Season 1, Episode 4- Boast Busters
“Man, it’s kinda weird having the patrols be so… short.” Chiro commented as The Hyperforce walked back into the Super Robot’s main control room.
“With the Super Robot’s scanners and our own town wide patrols, protecting Ponyville from danger has proven to be a much more streamlined process than in the past.” Gibson added.
“Even so, we mustn’t let down our guard or become complacent, the moment we do so will only give the enemy an advantage.” Antauri stated seriously.
“Hey team? we have a visitor.” Nova pointed out and the group looked up the command rooms main computer screen which displayed the feed from one of the robots outside cameras.
“What’s Fluttershy doing here?” Otto asked.
“You don’t think something happened to Fenneca do you?” Nova asked worriedly.
“Nah, she looks like she’s here for a casual visit, she probably just need help with something.” Sparx replied.
Chiro activated the microphone. “Hey ‘Shy, we’re in the command room, come on up.”
“Um, thank you for inviting me in. I’m not interrupting anything am I?” Fluttershy asked as she walked out of the orange transport tube.
“Not at all, I take it you need us for something? We’d be happy to help in any way we can.” Antauri replied.
“Oh, thank goodness, I was worried you wouldn’t hear me out, what with you all being so busy protecting Ponyville and Mama from all those monster attacks.” Fluttershy said.
“We wouldn’t be very good heroes if we didn’t listen to people when they have a problem, so what’s up?” Chiro asked.
“Well, um, this is going to sound silly but you all have to stop Skeleton king from kidnapping Mama, right? Could you maybe, um…Be her friends too?” Fluttershy asked, her wings twitching nervously.
Otto looked like a kicked puppy. “We’re not her friends?”
“I didn’t mean it like that!” the pegasuis hastily said. “It’s just Mama doesn’t really open up to anyone nor does she have anyone to share her hobbies with, aside from me and Rainbow but she treats Rainbow more like my friend and not her friend as well.”
“You want us to spend time with her and get to know her better? I believe we can manage that.” Antauri said.
“Really?” Fluttershy asked hopefully.
“Sure, what sort of stuff does Fenneca like doing?” Chiro asked and Fluttershy beamed.
“Mama has her sculpting and her magic studies obviously but she likes wood carving, gardening, cooking, fishing and reading,” Fluttershy explained happily. “She loves reading fiction, fae don’t have fiction, every single story they have is actually a historical recount from one of their ancestors.”
“Wood carving huh? I’ve always wanted to try that.” Chiro said.
“An entire race whose literary content is entirely non-fiction, that does sound interesting. I wonder how their society evolved to reach that state?” Gibson wondered.
“I dunno, fishing sounds kind of boring but I guess it would be fun to cook your own catch.” Sparx said.
“I myself am curious about Fenneca’s magical abilities, from what we’ve heard from her she obviously takes pride her skills as a mage yet seems reluctant to rely on that same skill.” Antauri added and shot Gibson a look when the scientist opened his mouth to argue the point.
“Don’t worry Fluttershy, we’ll take care of her!” Otto said.
“I noticed a poster in town today during my patrol, it was advertising a magic show,” Nova said. “It’s around the same time Fenneca closes up shop for the day so why don’t we take her to go see it?”
“A big flashy show like that would also be a prime target for a Skeleton King attack, we could show up saying we’re there to act as security.” Sparx suggested.
“Or we could simply ask her to join us during our time off. Disguising out intentions will only end in suspicion and distrust.” Antauri countered seriously.
“I can talk to her if you want,” Fluttershy spoke up. “I just want to see mama happy around someone other than me… she’s done so much and I know she’ll continue to be there for me for the rest of my life but…”
The yellow Pegasus smiled sadly. “I won’t be there for the rest of hers. I want her to find happiness outside of the home, I want her to have friends other than me. Mama will live a long time after I’m gone so I want to do something to make sure she’ll have somewhere to go and people she can rely on after that.”
