Chapter Eight: The Tables Turn
“Thank you for having me over for dinner this evening, your majesty,” Shining Armor said to Princess Celestia as he bowed. “I enjoyed every moment of it.”
The Princess of the Sun smiled. “No, Lieutenant, it was my pleasure. Though I raised my niece, I don’t get to spend as much time with her as I’d like now that she’s an adult. So for her to invite her significant somepony over was a delight – and the fact that you’re my protégé’s older brother simply makes it that much easier, Shining Armor.”
He nodded, a soft smile coming to his lips. “Family must be important to you, then, your majesty.”
There seemed to be a wistful sigh in her voice as she looked at the setting sun; for the merest second he thought he caught something akin to a bleak sorrow in her eyes as she looked towards the horizon where the moon would soon rise, but if anything was there, it was soon gone.
She then turned to him and smiled firmly. “More than I can ever say. And though I count a dozen ponies from the cadet branches as my family members, one of the ones that have meant the most to me is Cadance, and not just because she’s an alicorn. I would love her regardless of whether she’d been a unicorn, pegasus or earth pony. But I love her because…well, she brightens up this old mare’s day.”
“With all due respect, Princess? I generally have the same feelings about her myself,” the lieutenant said with a laugh.
“I thought so. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to set the sun and start the moon on its way. Have a pleasant evening, Lieutenant.”
He bowed once more. “And the same to you, your majesty.”
He was headed on his way out the front of the castle when he heard a soft cry, which a second later coagulated into a voice. He turned around just to see his younger sister, Twilight Sparkle, rushing towards him. In her teenage years, she still had that gangly, unsure step of hers as she grew into the body that would serve her in adulthood. “I’m glad I caught you before you headed back to Mom and Dad’s,” she said, gasping for breath.
“Well, I was only going to swing by for a few before heading back to the barracks, Twily,” he told her. “I have to get up early to catch the train back to my garrison.”
“Well, I was hoping….” she said softly, “if you could have that friend of yours – the scientist – come by and guest lecture at the Academy? We’re doing some work on fractal vibrations and I read her paper…she really knows what she’s talking about.”
“Derpy?” When the teenaged filly nodded, Shining smiled. “Well, I’ll send her a mail and ask. She’s been really busy lately, from what I can tell – practically up to her ears in stuff – but I’ll do it for you, LSBFF.”
Twilight grinned. “Thanks!”
It was the oddest thing, Autumn noted, and yet it felt so natural. And that scared him most of all.
Derpy – his Derpelle, the one whose heart he’d had…and broke…and yet somehow still had – was talking to another stallion. And it looked as though they belonged together.
Part of Autumn hated this newcomer just for that alone. Silversteel seemed so naturally at ease with Derpy, as though they belonged together – in that “they’ll marry and start a family together” way. And he wasn’t about to lie to himself: just the thought of that alone, of Derpy leaving his orbit just as he was finally building up the courage to make things right and be with her as he should have been – it hit him hard.
Damn himself. Damn it all to Tartarus for even being so weak to think that his life with Ditzy meant anything to her. Did it mean anything to him in the long run? He would have said no, not really, but….
He looked at his daughters, so completely happily while working on dinner with their aunt. Neither of them was his by genetics. They would always be the result of somepony else’s siring foals on Ditzy. But whomever those stallions were, they weren’t involved in the lives of Flutterwonder and Orange Box – he was. To Autumn, the two fillies would always be his daughters no matter what, and he would always fight hoof and incisor to ensure their happiness.
Because that’s what a father does, he told himself. The fact that they loved their aunt so much merely dovetailed with how he felt about her as well. And while he understood their love for their mother in the way only foals could have, they were going to eventually be of an age where they would learn the truth about Ditzy Doo and her predilections – two of which resulted in their own births. If nothing else, that would tilt them more towards Derpy than anything he could ever say.
And yet now here was a mountain made of a molehill, a new stallion in Derpy’s life threatening to undo, unmake and unravel all of Autumn’s plans for the future. And how was he doing it? By just being there for her. By meeting her needs. By being the stallion that she so very much wanted in her life, a position that it had been Autumn’s to fill until his own stupidity ruined it…more than once, no less. And now this stallion, this…Guardspony – Honestly, I never thought that Derpy was the type to fall for a brainless lunk like a guardspony! – was underlining his position just by being here.
I claim her because she needs me, his presence seemed to say. I claim her because she wants me to be here.
