How I Became An Alicorn...

by ShadowBolt94

Chapter 14

How I Became an Alicorn

Chapter 14- A Vacation Worth Remembering

A warm breeze washed over the calm serene beach that many considered to be nothing more than a legend, a place where gods came to relax and soak in the beauty of its white sands, calm clear ocean, and play in the beautiful tropical forest that covered most of it. Yes, it was a place of unimaginable beauty and this morning in particular none could agree with that more than the young teenager who stood beside her mentor as the sun deity rose her charge into the sky to begin what to most of the still sleeping occupants of the vacation home would simply be the end of one of the best weeks of their lives. Twilight watched the sunrise with a surreal smile on her face as her teacher’s gentle sun kissed arm came across her shoulders and brought her into a small embrace.

“You're too young to look like an old woman staring into the ageless sky Twilight, that's mine and Luna's job anyhow.” Celestia mused her rose colored eyes never leaving her sun that slowly rose along the horizon.

“I could live to be a hundred years old and you’d still think I was too young for anything.” Twilight countered with a giggle thrown in.

“Too true my dear, too true. But you could still stand to not look so torn. I’ve already opened this island to all of you when you want to return. And both Tianna and Angelo have agreed to pay visits to us back in Equestria.” Celestia pointed out with a cheerful smile on her face.

“I know, I know, but I’m still going to miss this. Everyone is so calm now and I can’t help but worry that they’ll get stressed out again and turn on one another like before…” Twilight explained a small frown taking over her features as she rested her chin on the railing of the balcony they stood on that over looked the calm blue sea.

Celestia noticed her student’s genuine concerns and was about to comfort her when she heard the pad of socked footsteps behind her and they both turned to see Pinkie walking towards them with a cup in her hand and her hair falling around her in gentle beautiful pink waves that looked remarkably like the ocean during this sunrise. Her cerulean eyes were unusually calm, but the sun was just rising and it looked to be her first cup of coffee anyways.

“And you think we’re not going to worry about you getting stressed out? We haven’t even left the island yet and you’re already worrying over us Twilight.” She pointed out as she came up beside her dark haired friend and kept drinking her coffee.

“Aren’t you supposed to still be asleep? You never wake up this early.” Twilight commented staring at her friend in confusion. Knowing Twilight was in capable hands Celestia simply smiled and left the balcony going back into the house herself.

“Well yeah, but I had to get up early to pack and my Pinkie sense was telling me someone was being a big downer out here, so I got my cup of coffee and came out here to blast the frown off your face.” Pinkie explained with a small smile cast at her bookish friend. Twilight smiled despite her internal battle. “Oh, there we go. Good start, but I’m looking for something with a little more umph!” Pinkie giggled.

“Umph…?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Yeah, Umph! You smarty-pants type call it spirit but I like my way better.” Pinkie explained before she drained her cup and set it down to rest on the railing before she got up on the railing her fuzzy pink socks staring Twilight in the eyes with a pair of goofy looking googly eyes that were sewn into them.

“Pinkie get down from there! You could fall!” Twilight yelled as Pinkie began walking the railing like it was a tightrope.

“Into what? The twenty foot deep water that’s as clear as air? Not all that scary when you can swim. That and I’m great at balancing! Here watch this!” Pinkie declared as she leapt up a little and then came back down balancing herself on the railing in a perfect one handed handstand. Twilight was biting her nails as she stared wide eyed while Pinkie started to walk across the railing on her hands. “You really need to lighten up Twilight, I think you spent so much time making sure the girls all unstressed that you forgot to relax too!” Pinkie giggled before she let her feet fall forward and over herself so that she looked at Twilight through her calves before she righted herself on her feet once more.

“I’m fine Pinkie, and you can’t blame me for worrying over you all. You’re my friends and I don’t want to see any of you like you were before this trip.” Twilight explained hoping Pinkie would understand where she was coming from since she was a part of it all. Pinkie didn’t do anything but smile down at Twilight and then bend down to her level.

“You know, that reminds me of a metaphor.” She mused before she pulled Twilight up onto the railing with her causing the magic user to panic and waver a bit before forcing herself to steady on the wooden railing thanking the gods above that it was a flat railing instead of a rounded one.

“Pinkie are you insane?! Your balancing act is one thing but I have the coordination of a drunk elephant!” Twilight roared back. Pinkie simply smiled and didn’t let go of Twilight’s hand making sure to keep her balanced as she wavered on the railing.

“’Life is like walking a tightrope, you’re going to walk down it the best way you know how, if you keep your head held high and keep walking forward eventually you’re going to make it to the other side.’” Pinkie versed as she out stretched her hand for Twilight to see the railing in front of them. “’But if you look down, you’re going to fall… and you’re going to take everyone who’s walking along the same rope with you.’” Pinkie continued looking down at the waves below them before she leaned sideways and off the railing taking a mortified Twilight with her as they fell towards the waves. “’But there will always be a net to catch you, and at least you won’t fall by yourself.’” Pinkie finished before they crashed into the calm waters with Pinkie still holding onto Twilight until they breached the surface and Twilight stared at Pinkie like she’d gone insane. But Pinkie was just smiling at her laying back and floating along long the water like they hadn’t just plummeted over thirty feet into the water. Slowly a smile started to cross her face before she dove back under the water and came up under Pinkie before pulling her down under the surface quickly before her senses could tell her to flee. Pinkie flailed around for a second before she saw Twilight grinning at her under the water before she swam away using her magic to propel her like a torpedo. Pinkie smirked a little.

‘You’re such a genius Pinkie, but you’d better give her a ten second head start. Make her think she stands a chance against the greatest champ of underwater tag… and pin the tail on the pony, and twister, and DDR, and- Oh wow she’s going pretty fast. Better catch up~!’ Pinkie thought before she swam all the way down to the sandy bottom of the sea and positioned herself on a rather large rock. She crouched on it and locked onto her target in the far distance.

