Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

48 - Family Reunion, Part 2

Twilight led them all there, just for Moon to be scooped up by Applejack, and Spike to wander off eagerly. That left her alone, but she was one of the stars of the show, in theory. "Hm." She curled a hoof to her chin, considering the many Apples. She'd met many of them already. "Hello there." She waved at a stallion she knew from Appleloosa.

"Howdy." He ambled up to her, tipping his hat. "Nice to see you again, Twilight. Congratulations!" He swatted at her shoulder. "You're a bonafide Apple now! That mean you'll stop by more often?"

Twilight considered with a hum. "I may be an Apple, gladly so, but I do have a job." She pointed off towards the tree that was also a library. "Who else will help ponies get their books if I go on a trip?"

"You always were good for your responsibilities." He squeezed her, arm around her neck. "Always liked that part. Now, tell me if I heard wrong or anythin', but you got yerself a ladyfriend. A friend friend." He waggled his brows full of meaning.

Twilight laughed nervously. "It caught me just as much by surprise, I assure." She slipped out of the hold. "If we're being honest..."

"The way ah prefer it." The stallion nodded. "No judgement or nothing."

"Glad to hear it." She took a soft breath. "I never really considered it before. Romance, that is. It was a concept. I knew it existed. My parents are wildly in love, to this day." She spotted those parents gabbing eagerly across the field of Apples. "There they are right now, probably gloating about this... But I never really put myself in the romance equation and tried to balance it out."

"Are ya trying to math out romance?" The stallion chuckled softly. "That is a perfectly 'you' thing to do. Don't you got changin' on me!" He leaned in, eyes on the nervous Moon with her group. "So, what do you see in her? Positively, I mean. What gets your clock ticking?"

Twilight colored brightly at the pointed question. "Hey... um... I thoroughly enjoy her inquisitive nature. Even things she does not understand, she wants to understand. Any phenomena is worth investigating, even if it is entirely without scientific basis." She clopped a hoof to her face, considering The Pinkie Situation. At least she wasn't an Apple. "Maddening, but endearing."

"Aw shoot, that sounds right nice." He took off his hat to hold it deferentially. "I'll come clean. I was hopin', just a little, you two weren't 100%. Always did have a little fire for you."

Twilight's coloring, abating slowly, returned with a rush. "That!" She planned on other words, but they were failing here. "Why would you... say that?"

"Because this is my last chance." He put his hat on. "Not making a move, that ship's settin' out into the wide sea and I ain't on it, but there won't be many other chances. So consider this me waving fondly from the shore, wishin' you a fine trip out there."

"I don't know how to... parse that." Twilight laughed, tension fleeing her. "Is this what Moon feels like? Poor thing... Just so we're clear, friendship is the line."

"And not a step further," agreed the stallion with a nod. "Have fun!" He wandered off, having said his peace.

Twilight let him go, instead heading over to her parents. Night Light was already playing a game. By playing, this meant he was working out the odds and ideal ordering of things for optimal fun for all involved. He looked like he was having a great time doing it, and the ponies around him were alright with his attempt.

Her mother was chatting with Granny Smith and a few others, including Pear Butter. Velvet and Butter were side by side, chatting most animatedly. "And that's how I met her," finished Pear Butter. "And it's been like one of them fancy rides, but it has no stop. She keeps sendin' me on twists and turns, but ah ain't fallen off yet."

Velvet brightened at Twilight's approach. "And there's my filly." Her horn glowed as she pulled Twilight right in for a hug. "The... Apple of my eye." The crowd groaned good naturedly at that pun. "I never thought I'd actually be an Apple, but I'm so happy that it happened." She stepped back from Twilight to hug Pear Butter. "With my honorary sister right here. My husband is a dear and wonderful pony, but he isn't climbing up, down, or sideways into the danger with me. Nope, that's Pear Butter!"

Pear Butter cringed in memory of one of many death-daring events. "Yeah..." She swatted at Velvet. "You know, a few times doin' peaceful thin's would be alright too."

Without even a moment of delay, Velvet waved over the reunion. "Wish granted."