“Autumn?”
The weatherpony came back to his senses. “I…uh, sorry. Kinda spaced out there for a second. You were saying?” he spoke to the pony addressing him, none other than Silversteel himself.
“I was just noting that you take a very defensive position towards Derpy,” the stallion said. “You must care about her a lot, being her brother-in-law and all. And look, I know she and I just started dating, but I promise I’m never going to hurt her.”
“Sorry,” the pegasus said genuinely. “It’s just…I’ve known her for years. Only pony I know who’s more protective of her is that unicorn friend of hers, Shining Armor. And it’s not that she needs looking after, mind – I know all the unfair rumors about her just because of that eye of hers, but…she’s brilliant. She’s a genius, in every sense of the word. And it amazes me that she’s able to just move past all that negativity at times.”
“I know,” Silversteel said, a wide smile coming onto his face. “I know what you mean. Every time I look at her I have to ask myself ‘Am I good enough for her?’, and the answer always seems to be no…and then she turns and gives me that smile that I know is just for me and I know that whatever it is, I might not be good enough for her, but I’m more than lucky enough to be assured that I’ll always have her in my life.”
“Good, you just keep thinking that,” Autumn said, patting the other stallion appreciatively on the withers. Inwardly, however, he wanted to scream.
What chance did he have of salvaging anything from this wreckage?
“Freakin’ tail lifter,” Bottlerocket slurred as he carried the unconscious form of Cottonball well past his home and past the perimeter fence, right into the Everfree. “Thought you were gonna get something over me, huh, you Celestiadamned nag? Well, guess what? I’m Bottlerocket, and I rule!”
Finally, well into the forest but not so far in that he couldn’t make a break for the safety of the fence, he unceremoniously dropped the earth pony onto the ground, pausing only to make sure that her legs were properly hobbled. He really couldn’t deal with having her escape and ruin things for him – which she clearly planned to.
Least thing I need is some stupid-plot teacher coming to my house and telling me how to run my household! He was going to need another drink after this, then maybe Blossom might be sober enough to throw dinner together – he was absolutely starving. He could make something for himself and that brat of his, but…both the females in his life needed to learn their place. They weren’t exactly princesses, after all.
Walking back towards the perimeter, he heard the first sounds of the forest’s denizens approaching. Well, I’ll be well and safe by then, he assured himself. Too damn bad about that teacher, though.
Cottonball came to, after a few minutes.
The first thing she noticed was that she was hobbled up with chains – thick, strong links of iron that looked as though they were dragonforged; they were bound around her fetlocks with an additional one connected to a yoke that hung around her neck, making sure that she was going nowhere. The second thing she became aware of was the thick gag around her muzzle and tied to the yoke, allowing her to breathe, but not much else – and certainly not enough to allow her to scream for help.
The final thing she realized, to her complete fear, was the dark, mossy trees around her. The moss was a huge indicator that ponies had not attended to the trees, and there was only one place where that could have happened: the Everfree.
Panic set into her body as she tried to wriggle out of her hobbles, stand up and move towards the safety of the protective fencing that bordered the forest at the same time. Her mind had ceased to think with the rationality of a teacher or even that of a decent-minded pony; instead, paranoia filtered into her brain and body, an infiltrator that held fast wherever it sauntered and refused to let go. Her consciousness now firmly in the grasp of the animal instincts of her ancestors, her mind was now telling her to do one and one thing only: run.
And that was the moment she heard it: a cooing, clucking sound. She felt something slither over her prone body, felt the tiny pinpricks of splayed-foot talons walking over her body. She knew what it was as the long tail was dragged along the length of her flanks: a cockatrice. Despite their fearsome reputation, the strange creatures were actually somewhat shy and frightened of other creatures, preferring to hunt for their food in relative peace. Unfortunately the problem came when they felt they were cornered and in danger of being attacked; that was the time the creatures utilized their unique defense which they’d become feared for…
…which, tragically, tended to be a lot more than ponies liked.
Oh, Celestia, no no no! Somepony save me! Completely bereft of her senses, she began wiggling as much as she could in the desperate hopes of getting away from the cockatrice before she spooked it, not aware that she was, in fact, committing the very act that she was hoping that she would avoid.
