Generosity for some Cider
Shining Armor’s eyes stared soullessly into the ceiling of her sister’s room. It was decorated with constellations of all kinds. Just the way Twilight liked it. The young stallion was laying on the floor of his sister’s room in despair, holding the only thing of hers that she left behind before she disappeared the day before. Smarty Pants. When he first heard the news he was enraged with whoever could’ve caused this catastrophe. It was quickly replaced with fear once he overheard that the mess seemed to come from the right side of the school, and he knew the library was on that side of the school from the few times he had to go and get his sister himself. His feelings properly took the downfall into despair when no evidence of Twilight was found in the cheesey monsoon of hurt and burned ponies. He had a glimmer of hope for a while thinking she had escaped, but he returned home and she wasn’t there.
Now there was a search going and she still hadn’t been found yet. One piece of evidence was found in the fact that the twinkling balloon had gone missing.
“Twily…please come home…”
“My word! You have no home?! Actually, looking at you, that makes sense…” Rarity said, taking a sip of her tea as she looked at her guest. Twilight was not looking her best. Her coat was messy with hay and dirt, and was frazzled, her mane was slightly tangled and her face was a mess. At least her beard was still growing in alright.
“Y-Yeah…thanks for the tea by the way.” Twilight said, taking a sup from the cup she’d been given. She glanced at Spike who was playing with Rarity’s little sister, Sweetie Belle, inside a playpen. They were working together to build a tower from the blocks.
“Think nothing of it darling, you’ve already said that 5 times anyway.”
“T-That’s because I really mean it, a-and I’d repay you if I could!”
“I know darling. If you really want to repay me then I could always take the name of such a lovely guest!” Rarity said, leaning in closer as she set her cup down. Twilight’s mind began racing like an athlete. If she said her real name then any warrants out for her arrest would quickly be traced to her! Fake name! C’monc’monc’mon-
“Y-Yeah! It’s Tw- uh- Sp-Sparkle- Sp-Sparkling uh-“ she quickly glanced around spying a bottle of cider from the cabinet Rarity left open. “Cider! Sp-Sparkling Cider. That’s my name!” Twilight said with a forced grin. Rarity thought about the name mumbling it to herself a few times as she glanced back at Twilight.
“Sparkling Cider…a beautiful name for somepony with eyes like yours!” Rarity said happily, clapping her hooves together.
“O-Oh! Thank you!” She said with a small blush as she took a sip from her tea. Rarity collected their tea cups and placed them in the sink, giving Twilight a moment to pick up the foal and hatchling along with their playpen in her magic. Rarity watched impressed as Twilight carried so many items at once.
“Ah, you practice magic more extravagantly I see?” She said as they exited to the main area of the boutique.
“Uh, y-yeah! I g-got my cutie mark for it so I kinda have to?” She shrugged. If she said she was a student that’d give her away. She looked around at the dresses in the area, pretty designs were all about, mostly in filly-size though.
“Are you a fashion designer? Your work is really pretty!” Twilight complemented, putting the kids down to play. Rarity puffed her chest out looking prideful.
“Thank you for noticing! Yes it is true, not only do I go to school and take care of my sister as a single filly, but I also design the most extravagant designs for ponies all across town!” Rarity said, posing dramatically. Twilight stroked her short beard.
“What about your parents? Who takes care of Sweetie Belle while you're at school?” Rarity deflated a bit.
“Eh…mother and father are quite busy so… they aren’t around much… but I entrust my sister’s safety to the grandmother of a friend of mine! Granny Smith, she has grandkids and doesn’t mind caring for Sweetie Belle while her other grandchildren are at school! In fact I was about to start preparing to drop Sweetie off before you arrived!” Rarity said to Twilight. She blushed, embarrassed that she could’ve made Rarity late.
“S-Sorry, I-if we hurry over you won’t be late for school!”
“It’s only about five thirty, we still have another half-hour. But I suppose it is best to do this early so I can have time to sketch out a few more designs before I’m off to school.” Rarity pondered
“Sounds like a plan! C’mon Spike, up!”
