Spring has sprung in the peaceful town of Ponyville. The birds were singing, children laughing and playing, the sun shining brightly, and two alicorns were up to something…again. Out in the back of the Books and Branches Library, these two ponies were hard at work on a strange device. The machine looked to be made of metal and wood with a large glass piece in front and all in the shape of a large cube. The blue colored alicorn was leaning inside the thing, his head and fore hooves hidden within. The white coated alicorn with a pink mane with streaks of blue running through it was sitting nearby with a large bag with tools pouring out of it next to her. The voice of the male rang out from inside the machine, addressing his sister.

“Screwdriver,” he called. The young female stuck her muzzle in the tool bag and pulled out the requested tool. She used her magic and levitated the screwdriver to him in a pink, blocky aura.

“Screwdriver,” she replied as he took it in hoof. The sound of the tool at work was present almost immediately. After a few moments, he called out again.

“Pliers.” She did as asked and once again hoofed him a tool.

“Pliers.” The young alicorn watched in wonder as her brother worked on the machine, though she still was trying to figure out what it was as he had refused to tell her. She saw his lower body moving as he stretched deeper into the device without falling in completely. Again, he requested a tool.

“Ballpeen hammer.” She looked into the bag and noticed several hammers, but wasn’t sure which one.

“What’s a ballpeen hammer?” the filly asked. Without even pulling his head out, he answered her question.

“The one that looks like it had a metal ball fused to the back of it.”

“What a scientific answer,” she quipped with a smile. She found the said hammer as she joked and hoofed it to his outstretched hoof.

“Shaddup!” the older male replied to her snide joke. His younger sister only giggled. After the sound of a banging hammer reverberating through the machine, the male finally pulled himself out of his invention with a ‘phew’.

“Whoo, hot in there,” he said getting down. “I think she’s almost finished. Thanks for the help Berry.”

“No problem, DJ,” replied Pixel Berry. “But what is this thing?”

“Oh come on! You haven’t been away from Earth that long! Don’t you recognize it?” asked DJ. “It’s a television. Well, hopefully, a television.”

Berry’s eyes widen in realization. How could she have not noticed? “Oh! Wait… what do you mean hopefully? This isn’t gonna turn out like the model submarine you built last time I visited is it?” she asked with a smile that threatened to turn into full blown laughter.

DJ glared daggers at his sister. “We are to never speak of the U.S.S. Celestia ever again. Do you understand me?”

“Sir, yes sir!” she said with a mock salute, and giggle fit. DJ shook his head in exasperation.

“I hate you,” he says simply.

“I know you mean love!” Berry responds. DJ chuckles a little at his sister’s enthusiasm. “So you really think this one will work?”

“Well, here’s hoping. I am just relying on my mechanical understanding powers to try it. I looked into the designs of movie projectors, too, seeing if that little bit would help. Also took an x-ray to the laptop. I’m just building off of those two pieces and hoping it works.”

“And doesn’t spontaneously combust?” she asked with a smile.

“Bite your tongue! That was a onetime occurrence!” he replies in false anger.

“Twilight told me that it happens a lot.”

DJ gives her a deadpan look as well as thinking that he needed to have a talk with his wife. “Button yer lip!” he orders with a gangster accent as he returns back to working on the television.

“Okay boss!” DJ then hears a strange sound and turns around. He sees that Berry’s upper lip was pulled over her lower one, with a large button plainly apparent. DJ just gives her an ‘are you serious?’ look. Berry only smiles through her buttoned lip while DJ shakes his head and returns to work.

Back inside the library itself, Princess Twilight Sparkle was enjoying her peaceful time during the school day. It sure was hectic having two young fillies around, even with the help of their number one uncle (a position Shining Armor had been pining for since) and their caring father. She relished this time of peace before Scootaloo and Nyx came home from school. Especially as of late, what with the Cutie Mark Crusaders coming over more for special learning, or ‘Twilight Time’ as they called it. It gave Twilight the chance to pass on knowledge to her daughters and their friends and gave the girls a chance to learn new skills. Sweetie Belle, Dinky, and Nyx were still getting a hang of their magic skills, Scootaloo was trying to put a unicycle together without trouble, and Apple Bloom’s potion skills were still growing, while Twist was usually content with studying the many candy making books that the library had to offer. Today was another Twilight Time day, so she was getting as much peace as possible before her library had fillies doing work all over.

