How I Became An Alicorn...

by ShadowBolt94

Chapter 6

How I Met Your...

Chapter 6: Seasons Greetings

The carriage ride back to Canterlot wasn’t anything Twilight would consider exciting, but when they landed in the castle grounds she was greeted not only by her mentor and half the royal guard as well, but her parents stood nearby along with two more familiar faces that made her almost jump from the carriage before it had properly landed. She rushed over to them with Spike close behind grinning. The tall older teenage male who’s two-toned blue hair was as messy as ever greeted her with a smile that spoke volumes.

“Twiley...! aw man it’s been way too long little sis!” he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the girl and hugged her tightly. The regal looking teenager standing next to him with her tri coloured hair pinned back in a ponytail, wore a pink and purple sweater to fight the cold that came with the snow that blanketed her home.

“We missed you while you were gone Twilight, why didn’t you write like you promised...?” she pouted with a small smile. Twilight’s eyes were brimmed with tears at that point as her old babysitter hugged her as well.

“Shining Armor... Cadence... I missed you both so much!!!” she cried into their shoulders. Her parents, Twilight Velvet and Nightlight, watched with smiles on their faces as they greeted their other son with open arms.

“How are you enjoying high school so far Spike...? Keeping your big sister in check...?” Night Light asked as he nudged his sin with an elbow while his wife fussed over his hair and tried for the umpteenth time to smooth it down with her magic. It didn’t work of course but she still tried.

Spike laughed as his hair bounced back to its full stature and his mom sighed giving in and just hugging him tightly. “I can try, but she’s been pretty occupied lately keeping her own friends in line.” He laughed. “and man do I have some stories to tell about them, well first of there’s this crazy one named Pinkie...” he started while they made their way out of the castle and back to their house in the city, Cadence talking excitedly with Twilight while they got in the car. Celestia and Luna waved them all goodbye and only when they were sure they were gone did Celestia lean down to whisper in her sister’s ear.

“Did you get all the information I asked for...?” she asked. Luna reached into her side bag and pulled out a thick manila folder the word ‘CLASSIFIED’ stamped on it in bold red letters.

“Of course I did, you act like I’m some kind of newbie sister dearest. The school’s security system is far out dated by the way, you might want to look into getting that updated.” She stated as she handed the folder to her sister. She opened it up and flipped through it seeing school pictures of five girls in each of their sections that had specific details involving them and their backgrounds. “But why do you need such information about the girls...? Do you not trust them sister...?” Luna asked looking over her shoulder at the contents. Celestia sighed and closed the folder teleporting it away to her private chambers.

“It isn’t that I don’t trust them Lulu... I just need some study material if I’m going to be entrusting them with my most faithful student’s wellbeing... but enough of that, tell me all about this interesting Astrology teacher of yours...~” she mused with a sly grin on her face. Luna twitched under her sister’s gaze and then bolted for her life for fear of answering her sister’s twisted sense of humour.

Back in Ponyville:

Rarity sighed as she dropped her bags in the door way of her home and was promptly tackled by a white blur. When she opened her eyes she found the smiling face of her baby sister grinning at her with her cotton candy like purple and pink hair bouncing with her. “Rarity...! You’re home! That makes me feel Ec... es.... Mommy what’s that word again...?” Sweetie Belle asked looking back at the woman who was walking towards them her mismatched outfit ever the embarrassment of her oldest daughter.

“Ecstatic Sweetie, and welcome home dear, we were wondering if the weather was keeping you!” Pearl Belle said as she helped her eldest up and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Rarity smiled and shook out her purple curls.

“Heavens no mother, I was simply out with my friends and lost track of time...” she explained as she held Sweetie in her arms tightly. She looked around and noticed the distinct lack of a moustached straw hat wearing man. “Where’s father...?” she asked her mother as she set her sister back on the ground and watched her run back to the living room to watch whatever show she had on.

“Oh, I just sent him down to the market ‘cause we ran out of vinegar, I’m making that fancy salad you love so much for dinner...!” she explained with a bright smile. Rarity’s eyes brightened at this and she beamed as well.

“Oh that sounds wonderful mother~ Do you need any help preparing it...?” she asked as she walked into the kitchen with her mother.

“Oh no Hun, all that’s really left is to make the dressing which is why I needed the vinegar, but you can go play with Sweetie if you want, she’s been waiting all day by the window just waiting for you to come home.” She said pointing towards the living room where Rarity could see Sweetie cuddling the doll Rarity had made her when she was born. It was a rare sight to see the little tot without it and it made Rarity smile.

“Of course mother... Sweetie dear, do you want to come play dress up in my room while I unpack...?” she called into the room. In an instant the tiny girl was attached to her leg.

