Discord is tasked with foalsitting the CMC. The portal to parts unknown, however, wasn't part of the plan...
Foalsit for three fillies and one baby dragon. That sounded a simple enough task for Discord to handle, right? If only Equestria could be so lucky... One innocent request from the crusaders, however, is enough to topple the balance of magic in Equestria, forcing the Cutie Mark Crusaders to fix their mistake, adventuring across Equestria and beyond to vanquish the rising threat of evil and destruction to their world...
Disclaimers: I don't own MLP: FiM in any way, shape, or form. Hasbro has all rights, etc. Please support them, as I claim nothing.
Final Fantasy in general is owned by... Square Enix, right? Meh. Point is, I don't own it, Chocobos, anything. I don't claim anything, so please support the official releases. (The games.)
“For the love of... Twi, you made a checklist for getting ready for the Gala?” Applejack questioned, quirking an eyebrow.
“Of course! Always be prepared for everything,” Twilight answered, grinning. “Now, if you don’t mind, there’s just a few items left on the list. Let’s see... Hooficures?”
“Checker peppers!” Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing around on the tips of her hooves. “Wow, Rarity, these shoes really are springy, thanks!”
“Wings preened?” Twilight continued, ignoring Pinkie’s antics with a smile.
“Yeah, only because you cheated,” Rainbow Dash grumbled, crossing her hooves. “Stupid spells...”
“Manes styled?”
“Just finished,” Rarity sang, stepping back from Fluttershy.
“Great! That just leaves transportation, and that’s on the way, so I guess that-”
“Cutie Mark Crusader Ballroom Dancers! Yay!”
Three young fillies burst into Carousel Boutique, all wearing their flower-filly dresses from Princess Cadance and Shining Armour’s wedding. Their manes and tails were styled to a small degree, parts of their manes having been displaced in the wind on their race to the boutique. Behind them, panting more heavily than the three fillies whose energy knew no bounds, was Spike, struggling not to puff like the bellows.
Dressed sharply in his tux, Spike took a moment to gather his breath, smooth his spines, and then walked towards Rarity as suavely as possible. “Good evening, Milady, and might I say you look absolutely stunning tonight?”
Rarity tittered as Spike bowed low to her, soaking up the attention while Applejack dealt with the three rambunctious fillies. “And just what do ya think you girls are doin all gussied up like a pig to a luau?”
The crusaders stopped and looked at each other, before Applebloom asked sadly, “Ya don’t think we look pretty enough ta go to the gala?”
Applejack didn’t need three sets of puppy eyes directed solely on her to know she should have reworded her statement. Backpedaling, Applejack shook her head, hugging the three fillies tightly. “Of course not! Y’all are more pretty than a magnolia in May... Ah just, ya can’t come to th’ Gala! You’re not old enough enough yet!”
“But we already got all dressed up!” Sweetie Belle squeaked in protest.
“Yeah! Spike spent a couple hours on our manes alone!” Applebloom added. “We just needed Rarity ta add the final touches! Y’all can’t just leave us here at home alone! T’ain’t fair! We won’t cause a mess or nuthin! Cross mah heart and hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in mah eye!”
Applejack and Rarity looked at each other, wincing as they had a very quiet, mumbled argument. Twilight fluffed her wings a little, resettling her feathers, when she was struck by inspiration. “You girls just want to see what the Gala is like, and see if dancing is your special talent? That’s it?”
“Spike promised us all a dance,” Scootaloo explained, torn between disgust and excitement of getting a dancing cutie mark. “It might be a lame cutie mark, but at least it would be a cutie mark!”
“What’s lame about dancing?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Dance clubs are awesome! Rockin’ music, flashy lights... Are you kidding? It’s a way to show your moves, show others how awesome you are! That, and it’s kind of fun to get all of the stallions hopes up, and then just disappear before they can ask for your address, or spout some cheesy pick-up line.”
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaimed, gasping in shock as Rainbow Dash grinned smugly. “You’re supposed to be setting a good example for them! I cannot believe that you would-”
“Gotcha!”
Scootaloo laughed alongside Rainbow Dash, adding, “Yeah, as if somepony as awesome as Rainbow Dash would be caught dead around ponies as lame as colts!”
Rarity’s eyes widened, before she grinned predatorily. “Oh, so our Rainbow Dash actually has her eyes on a stallion? Do tell...”
“W-what? I-I do not!” Rainbow Dash protested, her wings twitching open. “We’re just pen pals, that’s it!”
“Oh, so you’re ‘pen pals’, hmm? And, pray tell, Rainbow Dash, what do you say to each other, hmm?” Rarity pressed, wagging her eyebrows slighty.
“Yeah, because I’m stupid enough to tell the town gossip about my personal life,” Dash deadpanned, rolling her eyes. “I’m not stupid, Rarity.”
“I am not the town gossip!” Rarity huffed, crossing her forelegs. “I might... know a few things, but I don’t go telling everypony everything! A lady does know how to keep secrets, you know!”
While Scootaloo sat in rapt attention, shocked that Rainbow Dash would actually be interested in something like cootie-filled colts, the other crusaders high-hoofed, since the adults were now distracted, they were practically garunteed a chance at getting into the gala now, right?
Spike burped loudly, his face turning red as a letter appeared. “E-excuse me.”
Twilight opened the letter without hesitation, glancing at it briefly before smiling, closing the letter. “Alright girls, let’s get ready for the gala! Rarity, do you think you could finish styling the girls’ manes?”
“Um, Twilight, Darling, I am done. It was a part of the checklist, remember?” Rarity said gently, privately worried that her friend’s mind was starting to go.
“No, I mean the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Twilight clarified, smiling. “The situation has already been taken care of completely. The girls will get the chance to experience the full Gala setting, while still being far enough away to prevent being involved in any disasters that might occur, whether or not they start them.”
“Really, Twi? What do ya have in mind?” Applejack questioned, quirking an eyebrow.
.o.O.o.
“Oh heck no!” Applejack protested, shaking her head adamantly. “How is having Discord watch the crusaders supposed ta ease mah mind about the trouble they could get into?”
“Applejack, you wound me,” Discord said theatrically, his paw clutching at his heart. “Who knows more about chaos than I?”
“I do believe that is Applejack’s point,” Rarity said, standing protectively in front of Sweetie Belle. “We’re not so foolish as to think that chaos plus chaos equals order!”
“Girls, you aren’t giving him enough credit,” Twilight sighed, massaging her temple. “He really has gotten better. We’re just trying to keep both him and the crusaders out of trouble, right? Do you really want Discord at the Gala proper?”
“Hay yeah! That would make the party a blast!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, Scootaloo nodding along eagerly.
“It would also give Celestia and Luna, not to mention myself, headaches from all of the complaints we’d get from the nobles,” Twilight sighed. “Look, things will get a bit chaotic, but at least it will be controlled! Cadance will be there to make sure that-”
“Oh, well then why didn’t you say so sooner, darling?” Rarity interrupted, laughing. “Are you quite sure she’ll be able to manage though? I mean, she-”
“Is what? Pregnant?” The pink alicorn asked, stepping into the room with the aid of her husband. “I haven’t let that stop me from doing any of my other duties, and I hardly think it should impact something I’ve been doing since I was barely more than a filly myself. There is a reason why ponies call me the best foalsitter in Equestria, you know,” she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
“Hi Aunt Cadance!” Spike called, hugging the alicorn’s leg briefly. It had been decided fairly early in the marriage that, since Spike called Armour his uncle, that Cadance would then be his aunt. Of course, neither were really his aunt or uncle, but when you’re very young, relations and names tend to be blurred. As Spike grew up, they had simply not worried about his actual relation to Twilight, and thus Shining Armour, and as such, nopony really cared.
