The next morning, Twilight Sparkle opened her curtains to bedazzling sunlight. She blinked, bemused, then began to get out of bed. She swung her back legs over the floor before letting herself fall. She fell onto her forehooves and made her bed in a cloud of magic. Then, she picked up her brush (with magic, of course) and pulled the teeth through her mane.

Spike came wandering up the staircase, his face lighting up upon seeing the lavender unicorn. "Hi, Twilight! How are you? I've made breakfast: oats and hay, your morning favourite!"

"Thanks, Spike," smiled Twilight, blinking the remnants of sleep from her eyes and setting the brush down. "I'm going to be out for most of the day. I'm visiting Berry Punch."

"Another hangover?" asked Spike concernedly, leading Twilight down the wooden staircase. "I hope she's coping alright."

"No, it's about her little filly," yawned Twilight.

Spike looked at Twilight interestedly. "Ruby? The filly who got her Cutie Mark for presentation?"

"Precisely," replied Twilight.

The two emerged on the ground floor. Spike had set out a bowl of oats with a sprinkling of the freshest hay. Twilight smiled at the baby dragon's thoughtfulness and picked up her spoon.

"I'll finish off alphebatising your letters," said Spike, and he hurried out of the room with a flick of his arrow-head tail.

Twilight giggled at the baby dragon's adorableness before resuming to eat her breakfast, spooning a generous amount into her mouth before chewing and swallowing swiftly. Once her bowl had been emptied, the unicorn trotted out of the library, remembering to leave Spike a farewell note.

The streets of Ponyville were already bustling with ponies. Twilight swept past Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon discussing something in low voices, and made her way for Berry Punch's house.

Berry's adobe was a simple cottage. An elegant assortment of grapes were nestled into the corner of the downstairs window, and the cosiness of it all overcame the fact that it was double-storey. Twilight spent a few minutes gazing avidly at the homely settling before knocking on the door with her hoof.

Barely a few seconds passed, then a small filly answered the door. Her eyes were a moderate lime green, and her coat was a pale rose. Her mane was divided into two shades of rose, and her Cutie Mark was of three red-pink gems.

"Hello, Ms. Sparkle," greeted Ruby.

"Hello, sweetie," said Twilight, smiling awkwardly. "Is your mummy home?"

"Yes, she is," said Ruby, nodding. "She's much better than usual, and she doesn't smell funny."

Twilight couldn't help but giggle at the filly's cuteness. Ruby smiled good-naturedly at Twilight and led her inside.

The inside of the cottage was a bright rose. A vase filled with roses stood on an oaken set of drawers, and the stairs led up on the side of the house. Berry Punch was washing the last of the dishes, whistling happily. Berry turned to face her daughter and smiled happily at the lavender unicorn.

"G'morning, Twi," greeted Berry. She had a hint of a Hoofington accent, and Twilight assumed that she was from there originally. "What brings ya to our neck of the woods?"

"I'd like to talk to you about your daughter," replied Twilight, not sure how to approach this situation.

"Not causing ya any trouble now, is she?" said Berry concernedly, as Ruby picked up a pink stuffed bunny and began playing with it. "Ever sinced we changed houses, she's being a little more chaotic lately."

"No, no, nothing like that," said Twilight hurriedly.

Berry's face cleared and she bent down to hug her daughter. "Why don't you play with Mr. Tickles upstairs, darling?"

"Okay, mummy!" said Ruby, her face bright. She galloped up the stairs, Mr. Tickles held aloft with a light-pink cloud of sparkling magical aura.

---

Berry's face was in her hooves. The two mares had sat down to discuss the Element of Magic, and Berry Punch was, expectedly, surprised beyond belief. After rubbing her eyes tiredly, she raised her face to Twilight's level.

"Are you sure that my daughter's the right one for the job?" asked Berry wearily.

"I'm sure," said Twilight, firmly. "Trust me, no filly her age is expected to have this kind of magical control. I had trouble turning a book page when I was that old."

Berry Punch looked bemused, before falling back into a concerned expression. "I'm not sure if she'll accept, though. I mean, she's a bright little filly, and I'm definitely not being biased. Trust me, she's smarter than half the colts in her grade, and that's sayin' something."

"Well, she's definitely clever to make up her own mind," smiled Twilight. "Maybe she can decide on her own?"

"I guess," murmured Berry, hanging her head. "I mean, it is her responsibility... Well, okay. We can go upstairs, see how she's going."

"Lead the way," said Twilight.

Berry smiled and led the unicorn up the wooden stairs. The second floor was made up solely of three rooms: Berry's room, the bathroom and Ruby's room, Twilight assumed. Berry knocked gently on the first door, and a young voice permitted the mares entry.

Ruby's room was a bright ruby-rose colour. A bunch of roses lay on the windowsill, and the books, toys and bed was perfectly made. In the middle of the wooden floor, Ruby was playing with Mr. Tickles, a stuffed bear and a pony doll that looked hoof-made.

"Hello, mummy!" smiled Ruby. "Hello, Ms. Sparkle!"

"Hi, darling," replied Berry, walking over to her daughter and nuzzling her. "How's Mr. Tickles and his mates?"

"They're great!" chirped Ruby. "Mr. Tickles and Miss Mane are trying to help Fuzzy with finding his rattle! Did you see it anywhere?"

"Actually, we're here to talk about something a bit more important than Fuzzy's rattle," said Twilight cautiously. "Could you think of what it could be?"

Ruby's face scrunched up, clearly thinking. Finally, she said, "Miss Mane's comb?"

"No, sweetie," laughed Berry. "We mean something in Equestria, outside of your room."

"Oh!" exclaimed Ruby. "So... like the Elements of Harmony or something?"

"Exactly like the Elements of Harmony," said Twilight, pleased that Ruby had picked up on it so quickly. "In fact, it's about the Element of Magic."

"Are you giving it to me?"

The swiftness, the hardness and the accuracy of the question actually made Twilight's pupils dilate. After clearing her throat two or three times, Twilight muttered, "Well... yes."

Somehow she could not meet Ruby's eyes. She heard muttered words between the mother and daughter. Once they subsided, Twilight managed to raise her head.

Ruby's eyes were alight with happiness. Berry's eyes were wet with emotion.

"When can I see it, Ms. Sparkle?"