“Oh you’ll absolutely love her Sparkling, Mrs. Smith is just the most delightful pony you’ll meet! Sure she might be a little kooky but every time I’ve left Sweetie with her I’ve been told there was nothing but joy!” Rarity said with praise, however Twilight had begun to look antsy. The path they were taking to this “Granny Smith”’s place was the path she had just ran out of.
”Please don’t be the farm, please don’t be the farm, please don’t be the far-” Twilight looked up at the sign labeled Sweet Apple Acres.
“Feathers!”
”My word! There’s children!”
Twilight shook with fear as they walked up to the front door. Rarity knocked without hesitation, standing politely outside the door. It swung open to reveal Granny Smith, much to Twilight’s hidden dismay. The younger company babbled happily at the sight of a new pony, while the older mare took a while to register the faces before a smile lit up her features.
“Why hello there little miss Rarity! Here to drop off yer’ sister? A bit earleh but Ah’ don’t mind none and neither does Apple Bloom!” Granny said as she welcomed them inside. Twilight rigidly stepped inside after Rarity. Either those two from earlier didn’t come back to tell her, or she was just old and didn’t remember.
“Ah’ got Applejack an’ Big Mac runnin’ an errand for me real fast but they’ll be back to meetcha at school hon’. Now tell me who’s yer’ friend here!” Granny questioned as she turned to Twilight, who was trying to hide behind a couch. “She’s a strange filly I can tell that much.”
“Ah, that would be Sparkling Cider, I’ve just met her today! I promise you she’ll be nothing but a gem, and I know my way around a crystal!” Rarity spoke confidently. Twilight honestly was surprised. She didn’t have many people her age that would speak well of her traits, even though what Rarity knew was vague, so it created an interesting bit of emotion in her. She then saw Rarity lean over to Granny Smith to whisper something to her as Twilight came from behind the couch to sit with the three babies.
”Unfortunately Mrs. Smith, Cider is currently…without housing.” Rarity told the old pony in a hushed volume. Granny Smith’s eyes widened in shock as they briefly looked over to Twilight, now registering how dirty and scruffy she was. Twilight just blinked, confused on why the old mare was staring at her now.
“Ah’ understand, Ah’m fine with lettin’ yer’ friend stay over for a bit. Could use the help if there’s gonna be three youngin’s here!” Granny Smith said, patting Rarity on the head. Rarity was quick to brush out her mane after the touch. Rarity bid them a quick farewell and trotted off home, to gather herself. Granny Smith closed the door behind the young unicorn. Twilight sighed to herself quietly. So far, things have gone well! Now she just needed to get out of here before that colt and filly came back.
“Twi-”
”HI GRANNY WE’RE WITH THA’ CHEESE! BYE WE’RE OFF TO SCHOOL NOW!” Twilight was caught off guard by the whirlwind of motion that went through the front door, up the stairs and back out again. Well she didn’t have to worry about them for a while. Granny Smith walked over to where Twilight sat, currently picking up Apple Bloom from having fallen on her face.
“Twiligh’ Sparkle, that’s yer’ real name right?” The old pony said, making Twilight go stiff as a tree. She turned to look at Granny Smith while shaking.
"N-Nuh-uh.” She rebuked unconvincingly. Granny giggled.
“So these glasses ain’t yours honey?” Granny Smith questioned, pulling out her glasses and showing the engraving. Twilight paled. She thought that orange filly still had them.
“Um, th-they’re mine.”
“An’ muh’ eyes ain’t what they used ta’ be but Ah’m sure this here read’s “Twiligh’ Sparkle”. What’s gotcha' down on ya’ luck sugarcube? Heard you don’t gotta’ place to stay.” The elderly mare said, putting a hoof on Twilight’s back.
”I-I-I, uh…” Twilight hesitated to form an answer, just watching the infants play for a moment before she put together what she could say without putting herself and Spike in danger of capture. She sniffled, jeez, shouldn’t have slept with a foot out of the haystack last night. Hope she doesn’t have a cold.
”W-We can’t go home…” Twilight mumbled, rubbing her foreleg with the other. Unbeknownst to Twilight, she had made it seem as though she were about to cry, prompting Granny Smith to pull her close and gently rub her back.