Of course, peace was not a common occurrence around her household anymore. Ever since she married DJ and adopted a second daughter, Twilight was busier than ever. She didn’t regret any of it for a second, though. She loved DJ very much, even with all of his crazy quirks and she loved Scootaloo, too. The family now felt… complete. Her, DJ, Scootaloo, Nyx, and Spike; one big happy family. Or ‘Ohana’ as DJ so plainly put it. She liked that word, it was very calming and pleasurable.

Twilight then heard a knocking at her door. She smiled as she put away her tea and book and went to welcome her daughters and friends. Upon opening the door, Twilight was greeted with the sight of eight young fillies, instead of the six she was expecting. What surprised her even more was that the extra two were ones she recognized as the fillies who usually bullied her children. Still she smiled, hiding her displeasure of having Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon around.

“Hey there girls!” she greeted. And then, the unexpected happened.

“Eee! It’s Princess Twilight!” shouted the DT and SS in unison while bouncing in front of the princess of magic. To say Twilight was uncomfortable would be an understatement.

“And you brought guests… great. Come on in.” Twilight couldn’t understand why the girls would bring those two fillies to Twilight Time. It was supposed to be their time together. Still, Twilight could never turn down ponies that were willing to learn. After a quick and uncomfortable ‘conversation’ with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who entered the library without everypony else, Twilight turned to the girls. The CMC looked just as uncomfortable with this situation as she was.

“Listen, I’m all for helping out as many ponies as I can, but maybe we should keep these weekly visits just between us. Hmm?” Twilight was glad that the girls looked much happier with that being said. The princess led the rest of the girls into the library to join the diabolic duo. “Okay, which one of you wants to practice first?” The Crusaders didn’t look so willing anymore.

“Uh, hey mom, where’s dad?” asked Scootaloo who seemed to want to change the subject. Twilight let it slide this time.

“Your father is out back working on another harebrained invention of his. Aunt Pixel Berry is helping him, too, so I don’t want you girls distracting them. Especially with all the stuff your father gets into lately,” Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. Nyx and Scootaloo couldn’t help but giggle at their dad being referred to as such.

“Ooh! So Prince DJ is here, too?!” asked Diamond Tiara with a gleeful smile. Now Twilight was really confused.

“Yes, and with his luck, he’ll be stopping in sooner or later.”

“Don’t you mean ‘crashing’ in mom?” asked Nyx with a giggle.

“Nyx, you know your father’s condition. It’s not something to make fun of.”

“No offense, Twilight, but mah brother’s ‘predicament’ really isn’t all that bad,” said Apple Bloom who was smiling herself.

“Yeah, dad brushes it off every time, anyway,” scoffed Scootaloo. Now, it was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s turn to be confused.

“What are you, like, talking about?” asked Silver.

“You see, Silver Spoon, my husband kinda has a problem with…” the sound of a large explosion rocked the library at that moment causing the two fillies to hold each other in fright. “…explosions,” Twilight finished after regaining her composure.

Then the sound of a pony screaming could be heard approaching the library from above. A moment later, the aforementioned prince came crashing into his home with a “YAHOOHOOHOOIEE!!!” And like usual, he landed on the dining room table. “Aw hahaha. That’s smarts,” DJ groaned as he rolled off the table, stained with soot. “What the hay is our table made of?” he asks himself.

Twilight still felt obliged to answer. “It’s oak dear.”

“I’m pretty sure that it’s brick that’s been painted to look like oak. An oak table should have broken by now.” DJ then looked over and saw the fillies in the room. “Hey, girls! Sorry about crashing Twilight Time, again.”

Pixel Berry walked in from outback looking scared and shocked. “What in living Tartarus just happened?”