“What am I? Chopped yam?” Shining Armour commented, rolling his eyes as Spike continued to ignore him.
“Careful Sis, I think he’s getting smarter,” Twilight giggled teasingly, hugging her sister-in-law.
“Oh dear, that’s going to be dangerous. A smart stallion? He might try to upset the mare rulership!” Cadance laughed, hugging Twilight just as tightly.
“You wound me!” Shining Armour sniffed, raising his muzzle into the air. He cracked open a sparkling eye, adding, “Being in charge? That’s just more work! Stallions are too lazy to be in charge because that’s too exhausting!”
“Says the ex-captain of the royal guards, and prince of the Crystal Empire,” Cadance retorted playfully, bumping his flank with her own.
Shining Armour was sent sprawling to the floor, moaning in pain and anguish. “Help me, help me! My wife is beating me! I must write letters of solidarity in protest of this cruel, mare overlordship! Somepony rescue me!”
“Ah don’t think the help y’re askin’ for is the kinda help ya need,” Applebloom commented, quirking an eyebrow.
“But this could be our only chance to get our cutie marks in rescuing somepony!” Scootaloo protested eagerly, looking at both of the other crusaders.
“You’re right!” Sweetie Belle agreed, eyes bright. “Let’s go!”
”Cutie Mark Crusader Pony Rescuers! Yay!”
Rarity stifled a laugh as the crusaders bum rushed Armour to ‘rescue’ him, sighing as she turned wistful. “Something wrong, Rarity?”
Rarity blushed as Princess Cadance trotted over, a knowing look in her eye. “I uh... No, nothing’s wrong, I suppose,” Rarity said softly, watching Sweetie Belle from the corner of her eye. “... Perhaps a little jealous.”
Cadance chuckled quietly, her hoof hiding her smile. “I know. I was just a little-”
Rarity blushed, backing away. “N-not like that! Besides, how-”
“As much as I say my special talent is love, I can sense emotions,” Cadance cut Rarity off, trying to save the alabaster unicorn some embarrassment. “And no, I know you aren’t jealous of me for Shining Armour. I’m sure you can imagine just how many mares still give him doe eyes, and try to flirt with him. Rarity, it’s not wrong to want what I was lucky enough to get. It would be wrong to want Shining Armour, as he is mine, and I his.”
“I just... I’m starting to think that I’ll never find my prince,” Rarity admitted with a whisper, blinking back a stray tear. “I guess I’m afraid of being alone. Silly, isn’t it?”
Cadance chuckled knowingly, shaking her head. “No... I had felt the same way before I met Shining. Ironically enough, it wasn’t until I stopped looking that he just sort of appeared out of nowhere, practically falling into my lap. I know it sounds counter-productive, Rarity, but if you want to find somepony, sometimes, the best thing you can do is to stop looking.”
.o.O.o.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were having a blast. Princess Cadance kept Discord mostly in check, and knew how to have fun, whilst mocking her own royal background and the ponies that made up the nobility. What was upsetting two of the crusaders, however, were the actions of their third member. “Oh come on, Sweetie Belle! That’s your fourth freaking dance with Spike! I don’t think that you’re going to get a cutie mark in dancing!” Scootaloo exclaimed, her short temper reaching her limits.
“So?” Sweetie Belle answered dreamily, still lost in the waltz.
Scootaloo sighed, glancing over to Princess Cadance, before gasping as she saw Philomena, Princess Celestia’s pet phoenix, resting on Cadance’s back. She and Applebloom galloped as quickly at their short legs could take them, gazing up at the majestic bird with stars in their eyes. “Woah... Hey, Cadance, what’s it like having a phoenix as a pet? That sounds so cool!”
Cadance laughed, tilting her head so that Philomena could nuzzle her with a beak. “Oh, the same as owning any other pet, I suppose, aside from not worrying about her dying from old age.”
“So... What’s it like having a pet then?” Scootaloo asked, undeterred.
Cadance blinked, a little shocked. “You don’t have a pet? I know that Twilight and A’mour didn’t get a pet because Twinkle is allergic, but-”
“A’mour? Isn’t that Fancy for somethin’?” Applebloom asked Scootaloo, receiving only a shrug in response.
Cadance allowed herself to blush as she smiled, more than willing to explain to the fillies. “Yes, it’s Phrench for the word love. It’s what I call Shining, since armor sounds close to a’mour, and he’s the love of my life, so it just... fit.”
Almost as if they had rehearsed it, the three crusaders, as one, floated up into the air, cooing with an adorable, “Awwww!”
Cadance was then swarmed by the three fillies, surrounding her as they bombarded her with questions.
“How far along are ya?”
“Is it going to be a colt or a filly?”
“What race is it gonna be?”
“Does being pregnant hurt?”
Cadance giggled, shushing the crusaders as she gathered them next to her, eagerly motioning for them to put their forehooves on her stomach. “One question at a time, girls! As far as the colt is concerned, yes, he’s going to be a colt. He’s about nine months along, now, and we don’t know what race he’s going to be, mostly because we want it to be a surprise. As far as-”
Cadance stopped as she felt her foal kick gently, causing her to smile widely. The crusaders’ eyes all grew wide with wonder, rendered speechless. After she was sure that the crusaders were paying attention again, she continued, “Well, not the pregnancy itself, no, but the extra weight causes my back to hurt, or my legs, and I get tired easily. It’s almost hard to stay laying down most of the time, but it’s harder to stay standing up for long periods of time.”
Not wanting to scare the fillies, she thought it best not to mention the pain that would come when she gave birth. Nopony needed to know how painful and messy birthing was at such an early age. While it would be a good way to scare a pony into staying pure longer, scare tactics always have the chance to backfire. Besides, the crusaders had many more questions that needed answering.
“H-how is he so small?” Scootaloo asked quietly, still amazed. “There’s no way I was that small before!”
Cadance nuzzled the crusaders, answering, “Everypony was that small before, my little pony. Even I was that small once, and Twilight, and Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, and-”
“Even Princess Celestia?” Applebloom asked, giggling at the ridiculousness of such a large pony being so small.
“Eeyup,” Cadance answered with a nicker.
“Even... Discord?”
“You rang?” the draconequus asked, lounging on Cadance’s stomach as he shrunk to the size of an apple. He slurped noisily on a pineapple with a straw sticking out of it, before he asked, “Want one?”
“I could use one!” Spike piped up. “All that dancing made me thirsty!”
“Yeah, sure,” everypony else agreed, accepting pineapple drinks eagerly, sucking down the sweet, refreshing juice. After a moment of silence broken only by sounds of happiness, Philomena fluttered down to Scootaloo, tilting her head as she cooed at the pegasus, asking for a bite of the fruit. Scootaloo happily complied, giddy as she watched the fire bird greedily peck away at the pineapple.
As Applebloom and Sweetie Belle also cooed at the bird, Scootaloo’s eyes waxed spacey for just a moment, before she exclaimed, “That’s it!”
