New Starts
When Gilda woke, it was nighttime. The room was not dark though due to the curtains on the windows being drawn back, allowing a generous amount of moonlight within. The griffon realized that she had forgotten to close the curtains because she had been so tired. The daylight had not stopped her from falling asleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow. She could see the moon from where she lay, its changed appearance fascinating her. She felt little inclination to get up – this bed had to be the most comfortable that she had slept in all her life. However, one biological need took urgent precedence.
“Gotta pee,” she grumbled as she reluctantly pushed back the covers. She did a full-body stretch as only a creature that was part feline could do, then headed for the bathroom. After relieving herself, she considered her reflection in the mirror. “Could do with a preening,” she murmured but settled for making herself look presentable for the moment.
Now that she was fully awake, Gilda realized that she was hungry. She left the bathroom intending to go to the kitchen to see if there was anything handy to eat. The griffon paused at the top of the steps when she noticed that there were sounds coming downstairs and light was spilling out into the hallway.
‘Someone besides me is up,’ she thought and quietly made her way down. As a predator species, Gilda was adept at silently stalking her prey. She stood in the doorway of the kitchen without alerting the occupant to her nearness. It was Pear Butter that the griffon saw working with various cooking implements and the smell wafting from the stove made the griffon’s stomach gurgle loudly.
Pear Butter’s ears swiveled around and the mare looked for the source. She smiled when she saw Gilda. “Good morning. Feeling hungry after that long sleep?”
Gilda rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, having her presence betrayed by an empty stomach. “Good morning, Ms. Butter. Yeah, I’m kinda famished.”
“I told you to call me Ma,” the mare chided her with a gentle smile. “Anyway, what would you like to eat? Big Mac brought in a couple of dozen freshly laid eggs and I could make an omelet with cheese if you’d like?”
“That sounds great, Ma. Umm… so, Big Mac is up already? I would have thought he’d be as tired as me.”
“Maybe he needs less now that he’s an alicorn,” Pear replied as she grabbed some eggs and began cracking them into a bowl. “Or perhaps it’s just a lifetime of early starts. Whatever the case, he got up at the same time as Applejack, Pa, and me. None of us are sure what the time on the clock is supposed to be yet, but us farmers know when it’s time to work.” She added some water to the eggs before grating cheese into the bowl and added chopped tomato, salt, and pepper. She turned to put a large frypan on the stove, paused and asked, “Would you like mushrooms in your omelet?”
“Love 'em!” Gilda replied. “I'll have you know that griffins still take pride in our hunting abilities. I've refined my mushroom-stalking skills to the point they hardly ever see me coming.”
Pear laughed. “You’re just as believable as Applejack when you spin tall tales.” She fetched some large mushrooms out of a paper bag sitting on the shelf. She chopped them up before adding them to the other ingredients before mixing them well. By then, the frypan was sufficiently heated and she poured the contents of the bowl into it.
“Help yourself to some apple juice if you like. It’s in a jug in the fridge.” Pear pointed to a cupboard. “There are glasses up there.”
“Actually, I’ll grab my travel mug,” Gilda replied. “I can drink out of pony glasses but griffon cups have a design made for beaks. No lips, you see.”
“Oh, of course. Let me know if there are any other items made for us ponies that don’t suit griffons, dear.”
“Will do, Ma.” Gilda left the kitchen and bounded up the stairs. Once in her room, she located her bags and dug out the travel mug which was a durable cup with a spout that allowed liquids to be poured into her beak without spilling. She returned to the kitchen and fetched the apple juice, pouring herself a generous amount before returning the jug to the fridge. She realized that she was very thirsty when she drank two-thirds of the juice without pause.
“That’s really great juice!” Gilda exclaimed.
“Thanks, dear. We’re proud of our product here at Sweet Apple Acres. I even have some pear juice from a small stand of trees that I keep. Granny was quite insistent that I keep some pear traditions going from my side of the family.”
“Oh? Perhaps you could tell me about some of those?”
“We can do that after you’ve had your breakfast.” Pear Butter took the frypan from the stove and her spatula neatly lifted the cooked omelet and placed it on a plate in front of Gilda. “You’ll need your energy for when we do the baking. So, more eating and less talking.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Gilda thoroughly enjoyed the food. It seemed everything that ponies made tasted better than the best griffon fare, although she did wonder how they would handle a steak. The generously large omelet filled her and she burped contentedly after washing it down with the last of the juice.
Pear giggled as she placed a bag of flour on the table. “There’s a sign of a well-fed griffon. Put your plate in the sink and we’ll get to work.”
