> The Middle Pony
>  by AutumnSky98
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s official. 

Twilight Sparkle has been the Princess of Friendship for a little over a year now. She’s an exceptional scholar, powerful magic user, passionate star-gazer, great friend AND many, many other things. However, Twilight is NOT a morning pony.

“Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!” 

The purple coated alicorn princess groans and rolls over, burrowing her way back under the covers of her bed as her alarm continues to blare. 

Her ear flicks as a soft chuckle alerts her of somepony else’s presence in her bedroom. 

“Good Morning Twily.”

The young Princess sits bolt upright as the voice registers in her head, her violet eyes opening to a sight that has her smiling brighter than the rising sun. 

“Lavender!” Twilight exclaims, practically tripping over herself as she gets out of bed to give her big sister a big hug. 

“It’s good to know some things don’t change,” Lavender says with a light chuckle, happily returning her sister’s hug. 

“Come. I’ve already prepared breakfast. I’ve been informed that you’re rather busy at the moment,” Lavender comments, moving toward the door, a question in her eyes. 

Twilight simply smiles at her, giving her mane and tail a quick brush through, before following her out into the hall. 

“Yeah. The summer sun celebration’s coming up, and we have SO much to catch up on! How was Canterlot? Did you give my regards to Princess Celestia and Luna? Were you able to complete your task at the palace gardens? Did you check out the library while you were there? What about Shining? I’m pretty sure he was in Canterlot while you were there, did you guys get the chance to meet up?”

Lavender can only smile sweetly, her eyes soft. She’s glad to see her little sister again… And not quite sure when she’s supposed to answer all of those questions. 

Though, when Lavender realises that Twilight has stopped speaking, she takes the silence as her cue. 

“Canterlot was just as I remember it Twily. There’s not much new to tell in that regard, and, of course, I remembered to give your regards to the Princesses, they said to return them with a smile; and yes, I did complete the remodelling job of the palace gardens, they were in such a terrible state, what with the gardener out sick. The library was wonderful. I even managed to borrow two books that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to get my hooves on. Shining though… I met with him briefly, but he seemed pretty distracted, and I didn’t get a chance to ask him about it, since I didn’t see him after my first week in Canterlot had passed.”

Twilight frowns, taking note of Lavender’s thoughtful look and worried expression. 

“That’s weird,” Twilight comments, as the two sisters enter the kitchens. 

“Are you sure he wasn’t just busy after having returned from his honeymoon with Cadance?” Twilight asks, as the two sisters take a seat at the dining table. 

Lavender opts to answer with a shake of her head. 
“No, it looked like he was somehow bothered by something.” She shrugs. 

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious, but I’m sure he’d tell us if it was. So, why don’t we enjoy these violet, blueberry pancakes before they get cold?” Lavender says, chasing Twilight’s worried expression away with a smile. 

“You don’t have to tell me twice. Bon appetite,” Twilight says, immediately digging in to the pancakes stacked in front of her. 

Lavender merely smiles softly, her ear twitching as she hears the clicking of claws in the castle corridor. 

“Good morning Spike. Would you like to join us for breakfast?” Lavender asks, just as Spike starts walking past the two sisters. 

“Nah, I’m good, I still have to…”

The tired dragon finally recognises the voice, and, not to mention, the scent in the dining room, before turning around to see his favourite aunt sitting across from Twilight. 

“Lavender!” The young dragon beams, jumping into the pony’s hooves and wrapping his hands around her neck in a welcoming hug. 

“Good morning,” She greets him, setting Spike down in favour of offering him his own plate of sapphire amethyst pancakes. “Just the way you like them,” Lavender adds with a wink and smile, as she watches the young dragon disappear into the kitchen. 

“He’s grown a little since I’ve been gone,” She observes, causing Twilight to almost choke, quickly dousing her coughing fit with a glass of water. 

“Really? You saw him three months ago, and I just measured him last month,” Twilight finally manages to say, her sister’s uncanny ability to notice the smallest of changes always manages to catch her unawares at the most inopportune of moments. 

“I think it’s the gems. He’s slowly nearing his teenage years, so the more he eats his favourite gem, the more he’ll develop naturally,” Lavender replies, finishing the last of her pancake. She never had much of an appetite, part of the reason she had such an awesome figure WITHOUT needing to diet. 

Twilight rolled her eyes at her own thoughts. 
It was illogical to be jealous. 

“…Oh?” Twilight looks up at hearing her sister’s questioning exclamation. 

Seeing her looking toward the throne room, the two ponies enter, only to see the map of Equestria active and glowing. 

“What in…?” Twilight doesn’t get to finish her sentence, since, in that moment, Spike called out to her. 

“Twilight!” The young dragon runs into the throne room, a scroll in hand. 

“It’s from the Crystal Empire.”

That has two sets of pony eyes widening as Twilight moves to take the scroll… Only to have Spike give her a look of gentle rebuke and confusion, and retract his hand a little bit. 
“It’s for Lavender Night,” He explains. 

Twilight can only nod, knowing that is must be serious for Spike to be calling her sister by her full name. She turns towards her sister, only to gasp. 

On the map of Equestria, a cutie mark is hovering, spinning and glowing. But it doesn’t belong to any of the mane six. Nonetheless, Twilight recognises that rippling circle of liquid just touching the lowest point of a six-pointed silver star in front of a pale pink flower petal. 

After all, it’s her sister’s cutie mark. 

Lavender and Twilight share a nod, and Spike releases the scroll when it’s encircled by Lavender’s pale purple magic aura.  
The pony breaks the seal on the scroll, and reads the letter with wide eyes. 

“My dearest Lavender Night, 

I apologise for inconveniencing you so soon after your last assignment, but it seems a matter of dire consequence has befallen the Crystal Empire. 

As you well know, Princess Mi amore Cadenza and your brother, Shining Armor, recently returned from their honeymoon. 
Shortly after their return, the Princess feel ill. It wasn’t anything serious, at first, but Shining isn’t letting any medical ponies near Cadance, since her pain has recently gotten much worse; 

I’m afraid your brother is letting his instincts get the better of him in this instance, so, I’m issuing a royal decree that you are to travel to the Crystal Empire within an hour of reading this letter to help cure the Princess of whatever illness is ailing her. 

Please pack only the necessities. 

I’ll be expecting a weekly report of your progress, and, anything that you may need will, of course, be at your disposal. 

Safe travels, and good luck, 

Princess Celestia.”

Rerolling the scroll, Lavender quickly puts it into her saddlebag, and explains the situation to her sister. 

“I’ll come too,” Twilight says. Only to have her brow crease in confusion as her sister shakes her head. 

“No. You’re needed here. The summer sun celebration is almost upon us, and your own work cannot be left unattended either; I’ll keep in touch, and update you if anything should happen, but you will only come once you’ve competed ALL of your royal duties,” Lavender explains, her voice firm with her resolve. 

Twilight kicks her hoof sheepishly. Lavender rarely speaks very loudly, in fact, her normal voice is only a smidge louder than Fluttershy’s, but when she does, it makes Twilight feel like a chided school pony. 

“I guess that’s true.” The Princess of Friendship finally concedes. 

Lavender’s expression softens at her sister’s demeanour. She always dislikes being told what to do, but that never stops anypony from worrying. 

“I know it is, and, from the looks of things, I’ll be getting another royal decree before I leave here.” Lavender says, nuzzling Twilight’s mane behind her ear, and pulling back to giggle at her thoughtful expression, though the lightbulb quickly lights up. 

“Oh, of course.” Clearing her throat, Twilight continues. 

“Spike. Take a note please; I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, hereby ask for the cooperation of Princess Cadance as the mare, Lavender Night, shall be staying in the Crystal Empire as my personal guest, until her quest has been completed.”

With that said, Twilight stamps her wax seal onto the scroll, and Lavender levitates the paper into her saddle bag, right next to Princess Celestia’s decree. 

“Well, I think that covers everything,” Lavender says, closing her saddle bag, and turning to offer her sister an encouraging smile. 

“I’ll be in touch… But, it was certainly nice seeing you again Twily,”  She gives her sister a quick hug, pulling away only when Twilight does. 

“Spike,” Lavender calls, waiting for the dragon to answer her. 
“Would you mind helping me pack the rest of my belongings?” She asks, just as the dragon walks through the door. 

Spike offers her his best smile, before answering. 
“No problem Lavender, I’ll have it down by the castle door in no time at all,” He says, already making his exit. 

“Thank you Spike,” The sisters smile as both speak the same sentence simultaneously. 

“Well, I’d better double check everything before I go, do you have anything that I could take to the Crystal Empire for you?" Lavender asks, turning to look over her shoulder at her little sister. 

“Hmm. I don’t think so. But I’ll see you out when you leave,” Twilight replies, watching her sister make her way out of the throne room. 


-


Lavender Night had been the best sister a little filly could have asked for. She made sure Shining wasn’t too rough with her, and took the time to help her study, when Shining was more interested in practising more advanced magic, or training his physical abilities. 

When Shining had left to become a royal guard, only Lavender and Cadance, when she’d been around, had been able to get Twilight to go outside, or try new things, or recover from a nightmare. It was better than having nopony around, but Twilight had always had a special connection with her BBBFF, just like Lavender had her own relationship with him too. Some things you only ever told your brother, that was the joy of having a sister AND a brother. 

Twilight smiled at the fond memories. Though her eyes stung with sadness unshed. 
She was a Princess. 
She was THE princess of friendship. 
Yet she couldn’t help but feel she was being left behind all over again. 

She’d never been abandoned. Heavens no! But the connection she had with her siblings was strong, and, as such, made her susceptible to stronger emotions than she usually had to deal with. It had been quite a change when Shining had left to become a royal guard. 

She remembered all too well how she’d master a new spell and gallop her way to her brother’s room, repeating her success in squeals of joy… Only to realise she was speaking to an empty room. Or, when the four of them were having dinner, and she’d starting whispering if her brother could help her finish her Brussel sprouts, only to have silence answer her. 

Then she herself had been called away, getting her own room in Celestia’s castle, as her studies intensified. When she got home for the holidays, she’d been so excited to see Lavender again, having just recently met up with her brother after a training session, only to be informed that Lavender had moved out, taking up an apprentice position under one of the best doctors of the time… In Baltimare. 


-


Twilight shakes her head. Now is not the time for reminiscence. 

Her ear flicks as Spike places Lavender’s small suitcase in front of the castle doors. Putting on her best smile, Twilight trots out to say her goodbyes. 

“I’ll see you in the Crystal Empire, little sister,” Lavender says, offering a final wave as she makes her way to the train station. 
Twilight mirrors the action, watching the mare leave in a heavy silence. 

“Now then… Where was that train station again?” Lavender murmurs to herself, having the question answer itself when she hears the distinct sound of a train whistle not too far off. 

A minute later, and Lavender is at the platform, seeing the conductor wave the last of the passengers on-board. 

‘Oh dear,’ Lavender thinks. 
Breaking into a gallop and only just managing to catch the conductor before he boards the train. 

“Hello. I’m terribly sorry for holding you up, but would this train be headed to the Crystal Empire, per chance?” She asks, a relieved sigh escaping her as the brown earth pony nods his response. 

“Great. Would you mind my boarding with you? I have urgent business to attend in the Kingdom, and would, of course, pay for the ticket once on board,” Lavender says, and the Conductor gives her a trusting smile. 

“Sure you can, lassie. Hop on up. We’ve got to get moving in the next minute if I want to be on time for the next stop,” He answers, giving her a hoof up, as Lavender, with her saddle bag strapped to her sides, quickly enters the train, her levitating suitcase following just behind her. 

She winces, ever so slightly, at the conductor’s loud voice from just outside. 

“All Aboard!”

Then he jumps up next to her, and the train is off. 

Lavender chooses a forward-facing seat, close to the door, pays the conductor for her ticket, and watches as the scenery flies by. 

Equestria’s natural beauty never ceases to fascinate her. Hay, it’s one of the reasons for the cutie mark that adorns her rump. 


-


She’d been barely a filly when she’d seen some of the older ponies picking flowers by a river bank, and letting them drift downstream, only to be swallowed by the swell of the water, and forgotten by the fillies who’d been playing with them before. 

Lavender had saved the drowned flowers, already knowing of the healing properties many plants possessed, since such things had interested her at even that young of an age, and had brewed her first elixir, with the help of a younger Zecora, to help a sick Manticore. 

The pale blue, semi-transparent ripples came from the water and her calmness, while the pale pink petal was said to represent her love for nature and healing as well as purity, knowledge and kindness. 

The star was a bit of a mystery. It was a common theme among the siblings and seemed to represent a strong magical capacity. 

But Shining and Twily had hot pink stars and Lavender’s was silver… Not to mention that it was a shining, sparkling silver that glinted like metal in a forge fire in any type of light. It was pretty, but that didn’t make it any less confusing. 


-


Lavender smiles at the memory of it. 

Lush green hills, and mountains tipped with icing continue to pass by in a blur. The windows are starting to fog up, meaning that they are nearing her destination. 

The rest of the train ride is over in a blink, and Lavender finds that she’s the only pony who disembarks the train at her stop. 

The train whistle, and rolling clang of the train leaving, snap the mare out of her thoughts and she makes her way down the light dirt road that leads to the Crystal Empire. Lavender’s suitcase falls to the ground with an audible thud, as said pony beholds the gate of entry to the Crystal Empire. 