The cockatrice, completely spooked by her actions, did what it did normally and darted in front of her face to use its natural petrification ability. Fortunately for her, she managed to screw her eyes shut while trying to wriggle away from her would-be assailant. She felt the creature buffet her with its wings and tail, trying to get her to open her eyes so that it could “protect” itself from being harmed by her, but survival instinct continued to work in her favor and she crawled, hopefully in the direction of the spell-warded fencing, where she would be safe.
Inches felt like feet felt like yards felt like miles as she forced her body to scrape against the dirt and grime of the Everfree. She could feel dribbles of blood from where the creature scratched her and yet Cottonball continued to move on, her only source of hope being the magical fence that separated the Everfree from the grounds beyond. Eventually, she heard the angry clucking of the cockatrice fade into the distance as it got tired of her and ran off, hoping that it wouldn’t be followed.
Finally, as she pushed once more, she could feel the soft grass separating the barren dirt of the no-ponies-land between the Everfree proper and the safety fencing. Crying tears of joy she exhaled, knowing that she was just mere inches from the fencing and just need to crawl through to be safe. She pushed once more—
—and her hobble snagged on an exposed root, keeping her fixed in place, just a step from the fencing. She pushed harder, hoping to break the root so that she could scoot to sanctuary on the other side of the barriers, but to no avail. Finally, frustrated, she opened her eyes just to see what she could do to unhook herself.
There, caught in a raised root, was her hindleg hobbles, vainly pulling against the exposed wood. She would have to crawl backwards to free herself, then make her way forward…
…except for the cockatrice, standing by her hindlegs…and looking directly at her.
There wasn’t time to scream. The creature’s eyes flickered with red magic.
All Cottonball saw was gray...
…and nothing more.
“Your horseshoe’s on Ponysylvania Avenue,” a giddy Orange Box told Silversteel, as she picked up the card and began reading from it, “an’ you owe me Ƀ320!” Happy as a lark, she stuck out a tiny gray hoof, waiting for the paper currency to transfer hooves.
Silversteel looked his best to seem pouty as he said, “There are cardsharks back at the garrison that could learn from her.”
Autumn leaned back in his chair with pride. “That’s my little girl! Someday, when she’s running her own business, she’ll have her rivals eating out of the frog of her hoof – just watch.”
There was a ding from the kitchen, and Derpy smiled. “Well, looks like the tempeh loaf is just about done! Girls, would you be so kind as to help set up the kitchen table so we can all eat?”
“Uh-huh!” Flutterwonder said, all too eager. She was seriously behind in the game anyway and she didn’t want to deal with the indignity of losing to her kid sister. “C’mon, Orange! Sooner we get this done, sooner we can eat!”
“But I was winning….” Orange said, slightly dejected at the impromptu end of the game.
“And so ends the adventures of the littlest tycoon,” Derpy said with a soft smile. Both Autumn and Silver heard her and cracked smiles; of all of them playing the game, she was by far the worst off and was probably going to have to put up properties for foreclosure, which was a shame, since she had Broncowalk and Prance Place, the most expensive lots in the game.
“We could always continue it after dinner,” Silver suggested. “I’ve got plenty of time.”
“Maybe,” Autumn noted. “It’s not like we have to leave straight away after dinner….”
There was then another knock on the door, this one a bit frantic sounding. “Okay, if you guys set the table, I’ll go see to the door.” As everypony nodded and went about their tasks, Derpy went over towards the door. Maybe it was Sconey having come by to tell her about something weird or wonderful. Maybe it was Bottlerocket or Blossom having come by to drop Sparkler off with her again – that part did not seem like a bad idea. Or maybe it was even Shining, who would just happen to be in town and come by to say hi; she’d be thrilled to see her oldest friend once more.
But instead:
“Geez, when did you get fat? Or did you finally realize you’re never gonna get somepony of your own with those ugly-plot looks of yours.” Derpy immediately fixed on a pair of citrine eyes that matched her own. And at that point, whatever good time that Derpy was about to have with family and her coltfriend over completely went to pot.
“Oh, it’s you.” Derpy stared right at Ditzy. “What brings you here?”
“I’m your sister, in case that concept somehow didn’t sink into your thick head. What, am I not supposed to visit family?”
“You know, it’s considered polite to send a notice first.”
“We’re family, sis – or are you going to abandon me, too?” At Ditzy’s words, Derpy suddenly heard something in her sister’s voice that she’d never thought she’d hear in her life: desperation.
“What’s going on, Ditzy?” Derpy asked. Perpetual frustration or not, Ditzy was still her sister.