“I blew up,” DJ answered nonchalantly. “No idea how, but it happens just as much as the fires.” He shakes his head and lets out a sigh. “Must be random backlash or something, I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. GAH!” DJ found himself face to face with two enthusiastic fillies. “Can I help you?”

“EEEK! IT’S PRINCE DJ!!” they squealed in unison. “He’s so hot!” DJ couldn’t help, but blush at the compliment, though was feeling quite awkward at the attention of his kids’ archenemies.

“Since when is my brother hot?” asked Berry with a smirk, which got a glare from DJ. Twilight giggled at her husband’s expense. Then Pixel got the same treatment as the star struck fillies focused on the daughter of Princess Celestia. There cries of excitement even fogged up Berry’s glasses.

“Ooh, I love your necklace, Princess Pixel Berry,” said Diamond Tiara who had apparently forgotten their first confrontation over a year ago. Of course, DT was referring to Berry’s fire ruby necklace that allowed her to change between a pony and her natural human form. It had taken some time, but Pixel now felt comfortable staying as a pony for extended periods of time, though her human form was still a secret known only to a few others outside of Ponyville.

“What are you doing in Ponyville, Princess Berry?” asked Silver.

“I’m on Spring Break from my mother’s schooling,” Berry answered, mother knows why. “She recommended staying with family for the week, so here I am. Though I wasn’t expecting to see my brother explode on my second day here.”

DJ only shrugged. “It doesn’t happen all that much.”

“You mean about three times a month,” Scootaloo quipped.

“Spike! Scootaloo gets boiled spinach for dinner tonight!” DJ called.

“Got it!” they heard in response from somewhere in the library. Spike always made himself scarce whenever the entire CMC was in his library. They always made a mess that he had to clean up.

“Aw man!” Scootaloo said in a huff. This was DJ’s way of punishing his kids. He could never bring himself to strike either Nyx or Scootaloo and he didn’t like yelling at them unless he had to. Instead, they were disciplined through disgusting food and messed up chores. One time, Nyx was struggling with her magic and ended up dropping a tome on her horn. She ended up swearing so much even a sailor would have been aghast. Twilight wanted to scrub her daughter’s mouth out with soap, but DJ had a better idea. Six public bathrooms cleaned with a toothbrush later had Nyx promising with a blood oath that she would never swear again! And nopony needs to know how Scootaloo’s first punishment went down. Let’s just say that she’ll never ride her scooter inside the library ever again. Twilight wrath and DJ punishments are a combination that do not bode well for a foal.

“That’ll learn ya!” said DJ in response to his daughter. Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head lightly at her husband’s actions. “Sorry about interrupting, love. Come on Berry, let’s see if we can salvage the TV.” DJ and Pixel Berry walked back outside to continue with their inventing.

“Well, that was a treat. Now then, which one of you wants to go first with your practice?” said Twilight with a smile. The Cutie Mark Crusaders now remembered what they were in the library for.

“Shouldn’t they go first!” cried Sweetie Belle.

“Don’t be silly. I set this time aside for you. Now Apple Bloom, let’s see how far your plant growing potion has been coming.” With Diamond and Silver watching, the six fillies got to their lessons.

Back outside, DJ and Berry were going over the wreckage of DJ’s attempt to bring Equestria a new form of entertainment. The entire top portion was missing and the rest was scorched. Broken glass and shredded metal blanketed the area around the device. Berry whistled, impressed at the damage.

“Dang. How ya gonna fix this, bro?” she asked.

“No idea,” was his response. “Whelp, I think I’m done inventing for today. Let’s clean this up and then go get something to eat. Whaddya say, dear sister?”

“You’re giving up. Just like that?”

“Nah. I’ll come back to it eventually. This isn’t the first of my inventions to have exploded on me recently. The DJ luck strikes again.” Since both human-ponies were very skilled in magic, the cleanup took less than ten minutes and soon after, found themselves at Sugar Cube Corner.

“Hey there my faithful students!” greeted the ever exuberant Pinkie Pie.

“Hey Pinkie!” returned DJ.