“What? What’s it?!” Applebloom shouted, startled.
“Discord! You have to give us pets! I’m begging you!” Everypony blinked as Scootaloo threw herself at Discord, clutching her hooves together as she knelt right in front of Cadance’s belly. “I’ll do anything, but I want a pet! And not just any pet, but a cool pet!”
“And cute!” Sweetie Belle added, her eyes growing wide.
“And soft!” Applebloom threw in, not wanting to be left out. The crusader’s demands, however, started to flow fast and furiously.
“And intelligent!”
“And playful!”
“And magical!”
“And brave!”
“And graceful!”
“And easy to take care of!”
“And funny!”
“And fast!”
“And loyal!”
“And friendly!”
“And affable!”
The other two crusaders looked at Sweetie Belle, quirking eyebrows. “... What?”
“Ah already asked for them to be funny, so whai would ya ask for them to be laughable?”
“And tough!”
Everypony looked to Spike, who had added in a requirement of his own. “What? You think I don’t want a pet? I took Peewee back to his family forever ago! I can want a pet too you know!”
“My, is that all?” Discord quipped, rising in the air. “And here I thought you were going to ask for something more complicated, like becoming an alicorn, or super powers, but pets? That’s easy! Let’s see, let’s peruse the list again, shall we?”
With a snap of his claw, a parchment paper list appeared in front of him, spectacles settling on his snout. “Hmm, let’s see now... Oh, I know, how abou-”
“No,” Princess Cadance interrupted, sipping some tea she summoned to herself. “It can’t be something dangerous to these fillies.”
Discord’s eye twitched as he thought, Now then, where am I going to find a sentient sheep that runs faster than lightning and burps butterflies? Flies... Fly... Oh my... That’s an idea!
““Into the dark, and from the void... let’s see if disaster you can avoid,” Discord cackled as he snapped his talons, causing a small, swirling, black mass to appear in front of him. He fished his claw inside, and then his arm as he felt around for something elusive. “Oh, come on, I know I left them around here somewhere... Ah! There we go!”
Discord reached his paw into the void as well, scooping something up as he held his back to the crusaders, hiding the pets with his arms. “You asked for a pet, and you will receive, but... Will it bring joy, or bring cause to grieve?”
“Cor, just give them their pets already,” Princess Cadance interrupted, unimpressed as she slowly filed a hoof. “They’re three fillies and a baby dragon; they’re no more impressed with your theatrics than I am.”
“Oh come on!” Discord protested loudly. “You always ruin my fun! I decide to reform for Fluttershy’s sake, and ever since then, you princesses think you can just walk all over me! Well that’s it! I’m moving back in with Fluttershy!”
“Wait! What about our pets?!” Scootaloo asked quickly, panicking. “We didn’t say anything! You can’t just bring them and then go away! That’s mean!”
“Oh... fine! Hope you have fun with them!”
Discord snapped his paw, releasing the pets from the invisibility spell he had placed upon them. The three crusaders plus one dragon turned eagerly to the revealed animals to find: “Multicolored chickens?! That’s it?!”
On the stone floor stood four small chicks of a unique coloration. One was a royal purple color, another a ‘plain’ yellow that seemed to shimmer in the torchlight, and finally, a pair of blue chicks, though one was lighter in color than the other. The four chicks made a bum rush for Scootaloo, flying through the air as each one of them pecked her once on the muzzle rather forcefully. As Scootaloo laid on her back, dazed from the attacks, the magenta chick stood atop Scootaloo’s muzzle, its tiny wings spread wide as it chirped its victory to the world. The chick’s chirp was more whistle-like than anything, and sounded nothing like a chicken.
The remaining three rushed to the other two fillies and dragon, each of the chicks quickly claiming their owner as they settled down in their manes. The golden chick chose Applebloom, attracted to her coat, while the two blue chicks decided on Sweetie Belle and Spike, the darker of the pair attracted to Spike’s deeper, richer color scheme.
“... So... They’re magical chickens?” Applebloom asked hesitantly, wincing in advance as she expected the chick to start pecking her.
““There was certainly enough magic in the world I took them from,” Discord replied smugly. “The fact that they are flying with such underdeveloped wings should be quite enough proof that they are no ordinary birds.”
Applebloom stared at the fluttering chick in front of her, asking, “So what’re they called?”
“Their race, as a whole, are called... Chocobos, if I recall correctly,” Discord replied with a yawn, pulling out an eye-mask and night cap, before holding a teddy bear in his paw. “Now, I think that’s enough being a goody-goody for one day. I would love to cause some chaos at the gala, but I wouldn’t want to ruin Fluttershy’s special day. Ta-ta!”
Discord disappeared in a flash, leaving behind the ponies and baby dragon to deal with the happily chirping chicks. After a moment of relative silence, Applebloom piped up, asking, “So... does anypony know how to take care of a chocobo?”
The crusaders frowned in thought for a moment, before Sweetie Belle exclaimed in her squeaky voice, “I know! Fluttershy would know how to take care of them, right? Come on!”
“G-girls! Don’t- you can’t...” Cadance started to say, holding out a hoof, but the crusaders were long gone, leaving her alone with Spike. “Spike, you need to go and find Shining and the girls as quickly as you can. Discord might be reformed, but that doesn’t mean that bad chaos can’t still happen from what he does. Can I count on you?”
“Yes ma’am!” Spike saluted sharply. The baby chocobo on his head did the same, throwing out its tiny chest as it gave its short, whistling chirp.
Cadance giggled as Spike ran off, the baby chocobo trying to keep its place on the scales of the dragon’s head. “Well, they are kind of cute, and have personalities, but... Where did they come from? I’ve got a bad feeling about this...”
“I suppose I should come up with a name for you, huh,” Spike panted absently as he ran down hallways and corridors, trying to cut off the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders from reaching the gala. Luckily, Spike had grown up in Canterlot, and though it had been a couple years since he lived there, he still remembered his way around.
Ducking behind a large tapestry, he followed the dark, narrow corridor, grinning to himself. There’s no way the crusaders know about all of the servant’s routes and shortcuts in the castle! If I could run just a little bit faster, I’d bet I could beat Rainbow Dash in a race! Well, okay, maybe not, but I would give anypony else a run for their gems! Mmm, gems...
Spike began to drool, before he slapped himself, trying to force himself to concentrate at the matter at claw. No, no slacking! I promised Twilight that nothing would happen, that she could trust me! If the crusaders get into trouble, she’ll never trust me again!
.o.O.o.
“Stupid lock!” Sweetie Belle grunted, trying to work her newly budding magic.
“Ah don’t think it’s gonna budge,” Applebloom commented, wincing as she massaged her hoof, having already attempted to buck the lock from the door.
“Ha! Time for the professional spy to try her hoof at picking the lock!” Scootaloo boasted, trotting forward.
“A beginner’s spy kit doesn’t make you a professional, Scoots.”
“It’s still more than you girls!” Scootaloo retorted, sitting in front of the small door. The crusaders were currently in a small garden, trying to get into one of the larger ones, guessing that Fluttershy would want to try her hoof at befriending the animals again.
Scootaloo muzzled through her tail for a moment, before extracting a small, purple manepin. “Aha! Alright, lock, you’re goin down!”
After several failed attempts at picking the lock, Scootaloo withdrew the manepin before it broke. “I guess it’s not strong enough,” Scootaloo sighed, starting to hide it in her tail once more.