“Look, I need a place to stay for a few days,” Ditzy said, the tone in her voice genuinely sorrowful. “Autu—”
At that point, as if fate decreed that the two sisters would never reconcile, Silver walked up and said to Derpy, “Okay, got the table set and just waiting for…hey, you have a twin sister?”
Ditzy looked at Derpy’s sudden blush, then at the guy in shock. And an idea suddenly popped in her head. “Why yes, she does,” the younger pegasus cooed to the newcomer, then gave a brief aside glance at Derpy as she added, “and sisters tend to share everything.” She then looked at Silver’s muscular form, and it was all she could do to prevent herself from drooling. She then looked back at Derpy and started to say, “So, how’d you get this sweet hunk of stallionflesh?”
She got no further.
Ditzy was used to seeing a lot of things whenever she looked into her sister’s lazy eyes: hurt, frustration, sorrow, irritation. But for the first time in her life, the younger pegasus saw something in those citrine orbs that she’d never seen before: rage and anger. Before she was even aware of what she’d done, she’d taken a half-step back from Derpy in fear.
Without even looking at Silver, Derpy fixed her eyes – straight and clear as cannons at dawn – on her target. “Silver, dear, would you be so kind as to let Autumn and the girls know that I’ll be right there?” And as Ditzy’s eyes rose slightly in shock at her sister’s words, Derpy then turned to the earth pony stallion, kissed him slightly, then fixed her eyes on Ditzy again, clearly sending a message.
Silver, mostly oblivious to what was going on but knowing that something was afoot, rubbed the back of his head in mild confusion before saying, “Sure. Don’t take too long.” He then went back in the house, leaving the two sisters staring at each other.
Now that Silver was gone, Ditzy tried to take the advantage once again, seeing as how she was familiar with the role. That attempt immediately died on the shores of Derpy’s glare.
“What are you doing here?” the tone from the elder sister was one of barely unbridled anger. “You are not getting your hooves on him,” she said, a statement so pure and final in its tone it may have been a commandment from Celestia herself. “And don’t even consider lying, Ditziduella. I know you too well.”
“I…I want….”
“You’re testing my patience, Ditzy,” Derpy snarled her. “So if you’re only here in a futile gesture to attempt to seduce my coltfriend, I suggest you leave.”
Tears formed in Ditzy’s eyes, but she couldn’t say a thing. Why can’t I speak? I want my family back! Why are they here with her? And yet she couldn’t speak, just standing there, looking at her sister, wondering how the positions were so insanely reversed.
Derpy softened. “Ditzy…please say something.”
“Why have you stolen my life?” The words were soft, unsure, as if the speaker didn’t know what she was saying. “Why have you taken everything from me?”
“What?”
“You have a coltfriend. Now, my husband and children. You are taking everything, don’t you understand?” For the first time in her life, Ditzy felt as if she was, well, Derpy. “Why are you doing this to me? I’m your sister, Derpy! Why?”
“I haven’t taken anything, Ditzy,” Derpy said honestly, and that cut deepest of all. “You did this to yourself.”
Ditzy looked at her sister with horror, stumbling backwards and slipping as her hoofs stepped against the welcome mat. She took a spin, tumbling teapot over kettle until she came to a crash in a mud puddle by the garden. She looked at her sister with horror and sorrow.
Derpy went outside to help her up, offering a hoof. “Ditzy!”
“NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!” Ditzy screamed and launched herself into the air, her wings beating as fast she could, her tears raining down to the ground as she gained altitude. She flew for the longest time, or what felt like it, rushing in a blind panic into the night, finally coming to a painful crash in front of her house.
She looked at the FOR SALE sign, and as she did, she screamed in pain and rage as she lost everything before her, presuming she had any of it in the first place. But one thing was for sure…
…now Derpy had everything.
Autumn immediately appeared. “Derpy, are you okay? I thought I heard Ditzy?”
“I…um….” Derpy wasn’t sure on how to explain. She knew that Autumn had left her, and had even gone so far as to tell her that he wanted Derpy back in his life, but Derpy was conflicted. She still had feelings for Autumn, but they were warm and fond, like memories remaining of a time so long ago. And yet, when she thought about Silver, those same emotions became a raging fire that burned within her, absorbing her all, body and soul as though she had become Celestia herself in all her majestic glory.
And if Silversteel made her feel like the Princess of All, then….