“Sensei Pinkie,” Berry said while giving a small bow. Pinkie giggled at this and DJ just rolled his eyes and smiled.

“So what can I do for my favorite brother-sister pair?” she asked with a notepad waiting to take their order.

“I thought that spot belonged to Shining Armor and Twilight?” Berry questioned.

“After everything you two have gone through and will go through, that spot definitely goes to you two!”

DJ and Berry turned to look at each other, both with looks of surprised understanding. DJ then turned back to Pinkie. “Pinkie, have you been reading ahead again?”

“Maaaaaybe.”

“You know the author doesn’t like it when you do that, makes him feel self-conscious,” commented Berry.

Yo, guys, right here!

“Sorry!” all three shouted into open air, getting weird looks from the other patrons in the store. Just the randoms being themselves.

DJ shook it off and decided to answer his stomach like they had planned. “Anyways, Pinkie, I’ll take two chocolate chip cookies.”

“Would you like milk with that?” Pinkie asked while scratching down his order.

“Need you ask?” he returned with a smile. Pinkie giggled in response and then turned to his sister.

“Three vanilla cupcakes for me, please!”

Pinkie finished writing down their orders and then went to work. “I’ll have those out in just a jiffy!”

“We’re in no rush!” they responded together. Berry and DJ trotted over to an open table to await their sugar filled lunch. As the two waited, they talked over everything that happened since the Battle for the Crystal Empire. Berry’s political training had hit a snag after an incident in the Gryphon Kingdoms, which she wouldn’t go into detail about. Celestia was keeping a tighter hold on her daughter since and Berry was just thankful that she was allowed to get out of the castle.

DJ returned it with how Scootaloo was doing in her new family. It took some adjustments and changes, but now they really were one big, happy family. “Of course, Scoots is still a troublemaker, so that’s something we have to deal with every now and then.”

“She wouldn’t be Scootaloo if she didn’t,” Berry said with a laugh. DJ chuckled lightly himself. “So, have you and Twilight gotten any alone time with two little rascals running around?”

“Every now and then. Nyx and Scootaloo practically beg for attention. Nyx is always wanting me to help her with magic and Scoots seems to come up with a new scooter trick every other day. The rare times we get to have alone are when the kids are at school or when they’re out crusading.”

“Don’t you have to worry about Spike?”

“Nah. He has his own drama to deal with, plus he knows to split when we start getting mushy,” DJ said with a blush. Pixel giggled into her hoof.

“So did he and Rarity break up again?”

“You know those two never really break up. They get mad, have an argument, ‘break up’, and then get together after they both cooled off. I still have hope for the little guy, though. Their making it work, slowly but surely.” Spike and Rarity had been in an off-again, on-again relationship since that Nightmare Night where DJ scared all the foals in town by bringing the Headless Horseman to life. A sight Berry kicked herself for not getting to Equestria beforehand to see. This last time involved a famous stallion visiting Ponyville for the Ponyville Days Festival. Rarity tried everything to get Trenderhoof to notice her instead of Applejack, even changing her entire demeanor. After the festival, Spike and Rarity really got into it. Both were furious afterwards, despite how calm Spike was while Trenderhoof was around. Jealously reared its ugly head once the stallion was gone, though.

“I think it’ll work out. I’ve seen the way those two look at each other and you’d have to be blind to not see the twinkle in their eyes,” said Berry.“How are Fluttershy and Big Mac doing? Everything going okay?”

DJ gave a small laugh. “Whenever you see those two together, you could almost swear there are wedding bells ringing in the distance. Those two are head over hooves for each other!” Berry started laughing along with her brother at FlutterMac’s expense. Pinkie returned soon after with their respective treats and the two of them dug in. In a flurry of pastry crumbs and frosting, the two random alicorns finished up their treats in ten seconds flat. They paid their bill and said goodbye to Pinkie, heading back to the library. “So what do we do now?”

DJ thought on that as they walked. “Wanna try for a skydiving cutie mark?” he asked with a chuckle.

Berry returned it with a deadpan glare. Then she shrugged. “Sure, sounds like fun.”