Gilda did so while Pear gathered several more items in preparation.
“Now, you’ve said that you’re a baker, but what would you say is your best product?”
“Well… my scones were the most popular, so I suppose that would be it.”
“Scones? Alright, let’s start with those. Show me what you can do, dear, while I work on something else.”
Gilda gulped. The normally self-confident griffon felt nervousness that she had not experienced in a long while. It was time to prove herself.
Earlier that morning, despite the awkwardness of trying to find a comfortable way of sleeping with his newly acquired wings, Big Mac had managed to find a suitable position and slept solidly until his inbuilt alarm clock woke him. It was completely dark as he, unlike Gilda, had drawn the curtains. He reached for the bedside lamp and the room was lit with a soft glow. His hoof stopped in midair – he had not touched the lamp yet! His eyes drifted up to see a ball of light shining at the tip of his horn. He stared at it for a long moment before sighing. It was a reminder that his life was forever changed by his transformation. He decided that the best way of dealing with it, for now, was to continue his normal habits as much as possible, so he climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
Big Mac passed his father on the way who paused and regarded the glowing horn for a moment before saying, “That’s convenient.”
The alicorn shrugged. “Don’t know how I turned it on, and I don’t know how to turn it off neither.”
Bright Mac chuckled. “You’ll get the hang of it, I reckon. I’ll let Ma know that you’re up. We weren’t sure how long you’d sleep.”
“Thanks, Pa.”
Splashing water in his face apparently was sufficient to get his glowing horn to shut off. After taking care of his needs in the bathroom, Big Mac started to head downstairs before pausing and looking toward Gilda’s room. The door was ajar and he wondered if she was up. He silently peeked inside and saw that the griffon was still fast asleep, so he quietly closed the door.
After a hearty breakfast, he, his father, and Applejack left to do their morning chores. There was no sign of dawn as yet, but his horn once again lit the way. He reluctantly decided that it had its advantages before banging it on the door frame of the chicken coop. The hens seemed fascinated with his new wings when Big Mac gathered the eggs. They definitely did not make as much fuss as they normally did. He remembered to duck this time when exiting the coop.
After leaving the eggs with his mother, he went to help his father properly pack and store the equipment that Bright Mac had brought from the Summer Sun Festival grounds. While they were engaged in that activity, the sun rose and the moon set.
Bright Mac said, “That was a short night. The Princess must be trying to adjust the time back to normal.”
“It was getting too cool for this time of the year because of the extended night,” Macintosh observed. “Not good for the trees. A bit more day to make up for it will help a lot.”
“Agreed. Speaking of the trees, check out the Royal Gala apples. I believe they are ready for harvesting.”
“Sure thing, Pa.”
The apples were indeed ready and the stallion took comfort in the normality of the harvesting process, although he quickly found out that he had to moderate his bucking. It seemed that his strength had grown along with everything else. He was joined by Applejack and the two worked in familiar unison.
Big Mac was so in the zone that he was surprised when Gilda turned up carrying a basket on her back.
“Lunchtime!” the griffon announced.
Brother and sister ponies eagerly dropped what they were doing and gathered on the blanket that Gilda spread on the ground in the shade of the apple trees. She pulled out some plates from the basket before piling them with food. Along with the usual salad sandwiches, cheese, coleslaw, and fruit, the griffon proudly laid out some baked goods.
“Are those the scones y’all reckon are your fav'rites?” Applejack asked.
“Yes. Your mom was very impressed with them. Let me know what you think of them.”
After everyone had eaten their fill of the main course, Gilda pulled out a jar of zap apple jam and a pot of whipped cream. “Pear whipped this cream for me to go with the scones and jam. We didn’t have that in Griffonstone, but it sure goes well with the scones.” She had cut the scones in half and spread jam on each piece before putting a dollop of cream on them. She held the first ones out to Bright Mac first before serving Macintosh and Applejack. She had to prepare another lot very quickly as they all expressed pleasure and ate their scones with alacrity.
Applejack finished a mouthful and licked her lips. “You done brought home a keeper, Big Mac.”
“Eeyup!” he agreed.
Gilda didn’t believe until now that she could blush so much from simple praise of her cooking. Applejack appeared to notice because she smirked and opened her mouth to say something. Knowing the mare’s penchant to zero in on the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, the griffon interrupted with the first thing she could think of. “I do have one question.”
“Yup?” said Big Mac with an encouraging nod.
Gilda put on her silliest impression of a country accent. “What in tarnation is a ‘zap apple,’ anyways?”
All the Apples laughed freely.
