SteamPony Express

by SketchIt

The Steampony Express

North was hard at work today as she was trotting through her marvelous machine which was near completion. At this time she was wearing goggles above her horn pushing her mane back. She had a white shirt with a thick black over shirt and her hooves covered with a pair of black boots.

"Ok let's see here, Magic powered heating system..." She glanced up towards a massive boiler hiding in the depths of the machine. The boiler had four tanks by one massive tank which below them was a magic gauge. "Check..." She tested the system by charging the gauge with her magic. She began to pump the gauge with magic energy, the power stores surged her energy into four half dome metallic plates glowing bright red. The water tanks commenced to heat up and the first minute passed as she examined the main tank pressure gauge. "System is functional, heh alright..." She trotted over to a special switch she added into the many systems still in the large steam engine. "Checking all pneumatics systems." Like a mad scientist she pulled the switch and turned as she slapped a pair of goggles on. "COME ON... LIVE... LIVEEE!" The pressure began to wobble the pneumatic tubes as steam was sucked from the main tank and poured into the system.

The switch she pulled was basically a full system test forcing hundreds of tubes to whistle and toot. With expertly trained eyes she focused on every pneumatic tube carefully scanning for any emergency release valve to pop out, this would be to prevent the tubes from exploding and indicate a fault in the line. "Yessss, YESSSS... YESSS MUWAHAHAHAHA! IT LIVESSSS!" Her machine begun to make a loud ruckus outside Ponyville and the townsfolk were wondering if a train had came into the station.

With a clap of her hooves she felt her machine had finally been brought to life when a voice behind her inquired,

"What lives?"

"GAHHHH...!!" Startled she turned around with her goggles staring Bubblegum in the face. "What are you doing HERE... the boiler room is no place for anypony but me!"

"A boiler room, what's a boiler room... Ohhh is it like something you use to like boil stuff! Hopefully not eggs, boiled eggs smell! Why would anypony boil an egg?!" North threw her hoof to her face with an aggravated response,

"Agghhh it's sort of, you do boil water but that's about it. What is important is THE STEAMM!" She points to the system as it continued to whistle about. Bubblegum trotted up to the pnuematic tubes and stared at them for a moment. "NO YOU FOOL THAT STEAM IS HOT!" A sharp whistle of steam shot by her face and Bubblegum jumped back yipping,

"Holy Cotton Candy that WAS hot! Almost as hot as my Tamales haha...!"

"Believe me, there's a BIGG Difference."

"Well this place is no fun hey wanna go prank some ponies or bowl... or... or we could form a band!! Call ourselves the NORTH BERRY SWIRL!" Feeling her mind become perplexed North sighed,

"Not really Bubblegum I must finish my tests. I have added quite a few modifications to the engine and I want to make sure they all work properly before I reveal it to the others. The closer I get at finishing this baby the more SWAG it gets!" As North was preoccupied Bubblegum decided to look around.

"Wow you sure do have a lot of buttons and knobby thingies, and levers, and ooohhh what does this wheel thing do?"

"BUBBLEGUM NO!" She zipped over grabbing the wheel before Bubblegum could move it anymore than she had! The steam engine began to make a funky noise as the pressure began to drop. "Do not touch that, everything in here is only touched by me! Got it!" North's agitation was growing more and more as Bubblegum was not aware of what she was doing. Bubblegum seemed skeptical and she asked what the purpose of the wheel was. "Why can't you ask before you do things not the other way around..." Bubblegum in response whined,

"I can't help I'm a curious ponnnnnyy..." Not amused North explained,

"This is the manual main pressure valve, in case of an emergency this stays at a default state. It effects the flow of boiler's steam output."

"Okie dokie smokey, so nowww do you wanna go play?" North just flung her hooves in the air and flew up to the main floor of the steam engine checking the rest of the pneumatic tubes.

"Aggghhh! Sorry Bubblegum but I have to do this, go play with another pony or something..." As she performed her analysis Bubblegum sighed as she drooped mumbling,

"Okkk...." Before she could grump her way out she suddenly jumped up quickly exclaiming, "Oh I know, I can help you!" North turned around to her literally pulling her goggles up to give a clear austere stare down at the swirly maned enigma that is Bubblegum.

"Do you know anything about steam engines... do you know anything in general about the complexities of mechanics, because if you don't you will be of no help." Bubblegum seemed strangely attached to North which she found odd. In an attempt to discover why she won't leave North began to inquire, "Why don't you go bug Sketch huh?" Bubblegum looked a bit discouraged as she answered,

"She's not really that much fun, she's always got her nose up a book, or she's painting, or she's spending time with DaisyChain, and all they do is walk around and talk, Boooorrringggg! I find that funny too, but not in a good funny but a weird funny cause she was all like cool and crazy and outgoing, but now she's all quiet and no fun..." North attempted to plead Bubblegum,

"What about Jaxx, or Lavender, or Starlight... surely you can go bug somepony else?" Bubblegum started to prance around responding,

"Nope, Jaxx is working, Starlight... I donno where she is, she's really good at hide and seek, not even I can find her and i'm the best hide and seeker ever! So that probably makes her like the most super duper bestest hide and seeker everrrr of all time, and Lavender is just blechhh..." North dropped altitude and put her snout up against Bubblgum's snout arguing,

"Sooo why are you bugging me, I'm busy too..." North began to animate herself as she flew up pointing in directions responding, "What about your family, or Spike... somepony, anypony it could be a random pony... I'm reeeallllly busssyyyy Bubblegum!!!" Bubblegum just flew her hoof out with excuses for them too,

"Spike's sleeping, I've spent years with my family and my parents say I should spend time with my friends so here I am."

"Uggghhhhhh...." North slowly descended to the floor once more and grumbled,

"Ok you can stay..."

"Yiiipeeee... I can stay, I can stayyyyy!!! Can I he....Mmmph..." North threw a hoof up to Bubblegum's mouth and added sharply,

"Just don't get in my way, and don't touch anything. Got it!?" Bubblegum nodded with a salute answering,

"Clear as crystalss North..." North began to float back to the boiler room when she heard a faint noise, "Ooohhh what's this...?"

"BUBBLEGUM!!!"

Over at Sketch's home Lavender was outside with her things packed.

"Well Sketch, it was good being your roommate, but I've finally managed to get my parents to loan me enough to transform that dusty old second floor at the gallery into my own personal studio and home. Red and myself will get out of your hair so you won't have to deal with my constant needs..." Sketch giggled and nodded happily knowing her friend is just going to be a block away.

"Well I'm happy you're finally going to have your own place to call home Lavender, I'll do my best to keep the art work coming."

"Please do darling they are selling exquisitely. I must say I'm very pleased at the business we have attained in such a short time. Why Photo Shoot has yet to reveal your face to the public he's still working on them of course, but I must say I'm a bit excited to see how many more will come to the gallery from all over Equestria when they find out you're personally showcasing here." Sketch still felt awkward about the idea but she hoped Lavender was going to keep her assuring words that it would not be stressful for Sketch. "Ta ta Sketch dear, don't forget tomorrow we're getting together to eat at that new restaurant down the road. I hear their food is mouth watering, and their assortments of apple cidars and grape cocktails are simply marvelous."

"I'll keep that in mind! Bye Lavender!" DaisyChain waved as well bidding,

"Later Old Man, keep those muscles strong, you're inspiration for all the old ponyfolk!" Sketch start to burst out giggling,

"Pfffftttt hyahahahahah... What...?!" As the door closed DaisyChain trotted up by the couch and jumped on it mumbling,

"Ahhhh, one thing the army didn't have was soft cushions like these, I just can't get enough of this softness!!" DaisyChain was now out of her jacket and her wound had been healed enough she had her bandages off. Her side had a large scar still embedded, her wing braces were off and to Sketch without her armored braces DaisyChain just looked like a little young filly messing up the couch.

"Omagosh Daisy what are you doing!?" Sketch was about to have a giggle fit confused as to why DaisyChain was acting the way she was! DaisyChain rolled on her back and stretched herself out on the couch sighing,

"Lil sis, you have no idea how good this feels to me. I was holding it in until prissy hooves left because I knew she would have a fit if I started rolling all over the cushions Hehehehe!" Sketch awkwardly trotted over to the kitchen to get a drink as DaisyChain just continued, "Six years Sketch, six years I was sleeping on the ground, a thin canvas cot, or springy matresses would suffice sometimes but, this is like lounging on a cloud which I wish I could do so bad. Blasted torn wings..." She looked at her deformed wings and frowned feeling she would never get that feeling of zipping through the skies again. Sketch continued to be quiet as she didn't want to say anything to upset DaisyChain about her wings. "You know what we should do Sketch?" Sketch looked to the lounging pony as she asked,

"What's that Daisy?" Daisy immediately replied,

"I heard the Autumn festivities are coming up to kick off the start of the next season. We should both totally do the events!" Sketch was not much of a physical pony and she shirked at wanting to involve herself. One look at Sketch's face and DaisyChain knew what she had mulling over in her mind so she gave a humorous remark, "Oh come on don't give me that look lil sis it'll be fun, besides you need to get out anyway. Those how to books and all that drawing is withering your body away, let's go play some frisbee or something right now!"

"Righht... noww...?" She nodded as she jumped off the couch yelling,

"YEAHHH RIGHT NOW MARE... Let's get you out there and exercise! COME ON!" Without a word to stop her DaisyChain rammed Sketch in the flank and shoved her to the door!

"Well I gotta, but I'm reading about illusion magic right now..."

"Nope, no illusions mare, you're going to do some real stuff. Time to think less magic and more physical work so come on!" With a door swung wide open she shot out into the outside making her way over to the park towards a large pile of free sports equipment for anypony to enjoy at the park.

"Oh dear, this is going to be embarrassing..." Sketch felt unnerved by what she was about to do.

As she approached the park she could see the nearby playground for the little fillies and colts at the school. A very cheerful looking middle aged mare was resting by a bench watching the foals playing about. She could see many of the faces of those fillies and colts she had met in her crazy antics. There was Bubblegum's two young cousins and sisters, Starburst with her beautiful wings acting shy around the others. A warm sight of Derpy Hooves jumping around with Lil B and Chess, it seemed they felt rather close after the incident with the clowns. Sketch felt a chill go through her spine thinking about the nightmare.