“Sure Rarity!” she squeaked. Rarity giggled and pried the girl off her using her magic to carry her bags up the stairs and down the small hall into the second largest room in the house only falling behind her parent’s bedroom. True to form Rarity’s room was covered in outfits and spare fabrics. While Sweetie ran to a hope chest at the end of her sister’s large posh bed and dug through it pulling on several princess dresses and about a thousand accessories as well, Rarity busied herself with neatly unpacking her clothes and storing them away in her dresser or hanging them properly in her closet. After a few minutes she heard Sweetie call her name and she turned around smiling as she was hanging a dress of her own on a hanger.

“Yes Sweetie what is- Oh my dear sweet Celestia!!!!!” she exclaimed upon seeing the mess Sweetie had made of not only her hope chest but her own apearence as well. The tiny girl had a pink sequin dress over the one she had already been wearing, a little brown leather vest over that, a pair of high heels that were far too big on her, a feathered boa every shade of the rainbow, bracelets of different styles lining her arms, and horribly applied make up all over her face.

“Do you like it?!” she asked in her squeaky sounding voice. Rarity was a loving older sister, she was, but the atrocity that stood before her was making it very difficult for her to keep her natural instinct of criticizing at bay. She bit her tongue hard before she responded by levitating a box of wet naps from the bathroom so she could wipe off the make-up from her face.

“It was a marvellous first try Sweetie... but perhaps a pretty face like yours doesn’t need any make up yet. Wait until you’re my age for that. And... here, just remove this jacket and take of a few of these bracelets and... there! Now you look like a model ready for the runway darling...!” she exclaimed having found a level of acceptable childish fashion sense. The heels were still far too big for her but the little girl giggled al the same and strutted up and down the room as if to prove what Rarity had said. Rarity smiled and watched her clapping as her little sister did her own little fashion show for her and then performed a mini concert when Rarity changed her outfit to that of a pop star.

Rarity knew her little sister had an amazing voice, even at a young age. She often questioned if she’d earn her Soul-mark, or cutie mark as it had come to be known now a days, in singing. But Sweetie was still young and she’d have plenty of chances to find her own special talent. Maybe now that she had entered elementary school she’d find her talent. Rarity prayed that her sister didn’t have the same misfortune she had of not getting her mark until she’d just entered middle school. That had been terrible. But those days were behind her now and Sweetie was still plenty young. While the younger sister was in the middle of her encore performance they both heard heavy footsteps come up the stairs and seconds later the door opened wide to reveal a grinning man with a thick moustache obscuring his grin a bit and the straw hat he always wore obscuring his thick eyebrows.

“I heard there was a pair of princesses up here but it looks like one of ‘me has gone and turned into a pretty little pop star...!” he chuckled. Rarity smiled as Sweetie Belle ran up and tackled her father and knocked his hat off his head. The older sister walked over and giggled as she picked up her father’s hat and looked down at him.

“We were just waiting for the ever tacky king to return to his castle... honestly father, when ARE you going to stop wearing this old thing...?” she asked holding up the hat to him as he stood back up cradling Sweetie as he did so and chuckling as he took the hat back but didn’t set it on his head.

“Aw, it’s nice to see you too Hun.” He mused kissing the top of her head. Rarity smiled despite herself and hugged her father and kissed his forehead as well noticing for the thousandth time the distinct lack of a crest on it. She backed away and smiled at him. It wasn’t uncommon in Equestria to marry outside your direct species, a magic user like her mother taking an Earth-bound as a husband wasn’t unusual in little towns like Ponyville. But the higher class seemed to think otherwise and reminded Rarity of it frequently when they met her parents. Some preached about having ‘pure blood’ and mocked her because of her heritage. She however, in all her grace, was above such insults and never let them get to her... well, she didn’t now. It bothered her a lot when she was younger but her mother had set her straight when she’d asked about it. She told her of how her grandparents had once greatly disapproved of Magnum, and it wasn’t until Rarity was born that they gave in and accepted him as a son in law. Her mother often called her the gem of the family because of that. Perhaps that was what had sparked her interest in gems in the first place.

Either way Rarity was content with her life as it was, her magic wasn’t weakened by her father’s blood, if anything she thought his connection with the earth was what helped her with her affinity for the Jewels buried beneath its surface. When they sat down to eat their dinner Rarity was greeted by the surprising aroma of not only salad, but also the sweeter smell of apples. She found the fruit cut up in chunks in the salad and questioningly glanced at her mother.

“Oh, well you see the market was having a big sale on apples today so I decided to pick up a few to mix into the salad, I know it isn’t the way I usually make it but I figured I’d try something new... it isn’t bad is it...?” her mother asked her accent making her voice sound more concerned than it actually was. Rarity stared down at the fruit on her plate and smiled at the familiar face it brought to mind, the tanned skin, freckled face, and honest green eyes that had driven her insane over the last few months with her frank nature. She smiled and shook her head.