Penumbra was fast asleep, but in the world of dreams, she was reliving some of the abuses and prejudice that she’d had to endure for years. As always, she stoically ignored what she could and dealt with what she could not. Suddenly, right in the middle of a condescending tirade from her squad leader, the unicorn swirled away in a dissipating mist.
“That will be quite enough of that knavery,” came a regal voice from behind the thestral.
Penumbra turned to see Princess Luna in all her majesty. She bowed, realizing that the Mistress of Dreams was visiting her. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“ 'Twas nothing, my loyal captain, but it did give me more insight into the nature of the tribulations thou hast suffered. I am ashamed that I am the cause of thy persecution.”
“Please, do not take the blame for the actions of our entire tribe, Princess. If not for the likes of Night Shriek, thestrals could have made peace with the other pony tribes over the centuries.”
“Perhaps, but they need not have suffered that problem at all but for me,” Luna said sadly.
“If it wasn’t for you, my kind would not exist. I am happy to be a thestral despite everything.”
The Moon Princess smiled. “We will endeavor to make that so for all thy kind. And it begins from the top. Acting on your debriefing, my sister and I have already uncovered much that troubles us. While we have yet to make a thorough investigation, we suspect that the current Captain of the Royal Guard has had clandestine instructions in place to ensure that thou wouldst never be promoted. Thou only achieved corporal rank due to length of service and an inability to show cause why thou shouldst not be promoted. We believe a second promotion to sergeant was quashed.”
Penumbra closed her eyes and sighed. “I suspected as much, Your Highness, but I had no proof nor anypony to turn to short of Princess Celestia herself, and you can be sure that I was never allowed to be anywhere near her. I am stunned that you have learned so much so soon.”
“Word hath reached much of the Royal Guard already, and especially thy part in it. Thy promotion hath caused many a guilty dream this night.”
Penumbra’s eyes widened. “You’ve seen their dreams?”
“Nay, their nightmares. Before my banishment, I was the guardian of the dream realm. I would seek out those suffering from nightmares and soothe their troubles. Imagine my surprise when I took up my mantle this eve, only to discover that many of those nightmares were born of their mistreatment of thee and fear of punishment. I learned far too much this night.”
“I see. Thank you for telling me all of this, Princess. I am happy to be vindicated.”
“Thou art very welcome, Penumbra. And please, call me Luna when we are not in a situation that calls for formality. Thou hast more than earned the right to that familiarity.”
The thestral recalled the alicorn’s hint at asking for a date, and she realized that it would be awkward if she could not call her by name. “I’ll do that, Luna. Anyway, what happens from here?”
“My sister hath ordered Lieutenant Shining Armor to relieve thee temporarily while thou dost return to Canterlot. We have much to investigate and we must weed out the rot in the Royal Guard. If half of what I have learned this night is the full truth, I believe that we will be asking for Captain Stone Wall’s resignation soon.”
“I see. I will be ready to depart immediately upon Shining Armor’s arrival. Umm… I will remember this when I wake up, right?”
The Alicorn of Dreams smiled. “Thou shalt. Dost thou not remember what I said when last we met in the dream realm?” When the thestral nodded, Luna bent her neck down and presented her jawline to Penumbra. “If my Captain of the Night Guard hath the courage, thou mayest answer with a kiss.”
That annoying voice in her head called ‘common sense’ told Penumbra exactly what she could not possibly do to her sovereign… under any circumstances. Ignoring that voice was not difficult, especially with her pride urging the thestral to not back down from such a blatant challenge.
Penumbra leaned forward only to have Luna quickly swivel her head and kiss the surprised thestral full on the lips.
Before Penumbra could react, the Alicorn of Dreams dissolved into mist. The thestral heard laughter fade into the distance from all around her.
Penumbra gaped and touched her lips with a hoof, feeling the residual moisture. Luna was a fast mover! And that was just the way the thestral liked it!
Zecora set off for Fluttershy’s house at dawn. She found the pegasus at work tending to her animals. As she had expected, Irwin Goodall was assisting her while getting lessons from her.
“…and that’s what Harry meant by the bendy pain,” Fluttershy was saying.
Irwin nodded. “I get it now. I’ve been trying too hard to understand words when I should have been concentrating on how they conceptualize meanings.”
“Exactly. Animals don’t talk like we do, so to be able to help them, we need to comprehend their intentions rather than literal words.”
Zecora concluded that Fluttershy was utterly taken by the minotaur due to her complete lack of hesitation or shyness when talking with him. That was good because it greatly increased the likelihood of him staying rather than returning to his hometown. However, Zecora wanted to be a part of Irwin’s life too, so she had to make a strong impression to match that of the pegasus. She stepped into view to greet them.
