A Sparkle's Little Dusk IV: A Family Eternal

by Mister E-Nonymous

Chapter 1: The New Baby

Chapter 1: The New Baby

---

The Mane 6, Spike, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Starlight Glimmer were all on the Friendship Express, heading towards the Crystal Empire. Most of the grown ponies had gifts for the new baby. Or in Rarity's case, still making her gift.

Rainbow Dash yawned and noticed Applejack's gift and asked, "Um, Applejack, what is that?"

"Oh, just a little somethin' for the young'un," Applejack said, uncovering her gift. It was a wooden baby crib with an apple marking at the foot of the bed. Fluttershy and Rarity were astonished by how well it looked. "Made from genuine Sweet Apple Acres apple trees. We make 'em for all the Apples, and anypony related to Twilight is practically family." Twilight smiled at what Applejack was gonna give the new baby.

"Yeah, it's okay..." Rainbow Dash said. She then reached for something. "But it's no Cloudsdale mobile! Bam!"

Rainbow Dash held up a mobile that had five clouds, four rainbows, eight lightning bolts, and a bow on the string.

"Ooh!" Pinkie and Rarity said in unison, looking at the mobile.

"Pretty!" Pinkie said before she tapped on one of the clouds, but then one cloud and two of the lightning bolts fell off of it, making it shatter. Pinkie smiled sheepishly as Rainbow Dash gave her a glare. Pinkie then headed back to her seat.

"Well, a mobile is real nice... as long as you have somethin' to lay in so you can look at it," Applejack said, referring to her homemade crib.

"And a fetching blanket to keep you warm," Rarity said, replacing the blanket inside the crib with the one she was making.

"I'm sure Shining Armor and Princess Cadance will love all our gifts," Twilight said. "But I think they're more happy we'll be attending the baby's Crystalling."

"Ooh! I can't wait to see all that light and love make the Crystal Heart even more sparkly and shiny!" Pinkie said, bouncing in front of Twilight and Starlight.

"Actually, Pinkie, the Crystal Heart is an ancient and powerful relic," Twilight said. "Without its magic, the Crystal Empire would be lost to the Frozen North."

"Wow, this Crystalling sounds pretty important," Starlight said, trying to find a way out of going to the Crystal Empire. "I'd understand if you wanted to... you know... wait to do a different friendship lesson when we get back."

"Are you kidding?" Twilight asked. "This trip is perfect! Not only do I get to see the baby and take part in the ceremony that helps maintain the magic of the Crystal Empire," Twilight then pulled Starlight in for a hug, "but I'm starting my new pupil off with the most amazing friendship lesson ever! I can't wait!"

"Right... Me neither..." Starlight said, pushing Twilight away. Twilight then pulled up a book that tells her how to take care of babies. Starlight was still nervous about her first friendship lesson. She then noticed Spike, gesturing Starlight to talk to Twilight. She then got the guts to say something. "Actually, Twilight, I am a little worried about meeting Sunburst."

Twilight put the book away, saying, "Oh, trust me. I know what it's like to see old friends. But I'll be right there to help things along. I've broken the whole lesson down into a few easy steps to ensure this reunion goes off without a hitch!" She unrolled a long list of things to do when Starlight reunites with Sunburst. Starlight laughed nervously.

"You call that a few?" Daylight asked. "Back when I lived on the cruise ship with my birth dad, he had less things to do in just eight hours than she has to in a whole day."

"Really?" Twilight asked.

"Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders, in this or my old Equestria, didn't make lists this long," Nyx said. Then the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Tri-Pies laughed.

"Okay, okay," Twilight said. "I'll work on making shorter lists."

"Hopefully, I don't gain that big a brain," Dusk said.

"What do you...?" Daylight was about to ask, but then she remembered. "Oh, right. I almost forgot your old body... yeah."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Dusk said. Nyx then pulled both Dusk and Daylight in for a hug. Twilight looked over at the three foals she was raising and gave a sad smile. She then continued reading the book she had.

---

The Friendship Express arrived at the Crystal Empire Train Station. The Mane 6, Starlight, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Tri-Pies came off the train. Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Tri-Pies looked around in amazement.

"This place never gets old," Dusk said.

"You said it, Dusk," Nyx said.

"I still can't believe a place like this exists," Daylight said. "How come you guys never brought me here before?"