The entire city is covered in a magical, dark pink force-field; and if the magic colouring didn’t give it away, the familiar feel of her older brother’s magic, as Lavender focuses her magic on establishing a connection with the magical barrier, certainly does. 

'This is Shining’s handiwork.' 

Lavender shakes her head, a small smile lifting the corner of her lips. Levitating a nearby pebble, she tosses it at the barrier. 

It passes right through. 

Tilting her head to the side as she ponders her next move, Lavender decides to risk doing the same thing with her suitcase. 

Same result. 

Her magic stops working the instant the little suitcase passes through the barrier, but continues its trajectory, and skids to a stop on the other side of the barrier, completely unscathed. 

Deciding to try her luck, Lavender tries making an opening in the barrier with her own magic. 

Nothing. 

The barrier absorbs her purple power as though it’s a quick snack. 

‘Alright so magic doesn’t work against it, nor when a pony casts a spell, trying to reach something on the other side… What about…’ Lavender’s thoughts trail off as she decides to simply try walking through the barrier. 

She feels its resistance. No doubt it had been cast to keep all living things that were outside of the Crystal Empire when it was cast, out. 

But, she didn’t grow up with her brother for nothing, and his magic seemed to recognise her. Despite the spell not allowing for her magic to work while she was in contact with it. 

‘Looks like Celestia made a good call when she asked for me, specifically, to help Cadance, since I know she knows plenty of doctors who are more qualified than I am.’ Lavender thinks. 

It isn’t painful to cross her brother’s barrier, per se, it merely takes a physical toll, and sparks something of a throbbing in her horn and head, as she continues to force her way to the other side of the barrier. 

The buzz of magic fills her ears, and with one last step and pull, a final pop is heard and Lavender makes it to the other side of the barrier. 

Releasing a shaky breath, and taking a moment to steady herself, Lavender carefully tests out her horn, levitates her suitcase and continues on toward the towering castle, where she knows she’ll find Cadance and her brother. 

A short trot along later, and Lavender stands at the palace gates of the Crystal Empire. Spires of blue, purple and white sparkle in the late afternoon sun. It doesn’t escape her attention that the security around the castle is a lot tighter than usual. No doubt another side effect of her brother’s fear. 

Lavender shakes her head, straightens out her appearance and makes her way to the older guard currently posted in front of the palace gates. 

The guards appraise her appearance in the timespan of a heartbeat, their body language changing to a more protective stance, though they lack any noteworthy hostility, for which Lavender is grateful. 

“Halt.” The older one speaks, and she does so, waiting for them to continue their investigation. 

“Who goes there?”

This time it’s the younger one who speaks. He’s new, Lavender can tell, but dedicated to a fault. 

“My name is Lavender Night. I have come to help ease your Princess’s suffering. Will you please let me pass?” She replies, turning to face the young stallion who had spoken before. 

He seems wary, not because he sees her as a threat, but, more likely, because he’s remaining alert for any surprises. 

His fur is a sort of creamy orange, his mane and tail a two toned, warm blue, cut in a smart, short style that suits him to a T. 

His eyes are what interest Lavender most. 

She knows of the saying that eyes are windows to the soul and there is a certain truth to it. If Lavender looks into the eyes of another pony, she can tell their personality, their strongest traits, and current feelings. 

It was a handy talent she came to pick up during her time learning as an herbalist under Zecora. 

His eyes are varying shades of light blue, and yet all can be associated with the sky. He seems to trust her on an instinctual level, but, his duty as a guard comes first. Not only that, but Lavender is sure she saw a hint of recognition light his eyes as he observed her as well. 

The look feels like a staring spell, when it’s really only a glance. 

The older guard answers her earlier question. 

“If you so wish, young Sentry here could escort you to meet with the Captain. The final decision on whether he will let you attempt to heal his wife, will be up to him,” He says, though his tone suggests that he thinks she’ll be out on her hide the instant she steps hoof into Shining’s presence. 

Lavender gives a mental shrug. 

Some things work in her favour when it comes to her family, and sure, she could’ve just shown the guards her royal decrees, but there’s something about achieving your goals, without the aid of external influence, that makes Lavender try to get by on her own, before she resorts to methods of royal persuasion. 

“I shall take you up on that offer. Thank you.” She says, levitating her suitcase to float behind her again, having set it down when the guards had told her to halt. 

“Right this way Miss…”

Mr Sentry says, gesturing his hoof in the direction of the castle in an overly chivalrous manner. Though it doesn’t escape her attention that he leaves the end of his sentence hanging.

“Night. My full name is Lavender Night, Mr Sentry,” Lavender fills in, walking past the guard and hiding a smile behind the fall of her mane, as she sees his ears peak to better hear her. 

She always raises her voice slightly, when speaking to guards or royalty. Though, raising her voice, in Lavender’s sense, is merely speaking normally for any other pony. 

She hears a chuckle at her side, and turns to see the young guard walking beside her, trying to stifle his laughter as he regards her with a confused, though mirth-filled expression. 

“Just call me Flash, Miss Night,” He finally supplies, recognising her thoughtful expression. 

“Then I shall ask you to address me as Lavender, please.” She answers with a little nod. 

He responds in kind, continuing to lead her through a maze of hallways, towards the reception hall. 

“It’s no wonder you were asked to accompany me. Alone, I probably would’ve gotten lost,” Lavender remarks, taking in her surroundings with open eyes, and a contented expression. 

Flash chuckles at that. Though it ends a little forced. 

“Yeah, it’s certainly a contributing factor as to why first-time guests are always appointed a guard to accompany them in the palace,” Flash explains, though it doesn’t escape Lavender’s attention how it’s merely a contributing factor.

“Oh? Sounds like there’s more to it than that,” Lavender comments, continuing to follow a half hoof-step behind Flash. 

His sigh signals her victory. 
“There is. It’s really more of a protection service than anything else.”

Lavender jumps in at that particular implication. 

“Really? There haven’t been any tried kidnappings or anything, have there?” Her head is tilted to the side in her typical pose of pondering, as Flash shakes his head in reply. 

“No. We don’t just protect the royal family from false guests…” Flash stops walking, causing Lavender to come to a stop next to him. 

“…We have to protect the guests from the royal family too.” He finishes, taking a half-step in front of her as he knocks on the doors undoubtedly leading to the reception hall. 

“Enter.”

Lavender feels her heart constrict a tiny little bit at hearing her brother’s voice. He sounds so tired; so angry and worried. 
Flash pushes the door open, and leads Lavender into the hall, stopping a few paces from the base of three steps that lead up to the thrones. 

Shining stands at the top of those stairs, doing his best to look like he hasn’t missed a week of sleep over worrying for his wife. 

“I hope this is important, Sentry.” He says, fixing the young recruit with a steely eye, and not even bothering to check out the guest he’s brought with him. 

“My apologies Captain Armor, but…”

Lavender decides to cut Flash off there. She’s since checked out the room, and is rather pleased to see that the door’s closed, the floor high enough so that no-one would be spying, and apart from Flash, it was just her and Shining. 

“I thought I’d surprise you.”

The voice registers in his mind almost instantly, and Flash barely has time to half turn and attempt to ask Lavender what the HELL she thinks she’s doing, when his captain’s voice stops him dead in his tracks.

“Well, that certainly worked out for you, didn’t it Flower.” Shining says, momentarily surprised that she’s managed to by-pass his barrier, but then, it’s Lavender, so there’s really no reason to be surprised in the first place. Though her reaction to seeing his surprised expression quickly has his mien relaxing, reminiscing the last few times he’s seen her. 
It really has been too long. 

Flash, in the meantime, is having a hard time keeping up with what’s happening. 

Lavender knew Captain Armor. Ok, fine. 

Captain Armor completely dropped his guard once Lavender made her presence known. Oookay… 

Captain Armor had addressed Lavender as “Flowers” and was currently smiling. The first smile he’d seen on him in over a week. 

He was definitely missing something here. 

“So, it seems you’re going to want to take me to Cadance, Shining; I want to do a full scan, and see if I can’t find the reason she’s become so sick.” Lavender answers her brother, noting how she seems to have broken her guard in doing so. Though she also notes how her brother’s features darken, weariness and even fear colouring his eyes. 

He shakes himself out of it pretty quick though. 

“Sounds good, but, you might want to fix your guard before we leave. I think he deserves at least a brief explanation for what just happened here.” 

Flash seems to shake himself out of his stupor at his captain’s words. 

“Sounds like a plan,” Lavender replies, a lilting laugh leaving her lips as she makes her way down to Flash. 

“Promise not to tell anyone else?” Flash nods, even though Lavender’s fearful words would’ve been enough to make him comply, his captain’s piercing gaze doesn’t leave much room for argument. 

“I swear it.” The stallion says, and it’s only then, that Lavender notices his wings. 

‘He must be exceptional to be a pegasus stallion, and work as a royal guard.’ Lavender thinks, well aware that it’s usually unicorns that guard royals, but a few elite pegasi are given the honour to serve as royal guards as well. 

“Good… I’m not quite sure how to word this, but, I’m Shining Armor’s little sister, Lavender Night. My apologies for not telling you sooner, it’s just, I try to get by without using my siblings influence, when I can.” Lavender explains, and Flash connects the dots pretty quickly. 

Lavender Night is Shining Armor’s younger sister, Flash knows his captain’s OTHER younger sister, Twilight Sparkle, which immediately cleared up why she'd said her siblings influence. It also relieves him to finally have a reason as to why he felt he could trust the unicorn mare almost the second he met her. 

Now that he knows her relations, he can easily identify the resemblance. 

Her coat is a warm shade of lavender, like the purple streak in her sister's mane. Her mane carries two distinct streaks of white, like her brother’s coat, but the majority of her mane is a dark blue that has to have come from one of her parents. 

The same holds true for her eyes. 

Two suns of honeyed gold, knowledgeable and kind, truthful and calm, if not a little bit timid. 

Lavender gives Flash a moment to collect his thoughts, though she’s very glad when he finally gives her a verbal response. 

“Alright then. I’m assuming you’ll want to keep your familial connections secret then, Miss Night?”

Lavender gifts him with a warm smile, knowing that he knows the importance of what he’s just learnt, but is teasing her to let her know it’s ok, and he, for one, won’t treat her any differently because of it. 

“Thank you for understanding, Mr Sentry.” She replies, giving the guard a little mock curtsy to let him know she understood. 

He flashes her a jaunty smile in reply, turning his attention back to his captain to await further orders. 

He has to force himself to remain impassive at the grin he sees Captain Armor sporting at their little display. 

“Looks like you’ve found yourself your first Charge, Sentry; take good care of her,” Shining says, suddenly teleporting so that he stands right in front of Flash. 

“She’s a priority case. Make sure you keep that in mind if anything ever happens to her,” Shining practically growls, causing Flash to shrink back a little, but his footing remains firm. It’s the best reassurance Shining can ask for. 

Flash reads between the lines in an instant. 

Despite their secrecy, Lavender is still Shining Armor’s little sister, and she’s important to him. 
The duty of protecting her will be far more important than that of any other regular visitor to the castle. 

“Understood, sir.” Flash says, resolve flashing in his eyes, as his posture straightens itself. 

Shining is impressed with his new recruit. He knows the importance of his job, and he isn’t easily intimidated. Not only that, but he seems ready to protect Lavender by most any means necessary. 

“Very well. You are to accompany Miss Night to an available suite, close to the Princess’s room, and help her get settled in. I will meet the two of you outside of the Princess’s room in, shall we say an hour?” Shining says, turning to his sister at the end of his order. 

“That sounds perfect.” Lavender answers, already moving to walk out the door. 

She doesn’t have to wait long. 

After a final salute, Flash leads her from the room, up a few flights of stairs, and along multiple corridors and corners, before coming to a stop outside of a pale purple crystal door. 

Clearing his throat, Flash moves to gesture to the door in an overdramatised manner, causing Lavender to quirk an eyebrow at him. 

“This. Is the guest room you shall be occupying during your stay in the Crystal Empire,” He says, making a show of opening the door, while keeping an eye on her reaction. 

Lavender feels her eyes go wide, a tiny gasp escaping through thinly parted lips as she takes in her abode for the next little while. 

A queen size canopy bed, four-door wardrobe, vanity dresser, desk, bookshelf, en suite bathroom, wall sized window facing the south side, and a clear corner.

“It’s beautiful…” Lavender breathes, her smile soft and thankful as she sets her suitcase down in front of the wardrobe.  “…but why is one corner of the room bare?” She asks, turning to Flash for an answer. 

The guard is giving her a cheeky look, leaving her hanging for a moment, before appeasing her curiosity. 

“Considering we’re not quite sure how long different guests stay, and every pony is unique, we usually leave one of the corners of the room bare, for the guest to decide what they wish to have in their room,” Flash finally supplies, appraising her reaction as she adopts a thoughtful expression. 

“You wouldn’t happen to have a guitar and stand that would fit in that corner, would you?”

Whatever he’d been expecting to hear, it obviously hadn’t been that. Lavender finds herself chuckling at Flash’s wide eyed, disbelieving expression. 

The sound is enough to bring Flash back to himself. Shaking his head a little, he clears his thoughts enough to give Lavender a response. 

