You're not Twilight

by Miner

Community Service

One week later, Maretime Bay Day Care,

It's a sunny day at the Maretime Bay daycare; Colts and fillies roam around the play area outside the building, chasing each other, going up and down slides, and playing in the sand or some toys they have available, as Three adults stand on the sideline. Two of them are confused about the purpose of their visit. “Ah, sheriff?” Aaron asks, ducking a flying ball, “Why are we here?”

“After the judge reviewed your cases, you were both sentenced to three months of community service,” Hitch says, waving as some of the children run,

“I got that when he told us. But I thought we were going to pick up trash, clean up paints from buildings, or help out at a food shelter,” Aaron moves his forelegs, mitching the actions he just described.

Hitch taps his chin in thought before he smiles, “Hay, those are some good ideas. Let me go ask the judge about that,”

“NO!” Aaron calls out to him, stretching and foreleg before he composes himself, “No, I mean. This is fine. I wasn’t expecting it,”

“Good then. You two report to Miss Cherry, and she will give you your assignments for the day,” Hitch says before getting in close to Aaron's face staring him down and making him lend back, “Just be warned. I am watching you two. Always watching. Always,” Hitch says before lending the two puzzle ponies,

Misty blinks looking between the two of them, as Aaron shivers, “I wonder what he means by that?” Misty asks before moving out of the way when two fillies run by,

“Can I at least get my stuff back?” Aaron pleads with the sheriff, only for him to close the door in his face,

“I believe that is a no. He did even give me back my stuff either,”

“Whatever, let's just get this over with,”

Ten minutes later,

As part of the punishment for their crimes, Miss Cherry had outfits ready for them to start their shift. They are required to wear these outfits for the duration of their sentence. Aaron starts down at his red and blue clown outfit, complete with a rainbow-colored wig and a large red rubber nose, “So this is where dignity dies. Misty, where are you?” Aaron calls out to the restroom door waiting for her to come out,

“I am not coming out!”

Aaron double-took what she said, “What are you talking about? You have a way better outfit than me.”

“I look ridiculous,”

“Misty, if I must spend all my time here as a clown. Then you must play your part as well!”

Reluctantly Misty opens the door and enters the room. Unlike Aaron, she was dressed not as a clown but as a princess. But not like the princesses in Zephyr Heights. Instead, her outfit is a bright pink dress covering her whole body with a matching hennin with a yellow ribbon coming off the end. Misty rubs her forelegs in embarrassment with a light blush on her face, “I still don’t like it,”

Aaron grunts, shaking his head, “You have to be the only girl I have ever met that didn’t want to be a princess,”

Misty glares at him, “I have seen princesses before, and they only have to wear a tiara. Not an oversize pink dress that gets in the way of walking!” She grabs her pointy hat, “And what is with this hat!”

“Girls are so picky.” Aaron rolls his eyes as she puts her hat back on,

“I heard that!” She barks at him as they pick up toys from the play area that kids left lying around before heading inside for nap time,

“Whatever. But I am trying to understand how this is punishment,”

“What do you mean?”

Aaron quickly puts the toys away in the toy box, talking over his shoulder, “I am sure we have to wear these outfits and take care of these kids, but how exactly is this punishment for committing a crime?”

“You got a point,” Misty agrees as she puts her hoof full of toys away, “I wonder what the catch is?”

Before Aaron replies to her, he notices that one of the children didn’t head inside with the others and is still playing outside with some wooded blocks. But that is not what got his attention about this one. “Oh, look, a baby dragon!”

“A WHAT?!” Misty turns around and gasps in horror as she sees the baby demon building a tower of blocks,

“A baby dragon. I didn’t think I would see one.” Aaron crouches next to Sparky, “Hay there, little guy, how you are doing,” Sparky babbles nonsense words to Aaron as he tries to build his tower, “You must have hatched recently since you can’t talk yet. But hold on,” Aaron looks behind Sparky in shock, “You already have wings?! But dragons don’t get their wings until their first molt. There must be something exceptional about you, little one. What do you say, Misty? Misty?”

It is then that Aaron notices the lack of his companion as she retreats into the restroom. He would have asked if anypony has seen her, but seeing half a hat stuck in the door frame is a good giveaway. He moves in front of the door unamused as he tugs on the hat a few times before gently knocking on the door. Aaron stares in silence as Misty doors the door just enough to lose her hat and pull it in with her, “Oh, come on. Misty! What is wrong now?” He whispers to her,

“I am perfectly fine spending my sentence from in here, thank you,”

“You know that Miss Cherry let alone the sheriff, wouldn’t allow that. Get out of there!”

