Spike “When I help Pinkie Pie, she asks and listens to my advice, or just laughs. Like she is really a friend? Rarity, she just kinda orders me. Well, a bit like you.”

A frown formed on Twilight head “I am not sure to follow. But are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah” Spike extended one arm toward the mare “Don’t twist your head with me and enjoy your day, ok?”

“Ok, ok” concluded Twilight and watched Spike grabbing a broom. She watched her brush, considering another pass to her mane and tail. but it got snatched by Spike.

“Nope. Now out while I clean here so I have time to make lunch!” He pushed the hindlegs of the mare “Hush Hush, and no using your spare brush in the bathroom too.”

Twilight found herself outside her room, in front of her door that got slammed on her face. She sighed and looked at the bathroom door, where she could find another brush and giggled to herself. Spike knew her too well.

With nothing left to do, she decided to head to Morning’s room. When she opened the door, she was welcomed with a mess. Morning’s case was on her bed, half open and overloaded as if the filly had put everything in her room inside.

“Ooh, I see a filly eager for her first sleepover!” Twilight smiled and clapped her hooves, interrupting the excited mass buried under a blanket that managed to land on the floor.

“Haa!” shouted Morning in surprise. She fumbled with her magic and her hooves to get out the blanket. When done she faced her mother “Don’t scare me, mommy! I need to be ready!”

Twilight levitating the blanket and folded it neatly in a corner of the bed. Revealing that on the floor was the book on sleepover she already used.

“Someone has been studying,” she said levitating the book toward her, and grabbed everything that the filly had throw in the suitcase “You are not moving to Ditzy’s house, just staying for the night.”

Morning frowned at her mother having removed everything she put lot of efforts to fit in. “Mommy! I spend the whole morning doing that!”

Twilight smiled at the filly “Let me help you.”

***

After packing a more reasonable number of item in Morning bag like her toothbrush, her pyjamas and obviously the book on sleepovers, Morning and Twilight took a quick lunch. Then Spike departed to help Pinkie Pie with a party and Ditzy came to take Morning for the day and the night. But before Twilight could relax or do more preparation for her big day she got a surprise visit from Lyra and Bonbon.

“No, too much,” said Lyra after Bonbon tried to curl Twilight’s mane.

“You don’t have to do that.” sighed Twilight for maybe the fourth time. She felt like the first time she met Rarity, transformed into some sort of play doll. She was surrounded by mare care product, reminding her of Cadance’s bathroom. She was not sure if most of it belonged to Lyra or Bonbon

“Tutut” Lyra waved a brush toward her. When she was not criticizing Bonbon’s work she was working on the unicorn’s tail. “Knowing you, you either would go overboard with the whole thing, or just too casual. It’s a date, even if the lucky mare doesn’t know it, you have to send some sort of signal.”

Twilight didn’t even realize when it was over. She had to admit Lyra and Bonbon knew what they were doing. They helped her choose a casual dress, redo her makeup and they just add a bit of curl and luster at her usual tail and mane style. It’s not like she could have asked Rarity for help, for all her qualities, the mare was too curious.

The whole process had been relaxing and a bit funny hearing the two mares bickering with each other over small details. They helped her set up her air balloon to reach Rainbow Dash house. She had been careful to not mess her casual pink spring dress while waiting for the balloon to have enough altitude.

After casting the cloud-walking spell on herself, Twilight got out the balloon and knocked on the wooden door.

“Wow, Twilight you look great” just said Rainbow Dash after opening her door “You know, it’s not a fancy Canterlot party.”

Twilight refrained herself from telling the pegasus that she was dressed like this for her but she already had time to find an excuse during her small trip. “Well, it’s VIP ticket, and we can meet the team after the show.” She smiled “I wanted to look presentable.”

Rainbow eyes widened “For real? Wow, let me fix myself real quick.”

Twilight hear a lot of strange noises coming from the pegasus house, and after some, what she guessed was muttered curses, the door of Rainbow Dash’s house opened again.