“Good morning to you both on this fine day. I have brought many medicines your way.”
“Ooh! Thank you, Zecora. I was running low.”
Irwin looked at the vials and packets that the zebra was unloading from her saddlebags. He held up one of the bottles. “Are these the potions that you told me that you brew for ponies?”
Zecora was glad to hear that Irwin’s interest in her potions had not waned. “Every medicine is targeted at a particular ill. Ponies, and minotaurs, have completely different needs to fill.”
“So, these are strictly for animals? I’ve wondered in the past if some of our minotaur medicines could have helped the animals that I have tried to treat.”
The zebra fixed him with a serious gaze. “Would you like to learn how and which to brew? Is that something that you would want to do?”
Irwin blinked and stared out into space. He had been kept busy all morning since Fluttershy had made them breakfast, but it had been nothing but pleasurable work. He was finally doing something with his life that he genuinely wanted to do. And he realized that he wanted to do more than just help the pegasus. Zecora was offering him a path to learning how to do that, but that meant he would have to move permanently to Ponyville. He smiled. That idea was nowhere near as daunting as when the thought had first crossed his mind. Harmony had made him an Element Bearer and Princess Celestia had indicated that she wanted all the bearers to stay together, so everything seemed to be pointing to him staying here. He turned his focus back on Zecora. “I would love to learn everything from you. When can we start?”
Zecora beamed with delight. “Your apprenticeship begins immediately. Unless there is somewhere else that you need to be?”
The minotaur was reminded that he had to wind up some things back home, not to mention fetching his possessions. “I have to square everything with my family and bring my things here if I’m going to move to Ponyville permanently.” Irwin realized then that there was another problem. “But where am I going to stay? I can’t sleep on Fluttershy’s couch indefinitely.”
“I… don’t mind… if you don’t,” the yellow pegasus said meekly.
“I could set up a bed in my house instead,” Zecora offered.
Irwin looked from one mare to the other and grinned. “Well, I don’t lack for alternatives. I suppose we can work out a more permanent solution later. I’m stoked that everyone is so eager to help me learn. But I better pack and head off to the station. I’m not sure when the next train will be going to my hometown, but I don’t want to miss it. And I really have to take my bunny patient home too.” The minotaur then headed inside.
Zecora turned her attention to Fluttershy who said, “You like him too.”
The zebra nodded. “It’s true, I do. His passion to heal is a match for your zeal.”
Fluttershy looked toward her cottage. “I… I’ve never felt this way before. He just… makes me feel so happy when he’s with me.”
Zecora nodded. “The way you are feeling I understand well. We are similarly smitten, I can tell.”
The pegasus regarded the zebra nervously. “Does that mean we’re… competing for him?”
“What more can I say? It’s the pony way.”
Fluttershy was well aware that mares had to vie for the attention of the stallions as there were so many females to each of the males, but she never expected to be in that position. And with a non-pony too! Yet, here she was contending with one of her best friends for Irwin. The timorous pegasus bit her lip and screwed up her courage. “I won’t give up easily, Zecora.”
The zebra smiled. “Of course you must try, my dear Fluttershy. You should do your best, or him I shall wrest.”
Irwin emerged from the cottage just then with Blossom hot on his heels. He gave the two a wave. “Thanks for everything, ladies! I hope to be back before the weekend. Have a great day!” Then he left at a comfortable jog.
“Have a safe trip!” Fluttershy called out before facing Zecora once more. She gave the zebra a soft but determined smile. “It is on.”
With absolutely nothing scheduled for the day, Trixie opted for a long sleep-in and snuggling with her husband. If it wasn’t for their hungry foal, they might still be in bed. Once up though, they decided to make the most of the free day. Their itinerant lifestyle meant that they were familiar with the services available to them in each town, and so Allura was left with a playgroup that gave her some valuable interaction with ponies her own age. Trixie and Mark spent most of the day enjoying what Ponyville had to offer visitors, taking in a stage play and dining at a nice restaurant for a change rather than cooking while on the road.
Trixie was pleased that nothing happened all day to interrupt her family’s day off. She was not surprised, however, when there came a knock on their caravan’s door not long after they had returned home that evening. She tucked a blanket around Allura while glancing at her husband who was closer to the door. Mark answered the knock, finding a Royal Guard standing at the base of the steps.
“Is this the residence of Trixie Lulamoon?” the pegasus guard asked.
“It is,” Mark replied before turning and saying, “Honey, it’s for you.”