‘Ha! That’ll teach Pinkie to throw ME off the balcony this early in the morning. Now that I’m here I might as well see if I can find that pod of dolphins Fluttershy was talking with yester- HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF CELESTIA!!!!’ Twilight thought in panic as a shark swam up behind her and swam as fast as it could away from her. Torrents of fish and other sea life followed it. ‘What in Discord’s name are they all running from…?’ She thought slowly turning from where they had come from. A pink blur was speeding at her with bright blue eyes that were unmistakable. ‘Oh for the love of-‘

Inside the house Celestia was calmly sipping her tea sitting at a small table between two large windows that had a beautiful view of the calm ocean below. Her drowsy eyed sister shuffled in through the door frame yawning widely and covering it with her hand which was hidden away behind the sleeve of her far too big pajamas. Her teal hair was in disarray as she sat down at the table across from her sister and took the cup of coffee that was offered to her. When Luna was more awake she blinked her bleary eyes and noticed a distinct lack of bookworm at the table.

“Where’s Twilight this early in the morning…?” Luna asked her sister who was in mid sip of her tea. Celestia used her free hand to calmly point out the window at the sea to which Luna squinted to see if she could spot the familiar dark purple hair of the magic user. “Sister I fail to see-“ she was interrupted by a large explosion of water rising up from the sea and a tidal wave washing over the very window she was looking out of. When the wave was gone two washed up forms were stuck to the glass like starfish, the first being the energetic pink haired girl that Luna had already come to associate anything unusual with, and the other was the dark skinned magic user she’d been searching for moments before. Luna’s face was blank for a seconds before she chuckled and picked up her cup again. “You know there’s an easier way to get back to the house after a swim Sparkle.” Luna commented knowing the girls could hear her through the glass.

Twilight’s only response was a groan as she slid off the glass and fell flat on the sandy ground that was about ten feet down. Pinkie peeled herself away from the glass and landed beside her friend giggling. “That was fun Twiley. We’ll have to do it again sometime!” Pinkie announced before she stood up and happily bounced away to retrieve more coffee. Twilight slowly brought her hand out of the sand and spat out some of the substance from her mouth.

“I hate Saturdays…” she muttered. Twilight heard someone come up from behind her and then the sound of a heavily accented southern drawl.

“Twilight? Why are you soaked to the bone and covered in sand…?” Applejack asked a little out of breath from the jog she’d just taken.

“Pinkie Pie.” Twilight responded in turn as Applejack helped her back onto her feet and she walked towards the water so that she could get the sand off of her body.

“Ah. Well Ah’ll head up and tell Oli ta run ya a bath.” Applejack offered jabbing her thumb in the direction of the house.

“Make it a shower please!” Twilight called back before she plunged into the waves and felt the cool water remove the gritty sand from her body. Back on land Applejack chuckled a little before she took off towards the stairs of the house to relay her message. Thirty minutes later Twilight was fully showered and dressed and was just walking into the dining hall squeezing the last of the water out of her hair with a towel which she handed to a servant who offered to take it as she stepped in. Pinkie, Applejack (freshly showered as well), and the two Princesses were sitting at the table waiting for her. Pinkie was piling a hot plate of crepes with whip cream and strawberries while Applejack had settled for some apple tarts for breakfast. Twilight sat down and Pinkie surprisingly pushed a plate towards Twilight already loaded with her favorite breakfast, one slice of wheat toast cut in triangles with egg whites, and exactly 21 perfectly ripe blue berries along with a tall glass of milk. Her perfectly balanced meal. She looked at Pinkie before her eyes darted to Oliver who shook his head and pointed back at the girl.

“You… made me my breakfast…?” Twilight asked staring at it curiously as Pinkie forked a bite of her crepes in her mouth and nodded smiling a little through the food.

“Whole wheat bread toasted on medium for exactly one minute and three seconds…?”

Pinkie nodded as she swallowed her food.

“Three egg whites beaten with a whisk and mixed with one teaspoon of skim milk…?”

“And cooked on a low temperature first before cranking up the heat once they start to bubble~!” Pinkie hummed as she picked up her coffee cup and drank from it. Twilight picked up her fork and prodded the food with it sniffing it curiously to see if Pinkie had added some sugar to it. She smelled nothing but the exact balanced breakfast only her mother had ever been able to get so perfectly.

“I’m impressed, you’re forgiven.” Twilight hummed before she dug in with a happy smile on her face. Pinkie seemed to mirror it and Applejack was ignoring both of them for a conversation with Celestia.

“You’re not going to be comin’ with us on the plane…?” Applejack asked after Celestia had swallowed her mouthful of French toast.

“I’m afraid not, I’ll be just teleporting myself back to the castle. I’m sure Cadence is eager to be relieved of her duties and I’d hate to keep her and my subjects waiting any longer than they have to.” Celestia explained with a small chuckle at the image of her frantic niece running around the castle trying to reign in the nobles as they were most likely rioting by now.

“Well that sounds mighty reasonable, Ah can’t imagine what it’s like to run a nation, yet alone one as big as Equestria. Ah can barely handle the farm even with Granny and Mac’s help!” Applejack laughed her green eyes darkening a little at the mention of her family that was waiting for her back at home. She missed them dearly but this week had been more fun than she had originally anticipated. Of course she also had originally thought they were going to a beach house just on the coast of Equestria, so her expectations for the trip had been shattered there.

Celestia noticed the look on the farmer’s face and smiled a little. “Family on the mind little appleseed…?” She asked using the nickname her mother had given her. It made Applejack blush slightly her eyes glancing sideways to make sure none of the others had heard that. If they had they weren’t showing it. Applejack fingered the rim of her hat which was sitting beside her oatmeal bowl.