“I’ll have them brought up to your room as soon as possible,” Flash says, turning to leave, but stopping at the quiet call of his name. 

“Yes?” He asks, turning his head to look at the young unicorn mare. 

Lavender chuckled a little, both pleased, and surprised, that Flash had heard her. 

“I’m sorry to keep you from your work, but, would you mind showing me to the Princess’s chambers before you go?" Flash feels like face-hoofing for forgetting to show Lavender the Princess’s room, in fact, he does so before replying to his Charge’s request. 

“Of course. My apologies for not doing so sooner,” The young stallion says, gesturing for Lavender to exit her room in front of him. 

Moving to follow his gesture, Lavender takes the time to appraise the short corridor that her room is located in. 

They’re on the top floor of one of the castle’s spires. The corridor is really more of a circular platform. Six doors, leading to six different rooms in a concave curve. No bigger than a twenty-meter diameter, with a staircase descending in the center. 
There are two purple, two blue, one white and one pink door altogether. 

Before Flash can point out the Princess’s room, Lavender speaks up once again. 

“Actually, it’s no problem. I know which room it is. You can get back to work, if you have to. Thank you for the help today Flash.”

For his part, Flash just decides to take Lavender’s word for it. His job now, is to shadow her, but, he does have to organise a guitar, and stand, for her. 

“Thanks; I’ll be by your room tomorrow morning to show you to the dining room for breakfast. What time are you usually up?” Flash asks, closing Lavender’s room door behind him. 

It’s easy enough to remember which is her room, considering hers is the lighter purple door. 

“That sounds perfect… Is 6:30 alright with you? I’m usually an early riser,” Lavender replies, hoping it isn’t too early. 

Flash nods. 

“Great, I’ll see you then,” He says, turning to descend the stairs, only to stop on the first step as he remembers something. 

“Lavender.”

Said unicorn mare trots toward her guard at his call of her name. 

“Every priority case gets one of these; Just send a jolt of magic through the badge, and I’ll be by your side immediately,” Flash explains, pulling a badge of a silver shield with a golden lightning bolt in the center out of his armour pocket and handing it to Lavender. 

The mare takes the proffered badge with her magic, feeling it acclimatise itself to the feel of her as she clips it under her mane, wearing it like one would a hair clip. 

“Thank you,” Lavender says, offering Flash a genuine smile, as she turns and makes her way toward the only pink door, just to the right of her room. 

She opens the door, just as a pulse of magic energy surges to life, and Cadance’s pained cry follows mere milliseconds later.
> Magic's Many Uses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1



Magic's Many Uses


With a worried expression, Lavender bursts into the Princess’s room. 

She analyses the situation in seconds. 

Cadance is in bed, a pained expression adorning her face and sweat beads her brow. Right next to her is Shining, a dark pink force field crackling around the immediate area of the bed, and about four specialized doctors are cowering against one of the walls, shrinking back as every little movement makes the barrier flare in defence. 

Taking things into her own hooves, Lavender decides to handle one thing after the other. 

“Leave.”

She doesn’t have to tell the paramedics twice, they shoot out of the room, along the very edge of the wall, as though they’ve been fired as fours arrows from a bow. 

With any other onlookers gone, Lavender then turns to deal with her brother. 

He’s completely at the mercy of his instincts, primal growls wrack his body as he assesses the next threat in the room. 

“Shining,” Lavender tries, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him and Cadance. 

The barrier flares again, but to Lavender, it’s more of a caress than a warning. 

When it registeres that his magic recognises the only other mare in the room, Shining takes a careful whiff of the air. Finding the scent of the purple unicorn calming and pleasant. He also recognises it, which is the most important thing. 

Slowly. Oh, so slowly, his instincts recede and Shining is left standing next to Cadance’s bed, his barrier flickering out as realisation dawns in his eyes. 

“It’s alright BB. You didn’t hurt anyone, just sent a few frights around.” 

Shining raises a hoof to rub at the back of his head sheepishly. 

“That bad?”

He’s trying to lighten the mood, she knows, but Lavender is more worried about Cadance at the moment. 

“No. But I do have to ask you to leave so that I can do a full scan.”

Shining has barely relaxed his muscles, before they stiffen at the prospect of leaving his wife alone. 

‘Not alone. With your little sister. You have GOT to calm down,’ Shining thinks, though it’s Cadance’s voice that stops his leaving. 

“Does he have to go?” The Princess asks, struggling to raise her upper body from the bed. 

“Any magical energy other than my own and that of my patient can throw off the results of my scan. I promise it won’t take too long and he can come right back in as soon as I’ve finished,” Lavender explains, her voice soft and sweet, calming the fretful mare and stallion. 

Hey, if she were sick and no-one knew why, she would have been too. 

“See you in a bit,” Shining says. 

“I’ll call you in once we’re done,” Lavender replies in a soft voice, smiling as the door closes behind her big brother. 

“Despite the circumstances, it’s nice to see you again Cadance,” Lavender says as she walks up to the bed. 

Cadance looks very tired, dark rings rest under her eyes and her sight seems bleary. She obviously hasn’t been sleeping well recently. Not only that, but she has quite the fever, her figure is wracked with shivers, despite the blanket that covers up to her shoulders. 

The Princess manages a weak smile in response, conjuring a very small heart of greeting with her magic. 

Lavender receives it happily, sending back her own friendship heart, though, instead of Cadance’s usual pink and red heart, Lavender’s is a soft pink and purple colour. 

“Do you think you can get out of bed, and stay standing for about 20 seconds?” Lavender asks, waiting for Cadance’s reply with baited breath. 

She gets a shaky laugh in response. 

“If you help me get up, I think I can manage,” She replies. Her eyes momentarily sparking with their usual mischief and fun. 
It certainly lifts a heavy load off of Lavender’s shoulders. 

“Great. Let’s do this then, shall we?” Lavender says, moving to give Cadance a hoof up. 

Almost immediately Lavender notices that Cadance has lost a bit of weight, and is slightly unsteady on her hooves. She still has the strength to hold herself up though, which is also good. 

“Ok. The scan won’t hurt, you’ll just feel a stream of my magic pass through you, and that’ll be it,” Lavender explains. 

“Sounds like the best check-up ever,” Cadance remarks. Her voice, though a little slurred with tiredness, doesn’t show any signs of sickness. 

“Here goes,” Lavender murmurs. 

Focusing her mind, she forms the image of what she wants her magic to do in her mind, and builds up her power. Thinking of the typical alicorn anatomy for Cadance’s age, and remembering to account for her specialised type of magic, she releases a beam of purple light that scans Cadance from hooves to horn. 

Cadance seems completely healthy. Not a sickness of any kind to be seen in her system. 

What makes Lavender’s eyes widen, is the golden hue of a second magic source emanating from Cadance’s stomach. 

‘No wonder she seems so drained, when she’s only been trying to take care of herself and there’s a tiny, and very powerful little foal trying to grow inside of her,’ Lavender thinks. Glad to have been able to pinpoint the reason for Cadance’s condition so quickly. 

“Alright Cadance. You’re free to go,” Lavender jests, though Cadance catches her gist pretty quick and climbs back into bed. 

“So? What’s the diagnosis, doctor?” Cadance asks, genuinely curious, since Lavender’s expression chases away her worries pretty quickly. 

Lavender gives Cadance a cheeky smirk, before deciding she’ll tell both of them together.

“I’ll reveal that, as soon as Shining stops eavesdropping and joins us in here,” Lavender says, moving to open Cadance’s bedroom door with a swift kick from one of her hind hooves. 
An action that sends Shining tumbling into the room. 

“Hehe, hi sis,” Shining tries, quickly getting up when he’s only greeted with a raised brow. 

“Alright. Ready?” Lavender asks, suddenly very serious. 

Shining gulps, and Cadance merely nods. 

“Well then… Congratulations! you two are going to be parents!” Lavender says, her voice, for once, as loud as she is excited, and a happy smile on her face as she shares the exciting news. 

“Wh-what!?” Shining exclaims, shocked beyond words. 

“Really?” Cadance’s eyes are so happy, so hopeful, it causes Lavender’s own expression to soften. 

“Yes Cadance, really; You’ve got yourself a powerful little foal there,” Lavender says, placing a gentle hoof against Cadance’s blanket-covered stomach. 

“You’re only in the second month or so, so you won’t start to show for a little while. But you do have to adjust your diet to account for the little one. Not to mention, maybe get somepony to give the little one small doses of magic. The foetus has been feeding off of yours for so long, it’s no wonder you’ve gotten so weak,” She continues, carefully watching her brother from the corner of her eye. 

“Also, you shouldn’t be up and about too much now. If the little one’s already taking so much power that it’s weakened you to this extent, I’m going to have to find a way to placate it without a constant magic drip. Too much before birth, and the little one could have too much power to be able to control as it grows up,” Lavender explains further, hiding a smile behind her mane, as Cadance and Shining share a look of pure, teary happiness. 

“I’ll leave you two be for tonight. Rest well Cadance, I’ll be by to check up on you in the morning,” the unicorn mare states, slowly walking backward, toward the door. 

“Wait.”

Lavender does so, the call is soft, but with a voice like hers, Lavender has hearing that rivals even that of a bat. 

“You’ll stay longer, won’t you?”

Cadance’s question is clear, though Lavender still finds it sweet how she thinks she even has to ask. 

“If you want me to, your highness, I will stay to help you through the pregnancy, up until the birth of your foal.”

That gets her a scowl from Cadance. She hates formalities when there’s no need for them. 

“Lavender.”

There’s a warning tone in her voice, and the unicorn merely shrugs in response. 

“A silly question typically gets you a silly answer from me, dear sister… I was going to stay and help out anyway, though I suppose, depending on your plans, my quarters may have to be moved,” Lavender answers, pondering her predicament as she sends her brother a questioning glance. 

“We were due a visit from a few aristocratic ponies, but, your quarters will remain where they are. Our priorities are obvious in this case,” Shining says, his eyes hardening at the thought of unnecessary pain inflicted upon Cadance, simply because some ponies find that social standing matters more than safety. 

“Well. That settles that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to catch some shut eye before Celestia raises the sun. Good night you two…”

Lavender calls over her shoulder. 

“… and congratulations once again,” she adds, before disappearing through the door, and collapsing onto her own bed to get some rest. 

Though not before noticing the bench, guitar and guitar stand now residing in her room. 

The next morning dawns early for Lavender. 

She uses her magic to open her curtains, only to be greeted by the pre-dawn light of hazy orange, green and blue. A few houses in town are already alight, smoke rising from their chimneys, and a lovely scent of baking goods makes Lavender’s stomach growl, as she remembers that she hasn’t eaten anything since her breakfast with Twilight the day before. 

‘Well…. It surely wouldn’t hurt to slip out for a quick bite to eat before I check up on Cadance,’ Lavender thinks, remembering where she’d been admitted to the castle the first time, and focusing her magic to teleport her into the receiving foyer. 

She’s surprised that she doesn’t see anypony, as she walks through the palace door, down a shining path, and past the entry gates, following her nose to those delicious baked goods she’d smelled earlier. 

The trek to the bakery is short and simple, and pretty soon Lavender is levitating a couple of delicious honeyed oats muesli bars, taking measured bites from the delectable morsels while wandering about the stirring kingdom. 

It surprises her how quiet it is. Having lived in Baltimare for two years, Lavender can easily say she prefers a bit of quiet every now and then, but she has also grown accustomed to the city sounds of the morning. 

There are no loud calls from sales ponies, no clatter from trays and tables being set up for another day of business. It’s beautiful, peaceful, tranquil even. 

Seeing swirls of mist ignite in a fiery yellow, glinting like gold and diamonds as the sun rises. The entirety of the Crystal Empire is transformed into a sparkling maze of colourful glitter, and Lavender gets to see the whole thing from her position on the main road of the kingdom. 

Turning her head as her ear flicks with a sudden sound, Lavender stops her wandering in front of an older looking crystal building. It’s small, and not quite as bright as the structures surrounding it, but what catches Lavenders ear, are the happy calls of young fillies and colts playing in front of the building. 

Changing her course, Lavender walks toward the sound and eventually happens upon a small group of colts and fillies playing with a ball, a little ways on the main road. 

They’re so immersed in their game, that none of them notice an oncoming carriage. 

“Look out!” Lavender calls, instinctively levitating the whole group above the carriage, as it passes by. 

“Watch it!” The stallion pulling the carriage shouts behind him, not even checking to see if he’s injured anypony before continuing on his way. 

Lavender can hardly believe that anypony can be so heartless, but, quickly focuses on the seven struggling foals in her magical grasp. 

“Are you ponies ok?” Lavender asks, gently lowering the youngsters back onto the ground. 

They all nod, smiling gratefully, before returning to their game… well, most of them. 

Lavender cocks her head at the unmoving colt in front of her. 

He has warm brown fur and a two toned, flaming mane and tail of orange shades. Not to mention that he has the most adorable, pale teal eyes Lavender has ever seen. 

“Is everything alright?” Lavender asks again, her voice soft and coaxing as she carefully moves towards the young’in.

His eyes stay wide, completely fixated on her, but, he none the less nods his head in a small, slow response. 

Lavenders eyes soften, relieved that he’s ok. 

“That’s good. I’m Lavender. Will you tell me your name?” She introduces herself, hoping to learn the colt’s name. 

He averts his gaze then, a little nervous and shy. 