“No mother... I think apples would make a lovely addition to my favourite dish.” She said as she took a fork full up and chewed it thoughtfully. Her mother beamed happily as the rest of her family dug in as well and enjoyed it all the same. As Rarity ate she couldn’t help but wonder how the farmer was doing in her own home...

Sweet Apple Acres, that very moment in time:

Big Mac and Applejack had had to stop at the market on the way home to get a few spices their grandmother had asked them to get so they were a bit delayed in getting home as the weather outside worsened. But despite that they made it home to find Granny fast asleep in her rocking chair while their baby sister was playing with a tiny fluffy puppy that was licking her face while it had her pinned to the carpet. Big Mac smiled at the sight as he held AJ’s luggage over his shoulder and AJ set the bag from the market on the counter and her backpack on the floor next to the door of the farm house.

“What’s the matter Applebloom, Winona got you pinned like a hog already...?” she chuckled as she watched the puppy lick the little girl all over her face. Both Applebloom and Winona seemed to notice the new arrivals for the first time and they both ran towards them. Well, Winona ran and Applebloom stumbled over her feet because her little legs were too short to run properly. Applejack and Mac both laughed at that as she picked herself up and decided to jog over instead and Applejack picked her up grinning at the red haired tyke who wore the big bow Granny had given her on her first birthday in her hair.

“Ah missed ya so much AJ...! Granny said you’d come by more often but Ah haven’t seen you in months...!”Applebloom pouted. For someone who was only five she could speak quite fluently. Given she already had a heavy accent but it was still understandable.

“Aw shoot AB, now you got me feelin’ all kinds of guilty...! Ah’m sorry Ah haven’t been around much... but school’s been mighty taxin’ as of late an Ah’m findin’ it harder and harder ta break away!” she explained with a small guilty smile on her face.

“That’s right lil’ Bloomer, your Sis needs ta focus on her edumi... eduma... Mac what was that there fancy word fer schoolin’...?” Granny asked the large red shirted man.

“Education Granny.” He replied as he stirred whatever was stirring on the stove in the kitchen.

“Right, that.” Granny finished with a nod. Applejack smiled at the old matron of the Apple family and went over to hug her.

“Thank ya kindly fer defending me Granny, sorry Ah woke ya though...” she mumbled in the elder Apple’s ear.

“It ain’t a problem youngin, Ah was due to be wakin up anyhow... oh consarnit, that pup ate up mah slippers again...!” she protested seeing the green fluff of her slippers all over the rug. Winona barked happily and wagged her tail playfully before she jumped up in the matron’s lap and licked her face. “Why if I wer’ ten years younger an’ you were a year older you’d of had your tail kicked by now pup...” she muttered scratching behind her ears despite her obvious annoyance with the tiny puppy. Applebloom got the saddest pouty face when she heard her grandmother say that.

“You’d hit lil’ Winona Granny?!” she asked tears brimming her golden eyes that matched her grandma’s almost perfectly. Granny was caught between a rock and a hard place at that point in time and she looked to Applejack to save her. She did by clearing her throat and scooping up AB and Winona into her arms.

“Of course she wouldn’t hurt the pup AB, but she does need ta be taught not ta chew on our stuff or else she’ll make it a habit, ya understand...?” she asked as she walked over to the table Big Mac had just finished setting up. Applebloom nodded as AJ sat her down in her booster seat at the table and set Winona down on the floor next to her food dish which was filled with soft puppy chow. Granny shuffled over to the head of the table and everyone, even Winona, didn’t move a muscle towards their food until she had sat down. But then it was pretty much like a pack of wild animals going at a food trough. Well, except Applejack who found herself remembering the months of table manners Rarity had re instilled into her and ate at a pace that could pass for normal compared to her other family members. Big Mac paused long enough to notice his sister’s odd behaviour.

“You feelin’ alright AJ...?” he asked when he noticed she had only finished half of her first plate when he had already gone back for thirds.

Applejack looked up like she had been in a trance and blinked a few times before she laughed and hit her forehead with the heel of her palm. “Sorry ‘bout that Mac, Ah’m just used to havin’ Rare yell at me ta use table manners...” she explained before she really dug into her food and Mac and Granny exchanged looks.

“Would ya mean that purple haired fashion doll you’re always complain’ about when ya do call home...?” Granny asked as now even Applebloom paused in her consumption of chicken fingers drowned in gravy. Applejack choked a little on her food and swallowed after pounding her chest a bit.

“D-did Ah really call ‘er that...?” she asked in disbelief.

“Eeyup...” Big Macintosh replied with a nod. Applejack looked down at her lap frowning slightly.

“Well... she ain’t all that bad... she’s still a premadona sure, but it ain’t like she’s hurtin’ anyone... She’s actually real nice once you get past the fancy stuff... Don’t get me wrong now, she still rubs me raw like butchered beef, but Ah guess Ah rub right back now. That an’ Fluttershy don’ really like it much when we argue... she can be mighty convincin’ when she wants ta...” Applejack said with a shudder at the last bit. Applebloom decided it was her turn to ask a question this time.