Twilight stared month agape at the mare in front of her. The pegasus had a light pink short dress that covered her barrel from her foreleg sleeves to her back legs. She had laced a semi-translucent blue cape on top of it. The tip of the cape had a ribbon of yellow lace. The mare also had combed her mane a bit. It was not as elaborate as her Gala dress but in Twilight’s opinion it was fitting her well

Twilight blushed “You look good with that.”

“Oh yeah. I guess it’s alright. My dad offered me that” She looked around and chuckled “Don’t tell Rarity I have that. I am pretty sure she will make it all froufrouty or whatever.” She looked at Twilight’s air balloon “Want me to pull that?”

---

After finding a place to park Twilight air balloon, Rainbow Dash guided them to the stadium that was hosting the Wonderbolts premiere. They quickly make their way to the V.I.P lounge and were greeted by the 2 stallions guarding the entrance upon seeing their tickets.

“Twilight cherie!” a white unicorn rushed to place a kiss on each cheek of Twilight. Then she did a courtesy nod to the blue pegasus “Miss Dash.”

Visibly that surprised Rainbow Dash “Hu, Hello. Mme?”

“It’s only Miss for now” she giggled grabbing the foreleg the white unicorn stallion at her side “Fleur de Lis, but you can call me Fleur. And this one is mine.”

The stallion bowed “Fancy Pants, a pleasure to meet a fine athlete such as yourself.”

Rainbow blushed at the compliment “Ho Thank. Hey, oh it’s you the Fancy Pants!”

The stallion readjusted his monocle “Well, I am not sure what bring the ‘the’, but yes it’s my name.”

“You are the stallion Rarity all talk about.” comprehension hit Rainbow of the previous mare words “Oh I can’t wait to tell her you already found a mare.”

“Found is a great word. My dear Fleur can be quite entreprenante.” He received a violent blow from Fleur and continued “We are actually engaged.”

“Oh well. Congratulation” replied Rainbow Dash.

Somepony cleared his throat and a masculine voice make itself heard “Can you move out the way.” Everypony turned their head to the stallion and quickly move out and bowed to the white unicorn with a blond mane, except for a confused Rainbow Dash.

Instead of moving immediately toward a seat, the stallion stopped in front of Twilight and took her hoof to place a kiss on it “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Sparkle.”

“The honor is mine, your highness,” replied Twilight, a small blush on her face, despite being more into mares it was hard to deny the charm Prince Blueblood radiated. She never figured if it was because he took an extreme care of his appearance or it was somehow natural.

The prince looked at Rainbow Dash, then back to Twilight “I hope this one is a more pleasant company than your other friend.” he concluded while making his way on an isolated part of the VIP lounge.

Rainbow Dash wings were tense and if she did not have her left hoof in a cast he would not thought twice before imaging planting a hoof on his face.

Twilight sighed but fixed her gaze on some seats on the front row. She pointed the seats to her pegasus friend. Rainbow took off and hovered to take place in one of them.

Fleur leaned toward Twilight “Je peux te donner l’adresse d’un bon hotel si tu veux finir la soirée avec ton amie” she winked. Twilight felt her cheek heated at the suggestion, but before she could scold her, Fleur was already back to clinging Fancy Pant to share a small laugh at her expense.

Twilight finally took a seat after trying to get her heartbeat back at a normal rhythm, I am on a date with Rainbow Dash!

“You know all these fancy ponies? And who was this stallion?” said the mare, a frown on her face.

“He is Prince Blueblood. Princess Celestia’s adopted nephew. But I am not sure why he is not in the royal lodge.”

Rainbow Dash straight up on the comfy cushion seat “It’s him Blueblood! The one that makes Rarity mad? He sounds like he likes you.” the mare teased.

“Oh, uh” She tried to dismiss the idea even if the Prince already showed some interest for her “And don’t worry about what he said to you, he has his humor.”