“Wow… that’s some heavy stuff you’re saying, isn’t that still a long way off?” Sparx asked.
“Oh yes, definitely but it still worries me. I just can’t bear the thought of mama being left all alone if something happened to me.” Fluttershy replied.
“A noble sentiment from one your age but you shouldn’t let such thoughts cloud your mind, you have many years ahead of you. It is what you do today that matters most not what tomorrow may bring.” Antauri said warmly.
“Besides we’re called robot monkeys for a reason, we don’t age.” Sparx added puffing out his chest proudly.
“Clearly, you still haven’t grown up.” Nova said mockingly.
“Says you, you’ll always be cute, little Nova to me.” Sparx teased and Nova pulled out her weapons, growling in anger.
“What did you just say?”
“Uh did I say cute? I meant strong and tough and-please don’t kill me.” Sparx begged
“That’s better.” Nova huffed.
“Are they always like that?” Fluttershy asked.
“More or less.” Chiro replied sheepishly.
A crowd had gathered around a stage in the middle of the town square, the ponies that had gathered watching on curiously as a blue furred mare with a silver mane and tail, dressed in a purple wizard hat and cloak decorated with stars performed on trick after another.
“This all just sleight of hand and misdirection, common tactics for stage performers.” Gibson commented from where he and the rest of the team watched from in the middle of group of onlookers.
“I dunno, I think it looks kinda neat.” Otto replied.
Rainbow hovered above the group, looking rather bored at the tricks being displayed. “Pfft, I’ve seen Fenneca do better than this.”
“I agree darling, even Fenneca’s usual outfit for Nightmare Night is better than… that.” Rarity added.
“Can we just enjoy the show? I don’t care if I can or have done better.” Fenneca calmly stated from where she was levitated above the audience by Antauri in order to properly see the performance.
The mare onstage seemed to have caught wind of the conversation. “Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience. Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?”
“So, "Great and Powerful Trixie". What makes you think you're so awesome, anyway?” Rainbow asked.
“Antauri, put me down. I’m done here.” Fenneca said flatly.
Antauri lowered her down gently and looked at her in concern. “Is something the matter?”
On stage, Trixie was regaling the audience of how she dented an ursa major. “When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to, but the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in, and with her awesome magic, vanquished the ursa major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!”
“I know exactly how this is going to go, that poor mare will be heckled right out of town, I’m not going to stand here and watch such a thing,” The fae replied. “I’ll be at Sugarcube Corner if you need me.”
“Perhaps it would be best if I went with you, you never know when the Skeleton King might attack.” Antauri said.
“I suppose I could use the company and you can easily contact the rest of your team should something happen, oh very well, come on then. I’ll pay for you.” Fenneca relented.
“Your stuff is all set up for you over there!” Pinkie Pie said brightly as soon as Fenneca and Antauri stepped into the bakery.
They both blinked in surprise as Ponyville’s party pony herded them to a both in the corner of the store, food and drinks already set for them.
Fenneca sat down, staring at the plate of banana bread and the mug of hot chocolate waiting for her while Antauri seemed to be just as shocked at the plate of cookies and strawberry milkshake waiting on his side of the booth.
“How did she know what we were going to order?” Antauri asked curiously.
“It’s Pinkie Pie, try not to think about it.” Fenneca replied.
“This town is certainly full of mysteries.” The black monkey added.
The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, both fae and monkey choosing to focus on their food and the quiet, calm atmosphere of the bakery.
“it’s usually busier than this, I suppose everyone is out watching the show.” Fenneca mused after a while, a melancholy tone in her voice.
“I’ve noticed you take great pride in your magical abilities, your arguments with Gibson are the most expressive I’ve seen you be,” Antauri commented. “You are usually more reserved.”
Fenneca paused, trying to gather her words her a moment. She nodded to herself and took a sip of her drink.
“My ancestor, Queen Lupa married a powerful dark mage. Magic is in my blood just as building and nurturing the world around me is,” the fae explained. “My master was a mage, as was his wife and I helped train their firstborn in the ways of magic after I graduated from master’s teachings.”