“Just a bit… Ah still can’t believe Granny agreed to this… was Ah really actin’ that strange that even Granny noticed…?” She asked her voice barely more than a whisper.

Celestia chuckled a little at that. “Smithy notices a lot more than you think she does, she just doesn’t say anything about most of it. Where do you think your brother got his quiet nature from…?” Celestia asked the blonde.

“Mah Pa, don’t think I can remember him sayin’ more than seven words in a sentence.” Applejack responded with a chuckle of her own as she stared at the glass of apple juice in front of her.

“Johnny was quiet, but Macintosh is actually much more like your mother, in the sense that when he DOES say something it’s always from the heart and it often makes you feel like you’re a foal being lectured by a wise elder. Citrus Blossom was a woman who always let you know how things were and how things were going to go. She had a mind that was sharp as a tack and had enough tact to grab the eye of more than one of those Manhattan men when she lived there, when I saw her and quiet but level headed Johnny together I knew it would be a match made in heaven. And I was right, you’re the proof of that.” Celestia explained with a smile that reminded Applejack so much of her own mother’s smile. It made her heat ache more but she brushed it off with a smile of her own.

“Lot of good that did me, Ah got Ma’s loose lips and all of Pa’s honesty.” Applejack commented knowing her inability to lie or keep secrets at all.

“You forgot your mother’s stunning looks coupled with her sharp mind and your father’s hard working and dependable attitude. Mac can crunch numbers faster than you can buck tree’s, and Applebloom reminds me so much of your mother I’m starting to honestly believe Citrus just decided to stick around in her daughter’s body. You three couldn’t have turned out any better if I myself had raised you after they passed.” Celestia assured the freckled girl whose emerald eyes shone a little at the compliment as her cheeks flushed a little when the statement had brought the attention of the others to her.

“Th-thank ya kindly Celly… but could ya please refrain from sayin’ that kind of stuff, Ah got no idea when the rest of them are goin’ ta wake up, Dash is loyal as a dog so she won’t say nothin’ but if Rare heard ya sayin all that stuff she’d-“

“Agree whole heartedly and add in the fact that you turn the most charming shade of crimson when it’s pointed out…? Why Applejack I couldn’t agree more.” Rarity’s voice came from just behind Applejack’s head. Applejack swung around Rarity calmly dodging her long loose blonde hair as it whipped past her face.

“H-how long have ya’ll been standin there?!” AJ asked her eyes wide in terror. Rarity giggled as she sat beside the farmer helping herself to the spread before them.

“Only long enough to catch Celestia’s ending statement and your little panic session. I’m appalled you thought I didn’t already know all that by the way.” Rarity pointed out as she brought a healthy serving of mixed fruits onto her plate and got a side plate for a small helping of sunny side eggs and a bagel. Twilight Sparkle gave her a look at the selection of her protein for the day. “What…? Sunny side up happens to be the way my mother makes them, it’s quite delicious. What about you Pinkie?” Rarity asked diverting the conversation to the natural chatterbox instead.

“Poached! Though I don’t mind them baked either~! But sunny side up looks the best with bacon! Sometimes it just looks like it’s smiling right at you!” Pinkie then went on a twenty minute lament about every single possible way you could make eggs, and then pancakes, and then ham, when she got to the different ways you could make toast the group was thankfully saved by the entrance of Rainbow Dash who looked surprisingly awake for it only being just past seven in the morning.

That didn’t stop her from yawning widely and stretching out her wings as she did so. “Morning gals, mmmm, is that honey glazed ham I smell?” she asked her nostrils picking up the smell of pork through the sensory assault of other breakfast foods. She walked over and sat next to Pinkie who had paused in her rant to greet Rainbow.

“Yeah! There’s also baked bacon, pork buns, baked ham, crunchy bacon, crumbled bacon, deep fried double dipped battered pork-“

Dash shoved a chocolate chip muffin in Pinkie’s chatterbox effectively cutting her off in her pork related rant. “Got it Pinks, big meaty selection. Speaking of meat, where’s our resident vegan to abolish me eating these glorious strips of brown gold?” Dash asked noticing the distinct lack of her fellow butter yellow pegasus.

“Yer guess is as good as ours partner. Guess she hasn’t woken up yet.” Applejack replied pouring her second cup of straight black coffee.

“Weird, Flutters never wakes up late. Oliver, would you go make sure she’s up? I don’t want her skipping out on breakfast with the day we’re gonna be having.” Rainbow asked the grey haired man in his servants suit. He bowed at the waist.

“Of course, I will be back in a moment.” He replied before he walked out of the room as Dash sat down her plate loaded with the equivalent of a super breakfast burrito that would have made grown men shrivel in fear. She rolled the greasy creation in two thick tortillas and bit into it a little of the juice leaking from it as she did so. Rarity gagged and pushed what was left of her food away un able to eat after the sight of such a breakfast being consumed. Beside her Twilight was trying to calculate just how much exercise Dash would need to burn off everything in that one burrito; the numbers were a tall order for anyone else but for Rainbow it would mean a warm up and maybe some anxious pacing. Her small frame was proof that she had a metabolism that let her eat whatever she wanted. That wasn’t to say she didn’t eat well, as the monster of a burrito was countered by blender that was set in front of her full of something she called the ‘green beast’. It contained no more than one half gallon of milk, four cups of protein mix, and over 37 assorted vegetables and fruits. She drank three of those a day, one with every meal, no exceptions. She kept a few packets that were apparently a concentrated powder of the stuff that she could mix into a bottle of water if she needed to. Her dedication to her body was definitely unparalleled.