“Wait a second,” Sweetie Belle protested. “You can’t just hide in your tail! It’s supposed to go in your mane, silly! Like this!” Scootaloo protested at Sweetie’s magic wrapped around the pin, tucking it into her mane. “There! Now it’s out of the way, and where it belongs!”
“B-but I don’t want to wear that girly thing!” Scootaloo argued, her face beet red. “It’s not cool!”
“Says who?” Applebloom retorted, butting heads with Scootaloo. “Are ya sayin’ there’s somethin’ wrong with wearin’ a bow or manepin or somethin?”
“Kweh!”
The three crusaders turned to face the lock, where Scootaloo’s chocobo was floating around the lock with an air of determination. As they stared at the purple chocobo, it sat atop the lock, pointing at the back of the lock. Scootaloo picked up the lock, flipping it best she could to read the fine print on the back. “In case of emergency, squeeze sides together?”
Looking at her fellow crusaders, who both shrugged, Scootaloo pushed the lock together, gasping at it became unlocked. “What?!”
The three crusaders gaped as Scootaloo’s purple chocobo stood atop the now-opened lock, whistling its victory to the other chocobos, its diminutive wings spread wide. Scootaloo found her voice first, exclaiming, “Chocobos are so awesome! Did you see that?! Rainbow Dash is so going to be impressed by my pet! It just helped pick that lock like that!” Scootaloo snapped her wings to her sides.
“Y-yeah... So, uh, we should probably git goin’,” Applebloom said slowly, opening the door.
“You bet! Come on, Locke, it’s time to find Fluttershy!” Scootaloo ordered, lowing her wing to the ground, creating a ramp for the baby chocobo ro run up. It then ran up Scootaloo’s withers, before settling itself in her mane, chirping proudly at its accomplishment.
“Locke?” Sweetie Belle asked Scootaloo as the crusaders renewed their search for the elusive buttercream-coated pegasus, in the hopes that she would be able to teach them how to care for their new pets.
.o.O.o.
“Discord did what?!” Twilight hissed to Spike, her eyes going wide.
“True... story,” Spike panted, pointing to the baby chocobo fluttering around the room.
Spike had found Twilight in a back-room, preparing for a small speech that was expected of her. Knowing how prone Twilight was to overreacting and over-thinking, he gave the shortest, simplest version of the story he could, hoping it would help prevent her from flipping out. He was almost right.
“This is bad. This is so very, very bad! Do you know what this means?! If the crusaders get into the gala, there’s no telling what they might do! Crusaders with pets?! What could possibly-
“Wark!”
Twilight blinked, pausing as she stared, cross-eyed at the baby chocobo standing on the end of her muzzle. “Did... it just talk?”
The chocobo whistled, puffing out its chest proudly.
“I... I need a drink,” Twilight sighed, trotting slowly to the punch bowl. The back room she had been practicing in held the back-up supplies for the gala in case the nobles actually emptied the punch bowl. Of course, that was never going to happen, as the nobles were far too afraid of the punch slipping and staining, so there weren’t any maids or butlers in the room.
Twilight quaffed a cup, then refilled it, staring into nothing at she tried to think.
“Wark!”
Twilight and Spike gaped at the baby chocobo, stunned at it started giving itself a bath in the cup of punch. It kept leaning down, filling its beak with punch, before leaning back, shaking its head to sprinkle the juice over itself. After several times, however, it blinked in confusion, before letting out a startled “W-wark?!”
Spike and Twilight started giggling as the chocobo half-fell half-fluttered to the floor before running in circles, trying to shake the juice off. While Spike doubled over, trying not to fall over from laughing, Twilight thought quickly, levitating a bucket of water from the table, setting it down next to the panicking chocobo.
“Kweh!”
The blue chocobo dove into the water without question. The small, feathery cannonball created a large enough wave to splash Spike, bringing him to his senses. Spike shook himself to get rid of the water, which slipped right off his scales. Twilight had protected herself from the small puff ball by using one of her new wings, shielding her face. Spike wandered closer to his new pet, watching with wide eyes as it started bobbing up and down on top of the water, chirping and whistling happily, creating miniature tidal waves, threatening to splash over the side of the bucket.
“Well, it’s certainly acting like a normal baby avion,” Twilight noted dryly, dialing down her internal danger meter. “It loves to take baths and splashing, and is very curious about its surroundings... So what are you going to name it?”
“Well,” Spike mused, stroking a non-existent beard. It likes water, and making waves... How about... “Tidus, because it made a wave to drench us. What do you think, Twilight?”
Twilight winced, but was able to hide it from Spike before he turned to look at her. Honestly, it sounds disappointing, but compared to what you named that poor baby phoenix... “It, uh, sounds great, Spike! Sounds like you thought about it, I guess.”
“Thanks!” Spike grinned, carefully picking up the drenched bird, who was whistling happily as it carefully climbed its way up to Spike’s shoulder, where it then shook itself vigorously. Spike gagged as the now-smelly water was shaken all over him. “Gah! Tidus, what the heck?!”
While hard to tell with its small size, Spike could have sworn he saw the baby chocobo smirk before fluffing its soggy feathers, leaning against Spike’s neck to warm up. Twilight just giggled at her assistant’s predicament, rolling her eyes. “Well... Okay, so the Crusaders are trying to get in because they want to talk to Fluttershy, right? It sounds like a simple situation then. We just have to find Fluttershy, and then find the Crusaders before they can ruin the gala. So... checklist, Spike?”
“Well, if I understood you right, let’s see,” Spike answered, glancing back to the top of the parchment he had been writing on. “Step one, find Fluttershy. Step two, explain the situation. Step three, wander around... somewhere? Step four, find the Crusaders and prevent disaster!”
Twilight nodded. “Right! Now, Fluttershy said that she was likely going to stay near Rainbow Dash this year, so our first stop is to find the Wonderbolts! So first stop, Luna to find out where she scheduled their V.I.P. room. Then we’ll get Fluttershy, and on with the plan!”
“And... then... on... with the plan,” Spike repeated, finishing with a flourish. “Okay! So on we go?”
“Right!”
“Your highness, you’re on in five,” a maid reminded Twilight, poking her head into the room. “Need any more refreshments?”
Twilight blinked, then facehooved. “No, I’ll be fine, thank you.”
“As you wish, your highness,” the maid replied with a bow, leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
“... Being a princess sucks. Spike, don’t you dare write that down,” she warned, having heard the scratching of a quill on parchment.
“Write what on what now?” Spike asked nervously, brushing some ash that was suspiciously covering his claws. “I uh, don’t know what you’re talking about, Twilight! I’m on my way to find the Wonderbolts, like you told me to! Bye!”
Twilight shook her head as Spike flashed her an obviously fake grin before running off, closing the door behind him with a slam, causing the purple alicorn to wince. Trying to reassure herself, Twilight started talking to herself once more. “It’s okay, it’s okay... Spike is a responsible baby dragon. He’ll be fine! He took care of our pets for a few days, so he can handle something like this... Right? I mean, he was responsible enough to come find me first before something big could happen... I hope.”
*Boom!*
“... Ugh... Luna buck me to the moon,” Twilight cursed under her breath, messaging the bridge on her muzzle once more. “But it’s okay! Because everything is going to be fine!”
.o.O.o.