"I'ma get you Derpy!" Chess bolted through the grass chasing after Derpy as she ran crying out,

"Ahhhh, Nooo you won't Hayaahahaha!" Chess hopped over and missed Derpy which her little niece Teeny Hooves popped up out of nowhere running like a little grey and blonde Flash! As Lil B seen Teeny running towards him behind the slide he shook his head,

"Nooo, nooo yer gonna give me away!" Apparently Bubblegum's family was joined with them as Sketch noticed Chess Pie turning towards Gooseyberry and her sister Lolliberry making a run for them. Sketch wanted to watch other ponies have fun, but her lazy attitude was met with a frisbee in her face!

"Aghhh what the!?" DaisyChain laughed prancing in the background wailing,

"Come on you can do better than that! Get your head in the game Sketch!" As Sketch-It turned her attention to DaisyChain, Chess was having a hard time catching the dynamic twin duo!

"Can't catch us HAHAHAHA!!" The two twin sisters shot off with Lolliberry hopping on Gooseyberry's back. "Weeeee, I got your back sis!"

"What, hey... that's no fair!" Chess Pie began to strafe from side to side as Lolliberry attempted to drench her with soda water! From side to side she successfully dodged the shots until she made the mistake of closing her eyes as she stuck her tongue out.

"I have you now!" PSSHHHHHHHH!!!

"Oubblbalblababalalalaaa!" Poor Chess Pie slowed to a crawl until she plopped on the ground soaked. "Awwww saltlicks..."

"Hayahahahaha!" Lolliberry was too busy laughing and feeling she had bested the game of tag by drenching the tagger that she didn't notice the jungle gym's low riding bar. Her sister wasn't thinking until it was too late and Lolliberry hit it and fell on the ground with a loud plop!

"Owwww that's smarts..." Grimacing from the impact Chess Pie ran over to see if Lolliberry was ok. Her twin turned and looked at her as she began to make a weird noise as if she was chocking. Scared something was wrong her sister started running and crying,

"Miss Cheerilee, Miss Cheeerileee... something's wrongg... wwi... wiith Lolliberry!" Cheerilee wasted no time and hopped up galloping over to the jungle gym with Derpy racing right behind.

"What happened!?" Miss Cheerilee asked. At that time Lolliberry's chocking turned into a deep breath and a loud screaming wail!

The fillies and colts playing the game came out of hiding to see what happened while the rest of the students played as if nothing happened. In the background two mean fillies and a colt just laughed as they stood over near the slide cozy under the shade of a tree.

"Such a weird bunch, most of them don't even have their cutie marks yet. I positively hate pointless silly games..." A snooty white coated earth pony scoffed as she looked to her cutie mark of a shimmering jeweled necklace. The stallion nodded as he waltzed over to his companion who seemed to be the brains of the outfit. Her stare was like daggers as she grimaced. She seemed like a younger variant of the infamous Diamond Tiara, her cutie mark was an excessive amount of regalia, a ruby studded scepter, crown and a deep crimson cloak all together on her flank almost as if she was royalty herself. Her coat as gold as the glow of the sun and her mane and tail as crimson red as the rubies shining on the scepter upon her very flank.

"I could not agree more, tag is so low rate. It's weak and barbaric, there is no real goal in the game..." The stallion answered lofting his silvery white striped mane, his gray coat outshone by the silvery scepter on his flank. He looked to the other filly as she turned and disregarded them after the incident at the jungle gym and she continued on a previous conversation,

"Anywho you two remember my Aunt Satin Braid?"

"You mean the one that was orphaned but found out she was a part of your family Ruby Regalia?" She rolled her eyes at the stallion with a snippy response,

"Yes of course the only Satin Braid I ever talk about! I suggest you not speak about her orphaned past Silver Scepter or you'll be thrown overboard. She hates being reminded of her past." She paused a moment and looked over to the playground carrying on, "Anyways, her and my parents are holding a benefit for Diamond Tiara's unveiling of the new Tiaramart. They say it's a revolutionary step forward to the marketplace, it will eventually take over all small businesses and replace them with one mega store. My parents say I can invite whoever I want and so I've chosen a few of our best most popular classmates, including you Silver Scepter and you as well Vanity Shimmer. Satin Braid is bringing the SS Regalian Tide here at Ponyville to host the benefit on board!" The two ponies nodded with excitement as Silver Scepter realized what she meant by thrown overboard.

"Of course none of those ponies are going to be around the benefit right?" Vanity Shimmer asked as she pointed towards the group. Ruby gave an angry sigh as she mumbled,

"The ground events are open invite to all ponies..." But her smile came back as she sinisterly put it, "But only private invitations get to attend the banquet aboard the Regalian Tide, so we don't have to worry about them." The ponies cackled together in an evil fashion. Silver Scepter looked over to Ruby Regalia and asked,

"When is the benefit. I must know so I can have my best suit ready for the event?"

"It's actually tomorrow..." Their jaws dropped as their eyes twitched nervously. "Sorry if I brought this news fashionably late, but my parents didn't tell me about it until yesterday..."

As Ruby continued to carry on about the benefit, one young mare was having a most embarrassing time playing frisbee.

"OH GAWSH!" A flying Sketch continued to fly as she attempted several times over to catch DaisyChain's throws only to slap the ground. "Whyyy can't I use my magic Daisy!?"

"Because that's cheating Sketch, if you are going to play with pegasi or earth ponies the first thing you gotta learn is being fair. Besides using magic won't help you physically develop!"

"Ugghhh, you and you're physical... this is training isn't it, YOU'RE SNEAKING IN A PHYSICAL TRAINING SESSION ON ME IN THE FORM OF A HARMLESS GAME OF FRISBEE!" DaisyChain began to laugh out loud as she tossed the frisbee again!

"HAHAHAA, so you finally caught on mare! Jeeze and I thought you were supposed to be smart seeing as you're a unicorn and all..."

"Heyyy... Ouwchh!" Caught off guard by the comment she lost concentration and the frisbee slapped her across the face! "OMMPH!" She proceeded to fall into the ground just as she did numerous times. "Agghhh now i'm starting to feel like Lavender, all these stains and scrapes are just nasty I need to clean myself!" DaisyChain just gave a deep sigh and shook her head,

"Girl you just... Aggghhh, fine we're done for today..."

"Oh thank Celestia no more torture!" DaisyChain trotted up by her side and commenced to giving her a noogie replying playfully,

"You're just full of whine and gripes today aren'tya hahahahaha!" A nearby group of mares Sketch's age began to giggled whispering. Sketch grew red in the face as she tried to escape mumbling,

"Agghhh yeah well ... Wait a minute, did you just make a play on words... ARE YOU SERIOUS WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR ME TO MAKE SOMETHING UP LIKE THAT!?" Sketch felt like she would never be adequate enough to make a joke.

"Oh don't worry about it, hey let's do what I suppose a big sister and little sister do after playing at the park and get some ice cream, you know I've not had ice cream since basic training, which is surprising!"

"Ohhh I love ice cream we should get pistachio I love that STUFF!"

"Pffft, mare Butterscotch is the way to go I donno what you talking about!" All this while, Silver Spoon had been investigating further as she hid in a tree documenting with a variety of devices at her disposal.

"This time I'm not going to let Diamond Tiara have anything to complain about..." She had audio listening devices, video cameras, a black suit on like some sort of super spy... she was prepared for espionage! "I'll have so much documented evidence she'll have to spend weeks looking through it all... ..." She paused a moment and frowned on a loose thought mumbling to herself, "Or she may make me look through it all, yeah knowing my luck she'll make me do it... SALTLICKS! AHHHHHHHHH!!!" She forgot she had the listening device tuned loudly and a loud screech flew in her ears sending her falling on the ground squealing in a daze! "Agghhhhh.... ..." She groaned as she lay on the ground too disoriented to move.

The day was concluded rather quick for the two mares as the rest of the day they strolled around and talked about just random things. Just around the afternoon when the sun was still shining brightly they had joined up with Bubblegum, North, Spike, Jaxx, and her brother and sister along with Bubblegum's troop. North decided with the extra hoof running around she was going to take a break and hopefully dump Bubblegum in town with another pony, she luckily found the others and hoped that she would leave her so she could end her day with uninterrupted work.

"And so like the whole day was me and mah dad finishin up the fences fer the Ranch. Mah dad's been might happy seein that there Ranch lookin pertty ship shape. He's even started hirin up a few cattle. There's this one cow Four Leaf she's the sweetest thang so polite. All she wanted was a roof o'er her head and plenty ta eat. I say if things keep up like this why we could get might rich on pappa's investment."

"Here's to hoping then Jaxx!" North smiled feeling a sense of connection with Jaxx as a focused worker, a pony who gets things done!

"Ooohhh Jaxx are you going to have chickens, sheep, goats and... and..." Jaxx slowed her down before she started up and replied,

"Nope, Bubblegum this here's a ranch, we might have chickens fer eggs but that's bout it, ranches'r strictly fer raisin cattle and such. We get the milk in return fer servicing them a home..."

"Oh, that sounds like lots of fun cows are sooo cool, I met a cow before her name was droopy, she was a sad cow but I made her happy with my super amazing juggling powers!" Bubblegum began to juggle around some chairs nearby when she picked one up with a pony in it, as he read the newspaper he felt a strange sensation he was being tossed around.

"What's this, I SAY!" He looked down at Bubblegum and scorned her, "That's positively rude and, heh heh and rather outright silly... hehehe... Nyahahaha..." His scorn turned into a warm laugh as he found it to be completely random to his daily routine.

"There's Bubblegum doing the impossible!" North commented sarcastically.

"Hey mister if I'm the juggler, would that make you the jugglee?"

"hehehehe, why I suppose it would..." The stallion disregarded her as he continued to read the paper while she one by one planted the chairs back in place.

"Easy peasy berry squeezy! Hey girls come on!!!! We should not waste this light sitting around let's go play!" Jaxx nervously smiled as she pointed over to Bubblegum's little troop at Lolliberry responding,

"I think one of yer sister's tain't in the mood fer playing..." North agreed adding,

"Yeah I've had the wind knocked out of me before, that's not fun stuff." Lolliberry shook her head slowly still sniffling as if it happened just a while ago. Bubblegum turned to Lolliberry and replied,

"Come on silly head cheer up, you're still up and atom, let's paint a big smile on that wittle frown..." A little creamy coated stallion with green and brown mane by the name of Pot Pie scoffed,

"Lolliberry's always a big baby..."

"No... I'm not!" She sniffled back snapping her wild orange and blue tail at him in a stubborn fit. "I'm not a baby..."

"You are too!"

"Hey don't talk to my sis that way Pot Pie!" Gooseyberry flustered up her melony green and red mane as she was getting tired of Pot Pie picking on her twin. Bubblegum lifted her head up as her siblings and cousins suddenly began to close in on one another.