She closed her eyes and smiled softly, then looked at her brother in law. “She still loves you, you know. Yes, she makes mistakes – and they are large ones. But in the end, Autumn, she’s always come home to you, because you and she were meant to be together.” She touched her heart with her hooves. “In my heart I know this. So do you, in yours.”
He looked at her, knowing what she was saying. “But she’s hurt me so much, Derpy. She’s hurt our foals, too.”
“Because all my sister knows is pain. She doesn’t know or understand strength and love, Autumn. She wants to love you – and only you – but she doesn’t know how.” Derpy went up to him and kissed him on the cheek. “Show her how, Autumn. Be her strength.”
“But what about us?”
“A beautiful memory – wonderful ones. But only that, the past. Your future belongs to her, you and your foals. But I am your past.” She smiled. “Now, I don’t mind having my brother-in-law and my nieces over for dinner, but I don’t have a husband and stepchildren.”
Autumn looked at her sadly, understanding the door she’d forever shut with those words. “I see. Then…I hope we’re still welcome for dinner, then.”
She gave him a sunny smile. “You’re family, Autumn. You always will be. Of course you’re welcome. Now, c’mon, let’s go back in the house, okay? I can practically smell that tempeh loaf!”
“What will you do with the foal?” The question stopped Derpy right in her tracks. Was he expecting an answer here and now? Could she even answer? What did she want to do? The foal within was hers, but she couldn’t keep it – she’d told too many lies and keeping it would be absolutely scandalous, to say the least. She was considered a screw-up, and no one would ever approve a screw-up as a single parent, even with the adoption rate being what it was.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to answer. She heard a rustle in her garden and out of it came a very tired filly. “Miss Derpy?” Sparkler called out.
“Sparkler? What are you doing here?” Derpy went over to the little filly and looked at her.
“I’m hungry and Daddy says we don’t have any food at home.” Her stomach grumbled and she looked up at Derpy with a hopeful look.
The mare approached Sparkler and looked at her. “When was the last time you ate, sweetie?”
She looked embarrassed to say, but her stomach gurgled again and she looked down at it in shame before looking at the kindly mare. “Breakfast,” she admitted.
Autumn and Derpy looked at each other with surprise. “Autumn, would you do me a favor and tell the girls to set up an additional place for Sparkler? Also, please let Silver know I need him out here. He’s a Guardspony – he should be able to do something about this.”
Autumn nodded; how could any parent do that to their foal? “Sure, I’ll be right back. Should I take her with me?” Derpy nodded and Autumn smiled, putting the unicorn filly on his back. “Now you’re in for a treat!” he told her. “Tonight’s tempeh loaf is the best in the realm, just you bet!” He went inside, and left Derpy alone to her thoughts.
How…how could they? She was in utter disbelief; it was against everything she knew as a mare and from the look she saw on Autumn’s face, it was unthinkable as a parent.
A few seconds later, Silver came out of the house. “Autumn just told me what’s up. Yes, she’s hungry, but unless she’s been actually hurt, it’s up to the local civil authorities, Derpy.”
“But if her parents aren’t home and just left her, can’t you do anything?” she asked him.
He hated seeing that sad look on her face; he wanted to do anything he could to make it go away. “Well, if it looks like they just abandoned her, I have the authority to intervene immediately.” He scratched the top of his head nervously. “But that’s a very big if, Derpy. For all we know, she just didn’t feel like eating whatever was at home for dinner—”
“No,” she said firmly. “I know that little filly. She’s not like that, Silver. Something must be very wrong if she’s acting like this.”
“Okay, I’ll look into it, then. I’ll be right back. You go in and make that little filly feel special, okay?” He kissed her. “Almost as sweet as you.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she giggled. “We’ll be here when you get back.”
Silver went over to the house and knocked on the door. “This is the Guard, I am here on a non-emergency,” he spoke. “Please open up.” No answer. He then tried again, still with no answer. Finally, he ventured looking in the windows, seeing….
He turned away. The house was filthy, and looked like it hadn’t been lived in for the longest time. The furniture was ratty and most of it looked like it was covered in boxes that were filled with various alchemical reagents and other things. There were probably a few chemicals as well; Silver knew enough about alchemy that if you couldn’t succeed with that discipline, it was probably available in chemistry. And those who were familiar with one were usually versed in the other as well.
He tried knocking again, in the hopes that somepony would be there. Because if not, the alternative was that Sparkler had been abandoned and that thought made his blood boil.