“…ame Shot.”

Lavender’s ear flicks at the soft voice. Not wanting to get his name wrong though, she asks, 

“Pardon?”

Leaning in a little closer as she does. 

“Flame Shot.”

He says, a little louder this time, but still no more than a whisper. 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Flame Shot,” Lavender says, happy that the colt spoke to her. 

“My, isn’t that rare.”

Lavender whirls around at the sudden voice behind her. 

“Oh, I’m sorry to startle you dear, it’s just, Flame Shot here doesn’t usually talk to ponies he’s not comfortable around. But, you don’t seem to be from here.”

The earth pony before her is maybe middle aged, her coat a pastel orange, with a lovely, short pink mane and flick-styled tail. 

“No, I’m not. My name’s Lavender, it’s nice to meet you,” Lavender introduces herself, rising to properly face and greet the other pony. 

“I see why he likes you now. I’m Tutti Fruity, but, just call me Tutti. I take care of the orphanage just there,” Tutti says, realising that the two have a similar disposition and way of speaking, while raising a hoof to point at the slightly older building that had caught Lavender’s eye before. 

“Orphanage? So, all the foals playing here are…” Lavender trails off as Tutti nods. 

“They’re all orphans. Not the easiest lot to take care of, mind you, but, I do what I love and I love what I do.”

Lavender nods with a small smile, she knows that feeling only too well. 

“Well. I’m in town on business, and actually a little late, but, would it be possible for me to come by and help out from time to time?” Lavender asks. 

She likes to think she’s more of a planner, though nowhere near as meticulous as Twilight, but she’s known to have a bit of a rare spontaneous streak every now and again. She blames the older sibling genes. Shining was ALWAYS impulsive when it came to protecting his younger siblings and also parents, friends, really anyone he saw in danger or in need… Lavender shakes her head a little, focusing her thoughts back on the pony in front of her. 

“Of course. You’d be more than welcome to dear. Not easy to take care of this lot, but another four hooves are always helpful,” Tutti replies, smiling as Lavender waves goodbye and trots off down the main road. 

The kingdom seems to have woken up with the dawn, the street is now lined with opening stalls and stores, and the first risers of ponyfolk. 

Lavender pauses in her trotting return, when she notices that there’s a small group of ponies starting to gather at the side of the street. Curious despite her pressing appointment, Lavender slows to a walk, and takes a peak at what has all these onlookers so enthralled. 

A flash of dark blue streaks past, causing Lavender to exclaim in shock, stumbling backward at the unexpected occurrence. 

As Lavender collects herself, she turns her gaze upward, following the pegasus who’d given her such a fright with her eyes. 

His show is fun, fast and skilled. Lavender immediately notes how he uses light and clouds to misdirect his audience’s attention and make it look like he disappears, only to reappear somewhere completely different. And the entire time he’s doing some sort of acrobatic manoeuvre. 

Lavender smiles, thinking about how she knows a certain pony who would see some serious Wonderbolt potential in this pony… 

‘Stallion,’ Lavender corrects when he finally lands, she feels his eyes on her for a moment, before a call of her name momentarily distracts her and he disappears into the clouds. 

Shortly after, Flash lands next to her, his eyes blazing anger and annoyance, which makes Lavender breathe a tiny sigh of relief. At least she knows he hasn’t been sent because something happened to Cadance or the foal. 

“Good Morning Flash, how are you?” Lavender quips, relieved to note that the irritation in Flash’s countenance diminishes somewhat at her greeting. 

“I’d be better if SOMEPONY had thought to inform me of your leaving the castle grounds,” Flash replies, managing to sound condensing and respectful at the same time, though the accompanying eye-roll has Lavender immediately tending more so toward condensing. 

“I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble.”

Flash merely huffs at her apology.

“You didn’t, just, let somepony know before you go disappearing from the castle next time.”

Lavender nods, her eyes communicating more than words as she says, ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ and ‘I will’ without even opening her mouth. 

“Well then, we should head back,” Flash proposes, waiting for Lavender to start walking, before following beside her. 

“How was your morning?” He asks, more so one for conversation than silence. 

Lavender doesn’t mind. 


-


From above, the blue pegasus watches their receding forms from a hidden vantage point on a cloud with interest. 

He’d glimpsed the mare during his performance, almost messing up a trick when he’d caught sight of her. 
She was beautiful and obviously a traveller. 

He’d never seen her around before and she had some sort of royal connection, which piqued his curiousity all the more. 

His ear flicks when he hears his signal, cussing that he’d lost track of time, before he makes his way to his usual pawn shop, saddle bags weighed down with his latest stolen trinkets and gifted income from that show. 

He’d made a pretty good name for himself in these parts. Magic had always interested him, so he’d practised until his close-up and misdirectional magic had rivalled that of any actual unicorn. The problem? Learning and perfecting his magic and the shows took up so much of his time that he didn’t really have time for anything else, like a job. 

Well… His expression grows rueful as he leaves the pawn shop with his money and makes his way toward the orphanage… almost no time. 

He smiles when he sees the foals playing together on the street, Tutti Fruity keeping a sharp eye on them. 

“Morning Tutti!” He calls, his voice immediately drawing the children’s attention, as they all run to greet him. Well, almost all of them. 

He sighs as he comes to stand next to Tutti. 

“Still nothing?” He’s referring to the latest addition to the orphanage. He’s so skittish and shy that he has yet to even speak to anyone, other than Tutti. 

“Just with you, it seems. I had a guest come by this morning and he took an immediate liking to her. She’s new around here.”

That gets his attention. Not only had a stranger been able to speak to the ponyphobic colt, but it just so happened to have been a mare. 

“Seriously? Did you ask her to come back?” He immediately asks, his peaked interest as clear as the change in his tone of voice. 

Tutti has a hard time suppressing her urge to smile and roll her eyes at the same time. 


-


Blue Fire is an old friend of hers, well, more like she used to foalsit him when they were younger. But, for whatever reason, he’s made it his personal mission to get the young colt to open up to someone. 

He performs and practises his routines in front of the kid for hours, but, other than watching him, Flame Shot has never spoken a word to the young stallion. 

That was the reason for the near-smile… The eye-roll had to do with Flame Shot’s ever-growing reputation as something of a heart-breaker. 

He has a knack for getting mares to fall for him without really trying, but, his own heart is never touched by what he calls “that illusive love thingy”. 

He never abuses it though, and whenever Hearts & Hooves Day comes around Blue Fire looks after the kids and the orphanage while giving Tutti the day off to spend with her coltfriend. 


-


“Well, as it turns out, she’s offered to come back and help out whenever she can manage it. Why do you ask?” Tutti answers, a smirk set firmly in place at the startled-rabbit look he gets at hearing her counter question. 

It’s only a flash, and he quickly turns his expression impassive, but Tutti has known the troublemaker long enough to know what to look for. 

“No reason, I just think it’d be nice to meet this mystery mare who manages the miracle of getting Flame Shot to talk.”
He replies, throwing in an indifferent shrug for good measure. 

Tutti merely shakes her head at his antics. Whatever his interest in the mare, it’s somehow personal. But she isn’t going to get that information out of him anytime soon. 

“Alright then, if you say so… Let’s get everyone inside, they haven’t had breakfast yet.”

Tutti lets it go, moving to herd her little orphans back toward the orphanage. 

Back at the palace, Lavender is having trouble coming to terms with what she’s seeing. 

“What’s up Lavender? I didn’t know what you liked, so I just had the pony chefs prepare a breakfast buffet for you and the royal couple,” Flash says, making Lavender jump as she is startled out of her thoughts. 

“Eep! Oh, um, well, thank you, but, it’s, uh, a bit much, even for three ponies, and I don’t usually eat a lot in the mornings anyway,” Lavender manages to answer, though Flash has to lean in a little in order to hear her. 

“Don’t worry about that. Anything that gets left over gets brought to the guards’ mess hall, so, just eat whatever you want,” He encourages her, also hoping to take note of what she likes so that he can base any sort of snack off of that knowledge. 

He was happy he’d managed to find her while she was just finishing the last of an oat bar, and that he knew the only pony who sold them in the Crystal Empire, so he could easily find out which one she’d gotten. 

The captain had warned him that Lavender was susceptible to fall into a working frenzy, not eating or resting properly for days on end if something important or interesting required her attention. 

‘…Though she really doesn’t eat a lot,’ Flash notices, taking note how she seems to have a penchant for sweet things, covering her oats with a generous drizzle of honey that also alerts him to her liking of the bee product. 

“Ah, thank you for the food, it was delicious. I’m going to see if I can teleport into the Princess’s room from here and do a few more checks.”

Flash nods. 

“No problem Lavender, I’ll come by to grab you for lunch later,” He says, and she nods in response, smiling before poofing into nothingness and only leaving behind a few purple sparkles of magic residue. 

The sudden change in altitude has Lavender’s head spinning a little, but she’s successfully managed to land herself right where she’d stood the day before. 

Her smiling victory is short lived when Cadance’s surprised cry has four guards immediately storm into the room and surround her. 

“EEP! Really!?” Lavender complains, glad that the guards have at least enough decency to NOT draw their weapons upon seeing her. Cadance seems to recognise Lavender’s voice, since she quickly orders them to stand aside. 

“Lavender?” The Princess asks, waiting to get a better look at the pony that somehow managed to teleport directly into her room. 

“Yep,” Her reply is small and soft, which is the best reassurance Cadance can ask for. 

“It’s alright Gentlecolts, this is my personal doctor, Miss Lavender Night; She has golden level access and priority in the castle,” Cadance says as the guards take a closer look at Lavender, or, more specifically, the golden clip in her mane. 

Satisfied, they return to their posts, closing the door behind them with a genuine, if quiet, apology. 

Sighing, Cadance flops back onto her bed and Lavender draws nearer. 

“Sorry for the shock, I wanted to see how the foal reacts to your sense of danger, but, I’m pretty sure they weren’t there yesterday,” Lavender comments and Cadance sighs. 

“Your brother worries too much,” She says in a bit of a huff, but she’s smiling. 

“Well... He worries about YOU,” Lavender counters, giggling at the eye-roll her comment manages to evoke. 

“and you,” Cadance points out with a soft laugh. 

Lavender decides to give her this round. 

“Yes, and me, and Twilight, and mum and dad… The list could go on, but I think we’ve both made our point,” Lavender says, a sparkle in her eyes as Cadance tries to smother her laughter with a pillow. 

“Quite,” The Princess finally manages to concede as she gets her laughter under control. 

“Now then. The foal’s magic levels spiked when you tensed…that’s a good thing,” Lavender adds when she sees the worry etched in her sister’s face. Cadence breathes a sigh of relief when Lavender elaborates. 

“It does mean the foal’s going to be pretty hungry soon, so, I figure we do a couple of tests… just to see how it reacts to different magic sources.” Lavender explains, again realising she’ll have to elaborate to ease her sister’s maternal, protective instincts. 

Cadance seems to notice it too. 

“Oh, I’m sorry Lavender, you know I trust you more than any other pony when it comes to medicine, but I’m just…”

“overwhelmed?” Lavender supplies, and Cadance almost gasps at the gentle, caring look in her eyes. 

Guilt nags her. She has no right to doubt Lavender. The pony is her sister. The sweetest, kindest, most soft-spoken pony she knows… and that includes Fluttershy! What was wrong with her? 

Cadance feels tears start to well in her eyes. 

What did she ever do to deserve such a caring family? 

She feels a hoof on her shoulder, and lifts her head just as Lavender embraces her. 

“You have no idea how amazing you are; You’ll get through this, and when you do, we’ll have one more amazing family member.”

Cadance only manages a nod in reply. 

She knows that Lavender is a very touchy-feely type of pony, but only with ponies who have her deepest trust, which are currently only ponies who are a part of her family. 

Calming down, Cadance returns the hug, not realising that, the entire time they embraced, the little foal in her womb was familiarising itself with, and accepting, the magic signature of the pony currently hugging her mum. 

Lavender notices the soft golden glow emanating from her sister’s stomach though. She chooses not to comment on it, knowing it clearly isn’t anything bad, otherwise Cadance wouldn’t have been able to stay so still and quiet. 

They release one another and the glow trails after Lavender a little, before fading out. 

“Now then… let’s get started,” Lavender suggests, magically summoning a couple of plastic containers that looked like blood bags, but contained magical energy. 

Cadance nods, her countenance growing serious. 

“Cadance. Try to relax. I’ve already given you a magic transfusion before, so I know what types work best for you. All I need you to do is let me do the transfusion and observe the foal; If you get weaker, that means it likes it. If you stay energetic, that means it doesn’t like it and if it gets expelled from your body, that means complete rejection on the foal’s part. You have nothing to worry about.”

Cadance sighs, knowing her little sister is right. 

Getting up, Cadance does a few test turns, circling around her own body a few times before settling back on the bed, in a more comfortable position, on her side. 

“I’m all yours doc,” She jokes, which Lavender takes as her cue to start the transfusion, along with her observations. 

The first magic source comes from a pony called Sugar Belle, a sweet unicorn who loves to bake, and has a soft blue magic energy. Lavender knows that sugary sweetness and love combine well, and she wants to see if the foal will like it too.