“No need ta’ fret missy, you can come by mah’ farm anytime ya’ need, ya hear? Now let’s get these kids fed!” Granny said, giving her a gentle stroke on the head before she hopped up and made her way to the kitchen. Twilight looked back at the three playing slightly confused. Well, maybe now she didn’t have to sneak into the barn.
Twilight stared at the infants rolling a ball between the three of them. Sweetie Bell, Apple Bloom, and Spike all giggled happily. Man it feels like there’s a filly missing from the picture here.
Twilight multitasked between feeding Spike and eating herself as Granny Smith regaled her with interesting stories while she fed Sweetie and Apple Bloom. Finding out she was speaking to a pony who was part of the town’s foundation was incredibly interesting to her, almost as interesting as reading about Star Swirl! She had to look more into the history of this town, who knows what other interesting magical phenomena like the zap apples could be in this place!
Twilight finished her simple meal of an apple-jelly sandwich, she wasn’t aware you could turn apples into jelly but hey, she was learning new things. The empty plates were taken into her aura and were lifted to the sink by Twilight. She was quick to trot over and begin on the dishes.
“You don’t gotta go an’ do that now dear!” Granny said as she put Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom down.
“It’s fine! It’s the least I can do for your hospitality!” Twilight replied as she continued. She had to think about how kind Granny Smith was to her, as well as Rarity. She was honestly almost excited to see her again the next day, but she might not be in town still afterward. Thanks to Granny’s story she figured that Ponyville wasn’t too far from Canterlot. This could be the next place they look! She and Spike would have to get moving to another town.
“Thank you for gathering on such short notice my ponies. Please do not mind my appearance.” Princess Celestia said, looking…rough from the news of her most recent, and surprisingly closest, personal student’s current status as missing. Though in Celestia’s mind she was overreaching to thinking she could be dead.
“I would like to make the first point for the search to be innn…..” Her hoof hovered over Ponyville. Then moved all the way to Manehatten.
“Here.”
But…she didn’t wanna leave Granny Smith and Rarity! Rarity was basically her first friend that wasn’t her brother! Now she’ll never see him again. Granny Smith was such a kind pony, and Spike liked Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle already! But they HAD to leave! Twilight’s hair began to twang out of place as she stressed over the decision whether she and Spike would leave today or not before Granny came in to check on her as she finished the last plate.
“Th’ spare bath is upstairs. Get yer’ self washed up while Ah’ get these yougin’s cleaned.
“Oh! Thank you again Mrs. Smith!” Twilight responded, snapping out of her thoughts.
Twilight wasn’t sure how long she sat in that tub. But man those bubbles felt great. It also helped her decide. The princess was a smart pony, so she would definitely check Ponyville next.
“Perhaps next I should send them to Cloudsdale…Twilight has always been interested in learning about pegasi, perhaps she tried to run there?”
Definitely. But, they didn’t have to leave immediately. Maybe they could give it another day and it would be fine? Then they would leave. 100%. They wouldn’t get sidetracked.
“Sparklin’! Little miss Rarity’s ‘ere to getcha and her sister!”
Twilight quickly came trotting down, but screeched to a halt when she reached the living room. Seeing Rarity, Granny Smith, the foal's and hatching, and Big Mac and Applejack.
"It's you!" Applejack's face lit up as she pointed at Twilight.
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Biggest thing that is surprisingly small that pulled me from the story is Twilight having a beard. Why? I thought it an odd detail for the cover image, but addressing it as normal in the story really threw me.
11850630
Just a thing from medieval unicorns I saw. Some of ‘em will have beards :>
Neat.
I wonder if Celestia is doing the search pattern on purpose (knowing that the rest of the elements of harmony are in ponyville).
I can imagene Twilight's magic growing more Esoteric and occult like, without the teaching of standardized schooling.
How likely does anyone think Shining armor strangling Twilight before giving her a hug and telling her how he, and their family thought they lost her for good is?
Where can I read Leave it All Behind?
11850710
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/427890/leave-it-all-behind
This is a REALLY good story, and I am enjoying it a lot!
Good so far.
Wait hold on. Twilight? Didn't she say her name was Sparkling Cider?
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Ooh typo, thanks!