"Heyyy... hey, let's not be haten, let's be creatin... happiness and smiles...." Nervously she began to back away. Gooseyberry and Pot Pie were locking manes with each other as they growled.

Chess Pie and Lil Bullet's eyes widened as Chess whispered,

"An'a thought when we fought we were bad..."

Being by the park and near a restaurant the commotion was starting to get attention. Gooseyberry began to rear up and she started to pop Pot Pie in the head who in turn tackled her down and they began to lock hooves!

"You're not sposed to hit girls!"

"I'm not hitting, I'm wrestling!" Pot Pie argued back making a valid point.

Jaxx started to look at Bubblegum's expression and she knew the big sister was not going to intervene. Lil B and Chess watched as Jaxx galloped over to the fight and she immediately with firm hooves grabbed both and planted their flanks away from one another replying,

"Now, now what's all the fussin about anyway... so what if yer cousin is a lil sensitive, sometimes fillies are sensitive so what. There's nothin to be ashamed of it..." She looked down at Pot Pie giving him the majority of that speech when she turned to Gooseyberry who thought she was not going to get any scolding when Jaxx added, "And as fer you, you don't need'n ta be startin fights on account of words, boys will be boys, they probably won't understand most of the times, so just laugh it off you two. There's nothin to fight about it's just plain pointless... cuz in the end what was the point in fightin anyway?"

Being young they couldn't really find a valid reason why they was fighting and began to awkwardly kick around on the ground feeling ashamed. "See, you two don't even know the reason ya fought in the first place..."

"But he called my sister a big baby..." Gooseyberry tried to defend herself but Jaxx just restated what she said about words being pointless to use as an excuse and she whimpered as she withdrew her self defense.

"Yup that's our sister, not afraid ta repeat herself." One of the major reasons Chess Pie and Lil Bullet didn't get into fights was knowing what Jaxx would do, those lectures were like pain on the ears and would be uncomfortable to be around too long, the lecture felt punishing enough.

Somehow she managed to get them to apologize and they returned over to the others with Pot Pie apologizing for calling Lolliberry a baby. Bubblegum's eyes were in shock and answered in a makeshift appaloosan accent,

"Wow Jaxx ya sure know how ta round'em up." Jaxx nodded with a prideful smile as she pointed over to her own siblings responding,

"Well these two were a handful back in tha day, Chess Pie tain't sensitive, she'd throw a punch, and so would Lil B, so it used ta be might intense, I've been walloped by both during several of their feudins..." Sketch felt the desire to have all her friends hang out together, afterall she could still remember what happened to Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. She didn't want that to happen to them so she took a moment to ask,

"Soooo... mares do you all want to hang out tomorrow..."

"Ooohhh no can do Sketch, I have to do some tests on my surprise, it's not quite done and I want to finish as soon as possible." North was the first to give her excuse when Jaxx began to weasle out as she replied,

"Sorry there Sketch I have a few more fences ta put up..." Sketch began to frown as she felt nopony was going to accept when of course Bubblegum asked,

"Will there be fun and games and cake and candy and PIE!?" Sketch nodded as she explained,

"Oh yes, me and DaisyChain heard the Mayor talk about it not too long ago, it was just before we met up with you mares. There's going to be a grand opening and a benefit banquet held in honor of the Tiaramart. It's going to have fun and games, and food of course." Bubblegum grinned with a firm salute replying,

"WOOOOO COUNT ME IN ON THAT PARTY!"

Their small meeting began to conclude as they parted their ways, of course this news had not escaped the watchful ears of the suave Lavender Rose. She was moving into her nice studio home and took a moment to look out into Ponyville with her very geometric designed window.

"Red do you think this dress from the Carousel Boutique screams too folkish?" She had bought a couple of dresses for the occasion and turned to the butler asking for his honest opinion.

"Well..." Before Red could answer she began to complain,

"Oh these frills are too frilly, but the other one has jagged edges... this one is so down to Equestria, but this one is very pop culture. If i wear this one I'll look like some common pauper, and this will make me look too Sceneish... aggghhh... RED, what do I do... mother and father are going to come here for the benefit tomorrow... it's a good thing the nanny is watching over Violet and Magenta, Celestia knows there would be no end of conflict between us three!" Red attempted to assure her,

"Miss Rose you are going to look exquisite in either, your parent's are more interested in your behavioral change, not your appearance..." She began to think sensible as Red made a good point.

"I suppose you're right, though I have not changed in all honesty, I'm still the same Lavender, but I suppose I could manage a charming smile, oh Dear Celestia what if that Diamond Tiara attempts to start something with me...." Red again reassured her as he began to feed Humphrey,

"Miss Rose I believe Miss Tiara will not be so bold as to start a conflict with you if she finds out her biggest investor is your father..." Lavender suddenly widened her eyes as she began to grin rather sinisterly.

"Why yesss... I completely forgot about that. D-Tiara Incorporated is one of Daddy's biggest investments, he shares stocks with the Regalia family and Diamond Tiara's. Why cutting her off from one third of her investment would be too much of a risk to mess with me, heheheheeh... oh and despite my parents throwing me out they still love me ever so much... to see her openly insult me would have daddy sooooo mad! Muwahahahahhahaha Yesss, that would be a treat to see her precious Tiaramart go bankrupt! It would serve her right for throwing such a petty insult at me HMPH!" Red rolled his eyes and mumbled,

"Miss Rose I don't advise you go looking for trouble, you are on thin ice with your parents already..." Feeling as though Red did not trust her she replied,

"Don't fret Red I'll be on my best behavior for my mommy and daddy, but the moment she attempts to lock hooves with me I'll EVISCERATE HER!" Red leaned his head down to Humphrey and whispered,

"I do hate when she gets into those vengeful moods, it always leaves me picking up after her."

Sketch-It returned home with DaisyChain feeling that she was not being assertive enough.

"It's been a week now and everypony seems to be well, distancing each other, what's going on?" DaisyChain just smiled as she trotted over to the small bookshelf that had several how to books and a couple of entertaining magazines that Lavender had left.

"I don't know why you think it's so important to have them all together so soon, they had to travel deep into the Everfree Forest and do some crazy stuff to get you back..." A sensation of guilt loomed over Sketch about that whole ordeal. "Stop thinking about it just go with the flow mare, pretty soon you will be seeing them more often. Just give it some time mkay sugar pie?" For somepony who never had a sister she sure knew how to sound like an older sister, a very strange one at that.

"I guess... but jeez it's going to annoy me tonight, I might not be able to sleep..." DaisyChain laughed as she responded,

"Should I get some warm milk and cookies for you then hehehehehe!?" Sketch shook her head walking up the stairs.

"Not neccessary Daisy, I'm going to shower and straight to bed for me!"

"Agghhh... Good night Sketch." DaisyChain answered back as she flipped open a magazine to a random page to see a rather awkward picture of some hunky stallion... "Whoa nelly... what in Equestria..." Her eyes twitched as she closed the magazine red in the face. The only response she had was, "Welllp, Lavender's got some real strange tastes... I'll just aahhhh..." Nervously she placed it back where she found it and pulled out a book. "The how to's of intellectual thought, the complete guide to keeping your mind straight..." Opening up the book she read the first two pages and her eye twitched again. "Sweet Celestia's Ghost this is... just, I'm not the most well read pony but she's rotting her brain with these silly books..." DaisyChain trotted back over and rummaged through all the books. "Agghhh between Lavender's Hot Stud Stallions, and these stupid how to books..." At that point DaisyChain feeling the need to be the righteous sister made the decision to get those off the bookshelf and replace them with something more tasteful.

The night rolled over rather quickly as everypony slept, well all but one who was still up in the middle of the night. Like a night club North had the steam pneumatics playing a melody as she watched her machine come to life!

"All systems functioning properly, seems to be no faults so far. Oh this is just too much SWAG for me to handle!" With her goggles back on her face she had a big grin as she levitated a pen writing down on a schematic by a drawing board checking off the systems check sequence. "Now on to the functions, this is where stuff gets awesome!"

She continued to stay up testing several functions of the steam behemoth. "Locomotion..." She moved the two sticks forward and backward making the engine move about. "Locomotion is a check..." She checked the braking systems along with other functions of the engine. There was of course one function though she didn't check as she was afraid to. "Ehhh, maybe sometime later..." She glanced up to the circus tent canvas dangling on heavy suspension ropes. "As far as everything else, the boiler is producing power to everything properly just as I expected." She was in a moment of pride on her accomplishment as her entire test had not a single fail safe triggered, despite having Bubblegum running rampant in the boiler room. She pulled up her goggles and yawned heavily as the fatigue finally hit her. "I guess I'll go ahead and turn in for tonight..." She flew down into the boiler room and turned off the system. Turning around to a small bed bolted down she hopped on top and cuddled into her covers. "This feels sooo awesome, I never want to leave this beautiful hunk of iron ever!"

As dawn approached young fillies and colts were getting ready for school. As they prepared for a day of learning, three ponies in particular were dressing for the benefit which would start around the afternoon. Ruby Regalia had on her best dress smiling through a mirror as she placed fiery ruby earrings on.

"A bit excessive don't you think Ruby..." Silver Scepter responded as he trotted into the room with a quizzical expression. She rolled her eyes and barked,

"Absolutely not, this event is going to require everything I can possibly wear!" Ruby Regalia clipped the non piercing earrings on and levitated a necklace around her neck adorning her mane with a hairband engraved with ruby gems lining with diamonds. "Perfect, I would've gone with my mom's tiara but she didn't think I should outshine the mare of the event, I wouldn't dream of outshining Diamond Tiara anyway. She's the most exquisite mare besides my own mother in Ponyville." Vanity Shimmer trotted through the door behind Silver Scepter and agreed,

"Absolutely, Diamond Tiara should be crowned a princess to Ponyville in my opinion, she's done so much for the wealth of this town." Ruby Regalia nodded in a very elegant fashion as she stated,

"As president of the Aristocrats of Youth I deem Diamond Tiara the most fashionable and wealthy pony of Ponyville, I would even go as far as to say all of Equestria, her very existence should be adored by all! Why the royals of Canterlot should be humbled by her very presence."

"I agree most definitely." Silver Scepter raised his hoof elegantly to Ruby Regalia. A maid approached the door with a sweet dulcet tone replying,

"Children, time for school." Ruby Regalia hopped off the stool in front of her mirror and trotted out with her two friends following behind her. They passed by the living room of a large mansion where Ruby's parents were chatting with Silver Scepter's and Vanity's, apparently the three families were very close knit.