“Where are they flying off to!?” Applebloom exclaimed, running after her chocobo.
“I don’t know!” Sweetie Belle shouted back, chasing after hers as well.
“Maybe it’s because you guys haven’t named yours yet?” Scootaloo guessed, split between which friend needed more help. “Locke, come on, help us! Why the heck are they going all psycho?”
“Come back!”
Scootaloo turned in time to see Sweetie Belle chase her chocobo through a cracked window leading to the orchestra section of the gala. Scootaloo turned to Applebloom to let her know she was going to help Sweetie Belle, when she saw what room Applebloom’s chocobo had chosen. “The Wonderbolts?! Heck yeah! Locke, keep an eye on Sweetie Belle for me, okay? I’m going to help Applebloom!”
With a tiny salute, the tiny purple chocobo flew off to the open window with a whistle, leaving Scootaloo to do an impromptu dance of glee at meeting her idol’s idols. if she found out something about the Wonderbolts that Rainbow Dash didn’t, maybe she could talk Rainbow Dash into an extra lesson next week! Two lessons a week was alright, but getting a third would be 50, no, at least 80% cooler! With a plan to follow, Scootaloo chased after Applebloom, not noticing the glow that was starting to emanate from the garden maze...
.o.O.o.
Applebloom chased after her chocobo, looking left and right as she ran past ponies in blue suits, ignoring everypony around her, her focus entirely on the flying gold puff of feathers.
“Wark!” Applebloom watched in horror as she saw Rainbow Dash with a couple Wonderbolts ahead, talking, a small cloud laced with electricity floating in the air behind the rainbow-maned pegasus.
“So, as you can see, to get a cloud to shoot thunder the direction you want it, it just takes some careful aim, focus to prevent yourself from bucking it too hard, and...”
*Boom!*
Applebloom screamed in horror as a bolt of electricity shot from the cloud and slammed into her new pet chocobo, sending its tiny body into seizures. It fell to the ground, limp, and completely black.
“What was that?” Rainbow Dash turned around, sure that she had placed the cloud so that it would hit the wall harmlessly. “It was just a special effect bolt...”
Looking down at the floor, she saw Applebloom carefully cradling a small black puff, crying. “Uh, you okay, Applebloom? Sorry about your snack, but aren’t you overreacting a bit?” she asked, rubbing the back of her neck, starting to get a little nervous at the attention she was starting to attract, now that her little lecture on the proper use of performance lightning was over.
“Y-you killed my new pet,” Applebloom whimpered, unable to speak louder than a whisper as she stroked the tiny ball, barely touching it.
“W-what?!”
Scootaloo and Fluttershy came rushing over from different directions, having heard Rainbow Dash’s shout. Scootaloo froze up as she saw Applebloom clutching her new pet, her face streaked by tears, and Rainbow Dash, standing just a few steps away, shocked. H-how... N-no, no way... Rainbow Dash wouldn’t do that! She couldn’t! She wouldn’t! She... “A-Applebloom...”
Applebloom burst into a fresh wave of tears as Scootaloo gave her a hug, allowing Fluttershy to carefully take the chocobo from Applebloom’s hooves. As Fluttershy begane to examine it, however, she grew from concerned to upset. “You are in big trouble, Missy!”
“I-I...” Rainbow Dash stammered, her eyes wide as she fell to her flanks, her ears wilting. She was doomed. Her reputation as the coolest, fastest, most awesomest pegasus in Equestria was now going to be ruined. In a room full of Wonderbolts both current and retired, were going to hear her get lectured by her best friend, and with the paparazzi nearby, there was no way she was going to escape unscathed. Her chances of becoming a Wonderbolt now were surely doomed...
“You’re scaring poor Applebloom to death with your little stunt! Now you get up right this second and apologize to her!”
Rainbow Dash couldn’t bring herself to even raise her head, lest she be met with Fluttershy’s gaze, which was surely filled with disappointment and sadness, and if there was anything Rainbow Dash couldn’t take, it was disappointing her friends. “I... I didn’t mean to-”
“Kweh!”
Everypony watching gasped in shock as the black ball shook itself, soot falling from it, revealing a fluttering yellow chick. Applebloom watched, not willing to believe what she saw, but her hoof reached out for it to perch regardless. It slowly waddled its way up Applebloom’s foreleg, hanging its head before settling down to rest on her muzzle. Applebloom sniffed several times, before muttering, “Y’all shouldn’t be so mean, Lightning. Ah thought you’d died!”
“Well it shouldn’t have,” Rainbow Dash added with a sigh of relief, knowing that the animal was fine, and thus her reputation still fine. “It was a special effects bolt of lightning! It shouldn’t have done anything to it, which is why I was so shocked! If anypony knows their weather, it’s me!”
“Yeah! I just knew that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t have killed Applebloom’s pet!” Scootaloo agreed, now completely relaxed.
“Yeah, about that,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Why the heck does Applebloom have a baby chicken for a pet? I mean, I know you live on a farm, but-”
Rainbow Dash had to use her legendary speed to get away from the irate chick, who had been grievously insulted.
“So you’re naming it Lightning, huh?” Scootaloo asked Applebloom, watching in admiration and awe as Rainbow Dash eluded her opponent, twisting and corkscrewing about the large hall, doing her best to dodge both pillars, supports, other pegasi, and the baby chocobo.
“Eeyep!” Applebloom chirped, having cleaned her face with a hoofkerchief offered by Fluttershy. “I mean, it is pretty fast, right?”
Scootaloo nodded, turning to her friend. “Well, maybe in small places, yeah, but Rainbow Dash would crush it in a straight race for sure!”
“Heck yeah I would!” Rainbow Dash said, laughing as the two fillies jumped, startled as Rainbow came up from behind them. “But I didn’t know that they could fly, let alone as babies. Is it the same deal as with pegasi foals or something?”
“Nope!” Scootaloo was quick to educate her surrogate older sister, wanting to impress her. “Discord gave them to us when we said we wanted pets! they’re called Chocobos, and they’re magical!”
“You got this from Discord?!” Dash hissed, eyes going wide. “Are you insane? It’s probably-”
“Cadance helped us, so they’re not dangerous,” Scootaloo interrupted quickly, trying to head off the argument. “We just have to train them a bit, that’s all!”
“Speaking of Cadance,” Rainbow Dash said, narrowing her eyes. “Wasn’t she supposed to be watching you guys? Where’s Sweetie Belle? Did you guys run away from her or something?”
“W-well, we had to!” Scootaloo protested. “Sweetie Belle’s and Applebloom’s chocobos just flew off, so I told Locke to help Sweetie Belle while I helped Applebloom.”
“Lock? Why would you tell a metal-”
“N-no, no, that’s what I called my chocobo!” Scootaloo said proudly, puffing out her chest. “It helped us get here to find Fluttershy!”
“But now we gotta find Sweetie Belle,” Applebloom moaned. “Applejack’s gonna kill us...”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, picking up Applebloom and placing her on her back. “There. Come on, let’s go find the others. And don’t scuff the dress,” Dash added, glancing back at her passenger.
“And here I thought that the tough Rainbow Dash didn’t care about clothes at all,” came a teasing voice from behind.
Rainbow Dash blushed, flustering as she tried to ignore Soarin and Spitfire, the former of whom had made the comment. “I-I don’t, not really! I just don’t want Rarity nagging me later for getting it all messed up and getting it steamed or whatever.”