“Wait a minute... is that the one that’s crazier than a bat or the one that kicks your can at track...?” she asked curiously. Applejack frowned slightly.

“Okay, first off RD does NOT kick mah can at anythin’ I just forget ta stretch sometimes... second, it’s neither, Fluttershy is the one that’s good with animals.” Applejack informed her.

“Ohhhh... so which one is the crazy one then...?” AB asked biting into one of her chicken tenders as she did so.

“That’d be Pinkie Pie... though she ain’t really crazy or nothin’, she just acts like it sometimes. She’s the one who works in the bakery in town that Mac takes you to when he bribes you to not tell me somethin’.” She stated flatly with Mac effectively choking on the water he was drinking. “Yeah that’s right big guy, Ah know all about that. Pinkie’s a regular ol’ stool pigeon when ya give her some caffeinated soda.” AJ remarked with a slight smirk. Suddenly Big Mac looked very uncomfortable as he was pulling at his shirt collar and avoiding his sister’s eye. Granny chuckled a bit.

“Shame on you Macky, thinkin’ you could hide anything from an Apple girl, I thought your Pa taught you better than that.” She laughed as she ate her mashed potatoes that were also drowning in gravy. Big Mac was again fighting a losing battle as he stared at the three females that took up residence with him. Even the dog was a girl, the only male company Mac ever got was if he went into town and got to talk with Carrot Cake while he was making a delivery. Males seemed to be pretty scarce in Ponyville for some odd reason.

‘Ah swear to Celestia the next pet we get had better be male or Ah’m gonna go insane...’ he fumed in his mind while he glanced back down at his plate and his family tried to poke and prod him with words to get him to spill his beans. Good thing he wasn’t eating beans tonight.

In a Taxi on its way to an even smaller town far away from the hustle and bustle of Ponyville:

Pinkie sat in her seat of the cab her ear buds plugged into the handheld game she was playing so she wouldn’t disturb the driver. She stuck her tongue out a bit in concentration as she was beating the boss when she felt the car come to a halt. Outside her window she could see the bleak rocky terrain of her family’s farm and the worse for wear grey farm house they all lived in together, it looked like her father had added a fresh coat of paint to it since she’d been there last. She paused the game and smiled ever so slightly as she tucked it away in the purse she had over her shoulder. The cab driver smiled back at her.

“Here ya’ are Pinkie, that’ll be twenty bits for the ride.” He said with a chuckle in his laugh when he saw her surprised face.

“Whoa, shouldn’t it be like way higher than that, Stripes…?” she asked pulling out her wallet. Racing Stripes smiled again and shook his head before he removed his hat and scratched at his greying hair.

“Fer you Miss Pie, I’m offering a holiday discount. Now say hi to your folks fer me ‘kay…?” he said as she handed him the money and stepped out of the cab to collect her bags from the trunk. She waved him goodbye giving him a big grin as she thanked him and wished him a happy holidays before he drove off. She watched him for a bit before she heard the door open behind her and a smaller girl with dark grey hair and grey-purple eyes peeked out into the cold to find the bright pink contrast of her older sister standing in the walkway watching a cab fade away in the distance. Her eyes lit up as she shot out the door and ran to her sister in nothing but her loose grey work shorts and a long worn white t-shirt.

“Pinkie!!!” she cried as she wrapped her arms around her sister from behind. Pinkie giggled a bit as she turned around to face her sister who honestly didn’t look all that younger than her considering there was only about a year’s age gap between them.

“Inkie, I’m happy to see you too silly but what are you doing out here in the cold dressed like that?!” she asked her tone taking on a surprisingly mature nature. Inkie Let go and seemed to feel the cold for the first time as she shuddered and rubbed her arms a bit. She wasn’t even wearing any shoes.

“S-sorry… g-g-g-got excited…” she reasoned as Pinkie ushered her back inside dragging her luggage behind her. She didn’t really have much, she’d left most of it back in Ponyville because she would only be staying for a few days and she still had a lot of her clothes there at the farm. When she walked in and shut the door behind her Pinkie was greeted by the tired but happy expressions of her remaining family. Her father, Clyde Pie, was reading the newspaper but upon hearing his little ray of sunshine arrive he threw it on the table and beamed at her as did her mother Sue Pie who had been waiting for some water to boil in the kitchen. Her remaining sister, Blinkie, came running down the stairs when she heard the commotion and grinned at the sight of her younger sister.

This was one of the few times the Pie’s could honestly smile. Pinkie was their splotch of colour in their bleak lives and they cherished her greatly for it.

“Welcome home dearest Pinkamena, how have your studies under the Cake’s been going…?” Her father asked after they had disbanded the family hug.