"Let us go and invite the commoners I suppose..." Ruby Regalia scoffed amusingly to her friends as they trotted up to a carriage drawn by one of the family servants.

Back on the path just outside Ponyville, the Berry swirl bunch and Jaxx's siblings had met together with Starburst trotting behind them with a secured smile being around them.

"Are you feeling better today Lolliberry?" Chess Pie asked curiously and Lolliberry just happily nodded,

"Yep, yep, yep... I feel ripey pipey!"

"Ripey Pipey...?" Chess looked at her rather perplexed.

"Like a zippey zadoodle!"

"Zippey Zadoodle... what in tarnation are you..." Gooseyberry laughed and explained,

"Lolliberry is crazy, she's like as crazy as our big sis Bubblegum and she likes to say funny words when she's happy." Chess Pie giggled at the sound of Lolliberry hopping around going,

"Root tootey fruits, Flimmidy Jibbidy Zipple Zing... BA BOOMBA!"

"heeheehee she sure as sugar hyper today..."

"I ate like a whole bunch of Jelly Berry's Pancakes, my big bro fills them up with all kinds of berry jams and they were soo sweet and delicious I ate as many as I could get my hooves onnn!!"

"She even ate mine..."

"Mine too!" Cream Pie insisting on adding her loss into the conversation.

"I'm sorry but they were just too delicious you know how I feel about Jelly Berry's pancakes!" The two colts trotted ahead of the group of fillies who were chatting away. Lil bullet rolled his eyes and muttered,

"Aghhh, are they gonna be yakking all the way to school..." Pot Pie turned to Lil B and sighed,

"We can do this B, we just have to ignore them..."

"PADIDDLY PIE JUBEADORPH!" Lolliberry jumped between them and shouted as loud as she could bouncing about. "I wish my sister Bubblegum could come to school, we'd be so awesome jumping around and yelling random things, throwing pies and pranking ponies..." The two colts just gave a loud irritated sigh in unison as they lowered their heads knowing Lolliberry was going to go on until the sugar runs out of her system.

Cherrilee stood outside while the school bell rang. The ponies all appeared over the road as they continued towards the school building.

"Come on everypony hurry up class is about to start." Cheerilee replied as she tried to urge them to hurry. The children piled into the classroom and took a seat. "Look at all these smiling faces ready to learn, I hope you did your homework yesterday because we're going to have a quiz..."

As their day started a group of mares were starting up bright and early. Starlight was over at the Tailor shop doing some finishing touches on some dolls while Jaxx trotted her merry way inside over to the front desk.

"Ex'cuse me mister but I be needin this here saddlebag repaired..." She showed the tailor the open rip in the canvas saddlebag. He pointed her over to the best stitching hooves in Ponyville. "Why Starlight, howdy doo there!"

"Ohh hey Jaxx, what do you need?" Starlight took a gander over at the bag she had on her side and responded in haste, "Oh dear I see, let me get that fixed up... you can go do whatever it is you need to do while I fix this..." Jaxx paused her responding,

"Nahh, it's fine I really tain't got much to do round here anyway." She began to think about Sketch's request. Her fencing was not really a great pirority seeing as her dad was at a change of heart today. "Say, are ya gonna be goin to that there event Sketch was a talkin bout?" Starlight looked a little puzzled not being in the loop, but she remembered hearing about an event yesterday from the Tailor and nodded answering back curiously,

"I heard about the Tiaramart benefit if that's what you are talking about, are you going to be going?"

"What me, well... ..." Starlight's eyes were pretty hard to refuse as she was hoping to hear a yes. Jaxx's mouth opened up with, "I might go on account mah dad's not real focused on workin today, says we need a day off." Starlight smiled as she began to stitch using a thicker thread for the canvas bag. As she sewed she replied,

"Well I will go most definitely if Sketch is going, it sounds like a lot of fun from what I hear." Jaxx agreed with a feeling of guilt and awkwardness coming over her. Rubbing the back of her neck nervously she murmured,

"Well I suppose all work and no play makes Jaxx a dull pony."

"Heheheheh that would be the truth. You gotta have fun sometimes." With that being said Jaxx confidently stated out loud,

"Well by gum, I'll go and party mah hooves till I can't party no more!"

"Woo, then I shall join as well...!" In a matter of moments Starlight had sewn up the hole and gave Jaxx the saddlebag back. "Here you are all fixed up. See you at the benefit." Starlight bid Jaxx a goodbye as she trotted away answering,

"You too mare."

Meanwhile back in North's engine two figures were stalking inside with ill intentions to rudely awaken a pony. Spike managed to retrieve the tuxedo from Sweetie Belle and a Bubblegum had on a dark ninja like outfit.

"There she is Agent Bubble..."

"I see her Double'O, I'm on it." She spit a wad of gum into both her hooves and jumped on the side of the wall going up the ceiling. Spike was impressed by her ingenuity responding in awe,

"Awww Bubblegum that's so awesome..." In character she snapped,

"Ssshhhhh... I'm being sneaky Double'O..."

"Oh right, sneaky..." Spike began to slither on the ground towards North who was sleeping soundly. Bubblegum began to loom over top of North and she grinned,

"Gotcha..." Suddenly a sweat drop started falling from her nose. "No... noo, no no noooo!" She flung her tongue down and caught it mid air slurping it up. "Mmmm tangy berry." Suddenly an alarm went off as Spike felt a rope nab his legs and send him flying into the air!

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Almost in an instant North hopped up from her bed and yelled,

"AHA I KNEW YOU WOULD COME TO BUG ME... WELL NOT TODAY!!!!.... ..." Her eyes were caught on the figure of Spike as she responded puzzled, "Wait what, Spike why are..."

"NINJAAAAAAAA!!!!!" Out of nowhere North felt a Bubblegum slap on top of her and knock her right out of her bed! "Ha I gotcha North, I gotcha good didn't I?" North wriggled around in the sticky mess that Bubblegum had in her hooves growling as she tried to not laugh at the fact Bubblegum pulled off a tactical victory!

"Yeah Bubblegum, you got me..." Bubblegum with no problem hopped off North while she was stuck fighting with the gum in her coat. "Pretty ingenious of you to use Spike as a decoy."

"What, you used me Bubblegum? Oh that's cold!" Bubblegum grinned with the clever response,

"You could say in this mission, I was..." She pulled out a pair of shades and placed them on her face finishing, "The Double Agent."

"Hahahaha, I seen what you did there!" Spike guffawed! The sheer clever wit of this pony was absolutely scary but somehow seemed harmless to them and not to mention a barrel of laughs.

The two ponies made their way up to the front of the engine with Spike following behind. "So what's up for today mares? I'm excited to go to the benefit, I don't really like Diamond Tiara all that much but there's going to be food and games... so there's no way I'm missing out!" North shrugged as she looked over at the controls.

"Today's going to be the unveiling you two, this baby is going to ride into Ponyville!"

"Ooohhh... so what's it called North?" North turned her attention back to Bubblegum and thought for a moment. Bubblegum being surprised responded, "What you mean you never thought to name it...?"

"Not really, I didn't know it would work so well, my plans were like soooo vague on detail but I guess in some weird way my mind put everything together perfectly. Honestly didn't expect it to be done so fast." The three of them attempted to think about a proper name for this huge steam engine.

"Big Metal Thingy, or maybe Steamy Whistle... ummm Crunchy Potato, I donno Banana tubes!" North's left eye began to twitch as the names Bubblegum was making up sounded like completely mashed up chaos. Spike added into the ideas with,

"I know call it the Great Steam Giant, or the Derailed Dragon!" North held her hoof to her face trying to think when suddenly she had the most simple and catchy idea out of all the freaky names mentioned,

"I got it... it'll be called..."

As they were playing around in the engine, one pony in particular was beginning to have a very, very bad day!

"WHATTT YOU WHATTTT!" Lavender began to go into a fit as her mother and father personally came to drop off two ponies she thought were not coming! "No you're joking, you can't possibly be doing this to me... mom, dad please tell me you are joking!" Grimacing in fright she watched in horror as none other than her sisters Violet and Magenta entered her home! Violet, a teenage nightmare with her mane in a sceneish jagged and long style. Her dark blue coat adorn by a violet rose nestled by two glamor eyes, this of course was what Lavender deemed a middle child starving for attention. Trotting into the studio she scoffed,

"Looks like the same dump you lived in before Sis..." Lavender could already see her tongue was as sharp as ever.

"That dump, you so rudely put it was my room and it is most certainly not a dump, it's a lot better than your dark bat cave!" Violet just glared,

"Pshhh, you're just jealous." Lavender gasped and was about to go on the vocal attack when she added, "Look we're not happy with it either... when mom and dad said we were going to spend a month with you I could feel Celestia's painful rays destroying my dark lunar sanctum." Lavender rolled her eyes and blurted,

"Charrrming as ever..." Suddenly behind Violet a little voice jumped out as a tiny magenta maned light gray coat filly pranced excitedly,

"Yay, RED!!!" A very attached little Magenta galloped and nuzzled against Red's leg. Red returned the nuzzle back tickling her cheek with his mustache,

"Good to see you Miss Magenta, your face as always bright and full of sunshine!" Red's personal little comrade. The little filly who actually went out of her way to help him when she made a mess. He had not seen that little face for weeks, and she was missing him badly, she told him everyday she begged her parents to let him come back. "I'm sorry Miss Magenta, but I cannot go against your father's word, my job is to take care of your big sister now."

"Awwwwww..." Downtrodden she kicked her hooves around. Red assured her whispering,

"Seeing as you will be staying with us for a while what say we try a hand at that recipe me and you were working on back home?" She lit back up and galloped around yelling,

"THAT WOULD BE THE BEST RED, I want to go make it now, pleaasssseee...?" Chuckling he turned to her parents replying,

"We'll get right on it in a bit, right now I think your parents wish to speak with me." He trotted up to her father Gray Rose who greeted Red with a warm hoofshake,

"Red you old dog, I see you and Lavender's been hard at work here in Ponyville." Red nodded with a chuckle,

"Yes well it has been a rather bumpy start but we've managed."

"I hear that, so I guess you got our message then, care to elaborate why Lavender seems so surprised?" Red turned to Lavender who was laying on the couch overreacting,

"Oh this is dreadful, stuck with eternal moonlight and blinding sunshine!!! How could today get any worse!?" Red just shrugged replying with a coy tone,

"It must have slipped my mind Master Gray..." Gray Rose laughed to himself knowing the reason and he slipped his hoof through his mane as he placed a hoof around his wife Silver Sonata.

