Fay's Tale: Family

by Lil Sunny

Dark Secrets

Fay’s first day of school went well, she was happy and did well with her homework. She enjoyed the lunch starlight had packed for her and her dinner at home. Trixie showed her some magic tricks and sleight of hoof which entertained her through the evening until she went to bed, tired. Starlight already told Cheerilee that Fay wouldn’t be at school the next day as the three were heading to Canterlot to meet with Miss Silver.

The next morning Fay woke up and wandered downstairs where Starlight and Trixie were preparing breakfast.

“Good morning Fay, I’m making pancakes.” Starlight spoke sweetly.

“Pan cake? What’s a pan cake?”

“Pancakes are sweet, fluffy and delicious. Just like you. Well maybe not the delicious part.”

Fay giggled. “The other grown up ponies in town said I was sweet too.”

Trixie smooshed her cheeks. “Well that’s because you are, silly filly. You’re adorable and everypony can see it.”
Fay giggled again and sat down at the table. A few pancakes and some fruit were put on her plate with some syrup and she slowly ate the food, learning from her past mistakes.

“Wow Fay I’m impressed.” Starlight praised. “No syrup anywhere, no pancake in your mane. You ate those nice and cleanly. Great job.”

Fay’s eyes lit up. “You think I did good mommy?”

“Yes Fay, you did very good. Now we need to get ready. We’re catching a train to Canterlot. We’re going to visit Miss Silver and see if we can’t officially adopt you.”

Fay frowned. “Oh, oh no. Miss Silver is mean and ugly, she never let Fay do anything fun. I don’t want her to take me back.”

Trixie hugged Fay. “She won’t. We want you to be our little Filly and we won’t take no for an answer.”

They packed some saddlebags and set off for the train station. After a couple of hours on the train they arrived in Canterlot. Fay directed them to the orphanage and Starlight was taken aback. To say it had seen better days was an understatement, in fact the only thing that looked remotely new was a small extension on the side that could be mistaken for a separate apartment. It had a bathroom, kitchen area and bedroom. More than the main building had.

Starlight knocked on the door and a crotchety looking old mare answered, she looked in her 50s at least, mane slightly grey and wide rimmed glasses. She stared daggers at the trio.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Are you Miss Silver?”

“Who’s asking.”

“My name is Starlight Glimmer, we found little Fay here on the streets of Ponyville and wanted to officially adopt her.”

“I thank you for returning that wretched urchin to me, but she is not for adoption. Another family has already been promised her.”

“Oh…oh that’s fine then.”

Fay’s face lit up with rage.

“LIAR! No pony in there has ever been ah doh pt ed. You never let anypony take us! You just keep us there to look like you’re doing good when you’re just an old meanie! I’m not going back in there. Starry is my mommy, and Trix is my mommy too.”

“Young lady, how dare you! I thought I taught you some manners! You are returning to me right now or the authorities will force you to be returned!”

Trixie stepped forward. “And what will they say when we show them how horrible the conditions are in here. Those Orphans are sick, tired, hungry and you’re doing nothing about it. We could have this place shut down.”

Miss Silver sneered.
“I have my hooves on every aristocrat and bigwig in this entire city, nothing short of a Princess could shut this place down. These vermin are a plague on society, their own parents didn’t want them so why should anyone else?”

Starlight stared at her, anger building but before she exploded she calmly and menacingly leant close.
“A princess you say? That, can be arranged.” She practically growled at Miss Silver before the three of them left.

The three went to Canterlot Castle. The guards stopped them at the gate.

“Halt! State your business.”

“Starlight glimmer, friend to the Princesses and very angry right now. This is my marefriend Trixie and my filly, Fay. We need to speak to Celestia right away.”

One guard left and returned quickly. “Right this way ponies.”

Celestia sat atop her throne, Luna beside her. Both sisters looked stern as if they knew something would go wrong.

“By the way you spoke to my guards Starlight. I assume this visit isn’t so cordial.”

“Apologies Princess but this is urgent. The orphanage here in Canterlot is a wreck, the poor fillies and colts inside are cold and hungry, the old hag that runs it tried to take Fay back from us and refused to let us adopt her, she even threatened to call the authorities if we didn’t return her. She said she’s got connections deep in the aristocracy so I thought the only pony that could intimidate her out of there was you Celestia.”

Luna spoke
“Dear sister, I have been watching this young one’s dreams personally for a few days now, she has constant nightmares about that place, and I see an older pony physically punishing her for minor annoyances.”

Celestia gasped. “Is this true Fay? Did she hurt you?”

Fay silently nodded with tearful eyes.

“I must see to this matter at once. Luna, please entertain the young filly, this isn’t a matter she should be involved in.”