“Na I get it. I guess Rarity did not leave a good impression on him. She went full gold digger mode.” the pegasus faked a laugh. “Sorry about that.” she looked at the rest of the stadium that was slowly filling with ponies, mainly pegasus.

Twilight looked at Rainbow that was smiling, she followed her gaze. The last time she was in this stadium she was both worried and excited to see the pegasus performance and did not pay much attention to the rest of the crowd. There were a lot of ponies bringing their foals, wearing Wonderbolts related merchandise.

“Man, That reminds me when my dad brought me the first time to one of their shows. It was so amazing! I saw them and I was like, I want to be like them! I even bothered my dad to buy all their stuff.” the mare chuckled.

That hit a sour spot on Twilight as she understood the parental pride to show new things to your foal, something difficult for her without having ponies asking questions about Morning. That did not prevent to try to project herself at some mares dragging their pegasus foals. Imagining being with Morning and the filly’s father. Maybe she could bring Ditzy and Dinky too, the pegasus mother probably did not have the money to pay for someone to cast a cloud-walking spell on her filly to keep her safe.

“Oh, I almost forgot. My dad wants to meet you. He was mad that I gave you girls a visit of the factory without introducing you to him.” Rainbow’s ears perked.

“The factory? Your father works at the weather factory?” inquired Twilight

“Yes, he is one of the managers. He is in dispatch. You know, what goes where and stuff?” Rainbow waved her hoof from left to right.

“Wow, that must be a big responsibility.” Twilight was surprised, she did not expect a job so serious for the father of a quite careless mare.

“Yeah, mostly complicated paperwork.” said dismissively the pegasus.

Twilight was happy to have Rainbow talking about her family, it was maybe a sign she was “What about your mother?”

“I don’t have a mother.” replied flatly the other mare.

“Oh, I am sorry. Rainbow.”

“Na. She is not dead or anything, actually I don’t know. She left my dad after I was born. My dad said she was scared of being a mother.” she frowned “Seriously, that’s lame, if she loved my dad she would had stayed?”

“Oh. Well raising a foal is stressful and can be scary.” the unicorn said with certainty.

“You sound like my father.”

Realizing her mistake Twilight stuttered “I mean I looked my mother raise Morning. It looks like a lot of work.”

“Probably.” Rainbow Dash just shrugged “Hey, is that Princess Luna up here?” she pointed at the royal lounge where had just entered the Night Princess and two thestrals guard in their purple armor.

Twilight looked in the direction , she was surprised to see the Princess here. Cadance told her that she was mostly a recluse, spending a lot of time studying history and modern mores.

“Her guards look so awesome. Hey, egghead, are they really batpony or it’s magic stuff like all guard?”

“Don’t call me egghead, please?” Twilight cursed herself, she nearly talked like she was scolding Morning, the whole Apple family business had put her in edge. “Sorry.”

“Oh, yeah? Smartflank?” Rainbow chuckled

Twilight smiled, “Well, to answer your question. They are called thestral. They are their own race of pony but they share some similitude with other, mostly with pegasus. They use their inner magic to fly, but from what I gathered it’s very different from pegasus flying. Ponies associate them with bats because of their fangs and leathery wing, but they don’t drink blood, neither they eat meat, and...”

During Twilight lecture on thestrals society, the stadium was getting full. A pegasus gathered clouds toward the center of the stadium and make them take the shape of a larger platform. When he was done, another pegasus came carrying a microphone on a pole. A yellow pegasus mare with a fierce orange mane landed in front of it and cleared her throat.

Rainbow Dash cut Twilight lengthy explanation of the history of the thestral “Hey, look it’s Captain Spitfire!”

Twilight stopped and looked down at the mare in her official Captain uniform where some pinned medals were reflecting the sun.

“Greeting, Wonderbolts’ fan.” she paused, waiting for the audience to calm down “It’s a pleasure to see so many of you today for the launch of our new show, but before we start. A special guest has some words for you.” the mare did a gesture toward the royal lounge.