"Well me and the misses are going to be in town until the benefit, as the note said we're leaving them with you for a month, me and Silver Sonata have some engagements coming up and we thought it best if they were to try and get along together. I can't tell you how much Magenta has wanted to see you, ever since you left she's been really sad." Red assured them that it was going to be no problem despite knowing that what they have done was mix sunshine with darkness and chained them with complete discord! This studio may be turned into a battleground by the end of the month!

"Very well Master Gray, I shall keep a careful eye on them." With a sturdy hoofshake again he gave a warm smile back to Red knowing in his own youth that Red was the stallion to get the job done.

"I know I can count on you Red Tie. We'll be at the inn if anything comes up, if not then we'll see you at the benefit." Gray Rose and Silver Sonata looked over to their fillies and waved to them, "We'll see you girls at the benefit, don't be too fashionably late!"

"We won't daddy!" The little baby of the family Magenta ran up to her parents and hugged them before they left. The parents left them under the watchful eye of Red and Lavender in turn began to lay down the law.

"Alright, listen up you two, there's going to be some rules around here. First off there will be no gallivanting around, there are delicate paintings and sculptures in here. Secondly I do not want either of you two touching any of the exhibits or messing with any of the decor, Violet I know how you are with wanting to spread your darkness on everything..."

"Hmmph..." Violet scoffed as she lay on a designer couch spreading herself like some pinup pony.

"WHAT ARE YOU... that's a six hundred thirty bit Géo Métrique Designer Couch, GET YOUR FILTHY HOOVES OFF THE CUSHIONS YOU SMUT PONY!" Lavender never did like her sister Violet. Just a few years behind her Violet was the super popular pony. Every stallion wanted her for some odd reason, she was truly the Scene pony! By jealousy or by disgust Lavender just absolutely despised her.

"You heard Lavender get off you..." Magenta began to lower her voice, "Smmmmut... pony." She began to remember the word smut was not a nice word to say and she seen Lavender and Violet look at her weird.

"What was that Magenta!?" Lavender began to take her role as she was ready to start dealing punishment. Whimpering Magenta backed away as her sister Violet jumped on both of them,

"You stupid little brat you need to watch your mouth, and you sisterrr! Don't you yell at her for something YOU SAID!"

"Well it's pretty strange that she lowered her voice, almost as if she knew the word was bad before I said it. Have you been using that filthy mouth around our little sister!!?" Magenta immediately backed away to Red who allowed her to hide behind him as her two sisters had a heated fight leaving Violet screaming,

"You're unbearable, like our eight'o clock lunch when the maids give us that gruel they call food! I just want to barf you up!!" Violet stormed away to the downstairs heading outside for fresh air!

"HOWWWW DARRREEE YOUUU!!! Get your flank back here this instant!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Humphrey began to bark at Violet in a fit of rage and Violet just yelled, "SHUTUP YOU INFERNAL PUFFBALL!" He whimpered back towards his little sleeping pad and began to bark at a safe distance. Lavender began to seethe with fury as she started to feel that home brewed anger she escaped coincidentally by being thrown out of her home.

"Oooohhhhh Red can you believe her, just as stubborn and violent as usual. Violent Violet that should've been her name, she's nothing but a pain in my flank!" Lavender stormed off to her room and slammed the door as hard as she could leaving Red and Magenta in the studio. Wide eyed Red could only utter,

"Not but moments after their parents leave they get into a fight. This month is going to be very long..." He looked down at Magenta and replied, "Well let's not dilly dally let's make those pudding cookies..." Red felt he would take Magenta's mind off her sisters. His priority may be Lavender but he could see the spark in Magenta just as he seen in her father, she even had the gray coat like her dad, a regular image of him with that sunshine glow to her smile.

"YAY pudding cookies!" He escorted the little filly to the kitchen chuckling to himself,

"I have the ingredients already to make them too." Magenta excitedly jumped around smiling,

"Alright Red, let's make us some Puddy Cookies!"

The day was off to a rather nice start for some, for others it was not. Lavender had finally finished sulking when she discovered what time it was.

"Oh no.... OH DEAR CELESTIA IT CAN'T BE... my meeting with Sketch, we were supposed to go to the restaurant 'Chez de la Argent Pomme!'" Lavender grew a bold expression as she sharply stated, "By the crown of Celestia! I will not ditch my friend because of a petty squabble with my sister!" She immediately turned her attention to her wardrobe and decided to wear something to the taste of culture rather than being just a plain pony this day. "They say leg warmers are coming into season again, something summerish, maybe a hat... hmmm Sweetie Belle did a rather fine job with this one, I most certainly envy her skill." She placed a nice white and purple bonnet upon her head and took a look in the mirror. "Hmmm, white and purple do mesh well together. Than again white meshes well with pretty much anything." She decided to go light with the sun bonnet and left to Sketch's house.

She approached Sketch's home and began to look at her hooves mumbling, "Hmmm, I should have a spa treatment done today, maybe Sketch will want to join, I know i've been there yesterday but still, these roads are murder for my manicure." She knocked on the door and who was to answer but DaisyChain who was of course being her weird self as she propped up on her hind legs sucking on a lollipop with her eyes glazing.

"Hey there sweet cheeks..." Lavender backed up feeling completely unnerved, her eyes widened with absolute confusion as she felt her words fluster.

"I...I..I... well... ehem, ummm yes... can I... ummm..."

"Yess, yes you can..." She started to raise her brows rather cocky.

"Ahhhhh... hahahahaa.... ummm..." DaisyChain suddenly began to laugh outloud falling on the ground,

"GAHAHAHAHAHAAHAa... Oh jeez you should've seen the look on your face mare... aaahhh gahhh.. aaaddaahhhh.... AHHHHAAHAHAHAAA!!!" Without words to say she just watched as DaisyChain rolled around until she hopped up rubbing her teary eyes, "Ahhhh that was hilarious, so yeah Sketch is getting ready upstairs, ummm... for future reference, all those hunky stallions in your magazines are completely lame, I've seen ones in the army that make them look like wrinkly old ponies." Suddenly Lavender's face turned completely red as she gritted her teeth nervously,

"Ohhhh myyy, you seen those didn't you?"

"Yes ma'am every single one of them." Lavender wanted to hide her face in the bonnet when Sketch was running down yelling,

"I'm coming, hold on... Agghhhhh!" Just Sketch's luck as she was trying to put on a leg warmer she went tumbling down the stairs... "Dohh, Ouwww... OOHhh... EEEE!!! OUCH! OOMPH!" Both Lavender and DaisyChain turned their heads painfuly closing their eyes.

"That looked like when I first tried to take off with all my flight equipment, I did a downhill tumble into the dirt! One of the most painful things I ever experienced, just imagine getting four hundred pounds put on you and now you're rolling down a hill with this load slinging you like a ragdoll all the way down." Lavender galloped over to Sketch and inquired,

"Sketch dear are you ok?" Sketch nodded her head as she lifted herself up.

"Yeah, I'm ok, just now my everything hurts..."

"Hehehehe your everything that's funny Sketch, you made a funny congratulations!" DaisyChain smiled really big as she knew Sketch would be ok despite the fall. "Well I'll let you two go do your thing at this new fancy restaurant." Sketch wiggled her hooves around to fix her leg warmers and followed Lavender as she escorted her friend to the new dining establishment. As they left DaisyChain whispered to herself, "Ok now's my chance to replace all this crud and replace it with awesome HUAH!" She gave a loud grunt as she charged for the saddlebag and began to stuff all the how to books in them ready to go to the library to get some new books.

She bolted to the library and knocked on the door. "Come on dragon boy, please be home, I gotta do this quick cuz I don't know how long fancy hooves eat..." The door opened up and she replied, "Oh thanks... uhhhp!" She was caught by surprise by an owl. "Ohhh, hello there again. I remember you hey would it be ok if I take some books for a while, I got some to return so I'm just going to trade them off ok?" Owlicious hooted acknowledging her request and allowed her through. "Thanks Owl you're wicked awesome!"

As DaisyChain began her ultimate plan Sketch trotted with Lavender through the town where she could see the benefit being prepared. Just outside the large Tiaramart building the sky was blanketed by a rather large steam yacht. Pegasi were clearing the skies and Sketch-it was building with excitement as she anticipated going to this event.

"This is going to be so much fun Lavender." Lavender snooted her nose up as they turned to enter the building of 'Chez de la Argent Pomme',

"Fun, dear the part where we were invited is specifically aboard the Regalian Tide, we get to be among the upper crust. Anything that would be remotely amusing besides idle chit chat would be the polo matches aboard, oh and they have a pool, a personal spa..." Sketch's eyes began to grow as she mumbled,

"Wow it sounds more like a mini cruise liner than a yacht." Lavender continued to explain what they would be doing aboard as VIP members while entering the building.

"Reservations?" Lavender turned as she turned quickly replying with a polite smile,

"Lavender Rose, party of two..." She turned back continuing, "And don't even get me started on the hors d'oeuvres, they will have many different appetizers on the menu from all across Equestria. Most of the funding for the event is the Regalias and Diamond Tiara of course." The reservationist escorted them to their table and immediately they began to order light. "Don't try to eat anything really heavy on the stomach, we'll be well fed during the banquet aboard the ship." Sketch acknowledged this information and ordered a light snack of finger sandwiches crammed with cheese lettuce and very delicate and delicious flowers with sparkling white grape juice.

Sketch didn't feel it was going to be right for her to go up aboard the ship while everypony was not allowed aboard. What about Bubblegum, if she goes there she would be shunned by those fancy elites.

"What about Bubblegum, she said she was going to come. If I'm not down there where the games and picnics are happening, she's going to feel I ditched her..."

"But darling you were invited personally to be a VIP, you should not refuse this..." She paused as she muttered angrily, "Despite the invitation being from Diamond Tiara, you should still take part in this moment to boost your social standing Sketch. Think of your artwork and your image." Sketch mulled it over in her head confused to who she should go with, Bubblegum or Lavender, VIP or NON VIP... for social gain, or for friendship. The obvious answer was friendship but Lavender made valid points, rejecting Diamond Tiara would be pretty bad for her image, but to her friends her image as a good friend she feared more.

"I... I don't know, it's hard to think about..." Lavender squared her in the eyes and replied,

"It's your decision, but i'm strongly suggesting you take the VIP, plus I'm obligated to go aboard, my parents will be there. It's going to be quite amusing to see the look on Diamond Tiara's face when she finds out I'm the daughter of one of her biggest investors, hahahahaahaaha... that will surely have her shaking in her hooves!" Sketch stared at her confused as she had yet to know of Lavender's rivalry with her,

"What...?" Lavender realizing this mustered a big smile as she assured,

"Oh it's nothing, just some squabbles we had a while back, not a big deal."