Fenneca smiled wistfully. “Amore was such a sweet girl and a joy to teach. I still remember how excited she was when her mother announced she was pregnant with her younger brother, skipping around the house shrieking with laughter at the prospect of being the perfect big sister.”
“I like to think Amore and her brother are out there somewhere, happy and healthy. It’s been so long since I’ve seen them,” Fenneca said. “Master’s family were one of Skeleton King’s first targets, Amore and her mother fled through a portal to some distant world just to survive and…well, one of Masters last acts before he was imprisoned was to send his son far into the future to a time where he could grow up safe or as safe as a child could be under the looming threat Skeleton King now poses.”
“I know the boy is safe with a family who cares for him and that’s all that matters,” She said and laughed bitterly. “I can’t even tell the lad about his family for fear he’ll fall into the Skeleton King’s clutches trying to find them.”
“You will be able to someday; The Monkey Team and I will one day bring an end to the Skeleton King,” Antauri replied. “All we can do is hope for the best.”
“Aye, and I can hope that someday I’ll be able to show myself as a mage and not just Fluttershy’s mother or a fae. I honestly do miss using magic out in public for the benefit of others.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing what you can do, at the very lest you are welcome to share what you know with myself and the rest of the team, even if Gibson might disagree with your methods.” Antauri said with a smile.
Fenneca smiled back in gratitude, a sad, wistful look mixed with the pain of past experiences.
“People don’t understand that magic is more than just knowing fancy spells, every practitioner develops their own style and not every scholar or mage will know every spell there is to learn and Ponyville just sees my performance on Nightmare Night as nothing more parlour tricks anyway,” Fenneca said bitterly. “I forbade Fluttershy from studying magic because of how most ponies see me use it, I didn’t want her to face anymore hardships than what she’s already been through.”
“Couldn’t you simply explain to everyone now that you can freely communicate with them?” Antauri asked.
“It took me several years of performing during Nightmare Night and in the company of children no less, to convince everyone that I wasn’t some evil witch here to steal away their foals or curse their homes,” Fenneca stated. “Nowadays I just stick to using my magic and my mages uniform around the house until Nightmare Night rolls around.”
“Then perhaps another approach is needed. If the inhabitants saw you using your magic frequently around town they would gradually come to accept it and you as a part of their community.” Antauri suggested.
“I suppose, I was more worried about Fluttershy being ostracized by my presence in the past so I never took the initiative to show that I would not use my powers to harm innocents but… Dear ‘Shy has been pushing to get out and express myself more.” The fae mused.
The sound of someone screaming in pain and fear caused the two of them to dart out of their seats and dash outside. Rainbow flew past, her tail and flanks badly singed as a small cloud followed her around, constantly zapping her with lighting.
“Rainbow, this way!” Fenneca called out and the blue Pegasus raced towards her.
The fae princess’s left antenna glowed and tinkled with the sound of channelled magic, Fenneca quickly drew a rune in the air, the movement of her antenna leaving lines of magic suspended in the air.
“Frostbite!” She called out, the rune glowed and transformed into an orb of icy mist that hit the storm cloud as Rainbow flew overhead, freezing it solid in a matter of seconds and sending it plummeting to the ground where it shattered into pieces.
Rainbow saw that the cloud was no longer after her and landed beside Fenneca, letting out a sigh of relief. “Phew, thanks a lot. I felt like my wings were going to fall off with how long that thing kept following me.”
“Are you hurt?” Antauri asked.
“Nah I’m fine-ow!” Rainbow yelped as Fenneca prodded the mares flank with a paw.
“You have first degree burns, from a lightning strike,” Fenneca noted her expression dark. “What happened?”
“It was that crazy mare, Trixie! She challenged Ponyville to a contest, anything we could do, she could do better!” Rainbow explained. “I performed a trick and she sicked that thing on me!”