“Pretty awesome, Mr and Mrs Cake taught me a HUUUUUUUUGE bunch about baking so far, and all my schoolwork’s been a breeze too!” Pinkie replied cheerfully with a small bounce as she did so. Blinkie and Inkie giggled at her actions but Sue just smiled and brought everyone into their small living area to sit down and talk.

“Did you make any new friends dear…? I know how much you wanted to get to know EVERYONE there but that sounded like a bit much to me.” Her mother asked as she stroked her daughter’s poofy pink curls.

“Actually I’ve made friends with almost everyone on campus! There’s a few meanies in the lot though so I left them alone!” she stated making a face when she mentioned the group. “Oh! And you know all those girls I tell you about in my letters?! Well I just found out some HUUUUUGE news about two of them! The two Cloud-walkers in the group, the ones who are childhood friends and come from Cloudsdale, They’re apparently from the two richest families in the city!!!” She exclaimed bouncing in her seat a bit as she did so. Her families shock was moderate but her father looked pretty interested at what she said next. “Yeah, the super shy one, Fluttershy, her dad bred the first could-crops and apparently struck them rich fast! She doesn’t really seem to flaunt it but I guess some rich people are just like that, Though that would explain why she’s weirdly good with plants and stuff too… huh. Oh! And the other one, the one with rainbow hair that flies faster than a jet, comes from this loooooooong line of powerful business owners, they own the entire weather factory and all its branches and stuff too! Isn’t that just weird? She’s like the exact OPOSITE of those fancy schmancy people, and I find out she’s one of them?! I almost exploded from shock!” she explained demonstrating blowing up to the great amusement of her sisters. Her father however was stroking his beard in thought.

“You say the shy one’s father invented some kind of plants that can grow on clouds and he struck it rich just from that…?” he asked his middle daughter who nodded.

“Yeah, but Flutters said something about him opening up a lot of cloud farms too so I guess that’s another way they keep up their profits too…” she explained with as shrug of indifference. “Why Pop…? You wanna start growing crops out of rocks…?” she asked with a giggle, her sisters joining her and even her mother giving out a short chortle. Her father seemed to snap out of his state and chuckled a bit himself scratching the back of his head.

“I suppose that does sound a bit funny doesn’t it? Rock plants…” he said with a small unsure chuckle. Sue heard the timer go off in the kitchen and smiled when Pinkie’s ears perked and her nose tried to smell what had been cooking.

“I made an old favourite of yours Pinkamena, fireball stew and lava cake for dessert~” she hummed as she walked into the kitchen and pulled out the fiery red cake from the oven and when Pinkie ran in she could smell the strong spices of the stew as well. Seven different spices, five different peppers, and a special sauce that her Granny Pie had made when she was Pinkie’s age; it had to be cooked in a special cast iron boiler so the heat wouldn’t melt the metal. The cake was made similarly but instead it just had ghost pepper juice and a good helping of rainbow essence to give it kick. It was a very extravagant meal for them since the cost of it all was normally out of their price range.

“Awww, Momma you shouldn’t have, I would have been happy with just a simple soup and pound cake.” Pinkie sighed shaking her head but drooling a bit at the smell of it all. Sue smiled and hugged her daughter tightly.

“For what you’ve given us Pinkie, you deserve it all. Now, no fussing, go upstairs, unpack and wash up for supper while your sisters set the table.” She ordered pointing up the rickety old stair case that lead to the cramped upper level where she shared a room with her sisters and her parents room was across the hall with a tiny bathroom at the end of the hallway. Pinkie sighed but smiled anyways.

“Yes Ma’am…” she giggled as she grabbed her suitcase and bounced up the stairs. When she was in her room she walked over to her cot like bed that was in the corner and had bright colourful paintings all over the wall and a bunch of handmade stuffed animals scattered across its pink sheets. She sat down on the bed only stopping for a brief moment to pull the precious egg out of the heated glass pod of an incubator in her bag and hold it close to her chest as she fell back letting her curls spray every which way as she took in the deep smell of old wood and the ever present earthy smell the mountains gave off. “I missed this so much Eggy… I missed seeing my family smiling at me all the time, and I missed grey bleakness of the rocks… I know, it sounds crazy, but this is my home… and it’s yours too! Remember when I found you in that little pond not too far from here…? You were all alone, the only bland coloured thing in that colourful pond with all those flowers… you were the exact opposite of me all the way out here. Maybe we’ll go back there tomorrow if it’s not too cold… Oh, right, I was supposed to wash up for dinner. I’ll be back Eggy, you just sit there and stay cute.” She cooed kissing it lightly and placing it back in the heated incubator and locking it tight so as not to let the cold air get to him. When she was out of the room the tiny white egg wiggled and a small crack appeared along its side.