The day was beginning to finally reach towards the afternoon and everypony was beginning to congregate to the scene of the benefit. Sketch and Lavender spent nearly two hours chatting away in the restaurant, mainly with Lavender talking about her everyday hardships with keeping groomed. "Oh would you like to go to the spa before we make our arrival to the benefit?"

"I suppose..." Lavender immediately dropped her bits to pay for the meal and left with Sketch on her tail as they cantered their way to the spa.

Arriving at the spa Lavender was eager to pamper her stress away. Two sisters were at the front of course looking as young as ever, Aloe and Lotus had kept their age at bay with their expertise at what they do best. Lavender suddenly began to demand a very, very specific series of treatments. Lotus and Aloe seemed to not mind as Lotus began to write down what she ordered to a tee.

"Did you get all that?" Sketch's head was starting to ache from the specifics, but Lotus gave a nod as she checked off the first treatment preparing Lavender for some manicure. Aloe turned to Sketch and she replied,

"I'll stick with whatever she's having I guess..." Aloe had a feeling Sketch-it never had any spa treatment before but she agreed to it so with an awkward grimace she brought her over and oh was she in for the ride of her LIFE!

They started with a very painful and extensive manicure with Lavender conversing,

"So today has been pretty well, only my mid day was ruined completely when my two cruel sisters were dropped off at my studio, apparently they didn't want the nanny to watch over them for a month while they did some sort of thing they didn't tell me the details, so they dropped them off with me and Red. It's just dreadful to think that i'm going to be with them for a MONTH... A MONTH!" As if Lavender was numb to the pain she wiggled about one hoof making extreme animations as she described how terrible this was going to be for her complexion. Sketch was over on the other side twitching around and gritting her teeth as she felt the deep cleaning treatment hit her sensitive nerves making her wriggle around painfully.

"Ahhhh, ooohhhh.... EEEE... AAHHH!" Aloe felt this pony seriously was not ready for this treatment but she continued to the next treatment with Lotus keeping up with her.

Lavender was being pummeled across the back seemingly painful but to her it was soothing. For poor sketch her anxiety had her body tensed up so bad every hoof pressing down felt extremely painful. "Agghhh... ouch, OOWWW... Oh jeez la weez what, how do you enjoy this!?" Lavender just took a deep breath and replied,

"III...mmmm, usssseeeeeddddd... tt.tt...ttooooo, ittttttt..." Lotus paused momentarily as she brough out some massaging oil and Lavender responded, "Mom and dad used to have a personal masseuse that I would go to for my stress. It feels soooo good... ahhhhh!" She was thoroughly enjoying the smooth cool massage. Aloe was getting rather irritated by Sketch's tension and she whistled.

"Wha... what's going on?" Aloe backed up and a rather large minotaur entered the room looming over her. Sketch could see his huge hooves below her and immediately a loud crackling noise above her. "Oh Haystacks this is gonna... GEHHHH!" He lifted her up like a ragdoll and she immediately loosened up as he stretched her around and popped her back in places she didn't know could pop! "AGGHHHHhhhhh...hhhhhhhhhh!" Suddenly her tension just disappeared as she was gently placed on the massage table where Aloe brought out the oil. "Oh wowwwwww I've neverrrrr felt this loooooosse since eeeverrrrr..."

Lavender for once kept quiet as she enjoyed her new favorite spa. Sketch began to feel the kinks and worries in her life fade as Aloe took extra care with her. "You ponies sure know how to make a pony feel years younger, I feel like I'm a teenage filly all over again." Lavender agreed,

"Sketch this is by far one of my favorite places now in Ponyville. These ponies are experts at what they do." The sisters giggled quietly as they began to finish the last treatment.

Sketch trotted over to put her leg warmers on and she felt her hooves so loose and without a weighted sensation. "Feels good huh?"

"Yes absolutely... what do I owe...?"

"Nah, ah, ah... today is my treat to you. No friend of mine is going to pay their hard earned money when I'm around." She gave the full amount to Lotus and they departed for the event which was now on the brink of starting.

As they made their way into the thick of ponyfolk, they could see the fancy manes were being escorted by chariots up to the steam yacht. "So have you made your decision?" Lavender asked as they drew closer to the chariots.

"I guess for a little while." Lavender fixed her bonnet and smiled replying,

"Wonderful, let us depart then... Lavender Rose and Sketch'it. VIP members." The pegasus was not really good with his job as he took her word to face value and they about to be escorted when a voice sharply intervened,

"The one named Sketch is allowed, the other is just common riff raff..." The finely dressed pegasus glared at Lavender who was not expecting Diamond Tiara to be supervising the VIP line.

"I beg your pardon I am most certainly allowed as a VIP..."

"Then where's your invitation?" The jig was up, her smooth talking and her sleek coat was not going to pass by now. Sketch pulled out her invitation from her leg warmer showing it. Confused she asked,

"Lavender I thought you had an invitation... do you even have one?" Diamond Tiara grinned as she gave another sharp reply,

"She has no invitation, she's just a wannabe..." Lavender began to back up nervously, as she made a slow backtrot she felt herself bump into a pony. She turned around with her eyes lighting up as she thought,

'YES MY PARENTS TO THE RESCUE, she's in for a big surprise now!' Behind her was her entire family with Red holding Humphrey in his saddlebag right on early schedule.

"Who is a wannabe Diamond Tiara?" She was about to point at Lavender when she started to put the pieces together. Rose, their last names were Rose, and Lavender was giving quite an evil expression as if to tell her that those two were her parents. To make her feel even more uncomfortable Lavender replied,

"Oh daddy this is absolutely dreadful, just simply dreadful. That mean pegasus won't allow me aboard..." The pegasus started feeling sweat dripping down his mane as he threw his gaze straight forward trembling. He knew the importance of the Rose family and he was in hot water now! Stuck in a cross fire Diamond Tiara tried to weasle her and the stallion out gracefully.

"Oh he won't eh? I sure hope he is not expecting to keep his job for very long. Every member of the Rose family was welcome aboard last I heard. Refusing any member of our family would be a shrude insult..."

'Oh no this isn't good, I didn't realize she was that LAVENDER ROSE, I thought she was just some charlatan... quickly I gotta make up something...' She galloped over to the pegasus and replied,

"Yes well, he'll have his pay docked for this inconvenience, he'll personally escort you all with no complaints, won't you?" He nodded as the family with Sketch all piled in. Lavender began to stick her tongue out at Diamond Tiara as nopony was looking. "Oooohhh I hate that pony so much right now!!! Note to self, find a way to make Lavender's life even more miserable than previously planned."

The ponies arrived aboard the ship and Gray Rose took one good look at Sketch with a big smile.

"Ahhhh I almost didn't recognize you until I seen that dashing cutie mark. Sketch-It is it not!?" Sketch nodded in surprise she had yet to be recognized by her mark until now. "Your work is absolutely magnificent and all those paintings in Lavender's gallery, I must say you have quite a talented eye."

"Thanks." Sketch briefly answered making her way with the family to the first noticeable venue. It seemed to be a promising looking cabaret with singing and dancing, Lavender was excited because she knew what her mother was planning to do.

"Are you serious!! Mom are you going to be playing for us!?" Silver Sonata nodded sweetly replying,

"Your father has been wanting to hear me play the piano for a while now..."

"Yes well your music is very beautiful dear, and it is not often you get to use your talent." Everypony began to settle inside the room as the Master of Ceremonies began to announce the first entertainment.

Being too young Violet and Magenta were outside on the front deck of the ship with Red supervising them.

Magenta Rose trotted around in her little adorable gown sewn by one of the family seamstreses. Beautiful with sequins shimmering in the light matching her magenta mane and the gray dress matching her coat. She was enjoying the view until she was caught off guard by three rather pretentious ponies.

"well, well, well. Look what we have here, a potential member of the Aristocrats..." It was Ruby Regalia and all her muck! Cheerful little Magenta smiled replying,

"Hello, my names Magenta Rose." Ruby Regalia began to smile deceptively as she replied,

"Charmed, I'm Ruby Regalia, and this is Silver Scepter and Vanity Shimmer. I have a question, would you be interested in joining a certain club Magenta?" Again she brought up the club.

"Sure I like clubs, what's it about?" Ruby turned her back to her snickering,

"Ohhh it's a very special club, one that requires an initiation. You can go play for now, we'll be ready for you in a moment."

"Ok, I'll just go get some ... of those orrrdurrvves my parents talk about." Violet's eyes were staring over from the other side of the pool at the two fillies and the colt. Being on the scene she knew how to read lip langauge, she could read lips with no problem, it was of course one of her many picked up talents.

"Wait are you really going to let her join, look at her she's hideous in that dress..." Vanity Shimmer complained. Ruby Regalia tossed her eyes around and sent a magic bonk upon Vanity's head replying,

"No you derp, of course not. We're going to have a bit of fun with her. This is what we're going to do..." Violet carefully read their lips, "First we'll ask a few questions and get her to the edge of the pool, then we'll shove her in the water and laugh at her when all that cheap ilk she's wearing turns to mush... then we're..."

"Whaaatt... awww that's totally sick. Those ponies have a sick sense of humor..." Violet didn't care for some of the plan but a specific end part made her start to feel an actual care for her sister. "Luna be imprisoned in the moon again if I let that happen to my little sister, we may fight but that's too much." Violet did not want to relay the information to Red as he would not condone bullying in any fashion despite the severity. She had a feeling grownups only muck up problems anyway. It was her time to take matters into her own hands and dish out some punishment!

At this time a group of ponies were starting to congregate down at the fields. Jaxx as promised joined up with Starlight to take a look around.

"Gee it's a might crowded round here, stay close you two." Lil bullet and Chess Pie stayed as close as they could with Chess Pie jumping up on her sister's back.

"Oh yes, normally I would not like this but I really want to hang out with our friends." Starlight explained as she trotted by Jaxx in the thick of ponies. Jaxx agreed with a,

"Same here Starlight." As they trotted around getting ready for the ceremony the events had already started. "Hey ya'll wanna mozey on ov'er to the games and play some before we get ta eatin and watchin the grand opening ceremony?"

"I'd love that, hopefully the others will make it in time." Starlight and Jaxx felt a little worried about the other ponies not being around.

Speaking of the others, North, Bubblegum and Spike were inside the machine. Bubblegum and Spike watching as North began to go completely crazy with the knobs, buttons and levers!