“… What?” Fenneca exclaimed. “Of all the reckless, asinine, selfish things… Dash, hold still.”
Fenneca walked over to one of the many flowerbeds scattered around town and picked a few of the healthiest flowers and held them in her telekinesis. She walked back to Dash and sat on her haunches, her front paws glowing in a soft green light as she held the flowers in one paw. Ponies stopped to stare as the plants in her grip wilted, a grassy green coloured light flowing from then and held in her free paw.
After tossing the dead plants to the side, Fenneca placed her paws on Rainbow’s chest and drew another rune with her antenna, this rune was drawn much more carefully, a backwards facing N followed by an arch running through it.
“Healing Hands.” She stated and the completed rune glowed, the energy harvested from the flowers further fuelling the spell as golden light washed over Rainbow, healing her wounds and leaving in the best shape she’d ever been.
Once the light faded and Fenneca stepped away, Rainbow moved around, testing and flexing her wings and legs as if to see if the spell did the trick.
“That was awesome! I feel awesome! What was that?” Rainbow asked.
“One of many rune-based spells passed down in my family ever since my colony was founded, such spells are also taught at the school I went to. I used one spell to destroy the cloud and another to heal you, though I used some extra magic from those flowers to curb the usual side effects of casting the spell, usually targets of Healing Hand have their vitality restored by burning excess fat in the body and speeding up their metabolism resulting in extreme hunger upon completion.” Fenneca explained.
“That was still awesome! Why you don’t you do that stuff more often?” Rainbow asked.
“Do you remember when you used to stay over at my place when you first moved to Ponyville all those years ago and the legend of the Everfree Witch was still going around?” Fenneca asked.
“Yeah….” Rainbow replied slowly.
“Everyone thought I was the witch and that was after I got them to stop thinking Fluttershy was one in training.” Fenneca flatly stated.
“Oh.”
“Nevertheless, if the blatant disregard for her audience and their safety is what Trixie considers to be part of the act, then someone needs to set her straight.” Fenneca stated.
“I haven’t received any calls for assistance from my team, so perhaps everyone does think this is normal.” Antauri stated.
“That was not normal, I know my storm clouds. if anypony else had gotten hit, they’d end up in the hospital! I got burned and I’m a Pegasus, Pegasi are naturally resistant to lightning!” Rainbow exclaimed.
Fenneca had taken off, running back towards the stage show.
“Should we do something?” Nova asked as Rarity wailed about her mane Turing green and Applejack was forced to bunny hop offstage, her body hogtied and an apple stuck in her mouth. “This doesn’t look like part of the show.”
“It’s a show, what performer would hurt the people giving them money?” Sparx asked.
“She’s still an Equestrian citizen, unless she hurts someone, our hands are tied.” Chiro stated.
The ground rumbled and shook, onstage Trixie struggled to keep her balance as the stage was lifted up, caught in the branches of large tree that rapidly grew and towered over the audience. A branch snaked out and cut through the ropes binding Applejack while another limb of the tree, this one tipped with a flower moved towards Rarity. The flower opened and the pollen it released restored the unicorn’s mane back to normal.
“Who dares to interrupt The Great and Powerful Trixie’s show!” the showmare demanded.
“I heard you wanted a challenge, didn’t you?” Fenneca stated as she materialised onto the stage beside the mare, almost as if she faded into existence. “What were your words, anything we could do, you could do better?”
“Who are you to challenge Trixie?” Trixie asked and looked at the fae in confusion. “What are you?”
“I am a certified Flora Magus from the Mages Association Grand Institute of the Arcane.” Fenneca stated.
“You’re a graduate from M.A.G.I.A? But that’s impossible the school only accepts unicorns!” Trixie exclaimed.
Fenneca blinked. “I wasn’t aware the school had an Equestrian branch.”
“If you’re a graduate of M.A.G.I.A then prove it, everypony knows only unicorns who study at the school learn how to summon a familiar as it’s the only school in the world that teaches them how.” Trixie stated.