It was after she finished chugging back the thick green shake that Oliver re-entered with a rather drowsy looking Fluttershy behind him in very adorable yellow pajama’s that looked like they were made for her mother as they were much too large on her and made her look even more adorable than she usually did when she yawned and rubbed her eye as she shuffled in and sat next to Dash who had some of the shake dribbling down her chin from when she had frozen at the sight of the girl walking in.

‘I’m pretty sure it’s illegal for one person to be that god damn adorable. Heh… Flutters would be the only person in the world to get arrested for being ‘too cute to handle’… damnitt… thought process again. HOLY SHIT WHY IS SHE WIPING MY- Oh… I spilled some of the shake.’ Dash reminded herself after she freaked when Fluttershy grabbed a napkin and dabbed at Rainbow’s chin to remove the green slime.

“Silly Dashie, you’re not supposed to wear your food.” Fluttershy commented before she set the napkin aside and lifted her sleeves up a little so they wouldn’t get in the way of her serving herself. “I’m sorry I’m late everyone, I was just too comfortable and didn’t quite want to wake up…” she apologized to the rest of the girls who having similar thoughts about the girl’s appearance, well except for one.

‘Wow, Flutter’s looks really cute when she first wakes up…’

‘What an adorable ensemble~! Those silk pajamas we bought in Rome were definitely the right way to go!’

‘Kawaiiiiiiiiii~!!!!!’

‘Ah wonder if Ah could bring some of these starfruits back with me ta Equestria… Ah’m mighty sure the folks back home would like ‘em… Ah’ll talk ta Celestia about it later… Why’s everyone starin’ at Dash and ‘Shy?’

Three guesses as to who the last thought belonged to. Applejack looked around confused by her friend’s stares before she noticed that goofy look in Dash’s face and understood. She kicked her cyan winged friend in the shin under the table and the action seemed to stir brain activity in the pegasus again.

“No prob ‘Shy, no one can really blame you anyways. Those beds are freakishly soft. And we’re all going to need that rest for the traveling today.” Rainbow pointed out before she took another large bite out of her burrito to occupy her mouth.

Twilight was the next to stir. “Rainbow’s right… that's something I never thought I'd have to say, but it’s true.” She earned a glare from the athlete in question but she continued not faltering once. “We’re going to need our strength, last time we traveled for so long we were exhausted and I blame that on poor preparation. This time will be different! Spike!” Twilight called. The boy, who had been completely unnoticed until now since he was asleep in a bowl of emerald flakes, sat up a few green flakes stuck to his face along with milk dripping down his cheek as he produced a pen and paper on instinct alone. “Make a checklist, subject is things we need to do before we leave this island. Skip over waking up and eating since we’re already doing that.” Twilight ordered as she stood and started pacing back and forth. The green haired boy’s hand worked fast across the paper as he started drawing boxes and writing down little bulletins that Twilight gave him.

Dash smiled a little and made eyes contact with Pinkie and AJ before making a whip cracking motion with her hand. It earned giggles from the two and a roll of a set of azure eyes that had witnessed the motion as well and kicked Dash under the table using her fuzzy white slippers that matched her embroidered white robe. Dash whined a little and rubbed her leg while giving Rarity a frown.

“I for one think that’s a wonderful idea Twilight, why I’m going to go get my bags in order right now.” She declared as she stood up from the table. Fluttershy stood up as well.

“You’re right, I have so much packing to still do! I haven’t even-“ She was cut off by Rainbow dragging her back into her seat and pointing at her food.

“Breakfast first, THEN you can pack. You’re not skipping a meal on a day like this. If you need to do a rush job later because of it then I’ll help since I already did my packing.” Dash snapped making Fluttershy hide behind her bangs as she picked up her fork and started eating her soy eggs and tofu bacon. Rainbow Dash shuddered just looking at the white strips that dared be called bacon, they disgusted her.

Twilight looked over at Rainbow with a look of curiosity. “When did you pack Rainbow Dash…?”

“Last night, and I knew it was too late to go for a flight so I just started packing knowing it’d save me the trouble in the morning.” Rainbow replied as she munched on a piece of real bacon and poured a cup of tea into a cup in front of Fluttershy who quietly thanked Dash before she took a timid sip of the drink. Rarity brought her cup forward when Rainbow offered the pot to anyone else and she poured the fashion lover a cup as well before setting the pot down and swallowing her piece of bacon.

“That’s very resourceful Dash, I applaud your looking ahead at things, I certainly wish I had. Heaven knows how much I still have to pack.” Rarity commented with a wayward sigh.

“It’s alright sugarcube, Ah can help ya’ll with that since Ah packed mah stuff up last night too. Didn’t bring much so it was pretty fast work.” Applejack put in.

“Oh would you Applejack dear? I wouldn’t want to impose.” Rarity asked a little shocked that now two of her friends were ahead of her in preparation when she was normally so much better with it.

“It ain’t imposin’ iffa Am’m offerin it to ya Rare.” AJ chuckled as she drank the rest of her coffee and then walked towards the door where Rarity was already standing.

“Mmm, I suppose I’ll have to accept then. Please excuse us everyone.” Rarity called back to the group before she and Applejack went through the door only to halt in the doorway. “Oh, terribly sorry Angelo, Pales; we weren’t looking where we were going.” She commented before the familiar faces of the two boys came into the dining hall.

“Not a problem Rarity, we were just coming in to say good bye to everyone.” Angelo laughed as he came in alongside a rather lax looking Pales. The white haired Alicorn was promptly tackle hugged by a pink blur that was wailing.

“Nooooooo!!!!! You can’t go yet Gelo! You haven’t even had breakfast with us yet!!” Pinkie cried as she pretty much strangled the shorter boy. Beside them Pales laughed pointing at them his voice now lighter than it used to be.