Princess Luna took off and landed gracefully near the smaller mare. “Thank thee, Captain Spitfire.” the Princess give a courtesy nod to the captain. Spitfire put herself on the back of the stage. Without approaching the microphone, the princess shouted loud and clear for the whole stadium to hear.

“Good afternoon, citizens of Cloudsdale” she paused, looking at the the various non-pegasi in the crowd “citizens from all over Equestria” the Princess gaze moved again “And we have people from other nations as well.” she said cheerfully.

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be here among you for the incoming performance of accomplished flyers, the Wonderbolts. Like many ponies here and probably foals, it’s my first attendance to a spectacle like this one.”

“Maybe I can share with you a bit of the history of Equestria, Not about the Wonderbolts, because I am pretty sure a lot of, fans, I guess is the word for that?” she looked at Spitfire who nodded in agreement “know probably better than the Wonderbolts themselves.” the Captain chuckled.

“In the old Equestria, It was rare to see pegasus show their aerial mastery for the behalf of other. Showing incredible maneuver was mostly used to find a mate if you were a stallion, I hope it’s still a common practice.” She turned her head toward a stallion that was seated near a mare and winked, both of them blushed having gathered the attention of the crowd “I was always fond of pegasus suitors doing their best to impress me or my sister.” The princess took a more serious face “Or in the Equestria Air force as training against the numerous skrimishes with the old griffon Empire. Being proficient in the air was a matter of life and death.”

---

Singing a silly tune that was stuck in his head because of Pinkie Pie, Spike dried his claws before moving to the main area of SugarCube Corner. He took an empty chair near the counter where Mme Cake was rearranging the freshly baked goods with the one already there. According to Pinkie, it was the time for a small respite between two rushes. But for Spike, Ponyville rush was not really impressive, he often went to Donut Joe in Canterlot and in some hours the place could be crazy crowded.

“And here two donuts with surprise filling and extra ruby sprinkle!” Beamed Pinkie Pie bringing a tray with some treats for her and the donuts for Spike.

“Thank you, Pinkie. Should I ask what is the surprise filling?”

“Nope, silly!” She seated in the chair facing Spike and start nibbling on a cupcake without leaving her gaze off him to pray his reactions.

Spike took a bit of the donut and smiled, the flavor was really interesting “Hey, that’s good, it’s sweet and spicy.” He took another bit and put the donuts in front of him to think. “Apple?”

“Oooh close!”

Spike paused, he took a guess “Granny smith?” He looked at the color of the filling and proposed “Rainbow Dash Apple?”

Pinkie Pie almost split her cupcakes and laughed her heart's content. That even gathered the attention of Mme Cake that stopped in her task but the older mare just shrugged

“Oh Spike, that a good one.” She grabbed another cupcake “but nope, It’s zap apple jam.”

“Zap Apple? It’s great. You don’t sell that stuff?” Pinkie Pie always taught Spike some recipes before getting into planning stuff, it was also a way to help the Cakes a bit. It also had the perk to get free samples that make some fillies happy.

It was Mme Cake that answered “Oh. Well with ponies not trusting the Apples now, it was a bit risky to sell some.”

Pinkie enthusiasm deflated a bit at the reminder and she finished her cupcakes silently. The ponies of Ponyville did not take well the news of being lied about the founding of Ponyville. But the worse was that Pinkie tried to have Applejack to apologize for her silly words toward Twilight and Morning. All she got was silly talk like unicorns should not be trusted. For Pinkie, that sounded like the means ponies during the Heart’s warning pageant. Pinkie did not understand this, everyponies were awesome. Unicorns were awesome with their magic! Pegasus were awesome with their wings! Earth ponies were awesome for growing flowers and baking cakes! She looked at Spike. Baby drakes were also awesome for… she did not know what, but his claws were awesome!

“Hey Spike, what do you want to do later?”