There are two ways of going about a magic transfusion. If the pony is comfortable with it, or there is an emergency situation when a unicorn falls unconscious due to magic depletion, the transfusion can be done directly into the magic network, which is most concentrated around the base of the horn. The process is quick and a little uncomfortable, since it requires a simple spell to allow the foreign magic energy to be absorbed directly into the other unicorn. 

The other possibility is a simple magic drip, where the magic is transferred into the patient via a simple needle, which is always inserted behind one of the shoulder blades. That’s the midpoint between the heart and head while also being the point where a pony’s magic network is weakest, giving the patient time to adjust to the new magic source as it slowly enters the body. 

Hanging the transfusion bag on a portable hook stand, Lavender gently traces Cadance’s magic tendrils with her horn, before carefully inserting the needle. 

Giving one another little nods, Lavender opens the seal on the transfusion bag and watches as it flows through the small tube connecting it and Cadance, before entering her patient’s body. 

Lavender knows that a reaction will always take place within a minute of the magic energy entering the patient, and every reaction was important to note, as they can be very subtle in some instances. 

Keeping her pen and notebook at the ready, Lavender notes a faint outburst of golden energy, her eyes widening as she feels the building of a shockwave from the foal inside of Cadance’s womb. 

‘Oh, sugar cookies,’ Lavender thinks, quickly surrounding the internal room in a force field and sealing the transfusion bag as a MUCH stronger shockwave expels the magic energy Cadance had been given. 

Shrinking the field to the size of a marble, Lavender thinks for a moment, before smiling as an idea comes to her. 

Recalling a spell she’d learned that could replicate the effects of frost, without the need for staying cold, the unicorn focuses another layer of her magic energy on the force field containing the foal’s magic and crystallises it into a perfect marble. 

The crystal glows with the foal’s golden-yellow magic energy, while also being covered in a beautiful, pale purple, and semi-transparent frost pattern. 

Satisfied, Lavender sets the little marble in a bowl on Cadance’s bedside table, before turning to her shocked patient and explaining what happened. 

“Are you ok, Cadance?”

Said alicorn blinks as Lavender addresses her, still coming to terms with the shock of experiencing such a situation, even if she was otherwise unharmed. 

“Yes, fine,” She finally replies. 

“Take a few deep breathes.”

Cadance fixes her sister with an exasperated look, before doing as she’s told when Lavender raises a brow at her as if to say ‘well?’. 

“You won’t have been injured from something like that, but I know shock when I see it, and I don’t need my brother breathing down my neck for having caused you more mental stress than you’re already dealing with.”

Cadance snorts at that, the shock slowly melting away to be replaced by her usual countenance. 

“Fair enough. Are you sure you can already draw conclusions after just one test though? I know that was a complete rejection, but that doesn’t mean that the foal wouldn’t take to any of the other magic sources you try giving me,” Cadance asks, falling silent at Lavender’s head shake. 

“The foal won’t accept those,” Lavender states simply, alternating her weight on her two front hooves as she thinks of how to explain her thoughts to her sister-in-law.
> Tests and Troubled Thoughts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2 

Tests and Troubled Thoughts



Cadance cocks her head to the side in confusion. 

She is well and truly over the shock of seeing that her foal is already so powerful, but there are lots of unanswered questions swirling around in her head, and though it isn’t a publicly known fact, Cadance can be a pretty impatient pony. 

“What do you mean by ‘Those’? Are there others you could try?” Cadance finally asks, rolling her eyes when she sees Lavender give her a knowing smile. 

“How about I start by filling you in on what I observed just then, and we can go from there?” Lavender says, moving to jump up onto the bed and laying down next to Cadance to give her report. 

They’d always done this as fillies; shared a bed and stuck close together while telling each other stories or secrets. 

“I’m all ears.” Cadance replies, flicking said ears to emphasise her point. 

The action makes Lavender giggle sweetly and causes a loving smile to form on Cadance’s lips in response. 

“Well, I definitely know that the hormones have set in.” Lavender starts, ducking as Cadance swings a pillow her way. 

“…But regarding that test, I already know that your foal won’t accept ANY foreign magic.”

She continues, placing a reassuring hoof over Cadance’s as her face clouds over in worry. 

Pausing, as she’s about to continue, Lavender suddenly changes topics. 

“Say, saying ‘the foal’ all the time is rather tiresome, isn’t it? Can you tell me what gender you guess he or she is going to be, so that I can just say that?”

Cadance blinks at the sudden topic change, failing to see the connection that could’ve made Lavender switch from one topic to the other, but she knows that that’s just the way Lavender is. 

“I’m not entirely sure…” Cadance begins, placing a hoof over her stomach. 

“…But I get the feeling she’s going to be a girl.”

She finishes, giving Lavender a smile, which is returned full force. 

“Great. Now then, where was I… Ah, yes. That test wasn’t the only time she’s gotten magic from a source other than your own. Her strong rejection proves that. And since the rejection was to a magic source that is already so similar to your own, we’d only be endangering you, the foal and even your surroundings if we tried any of the other magic sources I have prepared.” Lavender says, leaving Cadance gaping at her as she absorbs all this new information. 

One thing bugged her though. 

“But, where could she have gotten another magic source from?” Cadance asks with her brow furrowed in confusion. 

Lavender tries to control her facial expression. She REALLY does. But, seriously? It doesn’t occur to her who that magic source could be coming from? Who is tired ALL THE TIME and a lot more agitated and fretful as of late? Who turns a tiny shiver into a palace-wide search for fluffy blankets and pillows, regardless of the time, even without a paternal instinct yet? 

Lavender’s disbelieving expression, which pretty much screams ‘seriously?!’, unfortunately, doesn’t clue Cadance in to her thoughts, as the Princess continues awaiting an answer with an expectant look. 

“Cadance.”

The Princess of Love straightens a little at being addressed so suddenly. 

“I’m guessing you moved back into your princess suite when you thought you were sick, right?”

Lavender continues, receiving a nod of affirmation in reply. 

“Before you got sick, who did you sleep next to every night?”

Cadance’s eyes go wide and she slowly raises her hooves to hide her face in total mortification. 

“Oh Celestia… She’s been taking Shining’s magic too!”

Lavender merely nods when Cadance lowers her hooves enough to see her again, though it’s obvious from her quirked lip that she’s holding in her laughter. 

Lavender ignores the look, knowing that, for the moment, things need to stay serious, and nods in confirmation. 

“Exactly, so, she already has a penchant for a certain TYPE of magic, if you will.”

Cadence’s eyes widen when the full implications of what Lavender is saying finally sink in, the laughter falling from her face like foliage in the fall. 

“So… She can ONLY get magic from me or Shining?” Cadence tries to confirm, her brow furrowing when Lavender’s lips quirk into a tiny smile and she cocks her head thoughtfully. 

“Well, she’s definitely happy to receive yours and Shining’s magic, but I think I saw something earlier that could help me get you back on your feet AND keep the little troublemaker sated.”  Lavender goads, grinning when Cadence good naturedly whacks her over the head with a pillow. 

“Lavender blooming Night, would you PLEASE just tell me outright what the HELL you mean?!” Candence says in a louder tone of voice, though she doesn’t quite yell. 

Lavender’s smile softens as she plucks the pillow Cadence is still levitating out of the air, which makes Cadence dispel her magical energy, and gives Lavender the perfect chance to talk. 

“I’m going to have to test it first, but I think she’ll take the magical energy of anyone who is family.”

Cadence’s mouth falls open, her eyes shocked as she wonders who Lavender plans to pull something like THAT off. 

Gesturing to Cadence’s stomach with her head, Lavender continues. 

“When you embraced me earlier, she picked up on your love and comfort and took that as a cue that I was “safe”, so to speak, and thus her own magic instinctually tried to get a feel for mine.”

Well… That was something Cadence hadn’t thought of. 
Though, in hindsight, it made perfect sense. 

Nodding as she sorts through her thoughts, Cadence turns to address Lavender again. 

“Ok, but how do you plan to test her reaction to your magic, when YOU’RE the one who has to give her your magic AND observe her reaction to it?”

Lavender’s brow furrows for a moment, having not yet thought that far ahead. 

“Good point.” She murmurs, a hoof on her chin and her eyes half closing as she digs through the memories of her studies in the hopes of figuring this out. 


-


She could ask Shining to be the tester, but, considering that that theory was as good as proven, it wouldn’t help to have him give his daughter even MORE of his magic, while he was still recovering from having lost so much over the past few weeks. 

Creating a transfusion of her own magic was always an option. But containing her magic is a transfusion bag would take days, at least, and Cadence was growing weaker every few hours, when her foetus got hungry. So, time wasn’t really a luxury she had. 

She bit the inside of her cheek in frustration. 

With time being a key component, asking Twilight, Celestia or Luna to come by would also be difficult. Getting word to them would take time, and she wasn’t sure if Shining had lowered the barrier around the Empire yet, not to mention that they had to take care of their kingdoms, first and foremost, as was the curse of a ruler. 

Asking mum and dad to come would also take too long, unlike the royals in their family, they didn’t have the magical ability to just teleport to the Kingdom within a few seconds. 


-


Cadence watches with a worried gaze as Lavender gets lost in her thoughts. 
Her eyebrows drawing ever closer together and the furrow of her brow deepening as the answer she seeks keeps eluding her.

Wriggling her way across the bed and closer to her sister-in-law and best friend since fillyhood, Cadence pulls a hoof around Lavender’s shoulders and touches their horns together, just letting the blue glow of her horn sooth her little sister. 

Lavender relaxes at the touch, slowing surfacing from her thoughts. 

“Sorry Cadence. I’ll figure something out, but you may have to give me a little time.” Lavender apologises, her eyes practically shimmering with worry and regret. 

Cadence offers her sister a sweet smile. 

“You always were one to try way too hard Lavender. It’s not like I’m dying, and I certainly don’t want you working yourself to death over a problem that I’m sure can be solved much easier than you seem to think it can.”

Lavender smiles and rolls her eyes, knowing that Cadence is speaking the truth, but still feeling a little tight strung. 

“I’ll sleep on it and let you know what I come up with in the morning.” Lavender promises, slowly righting herself and stepping down from Cadence’s bed. 

Candence nods approvingly. 

Shining wasn’t the only one who was aware of Lavender’s tendencies to put others needs above her own, even if it meant hurting or endangering herself. 

“That sounds perfect.” Cadence agrees, though her tone has Lavender pausing before she leaves the Princess’s room. 

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” Lavender asks quietly, turning back to see Cadence laying on her bed, facing her with a sheepish expression. 

It was both surprising and somehow funny to see how quickly Cadence’s mood could shift. 

“I don’t mean to bother you… but, would you mind, maybe, singing me something before going to bed?” Cadence asks shyly, causing Lavender to gift her with a shy smile and soft nod in reply. 

It wasn’t a very widely known fact that Lavender both could sing and enjoyed singing. 
Still, Cadence had always felt peaceful and at ease when she heard Lavender sing, and it was a luxury she wanted to give herself before going to bed for the night. 

Lavender quietly walks back over to Cadence’s bedside, and, with a flash of magic, teleports her guitar into her waiting hooves. 
With a few practised twists and testing strums, Lavender tunes her guitar and decides that a softer song would be appropriate for the current time of night. 

After a few soft chords of intro, Lavender starts to sing a song by her favourite singer. 


(Kings by Lauren Aquilina)


“You’re alone, 
you’re on your own, 
So what? 
Have you gone blind? 
Have you forgotten what you have 
and what is yours?”

Lavender smiles at the pause and Cadence settles back against her pillows, just letting her sister’s words wash over her. 
Neither one notices the soft golden glow that’s slowing strengthening in Cadence’s womb, expanding as it attempts to get closer to the voice and magic source she’s come to associate with kindness, calmness and comfort. 

“Glass half empty, 
Glass half full. 
Well, either way, you won’t be going thirsty, 
Count your blessings, not your flaws.”

By this time Cadence has already slipped into a light sleep, and the foetus in her womb has ALMOST reached Lavender’s form, sitting only a few paces away from her mother. 

“You’ve got it all, 
You lost your mind in the sound. 
There’s so much more, 
You can reclaim your crown. 
You’re in control. 
Rid of the monsters inside your head. 
Put all your faults to bed. 
You can be Queen again.”

Lavenders eyes widen when she reopens them at the interlude, only now feeling the premature presence of magic trying to establish a connection with her. 

Careful so as not to stall her song, Lavender gently opens a direct magical link with the little girl, and is pleasantly surprised when, rather than quickly draining as much magical energy as she can, the baby let’s Lavender’s magic flow into her naturally with the music.

So, now partly focusing on keeping her magic channel open, Lavender none the less continues her song, hoping to give Cadence as much of a reprieve as possible. 

“You don’t get what all this is about. 
You’re too wrapped up, 
In your self-doubt. 
You’ve got that young blood, 
Set it free.”

With every chord, and every stanza, the baby consumes a little more of her magic, but, she does so in such a measured manner, that Lavender is fairly certain she’ll have recharged her power by the next morning. 
Deciding to end the song a little prematurely, Lavender prepares to sing the next verse as her final one.

“You’ve got it all, 
You’ve lost your mind in the sound. 
There’s so much more, 
You can reclaim your crown. 
You’re in control, 
Rid of the monsters inside your head. 
Put all your faults to bed. 
You can be Queen… again.”