“Form Familiar? They teach that to children and do you not see the giant tree around you?” Fenneca stated, an ear flicking in irritation.
“You obviously had help from a unicorn whose special talent involves plants, you’re just bluffing!” Trixie argued.
Fenneca rolled her eyes and turned to face the crowd. “Plese be advised that learning or casting Institute taught spells without a license is illegal in all realms the school is affiliated with.”
With her antenna she drew an arrow that pointed to her right and drew a line through it, she didn’t even need to recite the spell’s name as the rune glowed and turned into an orb of light that sunk into her chest and popped out a second later, glowing and expanding until it popped like a bubble. A small blue dragon with large fins on the side of its crocodile-like head and small webbed wings was curled up on the stage floor, snoring cutely.
“This is Miss Snuggles, my familiar. She is what’s known as a bedraggle, a dragon-like monster species that has become so reliant on intelligent life to care for it that it rarely shows its true power.” Fenneca explained and nudged the creature awake with a paw, it yawned and crooned happily at her as it got its feet.
Trixie was speechless as the fae stepped towards her, a serious look on her face and teeth bared, her familiar growling threateningly.
“Your little stunt with that storm cloud gave a Pegasus first degree burns and you clearly have no respect for your audience,” Feeneca stated coldly. “You are a performer are you not? You are supposed to entertain, not belittle your paying customers and stroke your ego!”
“I’m done here, my tree will stand until sundown, as a reminder of your actions today. I suggest you clean up your act Trixie, insulting your audience won’t get you very far in show business.” Fenneca advised and jumped off the stage, Miss Snuggles using its wings to hover down after her.
The fae was met with the thunderous applause of the crowd. She meekly nodded her head in thanks.
“I was just doing what I felt was right.” She admitted and left the town square, her familiar waddling along behind her. The small dragon squeaked at her and Fenneca smiled at it.
“Yes, yes, you’ll get to see Fluttershy again, I know its been a while since I brought you out,” Fenneca said. “I’ve got some new chocolate flavours for you to try as well, you’ll love them.”
Miss Snuggles roared in joy, its wings fluttering and tail wagging happily as it walked beside its owner.
“I missed you too.” Fenneca replied with a smile.
The inside of the large willow tree Fluttershy and Fenneca called home was large and spacious with plenty of room for a zoo full of animals to comfortably live and move around in without any issue. The décor had a homey feel to it and if one looked closely you could protective charms and spells carved into barely noticeable spots of every piece of furniture, every shelf and even in the corner of the walls and floor of the home. Lighting was provided by bioluminescent flowers that grew out of the ceiling and the bookshelves, shelves and kitchen counters looked to have even grown from the tree itself.
Fenneca stood on a custom-made stool, one she had carved herself as she used her telekinesis to stir a large pot of soup sitting on the stove. She glanced over at the salad she was tossing and let it sit in the bowl as she looked over the fridge, opened the door and pulled out a bottle of salad dressing and applied a generous amount to the salad before placing the bottle back into the fridge.
She did all of this with her psychic abilities and not once having to step off her stool. She checked the stew, pulled out a clean spoon from the cutlery draw and gave a taste.
“Fluttershy? Did you want soup or salad for tea? I had to use up the tomatoes before the preservation spell made them go funny.” Fenneca called out and the Pegasus poked her head into the room.
“I was wondering…” Fluttershy began cautiously. “How, much did you make?”
“Didi you invite Rainbow over again? You could have warned me. I would have made tuna bake instead.” Fenneca stated.
“I invited the Hyperforce…” Fluttershy admitted.
Fenneca paused, then a flurry of activity overtook the kitchen, plates, bowls and cutlery flew from their respective shelves and draws to float past the open archway on the far right of the kitchen into the dining room. “I better get my skates on then.”
“You’re not mad, are you?” Fluttershy asked.
“No, I’m not, I just hope they like my cooking.” Fenneca replied with a nervous smile. “Care to give me a hand? We’ll need something for dessert, any ideas?”