“You realise the more you protest the more he’s going to tease you about it, right recruit?” Spitfire said with a knowing grin.
“Pfft, as if I care what he thinks,” Dash blustered, trying to ignore her reddening face. “Come on, Squirt, we have to find Sweetie Belle yet. Knowing our luck, Rarity will have already found her, so-”
“We’re doomed,” Scootaloo moaned, fluttering after her idol, suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of foreboding. Sharing a glance with Applebloom, she knew the feeling was mutual...
“Oh come on! Where did you go?” Sweetie Belle complained, trotting around empty instrument cases. Sweetie Belle looked around, eyebrows furrowed as she squinted at her surroundings. Such a small animal shouldn’t be able to hide in a room like this, right? It was, maybe, as big as her classroom, if that. There were only half a dozen instrument cases, so how could her pet elude her this well? “It just doesn’t make any sense!”
“Wark!”
Sweetie Belle blinked, then looked at the open door. She stared blankly at the opening in the room for a minute, wondering just how she had been so oblivious as to miss the fact that there was a door in the room. When she heard her pet chirping some more, however, it galvanized her into action. Rushing outside as quickly as she could with her dress, she looked around, hoping to see a small blue speck fluttering around somewhere. “Alright, just concentrate, Sweetie Belle. You just have to find a magical bird that’s come from another realm... No problem! Rarity always said that there’s no such thing as a problem. A problem is only a challenge in disguise...”
Sweetie Belle sighed before straightening back up, trotting forward with her head held high, hooves barely making a sound against the gleaming marble. Remembering that there were adults in the next room, she moved with as much poise and dignity as she could, hoping she would be able to just blend into the crowd as she searched for her elusive avian. Seeing some blue out of the corner of her eye, Sweetie Belle spun around on a hoof-tip, changing her destination.
Murmuring apologies and greetings, Sweetie Belle dodged nobles and guests alike as she approached her pet. “There you are! How could you just ditch me like that? That’s just rude and totally uncalled for! I’m gonna tell Rarity on y-”
Sweetie Belle blinked as she realised the blue she had seen earlier was not in fact her Chocobo, but Vinyl Scratch. Sweetie Belle blinked again when she realised that Vinyl was not only wearing a dress, but also had her mane stylized, and was talking with one of the members of the orchestra. “You’re not my Chocobo...”
The grey earth pony tittered, hiding a grin behind a hoof. Straightening her pink bow-tie, she said, “Oh how precious! Is this your cousin or something, Vinny? How do you do, little one? What’s your name?”
“I don’t don’t think so, Vee,” Vinyl Scratch said, blinking as she stared at the small filly.
“Huh? Vinyl Scratch isn’t my cousin,” Sweetie Belle answered, tilting her head to the side. “I’m just looking for my pet! Have you seen a blue bird flying around? It’s small, blue, and talks like this.”
Octavia listened as Sweetie Belle proceeded to imitate the bird call in question, eyes growing large as dinner plates at the filly’s ability. Then she started giggling as Sweetie Belle let loose a ‘Wark!’
“So it says wark?” Octavia asked, her sides still shaking slightly as she fought to keep her voice even.
“Uh-huh! And she’s cute, and ornery, and can fly, and looks like a blue baby chicken,” Sweetie Belle reiterated, nodding firmly. “And I have to find her before my sister Rarity finds out, or I’ll get in trouble for not telling her I have a pet, and then I’ll get in trouble for my pet getting into trouble and getting away from me, and then she’ll punish me by shunning me, or ostracising me to my room, or shunned in the place I’ve been ostracised to, and, and, and I don’t wanna be an ostrich!”
The area around Sweetie Belle fell silent as ponies heard her panicking, before Vinyl Scratch started laughing. “You’re all right, kid! Getting turned into an ostrich after being shunned. That’s a good one! So you’re looking for a little blue bird, huh? Gimme five seconds.”
Sweetie Belle struggled, with Octavia’s help, to control her hyperventilating, watching as Vinyl poked her head above the crowd, slowly turning in a circle. “Yup. Didn’t see anything. Might wanna try the orchestra though. Lots of small places there for a bird to hide or have fun.”
“O-oh. Where’s that?”
Octavia nudged Sweetie’s flank, before starting to lead the way. “Just follow me, okay? Just try not to attract a lot of attention to yourself, alright? The gala’s a fairly quiet... social gathering, so try to stay-”
“I see her!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, not having been paying attention to Octavia at all. Octavia sighed as her temporary ward abandoned her without a thought, though straightened as she heard a familiar voice next to her.
“I wasn’t aware that you had experience in foalsitting, Miss Octavia.”
“Fancy Pants! I thought you said you had a prior engagement,” Octavia said, her eyes brightening as her smile grew.
.o.O.o.
“Name, name, name, gotta think of a name,” Sweetie Belle chanted to herself in a sing-song voice, unconsciously matching the music playing. “Wanna find a good one or I’ll go insane. Gotta make it perfect, oh what could it be? Wanna make her happy so she’ll chirp in glee.”
Allowing the swing music to grip her hooves, Sweetie Belle danced along as she sang to herself, making her way to a piano on the other side of the enormous dance hall, where she saw a tiny speck of blue.
“Can somepony, anypony please help me? Do you even hear this filly’s heartfelt plea? I just need some help, it won’t take that long. Gonna think of one before I finish my song.
“How about Leblanc? It sounds like a chance. Of course then again, that name comes from Prance. How about Vanille, it’s a flavourful name. But on second thought, that flavour is lame.
"How about some Hope? It could brighten the day! But then I’m afraid it’ll be cliche. Quistis, Squall, Rinoa? I just can’t decide! Just can’t find a name that has lots of pride!”
Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to keep singing, but the ponies currently playing on-stage refused to indulge her, ending the song abruptly. Sweetie Belle ignored the soft thumping on the floor around her, deciding to give a lady-like snort at their rudeness. Before she could give them a piece of her filly mind, however, she heard a familiar whistle, reminding her of her original goal: finding and naming her pet Chocobo.
Her Chocobo was surrounded by several nobles at a piano used to help tune instruments. Sweetie Belle grinned giddily as she heard the excitement and wonder in the nobles voices, knowing that in asking for a graceful, affable pet would pay off. Maybe she wouldn’t get in trouble after all! If the nobles liked the Chocobo enough, then Rarity would just have to like it too, right?
Her Chocobo spun and twirled around atop the piano, dancing as it whistled along as best it could with the song playing. Humming along, Sweetie Belle walked to the other side of the piano and reached up, resting her forehooves on the corner of the piano carefully so as to make sure that her shoes wouldn’t scuff it. She started to bounce along with the music, her tail swishing back and forth as she sang along with the song quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone else.
When her Chocobo fluttered up to her, she stopped, tilting her head to the side. When it whistled at her, Sweetie Belle jolted slightly, remembering her purpose. “Oh yeah! I still have to name you! Uhh... You like to dance and sing... How about,” Sweetie Belle murmured, scrunching up her muzzle, “umm... Oh! How about Yuna? Rarity says that’s the name of one of her favourite-”
Sweetie Belle squealed in pain as she fell from the side of the piano, landing on her back. As the Chocobo started pecking at her tender snout, Sweetie called out, “W-well, since you’re being one, h-how about Paine as yo-oww! C-c’mon, stoppit! I’m doing my best!”