Letting the last notes trail off, Lavender is once more surprised when Cadence’s little girl cuts off the magical link herself, her golden magical glow withdrawing back into her, as both mother and unborn foal settle into a deep and comfortable sleep. 


-


Sleep now being the furthest thing from Lavender’s mind, the mare teleports back to her room, sets her guitar back on its stand, and quickly takes out a notebook to record the happenings of the day and under what conditions the self-initiated transfusion had taken place. 

Lavender spends a good hour writing down everything she remembers. 

From her unborn niece’s golden magic, to Cadence’s calm and peaceful disposition, to the musical timing that seemed to influence her niece’s magical intake and anything else she remembers happening prior to, during and after the event. 

Even still, her mind now abuzz with these new findings, Lavender knows that sleep will be a long time coming for her. 

Trotting over to the window, Lavender looks down at the slumbering empire below her, noting, with a sideways glance, that there’s still a light burning across town… near where she now knows the orphanage to be. 

Weighing her options, Lavender has a little mental debate with herself. 

Shining will be FURIOUS.
Her pony angel warns. 

Yeah, if he finds out. 
Her pony devil laughs. 

If, still means there’s a chance that it could happen. 
Pony angel points out. 

And if it does, I’ll have to listen to a lecture and then get back to work, no problem. 
Pony devil says, poking out her tongue. 

Well, what about Flash? 
Pony angel tries again. 

It’s not like I’ll be gone long. Besides, the guy needs his sleep as much as anypony. 
Pony devil reasons. 

It’s not safe for a mare to go out by herself at this time of night either! 
Pony angel huffs. 

Right, because I’m not currently in the city with the LOWEST crime rates in ALL of Equestria since King Sombra’s defeat. 
Pony devil counters sarcastically. 

It’s not exactly proper either. 
Pony angel mutters. 

Since when has that ever STOPPED me? 
Pony devil remarks, and the argument is won. 

After that, Lavender smiles to herself and teleports to the bakery near the orphanage. 

The Empire is… different, now that the night reigns. 

Luna’s night is beautiful, with not a cloud in the sky and only a crescent moon smiling down at her as she slowly walks to the orphanage, which, she now notes, is the building with the light still on. Fireflies drift lazily through the streets, and her hoofsteps echo softly around her. 

Stopping in front of the entrance, Lavender raises a hoof to knock, only to notice a small figure sitting on the roof, away from where the lights are still on. 

Her eyes go wide with panic, before she realises that the little colt has wings on his back. 

Still, it’s strange for such a young colt to be up so late at night, and on a rooftop at that. 

Sighing, Lavender thinks through her options. 

She can’t just teleport up there, ‘cause doing that would, most likely, give the kid quite a fright. 
Her eyes light up when her wandering gaze stumbles upon a ladder that’s propped up against the side of the building. 
Thanking Celestia that Tutti isn’t a Pegasus, and thus, needs a ladder around, Lavender sets about the task of carefully and quietly climbing the wooden rungs up to the roof. 

Careful to keep her balance when she steps onto the tiled roof, Lavender decides to announce her presence softly, despite now being unable to see the young colt. 

“Hello up here. I don’t mean to intrude or anything, but, I’m Lavender, and I was wondering if maybe you’d like to talk?” She calls quietly, waiting a few moments before she starts to pick her way from one end of the roof to the other. 

It’s a little windy up there, but Lavender manages to keep her hooves under her and finally arrives at the other end of the roof. Where she finds herself looking into a pair of wary, teal eyes, though they quickly become curious and more open as recognition lights the colt’s expression. 

“Good evening.” Lavender greets with a friendly smile and a small nod. 

“Hello.” Flame Shot replies shyly, still speaking very softly. 

“I hope I’m not disturbing you?” Lavender queries, though her smile broadens when Flame Shot answers her with a little head shake. 

“Got a lot to think about?” She asks, coming closer to the edge of the roof to have a seat next to the colt.

Flame Shot shoots her a contemplative look at her astuteness, though he eventually responds with another small nod, a light blush bridging his nose. 

“Me too.”
She sighs, turning her gaze to the stars above the two of them and keeping her silence. 


-


It was a little trick she’d learned when she became an older sister. 
Eventually, and without any pushing on her part, Twilight would tell her what was bothering her, if she stayed quietly by her side for a long enough period of time. 
Even if it didn’t work, it always gave Lavender some time to sort through her own thoughts. 
And she had a LOT of thoughts to sort through. 


-


Sure, she’d found a way to establish and transfuse magic directly with her unborn niece, but there wasn’t yet a guarantee that she’d be able to repeat the process. 
Would the baby accept her magic under different circumstances? 
What could she do to lessen the foetus’ magical hunger? 

As it stood, if the baby needed more energy, her mother was an alicorn princess, and had MUCH more magical energy than most mothers, so, she could just take what she wanted. But the baby didn’t know how she was affecting her mother, and, if the strain got any worse, well… 
Lavender shuddered when she remembered how shakily Cadence had stood for those few seconds while she’d conducted her test. 
If she lost even MORE energy… 

Lavender was quick to shake that thought away. 

That was the reason why she was here, after all. 

And if all else failed and she had to pay Cadence a visit every four to six hours to play her guitar and sing the same song, so that the Princess of Love could get some rest and try to build up her magical energy reserves, well, then that’s what she’d do. 

A small hoof on her foreleg suddenly startles Lavender out of her thoughts.

Turning to the side, she sees Flame Shot looking up at her with a worried gaze. 

She gifts him with a small smile. 

“Sorry, I zoned out for a little bit there.”

The colt doesn’t let go of her foreleg, nor does his worried gaze waver, but he does return her smile with a small one of his own this time. 

“It’s easy to get lost in our thoughts when we have so many of them, isn’t it?” Lavender sighs, wrapping her tail around the colt, when she notices him shivering slightly next to her. 

His eyes widen, though she notes that he snuggles closer to her and answers her with another nod, and Lavender finds herself releasing a short, light breath into the night air. 

“You know, I don’t think any one pony has more or less worries than another, but, if we all try to approach our thoughts and problems one at a time, at our own pace, I think it might be possible for everypony to be happy, wouldn’t you agree?” She ponders, hoping to help the little colt in some way, even with a bit of general advice, even if he doesn’t want to tell her his specific worries. 

Lavender doesn’t think she’s overly smart or very stupid, but, in some contexts, some things are just obvious to her. 
When she looks down at the colt snuggled up to her side, her golden eyes gleaming so warmly in the glowing light of the stars, Flame Shot feels his façade start to crack. 


-


He’d only been at the orphanage for a few weeks. 

It had only been a few weeks since he had seen that training stunt go so horribly wrong. 

It had only been a few weeks since he’d last seen his parents in neighbouring hospital beds and in pain from simply breathing. 

It had only been a few weeks since he’d had to watch his mother and father be lowered into the ground and buried in a graveyard that he just couldn’t bring himself to visit. 

How was a colt supposed to deal with something like that? 

How did you go from smiling up at your mum as she sets out your favourite snack, to having to accept that she’ll never be able to smile at you or make your favourite snack for you again? 

He was so lost, so confused and so overwhelmed, that he just didn’t know what he should do. 


-


So, when he feels the tears pooling in his eyes and clouding his vision; when he sees how Lavender’s gaze softens even more and she tightens her hold on him, he breaks. 

His sobs tear at her heart and his tears soak into the fur of her side and foreleg, but Lavender merely holds the poor colt close to her, gathering him up and hugging him to her chest, where he cries and sobs and heaves for breath as she draws comforting patterns on his back and lets his head rest over her heart beat, hoping that that steady thump of life might help him somehow. 

“Shh… It’s ok. You’re ok.” She comforts the colt quietly, her own eyes betraying her sadness, when she feels Flame Shot get heavier in her arms and she realises that the poor dear must have cried himself to sleep. 

Carefully rising on three legs and still holding Flame Shot, Lavender decides not to risk the trip back with one hoof less, and, instead, teleports herself and Flame Shot back to the entrance of the orphanage. 

No wanting to wake anyone, Lavender walks her way over to the window with the light still on and, upon seeing Tutti going over some documents inside, knocks on the window to draw her attention. 

Tutti reacts to the sound immediately, eyes straining through the darkness for a moment, before she recognises the kind mare standing outside and opens the window for her. 

“Goodness Lavender, what are you DOING here at this time of night?” Tutti asks in a quiet, though still reprimanding, tone of voice. 

Lavender smiles up at the earth pony before giving her a little shrug. 

“Couldn’t sleep… and then I found someone else who was having trouble sleeping and he ended up falling asleep on me.” She explains, shifting her hooves so that Tutti can see the little colt she’s carrying. 

Tutti’s expression clouds with sadness when she sees the tear tracks on Flame Shots cheeks. 

He hadn’t gotten even a single night’s sleep without having to deal with some form of nightmare since coming to the orphanage. 

“I see, I’ll come and let you in then.” Tutti sighs, before offering Lavender a grateful smile and moving to let the mare in through the main entrance. 

“Would you mind telling me where Flame Shot usually sleeps? I’ll like to take him to his room myself.” Lavender asks once the three of them are in the receiving chamber of the orphanage. 

Tutti raises a brow at that, though her eyes soften when she sees how Lavender tries to hold the sleeping colt out for her to take, only for the little fella to tighten his grip on her hoof and nuzzle closer to her chest. 

The two adults exchange helpless looks and Tutti concedes, directing Lavender to a room right under where Flame Shot had been sitting on the roof earlier. 

Once she manages to put the sleeping colt into his bed, Lavender pauses when the moonlight seems to sway around her. 
It was a rare phenomenon and could mean one of two things. 

Either, Princess Luna was teleporting to an area very close by. 
Or there were Nightmares lurking nearby. 

Knowing that Luna had no reason to be nearby, Lavender lets her worried gaze wander over the suddenly frowning face of the sleeping colt. 

Brushing his mane out of his face and cocking her head curiously when her touch seems to calm the young colt, Lavender suddenly remembers something she once learned while studying under Zecora. 

Not wasting any time, Lavender uses her magic to pluck a few white strands from her mane and weaves them together to make a dreamcatcher necklace. Imbuing the charm with her magical energy, to keep away the nightmares and call on Luna if ever they were too severe, Lavender smiles at the finished result and ties the necklace loosely around Flame Shot’s neck. 

“Sleep well, little one.” She whispers, quietly leaving the room, saying good night to Tutti and teleporting back to her own room in the castle. 

So much for having recovered my magical energy by morning. 
Lavender thinks, though she can’t bring herself to regret her actions. 

She falls into her own bed with a tired sigh, drawing the curtains this time, in the hopes that her attuned body won’t rouse her when the sun rises the next day.
> Health and Food
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 3
 


Health and Food 


She’s not sure why… 

Maybe it’s because she finally made some progress in helping Cadance through her pregnancy, or because she managed to help and protect Flame Shot the night before, but for whatever reason, Lavender manages to wake up with the sunrise and NOT feel like a pony who only got a few hours of sleep the night before. 

The knock hasn’t even sounded at her door, when she calls for Flash to enter. 

“Good morning!”

She greets in a quiet but happy tone of voice, chuckling at Flash’s bewildered expression. 

“Um… How did you… What was… Good morning to you too, Miss Night.”

Flash finally manages to say, though he shrinks back a little at Lavender’s disapproving gaze. 

“Sorry, Lavender.”

He corrects himself with a sheepish smile. 

Lavender’s expression shifts to a reciprocating smile at his words. 

“Did you sleep well?”

She asks, causing Flash to blink in a bewildered manner. 

“Um, as well as I always do?”

He replies in an uncertain tone of voice. 

“What about you?” 

Flash asks, mirroring her question after having a moment to collect himself. 

“Very well, thank you.”

Lavender replies with a smile, levitating her saddle bag onto her back as she speaks. 

“Now, I need to get my hooves on a few medicinal herbs. You wouldn’t happen to know where I could purchase such things, would you?”

She’s half teasing but half serious too. 

Flash smirks at her. 

“I think I can help you out there.”

He boasts, his teasing tone not going unnoticed by the purple mare, who smiles up at him. 

“Perfect, let’s go.”

Lavender says, moving to pass Flash and exit her room. 

Flash, however, stays standing in her way. 

“Flash?”

Lavender asks, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“How about breakfast first?”

The pegasus guard suggests as though hinting at the obvious. 

Lavender feels herself blush, embarrassed. 

“Oh, right…”

She gives a half-hearted chuckle and raises a hoof to rub the back of her neck. 

“Can we compromise on breakfast on the go?”

She suggests meekly, causing Flash to roll his eyes while releasing a slow breath. 

“Fine, but you have to eat at least two muesli bars, ok?”

He grumbles, stumbling back a bit when Lavender almost tackles him in a giddy hug. 

“Thank you!”

She says, grinning like a kid in a candy store. 

The sudden change in her demeanour and openness have Flash’s eyes widen and his muzzle blushing in surprise. 

“Am I interrupting something?”

The two jerk apart so quickly Cadance is surprised they don’t give themselves whiplash. 

“Your majesty.”

Flash says after clearing his throat and bowing to his Princess. 

“Cadance!”

Lavender exclaims both happy and shocked to see her sister-in-law out of bed. 

Cadance chuckles at the almost opposite greetings she receives from the two ponies in front of her, though she finds herself biting her lip when Lavender’s expression suddenly changes to a worried, questioning and reprimanding one. 