Pear went still a moment. "Point..." The two broke into laughter, that tense moment broken. "That mean I should expect trouble next time?"

"You know me too well." The two leaned on each other, thick as thieves.

Granny waved for Twilight to approach. "Good t'see ya 'gain. Y'know, now it's official. Yer always welcome to stop by fer dinner if yer feelin' it."

Twilight hugged the matron of the family gently. "Thank you for that option. Oh, is Moon also invited?"

"Can't 'magine invitin' a pony without their plus one, 'less they do somethin' that really sets us off." Granny hummed, thinking of what one could do to earn such ire. "That includes Spike if ya don't have no foalsitter on hoof. He's a right nice dragon anywho."

Twilight leaned in, voice dropping. "Now, just to ask... I know you're not--"

"Stop that right there," cut off Granny. "Ah was your Granny fer more than a few years. Yer jus' not admittin' it."

Twilight took an unsure step back. "Really?"

"Ah try not to say thin's ah don't mean." Granny tapped her chest. "We're makin' it official today, but ah got to see you grow up from a little thin' all the way up to a wonderful mare. If ah don't get to be yer granny, ah'm gettin' mad, which I am!"

Twilight raised her hooves wardingly. "I didn't mean to off--"

"Ah ain't done!" Granny slid free of her rocker. "When ah lost my son... There were only a few bright spots around." She pointed at Twilight, arm shaking in the air. With fury? Sorrow. "When everythin' seemed like it was at its darkest, 'least mah daughter was there, and she had a friend worth havin'." She cracked a little smile. "And that friend has a precious little foal to be friends with my grandfoals. They were hurtin' too, and she was there for 'em. So if I can't be her granny, well. I guess there ain't a scrap of justice in this world!" She sank to her haunches, heaving from that tirade she just delivered.

Apples were watching the exchange, drawn by the shouting. Big Mac coughed into a hoof and hurried off to distract ponies with new games being up and ready.

Twilight's ears were back and down, as if blown back by the heated words. "I'm sorry... That was thoughtless of me. Granny, I would be honored to have you as my grandma."

"Darn tootin'." She held out an arm and they hugged one another firmly. "Silly thing. Now, you come on by fer dinner once in a while!" Granny released Twilight. "Now tell me how you ended up with another mare."

Twilight tensed. "Well..."

"I want the whole truth of it." Granny folded her arms. "And tell me all 'bout the potential new Apple right over there bein' test run."

Twilight peeked over to where Moon seemed to be getting along with a few other ponies. She smiled at that. "She's getting along, I think... That is Moon Dancer. She was in my class, at Celestia's school. We were the two most studious ponies there, competing for the top of the charts constantly."

Granny chuckled softly, imagining the scene being painted. "Were there any hard feelings?"

"Not a one." Twilight sliced the air with a hoof. "The love of studying was one thing we shared most of all. That and a sincere love of magic. Swapping new spells was one of our favorite activities. Oh, and Spike."

"Spike? The dragon?" Granny inclined her head. "How was he involved?"

"He is Moon's ward. Her brother or son, depending on how you look at it. She was a little overwhelmed at first. Poor thing, trying to do school and raise a baby dragon? Anypony would be! So I lent a hoof and played dragonsitter quite a few times to give her a break."

"Ah see." Granny rubbed at her chin, humming. "Ah did see the two together more often than not, but ah didn' put together the rest." She suddenly barked a laugh. "An' the poor thing fell head over heels fer his foalsitter. Poor thin'. Not the first, bet he won't be the last either."

Twilight colored faintly. "That is, thankfully, put to rest. Oh, did you hear? He has a little girlfriend of his own now."

Granny's eyes widened. "No! Really? Who with? No offense, but ah sure didn't hear of other dragons around."

"They are not a dragon. Have you heard of Diamond Tiara?" She tried to pantomime a tiara.

But Granny did. "Filthy's little foal?! Does he know about that?"

Twilight hummed. "I... am not sure."