“We still have some ice-cream in the freezer what about that with some fruit?” Fluttershy suggested.
“That will work, pick whatever fruit you think will work best, slice them up and leave them in the fridge for later, it will save time,” Fenneca said and turned her attention back to the stew. “Make sure the animals are fed and cared for once you’re done and I’ll plate up when they get here. How’s the new patient by the way?”
Fluttershy walked to fridge and began picking and choosing fruits for dessert as they carried on the conversation. “He’s still unconscious, though with how badly hurt he is its no surprise. I still don’t know how he wandered through the Everfree Forest in his condition.”
“You saw the prosthetic limbs he has, even as bare bones as they are he’s more resilient than he appears. He may be n animal but he’s as intelligent as you or I so we should be careful.” Fenneca advised.
“If you think he’s dangerous shouldn’t we ask The Hyperforce for help?” Fluttershy asked.
“Given the brain damage he had when we found him, it’s hard to say what state he’s in, all we can do is wait.” Fenneca replied.
“I suppose so,” Fluttershy agreed, placing the apple slices into a clean bowl and started washing and cutting up a punnet of strawberries. “I heard about what happened at the magic show today. Are you alright?”
“I wasn’t the one that got hurt.” The fae replied and Fluttershy looked at her mother in concern.
“That’s not what I meant.” The Pegasus stated, the rhythmic sounds of the duo’s work in the kitchen punctuating the awkward silence that followed.
Fenneca let out a sigh. “I’m upset at how Trixie treated her audience; her actions today could paint how the entire town view magic.”
“Lots of ponies use magic, it won’t be that bad.” Fluttershy said reassuringly.
“Hm, we’ll see. I still remember how difficult it was just buying food for you when you were little. I don’t know what I would have done if Granny Smith hadn’t helped me out,” Fenneca stated. “I just remembered I need to use the eggs soon; do you want egg salad sandwiches for lunch tomorrow?”
“Could you make egg and mayo sandwiches? I’m meeting up with Rarity during my lunch break and I thought I’d share my lunch with her.” Fluttershy replied.
“A good idea, that mare is so busy it’s no wonder she prefers to eat out at The Canter Café, she barely has enough time in the morning to make lunch for her sister let alone herself,” Fenneca noted. “Rainbow likes egg and mustard, doesn’t she? I was going to make some for myself anyway.”
Trixie had locked herself in her wagon after carefully (and embarrassingly) climbing down the tree that had her stage ensnared in its branches. She stared at her reflection in the mirror of her small vanity, a brush held her magic idly combing through her mane. Her hat and cape hung on hooks by the wagon’s door and the curtains on the window were drawn tightly shut as mage lights floating near the ceiling provided the small living space with light.
“How dare that furball humiliate Trixie in front of her audience. Those country bumpkins know nothing about magic!” the show mare fumed. “She must have cheated!”
Her gaze drifted over to her degree in stage magic and illusions. It was from a small, family run magic school in the heart of Manehatten. Her rage melted away, her reflection looking as sad as she felt.
“Trixie will be the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, then everypony will once again know the name of Hoofsten Lulamoon’s School of Magic and Misdirection!” Trixie exclaimed and looked at a photo beside her on the vanity. It showed a much Trixie standing alongside two older ponies, a mare that shared her mane colour and a stallion with the same coat and eye colours as her. All three of them stood proudly at the front of a tall building. Above them hung a banner that read Grand Re-opening!.
A knock at the door drew her attention and Trixie puther hairbrush down on the vanity and peeked out of a nearby window. Waiting outside the door was a charcoal furred, teal maned earth pony with green eyes and a chrysalis for a cutie mark. She had a small box balanced on her back. Trixie huffed, rolled her eyes and walked over to the door.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie is resting after performing feats unseen by pony eyes, go away.” Trixie stated flatly, only for the mare to shove the box into her hooves.