Fay spoke. “Wait. There’s a funny part of the floor under her desk where she hides money, and the big closet in her room has a bunch of toys and stuff that she took from us. She took my blankie.”

“We’ll handle it my sweet filly, don’t worry. You play with Princess Luna while we deal with this. We’ll pick you up later ok?”

“Ok mommy.”

Luna bent down to Fay’s level.

“My, you are a cutie pie. Would you like some cupcakes? Or maybe you’d like a puzzle? Oh heck why not both?”

Fay smiled and followed Luna into another room while Trixie, Starlight and Celestia made their way to the Orphanage. Starlight once again knocked on the door.

“You again? You returning the brat?”

Starlight smirked and stepped aside to reveal Princess Celestia.

“Oh my goodness! Princess! I didn’t know you were coming. I would’ve helped clean up the kids a bit more and gave them extra food so they were hearty and happy for your arrival. I do apologise.”

“Enough of your honeyed words Silver Tongue, I know everything. I can see everything with my own two eyes. Refusal of service without valid reasoning, child endangerment, misuse of charity funds. You’re going away for a very very long time.”

Two guards with the group arrested her and took her away kicking and screaming.

“Nobody cares about those brats! I gave them food and shelter! More than anyone else would!”

The orphans stared in awe at Celestia who brought a few of her maids to feed the children a hearty meal. They cooked a big pot of soup in the adjacent apartment and every child got a bowl of warm and hearty food.

“This place is a little overcrowded. But I did hear the Orphanage in Ponyville was completed. Perhaps some of these young ponies could be sent there.” Celestia mused.

Trixie pulled up a loose floorboard under the main desk and found several overflowing bags of gold bits.

“Fay was right, she’s stashed thousands in here.”

Starlight went into the apartment and opened a big closet, she levitated a box down from the highest shelf and went out to the kids.

“Alright everyone. I’ve got your stuff here. Now who owns this?”

She held out an old ragged teddy bear and happily gave it to a young filly. She continued with a small pony figure and a bouncy ball until she had distributed everything. Everything except a distinct purple blanket.

“This must belong to Fay. I’ll take it with me.” She packed it into her saddlebag and smiled at the ponies who looked happy for the first time.

“I shall arrange for a few of my maids to look after this place until a suitable replacement can be found. I may even assign one as a cook. And I’ll try to arrange for some of these ponies to be sent down to Ponyville. As for you Starlight. By my authority as Princess of Equestria, I hereby approve the adoption of Miss Fay. Unfortunately her birth certificate has no last name. Only her birthday, she’ll be six in one weeks' time.”

“In that case, She will be Fay Glimmer.”

“Why can’t she be Fay Lulamoon?”

Starlight narrowed her eyes at Trixie.

“Ok ok, Fay Glimmer is fine.”

One of the orphan colts walked up to the Princess with his empty bowl.

“Please miss, may I have some more?”

The three adults laughed and the maids put on another pot of soup for the hungry kids. Once everything looked to be in order, the maids stayed to look after the kids as Trixie, Starlight and Celestia returned to the castle.

In a small side lounge, Fay was eating a cupcake and doing her best with a jigsaw puzzle.

“Fay, why don’t you try putting this piece somewhere?”

“Here?”

“That’s right! You’re good at this.”

“Really sister mine, it’s like you’re a filly again yourself.”

“Forgive me for indulging in something childish dear sister, it’s not like we get much of a chance otherwise.”

The adults laughed as Starlight produced the blanket.

“Fay, I’ve got something for you.”

She gave it to Fay who stared at it silently for a few moments before hugging it close and crying.

“M-my blankie!” She hugged it tighter as Starlight lifted her gently with her magic and slowly cradled her to sleep.

“You know most ponies her age wouldn’t be so babyish.” Trixie stated factually.

“True, but she never had a chance to grow up. Now she does. She’s ours, my love. And we’ll take care of her.” Starlight said with a smile.

Celestia smiled and looked at Starlight. “The next train should be leaving soon. I shall arrange a carriage to take you there. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Starlight. I’m glad those poor orphans are finally getting a real chance at life.”

“Me too Princess. Thank you for approving the adoption. We’ll take good care of Fay I promise.”

They said goodbye and hopped on the carriage which took them through the streets and back to the train station.

Fay woke up in Trixie’s hooves on the couch back at home.

“Well you took your sweet time waking from your little nap. How do you feel Fay?”

“I feel good mommy Trix. Where’s my blankie?”

“You’re holding it, we couldn’t take it from you even if we wanted to. But we thought you might want it to be washed and warmed up for you. Do you trust me to take care of it? You’ll get it back in about an hour.”

Fay happily handed it over. “Thank you mommy Trix, where’s mommy Star?”

“She’s cooking us some yummy ramen noodles and vegetables. An old recipe she learned from an eastern traveller.”

“Yummy. But what do I do until then?”