Dinner that night had been absolutely wonderful and the company had been great. Silver and Autumn talked and they found that they had much in common, though oddly at times the former noted that the latter talked about Derpy as if he was in love with her. Silver eventually chalked it up to Derpy being a twin; he’d never been in a relationship before, and he figured that such a thing would completely confuse him.
And after it was all over, and the foals put to bed in Derpy’s spare bedroom, the three adults talked on the patio.
“I can’t believe she’s been mistreated like that,” Autumn said. “She didn’t look malnourished or anything, but…I would never do that to my foals, never.”
“Maybe it isn’t a case of mistreatment,” Derpy told him. “From what I remember, Bottlerocket and Oriental Blossom have been going through some hard times in their fireworks business and they’ve had to take some jobs overseas. It could simply be a case that they haven’t been paid yet and they’re struggling.”
“I’m not sure that’s the case, Derpy,” Silver told her. “I took a look in their house and they have tons of equipment for making their fireworks; if they were in desperate straits, they wouldn’t have the amount that they do. Plus, their house isn’t in the greatest of shape.” He shook his head. “I’m not really sure what to think, except that house isn’t the safest place for a little filly to grow up in, even one that’s the daughter of pyrotechnists.
“He’s right, Derpy,” Autumn told him. “There are plenty of channels for help if they’re that poor. Most municipalities run a food bank in case of emergencies. And Celestia set up the Celestine Order in order to help in situations like this. I know there’s not a caelarium in town, but there has to be a regional grand coelum, isn’t there?”
“There’s one in Ponyville, I think. Either way, they have to be of some assistance if asked – Exarch Holly Spring would not stand for anypony in need being turned away.”
“You know a lot about them, Silver,” Autumn noted.
He nodded. “We get monastics – the caelarium guards – who come from time to time to train with us. Usually just junior clerics, though once in a while you’ll get a scriptoris or even a scopas now and then. When not training, they tend to talk.” He sighed. “Actually, that’s how I met Exotic Beauty, my last fillyfriend – she was a brand-new Celestine cleric and unsure that she wanted to stay in the Order. Turns out she didn’t, but that’s a tale for another time.”
“Well, you’ve got me,” she said, snuggling against him.
“Well, it’s late, so I’m going to make myself comfy on the couch here,” Autumn yawned.
“And we should get to sleep ourselves, Silver,” she told him. “You’ve got to get back to your garrison in the morning and I need to go talk to Mayor Burgomeister and have him look into it. Frankly, from what you’re telling me, I don’t think I ever want Sparkler to go back to that house again.”
“I’ll do everything I can, Derpy, you know I will,” Silver told her.
“And I’ll back you up – that’s what family does,” Autumn told her, then looked at Silver and nodded. His heart still hurt from her rejection earlier, but he knew that if she had to have someone that would always be there for her, then she could’ve chosen far worse than this caring stallion that seemed to only have eyes for her.
If only my wife could be as loyal as he is, he thought silently, but then banished the thought. He had his daughters to attend to, and additionally, he knew Derpy was going to need some help in regards to the little filly.
Both Silver and Derpy rose from the loveseat. “You get some sleep, Autumn, and in the morning I’ll make some of my muffins just for you guys.”
Autumn grinned. “There’s not a pony alive that can resist Derpy’s muffins – it’s almost like she’s the Alicorn of Muffins.”
“I wish.”
There was a desperate flurry of raps on Cloud Kicker’s door; it was certainly enough to wake her from the dead on a rare night where she wasn’t running through the meadow. Opening it, she was shocked to see somepony all-too-familiar: “Ditzy? What are you doing here?”
The pegasus’ eyes were red from tears, her mascara having run and making her look more like a harlequin than a sexpot. “I…I need to talk to somepony I trust.”
“We’re talking? Just that?”
“I…I want to. You don’t know how much I want to take you in your bedroom right now, get on your cloudbed and make the thunderstorm come.” She sighed. “But I…can’t. I’ve lost too much. My family left me, sold the house, moved to who knows where…I think that Autumn is trying to get back with Derpy, but she already has a coltfriend now and….” She collapsed on the ground. “My sister – my ugly-plot twin sister – has more of a life now than I do.”
“I told you this would happen, Ditzy, I warned you,” Cloud told her, helping her back to her hooves. “C’mon in and we’ll talk. But that’s it. I said you were done when I told you to walk away from this life, and I mean it.”