“What are you doing out of bed?”

The Princess winces at her sister’s tone. 

“Well, after that magic transfusion you gave the little one last night, I woke up feeling totally fine, so, I figured it would be ok for me to go down to breakfast and surprise Shining?”

With every word Lavender seems to inch closer to the Princess, her expression firm, and Cadance feels her determination to make it down to the main dining hall waver. 

“Though I’m glad that you’re feeling better, I can’t let you out of bed until I know for certain if I can repeat last night’s fluke and keep you and her stable and safe.”

Lavender explains, pointing her hoof first at Cadance and then at her stomach. 

Cadance feels her ears droop at that information, though she stays looking at Lavender when the unicorn gentle tilts her head so that the two are looking into each-other’s eyes. 

“I know you’re happy to be feeling better, and believe me, I’m happy to see you so fit again too, but I can’t risk a relapse without some sort of back-up plan, especially since I don’t yet have any concrete proof that your little sunshine will accept a different family member’s magic.”

Lavender explains, her eyes shining with genuine love, worry and honesty. 

Cadance gives her sister and doctor a watery smile after her little speech. 

“I never can win against you when you’re like this.”

The princess sighs, though her soft smile is still present. 

“I didn’t realise this was a competition?”

Lavender teases with a quirked eyebrow, causing Cadance to chuckle quietly. 

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Cadance chastens light-heartedly, and Lavender smiles in response. 

The two tilt their heads a little so that their horns cross, and then glow purple and blue in a ritual that has a similar meaning to Cadance’s and Twilights ladybug greeting. 

Just as the two are about to extinguish their link, Lavender feels a third pulse of magic and realises that the golden glow from Cadance’s womb is back. 

“Would you look at that.”

Lavender says softly, still keeping her magic in contact with Cadance. 

The princess is a little confused at first, before she looks down and sees her stomach glowing. 

“Woah.”

Cadance breathes and Lavender nuzzles her head against hers, making sure to keep their link open. 

“She did this when I was singing last night.”

Lavender explains, though she can’t see Cadance’s expression, she can see the little girl’s golden glow slowly twist through the air towards her and Cadance’s glowing horns. 

“What is she doing?”

Cadance asks quietly, genuinely confused and curious. 

“Last time she tried to create a direct transfusion link with me and took my magic in time with the music of my song.”
Lavender answers, her horn tingling as the golden glow makes contact and, again, struggles to create a transfusion link with her. 

“But you’re not singing this time.”

Cadance points out, a warning note in her voice as she worries for her sister. 

“I’m not… but I’m going to trust your emotions on this one. So long as your worry doesn’t get too strong, I don’t think she’ll hurt me, unintentionally or not.”

Lavender reasons and opens the transfusion link as she speaks. 

While Cadance draws in a sharp breath, she does her best to do as Lavender said and not let her worry get the best of her. She trusts her sister, maybe even more than her husband, and she won’t stop now. 

Lavender feels the unnatural tug at the base of her horn that means that her niece is withdrawing her purple magic into herself. 

It’s a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but it doesn’t hurt. 

“Hey there little one.”

Lavender says softly, angling her head to better look at the glowing ball in Cadance’s belly. 

“I hear you let your mum rest really well last night. Thanks for giving her some time to recover.”

Her words are soft and coaxing and so incredibly kind that Cadance can’t help but smile, her magic spiking in response to the huge levels of love that Lavender is exuding. 

“If you’re ok with me, I’m going to start giving you a few snacks during the day, so that you don’t tire your mum out too much, how about it?” 

Lavender offers, a small pulse of golden magic her answer as her niece again cuts off the magical link between herself and her aunt. 

Extinguishing her magic and straightening, Lavender gives Cadance a reassuring smile. 

“Well, it looks like you’ve got yourself a patient approved family magic doner to take the edge off of your little one’s hunger.”

Lavender states, her smile softening as Cadance’s eyes start to tear up. 

Moving to stand so that Flash can’t see Cadance’s face, Lavender addresses her guard and friend. 

“I’m going to escort the Princess back to her room, I’ll meet you in the foyer in a few minutes…”

Flash nods and Lavender pauses a moment before adding. 

“I know I don’t have to say it explicitly, but the things you’ve seen here are still considered highly confidential until the Princess deigns it safe and appropriate to inform the people of her condition.”

Flash answers her with a resolute nod and an easy smile. 

“I’ll have a honeyed musli bar waiting for you when you come to the receiving foyer.”

He replies, before turning and making his way to the dining hall to collect some breakfast for the two of them. 

His head’s still spinning from so much confusing information, but he trusts Lavender, and he knows she’s likely to explain what just happened to him when she doesn’t have to worry about the Princess. 

Once Flash is out of sight, Lavender moves to support Cadance and take her back to her room. 

“You know YOU’RE the one that just had her magic drained, right?”

Cadance points out with a little giggle. 

“Shouldn’t I be supporting you?”

She offers teasingly. 

Lavender merely smiles. 

“I’m fine, thanks though.”

Lavender replies, pulling back the covers and gesturing for Cadance to get back into bed with her head. 

Cadance merely shakes her head but does as the doctor bids. 

“So, what’s next o doctor of mine?”

Cadance asks, and Lavender realises that she may be in such a teasing mood because her energy levels are normalising themselves and her body isn’t yet used to having so much energy again. 

Coming out of her musings, Lavender puts a hoof to her chin as she adopts a thoughtful expression before speaking. 

“Well, though I don’t want you to overexert yourself, I will allow you to be up and about in your room. BUT, if anything happens or you start to feel off, I want you to call for me immediately and we’ll see where to go from there.”

Lavender orders sternly, her expression brooking no argument or compromise. 

Cadance nods her understanding. 

“Got it… Sooo, you want to tell me what I walked out on earlier?”

The Princess of Love asks, the innuendo in her question obvious, and if her tone of voice hadn’t given her away, her expression certainly would have. 

Lavender presses her lips together as her cheeks pink when she remembers how she’d acted earlier. 

“I get the feeling Shining talked to Flash about some of my… tendencies, when I get caught up in a job or research of some sort.”

Cadance opens her mouth to point out that that hadn’t been her question, but Lavender simply shoots her a look that says I’ll get to it in a bit, and Cadance clamps her mouth shut to wait and keep listening. 

“Anyway, he didn’t want me leaving the castle without having breakfast, so we compromised that I’d eat while we walked to whatever shop he was going to take me to, so that I could get a few medicinal herbs for you and for some general use as well. I was having a pretty good morning and, I guess, I have some sort of instinctual trust towards him, so, I just let my emotions out for a bit and, obviously, surprised him, by giving him a hug.”

Lavender explains in a murmured voice that tells Cadance just how embarrassed her sister is to have done such a thing so openly. 

Privately, Cadance is delighted that Lavender is opening up to other ponies. 

She was never as social a butterfly as her big brother, but she would say hello and play with other ponies. 

She was just, always, quiet. 

Where Twilight had her head hidden in a book, Candance always had the feeling that Lavender’s head was up in the clouds. Lost in thoughts that, when she did, on rare occasion, speak them out loud, no one could really follow or understand. 

Still, her magic had drawn her to the two of them. 

Although it hadn’t been the romantic type of love, Cadance had seen that shimmering heart halo around the two of them, and she was most curious to see how their relationship would develop, especially considering Twilight's vital role in their dynamic. 

“Cadance?”

Said pony snaps out of her musings when Lavender calls her name and gently nudges her with a hoof. 

“You ok?”

Lavender probes carefully. 

“Fine, fine!”

The princess exclaims, a little startled. 

Lavender quirks a brow. 

“Ok…”

She says uncertainly. 

“Well, I’m going to go and meet Flash downstairs now. Like I said, send for me if anything happens, and otherwise just try to build up your magic reserves again.”

Lavender instructs, moving to the door as she speaks. 

“You got it.”

Cadance reassures her with a smile. 

Lavender smiles as well, though she pauses before exiting the room. 

“You know I’ve known you long enough to recognise your expressions, right? If you ever want my opinion on the type of love Flash and I might share, all you have to do is ask.”

Lavender says, grinning when Cadance blushes and pouts at having been caught. 

“Bye!”

The purple unicorn calls quickly from behind the door as she leaves Cadance’s room, laughing when she hears a pillow thud against the other side of the door. 

After reigning in her laughter, Lavender recalls where the foyer is and teleports there, causing Flash to jump a few feet in the air as she materialised right next to him with a magical ‘pop’. 

“Hehehehe, sorry Flash.” 

Lavender chuckles sheepishly. 

Flash rolls his eyes at her obviously insincere apology, but lets it go, flapping his wings a few times to land next to her. 

“Don’t sweat it.”

He replies, giving her a grin, before procuring the promised musli bar and handing it to her with a flourish. 
Lavender rolls her eyes at his antics but levitates the snack out of his hold with her magic, smiling when he starts to lead her out of the castle. 

“So… Where are we headed first?”

Lavender asks once they clear the castle gates. 

“Amberlocks Herbs.”

Flash replies with a short sideways glance.

“If you need herbs, seasoning or anything plant-based, she’s always your best bet in the Crystal Empire.”

He explains, the rest of the walk passing in companiable silence, before they come to a stop outside of a quaint little building. 
Lavender has to blink herself out of her thoughts to realise that 1. Flash has stopped 2. They’re a good way away from the castle and 3. They’ve stopped at the fringe of the empire, with rows upon rows of different herbs growing behind and around the little establishment called “Amberlocks Herbs”. 

Walking up to the door, Lavender raps against the frame a few times, cringing when she hears the distinct sound of something spilling and shattering inside. 

Hearing the pounding of hoof-steps coming from inside the building, Lavender, wisely, takes a few steps back, just in time to avoid getting hit by the door swinging open with great enthusiasm. 

“Um… Good morning?”

Lavender greets quietly, though her confused tone is only too apparent. 

Then again, she hadn’t expected to be greeted with a steaming platter of cookies in her face. 

“Good morning to you too, my dear. Please, come in, come in!”

Amberlocks says happily, balancing the tray of cookies on her head and backtracking into the abode with Lavender in tow. 
Placing the tray on a table, Amberlocks finally sees her guest…s, Flash having followed behind Lavender as soon as she went inside. 

“I apologise, it seems I’ve caught you at an inopportune time.”

Lavender whispers out guiltily, her eyes flicking over to the tray of freshly baked cookies. 

Amberlocks smiles warmly at the young unicorn in her home and business, immediately liking her genuine, though demure, sincerity. 

“Not at all, dear. I just bake to pass the time between caring for all of my plants.”

She answers, gesturing to her house, which is indeed overrun with all sorts of potted and hanging plants. 

“So, what do you have need of?”

She asks in a chipper tone of voice. 

“Some Goldenroot, Ginger, Tulsi, Camomile, Lavender and Raspberry, please.”

Lavender answers, listing the ingredients she needs and wants the earth pony to give her. 

Flash merely stands a half-step behind Lavender, keeping his eyes and ears open for any danger. 

He doesn’t know what half the things are that Lavender just asked for, but he’s not there for his knowledge of medicinal herbs. He’s there to keep Lavender safe. 

Amberlocks is surprised that this pony’s knowledge regarding the medicinal plant world. It’s not every day she meets somepony who knows and refers to Holy Basil by its original name of Tulsi. 

Nodding to herself, Amberlocks smiles at Lavender. 

“I will accompany you to the garden, so that you may harvest whatever herbs you require, and we’ll talk payment once you have everything you need.”

Amberlocks proposes, already moving to the back door of the house. 

A quick look over her shoulder has Lavender meeting Flash’s gaze. 

They share a small nod and Flash stays in the house, leaving Lavender to her own devices. 

Maybe ten minutes later, the two mares re-enter the abode. 

Amberlocks goes back to her cookies with a resigned look in her eyes and Lavender continues out the door with a quiet thank you and goodbye. 

“Any problems?”

Flash asks, when the two of them are outside again. 

“No. She wanted to hire me, but I already have a fairly time-consuming job at the moment, so I haggled her down to a reasonable price while choosing my herbs and payed her before we came back into the house.”

Lavender explains. 

Flash just chuckles and shakes his head slightly. 

“You realise you need only ask, and the princess and captain would be more than happy to give you an allowance for all expenses related to the princess’s treatment.”

Flash points out. 

“But you aren’t the type of pony to do so, even though you’re aware of that option.”

He adds quietly. 

Lavender’s ear flicks, missing the last part of Flash's musing. 

“I know, but I do get paid to take care of Cadance, despite trying to turn down her payment, so I may as well use the money I don’t want to make to take care of the sister who’s paying me.”

She explains, turning back to look at Flash with a fond look in her eyes. 

Flash finds his own expression softening at Lavender’s words and mien. 

He still isn’t entirely sure how Lavender manages to put him at ease with her mere presence, but he’s slowly starting to suspect that she has that effect on everypony. 

The rest of the walk back passes by quietly, though neither pony minds. 

Lavender returns to her room and immediately sets about making a variety of different teas, jams and pastes, laying out a few choice herbs and roots to dry in the sun for later use. 

After a few hours, Lavender is jolted out of her rhythm by the click of her room door opening to reveal her brother behind it. 

“Sweet Celestia, Shining!”

Lavender chastens, her magic only JUST managing to catch a jar of crushed Gingerroot and Camomile nectar that she’d knocked off of the desk in her fright. 