“I was so inspired by your performance today Great and powerful Trixie! I just had to give this to you.” The mare gushed excitedly. “I was digging around in my family’s old house and came across this old thing, rumour has it its supposed to boost a unicorn’s magic! I wouldn’t know for sure since well, I’m not a unicorn but hey you are!”
“Um, thanks?” Trixie replied, overwhelmed by the other pony’s excitable nature.
“Oh no need to thank me, I can’t wait to see you wear it during your next show!” the pony replied. “oh, look at me, just rambling on. I better get home. Bye-bye!”
With that the pony left just as suddenly as she appeared. Trixie took the package inside with a shrug.
“What a weird pony, still this is a gift from a fan… Oh my gosh, this is my very first piece of fan mail!” Trixie said happily and tore open the box. “An… amulet? Well it looks magical. It might clash with my outfit, eh I can just try it on now and see.”
Trixie slipped on her hat and cape and stood in front of the vanity mirror as she slipped the red and black amulet depicting a unicorn head flanked by a pair of outstretched wings around her neck.
“It doesn’t look too bad…” Trixie mused, her curiosity getting the better of her. “That pony said it can boost unicorn magic right? Let’s find out.”
As the sun set for the day, red light could be seen peeking out past the small gaps in the curtains behind the windows of Trixie’s wagon.
Fluttershy, Fenneca and The Hyperforce sat around the large, round dining room table. Everyone had a both a bowl of soup and a small plate of salad in front of them.
“I gotta say this soup is good, not as good as mine mind you but not to shabby.” Sparx stated.
“It’s just tomato soup, nothing special.” Fenneca replied.
“Sparx just doesn’t want to admit someone other than Antauri is a better at coking than him.” Nova teased.
“I can admit Antauri is a better cook than me, he taught me how to cook and you have no room to talk, you avoid the kitchen like the plague.” Sparx shot back.
“Calm down, both of you. Remember, we are guests here.” Antauri chided.
“As long as the food doesn’t go to waste and no one gets hurt I don’t mind a bit of banter. It’s been centuries since I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying such a lively meal.” Fenneca said.
“Just how long have you been stuck here anyway?” Chiro asked.
“Oh, around nine hundred years.” The fae replied between bites of her salad. “You have to keep in mind that time moves faster here on the planets surface than everywhere else in the universe.”
“That’s still a really long time though. It must have been lonely.” Otto said.
“I left home in search of other fae, the hope and future of my entire race on my shoulders. I can bear a bit of loneliness for their sake,” Fenneca stated and smiled. “That didn’t stop me from taking in and looking after Fluttershy.”
“How did you find her anyway? Did her parents abandon her or something?” Sparx asked and the fae noticed Chiro was paying rapt attention to the conversation.
“It was the night after one of the worst storms I’d ever seen during my time here, even the Everfree wasn’t left unscathed. Trees ripped from the ground, roots and all, flood waters powerful enough to wash away boulders. I found Flutershy as an infant, trembling on a stray piece of cloud, hanging onto it for dear life, the poor thing was soaked to the bone,” Fenneca explained. “I only found out the full story a few days later after stealing a newspaper from town, that same storm had practically torn apart Cloudsdale, a Pegasus city made of heavily enchanted clouds. By all rights it should have withstood the brunt of the storm but for some reason it just didn’t.”
“Mama went looking for my family but so many other foals had lost their families too she was worried I'd get lost in the system as everyone worked to find a home for the survivors, a lot of ponies lost more than just their homes,” Fluttershy added. “So, she adopted me and here we are.”
The conversation was halted as the sound of the front door slamming open made the Monkey Team jump up in their seats on high alert.
“Rainbow? What did I tell you about knocking first?” Fenneca called out.
“Sorry!” Everyone heard the rainbow maned pegasus call out from elsewhere in the house and The Hyperforce visibly relaxed. “Is my food in the fridge?”
“Yes, in the paper bag on the second shelf, oh and show up early tomorrow if you can, I’m making egg and mustard sandwiches for lunch.” Fenneca replied.