At hearing the unicorn filly whimper, and realising that ponies were staring, the little blue chick snorted, before settling down on Sweetie’s stomach, huffing indignantly. “O-okay... I’m sorry, I’ve never named anything before, alright?”
Hearing Sweetie Belle’s voice so soft and hoarse, the squeak at the end caused the little blue Chocobo to sag on Sweetie’s belly, laying its head down. “Come on, a name... You’re from another realm, so...”
Sweetie blinked as the Chocobo perked up, its eyes bright. “Okay, I’m on the right track,” Sweetie mused. Straining her newly budding magic, she levitated her pet off her stomach, allowing her to roll over and get to her hooves once again. “Another realm, another realm...”
“Wark!”
Sweetie Belle paused, glancing to her back, where the Chocobo was jumping up and down, waving its tiny wings wildly. “Err... Relm?”
Greeted by an exuberant whistle, Sweetie smiled as the little bird started flying in circles, spinning and swirling around, heading back to the piano. Snapping her mouth shut, Sweetie made her way to the piano, her hooves moving jerkily. I can’t believe she freaked out on me for calling her Yuna. Maybe it reminded her of someone?
Worries now behind her, Sweetie Belle let herself relax, tapping a hoof gently against the piano as she swayed back and forth, listening to the classical music. As the next song started, Sweetie’s eyes widened a little before she smiled, starting to sing under her breath.
Sadly, she was unaware of the nearby mare, giggling uncontrollably. “Time to give out cutie marks Pinkie Pie style!”
.o.O.o.
“Well... That went well,” Twilight moaned, her head on a table at Pony Joe’s. Rainbow Dash attempted to throw a donut on Twilight’s horn, but stopped when she felt Applejack’s hoof on her foreleg.
“Eeyup,” Spike agreed, lazily throwing a donut and making it, causing Princess Celestia to snort in amusement.
Rainbow Dash stared with an open mouth, before squinting her eyes at the purple dragon. “Five bits.”
“Cake,” Spike snorted, throwing another donut behind his back. It landed on the edge of Shining Armour’s horn, causing it to spin around as gravity took ahold of the glazed pastry, leaving the stallion’s horn with a faint sheen in the light. “Now gimme my money!”
“H-how did you... 25 if you can do it ag-”
Spike pitched another, much faster than the previous ones. To everypony’s surprise, Luna jerked back as the treat neared her, only for the jerk to cause the donut to land squarely on her horn as well.
Rainbow Dash slowly looked to Princess Celestia, but Spike headed that off immediately. “Uh-uh. Not gonna happen. It’s impossible to get one to land on her horn; don’t waste your time.”
“Oh yeah? Bet I can too do it!” Rainbow Dash argued, flaring her wings. “Don’t move!”
Rainbow Dash carefully tossed a donut at Celestia, and for a moment, her friends (1) thought she just might succeed. To her great dismay, however, once it got a few hooves away from Celestia, it immediately veered towards her open maw instead, causing the sun princess to hum contentedly as she chewed on the delicious treat.
“W-what?! No fair, you cheated!” Rainbow Dash protested, slamming a hoof on the table.
“Objection!”
Everypony jumped as Shining Armour spoke up, his hoof pointing accusingly at Rainbow Dash. “You never said she could not use magic, firstly. Secondly, you only said she couldn’t move, and she didn’t! And finally, Celestia doesn’t have to listen to the requests of her subjects if she doesn’t want to! It’s one of the perks of being royalty,” Shining Armour finished, winking at her as he settled back by his wife.
His eyes went wide a moment later as he felt something warm and wet licking his horn. He might have been embarrassed about it, too, if not for the fact that A) it was his wife’s tongue, B) the royal family’s sweet tooth was a well-known and documented fact, and C) Discord had just shown up as well, causing everypony else to direct their attention towards the draconequus.
.o.O.o.
“Sweetie, will you please come out?” Rarity asked softly, sniffing as she steadfastly ignored her eyes as they threatened mutiny in turning the most horrid shade of red. “I promise, everything’s going to be alright.”
“Yeah, it’s not like Princess Celestia is gonna turn ya into stone for breakin her stained windows.”
“Or for fainting in the middle of singing,” Scootaloo added atop of Applebloom. “Or for screaming after you woke up. Or for-”
“A-anyway,” Applebloom interrupted, realising that Sweetie Belle wasn’t getting cheered up. “It’s all Pinkie Pie’s fault, isn’t it? I mean, ya didn’t ask her ta put a microphone near ya when you weren’t expectin it.”
Sweetie Belle’s voice came mumbled, but easily translated by Rarity, having had plenty of practice picking up her sister’s mumbled words of shame. “Sweetie, yes, you wouldn’t have been there if you hadn’t been chasing your new... pet, but you can’t control your pet all the time! Opal still hisses and scratches at me sometimes. But-”
Rarity sighed as Sweetie Belle continued to blame herself, causing the white mare to massage the bridge of her muzzle. “Yes, Sweetie, you asked for a pet, but that... Of course I’m not mad at you, Darling! How could you even think that?”
The silence rang for a long moment, Rarity’s quiet inquiry having quieted the sobbing filly inside the stall, aside from the odd sniff.
Trusting her sisters intuition, Rarity slowly opened the door, trotting forward with silent steps, before kneeling next to her sister. While she would normally abhor her surroundings, and about the filth that might or might not actually be present, Rarity instead hugged the sniffling Sweetie Belle to her breast. “Oh Belle... What am I going to do with you?” Rarity asked softly, nuzzling Sweetie’s mane.
“N-not s-send me away, or, or loathe me, or-”
Stopping Sweetie Belle’s hiccups before they could get into full swing, Rarity put a halt to Sweetie’s ramblings. “Sweetie, I thought we talked about this,” she cooed, her eyes shimmering in the light. “I could never hate you! We’re like Apple Pie, remember?”
Rarity heard a faint sniff, before her sister’s mumble caused Rarity to sag in relief, a faint smile adorning her face. “Promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly,” Rarity said slowly, going through the motions. “Stick a cupcake in my eye... I love you, Sweetie Belle. If anything happened to you I’d...”
Sweetie Belle leaned into her sister’s hug, letting the mare comfort her with her words and touch. Moments later the other two crusaders joined the hug; now that Sweetie Belle was done freaking out, everything was right in the world.
“Wark!”
Well... as right as everything could be, with Chocobos...
(1) Rainbow Dash’s friends, sans Twilight and her family.
A small, white hoof poked out from underneath the emerald comforter, wiggling around every couple seconds. After several waves which hit air, a muffled grunt sounded when the hoof finally struck metal, hitting the snooze button firmly.
*-ep beep beep beep b-*
“Oh come on!”
The small hoof bashed the alarm clock several more times, but the noise refused to abate. With a growl, the comforter shifted enough to reveal a disheveled Sweetie Belle, who stared at the now-silent clock as the alarm shifted from beeping to more of a whistle.
Confused, Sweetie Belle looked upwards to her headboard where Relm stood, staring down at her owner with her beak and wings spread wide.
Wincing from all the noise, Sweetie Belle forced her heavy limb up to the same height as Relm. As she inched her hoof into Relm’s beak, the light blue avian chirped happily twice.