“Cool.” The two of them took flight and had some skydiving fun. Even Rainbow Dash joined in after seeing the two of them trying out different flying stunts. All in all, it was a good day.

One week later, Berry and DJ were once again messing with another invention of his. This was Berry’s last day in Ponyville before having to return to Canterlot and her studies. This would also be the fifth contraption she had help work on this week. And she was hoping that it wouldn’t be the fifth explosion that week either. As DJ promised, they were resuming work on the television set and DJ had much more confidence that it would work this time.

“Blowtorch,” he called out from inside the mammoth TV. Berry ruffled inside the tool bag and levitated out the torch.

“Blowtorch.” She heard the flame light from within and saw the light of sparks flying out of the bow. Then it ended as abruptly as it began.

“Hacksaw.”

“Hacksaw,” Berry returned by giving the said tool to him. The sawing sound was murder on her sensitive pony ears. DJ didn’t fare any better because once he was done with the saw, he threw it out of the box.

“That was more painful than necessary,” he commented. Berry nodded her head in agreement. “Whelp,” DJ said while pulling himself out of the TV, “if it don’t work this time, then I don’t think it ever will. Fire her up, Berry.” DJ had told Berry what to do beforehand so she trotted over to the plug of the box and readied her spell.

“Yes, master,” she said with the tone of Igor. DJ rolled his eyes at his sister’s playful attitude. Berry giggled and then fired her spell. It connected and she saw the magical energy flow down the cord and into the machine. They heard as the gears and cogs inside began to turn and heard the familiar humming of a powering-up television. The two sat together in front of the screen and watched with anticipation. Then they saw the screen light up, emitting no picture, of course. The jumped in glee at the success of their machine. “It worked, DJ, it worked!”

“Yeah it did! I knew we could do it!” Then their celebration was cut short as a small fire burst into existence on top of the box. Berry freaked and fired a fire extinguisher spell causing the box to be covered in magical foam. DJ just sat there, perplexed.

“How in the… what… why… HOW!?” he stammered out.

“What do you mean?” Berry asked.

“None of the flammable materials are near the top! Why is that the part that burst into flames?” Berry and DJ got quiet as they stared in confusion at the box and then shook their heads.

“Screw it!” they yelled in unison. They made their way back towards the front of the library just in time to see a bunch of colts and fillies leave in a crowd. They both raised an eyebrow and went inside to find out what was going on. They entered into a conversation between Twilight and three of the cutie mark crusaders (one being DJ’s daughter).

“We’re sorry, Twilight/Mom,” the girls said in unison. DJ and Berry watched as the three fillies began to perform different skills around the library. They saw Apple Bloom’s potion make a beautiful apple plant, Sweetie Belle’s magic picking up, and Scootaloo put together her unicycle in a flash. As the three walked past the two alicorns, never noticing either of them, Twilight called to the fillies.

“Girls,” they turned around to meet the warm eyes of the princess, “I’ll see you next week.” The girls gasped with happiness. “And Scootaloo be home for dinner soon, okay?”

“Okay mom!” Scoots called back as the three ran off, probably to join the other crusaders. Then Spike walked in carrying a towering plate of nachos.

“Here’s those nachos you asked…for…Twilight?” He looked around, no doubt expecting the large crowd of foals that had left earlier. “Oh come on!!”

DJ approached him and started taking some of the nachos. “Don’t worry about it little dude, they won’t go to waste.” DJ started to chow down, Berry walking over and joining in not long after.

“Mmm, I definitely missed your cooking Spike,” Berry said as she chowed down on her food. Twilight giggled as her husband and sister-in-law ate up Spike’s hard work. Twilight and Spike decided to have a few themselves. Even with all the craziness that had happened over the past week, everything still felt right. Just another day in paradise! A large explosion was heard outside behind the library causing all of the ponies inside to stop what they were doing. Twilight turned to glare at her husband for causing a ruckus again. DJ just sat there and stared off into space, looking tired. Yeah, paradise, right! Deep within his mind, DJ could have sworn that Malice was rolling around laughing his heart out.