“No! You can’t make me,”

“Misty, I am not going to spend my time talking to you from the bathroom! Get out of there now!”

“Or what?”

“I will start singing again,”

“Mr. Yoder. May I remind you of the last time I stopped you from singing?”

Two days ago, in jail,

“Never going to give you up!” Aaron sings, unaware of the unhinged mare, quietly closing in on him from behind with a wild look in her eyes with a twitch in her left eye. Slowly she raises a pillow over her head before letting Aaron have it,

“Never going- AH!-*Beep*”

Sorry, but the author has determined the following violence unfit for this story,

Back to the present,

Aaron shakes in memory, “True, but I am willing to take that chance,”

“Aaron, children are sleeping here,” Misty tries to reason with him, not getting a reply from him, “You wouldn't dare!” Aaron clears his throat and does some voice tune exercise, “Aaron, I am warning you!”

“OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!”

---

Meanwhile, at the Dark Castle,

“Misty, come in.” Queen Opaline growls at the lack of response from her minion, “Misty!” However, no matter many times she tries, Misty wouldn’t answer her, “Something is wrong,” She marches to her throne before her voice shakes the whole castle, “Shadow Cloak!”

Without making a sound, Pony, in a black cloak, enters the room, not showing their face. Queen Opaline's eyes remain focused on her guest for any sudden movements. The stranger stops in the middle of the room, lifting its head towards her, “Go to Maretime bay and find out what has become of Misty,” She commands him but growls at the lack of response, “Your payment will be given to you once it's complete,”

He nods, “At once, your Highness,” Shadow Cloak replies calmly and leaves without making a sound.

“If he weren't so expensive, I wouldn't ever employ him. But I need to know what happened to Misty. One wrong move could spell disaster when dealing with Twilight Sparkles,”

---

Back at the daycare,

Most of the children had woken up from their naps to watch the chaos unfold in front of them, while the others remained asleep, to the surprise of the others, “What is going on?” One of the kids asks her fellow kin,

“I am not sure myself. I think the clown was trying to woo the princess.” The other child replies as Aaron runs from Misty as she tries her best not to trip over her dress, “I think it works,”

“Oh, so she is chasing him to give him a kiss?”

“Na,” an older kid added to the conversation, “I think she is going to hurt him,”

“No, she is not. She is a princess,” The filly said as Sparky claps and giggles at the sight before them,

“Want to bet on that?”

“I bet my gummy corns on it.”

“You’re on!” As the two fillies shake on it,

“What is going on here?!” Miss Cherry demands, entering from the kitchen before seeing the two adults wrestling each other in the play area, “You two stop this at once!” She scolds them, causing them to stop mid-punching each other, looking at her, “I am ashamed of you two. Here you are given a second chance. And all you can do is put my little ponies in danger and cause one of them to cry!” She starts rocking Sparky in her hooves, calming him down as Misty gets off Aaron.

“Sorry, Miss Cherry,” They say together, ears going down in shame,

“Now, we need to get lunch ready for the children. So, both of you to the kitchen NOW!” Both adults grumble to get other, not seeing the eyes of a little dragon staring hate at one of them,

“This is your fault,” Misty says, entering the kitchen,

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,”

Comments

[Raiss Icewind]

I think you left a self note in towards the end there, a scene appears to be missing.

I don't have much else to comment on unfortunately.

[StarzGecko]

Awesome chapter! It’s definitely great seeing how their punishment is going and maybe Hitch will take the idea

Anyways, I won’t mind seeing Misty start falling for Aaron because of silly these two are at each other. Love to see more silly shenanigans with these two. Also, yay Sparky! Can’t wait for Aaron to experience Sparky’s wild magic 🪄

Ooooooh, Opaline having another pony to send. Sounds really cool can’t wait for more Shadow Cloak

[Axolotl222]

This is probably the most unique take I’ve seen on Misty’s character so far. Not saying I don’t like it, just pointing it out.

[joElecTeen]

“Aaron, children are sleeping here,” Misty tries to reason with him, not getting a reply from him, “You wouldn't dare!” Aaron clears his throat and does some voice tune exercise, “Aaron, I am warning you!”

“You’re on!” As the two fillies shake on it, Aaro1. Incorporate more descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the scene and the characters. For example, instead of simply stating that colts and fillies are roaming around the play area, describe their actions and interactions with each other.

Aaron