Far away from the bleak landscape of the rock farm in a flying carriage that had just landed on the higher end of Cloudsdale:

Fluttershy watched outside the window as the ground below them soared by. She didn’t like heights but she couldn’t help but admire the beauty of it all from up here. She noticed the towering city of clouds approaching and she looked over at her sleeping companion. It was about a two hour flight from Ponyville to Cloudsdale so Rainbow Dash had taken it as an opportunity to take a cat nap. She gently shook Rainbow awake and giggled when she noticed her hair had started to stick up at weird angles.

“Huh…? Oh… *yawn* Are we there already…? Mmm… wait, why are you laughing Flutters…?” she asked as Fluttershy had been consumed by giggles when she saw that Rainbow’s hair now looked like a cross between a rainbow macaw and a peacock. Rainbow looked into the window to see her reflection and groaned when she saw her hair. She tried to smooth it down while Fluttershy controlled her laughter.

“I… whew… I’m sorry Rainbow… you just looked so silly like that!” she explained as her friend dug through her backpack for her brush.

“It’s fine, I’ll consider it payback for that sleepover three years ago when me and G spiked your hair up in spikes while you were asleep.” Dash replied as she found her brush and styled her hair back to its normal messy style. The amusement in Fluttershy’s face drained away at the mention of the nickname. Dash didn’t seem to notice though as seconds later they felt the carriage land. It came to a halt and the driver went to open the door for them.

“We’ve arrived madams Dashington and Gentius.” He said with a deep bow his cream coloured wings at full attention out of respect. He helped Fluttershy out of the cart but Dash just jumped out grinning and stretching her limbs.

“Man it feels great to be out of there…! Hey, thanks for coming to pick us up in that crap weather Jimmy, here, keep the change.” She said handing the middle aged driver a few large spoken bills before she grabbed her bags off the top of the carriage. The driver sighed as he shoved the bills in his pocket.

“Madam Dashington, I thought I made it clear that my name is James not-“

“Yeah yeah, Jimmy, same old story. Come on ‘Shy. Our moms are gonna turn over Cloudsdale looking for us if we’re late.” She said as she carried not only her own bags but Fluttershy’s as well. The pink haired girl stopped and thanked James for his service before she ran after her friend leaving the driver smiling and waving after them.

“Those two never change…” he chuckled as he climbed back into his seat and took off towards the carriage station.

After walking a few blocks the two of them came to the tell-tale gates of the grand Gentius mansion and Fluttershy was greeted by the guards who stood watch at the gate as they swung open for her and Dash. They walked in to find a group of familiar faces waiting for them. A tall beautiful woman with the body of a Greek goddess and sunshine yellow hair and bright blue eyes was talking with a woman who was likewise very beautiful but shorter in height and had curly pink and magenta hair that she kept mid length just below her ears, her magenta eyes never left the woman she spoke with. Behind them were a pair of men, one abnormally tall and built better than most earthbound could hope to be, with deep green hair and matching forest green eyes. His companion had rainbow hued hair much like Dash’s but he had golden eyes instead and they didn’t waver from the green ones that spoke to him until they all heard the door open up.

Rainbowshine, the shorter woman with the magenta hair and eyes that also happened to be Dash’s mother, was the first to greet the pair as Rainbow dropped the luggage and some servants came to take it away.

“Dashie darling, and Fluttershy dearest! You’re late again; Sunny and I were starting to get worried about you two!” she cooed taking both of the girls in a tight hug. Sunnyskies, Fluttershy’s mother walked over to them her pale yellow wings opened lightly as she took her daughter into her hold and cradled her gently.

“Yes indeed, Fluttershy dear whatever could have taken you so long to arrive…?” she asked moving her daughter’s pink hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

“Oh, um… we were out with our friends and- meep!” she exclaimed as powerful broad arms scooped her up and hugged her tightly as her father’s deep voice sobbed.

“Flutters Daddy is so sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrry!!!!” he cried as he hugged her, his powerful green wings drooping as he did so. Fluttershy, all 5 feet of her at the time, was being crushed by her 7’8 father’s bear hug as he sobbed into her pink hair. She gently tried to pat her fathers back despite losing all the air in her lungs.

“There… there… Daddy… Daddy I can’t… breathe…!” she gasped. He quickly loosened his grip but still held her out in his arms to get a good look at her his eyes still streaming tears as she caught her breath. Behind him Prismbolt, or just Bolt, clapped his friend on the back and smiled.

“Come on Jolly, set her down and let the girl get some oxygen back in her brain so she can think straight.” He chuckled. Jollygreen sniffled as he set his baby girl back down and took the handkerchief his friend offered him and wiped his eyes and blew his nose in it. Rainbow Dash watched from the doorway her face a resemblance to the ‘Seriously?!’ meme guy at that moment. Sunny giggled at her practical daughter’s face.