“Hahaha!!! Got a new girlfriend little brother?” Pales sneered playfully before he tickled Pinkie’s sides and made her release her hold on the smaller boy’s neck in her fit of giggles. Angelo took in a deep breath and rubbed his neck effectively glaring at the taller male.

“She’s my FRIEND Pal, I’m way too young for that relationship stuff. Besides, she’d be way too much for me to handle.” Gelo got a wicked grin on his face. “But now that she’s taught you how to relax I think you’re much more better suited for her. A cute couple even.” Angelo snickered as he noticed the mint haired boy freeze in his tickling and Pinkie’s already pink face deepen in a blush as they both got to their feet and quickly defend themselves in shocking unison.

“He’s/She’s not even close to my type! And we’re just friends!!” the pair claimed before they realized they voiced their thoughts as one and quickly turned on each other. “Stop saying what I’m saying! No you! You’re doing this on purpose aren’t you?!” They yelled before they both froze for a second and then burst out laughing holding their sides as they rolled on the ground as they did so. Rainbow slowly leaned over to Twilight to whisper in her ear.

“I’m starting to think Pinkie did TOO good of a job in pulling that pole out… it’s like the guy has no more tension in him at all anymore…” she commented. Twilight was about to reply when there was a knock from the door frame and a familiar accented voice spoke with amusement lining his words.

“When Master told me you’d be acting differently I never expected to see the steel hearted Devil Shepard rolling on the ground laughing like a pig in mud…” Cas mused his golden eyes shining slightly. Pales shot to his feet stiff as a board as he saluted the captain his stick in the mud nature coming back in a flash.

“Captain! I was under the impression you’d be waiting for us on the boat sir!” Pales stated in his defense.

“At ease boy, there aren’t any other guards here it’s just me and I wanted to come in and say hi to my little inferno allevatori’s.” He mused before he was tackled from behind and up front by a cyan and orange streak. Applejack and Rainbow were grinning as they hugged him. “And here are the ring leaders themselves, hello Mela, Archo, haven’t caused any more world ending incidents while I’ve been gone have you?” he chuckled hugging both the girls back and ruffling their hair playfully.

Dash socked him in the shoulder playfully and grinned back at him. “Nah, we decided to retire and turn in our armor for swimsuits and surfboards.”

“But Pinkie had a mighty good time unwinding whatever the Faust you did to Pal to get him so wound up.” Applejack announced with a chuckle as she noticed the pink haired girl start prodding at Pales to get him to crack a smile. The corners of his mouth were starting to tremble in his fight to keep a straight face.

“I can see that. Guess I owe Moon fifty euro’s for that one…” he laughed before he walked over his golden armor clanking as he walked and he poked Pales in the forehead only to have him fall back like a solid tree. He tsked and shook his head sighing. “You realize how long it is going to take me to retrain him…?” he complained to the pink haired girl who just beamed at him.

“It’s okay Cassy! I conditioned him already! All you have to do is squeak a rubber ducky and he’ll switch! Watch!” she pulled out a small yellow rubber duck from her pink curls and squeaked it. Pale’s face went from fighting to not laugh to a solemn expression before he leapt up like a cat and landed firmly on the ground with his shoulders squared and feet spread as well. She squeaked it again and his expression broke as he burst into laughter and held his sides as he fought the wave of amusement that overcame him. She squeaked it again changing him from hardened solider to normal guy rapidly before Angelo stopped her by taking the duck away and leaving Pales on solider.

“I think he gets the point Pinkie.” He said handing the duck to Cas. Cas examined the rubber creature in his hand before eyeing his protégé carefully.

“How do you feel boy?” He asked the now conditioned guard.

“My head hurts for an unknown reason sir but other than that I feel fine.” He reported promptly saluting the golden armored man before returning to his stiff form with his hands at his sides.

“Interesting… How’d you do it?” Cas asked turning to the pink haired mystery.

“It’s a Pie family secret, but you can look it up online if you really want to try it.” She responded with a giggle before she seemed to remember something and zipped out of the room returning seconds later with two small wrapped presents in her hands. She handed them to Pales and Angelo. “Almost forgot about these! Can’t let you guys go without a parting preset!” she declared urging the pair to open the gifts. Pales gave it a cautious glance but carefully opened it despite himself. Inside the pair found necklaces shaped like their cutiemarks. They both held them up with wide eyes.

“Pinkie these are amazing! Where did you get these?!” Angelo asked as he admired the gold necklace in his hands. Each of the stones was made with a genuine gem and the gold used was real as well. Pinkie Pie smiled as she hoped around them happily.

“Rarity and me made them~! She wanted to try making some jewelry after Fondere taught her a metal working spell that HE learned from his grandpa, and I still needed to get you guys parting presents so we made these! Oh, and there’s one for Avery too when he comes down!” Pinkie announced as she pulled out a third box from her hair and continued bouncing around in a circle. She froze mid air when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Avery floating beside her.

“One of what…?” he asked curiously. Pinkie beamed still somehow defying gravity as she shoved the present in his hands before falling back to the floor.

“A necklace silly goose! Since you don’t have a cutiemark cuz you’re not human we just made it into that symbol you had in your throne room! What’d Rarity call it…? AH! The Fae symbol for prosperity I believe.” She quoted even using Rarity’s classier accent as she spoke.

Avery removed the necklace and smiled at the simple yet complex design of the silver and green charm. “This is very well made, Rarity would make an excellent jeweler if she wanted to.” He mused as he clipped it on around his neck and then hugged Pinkie. “It’s a very thoughtful gift Pinkie, thank you.”

Pinkie returned the hug in full and managed to pull Pales and Angelo into it as well. “You’re all welcome but you should thank Rarity too! She should be up in her room packing.” Pinkie declared pointing up the stairs where the bedrooms were. The fairy prince, Alicorn boy, and his protector all climbed the stairs without hesitation. When they were out of sight Twilight came up beside Pinkie with a gentle smile as she held out a tissue for the girl.