Sweetie Belle moaned as she collapsed into her bed, opting to let her brain boot up before attempting something that might make her sprain a few brain cells: how to cook breakfast.
It was several days after the gala, and Canterlot was still abuzz with what happened. Rarity had said… something something about weird crystals showing up in the weirdest places, and had joined Twilight in Canterlot as they examined the strange new gems in-depth.
Sweetie Belle was proud that her older sister was called upon by Canterlot for her knowledge on gems. Really. “So why am I so depressed?” Sweetie Belle mumbled to herself, sighing.
“Come on, Relm, we better get cleaned up or we’re gonna be late for crusading today!” Sweetie strode towards the bathroom, barely noting the additional weight on her mane as Relm alighted behind Sweetie’s horn. “Today is going to be awesome!”
.o.O.o.
“I know, I know, I know!” Sweetie panted, running between the microwave and the stove, trying to keep everything from burning. Relm was busy being a supervisor, chirping a fire alarm whenever Sweetie started to neglect part of the food preparation.
“T-there!” Sweetie panted, the pot on the stove now safely cooling on a pad. Heaving a heavy sigh of relief, she rushed back to the microwave, carefully using a towel to remove the covered plate onto another pad. “I did it! Relm, did you set the table? They’re gonna be here any second!”
“Too late!”
”Gah!” Sweetie jumped several hooves into the air, heart pounding. “Wha- Scootaloo!” Sweetie squeaked, blushing. “You don’t just break into ponies houses! You’re supposed to knock!”
“But I was practicing for my lockpicking cutie mark again!” Scootaloo protested as Locke fluttered next to Relm. “It’s not my fault you left the door unlocked! That’s just boring!”
“Y-yeah, well… set the table!” Sweetie flustered, turning back to grasp a pot with a towel to protect her mouth. “Abbloom ool ee ear any segon.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t wait for Applebloom and Big Mac to help cook,” Scootaloo commented, flipping plates from her back onto the table. “I thought you said you were really nervous about cooking by yourself still.”
Sweetie set the pot down, scuffing a hoof against the wood floor. “Well… Maybe a little… But I had Relm helping! She kept yelling at me before anything burned, so I think everything came out alright… Besides, I wanted to try!” she continued with greater confidence. “I wanna be able to make Rarity breakfast in bed whenever she gets back home from Canterlot, so I may as well practice, right?”
“I guess,” Scootaloo agreed absently, lowering a spoon into the pot to see what Sweetie made. “Oatmeal? Do you at least have some brown sugar or something?”
“Well yeah,” Sweetie replied, dragging a bag to the table. “I already added some, but I didn’t want to add too much in case Apple Bloom and Big Mac don’t like it that sweet.”
Relm whistled, alerting the fillies to Locke, who was attempting to open the refrigerator. “Why do you want in there?”
Scootaloo shrugged, before flinging the door open with a wing. Locke immediately flew inside, pecking at a carton of blueberries followed by strawberries and raspberries. The two fillies looked at each other, shrugged, then took the fruit to the table.
They were dragged back, however, when Relm whistled from inside the fridge, pecking at the lid to some orange juice. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shared a look, before Scoots said, “Derp. Think they’ll mind, though? I mean-”
“Eenope.”
“Why would we not like our aunt and uncle’s juice? It’s good!” Applebloom piped up, walking into the kitchen. “You don’t think we only eat apples, do ya?”
“U-uh, of course not!” Sweetie and Scootaloo chorused, grinning widely.
“We uh… just thought you prefered grape juice!” Scootaloo continued.
Applebloom’s eyes glazed over for a moment as she chanted, “Grape juice…”
Scootaloo blinked again, before turning to Sweetie Belle. “Wait, seriously? I was only joking!”
“You don’t think she has a crush on Ruby Pinch, do you?” Sweetie Belle whispered, hiding her mouth with her hoof.
“What, just because her mom owns a grape farm thing?” Scootaloo whispered back, furrowing her brow. “I mean… I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything…”
“Would you say if you had a crush on somepony?” Sweetie Belle countered, tilting her head.
“W-what?! O-of course not!” Scootaloo said, her face turning red as her wings twitched.
Before the fillies continue their discussion, however, they were reminded of their pets activities: namely, taking a bath in the oatmeal.
Big Mac sghed as oatmeal went flying as the avians filled their beaks with oatmeal, before leaning their heads back to shake it out, spraying it all over.
“U-um, sorry Big Mac…”
The red workpony blinked as a dollop of oatmeal dropped past his vision. “Eeyup.”
.o.O.o.
“Cutie Mark Crusader Alchemical Ingredient Gatherers! Yay!”
Zecora exchanged a glance with Big Mac before massaging her muzzle. “I admit these fillies bring me fear; my spine shivers coldly from their cheer.”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed, nodding slowly.
The three chicks started circling Zecora’s head, chirping a song only they seemed to know. “And these little chicks of many hue... how do they fly, and do what they do?”
“They’re chocobos!” the fillies said, bounding about Zecora’s clearing. “They’re magic from another world!”
Zecora looked to Big Mac, who only shrugged.
“There’s another blue one, but he’s with Spike,” Scootaloo explained. She whistled, and Locke stopped singing to dive-bomb Scootaloo’s mane, burrowing deep within before popping its head out. “This is Locke! He’s awesome at finding weak points in stuff! Just uh, don’t let him near any cards, okay?”
“Don’t let him near cards?” Zecora echoed, eyebrows furrowing. “Why should he stay away by yards?”
Applebloom stopped next to Scootaloo as well, interrupting her friend. “Well that’s ‘cause he- ya leavin’, big brother?”
“Eeyup.”
He raised an eyebrow, prompting Applebloom to salute. “Don’t worry, ah’ll be on mah bst behavior, right girls?”
“Cutie Mark Crusader Behavior Models! Yay!”
Big Mac facehooved, glancing to Zecora with glassy eyes. “With the way they have boomed, is it safe to say “I’m doomed”?”
Big Mac sighed, nodding once. “Eeyup…”
.o.O.o.
“Spike! Tidus is getting near the crystals again!” Twilight said, her horn aglow as she levitated a quill and clipboard.
“Woah!” Spike cried out as he fell from his ladder, falling on his back. His vision flickered, and he could see blue birds circling his head as they tweeted. Wait… No, it was just Tidus.
“Oh, poor Spikey-wikey! Are you okay?” Rarity asked, entering his field of vision.
“I am now, milady,” Spike said, his eyelids drooping as a dopey smile covered his face.
Rarity tittered, holding a hoof to her mouth. “Such a gentledrake… Now, Spike, do you think you could take Tidus with you for a walk or something? He keeps-”
A book fell from the shelf, landing squarely on Spike’s sniffer.
“Oh my goodness!” Rarity gasped, quickly grabbing a hoofkerchief to stop Spike’s bleeding nose.
“Y-yeah, a walk seems like a good idea,” Spike groaned, rolling over on the ground so he could lurch to his claws. “Just… a small walk…”
“But don’t go to the big crystal room, alright Spike?” Twilight called out, looking over her shoulder. “It’s bad enough to have Tidus fluttering around this one we’re testing, but going into the big room would-”
Spike tripped on a book, having been looking over his shoulder to look at Twilight as she spoke to him.
As Spike lay sprawled in the dust, he slowly raised a claw with a digit raised. “Sure thing, Twi. I’ll get right on that…”