“Come on Dashie, you think they call him the Gentle Jollygreen Giant for nothing…?” she laughed patting her shoulder softly. “He’s always been that emotional, ever since elementary school at least.” She giggled her blue eyes glinting mischievously. Fluttershy may have gotten her looks from her mother but it was obvious looking at the pair that was currently apologizing to each other like it was an argument that she got her sensitive and kind nature from her father.

A soft voice sounded softly in her ear making every hair on Rainbows head stand on edge. “Daddy’s always been a big softy, especially for cuties like Flutters, wouldn’t you say Lizzy~?” Rainbow flew up so fast she left a dent in the cloud floor. She turned around and glared knowing there was only one person that called her that name.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to come in until tomorrow Ivy…!” she growled through clenched teeth. Ivorykey pouted slightly crossing her arms and using her soft white wings to fly up and look Rainbow in the eye. She had silky white hair that was long like her mother’s and sister’s but didn’t curl at the ends and instead wrapped around side ivy, it also had deep green streaks running through it like her father, but she had her mother’s sky blue eyes and playful nature.

“I was Lizzy, but then I found out you and Flutter’s were coming in today and just HAD to meet you here.” She smirked as a third man walked in the door with a covered baby basket in his hands. Rainbow saw him and beamed. She flew down to him as Sunny and Shine took the baby, Cloudstreak, away and coddled him while he slept. His wind swept styled blue hair looked a bit out of place but his matching eyes lightened when he saw the girl.

“Wave Chill, how’ve ya been…? I see the tyke is wearing you out on your supposed ‘vacation’” she laughed with a huge grin on her face. The young Wonderbolt chuckled as he ruffled her hair.

“First rule of being a new parent kid: if you’re not tired you’re not doing it right.” He explained as he watched the servants bring in the rest of the bags. When Ivy had started dating him two years ago Rainbow couldn’t believe she could get as lucky as dating a Wonderbolt, even if he was a rookie. When they got married a few months later Rainbow was ecstatic and when his team performed at the wedding she had almost exploded from happiness. She was more excited than Fluttershy and SHE was one of the bridesmades! When Dash and Flutters heard the news of Ivy being pregnant just before middle school ended Fluttershy had burst out in tears of joy at the thought of having a little niece or nephew, and Dash had shed tears of joy as well that there would be another future Wonderbolt for her to train.

Rainbow watched the little guy open his eyes for the first time, he had only been born a few weeks ago so this was her and Fluttershy’s first time meeting him. He was currently being held by Sunny but ‘Shy was right beside her ready to take him at any moment. That girl was a natural predator to all things infant, and if there was one thing Fluttershy would ever use her vast wealth for, it was baby stuff. Dash peered over at the tyke curiously. He had a small plume of white hair on top of his head and Rainbow could see a small streak of his father’s blue in it as well, but his eyes made her halt in place. He had Fluttershy’s sea green eyes. Fluttershy took him carefully in her arms as she sat on the love seat beside her mother and Dash couldn’t help but think they looked more like mother and child than Aunt and child. Ivy nudged her in her side gently.

“Don’t be scared Dash, go say hi. He doesn’t bite… yet.” She added with a small giggle. Dash slowly walked over as Sunny stood up and motioned for her to sit down beside ‘Shy. Rainbow cautiously sat down and peeked over at the bundle that was wrapped in a light blue baby sized parka to keep out the cold. Fluttershy smiled over at her.

“Say hello to Auntie Dashie Cloudstreak…” she breathed softly as she angled him so he could see Dash. Rainbow froze up for a second when he looked straight at her but then he cooed a bit and he smiled. She could see a tiny pair of white wings flap out under the blanket he was bundled in and blinked in surprise before a smile broke out across her face and she brought a hand close to him. He took on of her fingers in his tiny fist and she felt him squeeze it. “Aww… he likes you Dashie, you want to hold him…?” Flutters asked moving him a bit closer for her to take. Rainbow Dash hesitated unsure if she should but she slowly reached out and took him cradling him awkwardly in her arms. Fluttershy giggled and corrected her posture with gentle nudges and Cloudstreak giggled at her softly.

“Oh, you think that’s funny huh pipsqueak…?” she grunted frowning a bit as colour painted her cheeks in embarrassment that even an infant was laughing at her.

Cloudstreak however was thoroughly amused and kept giggling as her face reddened more. Dash eventually sighed and gave in finding the kid too cute to stay mad at.

“You are sooooo your mother’s son kid… actually, you don’t even look like your dad, you like a mini Ivy… except for this puff of hair… makes you look like a cotton ball. Hehe… that’s what I’m calling you now Cottonball.” She giggled as she grinned and held him up in the air letting the blanket fall away to fully reveal his little white wings which flapped like he was trying to fly already. Fluttershy giggled and smiled at Rainbow.

“He REALLY likes you now… I didn’t know you were any good with kids Rainbow.” She commented when Rainbow cradled him back in her arms. Rainbow looked up to reply but found herself nose to nose with the shy pink haired girl instead. They both started to blush and they heard a camera click and then flash. Rainbow turned her head sharply to see Ivy grinning and holding her camera.