“Pinkie, you’re crying.” She noted with a sad smile to her friend who mirrored it. Pinkie laughed weakly and took the tissue dabbing at her eyes.

“I know, I always do when it’s close to saying goodbye…” Pinkie then threw her arms around Twilight and held her tightly. “It makes me all the happier that at least I don’t have to say goodbye to you all.” She sniffled. Twilight was frozen for a second before she slowly brought her hands around the girl and gently rubbed her back.

“And you never will Pinkie, not as long as I’m around.” Twilight promised with a soft smile and a small tear of her own.

From the doorway Celestia and Luna watched with analyzing eyes. Teal met pink and both nodded solemnly before they walked away without a word spoken.

***

The time came at last, the girls had said their good byes to the boys earlier, not long after Tianna and Avery had gone back to the temple with Spike having given Avery his own game system to play on whenever he wanted and Avery promising to play with him online as often as possible. Now they stood in front of the docks as the ship was pulling up and they were all looking out at the house one last time. Fluttershy was leaned over the dock talking with the pod of dolphins and a few other sea creatures she’d made friends with in the time she’d stayed there.

“Now promise me you’ll all get along while I’m gone, I don’t want to come back and find you being a big bully again Chomps.” Fluttershy lectured to a fully grown tiger shark that somehow looked a little ashamed with itself. “Good, and you all take care. Maybe when I come back there will be some new little babies for me to bond with as well!” she cooed petting one of the dolphins on the head. From one of the posts a very colorful bird squawked and Fluttershy smiled as she stood up dusting her skirts off as she did so. She offered out her arm to the rather fierce looking hawk that was colored like rainbow macaw, at the moment it looked rather weak with its feathers drooping and its supposedly fierce eyes watering with emotion. “Oh don’t cry Mrs. Kaw, you and your chicks re going to be just fine now that you have that new nest far away from those mean howler monkeys. And if they do bother you again just call for Mr. Stripes and he’ll be right there to help you. Right Stripey?” Fluttershy asked as she turned to face a large Bengal tiger that purred when she stroked it under its chin. It then nuzzled the colorful hawk which hopped onto its head and picked a stray bug out of his fur and ate it. “There, now I can’t keep my friends waiting any longer. Goodbye everyone!” she called out to a much larger crowd of various jungle animals and the marine life that had gathered around the ship. In the skies flocks of birds colorful and not circled her as she boarded the ship.

Twilight had a deadpanned expression as she stood next to Pinkie Pie on the ship and looked out at the animals that were all voicing their goodbyes to the pink haired pegasus. “Am I the only one who feels really unaccomplished after just seeing the impact that Fluttershy made here in less than a week?”

“No my dear, no you are not. But we can’t hope to compare to her natural way with animals.” Rarity assured her friend as she patted her shoulder gently and the ship horn sounded as the ship took sail. From back at the house the group watched two figures take into the sky. One flew all the way up into the bright morning sun and disappeared in a flash, the other flew onto the ship landing beside them. Luna smiled at them.

“Sorry I’m late, Celestia and I were locking up the house.” Luna explained as she folded her wings. A single midnight blue feather drifted down to land on her nose and she smiled before removing it and letting it float away in the sea breeze.

“It’s alright Luna, you just missed Fluttershy taking a page out of Doctor Doolittle’s book… speaking of which…” Rainbow walked over and stood in front of Fluttershy holding her hand out to her. Fluttershy gave her a weak smile and shrugged innocently. Dash frowned and pointed at the buldgy bag on Fluttershy’s shoulder. Fluttershy looked from the bag back to Rainbow and then sighed handing it over to her. Dash reached into it pulling out a small red furred animal that looked like a cross between a raccoon and a fox.

“B-but Dashie he ASKED to come with me!” Fluttershy pleaded as the cyan winged girl took to the air.

“Animal’s aren’t allowed in the airport Fluttershy, yet alone highly endangered animals like the Red Panda.” She stated flatly holding out the adorable creature to prove her point. She was gone in a rainbow streak zipping back to the island and depositing the animal back on dry land before zooming back to the ship to pat a broken looking Fluttershy on the head. “Don’t get so down ‘Shy, remember you’ve still got Angel waiting for you back home.”

Fluttershy’s face brightened at that but she was still looking down at her shoes while she rubbed her arm. “I-I’m sorry for causing you trouble Dashie…” she whispered.

“Hey pal, don’t sweat it. You keep me in my place more often than I can count. It’s only fair I do the same when you do something bad for a change!” Rainbow laughed nudging her a little with her elbow. “Now come on, there’s an awesome movie theater down on the bottom deck and I know just the movie that’ll cheer you up!”

114 minutes of heart wrenching ape-filled cinematic gold later:

Applejack crossed her arms as she passed another box of tissues to Fluttershy who was still bawling her eyes out. “Rainbow Dash, in what universe is Mighty Joe Young a good movie to show after an animal lover just said goodbye to a large group of animals?!”

Rainbow gave a shrug and a weak smile. “I thought it’d help her let go!” in response Fluttershy wailed louder and blew her nose into the tissue. “Yeah, okay… not my best idea. How much longer do we have until we arrive in-“ the ship’s horn sounded cutting off her sentence mid way. “Never mind…” Dash sighed before she stood up and walked towards the door that lead back up to the main deck. “Come on Fluttershy, when we get on the plane I’ll let you sit down with my laptop and then watch entire first season of Wild Kingdom on it.” Fluttershy’s head lifted at the mention of her favorite nature documentary show.

“T-The original first season…?”