Trixie pointed to the TV.

“We ponies might not be the most technologically advanced but we do have some things to entertain us. This is a TV. You can watch stuff on it.”

Trixie turned it on to a cartoon called John and Terry. It was about a cat chasing a mouse around the house.

Fay giggled. “The mouse is funny.”

“Well you sit there and watch till dinner is ready ok?”

“Ok mommy Trix.”

As Fay watched the cartoon, Starlight continued preparing her ramen noodles while Trixie came in to see how dinner was coming along.

“Something smells good honey, that’s not a dish you usually see around here, you said you found it at the market?”

“Yeah, some Kirin had a stall set up selling a bunch of mountain stuff. Sold me the noodles and some fresh mountain vegetables. Creatures from all over are coming around to Ponyville these days. It’s nice to see that this little town attracted so many unique cultures. Because that means they’re selling all kinds of good stuff you’d never find anywhere short of Canterlot itself.”

“Well you seem to know what you’re doing Starry. Fay’s watching some cartoons. Good call getting that TV a while back. I can’t believe someone was throwing it out, it’s practically brand new.”

“Well it is a few years out of date, and the pony throwing it out was Filthy Rich so, I can understand why it was so readily available. He still charged me for it. Once a business pony, always a business pony.”

“Are you saying Barnyard Bargains isn’t a great place to grab some good deals? You go there every other week Starry.”

“I know. But still you don’t normally charge for something you’re throwing out.”

The two mares giggled as dinner was finished.

“Fay, dinner is ready!” Starlight called as the little filly made her way into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

“It smells yummy mommy. What is it?”

“Ramen Noodles Fay, it’s very tasty and full of flavour. And good for your little tum tum too.” She said while tickling Fay’s underbelly.

Fay giggled. “Stop tickling me mommy.” She said half heartedly while laughing all the while. Starlight stopped and served the bowls of broth and noodles. Fay tried to use her magic to lift up some chopsticks but just couldn’t manage it.

“I’m no good at magic.” She frowned.

Starlight gave her a fork. “Don’t worry Fay, magic takes practice, nobody is perfect from the first day. Would you like to learn how to use yours? Cheerilee said one of her students was looking to do some tutoring and I know Sweetie Belle is pretty proficient for someone so young, she’s a couple of years older than you but I’m sure you’ll be friends in no time, if you want to of course.”

“A pony like me can teach me stuff? Cool! That sounds fun.”

“Then I’ll ask Cheerilee to send her over sometime. Heck maybe I could take you over to Carousel Boutique myself and let you hang out with her there. I’ve been meaning to catch up with Rarity.”

Fay had better luck with her fork as she could use her hooves to eat with. She smiled as she enjoyed the food and went back to watching cartoons. After another hour it was getting to the mid evening and Starlight walked over to Fay.

“Come on Fay, you can watch cartoons again sometime, It’s bedtime.”

“But mommy, I’m not tired.” She said with a loud yawn.

Starlight chuckled. “Yes you are, silly filly. You’ve got school in the morning so you need to be well rested. I’ll tuck you in nicely dear. Now come on, up to bed.”

Fay slowly climbed the stairs and into bed. Starlight dimmed the lights and tucked her in tight.

“Goodnight my little filly. Sweet dreams.” She said, kissing her forehead.

Starlight went back downstairs and sat down with Trixie.

“Man, what a day. But we did something great today. We gave a whole group of little fillies and colts hope for the first time in their lives.”

Trixie put a hoof around the tired mare and pulled her closer.
“Yes honey, we did. You did great. Of course I did more than you because I’m so Great and Powerful.”

Starlight laughed. “Oh stop. You know I love you showing off but there’s a time for that and this ain’t it.”

“Isn’t it? I just got a laugh out of you. And cheering you up is always a good time. For real though Starlight. You did fantastically, and now Fay is our little filly to raise and love. We’ll do great with her, I just know it.”

“I’d be interested in knowing what happened to her parents. But that’s something that can wait. Right now we need to make sure she’s getting the best education we can get for her, and I’ll need to go back to work soon too. What are you doing these days? Still performing shows?”

“Sometimes. But actually Twilight asked me to be a drama teacher at the School of Friendship. So we’ll be working together, at least in the same place.”

“But what about Fay? Ponyville Elementary gets out before we finish up.”

“Good point. Maybe if she makes friends with Sweetie Belle we could ask Rarity to look after her until we’re finished. She’s a responsible mare after all.”

“Well I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask. Y’know for someone so thick headed, you’ve got some great ideas up in there Trix.”

Trixie smirked. “Thanks Starry.” Then a look if realization hit her face. “Hey!”

Starlight laughed. “Come on, I’m beat. Let’s hit the hay.”

The two climbed the stairs and slept peacefully till morning.