"We need some of this and some of this... yess!! Final preparations are complete MARE, we're about ready to GO FULL SWAG! NYAAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Bubblegum was hopping around excited as she cried out,

"Oohhh I like this North, she's sooooo CRAZY!" Spike was starting to freak out as he mumbled,

"Actually I've never seen this side of North before... it's kinda creepy." North like a mad scientist slapped her goggles on with a big gritting grin and tightening her boots she swung herself into the magic core and began to rub her hooves against it sweetly,

"I feel your heart, it is blazing like fire and brimstone. The heart of the machine, can you both hear it. That thump, the pressure. The steam whistling, crying out! What you are witnessing is the rebirth of a marvelous creation, mistreated and hurt she now bellows with pride and gratitude!" Bubblegum pulled out a random bucket of popcorn and started chomping down replying,

"Oooohhhh... this is better than a movie... you're practically in the action!" Spike completely afraid of what was going on yelled alarmingly,

"Northhh... what are you doing!?" She aimed her hoof over to the controls and yelled,

"COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING EXTREMELY AWESOME!"

"I have no words to describe how I feel but YESSSSSSSS!" Bubblegum rejoiced as she followed North who flew straight for the controls feeling giddy and shaking nervously.

"Bubblegum, Spike... what we are about to do... it's just I can't describe to you the sheer amount of awesome we're going to feel..." Spike reached over and grabbed the side of the wall as he was slightly afraid of what was going to occur. Bubblegum was eating into this excitement as she hopped straight in the front of the engine by North's side.

"Let's do it... LETS DOOOO THISSS!" Bubblegum yelled, North threw the controls forward expecting it to start up slowly. Instead the engine jerked from zero to twenty and climbed extremely fast!

"WHOA SLIGHT MISCALCULATION! OH JEEZE... OHHHHHHH SHOOT... SHOOT... SHOOOOTTT!!!" The sticks would barely budge and every slight movement had the engine jerking around as it plowed through towards Ponyville! "Snap... Speed's sixty, no seventy, AHHHH We're running eighty now... EIGHTY SIX!!! We're maxing EIGHTY SIX ON THIS BEAST!" North did not calculate the massive jump of speed! The failsafe system on the controls were working at least. The last thing she needed was flipping this steam engine sideways, but the problem was decelerating would be near impossible. It seemed the failsafe system to keep from accelerating too fast was bypassed when she was fiddling with the systems in her excitement.

Woodland creatures were in a panic as a huge steam engine raced towards the town!

On board the yacht, the Aristocrats summoned Magenta back. They glanced at her with daggery eyes. Nopony was really around the pool area as they were inside the ship watching more classy entertainment. All the fillies and colts of the wealthy parents were congregated around Ruby and her two fiendish cohorts outside as they began to confront poor Magenta, even the lifeguard pony was not observant, he was busy sleeping lazily at his post.

"Ok first off you have to prove to us you are truly an aristocrat worthy member, do you think Diamond Tiara is the most awesome pony that ever exists! That her wealth and intelect are unmatched by all...?" Magenta began to feel nervous as they started to march up towards her with an intimidating attitude.

"Umm... well... I..." Ruby Regalia snapped at her,

"Just answer yes or no!"

"Yes...." Magenta began to feel scared now as Ruby Regalia responded,

"Good, question two. Which do you prefer Sequins or gems?" She continued to back up closer to the pool where they began to surround her with a group of other classmates and wealthy fillies and colts.

"Uhhhh... gems...?" Ruby Regalia nodded replying,

"Good job, you're doing well... ok for the final question. Do you have your cutie mark?" Suddenly Magenta gulped as she felt the edge of her hoof touch the end of the pool. She looked around and noticed they all had their cutie marks. In a whimpering voice she mumbled,

"n....nnn.... nooo..."

"What's that I can't hear you?" Ruby Regalia standing snout to snout with her put her ear up close.

"No..." Ruby Regalia just sighed and shook her head,

"Ohhh, I'm sorry Magenta but... WRONG ANSWER!" Ruby Regalia shoved Magenta down into the pool making her splash pathetically. Her dress turned into a gloppy mess with her mane completely turned to a floppy glob. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA, look at her, she's just a big gray glob... HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Yeahhh hahahahaha, Globby mcGray Globberson HAHAHAHA!" Poor Magenta looked up at all the fillies and colts laughing at her. She felt so alone and scared. It was bad enough her eyeshadow and cheek makeup began to stain in the pool, her crying was mixed with dirtied pool water and many of her sequins were popping off her gray dress. She swam away but they just surrounded the pool laughing at her as she looked like a pink and gray blob floating around crying and screaming. Nopony in the vicinity seemed to care.

"Look she looks sooo pathetic HAHAHAHAHHA!"

As they were all having fun picking on Magenta, Violet proceeded to execute her diabolical plan. With her beauty she convinced a couple of pegasi stallions to fill balloons up with gray paint and corral a few storm clouds nearby for cover. She herself was going to show these pretentious children what it means to mess with a Rose!

"YOU HAVE ANGERED THE WRATH OF THE ROSE FAMILY! We shall now invoke a dark and evil CURSE!" They all looked over at her, with nopony around but this teenager it began to feel awkward.

"Curse, what curse, you're just being stupid!" Ruby Regalia scoffed. She further added, "You're just bluffing." Violet began to create a magic aura as she chanted,

"Cruel little ponies with dark heart's of Dismay. I curse your vanity you will all turn GRAY!"

"What does that even mean?" With her darkest voice she laughed viciously,

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA!!!" She raised up on her hind legs and strikes of lightning began to go off around them! Three dark clouds above them began to magically drop balloons down which to the children looked like dark evil summoned gray orbs that sought after them and splattered huge gray splotches across the deck and upon their colorful coats!

"AGGHHHH... MY COAT, IT'S FILTHY AND GRAY!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Regalia screamed as her clothes, her body, her mane was splattered with gray paint! Silver Scepter despite being gray himself was equally freaking out with the nasty goopy mess coated over his clean groomed coat.

"DO YOU WISH FOR THIS TO HAPPEN EVERYDAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!?"

"NOOOOOOOO, PLEASE DON'T CURSE US, WE'RE SORRY MAGENTA, YOU CAN JOIN OUR CLUB!!!!" With starstruck eyes she looked up to her sister as she gave a wink to her. Magenta swam over to her with a happy voice,

"Sorry but I don't want to join your club, my family is all that I need for my own club!" In a very heart warming scene that little wet glob snuggled up against Violet's leg and Violet in a rare moment showed a warming smile.

"Nopony messes with my sister, that's my job." Nuzzling Magenta back she turned around to find Red had watched the entire thing! "R..Red, when did... I thought you were talking to..." Red just had a big mustachio smile as he replied,

"We were finished exchanging stories minutes ago, I watched the whole scene unfold. Miss Violet I'm very proud of you." Violet rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly answering back in a blush,

"Awww it was nothing. I couldn't have those rude kids pick on my sister, not like that anyway. I know how that feels."

"Well you done a great deal for your sister protecting her. A very ingenious plan I might add." The pegasi gave her a smile as they flew off with the clouds.

"HEY EVERYPONY DIAMOND TIARA IS ABOUT TO CUT THE RIBBON!" Everypony on board and the ponies below were beginning to gather as Diamond Tiara trotted over with Silver Spoon by her side.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, mares and stallions! We are gathered here today to witness the beginning of a NEW ERA and AN END OF AN OLD ONE! No more shall we have to go around and get our hooves tired, we could be in a cool and clean environment and have everything in ONE PLACE!" As she continued her speech an extremely fast device was steaming forward without anypony noticing! "Just think about that, one location can get you everything you need, food, drink, furniture, common house hold products, gems, jewelery, games, sports, even party supplies!!" Everypony was hyping up still not feeling the engine coming in fast!

"NORTH THAR BE A BUILDING DEAD AHEAD WHAT SHALL WE DO!?" Bubblegum pointed out the growing object in the engine's forward visors as she held onto a rail brace trying to not fly back!

"WHAT TURN OF COURSE!!!" Spike cried out as he held tightly to a pipe to keep from being flung into the back! North couldn't control the sticks they were locked in!

"Dear Celestia, I've created a perpetual constant, the steam produced is too great and no matter how much I try to decelerate it stays constant." She looked over at Bubblegum who cried out,

"WHAT'S YOUR ORDERS NORTH!?" Bubblegum was holding tight and she was closest to the only thing remotely a braking mechanism! The emergency pressure release valve, she had to pull that if they wanted to decelerate, but North did not think about it until just now which made it almost useless. The last thing she had paid attention to was a brake, she didn't expect to go so fast. The release valve was too far for her to reach and hold the controls back to decelerate, so she yelled at Bubblegum,

"BRACE FOR IMPACT AND PREPARE TO PULL THAT THINGY BUBBLEGUM!"

"RIGHTO I'll pull that thingy as hard as I CAN!" She prepared herself to pull the pressure release valve when North held back on the sticks praying nopony was going to get hurt! She began to critisize the original design of the machine,

"Probably not my best observation, who puts the BRAKES OUT OF THE MAIN OPERATOR'S REACH! Yeah there is supposed to be multiple operators but still IT MAKES NO SENSE! Wait why don't I just use my magic......" She looked ahead at the dangerously closing building and thought to herself, 'Jeez now is a bad time to have a scattered mind!'

Red took a stroll around the side of the ship and off the corner of his eye he could see the huge cast iron monstrosity coming behind the building. Surprised nopony had noticed it he just mumbled,

"I should not expect much in the form of normality, this town has been anything but normal since i've been here."

"NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" At that exact moment Diamond Tiara snipped the ribbon yelling,

"THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... THE GRAND UNVEILING OF!" Before she could answer a loud KATHOOM!!!! Pierced everypony's ears as a steam engine barreled into the building and collapsed the back wall wailing its smokestack! Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara's eyes nearly popped out with their mouths agape. They turned to watch in horror as a steaming machine blasted through the Tiaramart and destroyed several support beams in its path!

Silver spoon jumped out of the way as a careening steam engine plowed through the entrance shattering glass and debris everywhere with a loud screaming hiss from the smokestack. It plumed clouds of steam like some fierce Iron beast slowing to a crawl right in front of Diamond Tiara until it completely stopped before nearly running her over!

Everypony was in shock and bedazzlement as Bubblegum continued to hold down the valve. The engine bellowed as the steam redirected through the smoke stack building a huge column in the air! North's head popped out from the side yelling,

"WOOOOOO YEAHHHH THE STEAMPONY EXPRESS HAS ARRIVED EVERYPONY!"