“Narrated entirely by Marlin Perkins himself.” Dash goaded waving the bright red laptop up for Fluttershy to see. The nature fanatic was at her side in a flash. The shorter pegasus smiled satisfied with her ability to corral the taller girl’s spirits. ‘You’ve still got it Dash.’ She complimented herself as she handed the laptop to Fluttershy. Applejack followed behind the pair grateful that Dash had made up for her earlier mistake. Then of course, if it was Fluttershy she was dealing with Dash usually found it pretty easy to cheer her up. Even when she babbled uselessly Fluttershy found amusement in the way Dash stuck her foot in her mouth. Which brought the question to mind, ‘How are they not together yet?’

‘Not like Ah’m much better…’ Applejack reminded herself as they came onto the top deck to find Rarity standing beside Twilight thanking the crew for their services. Pinkie was off to the side talking, well she was talking AND bouncing around like a jumping bean, with Riptide. But Applejack wasn’t focused on her fellow earthbound. All her attention fell on the elegant form of the magic user with the perfect white blouse on and a very professional looking pencil skirt as well, who wore red rimmed reading glasses on the tip of her nose as she smiled at the crew and spoke her voice as reined and elegant as the purple curls that were swaying in the sea breeze. The look of longing in her all too honest green eyes would have been hard to miss if anyone had been paying attention to her. Instead she simply collected her large duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder before proceeding to tip her hat at the crew and made her way down the docking platform.

There was however someone who noticed the farmer’s wayward glance, and it was a purple haired magic user, but this one had two pink stripes in her hair and knew full well what it meant. Their mission had only been a partial success. She wished the captain and his crew farewell and together with Rarity descended down onto the docks where their luggage was being loaded into the large private jet that was quite literally parked right next to the ship. She watched Applejack toss the duffle bag into the luggage compartment the dock workers were busy cramming with Rarity’s luggage and then she walked onto the plane behind Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie bounced up beside her as Rarity strode on wards.

“You saw it too…?” Pinkie whispered to her partner in crime.

“Yeah, Applejack’s still holding back. She’s not scared anymore she just looks… like she’s given up.” Twilight replied in a matching hushed tone.

“That’s going to be a problem… Dashie and Flutters are already on the right track so what happened between those two?! Do you think it was when we tried to get them to play spin the bottle?” Pinkie offered Twilight visibly flinching at the memory.

“Pinkie, I’M still scarred from that, I can’t ever look at a lamp shade the same way anymore.”

“Eh, lamp shades are nothing. Wait until you get to play seven minutes in heaven with a mechanical bull! Now THAT’S something to talk about.” Pinkie cheered grinning a little as she bounced onto the plane. Twilight paused mid-step actually questioning whether or not she wanted to know the back story to that little snippet. She decided that she didn’t before she continued into the plane where everyone was already settling in. Twilight took her seat across from Luna and beside Pinkie. Luna was glancing out the window looking rather distracted which Twilight found unusual since the night princess didn’t even have her music in, her iPod was actually just lying in her lap the head phones still around her neck. Twilight carefully waved her hand in front of Luna’s face to get her attention. Teal eyes seemed to focus again and they snapped to Twilight.

“Oh… I’m sorry were you talking to me Twilight? My mind was somewhere else.” Luna explained with an apologetic smile.

“Are you feeling alright Luna? You aren’t normally this out of it.” Twilight observed worried for the ruler she had come to accept as one of her closest friends.

“Yes, I merely- I mean, I was just thinking about how fast this has all gone by… the school year especially. I thought this was going to be a living hell but I’ve had so much fun just being NORMAL for a change that I can’t imagine living my life any differently now. I just took a VACATION. Do you know how long it’s been since I took a vacation?”

“Uhh, 14 years?” Twilight offered with a half smile. For some reason that made Luna flinch and her eyes sharpen. “S-sorry… too soon I guess.”

“Twilight, 3000 years from now it’ll still be too soon to joke about that.” Luna explained with a flat look before a faint smile appeared on her face. “But good one all the same, and no. According to my memory it’s been... 1,421 years since my sister and I vacationed at all. It was very overdue. We royals tend to get... swept up in our work. You know how that is with your studies.” She pointed out and Twilight nodded in confirmation.

“I do. Don’t tell this to the other’s but… this is the first time I’ve EVER gone on a vacation without being forced by my parents. And it’s the longest too. It’s really… different, having friends.” She explained as she stared out the window Luna had just been looking out. She thanked Celestia that Pinkie had her music in and was currently blaring it too loud to hear anything but the soothing sounds of… Polka music? Whatever, it was Pinkie Pie. You don’t ask questions with her.

Luna watched her sister’s student with a look akin to an old man watching his grandchildren graduate. And there was something else mixed in it too, a feeling she’d never admit aloud or even to herself. Jealousy. She plugged in her own music and decided to pass the flight with the soothing mix of over 16.5 hours of smooth jazz she had on her iPod.

Luna closed her eyes for what seemed like only a moment in her eternal life and when she opened them again she saw an all too familiar sight. A barren white rocky landscape stretched out before her. Craters and dust were the only thing that covered the bleak world. The only thing that wasn’t white was the large expanse of stars that stretched out along the horizon. It wasn’t unusual for her dreams to start out this way, she was the goddess of the moon and stars, why would she not dream of them? What was unusual was the black mist that was forming into a mirror image of herself right in front of where she stood. The mist dissipated and Luna backed up a few steps as the figure advanced towards her. She was everything Luna had once wanted to be, tall, powerful, a true princess of the night dressed in what used to be the traditional battle armor of the night gaurd. But there was none of the benevolence or sparing mercy that a princess should have in her cold reptilian like eyes, only malice and burning jealousy that had consumed her before. Her voice contained all the cold bitterness of the night in it as she spoke to Luna.