“Sorry Flowers.”

Shining Armor apologises sheepishly, inviting himself inside and closing the door behind him. 

“What’s up?”

The younger sister asks as she puts the jar back on the table, screws the top on securely and turns to look at her brother.

“Figured I’d check to make sure my little flower was getting a bit of sunlight.”

Shining jokes, coming to stand next to his little sister and causing a small smile to quirk Lavender’s lips upwards. 

“Well, the curtains are open, and I was out for an hour this morning, so there’s no danger of any sunlight deficiency here.”

Lavender answers honestly, turning away from her desk to look up at her brother with a smile, though it wavers at the worried, and slightly accusing, look in his eyes. 

“…what’s wrong?”

She asks, genuine worry winning out over her hesitance to ask. 

Shining sighs, well aware of his sister’s heightened sixth sense regarding a pony’s emotional state. 

“I was hoping you’d tell me.”

Shining bemoans, a spark of mischief lighting his eyes, letting her know that he’s exaggerating his complaint, just a smidge. 

Lavender cocks her head to the side in a quizzical manner. 

“What do you mean? Has something happened to Cadance!? I told her not to get out of bed yet, even if…”

“Stop. Cadance is FINE Lav. I was just with her and she’s resting, just like she promised you she would... I was actually asking about you.”

Shining interrupts, noticing how Lavender’s eyes were widening even as her speech accelerated. 

It was an easy way to tell that she was working herself up into a frenzy. 

A bad habit she’d picked up by jumping to the wrong conclusions and empathising with all of her patients, even the ones that couldn’t be saved. 

It made losing them that much harder on the mare, but it also drove her to work herself much harder than any pony should be able to, striving to find a cure for every illness known to pony kind. 

Lavender herself wasn’t all that well known, because she preferred to dedicate her time to finding new treatments and cures for different illnesses, when she wasn’t helping any pony she happened to cross paths with. Hell, only a handful of ponies even knew that Dr. Night was a mare, but EVERYPONY had heard of the infamous Dr. Night, the doctor that discovered and created the cures for the feather flu, horsey hives, pony pox and even airsickness. 

Shining both understood and respected Lavender’s decision not to advertise her successes, but he also worried about her. 

She was the kind of pony to give her all, no matter what she was doing. 

And although there was no chance of losing Cadance, Shining could tell that Lavender was again doing much more than she had to. 

After all, she’d been in her room for FIVE straight hours, drying, grinding, mixing, shaking and creating all sorts of different concoctions that, if he had to hazard a guess, would hopefully help Cadance make a faster recovery. 

Still, it was always worrying to see his little sister completely forget herself while trying to help somepony else. 

“I’m fine.”

Lavender replies, taking a few deep breaths and refocusing on her older brother, who, in turn, refocused on her. 

She’s met by her brother’s 'I-don't-believe-you' stare. 

“Hmm… Nope, not buying it.”

He quips. 

“Wha-… but I’m really fine!”

Lavender repeats. 

“Really?”

He goads. 

“YES!”

Lavender exclaims, a pout decorating her lips. 

“In that case… when was the last time you ate?” 

He challenges, throwing Lavender for a loop. 

She opens her mouth, pauses, then closes it again, a guilty look clouding her mien. 

“…breakfast.”

She admits quietly, cringing when Shining heaves an exasperated sigh. 

“Well… It’s not like I wasn’t expecting that answer.”

Shining sighs, gifting Lavender with a rueful smile when she turns a curious look on him. 

“I know you’re not going to lighten up with an important patient to take care of, even less so since it’s family, but at least take the rest of the day off…”

Shining implores his little sister, cutting her off when he sees her open her mouth to argue. 

“You’ve been working in here for HOURS, and Cadance isn’t exactly in critical condition anymore. Go give her another once over, but then go outside, EAT something and go enjoy some free time.”

He says firmly, blinking when his ears pick up on his sister’s quiet chuckles. 

“You just sounded exactly like mom when she used to chasten me for spending too much time inside reading, instead of outside with you and Twi.”

Lavender explains with a grin. 

Shining huffs out a laugh, remembering only too well how he used to hear his mother’s voice from his sister’s room. 

“Well, someone has to get you to leave your room every once in a while.”

He points out, catching Lavender around the shoulders and giving her a quick noogie, before she twists out of his grip. 

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. I’ll go outside once I’ve checked on Cadance and gotten a bite to eat.”

Lavender agrees, pushing her brother towards her door and quickly swinging it closed after exchanging a brief smile with Shining. 

'I’m glad he cares, even if it costs him more nerves than he has to spare at the moment.' 

Lavender thinks with a little chuckle, before snatching up her guitar and teleporting into Cadance’s room. 

“Goooood… Afternoon.”

Lavender greets, prolonging the first word just long enough to gauge the position of the sun outside of Cadance’s windows, and add the time of day to her greeting. 

Cadance chuckles at Lavender’s entrance, eyes immediately honing in on the guitar floating by her side. 

“Hello Lavender… To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

Cadance asks, slipping out of bed to give her sister a hug. 

“I wanted to come and see how you were doing before headed out to town for the rest of the day.”

Lavender answers honestly. 

“Oh. How come?” 

Cadance questions, genuine surprise registering in her expression. 

Lavender supresses her laughter with a smile.

“Is it really so rare to see me outside?” 

She asks, the light of her laughter still sparkling in her eyes. 

“Well, you’re not usually one to leave your room without reason.”

Cadance points out, a soft smile gracing her own lips at Lavender’s expression. 

“True… Shining kicked me out for the rest of the day. Said something about eating something and getting enough sunlight.”

Lavender explains with a small smile. 

“Well, if you actually listen to him, he has my full support.” 

Cadance says with a playful grin. 

“Yeah, yeah, you might want to watch your comments, unless you don’t want me to sing you another song after this scan.”

Lavender rolls her eyes, gently depositing her guitar on Cadance’s bed, before getting ready to update her scan of Cadance’s magic functions and the health of her and the foal. 

Cadance’s expression softens at Lavender’s teasing, and she gets into position without another word. 

Taking a deep breath, Lavender again focuses her magic on the pregnant mare before her, willing it to note down any detail to do with her and the foal. 

The scan was also a wordless spell that Lavender herself had invented. 

It functioned like an x-ray, but instead of showing the bones of a pony, it recorded and returned the statistics of a pony’s health and directed them straight into the caster’s mind. 

Things like height, weight, magic type, magic strength, stored magic and system cleanliness could help a doctor determine any number of problems. Or, in this case, the current progression of a pregnancy. 

Firing her stream of magic, Lavender smiles when her spell returns with the information on Cadance and the little foal. 

“You’re doing much better. You’re still a little low on magic, in comparison to an alicorn’s usual magic levels, but your little foal is happy and healthy, if a little hungry at the moment…”

Lavender fills Cadance in. 

A knowing look passes over the alicorn’s face, as her eyes stray to the guitar, which Lavender is now levitating into her waiting hooves. 

“So, any preferences?”

Lavender asks as Cadance lays back down in bed and Lavender takes a seat on the edge of the bed. 

“Just pick a song by the same artist, I liked your song from last time well enough… and the little one did too.”

Cadance comments kindly. 

Giving the Princess a little nod, Lavender picks out a different Aquilina song this time. 

Taking a breath, Lavender starts the song with a few soft and careful strums of the guitar. 

Her voice is quiet and full of emotion when she starts to sing a little while later. 

(Forest Fires)

“I don’t have much to say, 
There’s nothing in this name, 
Sorry to disappoint again. 
Nobody pines for the listener, 
A thrill I fail to deliver.”

After only the first verse, Cadance’s stomach takes on the foal’s magical glow, both mares sharing a relieved and pleased look as Lavender continues to sing. 

“And whilst I watch in silence, 
You’re starting forest fires. 
You start them just to feel the heat.” 
The mares watch, almost entranced, as the glow slowly morphs into a thread. 
“And whilst I keep my quiet, 
You’re running with the tigers. 
You’re running just to run from me.”

Pausing as the lyrics require, Lavender continues strumming her guitar, carefully reaching out to help the unborn foal complete the connection for a direct transfusion. 

She can almost hear a happy little laugh when the two powers interact and merge together. Pleased that she’s taking a slow and measured amount of her power, Lavender refocuses on the song and continues with the next verse. 

“The people on this train, 
Already made up their minds about me. 
I can already feel their hate, 
The stranger, his sorrow, 
Must be fault of my own.”

Taking a breath, and carefully monitoring the little one’s magic intake, Lavender decides to stop after the next chorus. 

“And whilst I watch in silence, 
You’re starting forest fires. 
You start them just to feel the heat.” 

The mares watch, pleased and pleasantly surprised, as the glow slowly morphs into a thread. 

“And whilst I keep my quiet, 
You’re running with the tigers. 
You’re running just to run from me.”

Finishing the song prematurely, and on a soft and quiet note, Lavender and Cadance both gasp, when the little one gives Lavender some of HER magic, before again severing the link herself, and letting the golden light of her magic recede. 

Blinking at each other, Lavender is the first to break the silence. 

“I do believe… that she’s become quite attuned to the two of us.”

She comments, drawing Cadance out of her thoughts. 

“…I certainly agree with you.”

The princess tacks on. 

“She’s quite powerful already, you know?”

Lavender prompts, her niece’s magic like a warm shock to her system. 

“I guessed as much when she cut the connection with you the first time.”

Cadance admits. 

“Good. So long as we know what we’re dealing with, we should be able keep the both of you happy and stable until her birth.”

Lavender says, her posture relaxing as she takes a moment to collect herself. 

“Lavender…?”

The unicorn opens her eyes, letting them slide to the side, where Cadance is still lying in bed, before humming to let her sister know that she’s listening. 

“…What ARE we dealing with?”

She asks hesitantly. 

Lavender slowly turns her head to meet her worried sister’s gaze. 

“I don’t know… But I FEEL like whatever it is, she’s good.”

She reassures Cadance, gently stroking her slightly swollen belly for emphasis. 

And that’s her honest opinion. 

She’s never before felt a foal with so much power, but such strength of character and kindness as well. 

She’s clearly working based purely on instinct when she reaches out with her golden magic, or cuts off the transfusion, but, the very fact that she does such things, attests to her empathetic prowess and good nature, no matter how young she still is. 

“So, you get some more rest, and I’ll come by again after dinner.” 

Lavender says by way of goodbye, smiling when Cadance gives her a little nod, before teleporting to the foyer and calling Flash by sending a quick jolt of magic through her hair clip. 

He flies into the foyer only a few seconds later. 

“Need something?”

He asks, and Lavender can literally see the tension flow out of him as he surveys his surroundings and determines that she isn’t calling him because she’s in some type of danger. 

“Sorry to bother you, I just… interrupted your lunch, I’m sorry.”

She breaks off, seeing a smudge of food at the corner of his mouth. 

Without really thinking, she levitates a pale purple handkerchief between the two of them and wipes the spot of food away. 

“Uh… That’s ok.”

Flash answers when he finds his voice again.

“I actually just wanted to ask if I could eat with you, since I haven’t had lunch yet, and Shining gave me a scolding about it a little while ago.”

Lavender continues, picking up her sentence where she’d dropped it. 

Flash loses a few shades of colour when he realises that he also forgot to check if Lavender had eaten anything else after her snack for breakfast. 

He’d just gotten caught up training and hanging out with some of his comrades… Captain Shining was going to skin him for this one! 

“No problem, let me just find you a cook and you can let him know what you want.”

Flash answers with a nod, already flying up a few meters to scan the immediate area for personnel. The tug of Lavender’s magic on his tail brings him back to the ground though. 

“That’s… not what I meant.”

She says quietly, toeing the ground with her forehoof. 

Flash cocks his head at her quiet admittance.

“Oh, did you want to get something in town again?”

He tries, biting the inside of his cheek when she shakes her head. 

“…wanted to eat in the guards’ mess hall with you.”

His ear flicks, but she’d been too quiet for him this time. 

“Sorry?”

He probes. 

“I actually wanted to eat in the guards’ mess hall with you.”

She says again, forcing her voice to take on a normal volume. 

Flash blinks. 

This was new. 

“Ah… sure?”

He answers, folding his wings away to show Lavender the way to the guards’ mess hall on hoof.

“This way.”

He says, walking back the way he’d flown with Lavender following a half hoof step behind him. 

It doesn’t take too long to get to the guards’ mess hall, and Flash pauses outside of the large wooden double doors. 

“Now, you’re SURE you want to eat in here?”

He asks one more time, having done so multiple times on their walk over. 

“Again. Yes, I’m sure.”

Lavender answers back, her curiosity getting the better of her as she listens to the loud calls, crashes and cheers coming from the other side of the doors. 

Sighing, Flash turns to face Lavender. 

“Ok, one more time, what did I tell you on the way here?” 

He asks, waiting for her to refocus on him.

“Try to stay close to you, don’t take any comments personally, and if all else fails, don’t hesitate to reveal my connection to Shining.”

She repeats, wondering what could possibly make Flash so nervous as to have him make her promise such things. 

Hearing a loud exhale, Lavender sees Flash giving her a resolute look. 

“With that, I welcome you, to the guards’ mess hall at lunch.”

He says, before he turns back to the doors and pushes them open to reveal absolute mayhem.