"Amammmammmamama...mammaamammaaaammmaa.mm.am.a.ma..amam.a.a.aamama..." Diamond Tiara was completely without words, she was in massive shock as she just watched all that heavy investment just get ripped apart by a steam engine! Silver Spoon hopped up and attempted to defend her friend yelling,

"WHAT IN EQUESTRIA... DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WAS INVESTED IN THIS BUILDING YOU IMBECILE!!! THIS STRUCTURE COSTED MILLIONS!" North looked at her and with a painful expression she gave her greatest apologies yelling over her whistling engine,

"Whoooaa... oucchhhh, I'm sorry to hear that, you know how much I invested in this baby... NOTHING HAHA, and she's still in one piece after hitting solid concrete and steel HAHAHAHAHAHAH!! CAST IRON IS SWAG!" The Rose family ran out of the cabaret to see what the loud thundering noise was. Gray Rose examined the ruins and felt his investment just went down the drain. Red trotted beside Gray Rose advising,

"If I were you sir I would withdraw the rest of my stocks from this investment and never deal with that client again..." Gray Rose gave a deep regretting sigh as he agreed,

"A rogue steam engine crashing into a building, now i've seen everything Red. I had a lot of hope for D-Tiara Inc. but I suppose I did have a bad feeling to start with. Serves me right I suppose, a Rose never goes against the gut, looks like my dad was right."

An inspector nearby the building began to check the safety of the structure. Out of the blue it crumbled and began to fall apart with him replying,

"I deem this building..." Only to get his helmet thwopped by a falling piece of debris sending him staggering about answering derpishly, "Unfit... forrrrr, Opeerration!"

"Serves her right!" Lavender growled as she watched Diamond Tiara's dream building get crushed!!! Sketch and the Rose family left the yacht to go see if everypony was alright. Sketch cried out,

"MY GOSH ARE YOU ALL OK!?" She attempted to yell over the whistling smokestack.

"Yeah we're ok, did you mares see that it was SOOOO AWESOME!" North was absolutely full of adrenaline as she had first hoof experience of the entire thing! Bubblegum let go of the valve and jumped out happily squealing,

"WHOOOOOOOOOT.... WHOOOOOOOT, listen to that smokey smoke stack WHOOOOT! North that was soooo cool times a billion!"

"I KNOWWWW!! Nothing could fully describe what just happened!" Of course poor Spike fumbled out of the engine grumbling,

"Ugghhhkk, I think I'm going to hurl..." Lavender joined with the group and looked to North with gratitude encouraging,

"North you should crash unveilings like that more often, especially any of Diamond Tiara's, that little cur! She deserved every bit of what just happened." North looked to her raising a brow,

"Depends, you have to be in the engine with us though." The sound of the Mayor crying out for everypony to divert away from the rubble and enjoy themselves to the rest of the food and games could be heard. She didn't really enjoy having to deal with this, but she was not about to let this ruin the townsfolk's day. Lavender turned her attention to North again and responded,

"Hmmm... only if you keep it clean." North laughed explaining to Lavender the only thing that engine emits is magic and harmless clean steam. "Well in that case I would need a lot of conditioning spray." They began to laugh together as the end events concluded with a rather chaotic BANG!

"So that's my pride right there mares, nearly a month of work led to the restoration and modification of this steam engine, I call her the SteamPony Express, I'm hoping when Princess Luna sends us our missions we can use this baby to go places, it would be soooo awesome to TRAVEL EQUESTRIA IN THIS!!" The ponies all agreed it was an exciting prospect to think of traveling in that steam engine to do their missions. "It would be like a mobile base of operations so it would be perfect for our job!"

"I agree to that MARE!" A voice echoed out, North turned to see DaisyChain gawking at the machine. "Add some side mounted cannons, some machine gun nests on top, a rear mounted defense station. It has enough potential to haul cargo, you'd be the proud owner of a steam land fortress! The equivalent of a heavy corvette steamship!" North ran over to DaisyChain and began to talk mechanical shop to one another. "I could totally see this thing out in a battlefield just tearing up everything around it and plowing through the jungle! Agghhhh this is just too cool mare!!"

Sketch turned to her friends who were now pretty much done being shaken up from the sudden event.

"So, are we just going to sit around and do nothing girls...?"

"What is there really to do Sketch?" Lavender inquired, Jaxx pointed over towards the picnics where everypony decided to continue despite Diamond Tiara's loss.

"I guess everypony ain't figure'n on wastin all that food! Let's mozey on over mares!"

"Wait girls..." Sketch stopped them all for a moment and with a bit of reluctance Jaxx asked,

"What's up Sketch?" She gazed over at all of them and replied,

"I was sorta feeling nervous about going to the benefit because you know. Apparently Lavender was going to be up with the VIPs and you all were going to be down here. I decided to go up and I was meaning to come back down later, you know to share time amongst everypony... but, I guess it worked out in the end... I was mainly worried I would upset you Bubblegum..." Bubblegum looked at Sketch and rejoiced as she hugged Sketch tightly,

"Ohhhh it's okay's if you wanted to hang out with Lavender, if you didn't then she'd be a lonely wonely pony up there..."

"True, all I would've had as company would be been my parents, and of course my troublesome sisters."

"Plus if you were going to come down anyways I wouldn't care, all these games and food, and pie, and CANDY! I WOULD NOT LEAVE FOR THE WORLD!" Lavender pointed her hoof replying,

"And you were worried about nothing Sketch. In the end it all worked out so come on, there's nothing to be sorry about, we're here to have a good time."

"Sure as apple cidar! Speakin'o cidar, i'ma go get me some before everypony drinks it all!"

Sketch began to lag behind as the ponies made a break for whatever that was left of the benefit. She looked up to the sky and thought to herself,

'Well I just have a sense I need to say this but, to my dear brother, a lot has happened today. North completed her steam engine and I got to go enjoy some sweet music from Lavender's mother who is like the most beautiful and talented piano player I've ever heard. Poor Diamond Tiara lost quite a lot though, but from what I hear she had it coming I guess.

I'm doing fine thank you, I've not really got to learn all that much about friendship and family, but I have to say DaisyChain is one crazy sister. She likes butterscotch can you believe that! Well I donno what flavor ice cream you like.

I really wish you were here brother, to share in all the fun. You would laugh at how ridiculous I play frisbee, I land on my face for the most part. I'm going to be going to Canterlot to see Princess Luna soon to see why she wanted me North, and Lavender. Probably something to do with our magic because the thing we all have in common is magic so go figure.

Well I'll leave ya be, you probably don't want to hear everything all in one day that would be kind of boring. I guess if I learned anything today, it would be going with the flow won't hurt every now and again. Despite me going to the yacht and feeling guilty Bubblegum was alright with it, apparently at least I was there and I did say I would go back down later to be with them so it all worked out.

Ok I'll talk to you later brother this time for real. Sincerely, your loving sister.' Her touching thoughts made her eyes swell with tears as she thought about her brother again in that picture.

She began to trot along completely oblivious of the figure in front of her. The figure refused to move as she rammed nose to nose with an oh too familiar face! Sketch gasped in sheer shock,

"SATIN BRAID!" Completely without warning an old orphan face was revealed before her very eyes! "I didn... 't know you would be here!"

"Oh hahahhahaha figures you're as oblivious and clueless as usual, don't worry I'm not going to insult or ridicule you... yet, but some of your friends have made a mess with a certain group of ponies I care a lot about..." Sketch gulped as Satin Braid pointed over to the rubble, "Hmmm... a multi million dollar building trashed. I and my sister's family was invested rather heavily in this project... this is going to look bad for all of us!" She of course turned and pointed to her niece Ruby Regalia who was now drenched in gray paint. "And of course my precious little niece traumatized by one of your friend's sisters! Don't think you can deny they are your friends, I've been watching you ever since you arrived at the benefit..." Satin Braid strutted herself around showing off her luxuriously groomed red coat, her blue and pink mane shining in the sunlight like satin with a braid of satin cloths as her cutie mark appearing like a sore reminder to Sketch of who she was. Out of sight of Sketch's friends she snarled, "You better be careful who you are friends with and who you make enemies with Sketch-Ick... because you just may find yourself in a very, very unpleasant place to be!" In her head she whimpered,

'Why in Equestria do I get myself targeted for these one on one encounters FOR NOOOOOOOO OBVIOUS REASONS, what does this have to do with me, you should be mad at them, noooo of course not Satin Braid has a personal vendetta against me!'

"I'll be watching you Sketch-ick, my advice is you should stop being friends with them before you get hurt! Master and Lady Mareweather are not around to protect your precious little tail...!" Satin Braid began to strut off ending her conversation with, "Ta, ta Sketch-Ick!" Ruby Regalia followed behind her aunt turning to stick her gray spotted tongue out at Sketch. To Sketch the more the days passed on the more it felt things were getting more chaotic than harmonious.

The rest of the day was concluded with a bit of partying before North had to pilot her engine back home so she couldn't cause anymore trouble idling around in her cast iron beast.

Everypony began to bid farewell to one another with DaisyChain walking Sketch back home. Sketch entered her home completely beat and thought about what all she had did today.

"So I barely got to practice any magic today, you made me listen to the radio, I went to a fancy restaurant for like two hours, a spa for possibly longer and concluded a day on a yacht watching a huge machine blow up a building..." DaisyChain agreed the highlight of that day was hearing that loud KATHOOM!

"I swear I heard that and I thought to myself 'NOOO I'm missing out on something!' I had to go see. I'm glad I did, me and your friend North was talking some serious mechanic shop. I've never felt closer intellectually with anypony until talking to her...!" She paused a moment and watched as Sketch began to just walk away towards her bedroom. "What's going on with you?" Sketch's mind was feeling quite scared about what Satin Braid would do to her or her friends. She didn't know if she should or could bring it up, all she felt she could do was give a weak response,

"I'm just... tired, I need some sleep." Sketch crawled into her bed and with a tormented mind she held her eyes closed until she lost track of her thoughts and fell fast asleep. DaisyChain was no fool she knew something was wrong, but she didn't really know what to do. DaisyChain trotted up the stairs to check up on her to find Sketch tossing and turning with her covers thrown about.

DaisyChain felt some instinct kick in as she grabbed the covers and straightened them out. Snuggling Sketch into them and with a sweet kiss on the side of her forehead she whispered,

"Don't beat yourself up about it sugar pie. Sweet dreams, I'll see you in the morning." Almost as if by magic Sketch felt snug and comfortable as she took a deep breath and slept easy. As DaisyChain left the room she thought aloud, "I wonder what she'll think about the book changes when she wakes up...?"