“Have you missed me fair Luna?” the dark armored woman asked.

Luna tried to summon her magic to combat the woman across from her but she found her connection with it severed. Her entire body felt weakened actually. Her wings felt heavy and her normally strong limbs seemed to have their strength sapped from them. Instead she grit her teeth and glared at the figure across from her. “I thought you died along with my hatred for mine sister you wretched beast!” she hissed.

The woman smirked and took a step forward her hand crackling with sparks of blue magic. “Just because you were released early does not mean I did not still remain here in our prison. You left me here Luna, me. Your only friend. The only one who could ever understand you.” She taunted as she stood right in front of Luna now and ran a single long filed black nail up Luna’s paralyzed face. Luna seemed to find her strength again as she slapped her hand away and retreated a few paces back.

“You were never my friend you cur. You were just the little voice in my head that whispered terrible things to me for eons. My jealousy and hatred for my sister just became too powerful to ignore and it gave you the power to take me over. You are not and nor will you ever be my friend.” She roared in defiance. The shadowy mirror frowned ever so slightly before her devilish smile returned.

“Then who is Luna?” the question caught Luna off guard. She quickly opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by her counterpart summoning illusions of the people she had bonded with over her school year. “Your classmates are only nice to you because you’re a princess.” She mused as she sliced through the illusionary images of the people Luna usually talked to in class dissipating them into mist. She moved onto the girls she knew from her band class. “Your band mates, while more friendly and willing to hang out with you outside of your class have never once asked you a single personal thing about you, other than your tastes in music.” She droned again cutting through their images. Next was the image of the people she had developed a more personal bond with, Twilight and her friends, Spike, and even Starshine was standing there smiling at her. “Your so called friends have only bonded with you because it was your older sister’s influence that set them on their path. One that directly crossed yours, if it weren’t for her they would have never given you a second glance.” She stated before snapping her fingers and their forms vanishing into mist just like the others. Luna felt her heart starting to sink but the woman had one last card to play. The warm image of her older sister stood in front of her now. She reached over and her glowing hand seemed to gently caress Luna’s pale face and a kind smile gave her hope, but it was shattered when the voice she despised kept talking. “And even your dear sister can’t help her true feelings…”

“No…” Luna whispered to herself as the smile started to fade from Celestia’s face.

“That every time she looks at you…”

“NO…!”

“All she sees is US.” Luna’s form merged with hers and she was the very thing that had caused her banishment, the very creature of her nightmares. Celestia’s face looked horrified as Luna towered over her and lashed out at her dissipating her into mist just like everyone else. “We will always be here, inside you Luna. We are a part of you that you will never be rid of, no matter how much you pretend otherwise.” The voice hissed in her ears.

Luna felt someone touch her arm and instantly summoned her magic ready to vaporize the nightmare being where it stood. Her eyes however did not see her nightmare self instead seeing the plaid orange shirt and tanned freckled face of a startled Applejack staring back at her with wide eyes of terror as her hand glowed with teal aura that formed into a solid blade and was pointed right at her neck. But Applejack didn’t seem too bothered by it other than initial shock. “Ya’ll alright sugar cube…? Ya slept through the entire flight but was tossin’ and turnin’ like ya was wrestlin’ a bear in yer sleep!” She pointed out moving her throat away from Luna’s hand as the moon princess lost the terrified and haunted look in her eyes and it was replaced with guilt and sorrow at nearly slicing one of her friend’s throat’s open. A dull voice echoed in her head at the use of the word friend.

“We are alright Applejack, ‘twas simply a bad dream and we overreacted upon our awakening thinking you were the beast that plagued us.” She explained. When she noticed not just Applejack but the other girls and Spike staring at her confused she started to sweat a little more. “Why is everyone staring at us like we have grown a second head…?” she prompted. Twilight cleared her throat a little and gave a nervous smile at the princess.

“Luna, you’re talking in the royal We… again.” She explained pointing at her throat a little. Luna blinked before she blushed and corrected her manner of speaking as quickly as she could.

“Sorry, it still is my natural… accent?” she offered not knowing the proper term for such a thing.

“Fancy lingo aside, we gotta jet guys. It’s almost midnight and we still have to get up for school in the morning.” Rainbow pointed out to everyone. Luna realized for the first time that she could feel her connection to the earth re-established which meant they had landed and were most likely parked waiting to un-board. Luna stood up stretching her limbs and reached in the compartment above her seat to remove her backpack.

The other’s followed her example wordlessly and exited the plane then boarded a limo that would take them back to the school. Not a single one of them dared to ask what could have possibly scared Luna so bad, there were things you just don’t ask immortals. Luna was lost in her own thoughts anyways and didn’t say a word even as the girls and Spike all made lively conversation on the trip to the school. Even when they arrived Luna only gave a short goodbye to everyone before she went into her own room and locked herself in it and placed a seal around it so that she would not be interrupted. She threw her bag on her bed and walked straight to her desk pulling out a sheet of parchment and then uncorking an inkwell before removing one of her feathers and dipping it in the ink to start her letter.

‘Dearest sister, I fear we have made a grave error in one of our earlier assumptions…’

(***AN: Well, summer was fun, I'm in school again, and... That's about it. Oh, and I'll be updating again soon to make up for that all too long dry spell. Even better is the next segment is a two-parter so it'll be back to back updates. I may even do a special where I go into a bit of Q&A you guys might have about this little AU I've created. Oh, and probably pictures of the OC's cutiemarks, so spam the comments or my inbox if you want that. That is all, until next time bronies.***)

Comments

[Zibrony]

She "through" her bag on her bed and walked straight to her desk

threw*

[ShadowBolt94]

3137108 fixed. Lesson in writing kids, don't try and proofread at one AM in the morning.