“This one’s going in the scrap book~” she sang with a cheeky smile that made Dash’s hair stand on end. Dash quickly handed the kid to Fluttershy and ran after Ivy who had taken off up the stairs as fast as lightning.

“GET BACK HERE AND DELETE THAT PICTURE GENTIUS!!!!!” She roared as she flew after her wings pounding as she soared through the mansion.

“It’s amazing how similar our daughters are isn’t it Jolly…?” Bolt asked with a grin. Jolly let out a hearty chuckle and nodded in agreement.

“Indeed they are Bolt… say, I think Dinner’s about ready. What say we go chow down while we wait for the girls to tear the mansion apart…?” he asked jabbing a meaty thumb over to the dining room. Bolt’s stomach rumbled in reply and Jolly laughed and patted his friend on the back so hard it nearly knocked him over. “I believe that’s a yes! Come on Bolt, let’s see if you can live up to your name!” he laughed as he spread his powerful green wings and took off racing towards the kitchen.

“Oh, it is so ON!” Bolt snickered as he raced after him grey-blue wings pounding. Sunny and Shine sighed and shook their heads watching their husbands race off just the same as their daughters had. Sunny reached down and scooped up Cloudstreak from Fluttershy’s arms while Shine nudged the girl up.

“Come along Fluttershy dear, if we want to have a chance at getting anything decent to eat we’d best hurry before your father swallows the table whole.” She mused knowing the man all too well since the four had been friends since high school.

Fluttershy however was still light headed from being so close to Dash. What had made her react like that…? Her and Dash had always been close so to get embarrassed now over something as small as touching noses… she was going to be up late tonight thinking about this… She heard a crashing sound from in the foyer where they had been and turned back to see Dash and Ivy wrestling over the small black camera.

“Not bad for a broad who just had a kid…” Rainbow stated through grit teeth as Ivy pinned her still smirking.

“And you’re not too bad for a scrawny little girl.” Ivory retorted her pearly white teeth gleaming. Rainbow’s eyes gleamed at that and the fire of rivalry was sparked. She brought her legs up under the older woman over her and used them to flip her over and pin her down.

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this kid is all grown up now, and she’s learned quite a few new moves thanks to a little hayseed from the sticks on the surface.” She sneered as she took the camera triumphantly and deleted the photo before Ivy could recover. “There. Now let’s go eat, I feel like I could eat a horse right now.” She groaned letting the white haired woman up. Ivy dusted herself off watching Dash go before she smirked and picked up her camera pressing the ‘undo’ button on it to bring back up the picture that had once been deleted.

“Don’t worry little Lizzy and ‘Shy… Big sis Ivy’s gonna get you two together if it kills her…” she snickered before she shoved the camera in her pocket and made her way over to the kitchen.

[*** Author's Note: Well Hello there every pony, I know I'm a day late but an annoying little bug has been going around latley and it seems it decided to suck me dry of any and all health I had. So I'll be recovering and I'll post the second part of this soon but for now I need to sleep this off... and possibly die. Dieing sounds pretttttttty good right now actually. *Pinkie pops out of laptop screen* OH MY DEAR SWEET CELESTIA!!!!!!!!!! *Falls back in chair* Pinkie: NO! You can't die until you finish this story or else the mass populace will dig you up and use necromancy to bring you back...! Shadow: Uhhhh... Pinkie... do you even know what Necromancy IS...? Pinkie: Sure, Twilight showed me! I used it to make myself a an undead army...! Shadow: And... why would you need an undead army...? Pinkie: So I can throw a party that never ends DUH...! Shadow: . . . I'm gonna sign off guys, obviously I've had too much cold medicine, goodbye for now.***]

Comments

[leroyjenkins]

Pinkie... forever breaking the fourth wall

[El Dante]

Eek, look out!

You're still getting hit with downs.

Better give those earlier chapters a brush-up before you fall back into the negatives!

I'll do what I can to help you edit, but if you could PM me your email so I can get it back to you?

(Also, to reply to comments you hover over it until you see a button with a speech bubble.)

[ShadowBolt94]

Ah, sorry, sometimes I do forget to reply, Pinkie is infact going to be my main fourth wall breaker. Twilight and Nyx may break it a few times as well though. Actually I think at this rate Pinkie shattered the fourth wall.

[ShadowBolt94]

2120056 On it Dante.

[Icarus Crimsonhoof]

So many interesting characters.

[Pencil Lead]

Just one thing. When you say someone's name keep it that way. I present evidence A.

Nightlight, watched with smiles on their faces as they greeted their other son with open arms.
“How are you enjoying high school so far Spike...? Keeping your big sister in check...?” Night Light

In the time of 24 words Nightlight's/Night Light's name got changed. That is all. G'bye!