“Awesome! Thanks mom, see ya!” The sound of displaced wind, the opening and slamming of the fridge and the whoosh that signaled Rainbow leaving via an open window happened so quickly the Monkey Team didn’t really know what to make of it.
“What just happened?” Otto asked.
“Did she just call you mom?” Nova asked Fenneca.
The fae princess just laughed. “She doesn’t call me that out in public, in fact she is so against the idea that she continues the play part of Fluttershy’s best friend instead of her adopted sister. Don’t let on you know though, I don't want her to get embarrassed.”
“Rainbow’s an orphan too, she moved to Ponyville when she was thirteen and mana caught her looking for food in our rubbish bin,” Fluttershy explained. “Since she graduated from Flight School early Rainbow wasn’t old enough to have a job or support herself but she wanted to prove she was as capable as anyone else.”
“She put on such an air of confidence everyone thought the silly girl was just fine and already had a home, I took her in since Fluttershy already knew her from Flight School and we’ve kept up the little show ever since,” Fenneca elaborated and shook her head sadly. “She a strong one but I fear her confidence will get in trouble one day.”
“I can sort of understand where she’s coming from, not wanting to be weak or helpless.” Chiro admitted.
“I wondered why you took it upon yourself to heal Rainbow’s injuries instead of sending her to a doctor,” Antauri said with a knowing smile. “You’re not one to normally display your abilities so openly.”
“I couldn’t just stand there.” Fenneca retorted.
The conversation fell into idle chatter and light-hearted banter as plates were cleared and Fluttershy helped her mother serve dessert. There was a sense of belonging and comfort in the room, the house as lively as ever as tales of heroic exploits and daily misadventures were swapped between everyone.
Fluttershy and Chiro shared a hoof bump under the table as Fenneca laughed alongside the others at a story Sparx was telling, their goal of getting the fae princess to open up looked to be a success.
The next morning saw no sign of The Great and Powerful Trixie, just the tracks from her wagon that led to the road going out of Ponyville.
To Be Continued...
Stats
Page generated in 0.03 seconds
Total duration
1,047 users online
2,203,932 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
You know what the problem with this story is? There's not enough of it!
But seriously, though, another excellent chapter.
another great chapter Dragon.
9197886
I'm so glad that's a complaint! I just finished linking the blog post explaining the original idea behind this chapter in the authors notes. Episode 5 will mostly be a compilation of SoL scenes with Chiro's boredom driving forward so bear with me, there is more to come, I just have to work exactly what I want to put in now that I've gotten Episode 4 finally done!
Honestly it felt like Episode 4 was taking forever to finish because i kept adding stuff to it, lol. It takes me about a day or two to write a chapter, barring any computer issues, headaches or day long breaks I take.
9197895
Woo! Feedback!
Do you like Fenneca? I hope you like Fenneca... I'm worried people don't like Fenneca....
okay so this is before Antuari became the silver monkey
9197944
Um yes, I literally stated what episodes of both shows this is set around... I might have to change the authors notes of Episode 1...
9197957
ah okay must not have paid attention thanks
9197961
The story starts a couple of days after Chiro's Girl, the very first episode of SRMTHFG!
9197908
Fenneca is amazing.... *imagines Ammy meeting Fenneca* ALL OF MY YES!
9197997
Lol. I'm glad people like her, it's a gamble with OC's and with this story especially, SRMTHFG is something I'm really passionate about, I want to do the show justice.
9197976
yeah i had forgotten that was the first episode
9198051
I'll edit the story description, you're not the first one to ask when this thing is set...
Is Trixie going to be a villain for the entire story? We won't get to see her redeemed?
Also, kinda feel like Fenneca should look into that Equestrian Branch of M.A.G.I.A at some point.
9200743
Trixie will get a redemption arc further down the line and yes Fenneca should look into the Equestrian branch of M.A.G.I.A, though both of those probably won't be until Season 2, I've already got Season 1 all planned out and only bits of Season 2 thought out at the time of writing.