“Thanks,” Ditzy told her.
“What are friends for?”
The following morning, Derpy got up and made some muffins: a mixture of red velvet muffins, chocolate banana muffins and carrot cake muffins, because Sparkler loved those and the scientist was sure that she was going to need a lot of extra-special loving today. So as she got up and started throwing stuff in the oven, she heard a knock at the door.
She opened it to find a guardmare standing there. “Excuse me, is this the house of Dr. Derpelle Hooves?”
Derpy nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”
“Yes, I come with a summons from Her Royal Highness Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. She would like to meet you at your earliest convenience. What time shall I tell the princess that you will be available?”
Derpy thought about it for a second. “I’m not completely sure. I suppose I could clear my schedule.”
“If I may, Princess Cadenza suggested that if you’re free for dinner tonight you could join her in Canterlot at the palace.”
The palace? Derpy’s mind spun at the idea; never in her life had she even dreamed of heading to the palace, despite the fact that she had a number of devices she’d invented that were there. “Sure, I’d love to? Was there a recommended time?” Derpy thought about it. “What about six in the evening?” Another quick thought. “And would she mind if I brought a plus-one?”
“No, I don’t think that will be an issue.”
“Then please let the princess know I will be delighted to join her.”
The pegasus nodded. “Good, I shall inform her highness to expect you. We’ll have a chariot here around half past five so that you won’t have to fly there on your own. Have a good day until then.” With that, the pegasus took to the skies and rocketed off, straight on to Canterlot. Derpy watched the guard vanish into the distance.
“Mornin’.” She saw Silver approach her and give her a kiss. “What’s up?”
“I got invited to the palace. Apparently Princess Cadance wants me to meet her there tonight.”
He smiled. “That’s great, Derpy! You should enjoy that! I’ve been there a couple of times, and it’s absolutely great. You’ll enjoy yourself.”
She sighed and leaned next to him. “I wish you were going with me, Silver. As it is, I’ll have to change my plans to meet with Mayor Burgomeister today and instead go shopping for an ensemble for both me and Sparkler. I wonder if Golden Thread is open today. She’s a quick worker, and probably one of the better dressmakers in town.”
“Well, I’ve got to report back to the garrison, so hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow?”
She kissed him. “Count on it.” He smiled and then trotted off towards his destination, pausing at the top of the nearby hill to wave before he crested it and vanished.
“Well, if I was going to lose you to somepony, I guess he’s the stallion to do it.” She turned to see Autumn standing there, a smile on his face.
“You’re not angry?” she asked him, but he shook his head.
“No. A bit hurt, sure, but I’m a big colt. I’ll manage. Besides, I live in Cloudsdale now – there are plenty of birds in the clouds, and besides, you never know – Ditzy might actually grow up. Though between you and me?”
Derpy saw the look of resignation on his face and shook her head. “Don’t say that. The kids might hear.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point,” he admitted. “Orange can be very impressionable at times and I don’t want her to grow up hating her mother.”
A ding went off and she grinned. “Well, it’s muffin time. Wake the girls up please and I think we’ll have a practical feast before the day starts.” She grinned. “It’s gonna be one to remember.”
Yes, it's back! 
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Nice to see another chapter from this. Good as always.
8353970
And who had to remind you to do a sequel for IAIMAY?
Dude, it may take me some time before I can come around to review this story. It's just been so long that all I can remember is something about Derpy doing some serious mental gymnastics to bring a dirigible down safely.
So this will end up being an immediate prequel to AAG book 1?
8356378
Polarity -> Kind Hearts & Coronets -> Book I.
Well, when you remember who Orange becomes, hating her mother is the least of her worries, eh?
8370611
She became what she became because she hated her mother.
8370637
Yeah. She did, didn't she? I wonder if that'll be pointed out some day.
And just like that, it’s gone again!
Wait, how can this story have a sequel if this one isn't even finished?
Please answer, are you supposed to read this story first or do you start with the sequal since it's already finished and this one isn't?
9453595
It's optional. They're not mandatory stories, but rather ones that flesh out the world.
9454199
Thanks. It's just really confusing that the sequels are complete but the beginning story is still not finished I wondered if I was supposed to wait for the first story to be finished to get into the finished sequels.
Awesome story! I hope you come back to it someday.
This never does resolve what happened with Sparkler's teacher. Seems like the body would eventually be found. There would certainly be a search