Granny rubbed her hooves together with a scheming look. "Then I get to break the news to 'em. Now, don't get me wrong or nothin'. Spike's a fine little dragon. Still, Diamond and Spike? Wouldn'ta guessed that."

Twilight smiled, tension easing. "They are a lovely couple. They seem to have some real chemistry. I hope for the best for them."

Granny snorted softly. "Won't deny it's a bit funny, to me... Will they have eggs, or not? Will we end up with a pony with dragon wings, or maybe a dragon with a pony's face?"

Twilight curled a hoof to her chin. "Considering the biology..." Her science mind had been activated more than any awkwardness of the topic. "The eggs will come from Diamond Tiara, who would also serve as the mother. Those factors make the likelihood of a live birth very high."

Granny blinked slowly. "I wasn't expecting an actual answer, shows what ah know. You already considered that then?"

Twilight blinked, realizing the implications of what she had said. "Oh! No! It's a foalhood crush. Most of those don't persist into adulthood, or result in any foals... Hm, and we can't be certain ponies and dragons even can... do that."

Granny climbed up onto her rocker, sinking into it with a sigh. "True. Still, rootin' for 'em! Hope it all works out. Is she around?" She looked around and didn't see either, but it was a busy party. "Wouldn't have opposed it. The Rich's are friend an' all."

Twilight snorted softly with a wave. "Just a foal crush. They're not engaged."

"Are you?" asked Granny pointedly. "Ya brought yer mare alon' to the family gatherin'. That has meanin's, ya know!"

Twilight sank to her haunches in shock. That did have meanings. Meanings she had entirely overlooked. "I..."

Granny smiled gently. "Why ah'm askin'. Is she 'the one'? Ya two happy bein' girlfriends, or are ya aimin' to tie that knot?" She winked. "Ah'd also check in on 'er. She may have gotten some of those meanin's, if you catch mah drift."

Twilight squeaked, scrambling upright. "Oh no! You may be correct..." She turned quickly, just to see Moon enjoying a game alongside another Apple, a mare. "Oh... she looks like she's actually having a good time" The mare shouted some other pony away when Moon looked on edge. "And made a new friend, aw...

Granny followed her vision to find Moon. "Hm, she's a ladychaser too, you know."

Twilight blinked. "Come again?"

"Ladychaser," repeated Granny pointedly. "Mare what prefers another mare. A good girl, I assure."

Twilight clopped a hoof to a cheek, weak in the knees. "I'm not the first?"

Granny laughed at that. "The first? Celestia preserve... Gonna have to take that badge away from you."

Author's Note:

Part 2! Shall we do Spike? Lemme know.

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Comments

[SpikeSmolder fan]

Ohh sweet chapter here David, also yes do Spike please!!!

[Booster Spice]

Spike is a Dragon, If he dont switch his swag off at night, he wakes up buried.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Twilight let him go, instead heading over to her parents. Night Light was already playing a game. By playing, this meant he was working out the odds and ideal ordering of things for optimal fun for all involved. He looked like he was having a great time doing it, and the ponies around him were alright this his attempt.

Should be
were alright with his attempt.

[Toffee Tales]

Aw, I really like the way you write Granny Smith! She's such an underrated character. Love her slightly antiquated-feeling country twang you've given her; it's perfect.

[Greenhorn]

"Ladychaser," repeated Granny pointedly. "Mare what prefers another mare. A good girl, I assure."

Is this an official term? So far, I have heard of Fillyfooler but never thought there would be a formal one.

[David Silver]

11500647
I don't like that term, as filly has a pretty specific meaning that one should not be fooling.

[Thyrrnatf]

"Are you?" asked Granny pointedly. "Ya brought yer mare alon' to the family gatherin'. That has meanin's, ya know!"

damn Granny gotta put a girls on the spot

and here i thought would have been Twilights mom or Aunt that would have done that

[Lord_01010000]

Love Twilight's experience of the reunion. Can't wait to see Spike getting to put his new networking skills in action

[howard035]

In this timeline, I wonder if Granpierre might come to his senses and move back to Ponyville sooner...

[howard035]

Also I assume Diamond Tiara would give birth to a Kirin.