The blue unicorn came to the doorway. “You have met the Amazing Trixie – what do you wish of her?”
“Her Highness, Princess Celestia, wishes to have a word with you.” The guard pressed a device strung around his neck. It flashed briefly before he continued. “The Princess will be here momentarily.”
True to his word, seconds later, Celestia arrived in a flash of teleportation. “Good evening, My Little Ponies.”
“Good evening, Your Highness,” both Trixie and Mark replied while bowing respectfully.
Trixie stepped down from the caravan to approach the alicorn. “Is something wrong, Princess? You look very tired.”
Celestia gave her a wan smile. “I have yet to sleep since last we saw each other. My sister and I have had far too many tasks to accomplish in too short a time. Nevertheless, this is my final stop before I head for the Royal Bedroom.”
“To what does Trixie owe the honor of your visit?”
“As I previously mentioned, I desire to keep all the Element Bearers in close proximity so that they may respond to appropriate emergencies at short notice. I realize that this conflicts with your career, and I have come up with a way around this problem.” Her horn lit up and telekinesis withdrew an object from under the alicorn’s wing. She held it up in front of Trixie. “This is a rare portal amulet. Powerful unicorns can use it to generate a portal to any place they have been previously and can clearly visualize. As you have traveled so widely, that should be very beneficial for you. More importantly, it will allow you to answer a summons if we need the Element Bearers. As long as you have the power and skill to use its enchantment, this amulet will give you the freedom to continue your showbusiness travels.”
Trixie drew herself up proudly. “The Amazing Trixie is no mere boastful unicorn. Instruct her on the amulet’s use and she will prove it.”
Celestia did so and hung the amulet around the unicorn’s neck, saying, “I suggest a short test hop.”
Mark pulled his wife’s restocked saddlebags from the wagon and placed them across her withers. Trixie kissed her husband and said, “You know me so well, Dowser. Look toward Canterlot.” Then she activated the amulet and a swirling portal appeared before her. She stepped through and the portal collapsed.
Celestia asked, “Did Trixie just—?”
“Yep,” Mark replied with a grin, just as fireworks burst over the distant city perched on the side of a mountain.
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Gilda is fitting in perfectly with the Apple clan, I forsee beautiful Hybrids ♡
Penumbra won the jackpot, this is where the fun begins ♡
Zebra x Minatour = Stripped human with horns?
Zecora: "Why compete? Together neither need to suffer defeat!"
BigMac probably will need a Guard detail to keep the mares at bay, a stick might be employed as well...
🏏
Are Gilda and Rainbowdash friends? If so Rainbowdash and Gilda might have a chance to guard their stallion better
Big Macintosh is a Alicorn, if Gilda finds the 'Idol of Borealis' maybe we get a Royal wedding before Cadance and Shining Armor?
Can't wait until they learn herding is still totally legal-but-forgotten practice.
Wonder if Mac all surge?
11607942
He has no experience or magic muscle control, if he didn't start training soon? Probably!
11604706
Since canon Twilight apperance was made and she stayed perhaps there is some design to it.
I wonder if the first tree Big Macicorn tried harvesting ended up in orbit as an Integral Tree.
11608101
"oh, that tree, uh, it Ascended." 😅
Behold, the amulet of convenience!
Also could Big Mac be the Alicorn of the hearth? Of family and the home? I think that would fit him best.
11608187
You do remember that Chancellor Neighsay had just such an amulet in canon? If one exists, so could another.
Seems that of all the EOH members Trixie is the only mare with a husband. Penumbra already has a great start for a special somepony. the others are just starting to make plans for others... All this chaos may wake up a certain someone earlier...
Which wouldn't be a problem since time is relative and a illusion...
By most standards. But we have to remember that the Sun and Moon, that is to say bodies that are moved manually, have been under control by ponies since time in memorial. No one knows what time it is right now. It could be yesterday, or tomorrow, or tea time last Tuesday, right at that exact moment, and nopony would ever know it. Enjoy the existential crisis most of us have you obsessive little so and so's.
11607828
Yes, Guards are quite adept at give mares their truncheon.
Still hoping for based Apple horse, but... eh, its Goldfur. Just remember my good author, variety is the spice of life
This story never fails to cheer me up, which is just what I need right now. Good stuff!
11608198
Nah, Chancellor Neighsay had an amulet of inconvenience. Because it brought Chancellor Neighsay, you see.
Also, it's funny to see Penumbra no longer getting the best in banter.
11608187
Still falls under friendship, methinks.
11608198
Still convenient even if cannon