Spike, who had just finished another donut answered: “I don’t know, are we supposed to check Snails’ birthday stuff?”

“No silly, and yes silly” the pink mare giggled at her own joke “I mean later, you know when Twilight finishes her studies.”

“I don’t know. I will stay with Twilight?” Spike put down the last donut in the plate and stared at it while thinking of Pinkie question. He did not have time to think much as a loud bang signaled the opening of the bakery door with too much force, or without care.

“Ha, Spike! Mighty lucky to find ya here.”

Mme Cake glared at the orange earth pony mare “Your hat, please.”

Applejack grumbled and removed her hat, taking a letter from it, she trotted toward Spike “Ya will send that letter to the Princess, Spike. So she could confirm mah family is honest like an apple.”

Spike crossed his arms “No.”

She raised her tone “Ya good for nathing vermit, ya will send that letter, l’right now. Or I swear to Tartarus-.”

She did not manage to finish her sentence as Pinkie moved in front of Spike holding a cupcake “Cupcake? Apples! Your favorite!”

“Not right now, Pinkie.” she slapped the hoof holding the pastry.

Everypony in the room watched as the cupcake slowly descended to the floor. In the time it takes for the cupcake to land, various thing happened: 2 customers rushed around Applejack, Mme Cake grabbed a dishcloth, Spike got up his chair to stand at Pinkie Pie side.

“What now?” Applejack looked angrily at the stallions.

“I think it’s better if you get back to your farm to, you know, to do apple stuff?” said one of them.

“Ain’t talkin to ya. I have a letter to send.”

Spike looked at the upset mare. Applejack already had bothered Twilight to contact the Princess, but Twilight not sure what to do, just tried to reason with the farmer. Himself had felt insulted by Applejack, especially by fact that the earth pony tries to involve Morning. Spike himself felt sorry for Morning. She had felt guilty for the whole disaster. Luckily for the filly she had Twilight and Dinky to console her. Spike knew the situation was tense especially considering he could see moisture forming in the corner of Pinkie eyes.

He decided to offer a solution to the farmer “Hm. Applejack. If you want to discuss with the Princess. I am sure she will welcome you during her court.”

“Ain’t no time for that. I have an honest job to do.” she stomped a hoof on the hard floor on the bakery “Now send this letter, or-”

“Out of my shop!” said sternly Mme Cake, she was only carrying her wipe cloth as a weapon, but she had the look of somepony that patience was already strained, like a new mother having twins under her care.

Applejack took less time than the 2 ponies around her to react. She put her hat back and grumbled while getting out of the bakery.

“I was speaking to all of you” the angry mother glared at the two stallions that tried to help.

“We were just-”

“I am not in the mood, out!”

When the two ponies were out she sighed “This is getting annoying.” she looked at Pinkie who was crying but had already Spike giving her a warm hug. Mme Cake felt sad for Pinkie, she was glad Spike was often here because she barely had time with her twins to cheer up the young mare lately.

As far as she remembered, the Apple family always had a strong influence in Ponyville and their members were respected. You needed to be on good terms with them to have a successful business in Ponyville.

But now it had changed. Every foal had told their parent about Twilight’s sister refuting the story Granny Smith liked to tell everypony about the founding of Ponyville. Spike had told her a lot of ponies passed at the library to have the full story. And with the gossip everypony were quickly in the know. Every inhabitant of Ponyville was taking any occasion to split on the Apple family.

Personally, Mme Cake blamed Twilight Sparkle, the poor mare was maybe too honest for her own good, maybe the Apples were not that honest but they never did something really wrong. And to see them now nearly lowered to the same level as demons just because of something that happened in the past was sad.

Author's Note:

I am really sorry for the long wait and sorry to separate this chapter in two. I have to because editing over 4000 words is a bit of a struggle for me. I am not sure when the next chapter will come (I hope not after 6 months) The good news is I finally planned all the remaining chapters :)

Rainbow Dash dress looks like this https://derpibooru.org/854885 minus the accessories.