"We didn't have time to come here to visit the Crystal Empire," Twilight responded. "But with your new cousin here, I'm sure we'll..." She then bumped into somepony. She then saw who she bumped into and gasped. "Shining Armor!"

Shining Armor was there, but he was a little... overworked. His mane was messed up, he had some unwanted facial hair, and he had bags under his eyes.

"Twilight...!" Shining Armor said, tiredly.

"I didn't know you were meeting us!" Twilight said.

"Of course I am!" Shining Armor said, still tired. "t's me, right here. Here I am. Why wouldn't I come meet my sister? Though we have met before, heh-heh..."

"Are you alright?" Twilight asked, getting concerned about Shining Armor's condition.

"Never better!" Shining Armor said. "Being a father is amazing! And wonderful, and amazing, and confusing, and amazing, but surprising too, you know? I mean, not that you'd know. You wouldn't know, I know... You know?"

Twilight, Dusk, Nyx and Daylight stood in front of Shining Armor, all giving a raised eyebrow. Dusk then said, "I hope I wasn't this troubling when I was a baby back in my old world."

"I was thinking the same thing," Daylight said.

"I wasn't technically born, but created by a ritual which was interrupted, and woke up this big with no memories," Nyx said. "Or cutie mark. My Twilight found me in a bush, and took me back to the library as a huge storm was coming into Ponyville."

"Well, you were lucky that me found you," Twilight said. She then looked back up at Shining Armor. "Shining?"

"Sorry. I haven't really slept since Cadance had the baby," Shining Armor said, tiredly. "Come to think of it, she hasn't either. It sure would be great to get a break."

"Oh, of course!" Twilight said. "I don't know what I was thinking! You two probably need all kinds of help!" Twilight then turned around to look at Starlight. "I'm sorry, Starlight, but I guess combining your first lesson with this visit wasn't such a good idea."

Starlight took that opportunity and went with it. She then said, "Oh, uh, don't be ridiculous! You're an aunt now! That's way more important than some friendship lesson." She then gave off a huge grin.

Spike then looked at the list he was holding as Twilight was saying, "I just wish there was a way to do both."

"Maybe there is!" Spike said. Twilight and Starlight looked down at Spike. "You've already done the work for Starlight's lesson with this list. All we have to do is follow it!"

"Spike, you're a genius!" Twilight said as Spike stood tall in glory.

Starlight laughed nervously and said, "Yeah..." She then gritted her teeth and said, "...genius."

"Then it's settled!" Twilight said. "Shining Armor and I will head straight to the castle, and you two can head straight to Sunburst's!"

Spike saluted and said, "Aye-aye, Princess!"

"Uh-huh," Starlight said, nervously.

Twilight then turned to face Shining Armor, saying, "Alright, big brother, let's go see this amazing baby pony!" She then noticed that Shining Armor fell asleep, standing up.

"Ahhh... the baby..." Shining mumbled in his sleep.

"Now I really hope we weren't that troubling when we were babies," Dusk said, whispering into Daylight's ear. She giggled at that comment.

---

The Mane 6, Dusk, Nyx, Daylight, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Tri-Pies followed Shining Armor towards the room where the new baby was. Shining Armor stopped at the door to look at the group.

"Before we go in, I should probably tell you," Shining Armor said. "Seeing the baby might be a bit of a shock."

"Come on, big brother," Twilight said. Then the group started walking into the room. "I've met babies before. I expect meeting this one won't be any different." When they entered the room, Cadance, who had a messy mane as well, wasn't the only one in the room. There were also Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The group then started heading towards the crib where the new baby was. The baby was wrapped up in a light blue blanket and coming out of the forehead of the baby pony was a unicorn horn. The Tri-Pies were on Pinkie's back, looking around her head to see the baby. Dusk, Nyx and Rainbow Dash were hovering and looking around Twilight's head, Dusk using his magic to levitate the CMC, including his sister, so they could look at the baby as well. They all smiled at the baby. But then, the baby awoken, and did something nopony was expecting. The baby wasn't a unicorn, but an alicorn. The baby unfolded her wings, and cooed at the group. "Of course, I could be wrong."

The baby sucked on her hoof as Dusk asked, "The baby is an alicorn?!"

"It looks that way," Cadance said, tiredly.

