The Parent Map: TLC Timeline

by AizakkuHorooee

Chapter VII

As it turns out, when Dad and I are trotting past the library over to the bakery, we see Stellar Flare galloping past us, alerting her colleagues about the situation.

“Do you think she’s in trouble?” I whisper, getting a snicker out of Dad.

“No doubt about it, honey. So what flavor would you like before we enter? The usual?”

“For you, Dad. Besides, we don’t wanna miss Stellar Flare getting her comeuppance proper.”

“Right this way then.”

Dad canters into the bakery, me closely following behind.

A baker stallion is standing behind the main counter. He’s an earth pony. His coat is turquoise with a shadow around the chin. His mane and tail used to be all black when last time I was here, but the pigments seem to’ve faded a little. His cutie mark is a stock graph, and he is wearing white t-shirt and a red apron.

“Ah! Firelight! What a lovely surprise to have your daughter back!” the baker stallion enthusiastically says. “So, what will it be?”

“A dozen chocolate chip cookies.” Firelight floats a bag of bits from his shirt pocket and puts it on the counter.

The baker proceeds to duck below the counter. When he inevitably comes back up, his right hoof contains- wow, look at that: twelve.

“You two enjoy. I hear the sheriff is about to reverse those recent changes we had.”

---

Turns out Dad has a good eye for other ponies in the background. He gallops close to the main entryway to Sire’s Hollow to meet my friends. However, there appears to be a dragon in the local sheriff’s uniform.

“Hm. It really has been a while since I was last here. Who’s this?”

“Oh, this is Sheriff Mangle,” Aita introduces. “He’s the one your dad sent the report to.”

Mangle steps forward and offers to shake my hoof with his wing. “You must be Firelight’s daughter. So good to see you for the first time.”

I accept the shake. “Nice to meet you, Mangle.”

Suddenly, everyone - including my dad - starts facing in the same direction. When I follow them, I see Stellar Flare running up to us with a few other mares in tow.

“I’m back. So what story did you have in mind for me and the staff of the SHDC?”

As Dad and I start eating our cookies, Mangle clears his throat to make sure he has everyone else’s attention and puts his shades on. “It’s about this unicorn active within her community, who established a dev-com to blow the city budget to attract college students. It’s… actually the reason I got this position in the first place. Point is, loved ones showed up and exposed that mare’s actions, who was taken to trial in Canterlot.”

It’s pretty obvious who Mangle is talking about by telling this story. When he mentions that somepony going to trial, he reaches into the pocket his shades were in and pulls out a pair of cuffs. He then hooks them to Stellar Flare’s hind legs.

“Stellar Flare, for invading Sunburst’s space by circumventing the postal service, I personally arrest you.”

“W-What?!? You can’t do this! I have an important committee to run!”

“Do you really think that’s more important than what inspired it?” Mangle rhetorically asks. “It’s the same reason you’re about to serve. some. time.”

Mangle proceeds to pick up Stellar Flare under the torso and fly off with her in the distance.

Aita and I turn to Sunburst, who is in awe at Mangle’s performance. “Well, Sunburst,” I start. “You sure were right about talking to Dad. I guess my conclusions were a little too cynical to be true.”

“Thank Aita though, Starlight. He’s the one that taught me. Just because you’re embarrassed about something doesn’t mean you go keeping it to yourself. You might be telling just the right person. But where’d you even learn that anyway, Aita?”

“I got that from Sunset Shimmer when I visited her world,” replies Aita.

“You know,” Dad says. “It seems to me you guys were right to come down here. Sunburst has his space now when he gets back home. So what do you and Aita plan to do after the train ride?”

“Oh, I have school. But where exactly are you, Trixie and Discord going to be tomorrow?”

“Las Pegasus,” I answer, to Aita’s recognition. “Then after that, we have Appleoosa, Baltimare and Canterlot.”

“Wait, Las Pegasus? That’s where I was when Chrysalis got her kingdom back. Starlight, if you do see Rusty Flashlight, Pane Fall or Carve at the show, tell them I said hi.”

“Will do, Aita. But they have met me before too… hey Dad?”

“Yes?”

“I enjoyed having cookies with you. The next time I do visit, wanna do it again? My treat.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, dear. But for now, you go out there and give Las Pegasus a tour the populous will never forget.”

I give Dad a hug that lasts a good ten seconds. “You got it… Oh, one more thing. It’s going to be a straight shot for Las Pegasus, so would you mind me borrowing some parchment? Gotta let the others know I’ll join them there.”

Dad nods and teleports in exactly what I asked for. “Any time, sweets. You’re a grown mare, and that means you make your own choices. Now have a safe trip you three! Good luck in school, Aita! Buh-bye now!”

Aita, Sunburst and I walk to the gate and push it open as Dad waves us goodbye. As we arrive back on the platform, the train comes our way. All three of us take a long deep breath at the same time, stretching out our sigh of relief that we finally got everything done we needed to do here in Sire’s Hollow.

“So Sunburst, what are you gonna read when you get home?” I ask as we board.

“O-oh! I think there’s something perfect I can read to unwind: The Houyhnhmn’s Guide to Magical Arcana! It just never gets old no matter how many times I read it!”

I beam. “Actually, I do like myself some Power Ponies every now and again. Rusty introduced me… so much fun.”

“And Rarity did get me into Shadow Spade at the tail end of summer break. What a quotable series! Daring they may be, Goal Post is an innocent pegasus all the same.”

Sunburst and I laugh with Aita as we sit the same way we did most of the way over.

Sunburst realizes something though… “Aita, you read Shadow Spade? A little advanced for someone your age, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but I managed to solve a real mystery myself. Who doesn’t like using their head?”

To Aita’s response, we all have another laugh.