"But... But... But I thought Alicorn wings had to be earned by accomplishing some great, princess-worthy deed!" Rarity said, still surprised about Cadance's baby being an alicorn.

"Yeah. How can you just be born with 'em?" Applejack asked.

"The birth of an Alicorn is something Equestria has never seen!" Princess Celestia said.

"It is beyond even our understanding," Princess Luna said. "Even more than how Nyx's creation is."

"That's not very reassuring," Fluttershy whispered to Rarity.

Pinkie Pie then came in between them, saying, "Wow! A unicorn, and a Pegasus!" She then rushed towards the crib. "So she could be a super-strong flyer and have crazy baby magic!"

"Well, I know all about super-strong flying," Rainbow Dash said, doing an aerial loop.

"And I can help keep tabs on her magic!" Twilight said, looking at Cadance. Just then, the baby was about to sneeze. The baby then sneeze, unleashing a huge burst of magic, firing straight up, going through the next four floors above. From two floors up, an earth pony mare with her mane burn a little peeked her head through the hole, seeing what was going on.

Everypony else in the room were all surprised to see the baby having a lot of power. The baby pony rubbed her nose and went back to sleep. Princess Celestia then said, "It appears her magic is more powerful than that of a newborn unicorn!"

Princess Luna and Nyx were looking out a nearby window, seeing a bunch of ponies coming towards the palace. Princess Luna then said, "The crowds have already started to gather."

Then a green balloon came up in front of Luna's face, Pinkie Pie hanging onto it, saying, "This Crystalling is gonna be some party!" The balloon popped as Pinkie landed back on the ground in a sitting position.

"Do you think we should call it off?" Cadance asked.

"Um, we've all faced a lot worse than baby magic," Rainbow Dash said, crossing her forelegs.

"Have they?" Scootaloo asked.

"Maybe in alternate realities or universes," Dusk said. "Although, I guess if Lord Tirek is an example..."

"I can't imagine cancelling such a beautiful and important ceremony over something so potentially adorable!" Rarity said. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash all agreed with Rarity.

"In light of the little one's abilities, this Crystalling might be more important than ever," Princess Celestia said. She then looked towards Princess Cadance. "Perhaps you should address your subjects and remind them of that."

Princess Cadance hummed. Then she reached her head over to kiss her baby on the forehead. The kiss woke the baby, and she playfully reached for Cadance. Then the three oldest alicorns walked out of the room. Shining Armor was snoring when he was resting his forelegs on the back of the baby's bed.

"Shining Armor! Do you have everything you need for the ceremony?" Twilight asked, waking up her brother.

"Huh?" Shining Armor asked, waking up. He then realized something and started freaking out. "Oh, no! I still have to interview the honor guards, choose the purity crystal, and pick a crystaller!" As Shining was talking, he headed near the door. He then sat on his flanks, having a heap of nerves.

"Alright, take it easy," Twilight said, trying to comfort her brother. "Pinkie can stay here with me and keep an eye on the baby." Pinkie turned her head to look at Twilight and Shining Armor, the baby clinging her hooves onto Pinkie's eyes. The baby cooed as that was happening.

The foals in the room were all jaw dropped and Daylight said, "I don't think that's what she meant, Pinkie!"

"That's gotta hurt," Dusk said.

"Ah guess we'll all help you with everythin' else," Applejack said. She and the rest of the grown up ponies noticed that Shining Armor fell asleep on the floor.

"...baby..." Shining Armor mumbled in his sleep.

"That is, if you can stay awake long enough to tell us how," Rarity added. The others nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, in the shadows, the Watcher returned to give his story.

"And so, with a new task, the heroes of Equestria are to prepare for the Royal Crystalling. But with what that little baby is capable of, things can..." The baby was cooing, seeing the Watcher in the shadow. She reached out for him. "Hold on. Can she... see me? No way, that's impossible. I hope I don't get too noticed like I did with that baby Floral Colossus back in the other dimension. Anyway, back on topic, I should continue with telling this story. Wait a minute. Is this the end of the chapter? Hang on, I just got... Wait!"

Author's Note:

Well, these ponies surely have their hooves full with this situation. Hopefully, things might turn up well for the time being. Sorry, Uatu. But we've got a schedule to keep.

Comments

[Haver]

Good more

[MLPMekarm]

oh man that last bit with the watch was hilarious. please keep it up.

[JusticeWind]

Finally.